Future Huskers: Doug Rippy has overcome his fear of playing

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By the Lincoln Journal Star

Taking a look at one of Nebraska's football recruits.

Doug Rippy

Trotwood, Ohio (Trotwood-Madison)

6-2, 218, Outside linebacker

Of note: Rated as the nation’s No. 48 outside linebacker prospect by Rivals.com.

Friday night: Rippy had five tackles in two quarters of play in Trotwood-Madison’s 71-0 win vs. West Carrollton.

Quick study

It’s easy now to see why Rippy hasn’t garnered some of the same recruiting attention as others who have said they’ll play for the Huskers — he’s begun just his second season of organized football.

For the longest time, Rippy says,  he was scared to play because he was too small. But he bulked up before his junior year, had enough people tell him he could be good enough to earn a college scholarship, and took a leap of faith.

A lifelong Philadelphia Eagles and Penn State fan, Rippy said he already had the gist of the game. Still, the first time he put on pads he had no clue how to tackle. He’s come along nicely, though, and makes a habit of getting into the backfield. He even broke the ribs of a running back once.

New digs

He moved about an hour from his old school in Columbus, Ohio, in late July, in part to attend a school with less violence. Rippy now plays for a team that could send as many as 10 players to NCAA Division I colleges next year.

Rippy said the transition has gone as well as can be expected, and is proud he’s proven he can still have success in football and in the classroom — he carries a 3.8 GPA — at his new school.

On pace to graduate in December, Rippy will begin classes in Lincoln in January. He plans to study construction management or criminal justice.

Already a celebrity

Rippy hadn’t visited NU before  orally committing to the Huskers in late June, but later made an unofficial visit during fall camp.

“I loved it,” Rippy said. “I didn’t want to come home — people there knew who I was, and I was signing autographs.”

He had the first of what figures to be many odd encounters while at the Old Chicago restaurant in the Haymarket.

“This lady was like, ‘You’re Doug Rippy.’ I was like, ‘Wow.’ This husband took a picture of me and his wife. It was crazy, but I loved it.”

— Brent C. Wagner