[Husker] 84 orange bowl on ESPN Classic

[Jeff Jussel]

Too bad you didn't watch the rest. It was a great game...despite the final
score. Going for the win at the end was a defining moment for TO as a coach
and for the image of the Husker program as a whole. I hated the loss, but
the game is a real Husker classic.

I was at that game, sitting in the end zone seats as a member of the Husker
band. 
Some things I remember of that game seeing it in person:

- The field surface was about 3-ft of sand, painted green to look like grass
on tv. 
It was hard to march in, let alone run the football. It was officially that
way because the field was torn up by a pro game the week before. But of
course we all suspected it also helped out the predominantly pass-happy
Canes...cutting on loose sand favors the receiver, and probably makes it
harder to get pressure on a passing QB. Just my red-tinted opinion. ;-)

- NU was officially the home team for the OB as the Big8 rep, however when
the teams were warming up (and the band was lining up for pre-game), the
scoreboard showed Canes as the home team. It was normally their home
field...and they did all their normal home game rituals. During the game the
OB officials (the guys in the Orange jackets) openly rooted for Miami...I'm
talking serious jumping up and down and screaming for the Canes on the
sidelines. 

- It was one of the most hostile environments we ever played in (except
maybe for one game at Colorado...ugh). We got lots of nasty comments from
the Miami fans and had to keep our hats on throughout to avoid being injured
by objects thrown at us and the team. (Those 'glow-sticks' they hand out for
the half-time show were particularly painful.) At the end, the police and
their police dogs surrounded the band and took us out the open end of the
stadium.  Needless to say we couldn't get out of Florida fast enough.

- Overall though, we had no doubt at all that Tom would go for the win. It
was who he was and the "Scoring Explosion" had been too overpowering all
year long to think they couldn't score. Over the years the play call has
been second guessed (we had so many running options, the pass by Gill to
Smith definitely had us holding our collective breath), but we never doubted
the effort. 

- In the end I love this game more because the Huskers avenged this loss in
a later Orange Bowl, against Miami at their peak, to win the NC trophy.
Sweet payback!

Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

Jeff


-----Original Message-----
From: husker-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:husker-bounces at tssi.com] On Behalf Of
Aaron Wolfson
Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2010 2:43 PM
To: David Strong
Cc: Husker List
Subject: Re: [Husker] 84 orange bowl on ESPN Classic

Thanks for sharing, Dave. I was born that year, so I was spared the misery
of seeing it (though I'd love to have been around for that regular season),
and I have no intention of ever watching it during my lifetime.

Aaron


On Thu, Mar 11, 2010 at 2:34 PM, David Strong <gbrlist at yahoo.com> wrote:

> After 26 years and countless replays of this game, I had never watched it
> since that night.  But I enjoyed watching that '77 game so much that I
> recorded this one and sat down to watch it after all these years.  Huskers
> received the kick off.  Rozier ripping huge yardage.  Fumbled snap,
fullback
> into the line, and missed pass (excellent coverage by Miami) stalls the
> drive at the Miami 37.  FG blocked, still 0-0.  Miami possession, Kosar 25
> yards or so to Shakespeare (no pressure on the QB at all).  Miami HB
> straight ahead for 12.  Koaar to Shakespeare again for 25 or so to the Neb
> 1.  (Kosar all day, no one near him) Neb stuffs two plays at the goal
line.
>  Kosar rolls right throwing to receiver in the end zone, Husker defender
#2
> steps in front for the easy, easy interception with nothing between him
and
> the other goal line.  Ball goes right though his arms, skimming his chest
as
> it goes through, and lands right in the gut of the Miami receiver.
>
> I hit "Stop", deleted the recording, turned the TV off.  I will never try
> to watch that game again.  Bad decision on my part to try this time.  Not
> ever going there again.
>
> Dave
>
>
>
>
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