Special return to Memorial Stadium

Even with temperatures sweltering above 80 degrees, goosebumps and shivers jolted my body when Nebraska coach Scott Frost said during the pregame Tunnel Walk video, “Welcome back to Memorial Stadium.”
It felt just like going back home after a long hiatus. Saturday, everything felt normal. 
The Nebraska football team held its Spring Game Saturday and had fans in attendance for the first time since 2019’s season finale. 
For someone like Austin Allen, the feeling of the fans’ return was special. For others, like Ian and Nate Boerkircher, Saturday was their first experience to play in front of Husker Nation. 
“This was important to me because we took a couple years off without fans,” Allen said. “I’ll forever remember this as a Cornhusker. It was awesome.”
Oz was featured in the pregame tunnel walk video, saying, “Things have been different.” And, “when every chapter ends, a new one begins.”
Is this the point when the page finally turns?
While the first half of Saturday’s spring game was a bit anticlimactic with no tackling, there was as much to be learned off the field as there was on it. 
Austin didn’t have a pass catch Saturday and as much as he probably wanted a few, he didn’t need them. 
It was obvious that No. 11 is one of Nebraska’s best offensive weapons, and just general all-around talents. He made several edge-sealing blocks to spring the run game, something he’s said time and again he wanted to improve. 
Check. 
When he first came out of the tunnel for warm-ups, I was a bit taken aback by his sheer size. 
He looks huge. We all know about the 6’8” frame, but the weight he’s put onto that and the way he filled it out makes him look like a pro tight end. 
Years ago, Oz hoped to get anywhere near the 260-pound range. 
Check. 
He also mentioned before spring practice about his aspirations of becoming a team captain. 
While we can’t check that off the list just yet, he looks to be right on track for that, too. 
Austin didn’t play in the second half, but he sure wasn’t disengaged, either. 
He spent every moment of the game he wasn’t on the field in the huddle anyway, helping the younger players get where they needed to be and celebrating their accomplishments. 
There was a moment during the first half after a made field goal where Austin walked over to Frost, who wandered around the field during the game, and put their arms around one another. 
Probably some dry humor. Nevertheless, the trust between the two was evident. 
Aside from all that, the big focus will be on the quarterbacks now that we’ve gotten a look at those behind Adrian Martinez at QB1. 
Speaking of Martinez, there was a spark to him that was missing a year ago. He has slimmed down a bit, closer to what he was his freshman season. 
The changes look to have a huge upside as Martinez looked faster, more crisp and light on his feet. 
Then there was former Kearney Catholic Stars Matt Masker and Heinrich Haarberg along with Logan Smothers, all vying for the back-up position and favorite position by the fans. 
Most important rule of the spring game -- don’t overreact. 
Haarberg played a lot of snaps Saturday, including the game’s final drive where he completed two passes that won the game for the White team. 
“We executed pretty well. Not a lot of mistakes,  but it’s hard to get a real gauge on your offense with just two-hand touch,” Allen noted. “The holes were open and guys were hitting pretty hard. It was a good day for the offense.”
For those who follow spring ball closely, there were points where coaches and players talked about how well the offense performed one day, only to be outmatched by the defense the next. 
As Austin said during his postgame interview, it’s a sign of a good football team. And he’s right. 
“You see that on a good team. The offense will have a good day, then the defense will pick up the intensity the next day,” Allen pointed out. “You keep matching that, the level of play gets higher and higher. We saw that during the game and all spring.”
Austin and several of his teammates, including Martinez, were honored before the game as soon-to-be graduates, receiving their diplomas during a commencement ceremony this Saturday. It was a list that also included the likes of Correll Buckhalter and Lavonte David. Nice names to go alongside of your own.
After the game as players began to trickle back into the tunnel, Austin ran over to the north end zone and threw a piece of his uniform to a young kid.  As he went near the tunnel, he let go of his hand held towel to another young fan, before signing a couple autographs. He didn’t even need to get on his tip-toes to reach the fans on the balcony to the left of the tunnel. 
Everyone has their thoughts on the strength and weaknesses of this Nebraska team. One thing that surely isn’t a concern is the tight end group. 
“Selfishly, I feel the tight ends have a more prominent role in the offense,” Allen said. “They see we have some playmakers in the tight end room and we found ways in the spring to do that in the fall.”
It was also an eye-opening experience for fellow former Huskies Ian and Nate Boerkircher, who saw their first field time for the Big Red Saturday. 
Ian played quite a bit of right tackle for the Red team in the second half while Nate played tight end for the White team. 
We’ll get the thoughts of the Boerkircher brothers in the coming weeks on their first playing experience for the Huskers, but their former high school teammate was looking out for them. 
“Even for me, it will get your heart pumping,” Allen said of the pregame and tunnel walk. “I know for a couple Aurora guys (Ian and Nate Boerkircher) it was the first time they stepped on the field. It was good for them to experience that heartbeat I talked about. I was proud of those guys. It was good to be back.”
What the next year holds for Austin and the Huskers will be interesting. One thing is for certain: seeing Memorial Stadium alive and well again on Saturday was a sight for sore eyes. 
I don’t know if I’ve ever been so happy to see a crowd do the wave as I was Saturday. 
RICHARD RHODEN can be reached at sports@hamilton.net.