Callahan lauds Purify for playing at tough time
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The list was short, but the first player that Nebraska coach Bill Callahan singled out for his solid effort Saturday against Missouri was wide receiver Maurice Purify.
It’s been another difficult week for the native Californian, who played one week after his girlfriend, Reia Shapiro, died in an automobile accident.
Purify caught five passes for 40 yards and had another significant gain called back because of penalty. He was one of the last players to leave the field following Missouri’s 41-6 win.
No one to blame: Callahan gave no indication that he was bothered by Missouri calling for a fake field goal leading 34-6 in the fourth quarter.
“That’s none of my business. That’s their business,” Callahan said. “It’s our business to defend it.”
Missouri converted the fake into a 10-yard TD pass from Tommy Saunders to Martin Rucker.
Scoring points: Place-kicker Alex Henery booted two first-half field goals, giving the redshirt freshman from Omaha Burke 35 points this season. Those kicks made him 5-for-5 on field goals, including a career-long 39-yarder against the Tigers.
Coming into Saturday’s game, walk-ons had accounted for more than one third of the Huskers’ points this season. Sean Hill and Thomas Lawson had combined for five touchdowns, and Todd Peterson, a former walk-on, had two TDs.
Awash in gold: Given the excitement that Missouri can generate on offense, it’s hard to figure out why the white rocks that make up the “M” in the north end zone of Faurot Field aren’t swarmed over by fans every week.
Saturday’s sellout crowd of 70,049 was the largest in Columbia since Mizzou played Notre Dame in 1984. (The stadium capacity was reduced following reconfiguration in 1995.) The last time Missouri had a capacity crowd was in 2003, when the Tigers beat Nebraska for the first time in 25 tries.
First impressions: Missouri took the opening kickoff and drove 80 yards in 12 plays for a touchdown. Although the Tigers were just the second opponent to score on their first possession —you’ll remember USC drove 96 yards for a TD — all six NU foes have notched at least one first down on their opening series.
Nebraska, meanwhile, went three-and-out on its first possession for the third time this season. The Huskers were set back by a false start on their first snap.
The second half? More of the same. Nebraska went three-and-out after a penalty and Mizzou drove for a score.
Tough schedule?: One more pause for caution regarding Nebraska’s 4-1 start to the season: Look at what NU’s early-season opponents did Saturday. In order, Nevada lost 49-41 to Fresno State, Wake Forest edged Duke 41-36, USC lost 24-23 to Stanford, Ball State lost 58-38 to Central Michigan and Iowa State lost 42-17 to Texas Tech. Combined, NU opponents allowed an average of 41.8 points.
Injury update: Defensive lineman Ty Steinkuhler missed his second game this season because of a knee injury. Steinkuhler did not make the trip, nor did NU defensive end Clayton Sievers, who is out with a leg injury.
During Saturday’s game, Nebraska defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh limped off, and linebacker Phillip Dillard struggled with a hamstring injury.
Reach Todd Henrichs at 473-7320 or thenrichs@journalstar.com.
It’s been another difficult week for the native Californian, who played one week after his girlfriend, Reia Shapiro, died in an automobile accident.
Purify caught five passes for 40 yards and had another significant gain called back because of penalty. He was one of the last players to leave the field following Missouri’s 41-6 win.
No one to blame: Callahan gave no indication that he was bothered by Missouri calling for a fake field goal leading 34-6 in the fourth quarter.
“That’s none of my business. That’s their business,” Callahan said. “It’s our business to defend it.”
Missouri converted the fake into a 10-yard TD pass from Tommy Saunders to Martin Rucker.
Scoring points: Place-kicker Alex Henery booted two first-half field goals, giving the redshirt freshman from Omaha Burke 35 points this season. Those kicks made him 5-for-5 on field goals, including a career-long 39-yarder against the Tigers.
Coming into Saturday’s game, walk-ons had accounted for more than one third of the Huskers’ points this season. Sean Hill and Thomas Lawson had combined for five touchdowns, and Todd Peterson, a former walk-on, had two TDs.
Awash in gold: Given the excitement that Missouri can generate on offense, it’s hard to figure out why the white rocks that make up the “M” in the north end zone of Faurot Field aren’t swarmed over by fans every week.
Saturday’s sellout crowd of 70,049 was the largest in Columbia since Mizzou played Notre Dame in 1984. (The stadium capacity was reduced following reconfiguration in 1995.) The last time Missouri had a capacity crowd was in 2003, when the Tigers beat Nebraska for the first time in 25 tries.
First impressions: Missouri took the opening kickoff and drove 80 yards in 12 plays for a touchdown. Although the Tigers were just the second opponent to score on their first possession —you’ll remember USC drove 96 yards for a TD — all six NU foes have notched at least one first down on their opening series.
Nebraska, meanwhile, went three-and-out on its first possession for the third time this season. The Huskers were set back by a false start on their first snap.
The second half? More of the same. Nebraska went three-and-out after a penalty and Mizzou drove for a score.
Tough schedule?: One more pause for caution regarding Nebraska’s 4-1 start to the season: Look at what NU’s early-season opponents did Saturday. In order, Nevada lost 49-41 to Fresno State, Wake Forest edged Duke 41-36, USC lost 24-23 to Stanford, Ball State lost 58-38 to Central Michigan and Iowa State lost 42-17 to Texas Tech. Combined, NU opponents allowed an average of 41.8 points.
Injury update: Defensive lineman Ty Steinkuhler missed his second game this season because of a knee injury. Steinkuhler did not make the trip, nor did NU defensive end Clayton Sievers, who is out with a leg injury.
During Saturday’s game, Nebraska defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh limped off, and linebacker Phillip Dillard struggled with a hamstring injury.
Reach Todd Henrichs at 473-7320 or thenrichs@journalstar.com.
Copyright © 2002-2008 Lincoln Journal Star. All rights reserved.