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Nebraska Alumni Association

Ask Andy

Ask Andy!
Have you ever wondered... When did "Cosmic Cob" roam the Husker sidelines? What is the oldest building still standing on campus? How many graduates has UNL had over the years? Now the answer is just an email away. No question is too tough; if we don't know the answer, we'll find it for you. We have our "staff historian" hot on the trail. Just make sure the question is suitable for public consumption. Send your questions (with Ask Andy in the subject line) and then check back here weekly.
November 17, 2010

Dear Andy,
Is there a listing anywhere of all the players and their numbers (ie. say all players who wore #23 throughout the years)? It would be interesting to see who wore each number and the year they played. Thanks.
- Mike - Columbus, Neb.

Eric Crouch
No. 7 was a popular numeral when Eric Crouch quarterbacked the Huskers in the early 2000s.

Dear Mike,
Yes, there is such a listing. You can find it here. That page shows a roster of this year's team with player numbers. On the upper right portion of the page there is a pull-down menu labeled “season” that allows you to select any year in Nebraska football history for a similar listing of players and their numbers. Although they are listed alphabetically, by clicking on the gray triangle in the number column on the left, you can sort the players by number! Happy number hunting!  
Andy

October 20, 2010

Dear Andy,
Can you tell me when and why the university chose its school colors?
- Mike Bacon

Chad Kelsay
Last of the Old Gold Knights, the 1891 football team.

Dear Mike,
The scarlet and cream colors actually predate the Cornhusker nickname (adopted at the beginning of the 20th century). In 1892, the official school colors of garnet and old gold were replaced by scarlet and cream when the football team changed their nickname from Old Gold Knights to Bugeaters – named for the insect-devouring bull bats that hovered over the plains, much like the team hovered over its opponents. Why scarlet and cream? Perhaps they were looking for a brighter version of garnet and gold … We’re still researching that one but if anyone has the answer, feel free to join the conversation.  
Andy

September 28, 2010

Dear Andy,
I attended an alumni pep rally prior to a football game probably in the late ’90s at the alumni center and had my picture taken with an ex-Husker player.  I did not write his name on the picture but I know he was an important player. Could someone please tell me who this player is? I would appreciate this very much so I can add it to our Big Red wall.
Sherry - Omaha, Neb.

Chad Kelsay

Dear Sherry,
The photo features Chad Kelsay, a rush end from Auburn, Neb., on the 1995-1998 Husker football teams. In 1998, he was team co-captain, Nebraska Lifter of the Year and first-team Academic All-American. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Andy

September 28, 2010

Dear Andy,
I have a correction to one of your answers. It’s about the shoe raising at kickoff. One of my roommates in college started it during the kicking tenure of Sandro DeAngelis. There was a guy a few rows up who said he was going to throw his shoe at the ref for a bad call. My roommate and his friend started mocking the other guy and held their shoes in the air during a field goal. Since Sandro was not known for his distance they were surprised when he actually made it. Figuring it helped "give him an extra boot," they continued during that game and the rest of the season. A group of about eight of us became known as the “Shoe Crew.” We started a facebook group and competed in various intramural sports and even made shirts that said “Shoe Crew” on them. The student who started it was Ben Huey and he always wore velcro shoes. After that season things started picking up with others bringing in cowboy boots and a larger group holding up shoes. I thought I'd get the history recorded correctly. Thanks for all of the other answers.
Allan Wickard - Shoe Crew Member, Husker Alum

Dear Allan,
Thanks for the update. That one was a little hard to research, so it was nice to hear from someone who was there at the beginning. I stand corrected.
Andy

July 7, 2010

Dear Andy,
During the College World Series the announcers kept saying UCLA had about 110 national championships. How many does Nebraska have and in what sports?
Mike - Columbus, NE

Trophies

Dear Mike,
Husker athletic teams have won a total of 24 national titles in five sports: Men's Gymnastics 8 (1979, 1980,1981, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1990, 1994); Football 5 (1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, 1997); Bowling 5 (1999, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2009); Volleyball 3 (1995, 2000, 2006); and Women's Track and Field 3 (1982, 1983, 1984).
Andy

April 29, 2010

Dear Andy,
I was back on campus this spring for the first time since the mid 1970s to attend SpiritFest, and I had an opportunity to visit the Wick Alumni Center. It wasn't there when I was in school, but I can't remember what was at 16th and R – or where the alumni association was headquartered.
Wondering

Alumni Building

Dear Wondering,
In the mid '70s, the structure at 1520 R St. was a Tudor-style brick house, built around 1930 for Phi Mu sorority. Over the years it also was used as housing for international students (1940s), a fraternity annex (1960s) and a faculty club (a dining room addition in the '60s) – before becoming home to the Nebraska Alumni Association in 1975. The alumni offices were housed there until 1981 when the building was razed to make room for the Wick Alumni Center. The Center opened in 1985 and is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
Andy

April 15, 2010

Dear Andy,
How many alumni have been in the Student Alumni Association/Scarlet Guard since it started?
Kristin

2010 Scarlet Guard Members

Dear Kristin,
More than you might think. The group has been in existence since 1974. To date, there are 3,568 alumni and current students who have been members, and it's become one of the most popular student groups on campus. Click here to see some of the activities of the current group.
Andy

April 2, 2010

Dear Andy,
I'm interested in knowing if the Zeta Phi Beta Black Sorority still has an active chapter @ UNL? If so, I am interested in finding out how to get in touch with them.
Former Member Cindy, Graduating Class of 1983

Dear Cindy,
Yes, Zeta Phi Beta is still active at UNL. The UNL Greek Affairs Office (332 Nebraska Union, PO Box 880458 Lincoln, NE 68588-0458, 402-472-2582 or 888-547-1029, unl.edu/greek/multicultural) will be happy to put the group's leader in touch with you, or you can access ZPB through their international Web site at www.zphib1920.org. Currently, UNL has seven multicultural sororities and six multicultural fraternities, and each organization has an alumni system that supports and helps develop its younger members through networking and serving as positive role models.
Andy

March 29, 2010

Dear Andy,
How long has intercollegiate women's basketball been played by NU? How many times have we been to the NCAA tournament and how many conference titles have we won?
Hoops Fan

1902 Women's Team
2007 Women's Team

Dear Hoops Fan,
Actually, intercollegiate women's basketball has been played at Nebraska lot longer than you might think. The first all-university women's team was organized in 1896, and in 1898, the team played a game against an outside opponent, Council Bluffs, Iowa, for the first time, winning 15-7. In November of 1901, Nebraska beat a team from the University of Missouri at Grant Hall, "the first intercollegiate match for girls ever played in the west," according to the Nebraska State Journal. The Nebraska women continued their winning ways against outside opponents until April 24, 1908 when the Board of Regents, reacting to concerns of faculty members who found the activity "inappropriate," abolished intercollegiate athletics for women. More than 60 years passed before women's club teams were formed, and women's basketball didn't reappear as a varsity sport until 1975. Since then, the Nebraska women have won a Big 8 title (1988, 11-3) and a Big 12 title (2010, 16-0). The team has appeared in the NCAA tournament nine times since 1988, including the 2010 tournament where they recorded a school-best sweet sixteen appearance and a 32-2 overall record.
Andy

March 17, 2010

Dear Andy,
How big is East Campus compared to City Campus? Size/land? People?
Scarlet Guard Member

East Campus
©Matt Cranford

Dear SG Member,
The first part of the question is easy. City Campus covers 274.86 acres; East Campus has 342.73 acres. As for the "people" part of the question: If you're talking about students living on each campus, that's also easy. Students in university residence halls, student family housing and sororities and fraternities number 7,262 on City Campus and 698 on East Campus. However, if you're talking about students attending class, it gets trickier because many students attend classes on both campuses. Two colleges are headquartered on East Campus and seven are headquartered on City Campus – but not all of their classes are taught on the originating campus. With UNL student enrollment hovering at 24,100 and administrative, faculty and staff totals around 5,800, separating those numbers would be an unfair guess, at best.
Andy

February 5, 2010

Dear Andy,
How many different athletic teams are there at UNL?
Senior

Men's Cross Country

Dear Senior,
It depends on whether you're talking intercollegiate or intramural. Nebraska fields intercollegiate teams in nine men's sports (baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, gymnastics, tennis, track and field, wrestling) and 12 women's sports (basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, gymnastics, rifle, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball). If you're looking at intramurals, there are more than 60 different sports for men’s and women's teams and another 40 are co-rec teams that include both men and women. In all, approximately 45 percent of the student body participates in intramurals – that's 10,000 students!
Andy

January 21, 2010

Dear Andy,
For Husker football's 300th sellout, a poster was made of all 300 football tickets. I was wondering what the first ticket cost, as well as the 100th ticket, 200th ticket and 300th ticket. What is the cumulative cost of all 300 tickets?
Mike

Ella and Brady

Dear Mike,
After much research (and prolonged use of a magnifying glass on that poster!), we finally have an answer to your question. The first ticket cost $4, the 100th ticket cost $9.25, the 200th ticket cost $22 and the 300th ticket cost $52. The cumulative cost of all 300 tickets is $6,273.25.
Andy


January 11, 2010

Dear Andy,
We want to know what family has the longest tradition of attending UNL. If my cousin, Brady, and I both go there in about 13 years, we will be a fifth generation. Will we win a prize?
Ella and Brady

Ella and Brady

Dear Ella and Brady,
A college education is always a good prize. You will be two of many fifth-generation Cornhuskers. (Lots of families really like UNL.) And you will have grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, siblings and cousins who can share in your school adventures. I haven’t tracked down any sixth generation students or graduates, however, so if anyone out there knows of any, please tell us and we will recognize them.
Andy

January 11, 2010

Dear Andy,
Did Nebraska have a different nickname before Huskers?
Beyond Green

Dear Beyond Green,
Charles S. “Cy” Sherman, a sports editor of The Nebraska State Journal at the turn of the last century, first applied the Cornhusker name to Nebraska athletic teams. Before that time, the Cornhuskers were known as Bugeaters, Tree-Planters, Nebraskans, Rattlesnake Boys, Antelopes and the Old Gold Knights. Sherman’s suggestion was highly approved of on the campus, joining the already adopted school colors of scarlet and cream. Alert Watkins, Jr., who was prominent in college journalism, firmly established the name in 1902.
Andy

November 12, 2009

Dear Andy,
Where can I find out where the Trophy rooms in the Memorial Stadium are located?
Norvin

Dear Norvin,
The national championship trophies are prominently displayed in the main corridor of the Tom and Nancy Osborne Athletic Complex on the north side of Memorial Stadium. A new hallway display also features Nebraska’s major football award winners. In addition, the Nebraska Football Experience Room was dedicated by Nebraska’s three Heisman Trophy winners prior to the NU/Oklahoma football game last weekend. Located just inside the front lobby of the North Stadium Complex, the room incorporates the latest technology and features video images of the Heisman winners’ signature moments. The complex is open during normal business hours and free of charge to the public.
Andy

November 5, 2009

Dear Andy,
What is the history of the NU Football Mascots? What were they, when were they introduced and who were they?
Don


NU Mascots

Dear Don,
The first mascot we tracked down was the Corn Cob Man, a creation of the Corn Cob student spirit group. He was introduced at Memorial Stadium in 1955. (UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman is rumored to have worn the costume at one point in his undergraduate career at UNL.) Corn Cob Man was replaced by 10-foot Huskie the Husker in 1962, after Bob Devaney took over as football coach. (Both are pictured further down on this page in the answer to a question dated Sept. 17.) In 1963, Harry Husker (clad in a red suit and carrying a briefcase) was drawn by Nebraska fan Bill Goggins. Harry appeared in the Nebraska Farmer magazine, which gave UNL permission to use him as a symbol. He roamed the sidelines of Memorial Stadium through the Huskers’ first two national championship seasons. In 1974, Herbie Husker, created by artist Dirk West of Lubbock, Texas, appeared on the Huskers’ media guide and soon was named the university’s official mascot. Herbie has undergone several refurbishments over the years (most recently in 2003), and was named National Mascot of the Year in 2005. In 1993, the inflatable Lil’  Red joined Herbie on the sidelines to appeal to younger Husker fans. He won the national championship at the NCA National Mascot Competition in 1999 and was inducted into the 2007 Mascot Hall of Fame by an online vote.
Andy

October 26, 2009

Dear Andy,
How old is the oldest fraternity on campus and what are some of the greek events and traditions?
Dan

Phi Delta Theta

Dear Dan,
The first fraternities, Sigma Chi and Phi Delta Theta, were organized on campus in 1883. The first sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma was established at NU in 1884. One of the greek houses’ longest-standing traditions has to do with homecoming. Around 1930, the Innocents Society, a senior honorary, created a Homecoming decoration contest for fraternities and sororities, and for many years judged and selected the winners. Another tradition is philanthropy. Each year, students from the greek community raise money and awareness for several local and national agencies – with several greek units combining efforts.
Andy

October 23, 2009

Dear Andy,
Why are we A Stronger Alumni? Do you mean Stronger Alumni, without the "A" since Alumni is a plural noun. A Stronger alumnus would be grammatically correct. Perhaps you mean to imply A Stronger Alumni Association which would be correct since this is a collective noun. I would suggest that you consult with the English Department regarding this issue! I'm grateful for the education provided to me by U of N.
Jim

A Strong Alumni

Dear Jim,
You are correct in your assumption that we mean to imply A Stronger Alumni “Association.” We chose to use three parallel words on each side of the statement to present a stronger connection and image. “A Stronger Association. A Greater University.” would have been grammatically correct – but would have omitted the most important element – our alumni! Thanks for asking.
Andy

October 10, 2009

Dear Andy,
Has there ever been a program put together for TV about Bob Devaney – how he started the Nebraska Football legend, plus one could also be put together for Tom Osborne. Just wondering as these two guys really made Nebraska Football go all the way to No. 1 in the nation several times.
DYJ

Dear DYJ,
Yes. NET Television, Nebraska’s PBS station, did a 60-minute program on “Coach Devaney” in 1992, portraying him through his players, fellow coaches and friends, with narration provided by ABC Sportscaster Keith Jackson. Following Osborne’s retirement, the network produced “Coach Osborne: More than Winning and A Day in the Life of Husker Football.” The 90-minute program, also narrated by Jackson, included the sideline and backstage views of the championship seasons as well as the private side of the man who built character as well as muscle into Nebraska football. Both programs are available on DVD through NET.
Andy

September 30, 2009

Dear Andy,
I like to use songs my piano students are interested in to teach them to play from lead sheets or by ear. Is there a copyright on the songs, “Hail Varsity” and “There is No Place Like Nebraska”?
Thanks,
Piano Teacher

Dear Old Nebraska U

Dear Teacher,
According to Rose Johnson, administrative assistant for the UNL Bands, "both 'Hail Varsity' and 'There Is No Place Like Nebraska' are copyrighted. The publishing rights to both songs are owned by Edwin H. Morris Corporation, according to the ASCAP Web site. The royalties for "Hail Varsity" go to the UNL School of Music. The royalty fees for 'There Is No Place Like Nebraska' go to the Nebraska Alumni Association. Neither song is currently in print."
Andy

September 28, 2009

Dear Andy,
When did the "students raising one shoe on Nebraska kickoff" start? We had not seen it before last Saturday. My husband is a Nebraska Alum.
D

Dear D,
Shoe raising is a recent tradition. As near as we can determine, a few students started the practice during the 2001 season. By 2004, the custom was widespread in the student section, with undergrads raising their footwear to the strains of "Start Me Up" by the Rolling Stones – ostensibly to get the football team "running hot."
Andy

September 19, 2009

Dear Andy,
When was the first homecoming at Nebraska?
Husker Alum

Old Stadium

Dear Husker Alum,
The first homecoming game at the University of Nebraska was held Nov. 16, 1912. Five hundred alumni returned to campus and attended an alumni association banquet, organized by alumni secretary George Kline, after watching Nebraska defeat Kansas, 14-3, on the gridiron.

September 17, 2009

Dear Andy, Please tell me about Cosmic Cob. I didn't know there was ever a mascot before Harry Husker, but my son happens to be named Cosmo Cobb, so I'm very curious about this mascot.
Lynne Johnson Cobb '80

Cosmisc Cob
Huskie Husker

Dear Lynne,
Initially known as the Corn Cob Man, he made his first appearance during the 1955 football season to represent all the student members of the Corn Cobs pep organization. (Corn Cobs was the male students’ organization charged with promoting school spirit; Tassels was the women’s pep group.) At the encouragement of the athletic department, Corn Cobs replaced the Cosmic Cob with the 10-foot Nebraskan (nicknamed “Huskie the Husker” in an all-university contest) during the 1962 football season. Incidentally, that was Coach Bob Devaney’s first season and the start of the 300 consecutive sellouts being celebrated this fall.