The Backyard Dream

Always, for as long as I can remember — I've loved the game of football. It just seemed like magic to me. Even the football itself, I was fascinated with everything about it — the shape, color and even the smell of it.

But the one thing I was enamored with more than anything else was the quarterback position.

As a kid, I was John Elway every time I had a football in my hands. He was the leader: the one that called the plays, the one that took the snaps, the one that threw the ball, and the one that handed it off. He was the one that took the blame for a loss or the praise for a win.

The quarterback just seemed like such an intense position, and that passion to be like Elway and some of the other greats drove me as a young boy.

There was a point in my life when I felt like football was the end-all-be-all for me.

But in reality, it was just the beginning.

It was just an opportunity at a platform for me to grow into the person I am today.

The Red Letter

Some might say I skipped a few steps in thinking I was going to go from my backyard to the NFL, but honestly, that was the only thing I could think about as a kid. I wanted the pinnacle of the sport. I really wanted to be at the top, you know?

If you couldn't tell by now, I was a big Denver Broncos fan growing up. If I wasn't Elway throwing the ball, I was Steve Atwater or Karl Mecklenburg laying a big hit on somebody.

I guess you can say I played two-way football in that backyard.

But growing up in the ’90s, Nebraska was starting to come alive, and I started paying closer attention to them as well. How could I not be amazed by what was taking place right here in my home state?

I wanted to be the best, and when you start talking about Nebraska football in the ’90s, they were the best.

So, inevitably, I started thinking about college football as well.

I signed up for a summer camp at Nebraska as a freshman in high school and met with both Tom Osborne and Turner Gill.

I ended up throwing the ball for them and going through some speed and agility drills. Overall, it was a great workout, and I think that's when they started to follow my career a bit.

In my sophomore year then, Nebraska's recruiting efforts got more serious. To this day, I still very vividly remember Coach Osborne's home visit — no doubt, it was one of the highlights during my recruiting phase.

Eventually, I received that red letter with the big white "N" on it. I'll never forget that moment.

And the best part about Nebraska?

Out of all the schools that recruited me, Nebraska was the only one that stepped up and said, "You're going to play quarterback here."

That made my decision really easy at that point. It was a done deal.

You spend your whole life working towards this goal, and just seeing it all come to fruition, right in front of your eyes—man, there's nothing like it. I was staying put in my home state and playing for my home university.

It was like a fairy tale.

Losing the Starting Job

But what's a fairy tale without a little adversity, right?

I played in 11 games and started in eight as a freshman. But during my sophomore year, I was in a very competitive battle for the starting quarterback position. Looking back, it was the hardest thing I'd ever gone through as an athlete.

I gave it everything I had and left it all on the field, but the decision was made that I would not be the starter.

Truth be told, I was devastated.

Things were going so well up until that point. I was basically standing on this mountaintop, and within an instant, I was at the bottom looking up and wondering what it all meant. I was deflated and didn't think I was good enough.

It got to the point where I considered quitting football.

I was really close to just becoming a student and going about my life. But after some serious soul searching, I made the decision to just stick with it.

There are times when I wonder what would have happened or where I'd be if I walked away back then.

I'm so glad I'll never have to find out.

The Turning Point

I decided to switch to playing receiver and was no longer a quarterback when I came back. I can't even begin to explain how hard that was for me to do.

It was a low blow, man. It hurt.

But I swallowed my pride and bought into my new position. I practiced as a receiver and even played the first two games as a receiver.

And then it happened!

I was told I'd be given at least one series at quarterback for those first two games. In my mind, that was all I needed to hear. Do you know what I mean? I was back, baby!

After getting that news, I didn't hear one thing about receiver. I didn't even pay attention at the receivers' meeting. My coaches would probably kill me if they knew that now, but I couldn't help it.

Even if it was for just one series, I was back at quarterback.

My first game was against Iowa, and I remember taking all of that pent-up anger and frustration out on their defenders. There's a famous clip out there of me running through a defender and scoring a touchdown.

I truly believe that was the moment that changed everything for me. I played well that day, but more importantly, I showed the coaching staff who I was as a person. I showed them I wasn't going to quit, and I was going to play hard regardless of the circumstances.

All I needed was an opportunity.

By the time Week 3 rolled around, I was the starting quarterback for the team again. It's crazy to think of everything that happened in about a four-week period.

All in all, it just validated why I'm here.
 

The 2001 Heisman

If I had given up back then, no doubt, my life would have taken a severely different turn. None of my most profound memories as a Husker would have happened.

And in 2001, I also wouldn't have lifted the Heisman Trophy.

It's been 20 years, and yet, it's a memory I'll never forget.

It was right after 9/11 happened. In the grand scope of things, football was just so small. There were a lot of families out there that lost their loved ones. A lot of families.

But there came a point when we realized we couldn't let tragedy determine who we were, and we really bonded together as a team. In an instant, football meant everything because we had this opportunity — you know, this freedom — to play the sport that we loved for our teammates, coaches, families, university, state and country.

It was a moment for people to dig deep down inside and find themselves.

I'm very proud of my teammates and coaches, even to this day.

I always tell people this, even though I forgot to say it on award night, but my teammates and coaches are the reasons why I was standing up there. 

Without them, that Heisman wouldn't exist in my life.

Thank you @HuskerFBNation @NFFNetwork It's an honor to represent the CFB HOF class of 2020 pic.twitter.com/1QFPOHcFne

— Eric Crouch (@croucheric) October 10, 2021