Looking back at the Bill Byrne era

Isn’t it strange how you don’t appreciate someone’s legacy until years later? Former Nebraska athletic director Bill Byrne, who had been at Texas A&M in the same capacity since 2002, retired on Tuesday, a year before his contract was due to expire, and acknowledged that he had little say about when the school opted to leave the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference.

Byrne became A&M’s AD in 2002 after being Nebraska’s AD from 1992-2002. Texas A&M won 45 Big 12 championships in 13 different sports during his tenure but his legacy will always be tied to the school’s move to the SEC, starting in July, even though Byrne said he was not involved in the final decision.

Byrne’s contract was to expire in August 2013. He will become a special adviser to A&M President R. Bowen Loftin, who is traveling overseas.

I remember the Byrne era at Nebraska pretty vividly because not only was I a student journalism major but worked as a production assistant at 1400 KLIN AM, which became the flagship radio station for various Nebraska sports. Byrne co-hosted a half-hour radio program once per week. I got to know him reasonably well during that time.  

As for Byrne’s legacy as an AD, he may not have been popular with some, but he was what was needed at the time to move the department and facilities forward. As beloved as Bob Devaney was, the department was in the red when Byrne took over and prosperous when he left. However, Byrne was not the best AD wherever he went which is why you get mixed reviews. Many people don’t like him, and yet many do but that’s not a sign of who was the best. That’s a sign of being average. However, considering that his tenure came between a legend like Devaney and a vilified figure like Steve Pederson. The latter epitomizes arrogant slime.

Byrne hired Dave Van Horne to take over what had become a floundering baseball program under John Sanders in the latter stages of his 19 year career. Van Horne, who has been the University of Arkansas baseball head coach, led the Huskers to a 214-94 overall record from 1998-2002.

Women’s basketball head coach Connie Yori has also been a quality hire. Under Yori, Nebraska has compiled a 190-126 mark but has won 18 or more games in seven of her 10 seasons. So, on the whole, Yori has definitely had more ups than downs.

Yori’s predecessor (Paul Sanderford), however, was not a rousing success considering the expectations he came with from Western Kentucky, where he was 365-120. At Nebraska, he went 88-69 but after a 23-10 debut in 1997-1998 the Huskers became mediocre.

Rightly or wrongly, however, Byrne is also remembered for what was becoming of Nebraska football when he left. Byrne resigned from Nebraska on the heels of the Huskers worst season football season since 1968. The Huskers had gone 7-6 and were headed to the Independence Bowl. How much blame Byrne deserves for that or for any of the seasons that followed is an open question. If Frank Solich was not the right hire to succeed Tom Osborne, it didn’t seem like Byrne had the clout to choose anyone else. Husker football was on top the world and the desire for continuity was very strong. So what should or could Byrne have done to change course? Byrne was in command when the Huskers decided to join the Big 12. Whether that was the right call is an open question.

Keep in mind, current athletic director Tom Osborne is still helping the athletic department recover from Pederson’s tenure. He ravaged almost every program with his horrific leadership style and alienating everyone. It’s not something that happens overnight.

Byrne was hit or miss, but better than Peterson for Nebraska. Well, actually, he was pretty good. He didn’t sabotage the program, but perhaps the football crowd wanted more emphasis on it but you have to have pride in not being a one trick pony. I don't have a lot of feeling either way, but I think he did a solid job.

Brown doing the right thing by staying away from Lincoln City Council meeting

Nebraska football will apparently get a reprieve from negative attention as it pertains to assistant coach Ron Brown.

According to a story that appeared in the Lincoln Journal Star, Brown said that he won’t testify against a Lincoln proposal that would add gender identity and sexual orientation to the city’s list of protected classes out of concern that a media frenzy surrounding his involvement would draw attention from the issue.

“A number of fellow Christians who have been working on legislation and working on the nuts and bolts of this issue told me, ‘Look, there's going to be so much media attention over you, it’s going to take away from the issue,’” Brown told the Journal Star.

“Everything inside of me said, ‘I don’t want the media to stop me from going.’ Then I realized it was going to be a circus, and everybody already knows how I think. My views stand the same.

“As I prayed about it, I thought it was not in the Lord’s will for me to testify.”

As part of a Lincoln City Council meeting at 3 p.m. Monday, a public hearing will be held on a proposal to add gender identity and sexual orientation to the classes of people specifically protected against discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations.

The Omaha City Council recently added similar protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people to its civil rights ordinance. Brown spoke in opposition to the measure during testimony March 6 in Omaha, generating ample criticism and praise both locally and nationally.

During his three-minute appearance at the Omaha hearing, Brown challenged council members to remember that the Bible does not condone homosexuality.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Harvey Perlman admonished Brown for giving 1 Memorial Stadium as his address, and said Brown’s personal views do not reflect those of the university. The university defends the right of its faculty and students to share their personal views, but they must clarify they’re not speaking on behalf of UNL, Perlman said.

Brown apologized to Perlman. Brown, however, wanted to emphasize that he's not staying away from Monday's hearing out of fear he might be fired.

The Journal Star ran an open letter that Brown wrote: http://huskerextra.com/sports/huskers/football/article_d2bea62d-692f-5c85-947d-c848bde4ab03.html

Despite what Brown’s detractors contend, I do not think he is discriminatory toward homosexuals. Prejudice? Yes. Discriminatory? No. Prejudice is an “attitude” and discrimination is an “action.” In his 20-plus years of coaching, I can assure you that not every player Brown has coached had beliefs that were in line with his but he has never once penalized them with lack of playing time.

Brown has the right to voice his opinion; however, the Bible needs to stay out of this issue and even by bringing the Bible into the equation he is off base. This statement has nothing to do with Christian vs. Atheist. I am as big a believer in God as anyone and am a lifelong Catholiche should be more sympathetic to the homosexual community because about 60 years ago he was being told which water fountain he couldn't drink from. **Yes I know he's not that old, but you get the point.** but nowhere in the Ten Commandments or Seven Deadly Sins does it say a thing about a homosexual lifestyle.

Brown has become a distraction that Nebraska does not need. He was hired, and as far as I know, is paid to coach football not his religious theology. If he wants to continue to preach there is a place where he can do it. It is called a church. Now, I know some here think that Memorial Stadium is a cathedral but that is not what I am talking about.

Brown needs to decide what is more important. Does he want to coach or preach? He should not be allowed to do both while at University of Nebraska.

In the meantime, thankfully Brown proves that he is a bigger man as well as more reasonable than his detractors believe.

Onus squarely on Martinez to produce

No matter who takes snaps for the Nebraska football team, from Jerry Tagge to Turner Gill to Tommie Frazier to Scott Frost to Eric Crouch to Jamal Lord to Zac Lee to Taylor Martinez, you can count on a lot of scrutiny.

Martinez, who enters his junior season, has had a checkered career so far at Nebraska. You look at the raw numbers of Martinez’s first two seasons and there appears to be very little difference. In 2010, he completed 107 of 195 (54.8 percent) for 1,631 yards, ten touchdowns and seven interceptions. As a runner, he gained 966 yards 172 carries (5.6 yards per carry) and 12 touchdowns. In 2011, Martinez completed 162 of 288 passes (56.3 percent) for 2,076 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. As a runner, he gained 875 yards on 188 carries (4.6 yards per carry) and nine touchdowns.

The vibe, however, was much different as in 2010, when Martinez was a big play waiting to happen the first ten games. He rushed 887 yards on 112 carries and 12 touchdowns. In the passing department, he completed 63 of 119 for 1,161 yards, ten touchdowns and three interceptions. After sustaining an ankle injury, however, Martinez became pretty ordinary as he carried 50 times for 79 yards. In the passing department, he completed 44 of 76 for 470 yards, no touchdowns and four interceptions.

He was more of a team leader than as a freshman but will never be confused for a martinet. His running stats are down a bit as some zealots point out the fewer jaw-dropping runs this season but much of Martinez's 2010 running stats came in the first few games against suspect defenses. Great highlights, but not very meaningful numbers. Also, turnovers were down a bit this year. He threw one more interception on 93 more passes.

Though a segment of Husker fans will clamor for a change whether it’s freshman Brion Carnes, wide receiver Jamal Turner or for that matter incoming freshman Tommy Armstrong, Martinez will be the starter until further notice.

However, the 2012 season is when you stop rationalizing Martinez’s shortcomings. For openers, Martinez will not be learning a new offense and Nebraska appears to have a more-clear cut identity under current offensive coordinator Tim Beck than it did under Shawn Watson. The Huskers run a mixture of zone read, pistol and old school option. However, those three principles are much more in tune with each other than when Nebraska was trying to marry West Coast Offense principles with a variation of the option.

The zone read and pistol suit Martinez well but not the old school option, which gets the fans going from a nostalgia standpoint but doesn't suit Martinez's running skill which is a straight ahead.

Martinez has also taken the time to address his fundamentals (or lack thereof) this offseason.

Martinez returned to his native California and worked with noted quarterbacks guru Steve Calhoun. Addressing Martinez’s footwork was the biggest objective.

After the Huskers 30-13 Capitol One Bowl game loss to South Carolina, Beck and Martinez identified five or six areas Martinez needed to improve during the offseason. Footwork topped the list, and on advice of his father, Casey, Martinez went to Calhoun's Armed & Dangerous camp last month.

They worked on dropping back with his right foot rather than his left and squaring his shoulders on throws.

RB Green to transfer

The Nebraska football team will be minus one running back for the 2012 season.

According to stories that appeared in the Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World Herald, sophomore running back Aaron Green has been released from his scholarship and will transfer from Nebraska.

Green, a 5-foot-11, 180-pounder from San Antonio, carried the ball 24 times for 105 yards as a true freshman in 2011. He had a productive set of spring practices in March and April, according to the Husker coaching staff but Aaron Green will finish the spring semester at NU this week and start looking for a new school, his father Tony Green said.

Aaron's brother, Andrew, is a junior and projected starter at cornerback for the Huskers. Baylor, Houston, TCU, Texas A&M and Texas Tech are among Aaron's early list of potential destinations, according to Tony. Aaron Green hasn't redshirted and will have to sit out a year because of NCAA transfer rules.

Nebraska does return its top rusher from 2011, senior Rex Burkhead. Sophomore Ameer Abdullah will be the expected No. 2 back.

Junior running back Mike Marrow, who transferred to NU last year, reportedly had a strong spring and will be eligible to play this fall after sitting out a season. Freshman Imani Cross joins the program this summer.

Sophomore Braylon Heard, who carried the ball 25 times last season, moved to cornerback this spring.

Anytime a player transfers, message boards light up from fans saying, “I don’t blame him” or “screw him if he doesn’t want to be here.” I generally tend to lean to the philosophical side when players transfer. I don’t want to speculate why Green transferred because he hasn’t said anything publically but I’m guessing that playing time, or lackthereof, was the root of his dissatisfaction at Nebraska.

If you counted up all Husker running backs last year that weren’t Burkhead, it wasn’t a bad number for a backup, but to divide that number by three meant someone was going to feel shorted.

The truth of the matter is that if player that doesn’t want to be there will never become a great player. It’s better to find out now than in the thick of conference play.

However, the Nebraska coaching staff is not blameless in this matter either. I have said it in this space time after time, why play THREE true freshmen that are barely seeing the field while Burkhead gets his legs bashed in with 30-plus carries a game? I’m not going to sit here and try to advocate that Green is better than Burkhead, because he’s not but any sane coaching staff would have provided Burkhead with some relief and on top of that would not have burned three redshirts at the same position when none are making an impact.

Husker draft wrapup 2012

Another NFL Draft has come and gone. I watched it pretty religiously in my younger days but now my idea of following it is checking out the ticker every 20 or so minutes.

Four Nebraska players had their name called for the chance to have a job that requires work on Sundays. Here’s a closer look:

LaVonte David, LB

Second-round, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

You have to feel good for this young man, he appeared genuinely excited in his interview about returning to his home state to play pro ball. David is truly a class act and set new standards by which future Blackshirts will be measured against and he did it all in two years because keep in mind he was a junior college transfer.

I was very impressed the way he came in, kicked butt, and acted like it was all about the team as if he had been in the program all along. Though I have never met David, he seems to be an
outstanding guy.

I love the idea of David playing weakside linebacker in the Bucs’ 4-3 front. David lacks ideal size but he’s one of the top pure players in this year’s draft and will outperform a lot of the guys who went ahead of him. The question is, given that he is undersized, will he morph into a productive starter or become a nickel linebacker.

Jared Crick, DT

Fourth round, Houston Texans

Crick was once considered a first-round talent but a season-ending pectoral muscle injury dropped him all the way to the fourth round.

The concern I have about Crick is that he falls into the ‘tweener. At 6-4, 285, he’s not big enough to play tackle but not quick enough to play end. However, if there is a defensive coordinator that will know how to use him it’s Wade Phillips. F or all of his shortcomings as a head coach, there’s nothing wrong with Phillips as a defensive coordinator. Being a 3-4 end might be his best shot.

Alfonzo Dennard, CB

Seventh round, New England Patriots

Dennard’s stock plummeted badly due to a subpar combine and getting arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer.

Dennard will make the team but has a lot of proving to do. His injuries and the lack of production this past season really have hurt him but his off-the-field stupidity hurt him more.

However, the idea that a talent like this could fall to the Patriots this late is mind-boggling. He’s a tough kid who can play press, loves to mix it up in the run game and has the attributes to mature into a starter on the outside or slot man early in his career.

Marcel Jones, OT

Seventh round, New Orleans Saints

It looks like the Saints are going to make sure that Drew Brees is protected no matter what may happen this season.

Jones has a lot of honors and accolades under his belt and is a very big body to put on an already very good offensive line. Jones is a mammoth 6-7, 320 pounds so he will certainly tower over many and has a great reach to help block.

With New Orleans' need for depth on the o-line, Jones is a solid pick. While not quite ready to start just yet, Jones is a big body that can be plugged into the Saints line.

Freedom of Speech does not protect statement's reprucussions

I normally do like using this blog for such matters but in light of Nebraska assistant football coach Ron Brown’s recent actions it bears discussing in this domain.

When attending an Omaha City Council hearing last month, Brown testified against an anti-discrimination ordinance that extended protections to gay and transgender people.

In Brown’s three-minute appearance, he challenged ordinance sponsor Ben Gray and other members to remember that the Bible does not condone homosexuality. He told council members they would be held to “great accountability for the decision you are making.”

“The question I have for you all is, like Pontius Pilate, what are you going to do with Jesus?” Brown asked. “Ultimately, if you don’t have a relationship with him, and you don’t really have a Bible-believing mentality, really, anything goes. … At the end of the day it matters what God thinks most.”

Barbara Baier, a member of the Lincoln Board of Education, wrote to university administrators calling for Brown’s ouster in the wake of his testimony. She noted the university-wide policy not to discriminate based on, among other things, sexual orientation.

Brown — in a decision he said he now regrets — gave Memorial Stadium in Lincoln as his address of record. Baier said some people could have inferred he was representing the university, not just himself, when he appeared before the council. She said Brown’s continued employment creates an atmosphere hostile to gay student-athletes.

Chancellor Harvey Perlman admonished Brown for giving the stadium address but said Brown’s personal views do not reflect those of the university. Brown added that he would continue to express his beliefs regardless of whether or not it costs him his job.

It was six months ago that Brown earned national acclaim for leading a prayer for healing at midfield before the Cornhuskers’ game at scandal-torn Penn State.

By definition, the First Amendment of the United States Constitution protects the right of freedom of speech. I completely understand that Brown is allowed to express whatever belief he wants regardless of how uninformed he may appear to be. However, freedom of speech can be a slippery slope.

If you want to pound your chest about freedom of speech, fine, but utter your words at your own risk because the constitution does not protect you from the ramifications you face as a result of what you say. Just for the sake of discussion, there is nothing preventing me or anyone from walking into an openly gay bar and screaming at the top of my lungs, “all faggots should die,” but if one of the gay patrons decides to punch me in the face, the constitution will not, and should not, protect me.

In my opinion, Brown’s behavior is not acceptable. While he is entitled to his beliefs, using his high-profile position as a football coach to further his causes/beliefs/thoughts is not right. He can’t deny that he uses his position in society as a way to speak out for what he believes, and if he denies that, it’s on him. He is preaching from a Bible that says homosexuality is wrong (which is totally up to the interpretation of the reader). Society is changing and allowing for homosexuals to be included albeit at a slow pace, but change takes time.

I feel after Perlman remanded him once a few weeks ago, Brown would get the hint to tone down his rhetoric or just say “no comment” and focus on football, he would do that. Sadly, Brown hasn’t done this. Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne is a man of a Christian background-which is fine with me, but he knew how and when was the appropriate place to talk about his beliefs and not be so overt about it, even if he might be right or wrong on his stances.

Brown’s job at Nebraska is not just another job. He has a powerful personality, presence and gift, and he’s choosing to use it in a controversial, very public way that leaves most, if not all, within a certain group (homosexuals) feel isolated, wrong and shamed.

He may believe what they’re doing is sinful, but he should know that many disagree with him. Their proof against his position is deep and credible. It’s a significant argument in our society that can become all-consuming for those who immerse themselves in it. If he wants to be a preacher spreading his message and beliefs, fine. Have at it. If he wants to be a football coach in a high profile position at the University of Nebraska, he should pipe down and be much more discreet.

Granted, Brown’s thoughts have no influence on me but I’m going to guess the number of times Brown talked about his views on homosexuality in a recruit’s living room is probably zero. Now, every living room Brown goes into, it’ll be a topic. It’ll also be a topic for every other coach. I’m sure Brown can be sent to recruits that have similar religious backgrounds as he does, but it’s a big country, and his views aren’t going to be a shared by some. Brown won’t be fired for his views, but if his views make it harder for the program to succeed, that’s another story.

It’s a horrible mistake to force your religion on others because you think your religion is better. Of course the university will not overtly fire Brown based on his beliefs but if this becomes too big a distraction it’s not hard to see why the University would set him loose based on his “performance” or some other job-related criteria that would be perfectly within its rights.

Brown needs to know that his position of authority is a unique one and comes with certain responsibilities. And it doesn’t have to be a gay/straight issue. Imagine if Brown was an avid Nazi sympathizer? Protected under the First Amendment doesn’t mean carte blanche for someone in his unique position.

True, he can’t be legally fired for voicing his opinion as a private citizen, but due to the platform his position affords him also must come some discretion on his part about how he uses that and he must be ready to deal with any and all repercussions as a result.

Burkhead for Heisman a nice thought but a longshot

The only thing more comical than listening to Heisman Trophy hype is listening to fan reaction such.

Heading into the 2012 season, Matt Barkley (USC) and Dennard Robinson (Michigan), to name a couple, pop into many people’s heads. Part of the reason is because of their outstanding talents along with the notion that both of their teams come into the season with high expectations, especially USC. The Trojans will probably be the preseason No. 1 by more than a handful of pollsters.

Depending on who you hear, Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead could potentially fit into the Heisman Trophy discussion. However, as much as I admire Burkhead’s weekly efforts and the character he exudes, I would consider his Heisman Trophy chances a longshot at this juncture. Below are Burkhead’s numbers compared to Wisconsin’s Monte Ball and Alabama’s Trent Richardson, both were Heisman candidates a year ago before Baylor’s Robert Griffin III won the award:

ATT    YDS    TD       YDS/ATT       REC    YDS    TD       TDS/REC

Ball                 307      1923    24        6.26                 24        306      6          12.75

Richardson      283      1679    21        5.93                 29        338      3          11.66

Burkhead         283      1357    15        4.80                 21        177      2          8.43

Burkhead’s numbers do not stack up with Ball or Richardson. However, it should also be noted that Ball and Richardson had much better offensive lines and a more consistent passing game to balance the scale than Burkhead had.

While it is possible for Burkhead to figure into the Heisman Trophy mix, let’s also keep in mind that Nebraska offensive coordinator Tim Beck has openly talked about reducing Burkhead’s workload in 2012. Burkhead accounted for over 60 percent of Nebraska’s rushing attempts last season. The plus side of that decision, if it comes to fruition, is that Burkhead might be fresher and more productive at the end of the season but will also decrease his chances of putting up Heisman-like numbers. However, if the Huskers go 10-2 and win the Big Ten title who cares if he has 2,400 yards rushing or 24 yards rushing?

You also have to understand Burkhead’s style of running. If Burkhead rushes for say 175 yards on 25 carries, it is most likely to happen as a result of a steady diet of 4-7 yard runs with an occasional 15-20 yarder mixed in rather than say a 65-yarder into the equation. That is not meant to be a negative but let’s face it, the 65-yarders get on SportsCenter.

Nebraska having breakthrough team success also has to happen for Burkhead to be even considered. Remember Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in 2009? Suh put up eye-popping numbers as a senior, recording 12 sacks and 24 tackles for loss on the way to becoming one of the most decorated players in college football history. Suh won numerous awards including the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy. He was also a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, finishing fourth.

Two things played into Suh not winning the Heisman. For openers, defensive players already have their own awards and Nebraska also went 10-4. However, they came within a controversial call of beating Texas for the Big 12 title. It’s still a lousy call today if you ask me but I digress. On the other hand, Nebraska playing in that game also helped Suh garner even more recognition. He recorded 4.5 sacks in that game.

Burkhead may not be a top three “preseason” Heisman pick but to rule out him carrying the label Heisman contender is mistaken. Nebraska still remains a high-profile program, has huge fan base and potential to place in a BCS bowl. All are ingredients for a trip to the New York ceremony.

However, you also have to define the trophy for what it has become. More often than not, it will go to a quarterback with an occasional player from another position winning. If the trophy was awarded per it’s current description (most outstanding college player) then over half of the past 25 winners would not have won.

Right or wrong, it has become an award for the best player on one of the best teams. What it should be about is another story. I can think of several players that won, that in my opinion won because of the team they were on, not because of personal talent. Last year was dead on with the most outstanding player in RGIII. When was the last time an also ran school won the Heisman? It only happens when a player leaves the voters no other choice and still be able to justify their votes. The Heisman has become a sham and more and more fans are beginning to tune out the hype of the Heisman. It’s not as coveted as it once was.