Byford hasn't looked back since getting his chance
Local supermarkets wishing to cater to a Husker football captain should stock up on pickled okra.
Oh, how Brett Byford loves pickled okra.
“Yeah, man, it’s excellent,” said Byford, a senior from Hartselle, Ala. “Nobody in Nebraska knows about it. And the grocery stores up here don’t carry much of it.”
What’s more, pickled okra loves Byford. Pickled okra, pickle juice, sauerkraut. They all keep Byford on his feet. Literally.
From the time Byford arrived in Lincoln in 2003, when he redshirted, he said he’s always struggled with serious dehydration.
“It took awhile to figure out how to take care of it,” Byford said, noting he wasn’t diagnosed with anything — “just dehydration like crazy.”
When the salt in the pickled products isn’t enough — and it usually isn’t — Byford takes IVs before games.
“Several guys do that,” he said, “but I actually have to do it at halftime, also.”
Of course, there was a time in Byford’s career when none of that mattered. Dehydration isn’t a problem when you’re sitting on the bench.
That’s when Byford — affectionally known as “Bama” by his teammates — depended on something other than pickled okra.
Faith.
“This time last year, I really had nothing going for me,” Byford said. “All I had was my faith and my work ethic.
“Then stuff happened, doors opened and things worked out.”
And what if Kurt Mann had never been sidelined with mononucleosis?
“I don’t know,” Nebraska offensive line coach Dennis Wagner said. “That’s hard to say … That’s hard to say.”
It was Mann’s illness one game into last season that gave Byford his opportunity. Byford, in his previous two seasons, had played in only one game — against Western Illinois as a redshirt freshman.
“I was probably just like everyone else,” Byford said, “like, ‘Can I do it?’ ”
The answer? Yes.
“I’d never seen somebody step up that fast and just be there and know everything,” Nebraska junior guard Matt Slauson said. “It was amazing.
“He was a good player, but he was the second-team guy. Kurt was better. But as soon as it came time, it was like Kurt had never left. ‘Bama’ filled in great.
“I mean, it was an amazing transformation that went through Brett.”
Even Byford admits his rise to stardom — only at Nebraska can you play center and be considered a star — seemed improbable.
Out of high school, Byford figured he could hold his own simply because he was big. Then came the dose of reality: Everyone else was big, too. And strong. And fast.
That was in 2003, pre-Bill Callahan, pre-West Coast offense. You can imagine, then, what 2004 was like for a lineman who, in high school, rarely pass blocked.
“He was a real green guy,” Wagner said. “Had a lot to learn.”
Byford made his first start against Division I-AA Nicholls State. It was his performance the following week, at USC, that left coaches feeling comfortable.
“I played well in that game,” Byford said. “I think that put more people at ease.”
When asked when the light came on for Byford, Wagner responded: “For Brett, the light had to go on. He didn’t have a choice. The light went on because he was forced to take the flag and climb the mountain.”
How impressive was Byford? He started 13 games, holding his position even when Mann returned. Big 12 coaches voted him honorable mention All-Big 12. This year, he’s on a watch list for the Rimington Award.
Teammates thought enough of Byford — somebody you’d want your daughter to date, Wagner said — to vote him team captain.
“It’s really incredible. Just an honor,” Byford said. “I’m not saying it to sound humble. It really is honestly something I didn’t really consider happening, especially this time last year, and especially a couple of years ago.
“I never would have expected it, just how far God’s brought me. It’s amazing. That’s an understatement.”
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
Oh, how Brett Byford loves pickled okra.
“Yeah, man, it’s excellent,” said Byford, a senior from Hartselle, Ala. “Nobody in Nebraska knows about it. And the grocery stores up here don’t carry much of it.”
What’s more, pickled okra loves Byford. Pickled okra, pickle juice, sauerkraut. They all keep Byford on his feet. Literally.
From the time Byford arrived in Lincoln in 2003, when he redshirted, he said he’s always struggled with serious dehydration.
“It took awhile to figure out how to take care of it,” Byford said, noting he wasn’t diagnosed with anything — “just dehydration like crazy.”
When the salt in the pickled products isn’t enough — and it usually isn’t — Byford takes IVs before games.
“Several guys do that,” he said, “but I actually have to do it at halftime, also.”
Of course, there was a time in Byford’s career when none of that mattered. Dehydration isn’t a problem when you’re sitting on the bench.
That’s when Byford — affectionally known as “Bama” by his teammates — depended on something other than pickled okra.
Faith.
“This time last year, I really had nothing going for me,” Byford said. “All I had was my faith and my work ethic.
“Then stuff happened, doors opened and things worked out.”
And what if Kurt Mann had never been sidelined with mononucleosis?
“I don’t know,” Nebraska offensive line coach Dennis Wagner said. “That’s hard to say … That’s hard to say.”
It was Mann’s illness one game into last season that gave Byford his opportunity. Byford, in his previous two seasons, had played in only one game — against Western Illinois as a redshirt freshman.
“I was probably just like everyone else,” Byford said, “like, ‘Can I do it?’ ”
The answer? Yes.
“I’d never seen somebody step up that fast and just be there and know everything,” Nebraska junior guard Matt Slauson said. “It was amazing.
“He was a good player, but he was the second-team guy. Kurt was better. But as soon as it came time, it was like Kurt had never left. ‘Bama’ filled in great.
“I mean, it was an amazing transformation that went through Brett.”
Even Byford admits his rise to stardom — only at Nebraska can you play center and be considered a star — seemed improbable.
Out of high school, Byford figured he could hold his own simply because he was big. Then came the dose of reality: Everyone else was big, too. And strong. And fast.
That was in 2003, pre-Bill Callahan, pre-West Coast offense. You can imagine, then, what 2004 was like for a lineman who, in high school, rarely pass blocked.
“He was a real green guy,” Wagner said. “Had a lot to learn.”
Byford made his first start against Division I-AA Nicholls State. It was his performance the following week, at USC, that left coaches feeling comfortable.
“I played well in that game,” Byford said. “I think that put more people at ease.”
When asked when the light came on for Byford, Wagner responded: “For Brett, the light had to go on. He didn’t have a choice. The light went on because he was forced to take the flag and climb the mountain.”
How impressive was Byford? He started 13 games, holding his position even when Mann returned. Big 12 coaches voted him honorable mention All-Big 12. This year, he’s on a watch list for the Rimington Award.
Teammates thought enough of Byford — somebody you’d want your daughter to date, Wagner said — to vote him team captain.
“It’s really incredible. Just an honor,” Byford said. “I’m not saying it to sound humble. It really is honestly something I didn’t really consider happening, especially this time last year, and especially a couple of years ago.
“I never would have expected it, just how far God’s brought me. It’s amazing. That’s an understatement.”
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
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