Hawkitis - Trouble in Huskerland

[Wesley]

HuskerExtra.com - Lincoln, Nebraska - Huskerextra - Football

Pelini ready for spring drills despite recent turmoil

BY BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON / Lincoln Journal Star

Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 - 09:22:02 pm CDT
It may have been a rough weekend on the police blotter for the Husker football program, but Bo Pelini hardly seemed rattled on Tuesday, 15 days before his first spring camp as Nebraska’s coach was to begin.

If he was somewhat annoyed by the recent actions of a few of his players, his confidence was also as thick as ever.

All the friendly chatter that accompanies a new coaching hire is about to give way to the reality of results. Pelini assured he’s ready for the ride.

“Our job is not to fit players to the system,” he said, “it’s to fit our system to the players and make sure we put players in positions where they can be successful. That’s the key.”

Pelini has no depth chart yet. There is no top or bottom, he said. Players will basically receive equal reps at the start of spring ball.

“Obviously you’re going to get a little bit more reps for some guys just by nature of how they earned their way through the depth chart,” Pelini said in his office in a roundtable discussion with local reporters. “The important thing is coming out of spring knowing what each guy can do.”

This may be his first year as the guy toting the head coach’s whistle, but he doesn’t expect that to make spring practices much different from the ones he’s already been a part of as a defensive coordinator.

“Whether you’re in your first year or third year, you have to start from the beginning anyway,” he said. “All it does is alter a little bit the order you do things and how much volume you start with.

“You just have to build a little bit more. You can go a little bit quicker when you’ve been together for a while. But I’ve been through this a number of times. This is not the first rodeo, as far as that’s concerned.”

And if players thought the new guy was going to be lax with punishments for off-the-field hijinks, they might now realize they were mistaken.

After a rash of off-the-field troubles over the weekend, all of them coming in settings where alcohol was present, Husker football players found themselves in a room with Pelini on Monday night.

Pelini said Tuesday that whatever is said in one of his team’s meetings stays there. But it doesn’t take the class genius to figure out the meeting was more grizzly than warm and fuzzy.

Even two former players — offensive lineman Carl Nicks and receiver Maurice Purify — were not clear of Pelini’s sights.

Both those players were ticketed along with a couple of current Huskers at a Saturday party.

Nicks is now banned from participating in today’s pro day in front of NFL scouts at the team’s indoor practice facility.

Pelini said Nicks is banned from being around the program because he has set a bad example with past behavior.

The coach said Purify also might not be allowed to participate in pro day in Lincoln.

Pelini said “a zero-tolerance policy regarding alcohol and social responsibility is now in effect.”

Some of Tuesday’s discussion was about discipline, but plenty of it was about football.

Such as position changes: Has he made any yet?

Pelini said he has a few things in mind, but nothing is yet certain.

“Until you put the pads on and play football, it’s really hard to earmark it. I think things will become clear pretty quickly,” he said.

Pelini said there will not be many “full-blown scrimmages” during spring ball. There will be “mini-scrimmages,” and yes, the quarterbacks will probably wear green jerseys that warn defenders to keep their hands off.

Concerning the April 19 Spring Game, Pelini said it’s possible fans will see the offensive and defensive first-stringers square off against each other, something not done the past four years under Bill Callahan.

“It depends on where we are at that point. I’m sure there will be some aspect of 1s versus 1s,” Pelini said. “But it’s hard to commit to that yet until you know where things are and how the spring goes and where we are at that point injurywise.”

This spring, he said, is about putting down the foundation, establishing the principles that will make the program flourish for the long haul.

“Our job is to take guys in the program and develop them,” Pelini said. “You can’t always assume what a player was is what he’s going to be. Players are going to grow as they move along. We have to keep putting them out there and giving them opportunities.”

[Wesley]

Pelini: Huskers Now Under Zero-Tolerance Policy - Sports News Story - KETV Omaha
Pelini: Huskers Now Under Zero-Tolerance Policy

Andy Christensen Arraigned


POSTED: 2:49 pm CDT March 11, 2008


LINCOLN, Neb. -- Court records detail the sexual assault accusations against Nebraska football player Andy Christensen, and on Tuesday the team's coach said changes are afoot in the program as a result.
Christensen was expected to be arraigned on Tuesday on a first-degree sexual assault charge, in which he is accused of attacking a 23-year-old woman at a downtown Lincoln bar. He's being held on $500,000 bail.
Former Nebraska football players Maurice Purify and Carl Nicks and two current squad members, defensive lineman Ben Martin and offensive lineman Mike Smith, were ticketed when Lincoln police broke up a weekend party. Police said they were called to a residence shortly before midnight Saturday. Officer Katie Flood said police heard music coming from the house that was audible from the sidewalk. There were about 75 people inside, and empty beer cans were strewn about the home.

Football coach Bo Pelini said in a statement on Tuesday that he has met with his players.
"Every young man involved in an incident over the weekend is being dealt with on an individual basis. A few players have been indefinitely suspended from the team, while others have been disciplined internally," Pelini said. "I talked with the entire team last night and clearly explained to them that from this point forward, we will have a zero-tolerance policy regarding alcohol and social responsibility. Our players understand the intent of this rule and what we are trying to accomplish. Therefore, any violation will be handled individually as it pertains to the specific circumstance.
"Our players also understand that certain establishments are off limits, and that the policy also pertains to their behavior in other social settings. I made it clear to them that our policy will be strictly enforced.
"Coach Osborne, myself, and our staff are all in agreement that the culture of this program will be one centered on respect, integrity and discipline. We all agree that culture must extend well beyond the football field."
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Athletic Director Tom Osborne said it is a message he wants to deliver to all student athletes.
"Alcohol abuse and binge drinking continue to be the No. 1 problem affecting college students today. Educating our student-athletes regarding these issues is a priority for our athletic department. Last week, we had a mandatory student-athlete meeting where alcohol abuse was the primary topic. We expect our student-athletes to go beyond the education process and to be good role models acting appropriately at all times. We do not take these recent violations of alcohol abuse lightly," Osborne said in the statement.
In Christensen's case, court records show that the woman was approached at the bar by Christensen, whom she knows. Documents show that when she turned away from Christensen, he reached under her skirt and penetrated her.
Christensen was arrested by Lincoln police outside the bar and aggressively resisted efforts to handcuff him, officers said. Court documents also say he kicked a police vehicle, denting it. He was placed in a security chair at the jail to control his behavior.

[Wesley]

Bond Set At $500K For Husker Player - Sports News Story - KETV Omaha
Bond Set At $500K For Husker Player

Neb. Lineman Christensen Arrested; Suspected Of Sexual Assault


POSTED: 4:54 pm CST March 8, 2008
LINCOLN, Neb. -- A judge set a $500,000 bond for a Husker football player on Monday.
Lincoln police Capt. Joseph Wright said a 23-year-old Lincoln woman reported that Nebraska offensive lineman Andy Christensen approached her from behind, reached underneath her clothing and sexually assaulted her at about 12:30 a.m. Saturday.
Christensen appeared before a Lancaster County judge on Monday afternoon on a first-degree sexual assault charge.
According to court papers, Christensen fought with officers and kicked in the side of the police vehicle. At the jail, Christensen had to be placed in a security chair to control his agitated behavior, the documents show.
Christensen is scheduled to be in court again on Tuesday.
In a statement, football coach Bo Pelini said: “We are aware of the arrest of Andy Christensen as a result of an incident in downtown Lincoln last night. The charges against Andy are serious in nature and these types of actions will not be tolerated. Andy has been indefinitely suspended from our football program. I will address Andy's

[Wesley]

2 Ex-Huskers, 2 Current Players Ticketed At Party - Sports News Story - KETV Omaha

2 Ex-Huskers, 2 Current Players Ticketed At Party

POSTED: 4:44 pm CDT March 10, 2008
UPDATED: 5:18 pm CDT March 10, 2008



LINCOLN, Neb. -- Former Nebraska football players Maurice Purify and Carl Nicks and two current squad members were ticketed when Lincoln police broke up a weekend party.
The current players cited are defensive lineman Ben Martin and offensive lineman Mike Smith.
Police said they were called to a residence shortly before midnight Saturday. Officer Katie Flood said police heard music coming from the house that was audible from the sidewalk. There were about 75 people inside, and empty beer cans were strewn about the home.
Flood said police cited 10 partygoers who remained after officers told everyone to leave, including the four.
Smith was accused of maintaining a disorderly house, and Purify and Martin of being inmates of a disorderly house. Police arrested Nicks on suspicion of being an inmate of a disorderly house and failure to disperse after he wouldn't leave.

[Wesley]

Scout.com: Pelini, Osborne address recent incidents

Pelini, Osborne address recent incidents
Andrew Christensen
By NU Media Relations

Posted Mar 11, 2008



Following a series of events which have resulted in the arrest and/or citations of current and former Husker football players, head coach Bo Pelini and athletic director Tom Osborne issued the following statement today.

The following is an official release from the University of Nebraska:
In light of three reported incidents surrounding members of the Nebraska Football team this week, Head Coach Bo Pelini and Athletic Director Tom Osborne issued the following statements to the media. Each of the three incidents took place where alcohol was served.
Bo Pelini
“Every young man involved in an incident over the weekend is being dealt with on an individual basis. A few players have been indefinitely suspended from the team, while others have been disciplined internally.
“I talked with the entire team last night and clearly explained to them that from this point forward we will have a zero tolerance policy regarding alcohol and social responsibility. Our players understand the intent of this rule and what we are trying to accomplish. Therefore, any violation will be handled individually as it pertains to the specific circumstance.
“Our players also understand that certain establishments are off limits, and that the policy also pertains to their behavior in other social settings. I made it clear to them that our policy will be strictly enforced.
“Coach Osborne, myself, and our staff are all in agreement that the culture of this program will be one centered on respect, integrity and discipline. We all agree that culture must extend well beyond the football field.” Tom Osborne “Alcohol abuse and binge drinking continues to be the number one problem affecting college students today. Educating our student-athletes regarding these issues is a priority for our athletic department. Last week we had a mandatory student-athlete meeting where alcohol abuse was the primary topic. We expect our student-athletes to go beyond the education process and to be good role models acting appropriately

[kingcy]

Well it is Osborne's team now, its just like the old days with him back in control.

[Wesley]

Nebraska player's sex-assault case pushed back - Ap-state-ne - The Columbus Telegram - Columbus, Nebraska's Community Newspaper

theIndependent.com | Grand Island Independent

USCHO.com :: The Online Sports Community :: College Sports :: Alcohol/Drugs :: Nebraska Freshman QB Arrested After Campus Disturbance

The Scarlet Letter: Pelini Discusses Team Issues

Omaha.com Sports Section

Nebraska adopts zero tolerance policy - NCAA Football - Yahoo! Sports

Bad for recruiting? Yep.

[Wesley]

Nebraska Cornhuskers "stumbling toward spring practice"- Realfootball365.com

Cornerback Anthony Blue tore his ACL a week ago during winter drills and will miss spring practice. Then all of 72 hours later, one of defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh's knees underwent the knife, which will also force him to miss spring practice.
Last Friday, linebacker Nick Covey was ticketed for alcohol possession as a minor at a party.
Then the big one hit: Offensive guard Andy Christensen was charged with sexual assault and resisting arrest. Christensen has since been suspended indefinitely from the team and has been jailed with a $500,000 bond.
Not enough? Just a few hours after that, defensive lineman Ben Martin and offensive lineman Michael Smith, along with ex-Huskers Maurice Purify and Carl Nicks, were busted at a loud party and, when asked by police to leave, stayed anyway. They were ticketed for being "inmates of a disorderly house."
"Inmates" is a perfect word for this situation; after all, it's become quite crazy in Lincoln.