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Meredith improves understanding of defensive schemes, along with moustache

Published: Sunday, August 29, 2010

Updated: Sunday, August 29, 2010 23:08

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An unusual competition has surfaced out of Nebraska fall camp — and it has nothing to do with the starting quarterback job.

The jury is still out on which Cornhusker sports the best mustache, but sophomore Cameron Meredith is making a strong case for himself.

Meredith got the idea to grow his mustache after seeing a photo of former Husker Mike Knox on the Wall of Fame inside Memorial Stadium.

The ‘stache has earned the Santa Ana, Calif., native plenty of exposure, like getting featured on a college football blog earlier this month, and Meredith welcomes the attention with open arms.

"I've had the mustache for a while," he said. "At first, I did it because I wanted to see what I'd look like. Then my buddies kept egging me on and telling me I needed to keep it.

"I got it in the program, on HuskerVision, everything."

Meredith's facial hair has brought notoriety off the field, but the 6-foot-4 defensive end is planning on turning some heads on the field this season, too.

Meredith played in all 14 games last year and is expected to start opposite Pierre Allen on the Husker defensive line this season.

"Last year was the year I really got the grip of it, that I really started to understand," Meredith said.

"This year is just another level. I'm starting to really understand the defense now."

Nebraska is expected to feature one of the nation's top defenses again in 2010, and while much talk has centered around NU's talented defensive backs, Meredith believes his defensive line can still be the backbone this year despite losing Ndamukong Suh.

"We've been in that defense for a while, so I think we really understand not only what we do, but what the person next to us does," Meredith said. "I think that's really helping us."

Meredith spent much of last season as the backup end behind Allen and senior Barry Turner, and he gives a lot of credit for his development to watching Allen play. Meredith finished the 2009 season with 21 total tackles, five of them for a loss and 1.5 sacks.

"I felt confident by the Missouri game — that's when I really felt it," Meredith said. "They put me in a lot during those Big 12 games, and that's really when I started to get the hang of it and say,

‘Wow, I can really play here.'

"That was pretty cool, when coach Carl (Pelini) and (defensive ends coach John Papuchis) put their faith in me."

Papuchis said Meredith is the type of player who doesn't like to make the same mistake twice; he continues to get better every time he hits the field.

"I don't think there is a guy on our football team that doesn't look forward to the opportunity to be running with the first group," Papuchis said. "When Cameron has gotten that opportunity, he's embraced it and ran with it and has never looked back.

"I don't see why we can't expect a really big season out of him."

Meredith is ready for his play to exceed the attention his facial hair has earned. Big season or not, though, he's still going to catch grief from his Husker teammates.

"Cam, he's got the ‘70s look going," NU defensive tackle Jared Crick said. "That's just Cam being Cam. He's a crazy California kid like that. He doesn't care what anybody says about him."

Meredith, who's also growing out his hair, admitted he's going to look weird. He started re-growing the mustache after shaving it so his mom and friends back home wouldn't see it.

Once Meredith returned to Lincoln for summer workouts, though, the mustache came right back with him.

Meredith wants to make one thing clear: He started the mustache craze, not NU's linebackers.

"Sean Fisher has said (Graham) Stoddard started the trend," Meredith said. "Not true at all. I've had it all summer. I didn't even know they were doing it until fall camp started, and I saw Will (Compton) and his attempted moustache.

"It was me all the way."

Expect Meredith to be in full mustachioed form for Nebraska's season debut against Western Kentucky Saturday. And whether he is getting his name out there by sacking opposing quarterbacks or starting a new trend, Meredith is just happy to have his ‘stache.

"I go around town now, and people say ‘Cameron, what's up?'" Meredith said. "They're really starting to know me, and that's cool."

dougburger@

dailynebraskan.com

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Aesop
Mon Aug 30 2010 17:07
AesopSun Aug 29 2010 00:09A slave named Androcles once escaped from his master and fledto the forest. As he was wandering about there he came upon aLion lying down moaning and groaning. At first he turned to flee,but finding that the Lion did not pursue him, he turned back andwent up to him. As he came near, the Lion put out his paw, whichwas all swollen and bleeding, and Androcles found that a hugethorn had got into it, and was causing all the pain. He pulledout the thorn and bound up the paw of the Lion, who was soon ableto rise and lick the hand of Androcles like a dog. Then the Liontook Androcles to his cave, and every day used to bring him meatfrom which to live. But shortly afterwards both Androcles and theLion were captured, and the slave was sentenced to be thrown tothe Lion, after the latter had been kept without food for severaldays. The Emperor and all his Court came to see the spectacle,and Androcles was led out into the middle of the arena. Soon theLion was let loose from his den, and rushed bounding and roaringtowards his victim. But as soon as he came near to Androcles herecognised his friend, and fawned upon him, and licked his handslike a friendly dog. The Emperor, surprised at this, summonedAndrocles to him, who told him the whole story. Whereupon theslave was pardoned and freed, and the Lion let loose to his nativeforest. Gratitude is the sign of noble souls. And the Huskers suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The Ant and the Chrysalis An Ant nimbly running about in the sunshine in search of food cameacross a Chrysalis that was very near its time of change. TheChrysalis moved its tail, and thus attracted the attention of the Ant,who then saw for the first time that it was alive. "Poor, pitiableanimal!" cried the Ant disdainfully. "What a sad fate is yours!While I can run hither and thither, at my pleasure, and, if I wish,ascend the tallest tree, you lie imprisoned here in your shell, withpower only to move a joint or two of your scaly tail." The Chrysalisheard all this, but did not try to make any reply. A few days after,when the Ant passed that way again, nothing but the shell remained.Wondering what had become of its contents, he felt himself suddenlyshaded and fanned by the gorgeous wings of a beautiful Butterfly."Behold in me," said the Butterfly, "your much-pitied friend! Boastnow of your powers to run and climb as long as you can get me tolisten." So saying, the Butterfly rose in the air, and, borne alongand aloft on the summer breeze, was soon lost to the sight of theAnt forever. "Appearances are deceptive." And the Huskers SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 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"Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper,"instead of toiling and moiling in that way?" "I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant,"and recommend you to do the same." "Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; we have gotplenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way andcontinued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had nofood and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the antsdistributing every day corn and grain from the stores they hadcollected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: It is best to prepare for the days of necessity. And For defeat because the HUSKERS SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The Ants and the Grasshopper THE ANTS were spending a fine winter's day drying grain collectedin the summertime. A Grasshopper, perishing with famine, passedby and earnestly begged for a little food. The Ants inquired ofhim, "Why did you not treasure up food during the summer?' Hereplied, "I had not leisure enough. I passed the days insinging." They then said in derision: "If you were foolish enoughto sing all the summer, you must dance supperless to bed in thewinter." It is thrifty to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow because the HUSKERS SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Apes and the Two Travelers TWO MEN, one who always spoke......






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