A Painful Situation

April 14, 2006 by Steve Hanway

I love Greg Austin. As a Husker fan, you have to. He’s a guy that should not be playing football. There’s no NFL payday in his future, just years of chronic pain and reduced mobility made worse each time he puts on the uniform. Yet he comes out every day and practices.

We’ve seen this before.

Michael Jordan limped around for two years as a Washington Wizard with no hope of winning another NBA championship, just the prospect of increasing pain to live with for the remainder of his days. In MJ’s case, he did cash a pretty hefty paycheck and got plenty of adulation from the media. But that’s not why he played. He played because some part of him burned to play. And that’s why Greg Austin plays.

It’s not like Austin walked into the middle of a dynasty at Nebraska. Nebraska has been struggling for most of Austin’s career simply to maintain respectability. This year may be different but you can hardly say that was apparent in 2002 or 2004. There were no guarantees that his hard work wouldn’t largely be for naught. But something made him persevere. You’ve got to admire that. He is the embodiment of the immortal words, “In the deed, the glory”.

Despite all of that, you have to root against him winning the starting job. There’s no one on the team I’d be happier for than Austin if the Huskers break through in 2006 to hoist the Sears trophy. But the fact of the matter is, if he’s starting than that means Nebraska has problems on the offensive line. Offensive line coach Dennis Wagner has said Austin’s body can’t handle starting 12 to 14 games. The toll on him physically would limit his effectiveness. He can be a key contributor in a reserve role but shouldn’t play as much as a starter would.

So if he does end up a starter when the season starts, it means that there is no one else that can. His inevitable physical breakdown, in that case, would not bode well for an offense (and a running game) still trying to establish itself as one of the best in the country. Not to mention how much he would suffer both next year and into the future.

I love Greg Austin but I love Husker football more, so painfully, I’m rooting against him winning a starting job. He’s got the heart. He’s all heart. That’s why we should cheer him whenever he takes the field, which hopefully isn’t until the second quarter.

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