Injury-plagued Veland utilizes
skill, devotion to take ‘em on
By Mike Kluck
Staff Reporter
Tony Veland never had a doubt
about playing his senior year for the
Nebraska football team.
But injuries have plagued the se
nior free safety throughout his career,
and his ability to take the field has
often been a question mark.
But Veland said he knew the an
swer to that question.
“I had been through too many things
to not be here to start my senior sea
son,” Veland said. “I’m too^ompeti
tive. I knew I would make it to this
point.”
Veland originally was recruited by
Nebraska to play quarterback. During
the 1992 season he was listed as the
No. 1 quarterback. Two weeks before
the first game he broke his collarbone,
and by the time he returned to the
lineup, Tommie Frazier had taken over
the starting job.
During the 1993 season, Veland
received the opportunity to play quar
terback for the Comhuskers, but rup
tured his right patellar tendon in the
Texas Tech game and was sidelined
for the season.
Veland said that during his off
season rehabilitation some of the
Husker defensive coaches and players
kept talking him into attending defen
sive meetings.
Nebraska’s defensive backs coach
George Darlington said coaches
started to question themselves and
Veland in the spring of 1994 about
whether it would be more sensible if
Veland switched to defense.
Darlington said the switch made
sense because a free safety is the de
fensive quarterback.
Darlington said it was an easy deci
sion because Veland was smart and
liked to hit.
“He is a very good tackier and
strong,” Darlington said. “He really
lays the wood to a person when he hits
them.”
During spring drills, Veland was
unable to practice because of his knee
injury, but went to all the defensive
meetings.
Although Veland missed all of
1994’s spring drills, the converted
quarterback entered the first game
“I had been through too many things to not be
here to start my senior season. I’m too competitive. ”
TONY VEIAND
Nebraska free safety
against West Virginia as the No. 2 free
safety.
When starter Mike Minter was in
jured in the second game, Veland had
his opportunity on defense.
Since then, Veland has started ev
ery game and was the Huskers’ third
leading tackier against Miami in the
Orange Bowl.
Darlington said Veland’s perfor
mance last year was impressive be
cause Veland’s knee injury prevented
Veland from playing at 100 percent.
“He only played at 85 percent all
season, so he was limited,” Darlington
said. “It was very credible of the job
he did because he was never at full
speed.”
The adversity Veland has endured
throughout his career has helped him
gain the respect of his teammates.
On Sunday, the Huskers voted him
one of the five captains for this sea
son. Veland said he might have gotten
some added votes as a captain be
cause he tried to go out of his way to
help younger players.
The three-year letter-winner from
Omaha said he didn’t spend much
time thinking about his past injuries
and was concentrating on the season
opener against Oklahoma State in
Stillwater, Okla., Aug. 31.
Veland already has suffered
through a strained stomach muscle
during preseason practices, but said
that wouldn’t hinder him against the
Cowboys.
“I can move pretty well right now,”
Veland said. “I feel pretty healthy
right now. I try not to think about the
injuries so they won’t hinder me.”
Veland said he was looking for
ward to the start of the Huskers’ sea
son and being a leader in the defense
of the national championship.
“This (the start of the season) is
great and I’m ready to go out with a
bang,” Veland said. “I just have a
good feeling.”
Veland’s good feeling is carrying
over to his intentions for this season.
“My No. 1. goai is to be the best free
safety I can be,” Veland said. “I want
to be one of the hardest hitting safeties
in the country.”
Darlington said Veland had already
proved himself as a hitter on the field.
“During the Kickoff Classic last
year, he made two really good, strong
tackles,” Darlington said.
Both Veland and Darlington said
Veland was still developing and learn
ing to be a free safety.
Darlington said if Veland had
played injury-free and been a free
safety all four years, Veland probably
would have been an All-American
candidate this year.
“He would have received enough
coverage with the media attention we
receive to be an All-American candi
date,” Darlington said. “With us com
ing off the national championship, he
would have been a logical choice.”
Veland said a successful, injury
free season this year may lead to a pro
career. Veland said he had the size and
speed to be able to compete in the
National Football League.
Darlington agreed that Veland had
an excellent opportunity to perform
next year.
“If he stays healthy, I think he has
a good chance to advance on to the
next level, despite his past injuries,”
Darlington said.
If a professional career isn’t avail
able, Veland said he would still have
his degree in engineering, which he
hoped to receive in May.
“My degree is really important be
cause I was the first one from my
family to go to college and earn one,”
Veland said.
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Washington practices,
but game status unclear
From Staff Reports
Nebraska wide receiver Riley
Washington returned to practice Mon
day, but his status for the game against
Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla.,
Thursday is still uncertain.
Hours before kickoff, Washington
is scheduled to attend a 3:30 p.m.
preliminary hearing in Lancaster
County Court.
Washington faces charges of at
tempted second-degree murder and
use of a weapon to commit a felony in
connection with an Aug. 2 shooting at
a Lincoln convenience store.
Osborne said in a released state
ment:
“By University standards, Riley
Travel
Continued from Page 9
ever we have to do.
“There is going to be a heat factor,
and for the well-being of the players,
that would make sense.”
Nebraska’s travel roster will be
finalized today, after the faculty
representative’s ruling.
Osborne said three true freshmen,
rush end Chad Kelsay, I-back Ahman
Green, and place-kicker Kris Brown,
Washington is eligible to go to class,
and he has rejoined the team on the
practice field. He is, by law, innocent
until proven guilty and that is our
stance also. He will not play in a game
until I am absolutely satisfied that he
is innocent.”
Running back Damon Benning was
held out of practice, as he continues to
nurse a pulled hamstring. Osborne said
Benning would practice tomorrow. But
defensive backs Eric Stokes and Tony
Veland participated in yesterday’s
workout along with defensive tackle
Christian Peter.
Osborne said that true freshman
kicker Kris Brown would handle kick
offs, along with field goal and extra
point attempts. Lance Brown or Jesse
Kosch will be the backup.
would not redshirt this season.
Brown, from Carroll, Texas, will
probably handle the place-kicking and
kickoff duties Thursday against Okla
homa State, Osborne said.
Ted Retzlaff, who participated in
the Huskers’ scrimmage last week,
still has not been cleared to play. When
Retzlaff—who tore a knee ligament
last spring — returns, Osborne said
the redshirt freshman from Waverly
would challenge Brown for the place
kicking duties.
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