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Steven M. Sipple: No escape door necessary, but Moos will watch action intently Saturday

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Bill Moos Northwestern game

Nebraska athletic director Bill Moos surveys Memorial Stadium before Nebraska’s football game against Northwestern on Nov. 4, 2017.

FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo

Steven M. Sipple

Steven M. Sipple, Parker Gabriel and Chris Basnett go deep on a Red-White Spring Game preview, what can be learned from the scrimmage and what’s already been gleaned from spring ball. Plus, a preview of the recruiting weekend, a big home series for baseball and whether Sipple gets to drive the bulldozer at Friday’s groundbreaking ceremony on NU’s football facility project. 

Nebraska athletic director Bill Moos thinks he has a good feel for Scott Frost’s team, and for where the football program is headed.

But let’s be clear: Moos is far from being a regular at practice. He generally attends only if he feels there are significant issues to monitor.

Guess it’s a good sign he hasn’t come around much lately.

Veterans to watch? Fresh faces to watch? Your offensive guide to the Red-White Spring Game

Veterans to watch? Fresh faces to watch? Your defensive guide to the Red-White Spring Game

“I may stick my head in once in a while,” he says. “But if I have time to be going to practices, I’m not getting my job done.”

Let’s also be clear on this, though: Moos’ job Saturday will include locking in hard on the action in the Red-White Spring Game.

Yes, it’s only a practice. But there’s a certain seriousness to this day — it’s Nebraska football, after all — and we all know there’s some seriousness to the fall season ahead.

“People who know me and have been around me — not just here but throughout my career — know I’m a football guy and I want to watch the game,” Moos told the Journal Star. “It’s not like in a normal situation I’m going to be rude to guests. But once the action starts, that’s my evaluation period.”

The 70-year-old is definitely “a football guy.” He played the sport at a high level at Washington State. He pays attention to the national scene. He’s a history buff of sorts. He took over at Nebraska in late 2017 hoping it would become a major player on the national scene during his tenure. We all know where that conversation stands. Frost is 12-20. Enough said.

Actually, it seems there’s never enough said around here.

By the way, Nebraska fans this week got a good idea about Moos’ expectations for the program. He touched on the subject Tuesday on Husker Sports Nightly. Yes, he said, NU faces a very tough schedule. Even so, he said “it would be great” to get into the eight- to nine-win range and get back into the conference championship picture.

It’s a realistic expectation, he said.

He also emphasized the importance of Nebraska winning at home. 

In a sense, he turned up the urgency a notch or two.

So, we know the context in which he’ll be watching Saturday.

“I can tell real fast, honestly, if we’ve got the mojo, if we’ve got the talent, if we’re coached properly, all those things,” Moos told the Journal Star. “I can determine that in one quarter and much more as the game goes on.”

Saturday represents the culmination of Nebraska’s spring practice, something it didn’t even have last year for obvious reasons.

One notable development? Only the second half of the Red-White Spring Game will feature live tackling.

GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star

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“I’m predicting it’ll be a real good show for the fans,” says Moos, who’ll watch the action from a suite in West Stadium along with his security man, Patrick Kelly.

If there are any other people in the suite, there won’t be many, he says.

Moos then chuckled, recalling stadium projects he headed up at Oregon and Washington State.

“I always had the AD suite placed on one of the ends (of the stadium), in part because it’s prime real estate in the middle and you get top dollar for those ones,” he says.

There’s another reason he placed the AD suite on one end of the stadium.

He always wanted an escape plan.

“I had them designed with an escape door,” he says. “If the guests were getting heated and pissed off, I had a way to nice and quietly get the hell out of there.”

“In Oregon,” he adds, “it bled out to a cigar port, and I could hide myself back there. Then, when I did the one at Washington State, I was really cagey because I knew building that program was going to be a challenge. I could go up to the camera deck right above my suite and watch from up there. For the first five years, I was up there most of the time.”

He doesn’t have an escape door in Memorial Stadium.

“I’m locked in there,” he says with a smile.

Don’t get it wrong. He doesn’t feel the need for an escape plan. He seems to genuinely like the direction in which Frost’s program is headed.

As for his comments earlier this week, remember that Moos is a salesman. A damned good salesman. You don’t think he was trying to sell tickets? Of course he was. The sellout streak continuing is no longer a given.

You don’t think he had fundraising in mind? You don’t think he had Frost’s players in mind? What would those players think if the AD said something along the lines of, “We just really hope to get to six wins this year.”

He said that a couple of years ago. Now, he wants to see more progress. Most Nebraska fans obviously want the same.

As for what he wants to see Saturday, he says, “I would think we’re going to see a lot of happy people. When I say that, I mean players, coaches, staff and fans, just because we’ve missed it so much.”

You can say that again.

“I think we’ll have a crowd that’s obedient and comply with the rules we’ve set,” he says. “But I really think we’re going to hear the crowd and feel the crowd, even if we’re at 50 percent (capacity) or lower. I think it’ll be something that will really resonate with our players, especially.”

Moos came to Nebraska for big games. For colossal Saturdays filled with meaning. It feels like 2021 will have ample meaning for Frost and company, one way or another.

Saturday will feel pretty significant in its own right, even though it’s only a practice. It’s certainly a day to celebrate. A day for which to be thankful.

No escape door necessary.

Photos: From Hoffman’s memorable run to Pelini’s cat, relive the best moments in NU Spring Game history

Spring Game 2019

Spring Game 2019

Nebraska’s Luke McCaffrey (7) runs the ball during the second half of the Spring Game on April 13, 2019.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2019

Spring Game 2019

Nebraska coach Scott Frost enjoys a moment after the end of the 2019 Spring Game at Memorial Stadium. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2019

Spring Game 2019

Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez hands the ball off to Brody Belt during the first half of the 2019 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2019

Spring Game 2019

Memorial Stadium is packed for the 2019 Spring Game

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2018

Spring Game 2018

Nebraska coach Scott Frost leads the Huskers out of the tunnel before the 2018 Spring Game at Memorial Stadium. 

FRANCIS GARDLER, JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2018

Spring Game 2018

Three-year-old Bryn Wilke (left) of Lincoln cheers with the pom-poms of Nebraska cheerleader Morgan Holen before the 2018 Spring Game.

FRANCIS GARDLER, JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2018

Spring Game 2018

A packed Memorial Stadium watches the first half of the Spring Game on April 21, 2018, Scott Frost’s first as Husker coach.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2018

Spring Game 2018

Red team quarterback Tristan Gebbia (14) celebrates a 57-yard touchdown pass to Kade Warner during 2018 Spring Game.

FRANCIS GARDLER, JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2017

Spring Game 2017

Running back Austin Rose (23) hurdles defensive back Antonio Reed (16) as Avery Roberts (15) looks on during the 2017 Spring Game.

FRANCIS GARDLER, JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2017

Spring Game 2017

Quarterback Tanner Lee signs autographs for fans after the 2017 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2017

Spring Game 2017

Nebraska coach Mike Riley greets players as they come off the field during a timeout in the second quarter during the 2017 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2017

Spring Game 2017

Defensive linemen Khalil Davis (94) and Carlos Davis (96) charge quarterback Andrew Bunch in the second half of the 2017 Spring Game.

FRANCIS GARDLER, JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2016

Spring Game 2016

More than 72,000 fans showed up under cloudy skies, persistent wind, yet comfortable temperatures for the 2016 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2016

Spring Game 2016

Members of the Husker volleyball team hoist their national championship trophy after receiving their championship rings on the field during the first half of Nebraska’s annual Spring Game on April 16, 2016.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2016

Spring Game 2016

Running back Devine Ozigbo (22) is brought down by defensive end Alex Davis (32) and defensive back Avery Anderson (4) during the 2016 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2015

Spring Game 2015

A total of 76,881 Husker fans showed up for the annual Spring Game on April 11, 2015.

GWYNETH ROBERTS, JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2015

Spring Game 2015

Wide receiver Alonzo Moore (82) misses a touchdown pass thanks to the tight coverage of defensive back Avery Anderson during the 2015 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2014

Spring Game 2014

Quarterback Tommy Armstrong passes the ball during the 2014 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2014

Spring Game 2014

Making light of a recent tweet, Nebraska coach Bo Pelini emerges from the Tunnel Walk carrying a cat before Nebraska’s annual Spring Game on April 12, 2014.

FRANCIS GARDLER, JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2014

Spring Game 2014

Running back Imani Cross (32) tries to hold off defensive back Nate Gerry (right) during the 2014 Spring Game.

FRANCIS GARDLER, JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2014

Spring Game 2014

More than 60,000 fans — shown here during the national anthem — attended the 2014 Spring Game.

FRANCIS GARDLER, JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2014

Spring Game 2014

Defensive back Zach Stovall (26) makes a diving tackle of quarterback Ryker Fyfe during the 2014 Spring Game.

FRANCIS GARDLER, JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2013

Spring Game 2013

Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez (3) and Scott Criss (67) guide Jack Hoffman on a 69-yard touchdown run during the 2013 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2013

Spring Game 2013

David Sutton catches a touchdown while covered by Trevor Roach during the 2013 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2012

Spring Game 2012

NU Athletic Director Tom Osborne addresses the fans on the videoboard after making the decision to cancel the Spring Game because of the weather April 14, 2012. As a token of his appreciation to the fans for coming out, Osborne offered free food at the concession stands for all the fans. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2012

Spring Game 2012

Kayleen Russell, 10, tries to keep dry while waiting to see if the 2012 Spring Game would be played. Officials ended up deciding to cancel the game because of the weather. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2012

Spring Game 2012

Husker fans take shelter from the rain on the West side of Memorial Stadium before the 2012 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2011

Spring Game 2011

Nebraska’s Ty Kildow runs with the ball during the 2011 Spring Game.

FRANCIS GARDLER, JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2011

Spring Game 2011

The Red’s Tyler Legate runs the ball during the 2011 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2011

Spring Game 2011

A crowd of more than 66,000 attend the Spring Game at Memorial Stadium on April 16, 2011. 

FRANCIS GARDLER, JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2011

Spring Game 2011

 The White’s Rex Burkhead (22) is upended during the 2011 Spring Game.

FRANCIS GARDLER, JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2010

Spring Game 2010

The White’s Mike McNeill (44) throws a completion after picking the ball on the bounceroosky play in the first half of the 2010 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2010

Spring Game 2010

Head coach Bo Pelini watches as the Red team kicks an extra point as he crosses the field during the 2010 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2010

Spring Game 2010

Cody Green throws a pass to Niles Paul in the 2010 Spring Game.

GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star file photo

Spring Game 2009

Spring Game 2009

Fans cheer during the 2009 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2009

Spring Game 2009

As the weather improved, the crowd grew during the first half of the 2009 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2008

Spring Game 2008

Herbie Husker and Little Red entertain the crowd during the 2008 Spring Game.  

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2008

Spring Game 2008

Roy Helu Jr. (10) outruns Terrence Moore (90) and Faron Klingelhoefer (85) during the 2008 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2008

Spring Game 2008

Joe Ganz (green) points at his old running back and now linebacker Cody Glenn (34) during the 2008 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2007

Spring Game 2007

Chris Brooks (1) is tackled by Steve Octavien after catching a pass in the 2007 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2007

Spring Game 2007

Maurice Purify hauls in one of his four catches during the 2007 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2006

Spring Game 2006

I-back Marlon Lucky (20) runs past linebacker Dontrell Moore to gain 13 yards in the 2006 Spring Game. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2006

Spring Game 2006

Defensive back Titus Brothers uncorks a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the third quarter of the 2006 Spring Game. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2006

Spring Game 2006

Wide receiver Nate Swift (87) sprints past linebacker Phillip Dillard (38) and defensive back Matt O’Hanlon in the 2006 Spring Game. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2005

Spring Game 2005

Nebraska I-back Cory Ross breaks into the secondary on an 11-yard run in the first quarter of the 2005 Spring Game. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2005

Spring Game 2005

Nebraska’s Bill Callahan points and laughs at Demorrio Williams as he and other former Nebraska and current NFL players greeted the current Huskers out of the Tunnel Walk before the 2005 Spring Game. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2005

Spring Game 2005

Quarterback Zac Taylor (13) calls a play in the White team’s huddle during the 2005 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2005

Spring Game 2005

Titus Brothers (21) breaks up a pass in the end zone intended for Nate Swift in the 2005 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2004

Spring Game 2004

Matt Herian (11) gets ready to take on Andrew Shanle after catching a pass in the 2004 Spring Game. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2004

Spring Game 2004

Quarterback Garth Glissman is chased by Adam Carriker (center) and Jay Moore during the 2004 Spring Game. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2003

Spring Game 2003

A look at the crowd during the 2003 Spring Game. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2003

Spring Game 2003

Ross Pilington heads up field after catching a pass from Jammal Lord during the 2003 Spring Game. Pilkington caught five passes for 67 yards.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2002

Spring Game 2002

Nebraska I-back Dahrran Diedrick scored a touchdown and also rushed for game-high 96 yards in the 2002 Spring Game. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2002

Spring Game 2002

The Red offensive line hold off White defenders Jon Clanton (55) and Trevor Johnson (88) to give quarterback Mike Stuntz time to look for a receiver during the 2002 Spring Game. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 2001

Spring Game 2001

Adrian Warrior (99), Patrick Kabongo (top left) and Manaia Brown (bottom right) combine to bring down White team I-back Thunder Collins in the 2001 Spring Game. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 1999

Spring Game 1999

Quarterback Eric Crouch hands off to running back Tyrone Uhlir during the 1999 Spring Game. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 1998

Spring Game 1998

Aaron Wills of the Red team knocks the ball from White team quarterback Jeff Perino early in the second quarter of the 1998 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 1998

Spring Game 1998

Frank Solich, then in his first season as head coach, watches the on-field action during the 1998 Spring Game. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 1998

Spring Game 1998

Correll Buckhalter runs down the sideline during the 1998 Spring Game. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 1995

Spring Game 1995

Then a redshirt quarterback, current Nebraska football head coach Scott Frost sets up to pass during the 1995 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 1992

Spring Game 1992

Fullback Cory Schlesinger (25) follows a teammate’s block to score a touchdown in the 1992 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 1992

Spring Game 1992

Red team quarterback Tony Veland (16) looks for a way out as he’s surrounded by White team defenders Jamie Liewer (70) and David White (96) during the 1992 Spring Game. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 1990

Spring Game 1990

Defensive tackle Paul Brungardt sacks Red quarterback Mickey Joseph, causing a fumble, during the 1990 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 1990

Spring Game 1990

Safety Reggie Cooper races down the sideline on a 47-yard interception return for a touchdown in the 1990 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 1989

Spring Game 1989

Quarterback Mickey Joseph (1) bobbles the ball when he’s hit by Jon Crippen and Marvin Sanders during the 1989 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 1988

Spring Game 1988

Wingback Dana Brinson (33) tries to evade Tahaun Lewis during the 1988 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 1986

Spring Game 1986

Tim McCoy (left) pulls down Lorenzo Hicks during the 1986 Spring Game.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 1985

Spring Game 1985

Doug DuBose makes a cut during the 1985 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

Spring Game 1984

Spring Game 1984

Doug DuBose (in white) sprints down the sideline as Neil Harris gives chase during the 1984 Spring Game.

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

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