2001 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

2001 Nebraska Cornhuskers football
Big 12 North Co-Champions
Rose Bowl BCS National Championship Game, L 14–37 vs. Miami
Conference	Big 12 Conference North Division
Ranking
Coaches	#7
AP	#8
2001 record	11–2 (7–1 Big 12)
Head coach	Frank Solich (4th year)
Offensive coordinator	Frank Solich (4th year)
Offensive scheme	I formation
Defensive coordinator	Craig Bohl (2nd year)
Home stadium	Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 73,918)

2001 Big 12 football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Northern Division
#9 Colorado xy$		7	–	1					10	–	3
#8 Nebraska x%		7	–	1					11	–	2
Iowa State		4	–	4					7	–	5
Kansas State		3	–	5					6	–	6
Missouri		3	–	5					4	–	7
Kansas		1	–	7					3	–	8
Southern Division
#5 Texas xy		7	–	1					11	–	2
#6 Oklahoma		6	–	2					11	–	2
Texas A&M		4	–	4					8	–	4
Texas Tech		4	–	4					7	–	5
Oklahoma State		2	–	6					4	–	7
Baylor		0	–	8					3	–	8
Championship: Colorado 39, Texas 37
$ – BCS representative as conference champion % – BCS at-large representative x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant Rankings from AP Poll

The 2001 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Frank Solich and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent^#	Rank^#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 25	2:30 PM	TCU*	#4	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE (Pigskin Classic)	ABC	W 21–7	77,473
September 1	11:30 AM	Troy State*	#4	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE	FSN	W 42–14	77,812
September 8	7:00 PM	#17 Notre Dame*	#5	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE	ABC	W 27–10	78,118
September 20	7:30 PM	Rice*	#4	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE		W 48–3	77,344
September 29	11:30 AM	at Missouri	#4	Faurot Field • Columbia, MO (Rivalry)	FSN	W 36–3	64,204
October 6	6:00 PM	Iowa State	#4	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE	FSN	W 48–14	78,002
October 13	1:00 PM	at Baylor	#4	Floyd Casey Stadium • Waco, TX		W 48–7	38,102
October 20	6:00 PM	Texas Tech	#3	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE	FSN	W 41–31	77,838
October 27	11:00 AM	#2 Oklahoma	#3	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE (Rivalry)	ABC	W 20–10	78,031
November 3	6:00 PM	at Kansas	#2	Memorial Stadium • Lawrence, KS	FSN	W 51–7	50,750
November 10	2:30 PM	Kansas State	#2	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE	ABC	W 31–21	77,818
November 23	2:30 PM	at #14 Colorado	#2	Folsom Field • Boulder, CO (Rivalry)	ABC	L 36–62	53,790
January 3	7:00 PM	vs. #1 Miami (FL)*	#4	Rose Bowl • Pasadena, CA (Rose Bowl)	ABC	L 14–37	93,781
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. ^#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Central Time.

^[1]

Roster and coaching staff

2001 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class IB 41 Albertson, MattMatt Albertson Jr OG Altstadt, SteveSteve Altstadt Sr OG 71 Andersen, JakeJake Andersen RFr SE 38 Biodrowski, BrandonBrandon Biodrowski Fr TE 84 Bowling, JonJon Bowling Jr SE Brye, CliffordClifford Brye Jr QB 11 Chrisman, JoeJoe Chrisman Jr OG 59 Cody, WesWes Cody Jr IB 1 Collins, ThunderThunder Collins Jr SE 32 Cook, KellyKelly Cook So WB 81 Cornelsen, BenBen Cornelsen Jr QB 7 Crouch, EricEric Crouch Sr TE 80 Dabbert, WillWill Dabbert Jr FB 4 Davies, JuddJudd Davies So IB 25 Davis, JoshJosh Davis So OG 50 Dawson, JonJon Dawson So IB 30 Diedrick, DahrranDahrran Diedrick Jr WB 29 Dunn, AndrewAndrew Dunn RFr OG 78 Erickson, MikeMike Erickson RFr OT 65 Flaum, M.J.M.J. Flaum RFr OG 77 Fonoti, ToniuToniu Fonoti Jr C 52 Garrison, JohnJohn Garrison Jr WB 8 Gibson, JohnJohn Gibson Sr TE 99 Golliday, AaronAaron Golliday Jr FB 49 Gragert, NickNick Gragert Sr OT 72 Green, TimTim Green So IB 6 Grixby, DeAntaeDeAntae Grixby So SE 89 Hassebroek, TroyTroy Hassebroek Jr C Incognito, RichieRichie Incognito Fr SE 80 Jisa, JasonJason Jisa RFr FB 37 Kastl, PaulPaul Kastl Jr TE 41 Keiser, DustyDusty Keiser RFr SE 19 Klem, JohnJohn Klem Jr OT 73 Koethe, ScottScott Koethe Jr OT 75 Kollmorgen, KyleKyle Kollmorgen Sr C 74 Kolowski, DavidDavid Kolowski Jr OT 67 Kolterman, NateNate Kolterman Jr FB 45 Kriewald, SteveSteve Kriewald RFr SE 28 Liley, TimTim Liley So C 63 Limbaugh, JackJack Limbaugh So QB 15 Lindstrom, BrettBrett Lindstrom So WB 12 Long, DeWayneDeWayne Long RFr OT 76 Loos, ChrisChris Loos So QB 10 Lord, JammalJammal Lord So QB McLaughlin, MikeMike McLaughlin So SE 14 Mikluscak, RyanRyan Mikluscak RFr IB 21 Miller, RobinRobin Miller So OG 61 Nelson, BrianBrian Nelson So WB 24 O'Holleran, JackJack O'Holleran RFr SE 23 Ommert, RyanRyan Ommert So TE 82 Peetz, PhilPhil Peetz So OT Pike, GaryGary Pike Fr WB 27 Plooster, MattMatt Plooster So OT 69 Povendo, NickNick Povendo RFr IB 36 Reese, TimTim Reese So TE 86 Ringenberg, KyleKyle Ringenberg Jr IB Ross, CoryCory Ross Fr OG 66 Rutherford, JonJon Rutherford Sr TE 83 Septak, ChrisChris Septak RFr OG 79 Sewell, JoshJosh Sewell So TE 42 Shada, AlexAlex Shada RFr C 53 Shook, MattMatt Shook Jr QB 13 Siefken, ScottScott Siefken RFr IB Simmons, MarquesMarques Simmons Fr QB 16 Stuntz, MikeMike Stuntz Fr OG 55 Tagoa'i, JuniorJunior Tagoa'i So SE 9 Thomas, WilsonWilson Thomas Jr WB 31 Thorne, FredFred Thorne So FB 35 Tomasevicz, CurtCurt Tomasevicz RFr OT 68 Vili Waldrop, DanDan Vili Waldrop So OT 57 Volk, CodyCody Volk So OT 58 Volk, DaveDave Volk Sr SE 20 Wigert, KiffinKiffin Wigert RFr FB 25 Wingender, AndyAndy Wingender So TE 87 Wistrom, TraceyTracey Wistrom Sr WB 5 Zajicek, BenBen Zajicek RFr	Defense Pos. # Name Class RE 98 Adams, DemoineDemoine Adams Jr NT Adams, TitusTitus Adams Fr FS 27 Amos, WillieWillie Amos So DT 59 Bingham, RyonRyon Bingham So ROV 21 Bland, PhilipPhilip Bland Fr ROV 29 Boettner, MicMic Boettner Sr FS 14 Booker, DionDion Booker Sr NT 91 Brown, ManaiaManaia Brown RFr WLB 39 Buller, ChadChad Buller So FS Bullocks, DanielDaniel Bullocks Fr ROV Bullocks, JoshJosh Bullocks Fr CB Burgess, RodneyRodney Burgess Jr FS 36 Burrow, DanDan Burrow RFr MLB 48 Burrow, JamieJamie Burrow Sr ROV 4 Butler, TerrellTerrell Butler So NT 55 Clanton, JonJon Clanton Jr MLB 47 Cooper, IraIra Cooper RFr LCB 3 Craver, KeyuoKeyuo Craver Sr ROV 32 Demerath, TimTim Demerath Sr NT Evwaraye, SeppoSeppo Evwaraye Fr SLB 51 Fries, GabeGabe Fries Jr RCB 5 Groce, DeJuanDeJuan Groce Jr LCB 26 Guse, KevinKevin Guse So NT Helming, JaredJared Helming Fr RCB 18 Hemje, JeffJeff Hemje Sr WLB 46 Hoke, AnthonyAnthony Hoke So MLB 17 Hollowell, T.J.T.J. Hollowell So ROV 40 Hopkins, LannieLannie Hopkins RFr RCB 15 Huston, KellenKellen Huston RFr RCB 24 Ickes, MattMatt Ickes Sr LCB 30 Jackson, JoelJoel Jackson RFr WLB 23 Johnson, BlanchardBlanchard Johnson So RE 88 Johnson, TrevorTrevor Johnson So DT 94 Kabongo, PatrickPatrick Kabongo So RE 57 Kelsay, ChrisChris Kelsay Jr CB Landingham, RandyRandy Landingham Fr NT 70 Lohr, JasonJason Lohr Sr MLB 53 Makris, MikeMike Makris So CB Manning, DaniealDanieal Manning Fr DT 79 Manning, StephenStephen Manning Jr RE 76 McBride, JeffJeff McBride RFr LCB 6 McPherson, LornellLornell McPherson RFr WLB 58 Miller, TimTim Miller So DT 85 Nelson, CaseyCasey Nelson Sr LCB 13 Otto, JamieJamie Otto RFr FS 31 Pippens, JerrellJerrell Pippens So WLB 44 Richenberger, JasonJason Richenberger RFr LCB 13 Ricketts, PatPat Ricketts So MLB Ruud, BarrettBarrett Ruud Fr MLB 47 Safranek, SteveSteve Safranek So FS 35 Scholting, CarlCarl Scholting So SLB 43 Shanle, ScottScott Shanle Jr RE 97 Shrader, MattMatt Shrader Fr LB Sievers, ChadChad Sievers So DT 56 Slechta, JeremyJeremy Slechta Sr SLB 45 Smith, JemondJemond Smith Jr RE 92 Smith, JustinJustin Smith Jr DT Smith, Le KevinLe Kevin Smith Fr WLB 34 Stella, RandyRandy Stella Jr RCB 16 Swiney, ErwinErwin Swiney Sr MLB 90 Tata, TonyTony Tata Jr ROV 2 Terpening, AaronAaron Terpening Jr RE 10 Thomas, BenardBenard Thomas So RE 93 Toline, TylerTyler Toline RFr WLB 9 Vedral, MarkMark Vedral Sr RE 97 Warrior, AdrianAdrian Warrior Jr LCB 29 White, JayJay White Jr LCB 33 White, SethSeth White So RE 95 Wichmann, J.P. (John Paul)J.P. (John Paul) Wichmann Sr ROV 20 Woodward, WesWes Woodward Sr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class PK 26 Brown, JoshJosh Brown Jr PK 22 DeAngelis, SandroSandro DeAngelis RFr P 19 Larson, KyleKyle Larson So	Head coach Frank Solich    4th season    23rd year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Nebraska Coordinators/assistant coaches Craig Bohl    2nd season as DC/LB coach    10th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Nebraska Turner Gill    10th season as QB coach    10th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Nebraska Ron Brown    15th season as WR/TE coach    15th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Brown Jeff Jamrog    2nd season as DL coach    4th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Nebraska Dan Young    19th season as OL/K coach    19th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Reed Milt Tenopir    28th season as OL coach    28th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Sterling Nelson Barnes    5th season as RE coach    5th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: North Texas George Darlington    DB coach    29th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Rutgers Dave Gillespie    4th season as RB coach    13th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Nebraska-Omaha Boyd Epley    33rd season as S&C coach    33rd year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Nebraska Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster Last update: January 16, 2011

Game notes

TCU

TCU at Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total TCU 7 0 0 0 7 • Nebraska 13 0 8 0 21 Date: August 25 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 77,473 TV announcers (ABC): Mike Tirico (Play–by–play), Tim Brant (Color) & Todd Harris (Sideline)

Troy State

Troy State at Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Troy State 7 7 0 0 14 • Nebraska 14 14 7 7 42 Date: September 1 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 77,812 TV announcers (FSN): Drew Goodman (Play–by–play), Dave Lapham (Color) & Jim Knox (Sideline)

Notre Dame

Notre Dame at Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Notre Dame 0 3 0 7 10 • Nebraska 17 10 0 0 27 Date: September 8 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 78,118 TV announcers (ABC): Brent Musburger (Play–by–play), Gary Danielson (Color) & Jack Arute (Sideline)

Rice

Rice at Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Rice 0 0 0 3 3 • Nebraska 21 7 20 0 48 Date: September 20 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 77,344 TV announcers (FSN): Joel Meyers (Play–by–play), James Lofton (Color) & Eric Clemons (Sideline)

Missouri

Nebraska at Missouri [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total • Nebraska 0 13 9 14 36 Missouri 3 0 0 0 3 Date: September 29 Location: Faurot Field, Columbia, Missouri Game attendance: 64,204 TV announcers (FSN): Drew Goodman (Play–by–play), Dave Lapham (Color) & Jim Knox (Sideline)

Iowa State

Iowa State at Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Iowa State 0 0 14 0 14 • Nebraska 20 21 0 7 48 Date: October 6 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 78,002 TV announcers (FSN): Joel Meyers (Play–by–play), James Lofton (Color) & Eric Clemons (Sideline)

Baylor

Nebraska at Baylor [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total • Nebraska 7 7 7 27 48 Baylor 0 7 0 0 7 Date: October 13 Location: Floyd Casey Stadium, Waco, Texas Game attendance: 38,102

Texas Tech

Texas Tech at Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Texas Tech 13 15 3 0 31 • Nebraska 21 7 10 3 41 Date: October 20 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 77,838 TV announcers (FSN): Joel Meyers (Play–by–play), James Lofton (Color) & Eric Clemons (Sideline)

Oklahoma

Oklahoma at Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Oklahoma 0 10 0 0 10 • Nebraska 0 10 3 7 20 Date: October 27 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 78,031 TV announcers (ABC): Brent Musburger (Play–by–play), Gary Danielson (Color) & Jack Arute (Sideline)

Kansas

Nebraska at Kansas [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total • Nebraska 0 20 7 24 51 Kansas 0 0 0 7 7 Date: November 3 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, Kansas Game attendance: 50,750 TV announcers (FSN): Joel Meyers (Play–by–play), James Lofton (Color) & Eric Clemons (Sideline)

Kansas State

Kansas State at Nebraska [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Kansas State 0 14 0 7 21 • Nebraska 0 13 15 3 31 Date: November 10 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 77,818 TV announcers (ABC): Brad Nessler (Play–by–play), Bob Griese (Color) & Lynn Swann (Sideline)

Colorado

Nebraska at Colorado [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Nebraska 3 20 7 6 36 • Colorado 28 14 0 20 62 Date: November 23 Location: Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado Game attendance: 53,790 TV announcers (ABC): Brent Musburger (Play–by–play), Gary Danielson (Color) & Jack Arute (Sideline)

Miami (FL)

Nebraska vs Miami (FL) [box score]

1 2 3 4 Total Nebraska 0 0 7 7 14 • Miami (FL) 7 27 0 3 37 Date: January 3 Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California Game attendance: 93,781 TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson (Play–by–play), Tim Brant (Color), Todd Harris (Sideline) & Lynn Swann (Sideline)

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. ( ) = First place votes.

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Final
AP	4	4	5	4	4	4	4	3	3	2	2	2	2	6	5	4	8
Coaches'	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	2	2	2	6	4	4	7
Harris	Not released						N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Not released
BCS	Not released								2	1	1	1	1	4	3	2	Not released

After the season

Nebraska finished in a tie for 1st place in the Big 12 North Division and also tied for 1st conference-wide, with a final record of 11–2 (7–1).

The events which took place at the end of the season put a strain on the system of college rankings and polls. The Cornhuskers lost their final regular season game to Colorado 36–62, leaving both tied for 1st place in the Big 12 North Division. As Colorado won the head-to-head contest, Colorado then participated in the Big 12 Championship and defeated Texas 39–37. Despite Colorado's accomplishments, Nebraska's strength-of-schedule component in the Bowl Championship Series selection system resulted in the Cornhuskers being selected to play in the 2002 Rose Bowl for the BCS National Championship Game against Miami, despite the fact that Nebraska had not played in its own conference championship game and technically had not even won its own division.

Nebraska then fell to Miami 14–37 in the Rose Bowl, but the controversy of these events led to more modifications to the BCS formula, which followed a pattern of seasonal tweaks dating back nearly to when the BCS system was implemented.

Senior Cornhusker quarterback Eric Crouch was the 2001 recipient of the Walter Camp Award, the Davey O'Brien Award, and the Heisman Trophy. Coach Solich was also selected Big 12 Football Coach of the Year.

Awards

^[2]

Award	Name(s)
Heisman Trophy	Eric Crouch
Walter Camp Award	Eric Crouch
Davey O'Brien Award	Eric Crouch
Sporting News Player of the Year	Eric Crouch
ABC/Chevrolet Player of the Year	Eric Crouch
Big 12 Coach of the Year	Frank Solich
All-American 1st Team	Toniu Fonoti, Keyuo Craver, Eric Crouch
All-American 2nd Team	Chris Kelsay
All-American 3rd Team	Tracey Wistrom
All-Big 12 1st team	Toniu Fonoti, Eric Crouch, Keyuo Craver, Dahrran Diedrick
All-Big 12 2nd team	Dave Volk, Chris Kelsay, Jamie Burrow
All-Big 12 3rd team	Tracey Wistrom, Jeremy Slechta, DeJuan Groce, Kyle Larson

NFL and pro players

The following Nebraska players who participated in the 2001 season later moved on to the next level and joined a professional or semi-pro team as draftees or free agents.^[3]

Name	Team
Demoine Adams	Edmonton Eskimos
Titus Adams	New York Jets
Ryon Bingham	San Diego Chargers
Josh Brown	Seattle Seahawks
Daniel Bullocks	Detroit Lions
Josh Bullocks	New Orleans Saints
Eric Crouch	St. Louis Rams
Keyuo Craver	New Orleans Saints
Josh Davis	New York Jets
Clint Finley	Kansas City Chiefs
Toniu Fonoti	San Diego Chargers
Aaron Golliday	Scottish Claymores
DeJuan Groce	St. Louis Rams
T. J. Hollowell	New York Giants
Richie Incognito	St. Louis Rams
Trevor Johnson	New York Jets
Patrick Kabongo	Detroit Lions
Chris Kelsay	Buffalo Bills
Kyle Larson	Cincinnati Bengals
Jammal Lord	Houston Texans
Bobby Newcombe	Montreal Alouettes
Jerrell Pippens	Chicago Bears
Cory Ross	Baltimore Ravens
Barrett Ruud	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Scott Shanle	St. Louis Rams
Jeremy Slechta	Philadelphia Eagles
Le Kevin Smith	New England Patriots
Erwin Swiney	Green Bay Packers

References

1. "Football - 2001 Schedule/Results". University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Athletics. Retrieved May 14, 2009.
2. 2001 Husker Honors
3. "All Time NFL Huskers". Archived from the original on May 16, 2009. Retrieved May 15, 2009.