[Husker] Postseason awards

[Duane Feldman]

It has been reported that Taylor was voted OPOY and Carriker was Defensive Lineman of the Year. Both were pleasant surprises to me -- they would have gotten my vote but most of the season McCoy was being mentioned as a possible Heisman candidate and the DT from Texas was the probable DLOY candidate.  I wasn't even certain Carriker would be first team DE given the success of a few other DEs around the league.  But they prevailed and all is well with the HuskerNation.  

There were some surprises (again, to me) in the coaches awards.  One surprise was Purify as 2nd team WR.  Not based on skills -- Mo has those for certain.  But his stats didn't match up with many other WR around the league and furthermore he was seldom a starter for Nebraska over the season.  Well deserved nonetheless.

Ruud as a first team choice was a shock.  Given the criticism of his play by Husker fans (too slow) and fans feeling he should be replaced by Octavian, I felt in the minority on his play.  Dane Todd was another (even bigger?) shock.  Todd had very few carries all year (any?, I don't have the stats), yet was first team B12 FB.  On the other all-star team out (KC Star) neither Todd nor Ruud made first or second team.  Jay Moore and Brandon Jackson on second team were obvious selections IMO but Moore was left off the KC listing.

But did everyone notice a few of the HM's??  Slauson belongs (he was 2nd team on the KC listing).  Stewart Bradley and Cory McKeon -- obvious.  Marlon Lucky --well deserved.  But two of the Husker most maligned players, Andrew Shanle and Cortney Grixby, made the list while Tierre Green and Andre Jones did not.  Finally Brett Byford was HM after stepping in for Kurt Mann while there was no mention of Austin, Christiansen, Huff, Patrick or Murtha.  Austin's absence was the greatest travesty here.  Nunn probably should have made the HM list as well.

Interesting turn of events.

Comments?
Duane Feldman