DJ's Papa Shares How Football Parallels Life
Huskers Hold on for a 36-28 Triumph
Randy York N-Sider
Official Blog of the Huskers
It was more than the No. 35 jersey on his back and the roar he creates when he leaves defenders in the dust. The Andy Janovich that you saw knock down and run through Southern Miss Saturday was reminiscent of a Husker legend, and it wasn’t another fullback. It was an I-back who wore the same number in his Husker career and showed the same innate doggedness in his mind and determination in his heart.
While most compare Janovich, pictured above, as a fullback, I prefer to relate his best traits to Jeff Kinney, who was sitting with former Husker All-America offensive tackle Bob Newton in Tom Osborne’s North Stadium suite Saturday. “Bob kept poking me every time Janovich took off and kept saying ‘There goes No. 35 again,’” Kinney said. “The thought (of comparison) did cross my mind because Bob kept bringing it up. We watched practice this week, so we knew what he had. We talked to (current and former offensive line coaches) Mike Cavanaugh and Milt Tenopir, so we knew what was coming. He’s a real load to bring down."
Sophomore linebacker Chris Weber (Elkhorn, Neb.) can attest. "I tried to tackle Andy in high school when he played tailback," Weber said. "He's a load. He runs hard. We didn't see him carry the ball much in fall camp, so we didn't have to tackle him. But he's a good player for sure."
On Opposite Ends of the Hype Meter, Running Styles Virtually Identical
Janovich is a walk-on fullback. Kinney was a blue-chip I-back who became a first-round NFL draft choice. Even though they represent opposite ends of the hype meter, their running styles can be virtually identical. Kinney was a crowd favorite on two national championship teams 4½ decades ago. Janovich emerged Saturday as a cult hero of sorts. Both backs are old school. Both are native Nebraskans. Both enjoy flying under the radar. Janovich (pictured above breaking a tackle) bypassed Saturday's postgame interviews. Their personalities are strikingly similar...team-first, every play, every day and one more thing: Ball security is a premium for both, even though both seem to relish being involved in one major collision after another.
Fullbacks never have and never will enjoy the multiple opportunities I-backs have, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be equally explosive. Saturday, Janovich rushed five times for 68 yards and caught one pass for 53 yards…six plays and 121 yards…a two first-down average every time the Gretna, Neb., native touched the football. Guess how many yards Janovich had produced before Saturday's outburst? Move to the head of the class if you said he had six career rushing yards prior to Saturday, the result of three carries against Idaho State in 2012. He also had 29 career receiving yards, then almost doubled that total with Saturday's 53-yard catch.
Leaping Quarterback Armstrong Could Hear the Crowd’s Excitement Amplify
Quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. (pictured above) recorded a career high 431 total offensive yards, including 368 yards passing (23-35-1) and 63 yards rushing (on seven carries). Armstrong heard the vocal Husker fans' enthusiastic appreciation for Janovich and reinforced his rising status at Saturday’s press conference. “It was exciting just because he's a physical guy,” Armstrong said. “He sells out on special teams, and just going out there and seeing one or two guys trying to tackle him is exciting…he can turn a five or six-yard gain into a 35 or 40-yard gain.
“It's incredible because you've got to show your fullbacks some love every once in a while,” Armstrong said. Why? “Because they go out there and dive in the trenches and try to use cut blocks and cut guys down on defensive ends and the linebackers,” he said. “You have to give credit where credit is due.” Asked if the crowd sounded different when Janovich had the ball, Armstrong agreed and explained why. “You'd rather see the fullback get a few touches here and there, maybe in a goal-line situation,” he said. “In the open field and breaking off in certain pass plays, he did a great job."
Nebraska Head Coach Mike Riley had more kudos for Janovich's continued emergence. "He's really a good football player and had one of the best special teams' game I've seen just about ever (a week earlier). He can catch. He can run. He'll run down on kicks, and he'll block on kick returns. That's what you have to do in the whole coaching world, is utilize the talent you have. Andy's a good player. I don't know if every game running-wise will work out like that for our fullback, but it certainly was good today."
Akinmoladun Deserves another Gold-Plated Kudo for Saving the Game
If Janovich was the offensive diamond in the rough on this particular Saturday, Freedom Akinmoladun (pictured above)deserves a gold-plated kudo on defense for his two quarterback sacks. The redshirt freshman defensive end from Grandview, Mo., continued to make big plays while filling the gap left open by Jack Gangwish’s elbow injury.
Akinmoladun came up with another major contribution on the final play of the game. “When Southern Miss had that big pass, I was like, 'We need a play,'” Akinmoladun said. “I didn't know what the time was, but somebody needs to step up, and I was given the opportunity." It was difficult, even for him, to describe the move he made to get in position to make the sack. “I think I just got off the ball, and the tackle was so focused on Maliek Collins, I took advantage," he said.
Saturday’s Game at Illinois Kicks off Nebraska’s 2015 Big Ten Season
Nebraska’s first-year head coach said he’s excited to begin the Huskers' eight-game Big Ten Conference schedule Saturday at Illinois. “I’m excited to get going,” Riley said. “It feels like that time. I know our team will be excited about it. I hope that a few of our players that have been down get healthy before the week, so we can make a good plan with who’s going to be able to play. I'm looking forward to it."
So is Armstrong. “We're ready,” he said. “You just have to stay healthy and make sure that we study film like any other week. It's going to be a tough road. We have to make sure we out-physical them and know them better than they know themselves defensive-wise. We have to put points on the board and make sure we settle for touchdowns, not field goals."
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