DOUBLETREE HOTEL - 16TH & DODGE STREETS

OMAHA, NE

Sean Fisher #42

2012 NOVAK TROPHY WINNER
(The Tom Novak trophy was established in 1950 and is presented to the Senior who “best exemplifies courage and determination despite all odds in the manner of Nebraska All-American center Tom Novak.)

Honors & Awards

• Second-Team CoSIDA Academic All-American (2011)
• First-Team CoSIDA Academic All-District VII (2011)
• Academic All-Big Ten (2011)
• Third-Team National All-Freshman Team (Phil Steele, 2009)
• All-Big 12 Freshman Team (ESPN.com, 2009)
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 (2009)
• Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (Fall, 2011; Spring, 2012)
• Big 12 Commissioner's Fall Academic Honor Roll (2008, 2009, 2010)
• Big 12 Commissioner's Spring Academic Honor Roll (2009, 2010, 2011)
• Nebraska Student-Athlete HERO Leadership Award (2011)

2012 Game By Game
Southern Miss: Saw game action, but didn’t register any tackles. UCLA: Played against the Bruins, but did not register a tackle. Arkansas State: Produced a then-season-high four tackles against the Red Wolves. Idaho State: Totaled three tackles in the 73-7 NU win. Wisconsin: Made the most of his first start of the season with a season-high seven total tackles, including his first TFL of the season... helped the Blackshirts hold the Badgers to 56 yards rushing. Ohio State: Came off the bench against the Buckeyes to record one tackle. Northwestern: Did not record any stats against the Wildcats... saw limited snaps due to NU playing multiple DBs to counter Northwestern’s spread attack. Michigan: Played one his best games as a Husker... tied a season high with seven tackles, including three solo stops... produced a career-high two TFLs, while helping hold the Wolverines to 188 yards of total offense. Michigan State: Produced six total tackles, including three solo stops... notched his first pass break-up off the season.

2012 Outlook
Linebacker Sean Fisher enters his senior season with the expectations of again being a key contributor to the Nebraska defense, while continuing to be one of the nation’s top student-athletes. Fisher is one of three returning senior linebackers with extensive playing experience, joining Will Compton and Alonzo Whaley. The 6-6, 230-pound Fisher worked at the Buck linebacker spot this spring, and he is a leading contender for a starting job.

Fisher continues to excel in the classroom, carrying a 4.0 grade-point average through eight semesters as a business administration/pre-medicince major. He was a second-team CoSIDA Academic All-America pick in 2011 and earned academic all-conference honors for the second time in his career. He will be a strong contender for first-team academic All-America honors in his senior season. Fisher is on track to earn his undergraduate degree in May of 2013, and has plans to pursue medical school.

#22 Rex Burkhead

2012 GUY CHAMBERLIN TROPHY WINNER
(The Guy Chamberlin trophy was inaugurated in 1967 in memory of the former UNL All-America football player and is presented to the Senior player who has shown by his play and contributions to the betterment of the University of Nebraska football squad that he has the qualities and dedication of Guy Chamberlin to the great Cornhusker tradition.)

Honors & Awards

• Preseason Second-Team All-American (Athlon, 2012)
• Preseason First-Team All-Big Ten (Athlon, Phil Steele, 2012)
• Honorable-Mention All-American (Sports Illustrated, 2011)
• Doak Walker Semifinalist (1 of 10, 2011)
• First-Team All-Big Ten (Coaches, Media, ESPN, Phil Steele, 2011)
• Second-Team All-Big Ten (Yahoo.com, 2011)
• Rivals.com Big Ten Player of the Week (vs. Ohio State; vs. Michigan State, 2011)
• School Record Holder for Single-Game Carries (38 vs. Iowa, 2011)
• Tied School Record For Consecutive Games with a Touchdown (10, 2011)
• First-Team CoSIDA Academic All-American (2011)
• Academic All-District VII (2011)
• Academic All-Big Ten (2011)
• Honorable-Mention All-Big 12 (Coaches, 2010)
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 (2010)
• 2-Time Nebraska Lifter of the Year (2010, 2011)
• Two-Time Big 12 Commissioner’s Fall Academic Honor Roll (2009, 2010)
• Big 12 Commissioner's Spring Academic Honor Roll (2011)
• Uplifting Athletes Rare Disease Champion (2012)
• Nebraska Student-Athlete HERO Leadership Award (2012)
• Brook Berringer Citizenship Team (2010, 2011, 2012)

 

2012 Game By Game
Southern Miss: Was limited to just three carries due to an injury early in the first quarter... still ranked second on the team in rushing on the day with 68 yards and one touchdown... 57 of his 68 yards came on a then-career-long TD run on NU’s first possession of the game, topping a 52-yard run in 2011’s season opener against Chattanooga... his score came just 1:18 into the game, the quickest score in a Nebraska opener since 1998 when NU scored in 48 seconds in a 56-27 win over Louisiana Tech... moved to 11th on the NU career rushing list with 2,722 yards, passing Derek Brown (2,699). UCLA: Did not play against the Bruins due to an injury he suffered in the season opener against Southern Miss. Arkansas State: Did not play in his second straight game due to an injury he suffered in the season opener against Southern Miss. Idaho State: Returned to the starting lineup after missing the previous two games with a knee injury... rushed eight times for 119 yards, including a career-long 61-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to open the scoring.. all of his rushing yards came in the first half... the 61-yard run bettered Burkhead’s career-long of 57 yards in the season opener against Southern Miss... marked the 12th, 100-yard rushing game of his career, tying for the eighth-most in school history... moved into the top 10 on the NU career rushing list... with 2,841 career rushing yards to rank seventh in school history... moved up from 11th at the start of the day, and passed Cory Ross (2,743), Dahrran Diedrick (2,745), Lawrence Phillips (2,777) and I.M. Hipp (2,814). Wisconsin: Rushed 18 times for 86 yards, including 63 yards in the second half... added one three-yard touchdown catch on the night, his first of the season and fourth of his career. Ohio State: Rushed 14 times for 119 yards, including a career-long 73-yard run in the first quarter, bettering his previous long run of 61 yards against Idaho State... posted the three longest runs of his career this season (57 yards vs. Southern Miss, 61 yards vs. Idaho State, 73 yards vs. Ohio State).... with his 119 yards against OSU, he pushed his career rushing total to 3,046 yards to become the seventh Husker to rush for 3,000 career yards... hit exactly 3,000 yards with his 73-yard run in the first quarter... moved up to sixth place on the NU career rushing list, moving past Ken Clark (3,037 career yards)... his 119 yards marked the 13th 100-yard rushing game of his career and his second of 2012 (also Idaho State)... topped the century mark for the second straight year against Ohio State after running 26 times for 119 yards and a touchdown against the Buckeyes last year in Lincoln. Northwestern: Made his 20th start at Nebraska, but had to leave the game following an injury during NU’s second offensive possession... carried the ball four times for 18 yards. Michigan: Did not play against the Wolverines due to a knee injury. Michigan State: Did not play against the Spartans due to a knee injury.

2012 (Outlook)
Nebraska I-back Rex Burkhead has established himself as one of the nation’s top running backs on the field heading into his senior season in 2012. At the same time, the Plano, Texas, native has distinguished himself as one of the top student-athletes in the country, both in the classroom and through his community outreach efforts.

Burkhead put together one of the top rushing seasons in Nebraska history in 2011. The 5-11, 210-pound Burkhead earned first-team All-Big Ten honors after carrying a heavy workload for the Nebraska rushing attack in 2011. In addition to his all-conference honors on the field, Burkhead earned first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors as a junior.

This season, Burkhead figures to be a strong contender to repeat as a first-team All-Big Ten selection, while also contending for the Doak Walker Award and other national honors. He is also in position to join an elite group of two-time Nebraska Academic All-Americans.

Burkhead amassed 1,357 rushing yards and 17 total touchdowns as a junior. His 104.4 rushing yards per game ranked third in the Big Ten and 19th nationally. Burkhead reached the end zone in each of the season’s first 10 games and 11 of 13 contests overall, while his 7.9 points per game placed him second in the conference.

Burkhead finished his junior season with seven 100-yard rushing games, including five in Big Ten Conference play. One of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, Burkhead’s 1,357 rushing yards were the seventh most in a season in NU history, the most by a Husker since 2002 and the most by a Nebraska running back since 1997. Burkhead will enter his senior season with 2,654 career rushing yards, good for 12th in school history. He is poised to make a run at the No. 2 spot on that chart in his senior season.

Burkhead carried the ball at least 20 times in eight games in 2011, including six of eight Big Ten games. In the regular-season finale against Iowa, Burkhead had a Nebraska record 38 rushing attempts for 160 yards. He also racked up 35 carries in a win over Michigan State and had a career-high 170 rushing yards at Wyoming. Burkhead’s 284 carries in 2011 were just two shy of the season record of 286 by Lawrence Phillips in 1994. Burkhead also showed his receiving ability with 21 receptions for 177 yards and two touchdowns.

Burkhead is a history major with a 3.388 cumulative grade-point average. He is on track to earn his degree in December, completing his undergraduate studies in just 3 1/2 years.

#55 Baker Steinkuhler

2012 CLETUS FISCHER NATIVE SON AWARD WINNER
(The Native Son is selected by the Coaches for the player who best exemplifies good work ethic, competitiveness, leadership, forthrightness, sense of humor, pride, loyalty and love of Nebraska.)

Honors & Awards

• Honorable-Mention All-Big Ten (Coaches, Media, 2011)
• Academic All-Big Ten (2011)
• Honorable-Mention All-Big 12 (Coaches, 2010)
• Honorable-Mention All-Big 12 Freshman Team (ESPN.com)
• Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (Fall, 2011; Spring, 2012)
• Big 12 Commissioner's Spring Academic Honor Roll (2011)

2012 Game By Game
Southern Miss: Played in his 40th career game and made his 27th career start as a Husker... tied for second on the team in tackles with eight, his most since posting nine against Northwestern in 2011... led the team with two TFL’s, including a sack with P.J. Smith. UCLA: Started against the Bruins at defensive tackle, but produced just one tackle. Arkansas State: Delivered three tackles on the day, all solo stops, as NU held ASU to 286 yards of total offense. Idaho State: Tied sixth other Huskers for second on the team in tackles with three... all three tackles were solo stops, including his seventh career sack in the first quarter. Wisconsin: Led a defensive line that held the Badgers to 56 yards rushing... produced five tackles, including three solo stops... notched a pair of TFLs for three yards. Ohio State: Played in his 45th game as a Husker... totaled three tackles against the Buckeyes, including one solo stop. Northwestern: Tied Eric Martin for third on the team in tackles with six... notched one QB hurry, his first of the season...played nearly every snap while helping the Blackshirts force 10 three-and-outs on the day. Michigan: Totaled six tackles on the night, including two solo stops from his defensive end position... notched one TFL, his sixth of the season... added one QB hurry. Michigan State: Registered a pair of tackles on the day... produced a QB hurry for the third straight game.

2012 Outlook
Defensive tackle Baker Steinkuhler continued to emerge during the 2011 season, and was the mainstay in the middle of a defensive line that was severely hampered by injury. The Lincoln native is primed for a big senior season and will be counted on to be one of the team leaders of the Blackshirt defensive unit in 2012.

The 6-6, 290-pound Steinkuhler started all 13 games at a defensive tackle spot in 2011, but saw three different players start alongside him, as senior preseason All-American Jared Crick was limited to just five games because of injury. Steinkuhler totaled 40 tackles, including five tackles for loss, and two sacks. He added a pair of breakups at the line of scrimmage.

Steinkuhler’s play was recognized with honorable-mention All-Big Ten awards from both the league’s coaches and media. He heads into 2012 as a strong contender for higher honors.

Steinkuhler was also one of 27 Huskers to earn academic All-Big Ten honors in 2011. He earned his undergraduate degree in business administration in December, and was one of five Nebraska juniors to complete their degree work in seven semesters. Steinkuhler began graduate classes in January, and is one of eight Husker seniors who will play the 2012 season as a graduate student.