Huskers Honor Heisman Winners with New Room at Memorial Stadium

Lincoln ? Nebraska unveiled a new area honoring its three Heisman Trophy winners with the dedication of the Nebraska Heisman Room located just inside the West Entrance of Memorial Stadium on Thursday evening.

Eric Crouch (2001), Mike Rozier (1983) and Johnny Rodgers (1972) traveled to Lincoln Thursday to kick off the weekend of festivities for Nebraska's season-opening game with Oklahoma State, which also includes the Husker Nation Celebration, a reunion of more than 800 former Husker football letterwinners.

Crouch and Rodgers, who both make their homes in Omaha, joined Nebraska Athletic Director Steve Pederson at an early evening press conference. Rozier was unable to attend the formal press conference because of travel delays from his home in New Jersey. However, Rozier arrived in time for a gathering of dignitaries in the Memorial Stadium Skyboxes later in the evening.

The room features the three Heisman trophies on black pedestals. It also has all three players' game jerseys framed and on display, along with their three officially commissioned Ted Watts paintings, which are identical to the paintings featured at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind. The final displays will be added with the hanging of three plaques, signed and dated by Crouch, Rodgers and Rozier, commemorating the dedication of the Nebraska Heisman Room.

Along with the displayed items, a video featuring highlights of each Nebraska Heisman winner's accomplishments can be viewed in the room on a large, plasma screen television. The room will be open to the public each day of the week and on game days at Memorial Stadium.

Pederson said the room properly honored three of college football's greatest players.

"It is a fitting tribute to three people who have meant so much to the great history of the University of Nebraska, and we are very, very pleased to be honoring them in this way," Pederson said. "The Heisman Memorial Trophy, the most prestigious award in college football, is presented annually to the nation's outstanding college football player. The University of Nebraska has won this award three times since 1969, more than any other university. The University of Nebraska and Husker fans around the globe are so proud of the accomplishments of these three outstanding men."

Rodgers, who helped Nebraska to back-to-back national championships in 1970 and 1971, before capturing the Heisman Trophy as a senior wingback in 1972, said the Nebraska Heisman Room honored more than just three outstanding individuals, it was a tribute to all of the great Nebraska teams.

"I am very thankful for the awards being bestowed upon us today, and I think it is something that no other university has at this point," Rodgers said. "I am really thankful for my teammates. You don't win Heisman trophies by yourself. You don't get to be All-Americans by yourself. You don't get to be national champions by yourself. It is always in conjunction with others that you make your greatest accomplishments. I would like to say thank you to Steve Pederson, the University of Nebraska Athletic Department and all of the Nebraska fans. I go all over the world, but there really is no place like Nebraska."

Crouch, Nebraska's career quarterback rushing leader who won NU's most recent Heisman by leading the Huskers to the national championship game in the 2002 Rose Bowl, echoed Rodgers' statement.

"Johnny said it best. We wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for the team," Crouch said. "Our fans and family and all the support that we get from them is very, very important to us. The one thing that I'm always going to remember about Nebraska is that the fans are the best and the people are the best. I am so glad that this is the place that I came to school, and had my career. The things that happened weren't because of me, they were because of the team."

Rozier, who owns Nebraska's single-season and career rushing records, said the room would be a lasting symbol of the contributions that he, Rodgers and Crouch made to the Nebraska football program.

"It's a big honor. We have things here to remind people of the things that we have done back in the past," Rozier said. "They can watch our games on TV and see the types of players we were back in the day. It's a great honor. I love Nebraska, and I'm glad I came to this school. If I had to do it again, I would definitely do it again. The people are great, the organization is great and the stadium is great."