Former Husker Assistant Coach Dan Young, 69, Dies in Lincoln

Former Nebraska assistant football coach Dan Young died late Wednesday night at his Lincoln home after a five-month battle with cancer. He was 69. Diagnosed with a form of brain cancer last July, Young was told that he had an inoperable tumor. He died surrounded by his family.

The Nebraska Athletic Department announced that Young would be honored with a moment of silence during Friday's nationally televised Nebraska-Colorado football game.

An assistant offensive line coach and kicking coach for three national championship teams (1994, '95, '97), Young retired from coaching in 2002 after spending 20 years on the Husker staff.

A native of Primrose, Neb., Young spent 17 of his 20 years on the staff as co-offensive line coach with Milt Tenopir. During that time, the Huskers won 10 NCAA rushing titles asTenopir directed the run blocking and Young handled pass protection responsibilities.

In the 17 years that Young and Tenopir coached together, Nebraska never finished lower than sixth in the NCAA rushing statistics. During their joint tenure, three Nebraska offensive linemen won Outland Trophies, 11 became All-Americans and 10 became Academic All-Americans.

Tenopir, a close friend, praised Young's role both as an offensive line coach and his ability to develop such placekickers as Kris Brown and Josh Brown and punters Kyle Larson and Dan Hadenfeldt.

In addition to coaching record-breaking placekickers, Young's punting teams consistently ranked among the nation's best.

Young joined Tenopir as an offensive line coach when Cletus Fischer retired after the 1985 season. Before that, Young had spent the 1983, '84 and '85 seasons as the Huskers' head freshman/junior varsity coach, leading those teams to a 14-1 record.

During Young's two decades on the Nebraska staff, the Huskers posted a 208-41-1 record.

Young came to Nebraska after six highly successful seasons as Omaha Westside's head coach. His Westside teams won back-to-back state championships in 1981 and '82. Before moving to Omaha, Young was head coach at two smaller Nebraska high schools - Barneston and St. Paul.

Young was a 1962 graduate of Kearney State College.

He is survived by fiance Cathy Grotveck; two grown children, Jeff and Kris; and five grandchildren.