Honors & Awards

• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 (2006)
• Second-Team Academic All-Big 12 (2007)
• Four-Time Big 12 Commissioner's Spring Academic Honor Roll (2005, 2007, 2008, 2009)
• Two-Time Big 12 Commissioner's Fall Academic Honor Roll (2005, 2008)

2009 Game by Game (updated 12-14-09)
Florida Atlantic: Game captain... earned second career INT with Huskers' first pick of the season... returned INT 18 yards... added five tackles and forced fumble. Arkansas State: Posted five tackles. Virginia Tech: Continued streak with third straight game with five tackles... added first TFL with eight-yard sack on last Hokie drive of game. Louisiana-Lafayette: Posted four tackles... added a fumble recovery that led to NU's third TD of the game. Missouri: Posted five tackles for the fourth time this season, including three solo stops. Texas Tech: Recorded four tackles, including two solo stops... helped NU hold the Red Raiders more than 200 total offense yards under their season average. Iowa State: Had four tackles, including two solo stops... added first pass breakup of the season. Baylor: Had four tackles... added second pass breakup of season as NU had 10 PBU in game. Oklahoma: Game captain... set career high with 12 tackles including nine solos... his tackle total tied team season high set a week earlier by Jared Crick... added three interceptions on the night, all in the second half... tied school record with the three picks, including last one that sealed the victory with 41 seconds left... three INTs were one more than his career total entering the game. Kansas: Had two solo stops but came up big with a fumble recovery (forced by Dejon Gomes) deep in Nebraska territory to stop a KU drive. Kansas State: Posted five tackles, with two solo stops. Colorado: Recorded team-best fifth interception of season... returned the pickoff 20 yards for NU's third TD of the day... was first career INT return for a score... five INTs this season is most by a Husker since 2004 (Daniel Bullocks, also five INT)... added four tackles, including two solo stops, along with a pass breakup. Texas: Recorded five tackles, including four solo stops...added second career sack with a 11-yard stop... was one of nine sacks on the game.

2009 Outlook
Safety Matt O’Hanlon emerged as a key player in the Nebraska secondary during his junior season and will once again compete for major playing time in 2009. The 5-11, 200-pound O’Hanlon started nine games last year and will enter fall camp as a front-runner for the starting free safety job along with fellow senior Rickey Thenarse.

A former walk-on, O’Hanlon had an outstanding spring practice in 2008, working his way into the regular rotation. He was rewarded by being placed on scholarship last September and went on to help the Husker defense rank among the nation’s most improved units. O’Hanlon first earned playing time as a key special teams performer and he continued in that role in 2008.

A native of Bellevue, Neb., O’Hanlon is expected to pick up his degree in history this August and play his senior season as a graduate student.

2008 (Junior)
O’Hanlon started the first nine games of the season at safety, then split time with Thenarse the remainder of the year. He finished third among all Nebraska tacklers with 52, including 33 solo stops. O’Hanlon added two tackles for loss, an interception and five pass breakups.

O’Hanlon notched five tackles in each of the first two games and went on to record five or more tackles seven times. He snared his first career interception against New Mexico State, returning the fourth-quarter pick 21 yards, and added a career-best two breakups in the game.

O’Hanlon had a career-high eight tackles against Virginia Tech, including his first career tackle for loss. He notched seven tackles against Kansas, including a season-high five solo stops. In the Gator Bowl victory over Clemson, O’Hanlon played a key role with six tackles, including five solo stops. He helped preserve the win with a critical pass breakup on a Clemson third-and-goal play in the final two minutes.

2007 (Sophomore)
O’Hanlon played in 10 games, primarily working on the Huskers’ special teams units. He finished the year with three tackles, including solo stops against Nevada and Iowa State, as well as an assist against Texas.

2006 (Freshman)
O’Hanlon played in all 14 games and made eight tackles, including six stops in the first four games. He made a season-high three tackles against Louisiana Tech, and added two tackles against Nicholls State. O’Hanlon made his first career unassisted tackle against Colorado. His play on kickoff coverage helped NU rank among the nation’s best in that category.

2005 (Redshirt)
O’Hanlon redshirted after joining the program in January.

Before Nebraska (Bellevue East HS)
O’Hanlon was a quarterback at Bellevue East as a sophomore and junior before moving to running back as a senior for Coach Jerry Lovell. On defense, O’Hanlon played cornerback and free safety, while returning punts and kickoffs. A team captain, O’Hanlon led Bellevue East to two state playoff berths, including the quarterfinals as a senior. He was an all-district and honorable-mention all-state pick for his performance on the gridiron, and was also an honorable-mention academic all-state pick. He participated in the 2004 Nebraska Shrine Bowl, starting at strong safety.
O’Hanlon also participated in powerlifting, winning a state title in 2003 and finishing as a runner-up in 2004. He earned four varsity soccer letters and helped the Chieftains to the state playoffs in 2003.

Personal
The son of Joe and Becky O’Hanlon, Matt was born on Oct. 5, 1985. He is majoring in history and was a first-team academic All-Big 12 pick in 2006, and a second-teamer in 2007. He has also been named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll six times. He has volunteered as part of the Huskers’ hospital visits.

O'Hanlon's Career Statistics