Nebraska Football Fans Still Coping With The Loss of Sam Foltz

Dec 27, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers punter Sam Foltz (27) punts during the second quarter against the USC Trojans in the 2014 Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 27, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers punter Sam Foltz (27) punts during the second quarter against the USC Trojans in the 2014 Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Almost two days have passed and it is still hard to process the loss of beloved Nebraska Football punter, Sam Foltz.

On Sunday, I received the news from a coworker on Sunday and was absolutely devastated and shocked. I had never met Foltz personally, but I have friends who did, and I knew how great of a person and player he was.

I enjoyed watching him play last season, and saw his amazing potential as he was recognized as Big 10 punter of the year. A few weeks ago, when I wrote the article about his nomination to the Ray Guy Award watch list, I began to get more excited to see what he was going to bring the field come September 3rd.

It is hard to imagine what his family, friends and teammates are going through at a time like this. The out-pour of heartfelt messages and social media posts only shows a fraction of the grief that Huskers and Husker Fans everywhere are experiencing.

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While this week was supposed to get people excited for football starting up in six weeks with Big Ten Media Days, the focus has now shifted onto this tragedy. Both the Husker and Spartan communities have switched their attention to trying to recover from the losses. While Michigan State fans are very upset from the loss of former player, Mike Sadler, Husker fans are also worried on what the team will do this season without their punter.

This tragedy just reminds all of us of the value of life, and the fact that it can be gone in an instant. Foltz was the kind of person who lived every moment to the fullest, and never missed an opportunity to reach out and help someone. He valued all of the people around him, and never let his success get to his head. Those who knew him well describe him as humble, loving and kind; someone who you would aspire to be.

There is no doubt that Sam left a great legacy for current and future Huskers to follow. Foltz was the teammate who inspired everyone through his faith and his dedication. He was the guy who motivated all of his teammates, even those who he competed against to receive playing time. Incoming freshman punter/place-kicker Caleb Lightbourn even went as far as to say that Foltz was a large part of the reason he chose Nebraska, because Foltz had told him how he believed he could be great.

It will be interesting to see how the team and coaches work together to move through this horrific event. I pray that they all can come together as an even stronger team and choose to live and play as Foltz would have. If they use this season to try to live the same honest and kind life as Foltz had, I believe that we could see an amazing and successful Nebraska Football season.

This is a difficult time for all Husker fans, but there is peace in knowing that Sam Foltz has left a lasting impact on Husker Nation. We will forever miss our 4th down quarterback.

Next: Nebraska Football Family Deals With The Tragedy Of Sam Foltz Death

It is in the toughest and darkest of times that we are able to truly see the brightest of stars. Sam Foltz’s spirit and legacy will live on in the hearts of Huskers as the light that will shine over Memorial Stadium forever.