LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Running back Ameer Abdullah made it through 11th-ranked Nebraska’s practice wearing a brace on his left knee, a positive sign for the Cornhuskers as they prepare for Saturday’s key Big Ten West game at No. 22 Wisconsin.
The three-time 1,000-yard rusher left the Nov. 1 game against Purdue in the first quarter with a sprained and bruised his knee. The Huskers didn’t play last week.
Offensive coordinator Tim Beck said Abdullah participated in all drills Tuesday and “looked pretty good.”
Lincoln – University of Nebraska senior I-back Ameer Abdullah was selected as a finalist for a pair of awards Tuesday afternoon. The Homewood, Ala., native was chosen as one of 10 finalists for the 2014 Senior CLASS Award and one of 12 finalists for the 2014 Wuerffel Trophy.
Both awards combine athletic accomplishments along with off-field performances. The Senior CLASS (Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®) Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. The Wuerffel Trophy is a national award that honors the college football player who best exhibits exemplary community service.
Abdullah has been a standout on the field and in the community during his tenure at Nebraska, as he returned to school for his senior year to complete his degree.
Abdullah has been one of the nation’s top players in 2014, as the senior ranks among the national leaders in all-purpose yards (1,691, first), rushing yards (1,250, fifth) and points scored (114, fourth) entering Saturday’s nationally televised game with No. 22 Wisconsin. Abdullah, who has led the Huskers to an 8-1 record and a No. 11 national ranking, has four 200-yard rushing games this season and is the only player in the FBS ranks with two games with 300 all-purpose yards, including a school record 341 all-purpose yards against Rutgers. He has been the Big Ten’s Player of the Week four times in 2014.
During his career, Abdullah is the only Husker in 125 years of Nebraska football to post three 1,000-yard rushing seasons and trails only 1983 Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier on Nebraska’s career rushing chart. Abdullah leads all active FBS players in career rushing yards (4,227), yards from scrimmage (4,817), 100-yard games (23) and all-purpose yards (6,605). In addition, he also ranks second on the Big Ten’s all-time all-purpose yards list.
Abdullah, who will graduate from Nebraska in December with a degree in history, has been named to Nebraska’s Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll three times and was an academic All-Big Ten selection in 2013. One of the most active Huskers in the community, Abdullah was named to the 2014 Brook Berringer and Tom Osborne Citizenship Teams, as he has worked with numerous groups during his career, including elementary schools, team hospital visits and the Uplifting Athletes organization to raise awareness for pediatric brain cancer.
For the Senior CLASS Award, the list of 30 candidates was trimmed to 10 and nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website (seniorCLASSaward.com) through December 15. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches’ votes to determine the winner, which will be announced in January. The Wuerffel Trophy, which is voted on by the Wuerffel Trophy national directors, selection committee members and past winners, will be formally announced onDec. 9, 2014
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska coach Bo Pelini isn’t as optimistic as he was last week about whether star running back Ameer Abdullah would be full strength for Saturday’s game at No. 22 Wisconsin.
Abdullah left the Nov. 1 game against Purdue with a sprained and bruised left knee. Pelini said Monday that Abdullah didn’t practice during the 11th-ranked Cornhuskers’ bye week, though “he worked out on the field.”
Last Tuesday, Pelini said the three-time 1,000-yard rusher was “doing great” and should be “100 percent” for the Badgers.
Pelini said Monday he still believed Abdullah would be fine but added, “I’m not a doctor.”
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Star running back Ameer Abdullah is expected to be at full strength following a knee injury when Nebraska plays at Wisconsin on Nov. 15.
Coach Bo Pelini said Tuesday that Abdullah is “doing great” and should be “100 percent” for the game. The No. 15 Cornhuskers are off this week.
Abdullah left last Saturday’s game against Purdue with a mild sprain and bruise to his left knee. He was hurt as he recovered Tommy Armstrong Jr.’s fumbled snap at the Purdue 1-yard line on the Huskers’ second possession.
Abdullah has run for at least 200 yards in a nation-leading four games. He has 1,250 yards this season and is the only player in Nebraska history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in three straight years.
Nebraska standouts Ameer Abdullah and Randy Gregory were named semifinalists for prestigious national awards Monday morning. Abdullah is one of 20 semifinalists for the Maxwell Award, while Gregory is among 20 semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award. Both awards are presented by the Maxwell Football Club.
Abdullah has rushed for 1,250 yards and scored 19 touchdowns through nine games to power the Nebraska offense. Abdullah leads the nation, averaging 187.9 all-purpose yards per game and has recorded two of the four 300-plus all-purpose yardage games in the nation this season. Abdullah also ranks in the top 10 nationally in rushing yards and scoring. In 2014, Abdullah has moved to No. 2 on the Big Ten career all-purpose yardage list and is on pace to challenge Nebraska’s career rushing record.
Abdullah is one six running backs on the Maxwell Award semifinalist list, including fellow Big Ten backs Tevin Coleman and Melvin Gordon.
Gregory continues to be a dominant force on the Nebraska defense. Gregory has a team-high 5.5 sacks despite missing nearly two full games early in the season. The 6-6, 245-pound Gregory has 37 total tackles on the year, and also leads the Huskers with 14 quarterback hurries. He also has an interception, a blocked field goal and three pass breakups.
Randy Gregory
Gregory is one of three Big Ten defenders on the list, including Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa and Michigan State end Shilique Calhoun.
The Maxwell Award is given annually to the Collegiate Player of the Year, while the Chuck Bednarik Award is given to the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. The three finalists for each award will be announced on Monday, Nov. 24, and the winners will be announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, Dec. 11.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Running back Ameer Abdullah left No. 17 Nebraska’s game against Purdue with a mild sprain and bruise to his left knee.
Abdullah was hurt as he recovered Tommy Armstrong Jr.’s fumbled snap at the Purdue 1-yard line on the Huskers’ second possession on Saturday. Abdullah returned two series later and lost 5 yards on his only carry.
Coach Bo Pelini said he was “optimistic” Abdullah would be able to play in the Cornhuskers’ Nov. 15 game at Wisconsin. The Huskers have an open date next week.
Abdullah has run for at least 200 yards in a nation-leading four games. He has 1,250 yards this season and is the only player in Nebraska history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in three straight years.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah has been named Big Ten offensive player of the week for the fourth time this season.
Abdullah amassed a school-record 341 all-purpose yards in a 42-24 victory over Rutgers on Saturday. He carried 19 times for 225 yards and three touchdowns while adding 90 kickoff return yards and 26 receiving yards.
Abdullah leads the nation in all-purpose yards, total rushing yards, total touchdowns, points scored and yards from scrimmage.
Abdullah has rushed for 1,249 yards and 17 touchdowns and has a career total of 4,226 yards, second in program history behind Mike Rozier’s 4,780. Abdullah’s 6,604 career all-purpose yards ranks second in Big Ten Conference history, trailing only Wisconsin’s Ron Dayne.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Ameer Abdullah ran for 225 yards and three touchdowns and set a school record with 341 all-purpose yards, leading No. 16 Nebraska to a 42-24 victory over Rutgers on Saturday.
Abdullah surpassed 200 yards rushing for a nation-leading fourth time this season and fifth time in his career. He broke Roy Helu Jr.’s record of 321 all-purpose yards with his 23-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
The Cornhuskers (7-1, 3-1) reached the halfway point of conference play tied with Minnesota for first in the West Division.
Big Ten newcomer Rutgers lost 56-17 at Ohio State a week ago and has been outscored 98-41 in its past two games.
The Scarlet Knights (5-3, 1-3) lost quarterback Gary Nova on the second-to-last play of the first half. Nova held his right knee after Maliek Collins brought him down as he got rid of the ball. Chris Laviano played the rest of the game.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Ameer Abdullah reached a number of milestones in Nebraska’s win over Northwestern.
He became the first Nebraska player to post three 1,000-yard rushing seasons and the school’s No. 2 all-time leading rusher. He also scored a career-high four touchdowns in the 38-17 victory.
Abdullah said none of those accomplishments mean anything if the 16th-ranked Cornhuskers don’t win the rest of their games.
The senior from Homewood, Alabama, says few people will remember his statistics when his college career is over. He says he would like to be remembered for leading the Cornhuskers (6-1, 2-1 Big Ten) to their first conference championship since 1999.
For the third time in five weeks, Nebraska I-back Ameer Abdullah earned a Big Ten weekly honor, as the senior was chosen as the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on Monday.
Abdullah, who leads the nation in rushing yards and is second in yards per game, rushed for 208 yards and a career-high three touchdowns in Saturday’s 45-14 win over Illinois. He totaled 196 yards and all three scores in the first half, as the Huskers raced to a 31-14 lead.
The 208-yard performance marked Abdullah’s third 200-yard effort of the 2014 season and fourth of his collegiate career. His three 200-yard games in 2014 are one shy of the school mark set by Mike Rozier in 1983. Abdullah also climbed into second place on NU’s career lists for 100-yard games (21), career 200-yard games (four) and yards from scrimmage (4,339) while he also pulled within 70 yards of second place on the Huskers’ all-time rushing list. Abdullah had 212 all-purpose yards in the game, increasing his career total to 5,974 yards and moving him within 26 yards of becoming just the seventh player in Big Ten history with 6,000 career all-purpose yards.
The Big Ten honor was one of three awards Abdullah received Monday, as he was also named the Athlon Sports Big Ten Player of the Week and the College Football Performance Awards Running Back of the Week.
The Huskers, who are 5-0 and ranked 19th in the country, take on No. 10 Michigan State this Saturday, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m. (central) on ABC.
