Senior Embraces Challenge of New Position

By David Graff
Willie Amos has endured a roller coaster career during his time at Nebraska. As a true freshman in 2000, the Sweetwater, Texas native stepped right into action, playing in all 11 games for a team that finished 10-2 and ranked in the top 10.

The following year, Amos started at free safety, recorded four interceptions and earned Big 12 Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors against Kansas State in helping his team to the national championship game in the Rose Bowl.

During spring practice before his junior year, Amos suffered a severe knee injury that drastically changed the direction of his football career.

Amos missed the entire 2002 season, and was limited to a reserve role in 2003.

"It has been tough coming back," Amos said. "It has been a lot of praying and a lot of rehab. Being able to keep the faith alive is what has pulled me through the tough times."

Although he missed time on the field, Amos has spent countless hours off the field volunteering in the community. In April, the senior was named to the Brook Berringer Citizenship Team for the third time, recognizing his extensive community outreach efforts.

In addition to serving as a volunteer speaker at various elementary schools, Amos was a speaker during Nebraska’s fall "Tour of Excellence" and is a member of the Your Degree First program.

"The Tour of Excellence was great to be a part of," Amos said. "It is good to promote and to get the team out there to the fans instead of making them come here all the time. It was great to express our gratitude for the fans."

Amos has excelled off the field athletically as well. Early in his Nebraska career, Amos helped the NU track and field team to the 2002 Big 12 Conference indoor crown. He ran the anchor leg on the 4x400 team that finished fourth at the conference championships, and competed in the 200 meters.

Amos is also a member of the national and world champion jump rope team. He has used his skills as an accomplished jump roper to reach out to area children. During the summer of 2004, he spent four weeks coaching a 9-year-old girl named Bella at an area YMCA.

"She is very good at jump roping, and we had a lot of fun," Amos said. "She qualified for the Junior Olympics, and you will probably see the two of us put together something for a basketball halftime show this year."

As he continues to battle back, Amos has taken on a new challenge this year. This spring, he began a move to wide receiver to compete in the West Coast Offense. Amos had not played on the offensive side of the ball since his days at Sweetwater High School in Texas, where he earned all-state honors as a senior tailback.

"The transition from offense to defense has been fun but quite difficult," Amos said. "There are still things that as a receiver I need to develop that a lot of the other receivers already have, just from their experience. There are tendencies they have that are natural for them and that I am working to develop quickly."

Wide receivers coach Turner Gill said he was pleased with the progress Amos has made during the past six months.

"Willie is a guy with very, very good speed and a lot of talent," Gill said. "He has great height, and a great amount of potential. He is progressing very nicely in his move from defense to offense. Every day he is improving."

While acknowledging the new system has made his transition challenging, Amos likes the potential of the West Coast Offense.

"The West Coast Offense is the simplest complex thing you will ever see," Amos said. "It takes a while to get the things down and it is very complex, but it makes sense."

An advertising major on track to graduate in December, Amos is unsure about his future, but he is appreciative of the opportunities and support he has received during his time at Nebraska.

"First and foremost, I would like to thank God for the opportunities He has provided for me," Amos said. "With the program, I would like to thank Brian Washington (a former NU player and graduate assistant coach) and Coach (Dave) Kennedy (head strength coach). Brian Washington was here my freshman year and really kept me here. I appreciate Coach Kennedy’s efforts in pushing us to where we think we couldn’t go."