Rodgers, Rozier, Crouch Praise the New Nebraska Football Experience Room

Take it from Johnny Rodgers, Mike Rozier and Eric Crouch. Watching film from four decades ago, three decades ago and nearly one decade ago was a new experience for Nebraska's three Heisman Trophy winners over the weekend.

Video images of their signature plays and other meaningfully related Heisman moments have new snap, crackle and pop in the Nebraska Football Experience Room.

The room was officially dedicated before Friday night's Nebraska-Oklahoma banquet for major award winners at the Champions Club in Lincoln. Those same Huskers and Sooners, as well their coaches, also were honored at halftime of Saturday night's NU-OU game at Memorial Stadium.

"I love the way the room incorporates all the new technology," said Rodgers, who cut the ceremonial red ribbon at the official dedication. "I know our recruits and all our fans will enjoy the new video because Mike, Eric and I loved every minute of it. We enjoyed watching history come alive in a very unique way."

Rodgers, Rozier and Crouch viewed the video with Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne, who was involved in either coaching or recruiting all three Husker Heisman winners. They also watched the video a second time with winners of a Huskers.com experientual auction and saw things they hadn't seen during the first viewing. 

Osborne said the Nebraska Football Experience Room, located just inside the front lobby of the North Stadium Complex, is an important part of Nebraska's newly remodeled recruiting path, designed to showcase Husker tradition.

"It was great. The tradition was obvious. Of course, any time I see my mom in a video, I'm happy," Rozier said. Nebraska's 1983 Heisman winner also was honored that his brother, former Husker football letterwinner Guy Rozier, emceed the dedication ceremony. Guy Rozier is assistant director of Development in Nebraska's Athletic Department.

Crouch said watching the new video, which uses creative graphics and surround sound, made him think of all the elements that enabled him to achieve Heisman Trophy status, including the weight and conditioning facility that's adjacent to the new video room.

Osborne, Rodgers, Rozier and Crouch said the ultimate benefactors of the new room are NU recruits and Husker fans, who will spend eight minutes in the room and walk out both educated and entertained.

New videos, including one that focuses on the Nebraska Game Day Experience, also will be shown in the room, which is open during normal business hours and free of charge to the public.

The room is a linchpin of an ongoing remodeling project to showcase Nebraska football tradition in the Osborne Athletic Complex. The new recruiting path also includes a new mural in the strength and conditioning complex, a new hallway display featuring Nebraska's major football award winners, and newly designed walls outside the locker room that showcase the accomplishments of the Huskers' walk-on program and the history of Nebraska's Blackshirts.