Austin Cassidy

Honors & Awards

• Honorable-Mention All-Big Ten (Media, 2011)
• Campbell Trophy Semifinalist (Most Outstanding Student-Athlete, 2011)
• Two-Time First-Team CoSIDA Academic All-American (2010, 2011)
• Three-Time First-Team CoSIDA Academic All-District VII (2009, 2010, 2011)
• Academic All-Big Ten (2011)
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 (2009, 2010)
• Four-Time Big 12 Commissioner's Fall Academic Honor Roll (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)
• Four-Time Big 12 Commissioner's Spring Academic Honor Roll (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
• Brook Berringer Citizenship Team (2011)
• Dr. Gerald Lage Award (2011)

Career
Safety Austin Cassidy was a leader both on and off the field for the Nebraska football program in 2011. Cassidy started all 13 games and was a veteran leader in a youthful Husker secondary that had 12 different players start at least one game in 2011.

The 6-1, 210-pound Cassidy ranked fourth on the team in tackles with 70 stops, including 30 unassisted tackles. He also tied for the team led with two pass interceptions, while adding four breakups and a fumble return for a touchdown at Minnesota.

Cassidy had six or more tackles seven times in 2011, including five of the final six regular-season games. Cassidy recorded a season-high nine stops in a 17-14 win at Penn State and added eight tackles against Northwestern. For his efforts, Cassidy was an honorable-mention All-Big Ten selection by the conference media. Cassidy also continued in his role as Nebraska's holder and assisted first-year starter Brett Maher to an All-Big Ten season.

Cassidy earned first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors for the second straight season. He became just the 14th Nebraska player to earn first-team Academic All-America honors twice and the first to do so since defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch in 1999 and 2000. Cassidy played his senior season as a graduate after earning a psychology degree in May of 2011.

2011 (Senior)
Chattanooga: Totaled four tackles, as the Huskers limited Chattanooga to just 230 yards in a 40-7 win. Fresno State: Broke up a career-high two passes, while also adding four tackles in Nebraska’s win over the Bulldogs. Washington: Made a then-season-high six tackles and snuffed out Washington’s final scoring threat with a diving interception with 1:32 remaining. Wyoming: Notched six tackles, as Nebraska held the Cowboys to 305 yards. Wisconsin: Totaled five tackles, including two solo stops from his safety position. Ohio State: Totaled five tackles and a pass breakup, as the Huskers held Ohio State to 6-of-18 passing. Minnesota: Tied for the team lead with six tackles, including three solo stops and also scooped up a fumble and returned it 11 yards for a touchdown to give NU a 27-0 lead. Michigan State: Recorded three tackles to key a defense that held MSU to three points and  11-of-27 passing. Northwestern: Totaled a then-season-high eight tackles and snuffed out a Wildcat scoring drive as he intercepted a pass in the end zone and returned it 50 yards to set up a Husker touchdown that made it 14-10 in the third quarter. Penn State: Keyed Nebraska’s win over No. 12 PSU with a season-high nine tackles, including five solo stops, in a 17-14 win in Happy Valley. Michigan: Totaled six tackles in the loss to the Wolverines. Iowa: Tied Andrew Green for third on the team in tackles with six, including three solo stops, as the Blackshirts held the Hawkeyes to 270 yards of total offense in a 20-7 Husker victory. South Carolina (Capital One Bowl): Totaled two tackles and earned a quarterback hurry against the Gamecocks.

2010 (Junior)
Cassidy played in all 14 games and started the final seven contests at safety. He contributed to a defense that finished third nationally in pass efficiency defense and fifth in passing yards allowed, while also ranking in the top 12 in scoring and total defense. Cassidy made 48 tackles, including 24 solos, and had a 29-yard interception return for a touchdown at Iowa State.

Cassidy began the season as NU's backup safety and nickel back, and played on four special teams units. He had eight tackles in the first seven games, before accounting for 40 stops as a starter. He had six tackles against Missouri while making his first career start. Against Iowa State, Cassidy's pick-six gave NU a 17-10 third-quarter lead, and he also recorded a career-high 12 tackles. Cassidy went on to record five tackles against both Kansas and Texas A&M, and capped the season with seven tackles against Washington in the Holiday Bowl.

2009 (Sophomore)
Cassidy played in all 14 games and had nine tackles, including six solo stops and three assists. Nebraska ranked 13th nationally in kickoff coverage, while also leading the Big 12 in punts downed inside the 20-yard line. Cassidy had two tackles each against Louisiana-Lafayette and Oklahoma. He added a pass breakup against the Ragin' Cajuns.

2008 (Redshirt Freshman)
Cassidy played against New Mexico State and Kansas State and had an unassisted tackle against the Aggies.

2007 (Redshirt)
Cassidy sat out as a redshirt and worked on the scout team.  

Before Nebraska (Lincoln Southwest HS)
Cassidy was a standout performer for Coach Mark King at Lincoln Southwest, where he was a first-team Super-State pick by the Lincoln Journal Star and a second-team All-Nebraska selection by the Omaha World-Herald. As quarterback, Cassidy helped Southwest to a 14-1 record, including a perfect regular season in 2006. Cassidy rushed for 1,507 yards as a senior.

A captain on the football team, Cassidy was one of the state's top all-around athletes. He qualified for the state track meet in the pole vault, the 110- and 300-meter hurdles in his junior and senior seasons, and was the Class A gold medalist in the pole vault as a junior. His all-around performance earned him Male Athlete-of-the-Year honors at Southwest. Cassidy attracted recruiting interest from numerous schools, before walking on at Nebraska.

Personal
Austin was born on Aug. 5, 1988, and is the son of Tim and Nancy Cassidy. He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology in May. He was a two-time first-team CoSIDA Academic All-American and a three-time first-team CoSIDA Academic All-District VII selection. He was also an academic All-Big Ten selection. Austin has volunteered his time with Nebraska's team hospital visits, School is Cool Week, the F Street Recreation Center and Legacy Retirement Center. Cassidy was named to the 2011 Brook Berringer Citizenship Team for his outreach work. Austin's father was the NU Associate Athletic Director for Football Operations from 2004 to 2007.

Cassidy's Career Statistics

 

 

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Tackles

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Fum.

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QB

Year

G/S

UT

AT

TT

TFL

Sacks

C-R

BK

PBU

INT  

Hry.

2007

Redshirt

                   

2008

2/0 0 1 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

0 

2009

14/0 6  3  9  0-0  0-0  0-0  0  1  0  0  2010 14/7 24 24 48 0-0 0-0 1-0 0 0 1 0 2011 13/13 30 40 70 0-0 0.0 0.1-11 0 4 2 1

Totals

43/20 60   68   128   0-0 0-0 1-1-11 0 5 13  1

Single-Game Highs
» Tackles–12 at Iowa State (2010)
» Solo Tackles–7 at Iowa State (2010)
» Pass Breakups–2 vs. Fresno State (2011)
» Interceptions–1 three times (most recently vs. Northwestern, 2011)
» Touchdowns–1 twice (29-yd INT return at ISU, 2010; 11-yd fum. ret. at Minn., 2011)