Shevin Wiggins Season 1995

Honors & Awards

• University of Nebraska Graduate (May, 1999)
• Member of Two Nebraska National Championship Teams (1995, 1997)
• Honorable-Mention All-Big 12 Kick Returner (Coaches, 1998)
• Mosi Tatupu Special Teams Award Semifinalist (1998)
• ESPY Awards for College Football/Overall Play-of-the-Year (1997)

Career

Shevin Wiggins played in 35 games throughout his Husker career, catching 31 passes for 447 yards and one touchdown. He also played on special teams where he returned 41 punts for 539 yards and a score. In addition to that, Wiggins was also on the kickoff return team and returned 23 kicks for 537 yards, average of 23.3 yards per return. The NCAA notified the University that Wiggins had been granted a fourth year of football competition in his sixth year at the University on April 14, 1999; however, off-the-field issues resulted in head coach Frank Solich dismissing him from the team.

1998 (Junior)

Wiggins played in every game and started four regular-season games alternating with Lance Brown at wingback in 1998. He ranked second on the team in receiving with 22-326 yards and one touchdown and had eight rushes for 47 yards. He was second in punt returns to Joe Walker with 9-144-0 (16.0 average) and second in kick returns to Walker with 10-224-0 (22.4 average). In game three against California, Wiggins caught a career-best seven passes for a career-best 97 yards, including a five-yard touchdown with 3:54 in the fourth quarter to put NU up 21-3. The touchdown reception was the first in his career. Wiggins had two or more receptions five times (2-45 with career-long 42-yard reception against Washington, 2-17 against Missouri, 4-59 against Texas and 3-42 against Colorado). Wiggins and Matt Davison (who had 10 catches against Texas A&M) are the only two Husker receivers to have caught seven or more passes in a game since tight end Johnny Mitchell had seven against Oklahoma in 1991. Wiggins had two rushes three times (2-20 against Louisiana Tech, 2-12 against UAB and 2-18 against Iowa State). He tied his regular-season career best with three kickoff returns (for 33 yards) against Kansas State and had a season-best 45 yards (on two returns) against California. He had a season-best three punt returns against California (for 51 yards) and 65 yards (on two returns, including a career-best 53-yard return) against Missouri. Wiggins had a career-best 45-yard touchdown reception against Arizona in the Holiday Bowl and had a career-best four kickoff returns for a career-best 81 yards (31 long) and two punt returns for one yard.

1997 (Sophomore)

Wiggins totaled 545 all-purpose yards with yards gained in every category including kickoff returns (243), punt returns (220), receiving (76) and rushing (six). Wiggins started two games in 1997, alternating with Lance Brown and Bobby Newcombe. Wiggins had six receptions for 76 yards, including a season-best of 21 yards against Washington. His best day was a 2-25 performance against Akron. Wiggins also had 19 punt returns for 220 yards (11.6 average), with a season long of 39 yards against Iowa State. He had nine kickoff returns for 243 yards (27.0 average). Wiggins and Walker were on the No. 1 kickoff return team, while Wiggins, Lance Brown and Newcombe were members of the No. 1 punt return team. Against Iowa State, Wiggins had a career-best 41-yard kickoff return to the NU 47, which set up Newcombe's 16-yard touchdown five plays later. In the game, Wiggins had two kickoff returns for 60 yards and two punt returns for 47 yards. His season-best 39-yard punt return to the Iowa State 4-yard line, set up Frankie London's four-yard run one play later. Wiggins ranked 28th nationally in punt returns (11.6 ypr) and would have ranked ninth in kickoff returns (27.0 ypr), but was short of the prerequisite 1.2 returns per game. Wiggins also had one rush for six yards against Texas A&M in the Big 12 Championship. Wiggins' biggest game was perhaps the Orange Bowl against Tennessee when he scored his first rushing touchdown -- a 10-yard run to put NU up 14-0 in the second quarter. Wiggins had a career-high three carries for 28 yards, a 29-yard kickoff return and one punt return for nine yards.

1996 (Freshman)

Wiggins steadily improved during the season. Toward the end, he moved up from third to second on the depth chart backing up Jon Vedral at wingback. Wiggins played in every game except Missouri, when he sat out with a thigh bruise. He caught three passes for 45 yards, including two for 30 yards (a season best), against Kansas (1-15 against Texas). Wiggins was also a punt returner for Nebraska, moving up to the No. 1 return team when Damon Benning was out with an ankle sprain. He returned 13 punts for 175 yards (13.5 average). His average per return led the team and would have ranked 11th nationally if he had the prerequisite 1.2 punt returns per game (he averaged 1.083 returns per game). Wiggins had a career-best five punt returns against Oklahoma for 42 yards, but gained the most yards (43) against Colorado State, when he had a 43-yard return for a touchdown. Wiggins also had four kickoff returns for 70 yards (17.5 average), with a career-best three for 61 yards against Colorado, when Ahman Green and Benning were out with injuries. His long return in that game was 24 yards. In the 1996 Orange Bowl, Wiggins led all Huskers with three catches for 36 yards.

1995 (Redshirt)

Wiggins redshirted in 1995.

1994 (Sat Out)

Wiggins sat out the 1994 season.

Before Nebraska (Manatee High School)

Wiggins was a 2,000-yard rusher at Manatee High School for Coach Joe Kinnan. He played running back, wide receiver and returned kickoffs for Manatee. He was the fourth athlete out of Manatee High School to sign with NU (following 1995 Husker senior standouts Tommie Frazier, Tyrone Williams and Justin Stephens). The Florida offensive player of the year in 1993, Wiggins ran for 2,267 yards and 32 touchdowns as a senior in 1993 and 1,600 as a junior. Wiggins set single-season and career rushing records and averaged 150 yards in five playoff games as Manatee advanced to the championship game in Florida's largest class. He tore an ACL in his knee running track in the spring of 1994.

Personal

The son of Ronnie and Thomasena Johnson, Shevin was born on Sept. 27, 1974. Shevin majored in family and consumer sciences and earned his bachelor's degree from Nebraska in May, 1999. He had been a featured speaker at Lewis and Clark Middle School.

Wiggins' Career Statistics

Receiving
Year	Games	No.	Yds.	Y/R	Y/G	TDs
1994	DNP
1995	Redshirted
1996	11/0	3	45	15.0	4.1	0
1997	12/2	6	76	12.7	6.3	0
1998	12/4	22	326	14.8	27.2	1
Totals	35/6	31	447	14.4	12.8	1

Punt Returns
Year	No.	Yds.	Avg.	TDs
1996	13	175	13.5	1
1997	19	220	11.6	0
1998	9	144	16.0	0
Totals	41	539	13.1	1

Kickoff Returns
Year	No.	Yds.	Avg.	TDs
1996	4	70	17.5	0
1997	9	243	27.0	0
1998	10	224	22.4	0
Totals	23	537	23.3	0

1996 Orange Bowl vs. Virginia Tech: Receiving 3-36
1998 Orange Bowl vs. Tennessee: Receiving, None; Rushing 3-28-1, 10-yard TD; Kickoff Returns 1-29; Punt Returns 1-9
1998 Holiday Bowl vs. Arizona: Receiving 1-45-1, 45-yard TD; Punt Returns 2-1; Kickoff Returns 4-81