Memorial Stadium Renovations Reflect Rich Husker Traditions

The Tunnel Walk returned to the North Stadium today where it originated for both of Coach Bob Devaney’s national championships and remained until 1973. The Huskers exited their locker room, touched the horseshoe for luck at the outer doors of the Osborne Athletic Complex, as teams have for more than a half century, and made their way to the Tunnel entrance.  The 2006 Husker football team members made their way to the field on a carpet of red, specially-made FieldTurf, donated by FieldTurf, set to make history before the largest crowd to ever see a game in Memorial Stadium.

To enter the field, the players went through beautiful new gates.  Cast on the bronze Tunnel Walk gates are full-length raised artistic renderings of six Nebraska former greats, most incredible players, including from left, Bob Brown (OG, Cleveland, Ohio, 1962-63), George Sauer (FB, Lincoln, 1931-32-33), George Flippin (HB, Stromsburg, Neb.,1892-93-94), Guy Chamberlin (HB, Blue Springs, Neb., 1913-15), Sam Francis (FB, Oberlin, Kan., 1934-35-36) and Bobby Reynolds (HB, Grand Island, Neb., 1950-51-52). Flippin was Nebraska’s first African American player and the fifth black athlete at any all-white institution and went on to become a doctor. Brown (inducted in 1993), Sauer (1954), Chamberlin (1962), Francis (1977) and Reynolds (1984) were each named first-team All-Americans and have been inducted into the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. These six great athletes represent typical hard-nosed, blue-collar Husker players, and five different decades of Nebraska football.

The historic Tunnel Walk entrance has an additional new tradition this year. Standing guard at the tunnel entrance, reminding each of us of our rich Nebraska and Memorial Stadium history, were two representatives of the Nebraska National Guard as chosen by Major General Roger Lempke. Each week, two new sentries will be chosen. Each of these men and women serving Nebraska will be in full uniform and will proudly open the stunning new gates for the Huskers to enter Memorial Stadium. Having served our country abroad, these outstanding young men and women will stand guard at the tunnel entrance throughout the entire game, reminding us to never forget the brave men and women of Nebraska who have fought our nation’s wars.

The Tunnel Walk Sentries for the Sept. 2 Louisiana Tech game were Sergeant Michael Sharples of Fullerton, Neb., and Specialist Richard Delancey of Columbus, Neb. Both are members of the 1075th Transportation Company of the Nebraska Army National Guard out of Columbus and have been awarded the Bronze Star with valor. Each week the names of these outstanding service representatives will be acknowledged on page 6 of the Football Gameday Program and in gameday notes distributed in the press box.

Commissioned by Athletic Director Steve Pederson, artist Joe Putjenter of Omaha’s Artistic Sign and Design designed and created the gate panels for the Tunnel Walk. Each panel is approximately 9 feet tall and 3 ? feet wide. Putjenter copied photos of the players, carved the images out of a high density urethane, and cold cast the entire carving in bronze. The bronze panels were attached to the iron gates, which were electrostatically painted bronze. The gates will be manually opened by the sentries before the game.

Above the Tunnel Walk Entrance in bold red inset letters on the new concrete facia is the word “Nebraska.” The large concrete arch over the Tunnel and side columns were produced and donated by Tom Eagan, Jr., and Enterprise Properties of Omaha.

Putjenter also designed the Schulte-inspired archways and recognition plaques that are throughout the concourse and Osborne Athletic Complex. A traditional archway serves as the backdrop for the Schulte Clock rebuilt and placed in the North Concourse. Even the color of the stone matches that of the old Schulte Field House. A “Tribute to Coach Bob Devaney,” written by Pederson and placed on a plaque by the clock says, “Underneath this clock atop the Schulte Field House, Coach Bob Devaney built the greatest college football program in history. Nebraska’s football fortunes changed the day that Coach Devaney arrived in Lincoln. During his career as the Cornhusker Head Coach, he won two National Championships and eight Big 8 Championships. He went on to become one of the most respected Athletic Directors in the country. It is appropriate that this clock remain in the concourse of Memorial Stadium to honor the commitment of Bob, Phyllis, Mike, and Pat Devaney. They will always be the heart of all Nebraska athletics. This memorial dedicated September 2, 2006.”

On the field side of the clock is a plaque listing the names and families of those who made significant contributions to previous Nebraska athletic facilities and areas that were either removed or altered significantly in the Memorial Stadium Expansion Project. Recognized on this plaque are the Henry Schulte, Otto and Gladys Bauman, George Sullivan, Wayne Meylan and Boyd Epley families.

 Many other aesthetic additions were made inside Memorial Stadium. The names and jersey numbers of each of Nebraska’s 16 retired jerseys are on the face of the North Stadium Skysuites. Only the two permanently retired numbers, No. 64 Bob Brown and No. 60 Tom “Trainwreck” Novak are in red. The other 14 include: No. 20 Johnny Rodgers, No. 79 Rich Glover, No. 50 Dave Rimington, No. 30 Mike Rozier, No. 71 Dean Steinkuhler, No. 75 Larry Jacobson, No. 75 Will Shields, No. 34 Trev Alberts, No. 72 Zach Wiegert, No. 15 Tommie Frazier, No. 67 Aaron Taylor, No. 98 Grant Wistrom, No. 54 Dominic Raiola and No. 7 Eric Crouch.

On the West Stadium Skybox and Press Box Front are the years of Nebraska’s five national championships (1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, 1997) and the years of the Huskers’ 43 conference championship teams.

Those seated in the stands will be able to see a new tradition being created.  While the Cornhusker Marching Band plays Hail Varsity during the pregame show before the Tunnel Walk, students will unroll an 80’ x 60’ “Power of Red” flag in Sections 9 and 10 in East Stadium.  The flag is sponsored by the UNL College of Engineering and will be displayed during each home game this season.

The entrance to the Tom and Nancy Osborne Athletic Complex also has beautiful displays for fans, student-athletes, recruits and staff to enjoy upon entering the building.  The Complex was named in honor of Hall of Fame Coach Tom Osborne and his wife Nancy. 

Just outside the entrance is a bronze sculpture of Tom Osborne and a player designed from a portrait of former Husker quarterback Brook Berringer, who was killed in a plane crash in 1996. The Athletic Department commissioned local sculptor Fred Hoppe to create the sculpture.  Hoppe also created Archie the Mastadon and The Legacy Statue on the east side of the stadium.

“Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice.” These words from Nebraska’s most famous statesman, orator and politician, William Jennings Bryan, were the emphasis of his “America’s Mission” speech.  They are above the doors to the entrance of the Osborne Athletic Complex and will inspire those who enter for years to come.