A Swift Move Puts NU Record-Holder in Gophers? Lot

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Tom Osborne never ceases to be amazed by the ingenuity of Nebraska football fans who find their way into packed stadiums at not exactly family friendly prices. Well, here's a spinoff on that kind of ingenuity: Nebraska's all-time career receptions leader and 34 of his Big Red friends and family members will be tailgating in the lot closest to TCF Bank Stadium Saturday in Minneapolis.

Talk about a swift move. How on earth did you pull something like that off, Mr. Nate Swift? Well, it helps to know the stadium's operations manager, Tony Mortensen, who was Swift's quarterback at Hutchinson High School in Hutchinson, Minn. Swift went on to catch 166 passes at Nebraska while his good friend became backup quarterback for the Golden Gophers.

It's about time Swift caught a break. He did, after all, finish one yard behind Johnny Rodgers (942-941) for Nebraska's all-time single season receiving record and three yards behind Johnny the Jet (2,479-2,476) for Nebraska's all-time career yardage leadership.

"We're kind of into tailgating, and this should be one of the premier spots," said Swift, whose entourage (including wife Katie, a sister of former NU linebacker Tyler Wortman) has learned how to pull cars into the right spots, put a satellite dish on top of a vehicle and five minutes later have fully capable high-definition television.

Swift Says Huskers Will Finish 10-2, Win Title Game

Now a sales rep in Lincoln for one of the world's leading medical technology companies, Swift is so excited about Nebraska's greatest comeback in history over Ohio State that he believes the Huskers will go 5-1 in the second half of the season to match the first-half record and then beat Wisconsin in a rematch for the first-ever Big Ten Conference Championship.

"Michigan State is a huge test in two weeks," Swift said. "I'm loving this offense. Rex Burkhead intrigues me because of everything he can do. He's stepped up and taken on the full load."

Swift is impressed with Husker receivers, too. "We have a nice package of receivers," he said. "We have great speed in the freshmen, Jamal Turner and Kenny Bell. They can run right by you. But we also have the taller, bigger dudes like Brandon Kinnie that can push you around.

"In this last half of the season, I'm expecting to see Taylor Martinez take off and run a little more, and once that happens, I think we'll open up the playbook a little more for the receivers. I think they all get it and are ready to really take off in the bigger games," Swift said.

"It's killing me that I didn't get to be part of the Big Ten Conference I grew up with," Swift said. "I think (fellow Hutchinson grad) Lydon Murtha and I were the first recruits from Minnesota since 1995, and there aren't any Minnesota players on our current roster. That's going to change real soon, though. Once we get to that first Big Ten title game and win it, we're going to get everyone's attention ... and interest."

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