Adam Carriker #90 Defensive End Senior 6-6 295 Three Letters Kennewick, Wash. All-America Candidate Lombardi Award Candidate 76 2006 Preseason All-American (Playboy, Athlon, Lindy s) 2006 Preseason First-Team All-Big 12 (Athlon, Lindy s) 2006 Preseason Second-Team All-Big 12 (Sporting News) Two-Time Lombardi Award Watch List (2005, 2006) 2006 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List 2006 Chuck Bednarik Watch List 2006 Lott Trophy Watch List 2006 Outlook Defensive end Adam Carriker established himself as an imposing presence on the Nebraska defensive front in 2005, and is positioned for a dominant senior season. Carriker enters the 2006 campaign as the Blackshirts No. 1 base end, a position where his impressive combination of size, strength and agility allows him to apply pressure to the quarterback, while taking on multiple blockers. Carriker enters his final season as a Husker in peak physical condition. He added more than 10 pounds of muscle to his 6-6 frame in Nebraska s off-season program and enters his senior year listed at 295 pounds. While adding the weight, Carriker improved his 10 and 40-yard dash times. His stature could allow Carriker to move inside to tackle on passing downs if needed. The Kennewick, Wash., native was a factor in Nebraska leading the nation in sacks (50) and tackles for losses (124) in 2005, as he led the Huskers in sacks (9.5) and ranked second on the team in tackles for loss with 17. At season s end, Carriker was chosen as Nebraska s 2005 Defensive MVP in a vote of his teammates. On the conference level, he was a first-team All-Big 12 selection by the Dallas Morning News and the Associated Press, while earning second-team all-league honors from the Big 12 coaches and three other major newspapers in the Big 12 region. The accolades have carried over to the preseason for Carriker. He has been named a first-team preseason All-American by Playboy, Athlon and Lindy s, while earning a spot on watch lists for the Lombardi, Bednarik, Nagurski and Lott awards. Carriker has the opportunity to make a dent in the Husker record book this fall. His 25 career tackles for loss is just nine shy of the top 10 on Nebraska s career list and his 13.5 sacks place him just one sack outside the top 10. Carriker s strong junior season followed injury plagued seasons in 2003 and 2004. He played in 10 games with eight starts and finished with 36 tackles, including seven tackles for loss as a sophomore. Carriker played in nine games as a backup defensive end in 2003, and showed impressive pass-rushing skills when healthy. Carriker redshirted in his first season at Nebraska. Carriker is scheduled to graduate this December with a degree in business administration. 2005 (Junior) Carriker started all 12 games at the base end spot, and finished with 9.5 sacks for 84 yards and 17 tackles for loss for 96 yards. His 9.5 sacks tied for the Big 12 Conference lead and ranked 19th nationally. He also led Nebraska with 21 Career Statistics and Personal Bests Defense ( -------Tackles------ ) Fum. QB Year G/S UT AT TT TFL Sacks C-R BK PBU PI Hry. 2002 Redshirted 2003 9/0 2 1 3 1-9 1-9 0-0 0 0 0 3 2004 10/8 19 17 36 7-23 3-18 0-0 0 0 0 7 2005 12/12 26 17 43 17-96 9.5-84 0-1 0 3 0 21 Totals 31/20 47 35 82 25-128 13.5-111 0-1 0 3 0 31 2005 Nebraska Defensive MVP 2005 First-Team All-Big 12 (Associated Press, Dallas Morning News) 2005 Second-Team All-Big 12 (Coaches, Kansas City Star, Austin American-Statesman, San Antonio Express News) Three-Time Big 12 Commissioner s Spring Academic Honor Roll (2003, 2005, 2006) 2004 Nebraska Lifter of the Year quarterback hurries, 10 more than any other Husker defender. Carriker s 43 total tackles ranked seventh on the team and tied for the most among defensive linemen. Carriker began his junior season by notching two of the Huskers school-record tying 11 sacks in the team s 25-7 win over Maine. His sacks accounted for 13 yards in losses. He added another sack in Nebraska s next win, a 31-3 decision over Wake Forest, then produced the finest game of his career during the Huskers 7-6 win over Pittsburgh. Carriker proved to be a disruptive force all game against the Panthers. He tallied a career-best four tackles for loss for 26 yards and had two sacks of Pitt quarterback Tyler Palko. He made seven total tackles, while adding a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup, and earned ABC/Chevrolet Player-of-the-Game honors. Carriker added single sacks in games against Texas Tech, Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas State, before sharing a sack with Barry Cryer in the regular-season finale at Colorado. Despite the attention from opposing defenses, Carriker continued to make an impact late in the season. He recovered his first career fumble against Kansas and made six tackles. A week later, Carriker had a career-best five quarterback hurries in Nebraska s win over Kansas State, and added a pair of tackles for loss in the contest. He capped the regular season with a four-tackle effort at Colorado, as Nebraska posted a dominant 30-3 victory. Carriker capped the year with one tackle in the Alamo Bowl victory over Michigan. Overall, Carriker had at least one tackle for loss in nine of 12 games and had six games with multiple tackles for loss. 2004 (Sophomore) Carriker made a strong impression on the new Husker staff during spring practice, capped by two sacks in the spring game. After a strong offseason that included being honored as the 2004 Nebraska Lifter of the Year, Carriker was hampered for the second straight season by an ankle injury. He played in 10 games with eight starts in the 2004 campaign, and finished with 36 tackles, including seven tackles for loss and three sacks for 18 yards. Carriker added seven quarterback hurries during his sophomore season. He opened the year as Nebraska's starter at right end and made four tackles, including a pair of sacks for 14 yards, against Western Illinois. Carriker then suffered Single-Game Bests: Tackles 9 at Kansas State, 2004 Solo Tackles 4, five times, most recently at Kansas, 2005 Sacks 2-14 vs. Western Illinois, 2004, 2-13 vs. Maine, 2005, 2-21 vs. Pittsburgh, 2005 Tackles for Loss 4-26 vs. Pittsburgh, 2005 QB Hurries 5, vs. Kansas State, 2005
Carriker s Career Game-by-Game Statistics 2002 Redshirt an ankle injury against Southern Miss, forcing him to sit out the Pittsburgh game the ensuing weekend. He was slowed with the injury for much of October, accumulating just three combined tackles against Kansas, Texas Tech and Baylor. Carriker returned to near full strength late in the season and responded in strong fashion, making 28 tackles in the season s final five games. He had a career-high nine tackles at Kansas State, followed by five tackles and a season-high four quarterback hurries in a 24-3 win over Missouri. He added six tackles and a sack at Iowa State and five tackles at No. 2 Oklahoma. 2003 (Redshirt Freshman) Carriker opened the 2003 season playing extensively in passing situations before injuring his ankle against Utah State in game two. He missed the next three games, before returning to action at Missouri. Carriker registered two tackles against Iowa State, then broke out against Colorado. He had three quarterback hurries against the Buffs and ended a CU drive in the third quarter with a nine-yard sack of quarterback Joel Klatt. He finished the year with three tackles and three quarterback hurries. 2002 (Redshirt) Carriker redshirted in his first season at Nebraska. Before Nebraska (Kennewick HS) Carriker played quarterback and rush end for Coach Warren Hull at Kennewick High School. Carriker s team did not win a game his senior year, but he still earned second-team All-Big 9 Conference honors on defense as a senior and played in the state all-star game. Carriker recorded 15 sacks, five pass breakups, four forced fumbles and 25 tackles for loss in his only season as a defensive end. He was a three-year starter at quarterback and served as a team captain three years. He ran track one year and earned all-conference baseball honors three times as a designated hitter and first baseman. Academically, he was named to the Principal s list. Carriker attended Big Red Football School in 2001, and also visited Washington State, Oregon and Oregon State before choosing the Huskers. Personal Carriker was born on May 6, 1984, in Hastings, Neb., his father s hometown. Carriker moved to Kennewick, Wash., when he was three years old. Adam s brother, Darren, lives in Hastings and most of his father s family still resides in Nebraska. Carriker is majoring in business administration and has been named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Spring Academic Honor Roll three times. Carriker has volunteered his time as part of Nebraska's hospital visitations and as a speaker during American Education Week. 2003 Tackles Fumbles Game UT AT TT TFL Sacks QBH FF-FR Ok. State 0 0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 Utah State 0 0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 Penn State So. Miss. Troy State Missouri 0 0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 Texas A&M 0 0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 Iowa State 1 1 2 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 Texas Did Not Play Kansas 0 0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 K-State 0 0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 Colorado 1 0 1 1-9 1-9 3 0-0 2003 Alamo Bowl vs. Michigan State Mich. State 0 0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 Totals 2 1 3 1-9 1-9 3 0-0 2004 Tackles Fumbles Game UT AT TT TFL Sacks QBH FF-FR W. Illinois* 2 2 4 2-14 2-14 1 0-0 So. Miss.* 0 1 1 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 Pitt Kansas 0 0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 Texas Tech 1 0 1 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 Baylor* 2 0 2 0-0 0-0 1 0-0 K-State* 1 8 9 1-1 0-0 0 0-0 Missouri* 3 2 5 1-2 0-0 4 0-0 Iowa State* 4 2 6 2-5 1-4 0 0-0 Oklahoma* 4 1 5 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 Colorado* 2 1 3 1-1 0-0 1 0-0 Totals 19 17 36 7-23 3-18 7 0-0 2005 Tackles Fumbles Game UT AT TT TFL Sacks QBH FF-FR Maine* 4 0 4 2-13 2-13 1 0-0 Wake Forest* 1 1 2 1-14 1-14 0 0-0 Pitt* 4 3 7 4-26 2-21 2 0-0 Iowa State* 2 4 6 0-0 0-0 3 0-0 Texas Tech* 1 0 1 1-13 1-13 1 0-0 Baylor* 1 0 1 1-3 0-0 2 0-0 Missouri* 3 2 5 2-7 1-5 2 0-0 Oklahoma* 2 1 3 2-7 1-6 0 0-0 Kansas* 4 2 6 0-0 0-0 1 0-1 K-State* 1 2 3 2-6 1-6 5 0-0 Colorado* 2 2 4 2-7 0.5-6 2 0-0 2005 Alamo Bowl vs. Michigan Michigan* 1 0 1 0-0 0-0 2 0-0 Totals 26 17 43 17-96 9.5-84 21 0-1 *games started 77
Matt Herian #11 Tight End Senior 6-5 245 Three Letters Pierce, Neb. Mackey Award Candidate 2006 Preseason No. 9 Tight End in Nation (Sporting News) 2006 Preseason First-Team All-Big 12 (Sporting News) 2006 Preseason Second-Team All-Big 12 (Lindy s) 2006 Big 12 Commissioner s Spring Academic Honor Roll 2004 Second-Team All-Big 12 (Dallas Morning News) 2004 Honorable-Mention All-Big 12 (AP, Coaches) NU Single-Game Tight Ends Reception Record (8 vs. So. Miss) One of Three Nebraska TE's with 1,000 Receiving Yards 2004 Rotary Lombardi and John Mackey Award Watch Lists 2003 First-Team All-Big 12 (Big 12 Coaches, DMN) 2003 John Mackey Award Semifinalist 2003 Second-Team All-Big 12 (Associated Press) 2002 First-Team Freshman All-Big 12 (Sporting News) NU Freshman Record for Season Receiving Yards (301 in 2002) 78 2006 Outlook Senior tight end Matt Herian is expected to make a long-awaited return to the field this fall. An All-Big 12 performer in 2003 and 2004, Herian missed all of 2005 while rehabilitating from a fractured left leg suffered late in the 2004 campaign. When healthy, the 6-5, 245-pound Herian provides Nebraska s offense an NFLcaliber tight end with excellent speed, outstanding hands and big-play potential. Herian saw limited work during spring practice as he eased back into live action, and Husker coaches expect him to be at full strength by the start of the season. He is slated to share the tight end position with juniors J.B. Phillips and Josh Mueller, who filled in admirably in Herian s absence a year ago. The career of the Pierce, Neb., native changed against Missouri in 2004, when he suffered a broken leg while blocking on the perimeter. Herian underwent surgery and missed the rest of the season, then had a second surgery in April of 2005, pushing back his rehabilitation and forcing him to redshirt last fall. Herian s impact on the Nebraska offense was evident in the first half of 2004. Before being injured Herian had 24 receptions in eight games, including three touchdown catches. Herian averages better than 20 yards on his 53 career receptions and has caught 10 touchdown passes. He has 13 career receptions of 25 yards or more, including nine that covered at least 40 yards. Herian needs 22 receptions to qualify for the NCAA record for average yards per reception by a tight end. The current record is 19.2 yards per catch by BYU's Clay Brown (1978 to 1980). Herian is poised to break several NU career tight end records. He surpassed 1,000 career receiving yards in 2004, one of just three Husker tight ends to reach that mark. Herian has 1,093 career receiving yards, just 57 yards shy of Tracey Wistrom's career tight end record of 1,150 yards, while Herian s 10 touchdowns are four short of the NU record for TD catches by a tight end. With 53 career receptions, Herian is only eight catches shy of the school record for receptions by a tight end. His 53 career catches are tied for 21st among all Huskers. Herian was the only sophomore among eight semifinalists for the 2003 Mackey Award, as he averaged 22.0 yards on 22 catches and scored three touchdowns. He began his career in strong fashion as a true freshman in 2002, averaging 43.0 yards on his seven receptions, including four touchdown catches. Herian has caught a pass in 18 of 21 games since the start of the 2003 campaign. Herian is scheduled to graduate with his degree in history this December. Career Statistics and Personal Bests Receiving Year G/S No. Yds. Y/R Y/G Long TDs 2002 12/0 7 301 43.0 25.1 80 vs. Colorado 4 2003 13/13 22 484 22.0 37.2 77 vs. Troy State 3 2004 8/8 24 308 12.8 50.3 43 vs. Baylor 3 2005 Redshirted Totals 33/21 53 1,093 20.6 33.1 80 vs. Colorado 10 2002 Independence Bowl vs. Ole Miss: Receiving, 1-41, 41-yard TD 2003 Alamo Bowl vs. Michigan State: Started, no receptions 2005 (Redshirt) Herian missed the entire season while rehabilitating from a leg injury. 2004 (Junior) Herian had a solid junior year before the injury. Herian caught 24 passes for 308 yards and three touchdowns, with a season-long reception of 43 yards against Baylor. His 24 catches were the most by a Husker tight end in 14 seasons. Despite playing in only half of the conference games, Herian was a second-team All-Big 12 pick by the Dallas Morning News and an honorable-mention all-league selection by the coaches and the Associated Press. The Huskers wasted no time showing Herian's potential in the West Coast Offense. In the season opener against Western Illinois, Herian caught seven passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns, with six of his catches before halftime. Both of his touchdowns came in the first half, a five-yard catch in the first quarter and a 22-yard TD grab in the second quarter. In game two, Herian tied Nebraska's single-game record for receptions by a tight end with eight catches for 71 yards against Southern Miss. His eight catches matched Dennis Morrison who had eight catches at Colorado in 1966. Herian caught his third touchdown of the year against Southern Miss, a 13-yarder in the third quarter. His 15 combined receptions in the first two games were at that time the most by a Husker in a two-game stretch in 33 seasons. Herian had three combined receptions in victories over Kansas and Pittsburgh as opposing defenses turn their focus toward him. He surpassed the 1,000-yard career receiving mark with three catches for 39 yards at Texas Tech. Against Baylor, Herian caught two passes for 60 yards, including the 43-yarder, and helped Nebraska surpass 300 yards passing in a game for the first time in school history. 2003 (Sophomore) Herian started all 13 games at tight end and caught 22 passes, tying for the team lead in receptions. His 22 catches went for a team-high 484 yards, an impressive average of 22.0 yards per reception. Herian's 484 receiving yards were just 76 yards from the tight end position record of 560 yards set by Junior Miller in 1978. His standout play also earned him honors on the conference level, as Herian was a first-team All-Big 12 selection by the league's coaches and the Dallas Morning Single-Game Bests: Receptions 8 vs. Southern Miss, 2004 Receiving Yards 110 vs. Troy State, 2003 Long Reception/TD Reception 80 vs. Colorado, 2002 TD Receptions 2, vs. Western Illinois, 2004 Number of Career Catches of 25-Plus Yards 13; 6 in 2002; 6 in 2003; 1 in 2004 Number of Career Catches of 40-Plus Yards 9; 4 in 2002; 4 in 2003; 1 in 2004
News and was a second-team all-league pick according to the Associated Press. Seven of Herian's 22 receptions covered 30 yards or more, and he led the team with three touchdown catches. Herian s scores included a 21-yarder against Troy State, a 48-yarder against Texas and a 58-yard catch in the regular-season finale at Colorado. Against Troy State, Herian hauled in three passes for 110 yards, including a Nebraska season-long 77-yard catch. The yardage total was the most by a Nebraska tight end since 1999, and the first 100-yard outing by any Husker in 20 games. The Troy State game was one of three contests in which Herian had three or more catches, including a season-high four receptions for 62 yards against Utah State. Herian opened the year by catching at least one pass in the first six games, giving him a streak About Nebraska Coaches 8The Huskers Staff Review History Info Herian s Career Game-by-Game Statistics 2002 Game No. Yards TDs Avg. Long Arizona St. Did Not Play Herian s Long Plays Troy State 0 0 0 0.0 0 (25 yards or more) Utah State 1 33 1 33.0 33 (TD) 33-yard TD reception vs. Utah State, 2002 Penn State Did Not Play 44-yard reception vs. Oklahoma State, 2002 Iowa State 0 0 0 0.0 0 60-yard TD reception vs. Texas, 2002 McNeese St. 0 0 0 0.0 0 28-yard reception vs. Kansas State, 2002 Missouri 0 0 0 0.0 0 80-yard TD reception vs. Colorado, 2002 Ok. State 1 44 0 44.0 44 41-yard TD reception vs. Ole Miss, Texas A&M 0 0 0 0.0 0 2002 Independence Bowl Texas 1 60 1 60.0 60 (TD) 33-yard reception vs. Oklahoma State, 2003 Kansas 0 0 0 0.0 0 39-yard reception vs. Utah State, 2003 K-State 1 28 0 0.0 28 77-yard reception vs. Troy State, 2003 Colorado 2 95 1 47.5 80 (TD) 42-yard reception vs. Texas, 2003 2002 Independence Bowl vs. Mississippi 48-yard TD reception vs. Texas, 2003 Ole Miss 1 41 1 41.0 41 (TD) 58-yard TD reception vs. Colorado, 2003 Totals 7 301 4 43.0 80 (UT) 43-yard reception vs. Baylor, 2004 of nine straight games with a reception (ended vs. Texas A&M). Herian was Nebraska s top offensive threat at Texas with two catches for 90 yards, including his 48-yard fourth-quarter touchdown grab. He closed the regular season with the 58-yard TD catch at Colorado that gave NU a 7-0 first-quarter lead. 2002 (Freshman) Herian first displayed his knack for big plays during a standout freshman season. He caught a 33-yard touchdown pass against Utah State on his first career reception, and went on to set a then-husker freshman receiving yardage record with 301 yards on seven catches for an unbelievable 43.0 yards per catch. His 301 yards tied fellow freshman Ross Pilkington for the second-most receiving yards on the team, and the pair also shared the Nebraska freshman record for receiving yards. Herian did not play in the season opener, but showed his potential in game two against Utah State. He had a 44-yard catch to set up a touchdown at Oklahoma State, then against Texas, snared a 60-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to pull NU to within 20-17. He had a 28-yard reception at Kansas State, then closed the regular season with two catches for 95 yards against Colorado, including an 80-yard scoring catch. The 80-yard grab tied the second-longest reception ever by a Husker tight end. He capped his freshman season with a 41-yard touchdown catch against Ole Miss in the Independence Bowl. Before Nebraska (Pierce HS) A member of the Omaha World-Herald s Super Six in 2001, Herian was a threeyear starter at tight end for Coach Mark Brahmer at Pierce High School. Herian caught 38 passes for 786 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior. He added 76 tackles and three interceptions as a linebacker. He was a three-time Class C-1 all-state selection by both the World-Herald and Lincoln Journal Star. Herian finished with 24 career touchdown catches and 2,386 receiving yards to help the Bluejays to the Class C-1 state playoffs all four years. Herian averaged 15 points and nine rebounds per game in basketball as a senior. He twice earned all-state honors from the Omaha World-Herald. He also excelled in track and field, finishing second in the shot put and third in the 100 meters in the Class B state meet as a senior. Herian attended Nebraska football camp and turned down scholarship offers from Iowa and Iowa State. Personal Matt is the son of James and Diane Herian. He was born on Oct. 7, 1983, in Norfolk, Neb. Herian is majoring in history and is on track to earn his degree in December of 2006. Herian was a featured speaker at the Norfolk stop on the "Tour of Excellence" and has volunteered time with local hospital visits. Herian was married to the former Lynsey Collison, also a Pierce native, on July 15. 2003 Game No. Yards TDs Avg. Long Ok. State* 3 42 0 14.0 33 Utah State* 4 62 0 15.5 39 Penn State* 1 12 0 12.0 12 So. Miss.* 1 20 0 20.0 20 Troy State* 3 110 1 36.7 77 Missouri* 2 31 0 15.5 21 Texas A&M* 0 0 0 0.0 0 Iowa State* 1 16 0 16.0 16 Texas* 2 90 1 45.0 48 (TD) Kansas* 1 16 0 16.0 16 K-State* 2 21 0 10.5 11 Colorado* 2 64 1 32.0 58 (TD) 2003 Alamo Bowl vs. Michigan State Mich. State* 0 0 0 0.0 0 Totals 22 484 3 22.0 77 (TSU) 2004 Game No. Yards TDs Avg. Long W. Illinois* 7 98 2 14.0 23 So. Miss.* 8 71 1 8.9 21 Pitt* 2 26 0 13.0 16 Kansas* 1 8 0 8.0 8 Texas Tech* 3 39 0 13.0 16 Baylor* 2 60 0 30.0 43 K-State* 0 0 0 0.0 0 Missouri* 1 6 0 6.0 0 Iowa State Did Not Play Oklahoma Did Not Play Colorado Did Not Play Totals 24 308 3 12.8 43 (Baylor) 2005 Redshirt *games started 79
Zac Taylor #13 Quarterback Senior 6-2 210 One Letter Norman, Okla. (Wake Forest/Butler County CC/Norman HS) 80 2006 Outlook Quarterback Zac Taylor found a home in the Husker offense in his first season in Lincoln in 2005. Taylor successfully directed Nebraska s West Coast Offense, helping Nebraska to an 8-4 record and an Alamo Bowl victory. In the process, Taylor re-wrote the Nebraska passing record book. After a year of familiarity in Nebraska s system, Taylor will look for even bigger things in his senior year. The 6-2, 210-pounder showed great poise in the pocket last season and was an outstanding leader, traits that give the Husker coaching staff great confidence in Taylor heading into the 2006 campaign. Taylor easily broke Nebraska s 33-year-old single-season passing record by throwing for 2,653 yards in 12 games, bettering the previous record of 2,074 yards by Dave Humm in 1972. The Norman, Okla., native also set season records for pass completions (237) and attempts (430). Taylor enters his senior year in position to break Nebraska s career passing record of 5,035 yards despite playing only two seasons in Lincoln. Taylor also set several single-game passing records in the Big 12 opener against Iowa State. In a 27-20 double-overtime victory, Taylor established singlegame records for pass attempts (55), completions (36), passing yards (431) and total offensive yards (433). His performance against the Cyclones earned Taylor Big 12 Offensive Player-of-the-Week honors. Taylor came to Nebraska in January of 2005 and took control of the quarterback job during spring practice. He capped his first spring in Lincoln with a standout spring game effort, connecting on 20-of-27 passes for 357 yards, and three touchdowns. He spent the 2004 season at Butler County (Kan.) Community College, where he led his team to the NJCAA championship game. Taylor played at Wake Forest in 2002 and 2003, before transferring to Butler County. In addition to his leading role on the field, Taylor is one of the best ambassadors for the Husker football program. He is a regular volunteer in the community and was named to NU s 2006 Brook Berringer Citizenship Team. In the classroom, Taylor is scheduled to pick up his degree in communication studies this December. 2005 (Junior) Taylor took control of the quarterback job in the spring and started all 12 games. Taylor played every snap at quarterback in the first nine-plus games, before missing the latter part of the fourth quarter against Kansas State. Taylor continued to progress throughout the season and capped the year by guiding the Huskers to three straight victories. Taylor finished the season among the top passers in the Big 12 Conference and set numerous school passing and total offensive records. Career Statistics and Personal Bests Passing Year G Att. Cmp. Int. Pct. Yds. Y/A Y/G LP TD Eff.R. 2005 12/12 430 237 12.551 2,653 6.2 221.1 73 19 115.94 Totals 12/12 430 237 12.551 2,653 6.2 221.1 73 19 115.94 Rushing: 76-(-41)-1 TD (Pittsburgh); long-21 vs. Oklahoma NU Single-Season Record Holder for Passing Yards (2,486), Completions (233) and Attempts (399) NU-Single Game Record Holder for Passing Yards (431), Completions (36), Attempts (55) and Total Offense (433) 2006 Maxwell Award Watch List 2006 Preseason Second-Team All-Big 12 (Lindy s) Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week (10-3 vs. Iowa State) SI.com National Player of the Week (11-28 vs. Colorado) 2006 Big 12 Commissioner s Spring Academic Honor Roll 2006 Brook Berringer Citizenship Team Taylor was at his best in Big 12 Conference play. After completing 42 percent of his attempts in non-league play, Taylor connected on 59.4 percent of his passes in Big 12 games. He also threw for 260.9 yards per game in Big 12 play, ranking second only to Texas Tech s Cody Hodges. Taylor posted the top two single-game passing efforts in school history, including the 431 yards against Iowa State and torching Colorado for 392 yards in the regular-season finale. Taylor threw for more than 200 yards six times in 2005, and had two touchdown passes in seven of eight Big 12 games. He finished the season with 19 touchdown passes, the most by a Husker quarterback in 16 seasons and just one off the school single-season record. Taylor capped the regular season with four touchdowns and no interceptions in victories over Kansas State and Colorado, then threw for a career-best three touchdown passes in the Alamo Bowl victory over Michigan. Taylor was also excellent at distributing the ball. Five Husker receivers caught 25 or more passes in 2005, and Taylor connected with a total of 14 receivers on the season. Taylor s 2005 Game-by-Game Maine Taylor compiled 192 passing yards in his debut as Nebraska s starting quarterback, completing 15-of-36 attempts. He connected with wide receiver Frantz Hardy on a career-long 73-yard completion in the second quarter. Wake Forest Against his former team, Taylor threw his first career touchdown pass on a four-yard strike to Hardy to finish off the Huskers opening drive of the second half. He completed 14-of-33 attempts for 114 yards with one interception. Single-Game Bests: Pass Attempts 55 vs. Iowa State, 2005 (school record) Pass Completions 36 vs. Iowa State, 2005 (school record) Passing Yards 431 vs. Iowa State, 2005 (school record) Passing Touchdowns 3 vs. Michigan, 2005 Alamo Bowl Long Pass 73 yards to Frantz Hardy vs. Maine, 2005 Rushing Yards 30 vs. Baylor, 2005 Total Offense 433 vs. Iowa State, 2005 (school record)
Pittsburgh Taylor scored the game s only touchdown on a one-yard run in the second quarter of a tough 7-6 defensive victory. Through the air, he completed 10-of-20 passes for 93 yards. Iowa State Taylor set single-game school records for pass attempts (55), completions (36), yardage (431) and total offense (433) in the Huskers doubleovertime win. He added two touchdown passes, including the game winner in double-overtime to I-back Cory Ross. Taylor earned Big 12 Offensive Player-ofthe-Week honors for his performance. Texas Tech Taylor helped fuel a furious Husker comeback that fell just short with 229 yards on 21-of-35 passing and two touchdowns. He connected on a pair of scores to wide receiver Terrence Nunn just over five minutes apart to give NU a fourth-quarter lead after trailing 21-0 midway through the second quarter. Baylor Taylor notched another efficient game, throwing for 168 yards and two scores with no interceptions on 18-of-32 passing. He added a career-high 30 yards rushing in engineering a 23-14 Nebraska victory. Missouri Taylor completed 22-of-43 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns. Oklahoma Against his hometown school, Taylor completed 25-of-45 attempts for 249 yards and two touchdowns. Kansas Taylor connected on 14-of-26 passes for 117 yards and one touchdown. Kansas State Taylor broke NU s 33-year-old single-season passing record with 220 yards on a 21-of-31 performance. He set the record on a 34-yard touchdown pass to Nate Swift, one of two scoring strikes to Swift during the game. He connected with eight different receivers without throwing an interception, before leaving the game with a concussion in the fourth quarter. Colorado Taylor put together the second-best passing day in Nebraska history with 392 yards passing against the Buffs. Taylor completed 27-of-43 passes in the game, including touchdown passes of 19 yards to Cory Ross and 21 yards to Nate Swift. He also helped Nebraska by scrambling for 16 yards in the game. His performance earned him National Player-of-the-Week honors from SI.com. Michigan Taylor guided Nebraska to a 32-28 victory, throwing for 167 yards and a season-high three touchdowns. Taylor capped his junior season by rallying Nebraska from a 28-17 fourth-quarter deficit, capped by a 13-yard touchdown pass to Terrence Nunn with 5:56 remaining in the game. Before Nebraska (Norman HS/Wake Forest/Butler County CC) Taylor had a successful 2004 season at Butler County Community College in El Dorado, Kansas, and was one of three players from the school to sign with Nebraska in 2005. Taylor passed for nearly 3,000 yards and 29 touchdowns to earn secondteam NJCAA All-America honors. His leadership helped the Grizzlies to the NJCAA championship game, where they lost to Pearl River (Miss.) JC. Taylor began his collegiate career at Wake Forest. After redshirting in 2002, Taylor served as the Demon Deacons' backup quarterback in 2003. He played in three games and completed the only pass he attempted. Taylor passed for 1,950 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior at Norman High. Taylor earned first-team all-district and all-conference honors in high school, where he was coached by Butch Peters. Taylor set 12 school records at Norman High, including career passing yards and career touchdowns. Taylor chose Nebraska after also visiting Memphis and Marshall. Personal Zac was born on May 10, 1983, and is the son of Sherwood and Julie Taylor. Sherwood played defensive back at Oklahoma, lettering from 1977 to 1979. Sherwood Taylor also served as a graduate assistant coach at Oklahoma and as a defensive backs coach at Kansas State from 1984 to 1986. Zac's younger sister, Katheryn, competes in swimming in the Special Olympics in Oklahoma. Taylor spent part of his 2005 summer as an intern in the Huskers' Athletic Development Office, learning the administrative side of collegiate athletics. In addition to assisting with Nebraska s team hospital visits, Taylor has volunteered his time with numerous outreach activities, including being a volunteer with the Special Olympics, and serving as a speaker at Nebraska s 2006 School is Cool Celebration, a motivational program for all Lincoln eighth graders. About Nebraska Coaches 8The Huskers Staff Review History Info Taylor s Game-by-Game Statistics 2005 Game Att. Comp. Yards TD INT Long Maine* 36 15 192 0 2 73 (Hardy) Wake Forest* 33 14 114 1 1 25 (Mulkey) Pitt* 20 10 93 0 0 36 (Nunn) Iowa State* 55 36 431 2 0 70 (Ross) Texas Tech* 35 21 229 2 2 24 (Ross) Baylor* 32 18 168 2 0 31 (Swift) Missouri* 43 22 281 2 2 34 (Peterson) Oklahoma* 45 25 249 2 2 25 (Swift) Kansas* 26 14 117 1 1 30 (Nunn) Kansas State* 31 21 220 2 0 34 (Swift) Colorado* 43 27 392 2 0 38 (Peterson) 2005 Alamo Bowl vs. Michigan Michigan* 31 14 167 3 2 52 (Nunn) Totals 430 237 2,653 19 12 73 (Hardy, Maine) *games started Top Five Passing Seasons in Nebraska History Player, Year Yards 1. Zac Taylor, 2005 2,653 2. Dave Humm, 1972 2,074 3. Vince Ferragamo, 1976 2,071 4. Joe Dailey, 2004 2,024 5. Jerry Tagge, 1971 2,019 Nebraska Career Passing Leaders Player, Years Yards 1. Dave Humm, 1972-74 5,035 2. Jerry Tagge, 1969-71 4,704 3. Eric Crouch, 1998-2001 4,481 4. Tommie Frazier, 1992-95 3,521 5. Turner Gill, 1980-83 3,317 6. Vince Ferragamo, 1975-76 3,224 7. Jammal Lord, 2000-03 2,848 8. Steve Taylor, 1985-88 2,815 9. Scott Frost, 1996-97 2,677 10. Zac Taylor, 2005-present 2,653 Top Five Passing Games in Nebraska History Rank, Player, Game Yards 1. Zac Taylor, 2005 vs. Iowa State 431 2. Zac Taylor, 2005 at Colorado 392 3. Joe Dailey, 2004 vs. Baylor 342 4. Joe Dailey, 2004 vs. Colorado 306 5. Dave Humm, 1973 vs. Wisconsin 297 School Records Set or Tied by Zac Taylor Single-Game Passing Yards: 431, vs. Iowa State Previous Record: 342, Joe Dailey vs. Baylor, 2004 Single-Game Completions: 36, vs. Iowa State Previous Record: 29, Joe Dailey vs. Colorado, 2004 Single-Game Passing Attempts (Tied): 55, vs. Iowa State Previous Record: 55, Joe Dailey vs. Colorado, 2004 Single-Game Total Offense: 433, (431 pass, 2 rush), vs. Iowa State Previous Record: 369, Jammal Lord vs. McNeese St., 2002 Single-Game Total Offense Attempts: 62, vs. Iowa State Previous Record: 60, Joe Dailey vs. Colorado, 2004 Most Pass Attempts Without an INT, Game: 55, vs. Iowa State Previous Record: 36, Jerry Tagge, vs. Kansas, 1969 Single-Season Passing Yards: 2,653 Previous Record: 2,074, Dave Humm, 1972 Single-Season Passing Completions: 237 Previous Record: 153, Joe Dailey, 2004 Single-Season Passing Attempts: 430 Previous Record: 310, Joe Dailey, 2004 Single-Season Passing Yards Per Game: 221.1 Previous Record: 188.5, Dave Humm, 1972 81