Gator Bowl Pictures and Questions About the Future of Husker Football

by Jon Johnston on Jan 6, 2009 6:00 AM CST in Nebraska Husker Football

Thanks again to professional photographer Dennis Hubbard, we're able to provide pictures from the Gator Bowl. These come with some comments about this season and the next, questions for you CN'ers, about the future.

Joe Ganz' tongue has to be the hardest working tongue in college football. He's obviously going to be the most missed Husker player come next season. Question is - what about the others? Who is leaving that you think we'll miss the most beyond Ganz?

I'm going to miss Matt Slauson a lot. Normally I don't like facepainting, but for some reason it works well for Slauson. I haven't always liked how he's played, but you can always tell how he's feeling. I like his passion. I'll miss him on the field wearing Husker red. Who will be the leaders on the offensive line next season?

Roy Helu didn't have many moments in the Gator, but he should have plenty more ahead. He'll be key for success in 2009 as the Huskers break in a new starting quarterback.
Will Marcus Mendoza challenge for a spot in the backfield rotation?

Quentin Castille had a huge game in the Gator Bowl. Castille and Helu - do we call them "Thunder" and "Lightning"? Or come up with another nickname for the duo? Suggestions welcome!

Does anything further need to be said about the importance of Ndamukong Suh?

One more of Joe. Ganz started only 16 games. It seems like we barely got to know him.
Question is - will Patrick Witt or Zac Lee have the same type of career? What about Cody Green or Kody Spano?

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Comments

If we’re talking about just Q and Helu, then I think “Rock (Q) N’ Fire (Helu)” fits better than the traditional T&L tandem nickname. If you put Q and Mendoza together then I think you have to go for a simple play on words with “Bull (Q) – Dozaer (duh).” If you’re trying to get all three in there, then I think it’s best to just use the “Rock N’ Fire” and add some other elemental like term like salt or wind. In that case I’d go with “Wind, Rock N’ Fire”. Helu the wind, Q the rock, and Mendoza the fire.

If ignorance is heavenly bliss, then welcome to hell.

Note: All post by this member may be edited & self-censored to spare everyone from his endless rants and swears.

by nebstud2001 on Jan 6, 2009 6:36 AM CST reply actions

Why

not just name them after the band Earth Wind and Fire then? I think we can get a little more original. Come on stud live up to the name.LOL. Why do they need nicknames anyway.

by taflorom on Jan 6, 2009 6:42 AM CST up reply actions

Ok

now I have read the rest of the comments under the pictures and no we dont call them Thunder and Lightning. Surely we can be a whole lot more original then that. Why would we want to steal the nicknames of the players we just stopped cold. I have never really been real keen on nicknames anyway unless it is some kind of play on their name. Like Dozer for Mendoza. Although he needs to be bigger like Castille to really earn that name.

by taflorom on Jan 6, 2009 6:49 AM CST up reply actions

because

normally nicknames are given to the best or the worst of something…..

Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers – arguably the best player in Husker history next to Tommie Frazier.

Tom “Trainwreck” Novak – the toughest Husker ever. If he weren’t named “Trainwreck”, would he be remembered or revered as much as he is?

The “We Backs” – Calvin Jones and Derek Brown. Would I remember their names so easily without the nickname? I don’t think so.

Plus, nicknames can be kind of fun.

Go Big Red Nebraska!
Our Cobs Are Bigger Than Yours!
Corn Nation!

by Jon Johnston on Jan 6, 2009 12:17 PM CST up reply actions

Hell

I didn’t even know they were ever called the “we backs” and I could have told you their names. And I dont usually hear Rodgers called the jet unless its by some tv announcer. When most of the people I talk to about him we just call him Johnny Rodgers. I dont know I guess nicknames just arent that big a deal to me.

by taflorom on Jan 6, 2009 11:13 PM CST up reply actions

Earth, Wind and Fire?

"...don't TAZE me, bro..."

by zE bOp on Jan 6, 2009 10:27 AM CST reply actions

let's see:

Castille—earth
Mendoza—wind
Helu—fire

"...don't TAZE me, bro..."

by zE bOp on Jan 6, 2009 10:28 AM CST reply actions

Don't the Giants

use that for their 3 running backs?

You can't possibly be a scientist if you mind people thinking that you're a fool.
~Wanko the Sane

by JLew on Jan 6, 2009 2:59 PM CST up reply actions

do they?

I don’t follow the NFL as much until the playoffs….

Go Big Red Nebraska!
Our Cobs Are Bigger Than Yours!
Corn Nation!

by Jon Johnston on Jan 6, 2009 7:50 PM CST up reply actions

Looks like

New York Giants backfield nickname: Earth, Wind and Fire-
http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2008/09/new_york_giants_bakfield_nickn.html

You can't possibly be a scientist if you mind people thinking that you're a fool.
~Wanko the Sane

by JLew on Jan 7, 2009 9:27 AM CST up reply actions

yea, need something better

will thing on it…

"...don't TAZE me, bro..."

by zE bOp on Jan 6, 2009 10:28 AM CST reply actions

'think'

"...don't TAZE me, bro..."

by zE bOp on Jan 6, 2009 10:29 AM CST reply actions

Thunder and Lightening are

Reggie Bush and Lendale whats his name, always was, always will be. Spiller and Davis were just pretenders.

"...don't TAZE me, bro..."

by zE bOp on Jan 6, 2009 10:30 AM CST reply actions

"Court & Spark"?

naaaw……

"...don't TAZE me, bro..."

by zE bOp on Jan 7, 2009 11:55 AM CST reply actions

I’ll agree Mendoza doesn’t fit the “Dozer” nickname just yet, and may never.

It’s really hard to make up joint names for the guys without using overused joint nicknames, like “Thunder & Lightning.” That one is so over used that it’s more like a term to describe the fact that you’re talking about a RB duo rather than it being a nickname as intended. Personally, I’d rather see them each have individual nicknames because those stick longer that the group names.

I’m not old enough to remember the playing day’s of Johnny "The Jet" Rodgers, but I’ve heard that nickname since I was little and whenever I heard (or read) him refereed to as just Johnny Rodgers, I always added in “The Jet” in my mind. Anywho, I offer up more nicknames, but just individual ones cause I really can’t think of anymore joint ones than I already offered. Improve on them if you can

Quentin “Bulldog” Castille – (Kind of lameish, overused)

Roy “Light Speed” Helu Jr. – (would seam to fall of the tongue better without “Helu” in there)

Marcus “Flash Fire” Mendoza – (could be considered insulting. As in, burns out fast)

If ignorance is heavenly bliss, then welcome to hell.

Note: All post by this member may be edited & self-censored to spare everyone from his endless rants and swears.

by nebstud2001 on Jan 7, 2009 4:31 PM CST reply actions