Crowd pumps up kicker Drennan
By Lori Griffin
First Down Reporter
Stepping on Memorial Stadium astroturf
for the opening kickoff before 76.000
screaming fans mas bother some place kick
ers. but not Nebraska's Chris Drennan.
Drennan. a redshirt sophomore from
Cxpress, Calif., said he looks forward to
running onto the astroturf at Memorial Sta
dium because he considers even fan to be
his friend.
"1 realK love to come out here and kick
w hen all of the fans are here,” Drennan said.
I know the home games, especially. I feel
like I ha\ e ~6.000 friends here in the stadium
and the> are all pulling for me, too and
helping me make that kick."
Drennan said that he thinks that there is
no pressure from fans. He said that he gets
excited when he knows that the fans are
excited.
Drennan came to Nebraska in 1985, after
being recruited by Air Force, Brow n, Ore
gon. Oregon State and Califomia-Berkeley.
He said that he was also recruited by every
school in the Big Eight w ith the exception of
Missouri.
Drennan -aid that he had a specific judg
ing process that he went through when he
was looking at schools.
"I was looking at the football program
because that is what I was being recruited
for." Drennan vaid. "But I also want to look
at academu' on a same level as football."
"I was trying to find a happy medium
between the two a' far as academics and
■ vtball. Of course the coaching staff can
x\ik for itself. I think that Nebraska was the
best choice, by far,"
Drennan >oid that he was a typical fresh
man when he entered Nebraska.
"I think when you ».ome in as a freshman
you're a little 'Ur 'truck." Drennan said.
"It's such a big change from high school
football, you're coming in and everybody
has that „hame to be with the \arsity and
think that they really kan do it. ”
utkc tnc> treshman piaversi get here
ihev see how muchol'an adjustment it isju'I
to handle the academics.“ Drennan said a
freshman play er has to be able to learn how
to budget his time before he ean consider
w hat his future w ill be He said most recruits
tend to look at the athletic pan of the schol
arship and not the academic end.
"I think that >ou should grow as a person
and evaluate what you are truly here for and
that is academus." Drennan said.
Drennan Mid that his mam goal at Ne
braska ^ to complete his degree in account
ing. He Mid that he has a 3.0 grade point
average
Drennan said that it w ould be an honor to
be nominated an academic all-Big Eight
pla>er
"I'm sure it would be a great honor to be
an academic all-Big Eight because then it
would show that you are really something
more than just an athlete, “ Drennan said.
"To be nominated as an Academic All Big
Eight would almost be as much of an honor,
if not more.”
Plasers can not be set in their goals,
Drennan said, and he said that he did not
ha\e an> goals w hen he came to Nebraska.
Drennan said he has not set down and
thought about too mans personal goals for
his career at Nebraska.
"I look to each game and I just hope that
I am able to do the job when I am called
upon. " Drennan said. "I am somewhat of a
perfectionist when it comes to athletics or
m v school w ork and so I guess that makes me
concentrate a little more on being consis
tent "
"I think that is reall> important in a
kicker." Drennan 'aid.
Drennan said that a goal of his was to
become the 'tuning place kicker — a goal
which he accomplished this >cur when
sophomore Greg Barrios dec ided to redsh irt.
Dan Young, who coaches the kickers,
said that Drennan received the 'tuning nod
before the l tah State game. He 'aid that
Drennan w a> muc h more consistent as tar as
kickoffs than Bamos a us
Young 'uid Drennan ha' improved 'ince
fall practices began. He said that Drennan
has a strong leg. Young said that the strong
leg that Drennan has is evident b> kickoffs
that have sailed into the end zone and have
not been relumed.
Drennan said that he worked out in Lin
coln over the summer and that he believes
this is what helped him to improve.
Drennan sad that he spent at least an hour
working out everyday this summer. He was
also employed in the Lincoln area
Drennan said that practicing in Memorial
Stadium this summer helped him to become
accustomed to it. He said that it he w ould not
have been in Lincoln this summer then he
might have ran into difficulties.
“You don't get experience at home,"
Drennan sad. “The stadium feels like home
to me now."
i oung saiumaiurennanismoremanjusi
a kicker. Drennan was the backup punter for
the Oklahoma State game last Saturday.
Young said that Drennan also made a key
block in the Arizona State game Sept. 26.
Drennan make the block that allowed quar
terback Clete Blakeman to get a pass off a
take field goal attempt. Blakeman com
pleted the pass to set up a Nebraska touch
down.
'Chris i> a guise little plaser." Young
said "He has been contributing a lot to our
football team."
Drennan
_I
Andrea Hoy/Firat Down
