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-Football1992
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William Lauer/DN
Nebraska right offensive guard Will Shield takes a break during a practice last season.
Shields has started the past two seasons and is an early candidate for the Outland and
Lombardi awards.
Strange bedfellows
Oklahoma native shares honors with Huskers
By Jeff Singer
Senior Reporter
Nebraska football fans usually
don’t get too excited about anything
coming out of Oklahoma.
But Nebraska right guard Will
Shields has helped change some
Comhuskcr fans’ minds about the
Sooner State.
Shields, Nebraska’s first player
to come from Oklahoma, has a
chance of becoming the first Huskcr
since Dean Steinkuhler in 1983 to
win either the Oulland or Lombardi
awards, both of which are given to
the best linemen in the country.
His accomplishments don’t slop
there. Shields became the first
Husker lineman since Dave Rim
ington in 1980 to be named first
team All-Big Eight as a sophomore.
But to say that Shields, a native
of Lawton, Okla., is modest would
be an understatement.
“I didn’t even know I was a can
didate for those awards,’’ Shields
said about the Outland and Lom
bardi awards. “There’s more than
just me, there’s a lot of seniors this
year and all of them will be key
parts to the success this year.’’
Nebraska offensive line coach
Mill Tcnopir said Shields let his
play talk for itself.
“He’s not a rah-rah guy — he’s a
leader by example,” Tenopir said.
“He’s a very hard worker and will
be a big asset for us.”
Shields has been a regular for the
Huskers over the last three years.
He has been named All-Conference
twice as well as being named as a
second-team All-American last
season.
The 6-foot-1,305-pound senior
said there were two reasons why he
left his home state to play for the
Huskers — not the least of which
was the NCAA penalties handed to
the Oklahoma football team in
1989.
“The academics and the OU pro
bation weighed factors in my
choice,” Shields said.
Tenopir said he was expecting
Shields to be a leader this season
for the younger offensive linemen,
especially to the three players who
will be battling to play left guard.
“Will’s a three-year starter com
ing back, and anytime you have that
experience, you’re going to be a
very big asset,” Tenopir said. “We
don’t anticipate having any weak
cogs, but you lean on the older guys
that have been through it to be your
leader, and Will’s that kind of
person.”
His reputation even led to
Shields receiving praise from
traditional conference rivals.
Colorado football coach Bill
McCartney said that if he was to
choose any Big Eight player to start
a program, it would be Shields.
Tenopir said Shields’ dedication
is why the 20-year-old senior
should receive national recognition
and perhaps the Oulland and
Lombardi trophies.
“If you go on performance, on
the field what he gets done, you
won’t find many belter than Will
around the country,” Tenopir said.
Tenopir said Shields didn’t play
football for the accolades.
“If he gets those type of honors,
that’s tremendous,” Tenopir said.
“But that’s not something Will’s
shooting for — he just wants to play
as best he can.”
The former Oklahoma high
school Lineman Of the Year said
thoughts of playing professional
football will have to wait until after
his playing days as a Huskcr arc
over.
“Right now, I’m thinking more
or less of this season, and what
happens after that, we’ll see,”
Shields said.
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