Jan Berringer Thanks Team and State for Honoring Brook

Kyle Kasun's Interception Clinches White Team's Comeback

Randy York N-Sider

Official Blog of the Huskers

Most of us have heard that yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today’s a gift and that’s why it’s called the present. Somehow, in her own way, that thought reached into the heart and mind of Jan Berringer at Saturday’s annual Red-White Spring Football Game in Memorial Stadium.

Monday will mark the 20th anniversary of Brook Berringer’s death, and it’s only fitting that Jan, Brook's mom, continues to honor the name of a universally respected quarterback and gentleman. Berringer died in a private plane crash on April 18, 1996, after playing on Nebraska’s back-to-back national championship teams in ’94 and ’95.

Berringer was a dedicated volunteer to youth in both Nebraska and his hometown of Goodland, Kan. Nebraska created the Brook Berringer Citizenship Team to honor players who display a similar dedication for volunteering in the community through Nebraska’s nationally recognized Life Skills program.

When Jan reached out Saturday to the newest members, she was emotional seeing how much the team has grown to a record 65 Husker football players who were recognized in a pregame ceremony. “This is just amazing the way Nebraska has kept Brook’s name alive, and I appreciate it so much,” Jan told me. “It’s unbelievable. Instead of going away, which I once thought it might, this team just keeps getting bigger and better.”

Jan acknowledges certain windows of time when honoring anniversaries made her want to relive what she once had, including a husband whose funeral was 35 years ago Sunday, one day earlier than the 20th anniversary of Brook's death. “Brook was so young when his dad died," Jan said. "I think about both of them every day. It’s really helpful to be here today in a place that meant so much to Brook. I have overwhelming feelings right now just standing on the sidelines and remembering what happened 20 years ago.”

After that fatal plane crash, someone told Jan: “Gee, I wish you had a support group.” On Saturday, Jan dramatized that point. “I have the whole state of Nebraska as a support group, and they just proved it again,” Jan said, pointing out that a Nebraska staffer (Chris Anderson) is like a sister to her and three former Husker football coaches (Tom Osborne, Ron Brown and Turner Gill) feel almost like brothers to her.

Coach Mike Riley huddles up with Jan Berringer and family to join a record 65 Brook Berringer Citizenship Team award winners.

New Nebraska Chancellor Green Has Been Berringer Supporter for Years

Count Ronnie Green, who was introduced as Nebraska’s new chancellor Saturday at Memorial Stadium, as another Berringer supporter. “We’ve admired Jan for many, many years,” Green said. “It’s a real honor for us to watch her honor 65 student-athletes. What she wants is people to invest in other people. That’s what her son did and that’s what all of those players who were out there have done, too.”

Two Huskers in that record honored group took a couple minutes to explain what it meant before joining their teammates in the locker room prior to the Spring Game.

“When you grow up, you hear what Brook Berringer did on and off the field,” linebacker Chris Weber said. “You learn how much more he is than just a football player. I think that’s what we try to live on – doing something important for others in the community. That means just as much as what we do inside Memorial Stadium.”

Fellow linebacker Josh Banderas agrees. “We’re here to make a difference. We try to emulate what Brook did both on the field and off the field,” he said. “BTN made a movie on Brook, and his background went beyond our own state. It was a national audience because the movie shows the true colors of who he was and what we all would like to be."

Eichorst: Riley Wants Every One of His Players to Be Like Brook Berringer

Nebraska Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst reinforces such appreciation for honoring Berringer. “Brook’s just emblematic of everything Nebraska’s about,” said Eichorst, pictured above flanking Jan Berringer and family members, along with Riley. “That includes Brook's wonderful spirit and everything he stands for. His legacy is alive and well here."

Perpetuating Berringer’s legacy is as compelling as it is easy. “Coach Riley is totally into the history and tradition in everything we do,” Eichorst said. “He wants every one of his players to be like Brook and that would be great."

Walking off the field after the pregame ceremony, Riley said “everyone knows how very, very special Brook is, and his family means so much to the Nebraska football family.”

Mitch Sherman, who covers the Big Ten for ESPN, saw the newest 65 Brook Berringer honorees and couldn’t help but remember how that fatal crash happened two days before a Nebraska Spring Game 20 years ago. Instead of celebrating a team full of great athletic accomplishments, including the Huskers’ latest national championship and Brook likely being drafted into the NFL, a family, a football team and an entire state mourned the inexplicable death of one of its finest citizens and most well respected role models.

“That was probably the most difficult and gut-wrenching emotion I’ve ever seen,” Sherman said. “I can’t imagine a more heart-breaking loss. That’s when you realize football is about so much more than winning. HuskerVision did a big tribute to Brook that day, and fans were crying everywhere. The only emotion I can compare that experience to was our game after 9/11. That Tunnel Walk was one of the most emotional ones I’ve ever seen.”

Jan Berringer found a friend in Jack Hoffman and congratulated Rex Burkhead, the first president of Nebraska's Uplifting Athletes.

Jack Hoffman and His Dad Applaud Uplifting Athletes and Berringer Honorees 

Perspective is important in football and in life. Among those applauding the Berringer Award winners from the stands Saturday were Jack Hoffman and his dad, Andy Hoffman, who rushed to Memorial Stadium after an important Team Jack fundraiser in Lincoln's downtown Haymarket area. Three years ago, Jack warmed the hearts of millions, nationally and internationally, when the 7-year-old pediatric brain cancer patient made a 69-yard touchdown run, the longest rushing TD in Spring Game history.

Jack, now 10, continues to fight cancer, and his family appreciates Berringer Citizenship Team members for two reasons: 1) they represent the inherent character that Brook displayed throughout his Husker career; and 2) all 65 honorees Saturday have donated their time to help Nebraska’s chapter of Uplifting Athletes.

Husker student-athletes have combined to support three summer road races in the past three years to raise more than $100,000 for pediatric brain cancer research. After Rex Burkhead won Uplifting Athletes’ National Champion Disease Award for supporting pediatric brain cancer, Nebraska has passed the baton to others who maintain the fight.

“When I see Berringer award winners and student-athletes who volunteer to support Uplifting Athletes, I can’t help but think of Brook Berringer,” said Keith Zimmer, Nebraska’s senior associate athletic director for Life Skills and N Club.

“Brook personified character. He led and lived with integrity,” Zimmer said. “He would have been the kind of person who helped Jack and other pediatric patients like Rex did. They have the same kind of values and the same kind of heart to help others in need.”

Fourth Annual Uplifting Athletes Road Race Set for Sunday, July 17, in Lincoln

The fourth Annual Nebraska Football Uplifting Athletes Road Race will be held on Sunday, July 17, in Lincoln. The race begins outside Memorial Stadium with a Fun Run at 8 a.m. CST. The 5K starts at 8:30 a.m. CST at the Stadium Drive loop just outside the 501 Building on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln city campus.

Proceeds from race registration benefits the Nebraska Chapter of Uplifting Athletes and their members’ effort to impact the rare disease community. The first 1,000 registrants are invited to watch a pre-season Nebraska football scrimmage in Memorial Stadium during Fall Camp in August. The entire football team attends the Road Race and Husker players run with the kids during the 1-mile fun run. Each registrant will receive an email with more details about the scrimmage as the date approaches. Here’s the link to register.

The 65 Brook Berringer Citizenship Team members who were honored at Saturday’s Spring Game were Freedom Akinmoladun, Avery Anderson, Fyn Anderson, Tommy Armstrong, Josh Banderas, Jalin Barnett, Mohamed Barry, Ty Betka, Alex Boryca, Drew Brown, Jared Brugmann, AJ Bush Brett Classen, Brody Cleveland, Sam cotton, Zack Darlington, Alex Davis, Carlos Davis, Khalil Davis, Michael Decker, Tanner Farmer, Tyrin Ferguson, Sam Foltz, D.J. Foster, Nick Gates, Christian Gaylord, Nate Gerry, Luke Gifford, Sam Hahn, Austin Hemphill, Blake Holtmeier, Lane Hovey, Matt Jarzynka, Dwayne Johnson, Noah Johnson, Harrison Jordan, Joshua Kalu, Reid Karel, Bo Kitrell, David Knevel, Chongo Kondolo, Eric Lee, Spencer Lindsey, Chris Long, Joel Lopez, Wyatt Mazour, Greg McMullen, Alonzo Moore, Graham Nabity, A.J. Natter, Marcus Newby, Peyton Newell, De’Mornay Pierson-El, Garrett Poppen, Gabe Rahn, Brad Simpson, Jamie Sutcliffe, Chase Urbach, Dylan Utter, Chris Weber, Jacob Weinmaster, Jordan Westerkamp, Kieron Williams, Dedrick Young II.

The 2016 Brook Berringer Citizenship Team includes a five-time honoree in 2015 senior lineman Chris Long, and a four-time selection in Lane Hovey, a receiver on the 2015 team. Senior tight end Trey Foster, junior offensive lineman Dwayne Johnson Jr., junior offensive lineman David Knevel, senior kicker Spencer Lindsay, senior running back Graham Nabity and junior linebacker Chris Weber were honored for a third time Saturday.

Chris Long Receives Cletus Fischer Scholarship Award for Graduate School

The Cletus Fischer Scholarship award was presented at halftime Saturday to Chris Long (pictured above accepting the award from the Fischer family). The scholarship is presented annually to a Nebraska football player who has demonstrated a high level of athletic and academic achievement, has completed both his athletic eligibility and undergraduate studies, and has plans to attend post-graduate school. Nebraska's only five-time Berringer honoree didn't need that particular achievement to win his post-graduate scholarship from the Fischer family, but you can almost bet that his voluntary service helped Long pave the road to everything else he accomplished.

Doris Fischer, the late Cletus Fischer's widow, "passed quite peacefully" Sunday morning, son Tim Fischer said. "Jesus waited for Sunday, the Day of His Resurrection, to call her home after 90 years of 'laboring in the fields'. May God bless everyone for your prayers for her peaceful passing."

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Voices from Husker Nation

"Nice story on the Brook Berringer honorees. I read a quote recently that certainly applies to Brook: 'What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others becomes our legacy.'" Andrea Durfee, Lincoln, Nebraska