2001 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

2001 Nebraska Cornhuskers football
File:University of Nebraska Logo 1992-2003.PNG
Big 12 North Co-Champions
Rose Bowl BCS National Championship Game, L 14–37 vs. Miami
Conference	Big 12 Conference
Division	North Division
Ranking
Coaches	No. 7
AP	No. 8
2001 record	11–2 (7–1 Big 12)
Head coach	Frank Solich (4th season)
Offensive coordinator	Frank Solich (4th season)
Offensive scheme	I formation
Defensive coordinator	Craig Bohl (2nd season)
Home stadium	Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 73,918)
Seasons

2001 Big 12 football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
North
#9 Colorado xy†		7	–	1					10	–	3
#8 Nebraska x‡		7	–	1					11	–	2
Iowa State		4	–	4					7	–	5
Kansas State		3	–	5					6	–	6
Missouri		3	–	5					4	–	7
Kansas		1	–	7					3	–	8
South
#5 Texas x		7	–	1					11	–	2
#6 Oklahoma		6	–	2					11	–	2
Texas A&M		4	–	4					8	–	4
Texas Tech		4	–	4					7	–	5
Oklahoma State		2	–	6					4	–	7
Baylor		0	–	8					3	–	8
Championship: Colorado 39, Texas 37
† – BCS representative as champion ‡ – BCS at-large representative x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant Rankings from AP Poll

The 2001 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Frank Solich and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent#	Rank#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 25*	2:30 PM	TCU	#4	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE	ABC	W 21–7	77,473
September 1*	11:30 AM	Troy State	#4	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE	FSN	W 42–14	77,812
September 8*	7:00 PM	#17 Notre Dame	#5	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE	ABC	W 27–10	78,118
September 20*	7:30 PM	Rice	#4	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE		W 48–3	77,344
September 29	11:30 AM	at Missouri	#4	Faurot Field • Columbia, MO (Rivalry)	FSN	W 36–3	64,204
October 6	6:00 PM	Iowa State	#4	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE	FSN	W 48–14	78,002
October 13	1:00 PM	at Baylor	#4	Floyd Casey Stadium • Waco, TX		W 48–7	38,102
October 20†	6:00 PM	Texas Tech	#3	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE	FSN	W 41–31	77,838
October 27	11:00 AM	#2 Oklahoma	#3	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE (Rivalry)	ABC	W 20–10	78,031
November 3	6:00 PM	at Kansas	#2	Memorial Stadium • Lawrence, KS	FSN	W 51–7	50,750
November 10	2:30 PM	Kansas State	#2	Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE	ABC	W 31–21	77,818
November 23	3:30 PM	at #14 Colorado	#2	Folsom Field • Boulder, CO (Rivalry)	ABC	L 36–62	53,790
January 3*	7:00 PM	vs. #1 Miami	#4	Rose Bowl • Pasadena, CA (Rose Bowl)	ABC	L 14–37	93,781
*Non-Conference Game. †Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Central Time.

Roster and coaching staff

2001 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class IB 41 Albertson, MattMatt Albertson 5.0 !Jr OG    Altstadt, SteveSteve Altstadt 7.0 !Sr OG 71 Andersen, JakeJake Andersen 2.0 !RFr SE 38 Biodrowski, BrandonBrandon Biodrowski 1.0 !Fr TE 84 Bowling, JonJon Bowling 5.0 !Jr SE    Brye, CliffordClifford Brye 5.0 !Jr QB 11 Chrisman, JoeJoe Chrisman 5.0 !Jr OG 59 Cody, WesWes Cody 5.0 !Jr IB 1  Collins, ThunderThunder Collins 5.0 !Jr SE 32 Cook, KellyKelly Cook 3.0 !So WB 81 Cornelsen, BenBen Cornelsen 5.0 !Jr QB 7  Crouch, EricEric Crouch 7.0 !Sr TE 80 Dabbert, WillWill Dabbert 5.0 !Jr FB 4  Davies, JuddJudd Davies 3.0 !So IB 25 Davis, JoshJosh Davis 3.0 !So OG 50 Dawson, JonJon Dawson 3.0 !So IB 30 Diedrick, DahrranDahrran Diedrick 5.0 !Jr WB 29 Dunn, AndrewAndrew Dunn 2.0 !RFr OG 78 Erickson, MikeMike Erickson 2.0 !RFr OT 65 Flaum, M.J.M.J. Flaum 2.0 !RFr OG 77 Fonoti, ToniuToniu Fonoti 5.0 !Jr C 52 Garrison, JohnJohn Garrison 5.0 !Jr WB 8  Gibson, JohnJohn Gibson 7.0 !Sr TE 99 Golliday, AaronAaron Golliday 5.0 !Jr FB 49 Gragert, NickNick Gragert 7.0 !Sr OT 72 Green, TimTim Green 3.0 !So IB 6  Grixby, DeAntaeDeAntae Grixby 3.0 !So SE 89 Hassebroek, TroyTroy Hassebroek 5.0 !Jr C    Incognito, RichieRichie Incognito 1.0 !Fr SE 80 Jisa, JasonJason Jisa 2.0 !RFr FB 37 Kastl, PaulPaul Kastl 5.0 !Jr TE 41 Keiser, DustyDusty Keiser 2.0 !RFr SE 19 Klem, JohnJohn Klem 5.0 !Jr OT 73 Koethe, ScottScott Koethe 5.0 !Jr OT 75 Kollmorgen, KyleKyle Kollmorgen 7.0 !Sr C 74 Kolowski, DavidDavid Kolowski 5.0 !Jr OT 67 Kolterman, NateNate Kolterman 5.0 !Jr FB 45 Kriewald, SteveSteve Kriewald 2.0 !RFr SE 28 Liley, TimTim Liley 3.0 !So C 63 Limbaugh, JackJack Limbaugh 3.0 !So QB 15 Lindstrom, BrettBrett Lindstrom 3.0 !So WB 12 Long, DeWayneDeWayne Long 2.0 !RFr OT 76 Loos, ChrisChris Loos 3.0 !So QB 10 Lord, JammalJammal Lord 3.0 !So QB    McLaughlin, MikeMike McLaughlin 3.0 !So SE 14 Mikluscak, RyanRyan Mikluscak 2.0 !RFr IB 21 Miller, RobinRobin Miller 3.0 !So OG 61 Nelson, BrianBrian Nelson 3.0 !So WB 24 O'Holleran, JackJack O'Holleran 2.0 !RFr SE 23 Ommert, RyanRyan Ommert 3.0 !So TE 82 Peetz, PhilPhil Peetz 3.0 !So OT    Pike, GaryGary Pike 1.0 !Fr WB 27 Plooster, MattMatt Plooster 3.0 !So OT 69 Povendo, NickNick Povendo 2.0 !RFr IB 36 Reese, TimTim Reese 3.0 !So TE 86 Ringenberg, KyleKyle Ringenberg 5.0 !Jr IB    Ross, CoryCory Ross 1.0 !Fr OG 66 Rutherford, JonJon Rutherford 7.0 !Sr TE 83 Septak, ChrisChris Septak 2.0 !RFr OG 79 Sewell, JoshJosh Sewell 3.0 !So TE 42 Shada, AlexAlex Shada 2.0 !RFr C 53 Shook, MattMatt Shook 5.0 !Jr QB 13 Siefken, ScottScott Siefken 2.0 !RFr IB    Simmons, MarquesMarques Simmons 1.0 !Fr QB 16 Stuntz, MikeMike Stuntz 1.0 !Fr OG 55 Tagoa'i, JuniorJunior Tagoa'i 3.0 !So SE 9  Thomas, WilsonWilson Thomas 5.0 !Jr WB 31 Thorne, FredFred Thorne 3.0 !So FB 35 Tomasevicz, CurtCurt Tomasevicz 2.0 !RFr OT 68 Vili Waldrop, DanDan Vili Waldrop 3.0 !So OT 57 Volk, CodyCody Volk 3.0 !So OT 58 Volk, DaveDave Volk 7.0 !Sr SE 20 Wigert, KiffinKiffin Wigert 2.0 !RFr FB 25 Wingender, AndyAndy Wingender 3.0 !So TE 87 Wistrom, TraceyTracey Wistrom 7.0 !Sr WB 5  Zajicek, BenBen Zajicek 2.0 !RFr	Defense Pos. # Name Class RE 98 Adams, DemoineDemoine Adams 5.0 !Jr NT    Adams, TitusTitus Adams 1.0 !Fr FS 27 Amos, WillieWillie Amos 3.0 !So DT 59 Bingham, RyonRyon Bingham 3.0 !So ROV 21 Bland, PhilipPhilip Bland 1.0 !Fr ROV 29 Boettner, MicMic Boettner 7.0 !Sr FS 14 Booker, DionDion Booker 7.0 !Sr NT 91 Brown, ManaiaManaia Brown 2.0 !RFr WLB 39 Buller, ChadChad Buller 3.0 !So FS    Bullocks, DanielDaniel Bullocks 1.0 !Fr ROV    Bullocks, JoshJosh Bullocks 1.0 !Fr CB    Burgess, RodneyRodney Burgess 5.0 !Jr FS 36 Burrow, DanDan Burrow 2.0 !RFr MLB 48 Burrow, JamieJamie Burrow 7.0 !Sr ROV 4  Butler, TerrellTerrell Butler 3.0 !So NT 55 Clanton, JonJon Clanton 5.0 !Jr MLB 47 Cooper, IraIra Cooper 2.0 !RFr LCB 3  Craver, KeyuoKeyuo Craver 7.0 !Sr ROV 32 Demerath, TimTim Demerath 7.0 !Sr NT    Evwaraye, SeppoSeppo Evwaraye 1.0 !Fr SLB 51 Fries, GabeGabe Fries 5.0 !Jr RCB 5  Groce, DeJuanDeJuan Groce 5.0 !Jr LCB 26 Guse, KevinKevin Guse 3.0 !So NT    Helming, JaredJared Helming 1.0 !Fr RCB 18 Hemje, JeffJeff Hemje 7.0 !Sr WLB 46 Hoke, AnthonyAnthony Hoke 3.0 !So MLB 17 Hollowell, T.J.T.J. Hollowell 3.0 !So ROV 40 Hopkins, LannieLannie Hopkins 2.0 !RFr RCB 15 Huston, KellenKellen Huston 2.0 !RFr RCB 24 Ickes, MattMatt Ickes 7.0 !Sr LCB 30 Jackson, JoelJoel Jackson 2.0 !RFr WLB 23 Johnson, BlanchardBlanchard Johnson 3.0 !So RE 88 Johnson, TrevorTrevor Johnson 3.0 !So DT 94 Kabongo, PatrickPatrick Kabongo 3.0 !So RE 57 Kelsay, ChrisChris Kelsay 5.0 !Jr CB    Landingham, RandyRandy Landingham 1.0 !Fr NT 70 Lohr, JasonJason Lohr 7.0 !Sr MLB 53 Makris, MikeMike Makris 3.0 !So CB    Manning, DaniealDanieal Manning 1.0 !Fr DT 79 Manning, StephenStephen Manning 5.0 !Jr RE 76 McBride, JeffJeff McBride 2.0 !RFr LCB 6  McPherson, LornellLornell McPherson 2.0 !RFr WLB 58 Miller, TimTim Miller 3.0 !So DT 85 Nelson, CaseyCasey Nelson 7.0 !Sr LCB 13 Otto, JamieJamie Otto 2.0 !RFr FS 31 Pippens, JerrellJerrell Pippens 3.0 !So WLB 44 Richenberger, JasonJason Richenberger 2.0 !RFr LCB 13 Ricketts, PatPat Ricketts 3.0 !So MLB    Ruud, BarrettBarrett Ruud 1.0 !Fr MLB 47 Safranek, SteveSteve Safranek 3.0 !So FS 35 Scholting, CarlCarl Scholting 3.0 !So SLB 43 Shanle, ScottScott Shanle 5.0 !Jr RE 97 Shrader, MattMatt Shrader 1.0 !Fr LB    Sievers, ChadChad Sievers 3.0 !So DT 56 Slechta, JeremyJeremy Slechta 7.0 !Sr SLB 45 Smith, JemondJemond Smith 5.0 !Jr RE 92 Smith, JustinJustin Smith 5.0 !Jr DT    Smith, Le KevinLe Kevin Smith 1.0 !Fr WLB 34 Stella, RandyRandy Stella 5.0 !Jr RCB 16 Swiney, ErwinErwin Swiney 7.0 !Sr MLB 90 Tata, TonyTony Tata 5.0 !Jr ROV 2  Terpening, AaronAaron Terpening 5.0 !Jr RE 10 Thomas, BenardBenard Thomas 3.0 !So RE 93 Toline, TylerTyler Toline 2.0 !RFr WLB 9  Vedral, MarkMark Vedral 7.0 !Sr RE 97 Warrior, AdrianAdrian Warrior 5.0 !Jr LCB 29 White, JayJay White 5.0 !Jr LCB 33 White, SethSeth White 3.0 !So RE 95 Wichmann, J.P. (John Paul)J.P. (John Paul) Wichmann 7.0 !Sr ROV 20 Woodward, WesWes Woodward 7.0 !Sr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class PK 26 Brown, JoshJosh Brown 5.0 !Jr PK 22 DeAngelis, SandroSandro DeAngelis 2.0 !RFr P 19 Larson, KyleKyle Larson 3.0 !So	Head coach Frank Solich    4th season    23rd year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Nebraska Coordinators/assistant coaches Craig Bohl    2nd season as DC/LB coach    10th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Nebraska Turner Gill    10th season as QB coach    10th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Nebraska Ron Brown    15th season as WR/TE coach    15th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Brown Jeff Jamrog    2nd season as DL coach    4th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Nebraska Dan Young    19th season as OL/K coach    19th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Reed Milt Tenopir    28th season as OL coach    28th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Sterling Nelson Barnes    5th season as RE coach    5th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: North Texas George Darlington    DB coach    29th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Rutgers Dave Gillespie    4th season as RB coach    13th year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Nebraska-Omaha Boyd Epley    33rd season as S&C coach    33rd year at Nebraska    Alma mater: Nebraska Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster Last update: January 16, 2011

Game notes

TCU

TCU at Nebraska [box score]

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total TCU 7 0 0 0 7 • Nebraska 13 0 8 0 21 Date: August 25 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 77,473

Troy State

Troy State at Nebraska [box score]

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total Troy State 7 7 0 0 14 • Nebraska 14 14 7 7 42 Date: September 1 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 77,812

Notre Dame

Notre Dame at Nebraska [box score]

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total Notre Dame 0 3 0 7 10 • Nebraska 17 10 0 0 27 Date: September 8 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 78,118

Rice

Rice at Nebraska [box score]

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total Rice 0 0 0 3 3 • Nebraska 21 7 20 0 48 Date: September 20 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 77,344

Missouri

Nebraska at Missouri [box score]

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total • Nebraska 0 13 9 14 36 Missouri 3 0 0 0 3 Date: September 29 Location: Faurot Field, Columbia, Missouri Game attendance: 64,204

Iowa State

Iowa State at Nebraska [box score]

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total Iowa State 0 0 14 0 14 • Nebraska 20 21 0 7 48 Date: October 6 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 78,002

Baylor

Nebraska at Baylor [box score]

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total • Nebraska 7 7 7 27 48 Baylor 0 7 0 0 7 Date: October 13 Location: Floyd Casey Stadium, Waco, Texas Game attendance: 38,102

Texas Tech

Texas Tech at Nebraska [box score]

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total Texas Tech 13 15 3 0 31 • Nebraska 21 7 10 3 41 Date: October 20 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 77,838

Oklahoma

Oklahoma at Nebraska [box score]

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total Oklahoma 0 10 0 0 10 • Nebraska 0 10 3 7 20 Date: October 27 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game attendance: 78,031

Kansas

Nebraska at Kansas [box score]

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total • Nebraska 0 20 7 24 51 Kansas 0 0 0 7 7 Date: November 3 Location: University of Kansas Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, Kansas Game attendance: 50,750

Kansas State

Kansas State at Nebraska [box score]

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total Kansas State 0 14 0 7 21 • Nebraska 0 13 15 3 31 Date: November 10 Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska Game start: ABC CST Game attendance: 77,818

Colorado

Nebraska at Colorado [box score]

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total Nebraska 3 20 7 6 36 • Colorado 28 14 0 20 62 Date: November 23 Location: Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado Game attendance: 53,790

Miami

Nebraska vs Miami [box score]

by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total Nebraska 0 0 7 7 14 • Miami 7 27 0 3 37 Date: January 3 Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California Game attendance: 93,781

Rankings

See also: 2001 NCAA Division I-A football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. ( ) = First place votes.

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Final
AP	4	4	5	4	4	4	4	3	3	2	2	2	2	6	5	4	8
Coaches'
Harris	Not released																Not released
BCS	Not released								2	1	1	1	1	4	3	2	Not released

After the season

Nebraska finished in a tie for 1st place in the Big 12 North Division and also tied for 1st conference-wide, with a final record of 11–2 (7–1).

The events which took place at the end of the season put a strain on the system of college rankings and polls. The Cornhuskers lost their final regular season game to Colorado 36–62, leaving both tied for 1st place in the Big 12 North Division. As Colorado won the head-to-head contest, Colorado then participated in the Big 12 Championship and defeated Texas 39–37. Despite Colorado's accomplishments, Nebraska's strength-of-schedule component in the Bowl Championship Series selection system resulted in the Cornhuskers being selected to play in the 2002 Rose Bowl for the BCS National Championship Game against Miami, despite the fact that Nebraska had not played in its own conference championship game and technically had not even won its own division.

Nebraska then fell to Miami 14–37 in the Rose Bowl, but the controversy of these events led to more modifications to the BCS formula, which followed a pattern of seasonal tweaks dating back nearly to when the BCS system was implemented.

Senior Cornhusker quarterback Eric Crouch was the 2001 recipient of the Walter Camp Award, the Davey O'Brien Award, and the Heisman Trophy. Coach Solich was also selected Big 12 Football Coach of the Year.

Awards

Award	Name(s)
Heisman Trophy	Eric Crouch
Walter Camp Award	Eric Crouch
Davey O'Brien Award	Eric Crouch
Sporting News Player of the Year	Eric Crouch
ABC/Chevrolet Player of the Year	Eric Crouch
Big 12 Coach of the Year	Frank Solich
All-American 1st Team	Toniu Fonoti, Keyuo Craver, Eric Crouch
All-American 2nd Team	Chris Kelsay
All-American 3rd Team	Tracey Wistrom
All-Big 12 1st team	Toniu Fonoti, Eric Crouch, Keyuo Craver, Dahrran Diedrick
All-Big 12 2nd team	Dave Volk, Chris Kelsay, Jamie Burrow
All-Big 12 3rd team	Tracey Wistrom, Jeremy Slechta, DeJuan Groce, Kyle Larson

NFL and Pro Players

The following Nebraska players who participated in the 2001 season later moved on to the next level and joined a professional or semi-pro team as draftees or free agents.

Name	Team
Demoine Adams	Edmonton Eskimos
Titus Adams	New York Jets
Ryon Bingham	San Diego Chargers
Josh Brown	Seattle Seahawks
Daniel Bullocks	Detroit Lions
Josh Bullocks	New Orleans Saints
Eric Crouch	St. Louis Rams
Keyuo Craver	New Orleans Saints
Josh Davis	New York Jets
Clint Finley	Kansas City Chiefs
Toniu Fonoti	San Diego Chargers
Aaron Golliday	Scottish Claymores
DeJuan Groce	St. Louis Rams
T. J. Hollowell	New York Giants
Richie Incognito	St. Louis Rams
Trevor Johnson	New York Jets
Patrick Kabongo	Detroit Lions
Chris Kelsay	Buffalo Bills
Kyle Larson	Cincinnati Bengals
Jammal Lord	Houston Texans
Bobby Newcombe	Montreal Alouettes
Jerrell Pippens	Chicago Bears
Cory Ross	Baltimore Ravens
Barrett Ruud	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Scott Shanle	St. Louis Rams
Jeremy Slechta	Philadelphia Eagles
Le Kevin Smith	New England Patriots
Erwin Swiney	Green Bay Packers