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When Bo Pelini declared
Wednesday that the Huskers better get their rears ready to play because “we’re
going to fire our guns next year,” that was sweet, reinforcing music to Randy Gregory,
even if it was something he’d already heard. “I’ll be in Lincoln for fall camp,
and I have my goals set pretty high,” he said. “I want to maintain a 3.0 GPA
throughout my first semester, and I want to be a starter by the first game.”
There is no fear of failure in this 6-foot-6, 230-pound
defensive end who spurned dozens of scholarship offers, including three in the
Big Ten (Purdue, Iowa, Illinois), three in the Pac-12 (UCLA,
Washington and Oregon State), three in the Big 12 (Oklahoma, West
Virginia and Iowa State) and two in the SEC (Arkansas,
Missouri).
In Gregory’s mind, those were all good schools, but Nebraska
rated his “great” tag because it offered things the Indiana native didn’t see
anywhere else. “The biggest reason I became a Husker,” Gregory said, “was
because there’s so much support from the coaches, staff and fans. I felt like
if I did exactly what was asked of me, then there was no chance of failing
while being there.”
Gregory is a transfer from Arizona Western Community College
in Yuma, where he was ranked as the nation’s top junior college defensive end
prospect. He can envision himself standing up and being able to provide pass
coverage as well as premier pass-rushing capability like he showed in 2011 when
21 of his 81 tackles at Arizona Western resulted in losses. He also had nine
sacks on a team that reached the national junior college championship game
before being forced to redshirt his second year at Arizona Western after
breaking his fibula in the 2012 season-opener.
Redshirt Gives Gregory Three More Years
That means Gregory has three years of eligibility left, and
he plans to make the most of a football future that supplants the multiple
options he once considered to play Division I basketball.
“Randy has a lot of things you can’t coach, and that made
him one of the most sought after defensive players in the country,” said Rick Kaczenski,
Nebraska’s defensive line coach and Gregory’s primary recruiting contact.
“Randy has all the intangibles – the speed, the agility, the ability and just a
knack for the game. He didn’t really play football until he got in high school.
He’s a really, really good football player, but I think his best football is
ahead of him because he’s just scratched the surface of what he can be. He has
all the tools to be a great one, that’s for sure.”
Nebraska coaches have been candid about getting more dynamic
athletes with speed and quickness in the defensive line. Because he’s already
played a year at a high-level junior college, Gregory fits the speed profile to
a T. Nebraska coaches are equally excited about the other five 2013 defensive
line recruits who will get the same chance to start as Gregory – Maliek Collins, Kevin Maurice, Dimarya Mixon, A.J. Natter and Ernest Suttles.
Gregory welcomes the competition with open arms. “It’s not
where you start fall camp. It’s where you finish,” he said. “That’s something
my dad has always told me, and I really try to think of life that way whenever
I start to doubt myself.”
At Home, Dad is an Inspiring Role Model
Ken Gregory has been an inspiring role model for a son
who is now officially a Cornhusker. “He’s the model of what a man truly is,”
Gregory said of his dad. “He works hard every day, supports his family (including
wife Mary) and supports every decision I make. He’s the person who put
a ball in my hands at an early age.”
Kaczenski has met Gregory’s parents and knows why he’s so
well rounded. “He’s a real sharp kid because he’s an extension of his family,
Kaczenski said. “His dad graduated from Northwestern, and we recruited Randy
when I was at Iowa. He committed to Purdue and then decided to go to one of the
best junior colleges in the country instead. I kind of lost track of him, but
was glad we found him again. He was one of the top three junior college
recruits in the country. He fits our profile well, academically and
athletically.”
It’s been a long journey from an Indianapolis suburb to
Lincoln, but once Gregory joined the Huskers in his only Tunnel Walk experience
to date, he’s been hooked. “Having the chance to be in a sold-out Memorial
Stadium and beating Michigan is something I’ll never forget,” he said. My
official visit that weekend was amazing. Nebraska fans love the game just as
much as the players and coaches do. They support you through your ups and
downs, and in my opinion, we have the best fans in the nation.”
For Gregory, Always ‘We’ and Rarely ‘Me’
“We” is already a big part of Randy Gregory’s vocabulary,
and he also uses the collective noun to describe Nebraska’s overall excellence
in academics. “We’re one place that puts academics just as high as football, if
not higher,” he said. “Everyone at Nebraska expects you to be the best you can
be – on and off the field. When you visit, you can tell that we truly believe
in being a student before an athlete.”
Gregory puts winning before losing, too, and he knows how to
keep it in perspective. “My dad has been a longtime San Francisco 49ers fan,
and so am I,” he said. “They lost the Super Bowl last Sunday, but they’re still
my favorite team and Aldon Smith (the 49ers’ outside linebacker) is
still my favorite NFL player.”
In one of his heroes, Gregory sees a Nebraska-like mindset
of constant improvement. “I’m always striving to become a better person and not
get stuck on where I am now or where I was yesterday,” he said. “I try to focus
on the future and see where I can be.”
Crouch a Husker Legend He’d Like to Meet
That’s why Gregory holds Eric Crouch in
such high regard. “I feel like he was so dynamic during his time at Nebraska,”
he said. “He’s a Husker legend I’d love to meet sometime.”
Gregory sees himself fitting into Nebraska’s culture. “Coach
Kaz recruited me, and he was real easy to get along with. That helped us build
a good relationship,” Gregory said. “I like the fact that he’s straightforward.
I felt like I could trust him throughout the process.”
Pelini is also “a straightforward, hard-nosed guy,” Gregory
said. “He’s a very passionate coach who will expect nothing but your best
effort towards the team. I see Coach JP (John Papuchis) having
the same kind of influence.”
This much is certain. Pelini, Papuchis and Coach Kaz are
counting on players like Gregory to step up and be counted when the guns begin
firing next fall.
Emotional Ammunition to Be Successful
Gregory believes Nebraska is ready and aiming for dramatic
defensive improvement, and he’s every bit as fired up about that as his
coaches.
“Our strength program is top-notch – whether it’s the
nutrition part of it or the weightlifting aspect to it,” Gregory said. “There’s
no other program I’ve seen that can compare to what we have at Nebraska. I
can’t wait to have that strength complex and that training table become a daily
part of my life. Nebraska has everything we all need to get better. That’s why
I say that if I do exactly what they ask of me, there should be no chance of
failure.”
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Voices
from Husker Nation
Class act here
... very lucky to have this young man as a Husker ... very good player from what
his stats say and a better person based upon what I just read ... a beast on
the field, hopefully!!! A speedy end-rusher is exactly what is needed (Broderick Thomas !!!). John Means, Baltimore, Maryland (Home
of the world champion Ravens, two great tight ends and a Nebraska punter)
This kid sounds like Rich
Glover, the Peter brothers, Suh and even like Burkhead – It’s ‘we' and not 'I’. Greg
Weiss, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Good column and a refreshing piece! This
recruit sounds like he has it all, including perspective and balance. He should
make fall scrimmages a lot more interesting. Good luck, Randy, and welcome to
Nebraska. Steve Brown, Omaha, Nebraska
