Nebraska fans love defense, especially hard-hitting ascendant defense. That's the sort of defence that brands a soft-spoken Fairbury husbandman smile. His name is Jim McCord and he cognizes a small about ascendant defense.
"When Jim John Ross and his married woman came down to see me in 1964, I was ready to subscribe to play at Nebraska," McCord said The talented Fairbury prospect had other offers. "Kansas State wanted me but they were not very good and I wanted to play in Lincoln."
In the late 1960's Cornhusker State was playing great defence and one of the most celebrated defensive attitude participants in Cornhusker State history was also one of Nebraska's prima scorers.
"I played adjacent to John Wayne Meylan," McCord said as he remembered those days. Meylan was in the end-zone almost as much as Nebraska's discourtesy and conference punters establish Meylan on the end of their kicking shoe more often than the pig.
Lincoln had go a pretty exciting topographic point in those years. The new North bowl was done and for the first time, Memorial Stadium looked like a bowl and most of the red-clad fans had bowl fever. Devaney knew he had to deliver.
But great defence wasn't adequate in 1967. Lady fortune didn't purchase a season ticket in Memorial Stadium. Cornhusker State 20 game place winning run ended when #4 Centennial State beat out the Huskers, 21-16. Sunflower State made substances worse by whipping the #7 Huskers 10-0. Mizzo jumped on the bandwagon and downed the Huskers 10-7 and Sooner State won a stopping point one, 21-14. Devaney's conflicts with the Bear continued to travel bad. And, Cornhusker State went from No. Five in 1965, to No.6 in 1966 to out of the top 10 in 1967.
"I liked Devaney," McCord said. "He was a consecutive shooter, maybe a small spot of a libertine in his day, but he was just with me. Helium had a good sense of humor, too."
The coaching job staff tried McCord on the offense side of the ball but it didn't take long to see that his endowments were best used on the other side of the line so they moved his 6' 2" 220 lb. Cornhusker State endowment to defensive tackle. "By my senior year, I was 245."
In typical little town Cornhusker State fashion, McCord is speedy to give the recognition to his teammates. "Oh I think I had a few muff recoveries and tackles," he said as he reflected on those years. "It was a long clip ago and I forgotten most of details." A few? Try 61 assisted tackles.
Other people haven't forgotten. They utilize footing like "really tough" and "hard stick" when they speak about him. He knew his duty and took the occupation seriously. "I believe we did have got a great defence in those years," he said. "If it hadn't been for a few interceptions and fumbles, we could have got had one of Nebraska's best teams."
He isn't bragging. In fact, that may be an understatement. That defence is still figure 1 in the Cornhusker State record book. Cornhusker State was yard-stingy giving up lone an norm of 157.6 sum paces per--67 rushing and 90 passing. Cornhusker State led the State in entire defense. If defence wins championship, 1967 should have got been Devaney's large year.
Besides Meylan, another 1 of his life-long friends was in that defense. Barry Alvarez, the former Wisconsin River Head Coach was a linebacker.
McCord's place manager was Saint George Kelly. "Kelly was a boisterous guy," McCord remembered. "He hollered at Alvarez one time. He called him a Mexican field general. Barry hollered back that he was a Spanish Field General. We had a good time." Emmett Kelly was also celebrated for hollering out, "hit 'em with your purse" if Husker guardians seemed to be loafing a little.
McCord learned early that one-half attempts were not going to do it at Nebraska. "During my fresher year, after we played our four games, they picked a few of us to play on the lookout squad and haste the kicking team. I got through and pulled up instead of hitting the punter and Toilet John Milton got all over me. Helium wanted me going full velocity all of the clip regardless of who we faced."
It would take forbearance and top attempt every clip to win at Nebraska. "I learned forbearance when I rolled a hay motortruck in high school," he said. "I set my leg out when I thought the motortruck stopped rolling but it hadn't and I broke my leg. I was on crutches for a year."
Even though his seasons at Cornhusker State didn't bring forth a National Championship, those old age were paving the manner for squads that soon would. McCord went on to play in the Senior Bowl and the Blue-Gray game. He also received Big 8 All-Conference honors.
He tried out with the Gopher State Vikings but he didn't stay. "I was behind Alan Page so I wasn't going to play much. I had enough of football game and I was ready for other things."
He took his college bride place to Fairbury and out to the farm where they raised four children, one male child and three girls. "The children liked basketball game and were pretty good at it." One of the misses played in a tourney in Madison, Wisconsin River so they stayed at the Alvarez home. "Wayne Meylan flew down and hunted with me every year." He said as he fondly remembered his old teammate and friend. Meylan was killed in a airplane crash.
McCord loves to wander the out of-bounds of his darling Fairbury football game team. Some of the new children out on the field, who are taking their first licks, probably don't cognize who he is. But, when 1 of them demoes the bosom to halt a running play back dead in his paths and works him on the land for a loss, there is probably no larger smiling in the crowd than the one on the human face of Jim McCord.
After all, he cognizes what ascendant defence is all about.
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