#21 Prince Amukamara
Sr • DE • 6-1 • 205 lbs
| Hometown: | GLENDALE, AZ |
| Previous School: | APOLLO |
| Recruited By: | Bill Busch |
| Recruiting Class: | 2007 |
Addition of Charles Jackson Gives NU Options at Corner
<font size="2">A player like cornerback Alfonzo Dennard isn't easy to replace, just like Prince Amukamara wasn't easy to replace. Neither were Keyou Craver, Ralph Brown, Tyrone Williams, or Barron Miles if you want to go back further. Nevertheless, the Huskers find themselves in the position of having to find a …
Will the 2012 Class Live Up to 2007?
<font size="2">When it comes to recruiting, you're perpetually seeking to raise the bar on talent for your team. If the incoming class is inferior to the one you recruited 4-5 years ago, then presumably your overall talent declines. A decline in talent would presumably be evident on the field as …
Fixing Nebraska's Cornerback Issues
For Nebraska, the 2011 season and 2012 recruiting class can be defined by one position - cornerback. Forget quarterback play. Forget the need for additional linebackers. The Husker's fortunes have risen and fallen with their corners. A "Bo Pelini Defense" needs great cornerback play, something that was missing for large …
Many Huskers Worth Watching
Preseason watch lists are curious things. In one sense, they offer little value because the game outcomes and player production for a season mean much more than any preseason hype. But, college football is an odd sport in that preseason perception does play a part in the eventual outcome. Like it or …
Making Stars
<font size="2">Early in Bo Pelini's tenure as head coach at Nebraska, he was asked about recruiting rankings and boldy predicted, "We'll make our own stars". Three seasons later he's made good on that promise. Just look at the recent NFL draft. </font>
A New Dynasty?
When we began the Big Red Network about five years ago, we never expected to produce content about the Nebraska girl's basketball team or God forbid, recruiting commitments for the Lady Huskers. But when you see the list of Parade All-Americans and that NU's tied for the most commitments in …
Happy for Helu, Hopeful for Henery
Nebraska had seven players taken in the 2011 NFL draft (tops in the Big Ten, by the way...) and Prince Amukamara was the obvious-first round headliner. Even though all the former Huskers are worthwhile players with compelling stories, my post-draft emphasis can't help but go to two players in particular. …
Who's Next?
The big question for Husker fans going into Thursday night's draft was simply where would Prince Amukamara be taken. While falling to #19 may have hurt his pocketbook, he's in a great position playing behind a good defensive line and being on a team with a quality quarterback. But the …
A Good Fit for Prince
As Prince Amukamara watches the NFL draft, he'll likely just want to be taken as soon as possible. The financial windfall (not to mention the prestige) would make it hard to not want to hear your name called early on. But when you think about the kind of career he's …
NU Pro Day Offers Ample Opportunity
Thursday's "Pro Day" at the University of Nebraska offered plenty of opportunity for everyone involved. Representatives from every NFL team were on hand to watch the draft-eligible Huskers work out. The scouts were drawn, no doubt, by another chance to look at likely top-10 pick Prince Amukamara and higher profile …
Nine Former Huskers Set to Perform at NFL Combine
Nine former Nebraska Cornhuskers will attempt to showcase their talent and ability at the annual NFL Scouting Combine, beginning this weekend. The Husker contingent is one of the largest and most diverse groups from any university in the country. While their body of work on the field is likely more important …
Todd Peat Jr. Tops Off NU Recruiting Class
The 2011 Nebraska recruiting class, already considered strong by many experts, got another big shot in the arm this morning - a 6'3'', 300 pound shot. Highly regarded defensive tackle prospect Todd Peat, Jr. has committed to play at Nebraska. Peat was long considered most likely to commit to Arizona State. This signing-day …
Bo's Best Defense?
In the past two seasons, Nebraska fans have been treated to two tremendous defenses. In 2009, it was led by Ndamukong Suh and a front four that collapsed the pocket quickly, ending plays before they could begin. In 2010, it was a secondary that made completing passes seem downright futile. …
Darien Bryant Commits to Nebraska
Forget the stars next to his name. The thing to note about Bryant is who else wanted him. Namely, Nebraska's new division opponents in Michigan and Michigan State. But the Ohio tight end chose the Huskers.
The Importance of All-Americans
By now you have probably already heard that two Huskers have been named to the Associated Press All-America team this year. Both Prince Amukamara and Alex Henery received this honor. Jared Crick and LaVonte David were both named to the 2nd team and Eric Hagg was listed on the 3rd team. …
All-Big 12 Selections Tell a Larger Story
The Big 12 announced it's all-conference team and it's annual award winners. Nebraska players hauled in a number of accolades - the most in more than a decade. These awards are another solid indicator that NU is indeed on an upswing as a program. They also underscore the reputation that coach …
How to Roast a Buffalo
<font size="2">After two uninspiring offensive performances, Nebraska needs to find a way to score enough points to beat a resurging Colorado team in Lincoln. At stake is a division championship for NU and a bowl bid for CU. The Huskers are more than two touchdown favorites, which is a bit …
LaVonte David Having a Special Season
<div> This August, before the season began, the sports writers and fans following Husker football had a pretty good idea of who the the defensive stars might be. Jared Crick and Prince Amukamara graced the covers of magazines and were the subject of significant buzz. Both have played very well. But …
A quick tour of the new Big Red Network
You may have noticed that things look different around here. We just launched a major redesign of our site that includes a whole truckload of new bells and whistles. Let me show you around.
Questions that Matter: How Will NU Replace the Middle of its Defense?
Season preview articles typically include a run down of the depth chart or a listing of key contributors. Often, they take the form of a unit-by-unit review of the team (Headline: NU is deep at cornerback!). At Big Red Network we get tired of reading that kind of thing. We suspect …
A Rebuttal to Mike Blackwell, Inside Texas
Normally, I try not to take offense when people take shots at Tom Osborne or my alma mater. Heck, I don't even respond to most of the comments at the Big Red Network from people about what I write. But when I was forwarded this piece, I felt compelled to respond. …
Five Candidates for a Breakout Season in 2010
About a week ago, I ran my usual off season talent test on the Husker roster, a simple exercise I call "Five Great Players." The results looked positive. Yesterday, the Big 12 media members more or less affirmed that audit of the Husker personnel, by naming four NU players to their …
Huskers Place Four on Preseason All Big 12 Team, Crick Tabbed as Defensive POY
As part of the continued ramp up to Big 12 Media Days, the Big 12 has released its preseason all conference team, as selected by media covering the conference. Nebraska placed four players on the squad. Jared Crick is the headliner, having been chosen as the league's defensive Player of the …
Huskers Pass the "Five Great Players" Test
In a total team sport like football, the whole can be (and often is) greater than the sum of its parts. But, one of the unshakable standards I hold for the making of a championship team is that it must have "Five Great Players". It is a litmus test my amigo …
NU Lands Two Recruits in Two Days
Nebraska improved its roster both for the fall and for the 2011 recruiting class over the last two days. It began when four-star cornerback prospect Tevin Mitchel out of Texas committed to the class of 2011. Then junior college wide receiver Stanley Jean-Baptiste committed and can join the team as early …
Austin Cassidy Drawing Attention
When Husker fans count their blessings for their deep secondary, they rattle off a lot of names before they get to Austin Cassidy. But because of his body type, (he's listed at 6'1" and 210 lbs.) he's getting some attention as a good candidate to be the new hybrid linebacker/safety for …
Rise of the Big Red Roundtable - Spring Football Edition
http://bigrednetwork.com/archives/images/2010/03/red_table_large.jpg Our friends at Husker Hype have breathed new life into the ole Big Red Blogger Roundtable (pictured). In this edition we predict winners of the competition for starting quarterback and running back and a quick look at Huskers in the NFL draft.
How 2010 Resembles 1994
When making predictions about the future, it's often helpful to look to the past for guidance. When circumstances were similar, how did things play out? Interestingly, when looking for a season in which Nebraska returned an all-conference defensive tackle and an all-conference cornerback, you have to go back to the 1994 …
The Next All-American?
Nebraska football used to churn out All-Americans like Land O' Lakes churns out butter, but that stopped abruptly after the departure of Frank Solich. Ndamukong Suh was the first All-American since 2003 and the first consensus All-American since Eric Crouch and Toniu Fonoti in 2001. But the question isn't who was …
Much Ado About Marsh
Millard South Quarterback Bronson Marsh has said he will accept a "grayshirt" scholarship offer from the University of Nebraska. For those of you who don't follow recruiting with a passion, a "grayshirt" is a scholarship offer where the player - Marsh in this case - sits out of football for a …
Red-Colored Glasses
Every team in Division I has reason to doubt their team's chances at a national championship. Even a team like Florida this past year with so much returning from a national championship squad came up short. But sometimes as a fan, you want to tune out those doubts. You want to …
The Weekly Buzz
There's only a few types of news stories that come out during this time of the year and they're usually bad. From our best players leaving for the NFL to guys having run-ins with the law, I usually expect the bad news to roll in during the summer. At least there …
Kenny Bell Commits
Boulder wide receiver/defensive back prospect Kenny Bell gave his verbal commitment to Nebraska on Tuesday. On paper, he looks a great deal like cornerback Prince Amukamara. At 6'2" and 173 lbs., he could play on either side of the ball for the Huskers.
Will it be a Happy New Year for Nebraska?
Coming off a big win in the Holiday bowl and a good game for Lee, you can begin to imagine a much better year for the Husker offense in 2010. Not to mention the ten returning starters for Nebraska on offense. Add to that the news that Lee has been playing …
It's Still About Nebraska
There's some thought that the outcome of the Big 12 title game is entirely in the hands of the Texas Longhorns. While there's no doubt that the Longhorns have been the superior team over twelve games, it's still largely about what Nebraska can do that will determine who is the Big …
Senior Night Goes Right
It was by no means a sure thing. When Kansas State opened with a field goal drive you were concerned. When Zac Lee missed a wide open Mike McNeil in the end zone, you were aggravated. When Lee threw an interception with NU in easy field goal distance and up just …
The Sky Is Not Falling
The loss to Texas Tech was certainly deflating. If a win over Missouri was a step forward, then losing at home to Texas Tech felt like a step backward (never mind that Tech beat Nebraska in their last visit to Lincoln). But this doesn't erase most of the opportunities that still …
Blackshirts: If Not Now, When?
Heading in to week 7 of the college football season, the Nebraska first-team defense is not wearing black practice jerseys. Is this significant? To the average fan, sure. The blackshirts are a symbol for Husker fans - they by black t-shirts and gear, "throw the bones" to represent the defense when …
Missouri Post-Mortem
I call this article a "Post-Mortem" because I spend the time dissecting the mistakes the Husker have made in the past week's game. But this week, the title of Post-Mortem is honorarily given for the fashion in which Nebraska took apart the Tigers in the final quarter of the game. From …
Secondary Primary for NU
There are many keys to tomorrow night's game between Nebraska and Missouri. From rushing offense to quarterback play or special teams, a person could argue that any or every element of the game is important, and probably be right. One particular area I'm zeroing in on is the play of the …
Injury Concerns Mar Otherwise Dominant Effort
Nebraska took control early against Louisiana-Lafayette, capitalizing on some good bounces to take a 34-0 lead in the second quarter. But along the way, a number of Husker players took some punishment. Safety Rickey Thenarse left with what may have been a knee injury. Tight end Mike McNeil may have sprained …
Anterrio Sloan Decommits from Nebraska
Anterrio Sloan, a four-star cornerback prospect from West Helena, Arkansas has become the second decommitment for the Huskers for the 2010 recruiting season. While a highly rated cornerback would seem like a big loss, it's hard not to think, "so what?"
Practice Patter: Because you always wanted to know how to say Huskers in Italian
After a long summer, any news is good news and, as usual for this time of year, all the news is good. The beginning of camp is always a time of unbridled optimism across the country. Everyone is bigger, faster, stronger, smarter, better prepared, more cohesive, properly hydrated, well fed, and …
Does Nebraska Have a Star Defensive Back?
It's been close to six years since Nebraska had a star defensive back. Josh Bullocks starred at safety for Nebraska in 2003 playing under Marvin Sanders and Bo Pelini. He led the nation in interceptions and helped Nebraska to a 10-3 record. Not coincidentally, that was the best win-loss record for …
Spring Sleepers
The sun is shining more. Green grass is starting to be visible among the brown. That can only mean football, right? Okay, maybe that is a stretch. But signs of Spring are also signs of Spring practice. Spring is a time for renewal, rebirth and the unexpected. Some players on the …
Gomes Recruitment Telling
Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini and his staff have shown a clear preference for high school talent over junior college players. In the abbreviated recruiting season of 2008 none of the 16 new players that Pelini's staff recruited came from junior colleges. This signing day, only two players out of twenty-one …
Early Developments at Husker Camp
Seemingly every year, there are surprises that come from the pre-season practices at NU. Some players step up, while others get off to a rough start. Sometimes injuries are a factor, or maybe there is a newcomer or two who joins the mix. Through the first few days of NU's fall …
Huskers Reveal Depth Chart
Nebraska revealed its first official depth chart for 2008. Of course, coaches will say these listings don't mean anything and that they are likely to change. That's all well and good. For right now, Husker fans get an important first look at what kind of roster NU might field in the …
Position Breakdowns: Cornerbacks
Outlook: The Huskers are particularly thin at cornerback, which means it might be the spot where a true freshman is most likely to contribute. Former NU secondary coach George Darlington had once said that if a cornerback couldn't compete as a freshman, then they probably shouldn't have recruited him anyway. If …
Husker Spring Game Photos
http://bigrednetwork.com/archives/images/2008/04/IMG_9261.jpg Joe Ganz led the Red team to an early lead during Saturday's spring scrimmage. Coach Bo Pelini indicated Ganz as the clear No. 1 quarterback for NU heading into fall ball. Continue reading for more photos from the sideline of the Husker Spring Game, courtesy of Kirt Manion.
- Big 12 Commissioner's Fall Academic Honor Roll (2007)
- 2009 Second-Team All-Big 12 (AP)
- 2009 First-Team All-Big 12 (Coaches, KC Star, San Antonio Express-News, Dallas Morning News, Rivals.com, ESPN.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
- First-Team Preseason All-Big 12 (2010, Athlon, Phil Steele)
- Second-Team Preseason All-Big 12 (2010, Athlon, Sporting News)
- First-Team Preseason All-American (2010, Lindy's, Phil Steele, Playboy)