- 2005 Honorable-Mention All-Big 12 (Associated Press)
- 2005 Second-Team Academic All-Big 12
- 2005 Nebraska Lifter of the Year
- Nebraska's Most Improved Offensive Player (Spring, 2004)
- Two-Time Big 12 Commissioner's Spring Academic Honor Roll (2004, 2005)
2005 (Senior)
Seppo Evwaraye (pronounced SEP-oh Ev-vwah-AYE-yea) concluded a solid Nebraska career in the 2005 Alamo Bowl. A native of Finland, Evwaraye spent the majority of his senior season as Nebraska’s starting right tackle, but was slowed by a foot injury late in the season and was not in the starting lineup for the final three games.
Evwaraye started the first nine games of the season, stretching his starting streak to 20 games, and played in every game except the matchup with Kansas State. Evwaraye helped Nebraska show vast improvement in its passing game, as the Huskers ranked second in passing yards per game in conference play at 265.8 yards per game. The play of the line allowed first-year quarterback Zac Taylor to shatter several Nebraska passing records, including single-game and single-season records.
Evwaraye earned honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors from the Associated Press for his efforts. He was also a second-team academic All-Big 12 pick and earned his undergraduate degree in communication studies in December of 2005.
Evwaraye's quick transition to offense earned him recognition as NU's Most Improved Offensive Player during the spring of 2004. His improvement carried into the fall when he started all 11 games at left tackle and was a key part of a line that performed well despite having new starters at four of the five line spots.
Evwaraye spent his first three seasons at Nebraska on defense. Evwaraye first came to the United States from Finland as an exchange student at Laurel-Concord (Neb.) High School, and committed to the Huskers during his senior season.
2004 (Junior)
Evwaraye's quick transition to offense earned him recognition as Nebraska's Most Improved Offensive Player during the spring of 2004. His improvement carried into the fall when he started all 11 games at right tackle and was a key part of an offensive line that performed well despite having new starters at four of the five line spots.
Evwaraye and his line mates helped Nebraska get off to a quick start, paving the way for big offensive numbers in the first two games. The Huskers racked up 581 yards in total offense in the opener against Western Illinois, with 476 yards a week later against Southern Miss. Nebraska put together both offensive efforts without the line allowing a sack.
The offensive line played a key part in NU's balanced attack on the season, and helped the Huskers establish a new single-game passing record with 342 yards through the air against Baylor. Nebraska racked up 511 yards of total offense in that contest, its best output in Big 12 play.
2003 (Sophomore)
Evwaraye played in five games as a reserve defensive tackle and made an unassisted tackle against Troy State.
2002 (Redshirt Freshman)
Evwaraye was slowed by injury throughout the season. He played in four of the first six games despite a foot injury and totaled three tackles. He injured his right shoulder before the Missouri game and underwent season-ending surgery.
2001 (Redshirt)
A scholarship athlete, Evwaraye redshirted in 2001.
Before Nebraska (Laurel-Concord HS)
A native of Finland, Evwaraye came to the United States and Laurel, Neb., as an exchange student in 1999. He was the first Finland native to sign a National Letter-of-Intent in football with an NCAA Division I school. He had played just one year of club football in Finland before joining Coach Michael Halley’s Laurel-Concord team, but in just two years, Evwaraye earned enough attention to be named an All-American by PrepStar on offense and by SuperPrep on defense.
Evwaraye earned All-Nebraska offensive first-team honors from the Omaha World-Herald and super-state honors from the Lincoln Journal Star in 2000. Evwaraye helped Laurel-Concord to a state title in 2000 and to the state playoffs in 1999. He played nose tackle as a junior and started on both sides of the ball as a senior. Evwaraye missed the first three games of his senior season while appealing a Nebraska School Activities Association ruling that allows foreign exchange students just one year of eligibility. Evwaraye attended the Big Red Football School after his junior season and only visited Nebraska.
Personal
Jim and Carla Erwin were his host parents in 1999 and share legal guardianship with Seppo’s mother, Sirpa. His father is the late Frederick Evwaraye. Seppo was born on June 1, 1982, in Vaasa, Finland. Seppo was a communication studies major and earned his bachelor's degree in December of 2005. He was a second-team academic All-Big 12 selection in 2005, and was a two-time Big 12 Commissioner's Spring Academic Honor Roll member.
Evwaraye's Career Statistics
Games Played - 31 (4 in 2002 as DT, 5 in 2003 as DT, 11 in 2004 as OL, 11 in 2005 as OT)
Games Started - 20 (11 in 2004 as OL, 9 in 2005 as OT)