Nebraska Football Tailgate: Week 1

It’s been a while since I dusted off the keyboard and wrote about Nebraska football.

To say a lot has changed for the Nebraska football team would be a GROSS understatement. For those of you that have been living under a rock, here’s what you need to know… Scott Frost is the new coach. Yes, he’s still good looking. We have a starting QB named Martinez (but not the cry-baby-remote-throwin-scared-to-get-hit-Martinez). Tre Bryant (among several others) have left the program. Bryant did it for health reasons having never fully gotten back to the gridiron following his knee/ankle issues. Sad to see him go but glad he’s taking care of himself.

Freshmen to keep an eye on are Wide Receiver Andre Hunt and Cornerback Cam Taylor. Don’t get fooled when someone mentions the Duck R position, it’s just the slot receiver but in old Oregon vernacular (gag). Get the popcorn ready to watch some new and some familiar faces at the Running Back position- Devine Ozigbo, Greg Bell and Maurice Washington are all getting some good chatter. What happened to Mikale Wilbon???

Husker Blackshirts should be better. This is not going to be tough given how awful they were by the end of last year. Defensive Coordinator Erik Chinander needs to earn his healthy 800k salary. No official Blackshirts have been awarded yet. When asked when Chinander would be handing them out he said, (via Derek Peterson at Hail Varsity), “…it might be 1, it might be 11. I doubt it’ll be more than 11, but it could be anywhere  in between.” Make no mistake, this year they will have to be earned. I’m going to guarantee you will see WAY more effort from each Nebraska player on defense this year than you saw last year. Amen and thank you.

Enough about the X’s and O’s, lets talk tailgating! I’m pretty sure Lincoln, Nebraska will be flooded by an OCEAN (not just a sea) of red on  Saturday. I know a lot of people that want to be downtown to enjoy a positive and hopeful Husker atmosphere. Based on what I’ve heard, for every 2 people going to the game, there will be 8 tailgating and cheering on Nebraska as they take on the Akron Zips.

Akron Head Coach Terry Bowden, in his 7th year, brings his spread offense Zips to Memorial Stadium having last played in the Boca Raton Bowl. The Zips were the MAC East champs last year and sophomore QB Kato Nelson returns under center. He may not be the most accurate thrower (50% completion last year) but he will scramble and get yardage with his legs. He probably learned to run fast because of that hairdo he’s sporting.  Yep, I went there.  I’m going to watch for the Husker linebackers, now coached by former Nebraska guy Barrett Ruud (more eye candy for the ladies) to do a good job of bottling him up.

Speaking of bottling up (see what I did there) the weather forecast is going to be in the upper 80’s so make sure you hydrate with bottles of water during the afternoon. Hydration is key when you have long tailgates. If you can’t find water, drink any Gatorade Frost flavor. Yep, I’m on a roll!

I’ll admit I struggled to find something Akron related for this tailgate, but never fear, I’ve done it! One of the best jello products out there is Svedka flavor. There isn’t any alcohol in it as the name would suggest, but it’s flavorless and easy to use. It’s the perfect base for jello shots. Knox stuff is too finicky in my opinion.

I found these Zip Stix online. I added one to a box of Svedka, combined with 2 cups water, and 1 3/4 cups of vodka for what I’m calling the ZIPSTER!

Food choices are just as plentiful as will be Nebraska fans in Lincoln on Saturday. With an evening meal and all day tailgating, always have plenty of munchies on hand and serve food including a bread item. In the spirit of the Corn revival, I’ve found a great recipe for Grillside Cheesy Corn,  courtesy of Tailgater Magazine Staff.

½ c chopped bacon

½ c minced onion

2 cups cream corn

2 cups frozen corn

1 c shredded cheddar cheese

½ c smoked ham

8 ozs cream cheese

4 TBS BBQ sauce

Cook the bacon until crispy. Add the onions and let them get translucent. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir until the cheese is combined. I added some Slap Ya Mama (about 2 tbsp) to give it a little kick.

I can’t wait to see this year evolve. It won’t be easy but at least the program is in much better hands. Nebraska coaches have the players in better condition and mind set. Even former Head Coach Dr. Tom Osborne said, “this takes a while.” He’s been out there a couple times a week and should know. He also said the team has “made significant progress rather quickly.”  Be enthusiastic but still be patient.

First Husker football game + First Frost game + First-night game = Husker mania. For those of you watching the game at home, it will air at 7:05 on Fox.

Tailgate with manners, cheer on the Nebraska football team and get home safely. Feel free to send me your favorite food or drink recipes at @kelian_NE.  GO BIG RED!!!