Ben Cornelsen Season 1997
-
2002 Second-Team Academic All-Big 12
-
Big 12 Commissioner's Fall Academic Honor Roll (2000,2001)
Cornelsen served as Nebraska's No. 2 wingback behind fellow senior Troy Hassebroek this fall. Cornelsen ranked fourth on the team in receptions with eight catches for 106 yards. He also served as NU's No. 2 punt returner, backing up All-American DeJuan Groce at the position. Cornelsen was a second-team Academic All-Big 12 selection and graduated last December with a degree in communication studies.
2002: Cornelsen played in all 13 games in his senior season. He caught eight passes for 106 yards to rank fourth on the team in both receptions and receiving yards. Cornelsen caught his first two passes of the season against Utah State, good for 34 yards. After single catches against Iowa State and McNeese State, he grabbed two balls for 35 yards at Oklahoma State, both on a late NU drive that cut OSU's lead to 24-21. He notched his third two-catch game of the season at Kansas State (25 yards). Cornelsen was again DeJuan Groce's backup as a punt returner, but had just two attempts for minus-three yards in 2002.
2001: Cornelsen played in 11 of 12 games (all except Notre Dame) for the Huskers. He caught one pass, an 18-yard reception vs. Texas Tech. A versatile athlete, Cornelsen had two rushes on the season, a 36-yard gain at Baylor and a three-yard loss vs. Rice. He totaled 124 yards on 10 punt returns for NU (12.4 ypr) and had a career-long 71-yard touchdown return at Kansas. It was Nebraska's first punt return for a touchdown last season, but not the last as DeJuan Groce had a 60-yard return vs. Kansas State the following week and a 71-yarder in the Rose Bowl. Cornelsen?s long return was one of seven punt returns of 25 or more yards for the Huskers in 2001. Cornelsen played in the 2002 Rose Bowl at split end, but did not have a reception.
2000: Cornelsen played in every game for the Huskers, including the Alamo Bowl, as a reserve wingback and member of NU's special teams. While he did not have any receptions, Cornelsen returned three punts for 49 yards. He had 1-11 at Texas Tech and 2-38 against Baylor, including a season-long of 21 yards.
1999: As a redshirt freshman, Cornelsen saw action in the Kansas State game, but did not have a reception.
1998: A scholarship athlete, Cornelsen redshirted in 1998.
At Shawnee Mission Northwest HS: Cornelsen caught 13 passes for 157 yards, rushed 76 times for 584 yards and had 446 yards in kickoffs and punt returns for more than 1,000 all-purpose yards as a senior. He totaled 977 yards rushing, 484 receiving, 972 in returns and 2,433 total in his three-year career, scoring 22 touchdowns. Playing for Coach Scott Diebold, he earned first-team all-state honors in 1996 and was a two-time all-league honoree. He was the state runner-up as a junior in wrestling (160 pounds) and placed fifth in the USATF Junior National Decathlon in 1994. After visiting Kansas, Kansas State and Arkansas, Cornelsen picked Nebraska. Although he was initially a member of the 1997 scholarship class, Cornelsen did not enroll or report to the Huskers until January of 1998, after being injured in a car accident.
Personal: The son of Paul and Susan Cornelsen, Ben was born on Sept. 20, 1978. He is majoring in communication studies.
.
.
Receptions
Rushing
Year
G/S
No.
Yds.
Avg.
No.
Yds.
Avg.
TDs
1998
Redshirt
1999
1/0
0
0
0.0
0
0
0.0
0
2000
11/0
0
0
0.0
3
49
16.3
0
2001
11/0
1
18
18.0
10
124
12.4
1
2002
14/0
8
106
13.2
2
-3
-1.5
0
Totals
37/0
9
124
13.8
15
170
11.3
1