Steven Sipple: Alberts wanted tackling in spring game in part as show of respect to fan base; and AD’s comments on possible future mega-events capture the imagination
Things I know, and things I think I know: Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts often thinks in a big-picture manner. He’s paid to do that. He’s good at it.
So, perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised by his answer on Friday when I asked him why Nebraska tackling in the spring game on April 22 was important to him.
“Well, I think it’s important to our fans,” the all-time Husker linebacker great said. “It’s part of respecting what our fans expect from our program.”
This tells me that Alberts heard from Nebraska fans who left Red-White Games in recent years wanting more from the experience.
This tells me that Alberts perhaps even heard complaints from powerful voices. I’m told that former Nebraska coach Tom Osborne was livid following last year’s spring game, when then-Husker coach Scott Frost essentially opted for “touch” football.
If Osborne has lost his patience with certain aspects of the program in recent years, well, it’s perfectly understandable.
Trev Alberts emphasizes his respect for fan base
As for Alberts, one of his most consistent messages is the need to respect Nebraska’s unique fan base and never take it for granted. It’s a fan base that continually shows up in droves to support substandard products such as football and men’s basketball.
The spring game had become a substandard product, and Alberts was acutely aware of it. On January 24, during his statewide radio show, he said of this year’s spring game, “I think what you’re going to see is worthwhile — it’s going to be a game. It’s going to be football.”
Message received, loud and clear.
Alberts on Friday spoke in a big-picture manner that took on the tone of a seasoned politician, and I don’t mean that in a negative sense.
“It’s not just about football,” he said. “At the end of the day, we need programs that are reflective of the passion, ideals, and values that Nebraskans hold dear, that our alumni, that our supporters and donors (hold dear).
“We’re Nebraska. We should just really embrace being the greatest Nebraska we can be.”
The governor, former Husker defender Jim Pillen, couldn’t have said it better.
“You know what, we don’t have to be anything else,” Alberts continued. “We’ve proven that if we just are Nebraska, really good things can happen.”
It’s been striking to me that first-year Nebraska coach Matt Rhule, despite having no previous ties to our state or the Husker program, seems more in tune with the fan base and its desires than Frost, a former Husker and Wood River High School star.
It’s a fascinating world, isn’t it?
Alberts says booking agents have eye on Nebraska
Speaking of fascinating, Alberts noted that Nebraska fans’ extreme demand for tickets for Garth Brooks in August of 2021 and now volleyball this coming August in Memorial Stadium — “Husker fans broke the internet,” he said Friday, “it was wild” — has gotten the attention of booking agents around the nation.
“You begin to develop a reputation as a place that supports big ideas and big events,” Alberts said. “While I’m certainly not going to be breaking any news here, the reality is we’ve had others that have reached out and said, ‘Hey, what about this?’”
Alberts said it’s possible that the school’s leadership proceeds with the mindset of “every summer trying to do something that’s unique, different.”
Let your mind wander.
Nebraska athletic director thinking big
So, we know 82,900 tickets have been sold for “Volleyball Day in Nebraska” on Aug. 30. We also know the largest crowd to attend a women’s sporting event in the United States is 90,185, which materialized for the U.S. versus China in World Cup soccer in 1999.
“I certainly think there’s a threat to (surpass) that,” said Alberts, noting that Memorial Stadium is equipped to do so with some maneuvering.
“We were over 90,000 for Garth Brooks,” he added. “I’ve asked our team to really take a hard look at how to do this.”
The world record is 91,553 for Barcelona versus Real Madrid in soccer in 2022 in Madrid, Spain.
Yes, we should keep that number in mind, too.
Ajay Allen captured our imaginations
Casey Thompson captured Nebraska fans’ respect, and Ajay Allen captured their imaginations.
I’ve said it before: Thompson proved his physical and mental toughness while starting 10 games for dear ol’ NU in 2022. Playing through an assortment of injuries, he completed 173 of 274 passes (63.1%) for 2,407 yards and 17 touchdowns, with 10 interceptions. He often had to dodge defenders. His accuracy was so-so at times. But he was always prepared and he was certainly adept at completing deep passes.
The line’s inconsistency helps explain Thompson’s minus-21 rushing yards on the season. He’s actually a pretty good runner, but he doesn’t run nearly as well as Jeff Sims. Make no mistake, that’s a reason why Thompson is in the portal.
Meanwhile, Allen carried 33 times for 190 yards (5.8 ypc) before suffering a season-ending broken collarbone in last season’s fourth game, against Oklahoma. He clearly was gaining steam and appeared set to carry a heavier load. He’s a glider who runs well between the tackles.
It’s beautiful to watch.
Wouldn’t be surprised if both Thompson and Allen end up in the SEC.
Would NU allow Prime’s extreme makeover?
I try to proceed with an open mind regarding what Deion Sanders is doing as Colorado’s head coach.
But ask yourself this: Would Nebraska’s administration allow it?
More than 40 Colorado football players have entered the NCAA Transfer Portal since the April 15 window — and it isn’t a coincidence. Coach Prime sized up the Buffaloes’ roster that produced a 1-11 finish last year and decided to go scorched earth.
Could such a scenario ever happen in Nebraska’s program? No way it would happen with Rhule in charge. But someone else?
A lot has happened in this world of late that I could’ve never imagined.
So, yeah, maybe it could.
Hopefully, I won’t be around if it does.
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