Suh will join 16 other all-time Cornhusker greats to have their Nebraska jerseys
retired. All major national award winners at Nebraska automatically have their
jerseys retired, however their numbers are still available to active Huskers.
Suh is a worthy addition to Nebraska’s elite club. The
Portland, Ore., capped a dominant Nebraska career with a 2009 season that ranks
as one of the best ever by a college football defender. Suh won the Outland
Trophy, the Rotary Lombardi Award, the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Bronko
Nagurski Trophy. He was also named the Associated Press College Player of the
Year and finished fourth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy.
As a senior, Suh led the Huskers with 85 total tackles,
including 24 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. He also posted a remarkable 10 pass
breakups, an interception, 26 quarterback hurries and three blocked kicks. His
play was the key to a Nebraska defense that led the nation in scoring defense at
10.4 points per game.
Suh finished his career with 215 tackles, 57 tackles for
loss, 24 sacks, six blocked kicks, 15 pass breakups and 38 quarterback hurries,
while also scoring three touchdowns. He ranks second in school history in
tackles for loss and third in sacks.
“We are proud to add Ndamukong Suh to our group of retired
football jerseys,” Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne said. “It is certainly
an elite group of football players that have the honor of having their jersey
retired, and Ndamukong undoubtedly deserves that type of honor. He was one of
the all-time great defensive players we’ve had here, and an outstanding
individual as well.”
Nebraska’s game against Colorado on the day after
Thanksgiving was the first opportunity to retire Suh’s jersey. Suh will take
part in the Detroit Lions Thanksgiving Day game against the New England Patriots
before heading to Lincoln. Suh is having a standout rookie season with the
Lions. Suh leads all NFL interior defensive linemen with 6.5 sacks and his 33
total tackles are the fourth-most among all defensive tackles. Suh was honored
as the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month in October.
In addition to his play on the field at Nebraska, Suh was
successful off the field as well. He earned his degree in construction
management in December of 2009. In April, Suh made an unprecedented gift of $2.6
million to the University of Nebraska, including $2 million to Athletics and
$600,000 to the UNL College of Engineering to endow a scholarship. His donation
to the Athletic Department has allowed for renovations and updates in the newly
named Ndamukong Suh Strength and Conditioning Center, as well as the Nebraska
football locker room.
Suh joins an impressive list of players to have their jerseys
retired, including: #7 Eric Crouch, #15 Tommie Frazier, #20 Johnny Rodgers, #30
Mike Rozier, #34 Trev Alberts, #50 Dave Rimington, #54 Dominic Raiola, #60 Tom
Novak, #64 Bob Brown, #67 Aaron Taylor, #71 Dean Steinkuhler, #72 Zach Wiegert,
#75 Larry Jacobson, #75 Will Shields, #79 Rich Glover and #98 Grant Wistrom.
Suh’s name and jersey number will be added to the display directly below the
HuskerVision video screen on the north end of Memorial Stadium.
Several members of Nebraska’s retired jersey club are
expected to be on hand to take part in the Suh jersey retirement
ceremony.
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