Last Hurrah for Huskers Seniors

A 5-7 record to cap off the regular season for this years’ group of Husker seniors is probably not what they envisioned at the start of fall camp. Nevertheless, that is the record that they will forever wear. And though it took a waiver from the NCAA governing body for the team to be eligible to participate in a bowl game this post-season, I doubt that many if any of them will look back on this year and focus on that little fact. This is their last shot, one last hurrah as a member of our beloved Big Red.

Regardless of how the Cornhuskers arrived at a Foster Farms Bowl berth is a topic for discussion at another time. What’s important for this group of seniors is for them to go out with a win and against a good quality opponent in the UCLA Bruins. The majority of this class will see their playing careers come to an end in Santa Clara. For us fans, there’s always National Letter of Intent day around the corner, which is quickly followed up with Spring ball, then the long summer before Fall camp starts up and we do this all over again, but not them.

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

After this Saturday’s game, this class will never strap on that cream colored helmet with the mirrored scarlet N’s on each side and matching facemask again. For a players like Jack Gangwish and Andy Janovich who grew up in the state, playing high school football and dreaming of playing for the Huskers someday, this is their last chance to leave it all out on the field. From what we’ve seen in the 12 games leading up this bowl game, I’m willing to bet that we’ll see this group, led by both Gangwish and Janovich, putting forth a good performance.

Will it result in a win for the Huskers? I don’t know if I would go that far, but I do think they have the talent to compete with UCLA. I also think that this group of seniors, especially guys like Gangwish and Janovich have something left to prove. Not just for the NFL scouts and their critics, but also for all of Husker Nation.

More from Husker Corner

This season sure has had it’s shares of ups and downs, more downs than we all would liked to have witnessed. Among the depressing to downright heartbreaking losses, we have witnessed some pretty cool moments as well. Who will forget Andy Janovich’s run against Wisconsin that would rival Marshawn Lynch’s beast quake run in Seattle?

Oct 10, 2015; Lincoln, NE, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers fullback Andy Janovich (35) breaks free to score against the Wisconsin Badgers at Memorial Stadium. Wisconsin defeated Nebraska 23-21. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

Or seeing Jack Gangwish climb into the stands to personally thank the Nebraska contingent who traveled to Purdue only to witness a loss. Those are just a couple of those examples. Or the no quit beast style attitude of Imani Cross. So glad they recognized he can do more this year.

No amount of sugar-coating will change what a 5-7 record taste like for us Husker fans and this isn’t meant to do so. It stings and will continue to sting for quite some time and it should. But, despite how disappointing this season has turned out, the schedule has already been played and the record stands at 5-7. All we can do as fans, is use these past few weeks off as a breather to regroup, and then cheer this team on one last time with a fervor like we always do before we put a ribbon on this season and it becomes just another from the past.

Joe Flannigan-Albion News

Honor this year’s seniors #7 Taariq Allen, #9 Tyson Broekemeier, #28 Byerson Cockrell, #32 Imani Cross, #23 Daniel Davie, #95 Jack Ganwish, #35 Andy Janovich, #19 Joe Keels, #70 Chongo Kondolo, #71 Alex Lewis, #75 Chris Long, #78 Givens Price, #65 Ryne Reeves, #22 Anthony Ridder, #57 Zack Sterup, #86 David Sutton, #10 Jamal Turner, and #92 Kevin Williams and GO BIG RED!