 "Photo: Andrew Lamberson")
Daily Nebraskan
The moment was a special and emotional one for Larry Asante, but it sure was brief.
As the final seconds were ticking off to Nebraska’s Big 12 North-clinching 17-3 win over Kansas State, the safety met with coach Bo Pelini on the sideline.
“Coach came up to me and was giving me a hug,” Asante said. “He was telling me how he loved me and how I’d come along as a player.”
Then came the waterworks, but not the kind either expected. Players raised the traditional orange Gatorade bucket over the two’s heads and drenched Asante and Pelini in a downpour of water.
“It was out of joy, so I didn’t mind,” Asante said with a smile.
If any NU player merited the end-of-game shower traditionally reserved for coaches, it would be Asante. The strong safety produced a career day on Saturday and performed like the player he was expected to be when he first arrived in Lincoln.
Asante joined the program in the spring of 2007 and was expected to be an instant talent capable of making game-changing plays. In the final home game of his three-year career, he lived up to the hype.
Asante produced a game-high 10 tackles on the night and made two crucial plays to halt long K-State drives and help NU slip past the Wildcats.
Late in the second quarter, he leapt up to snag his second interception of the season at NU’s 16-yard line. It was his game-changing play on K-State’s first drive of the second half, though, that prevented KSU from getting back into the contest.
Down 17-3, the Wildcats drove to NU’s 13-yard line early in the third quarter. On the third-and-9 play, KSU quarterback Grant Gregory found backup running back Keithen Valentine wide open over the middle.
The 5-foot-8 back seemed to have a clear path to paydirt — until he crossed paths with Asante.
“I put my helmet on the ball, and it popped out,” he said. “That was a dream hit because he caught the ball, took a step and I was right there. I came up and hit him as hard as I could.”
He struck Valentine at the 1-yard line, and the ball fluttered out of Valentine’s hands. Cornerback Prince Amukamara fell on the ball at Nebraska’s own 5-yard line, ending a nine-play, 79-yard drive.
“Larry is a physical football player, and he loves to bring it,” NU defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said. “He’s going to make those hits that cause fumbles and cause interceptions. It was a great play and a pivotal play.”
The play didn’t surprise defensive backs coach Marvin Sanders, who said Asante has a knack for “being able to put his hat on the ball.” It was, however, the kind of play Husker fans have been waiting years to see from the touted player.
Asante was considered one of the top 10 junior college prospects in the nation when he joined NU. He fell well short of that hype in his first two seasons as a Husker, struggling with miscues and intercepting only one pass.
His lack of production was at times symbolic of NU’s defenses in 2007 and 2008: too much thinking, not enough playmaking. Though most consider Ndamukong Suh the prime example of the defensive turnaround Bo Pelini and the new coaching staff brought to NU, Asante is the same story.
In his second year under defensive backs coach Marvin Sanders, Asante has developed a firm grasp of the Huskers’ defensive schemes and has been able make more plays on instincts, like his 74-yard interception for a score against Louisiana-Lafayette.
A better understanding of the defensive game plan has permitted the nation’s No. 3 scoring defense to embrace a physical mentality that was absent under the previous staff, Asante said.
“Coach Sanders is always preaching about challenging receivers and going after the ball,” he said. “Once a receiver catches the ball, if you can’t knock the ball out, you have to go collision on him and try to get it out.”
His 10 tackles Saturday pushed Asante’s career total to 209, tying him for third all-time among Husker defensive backs behind Mike Brown and Daniel Bullocks.
His strong play lately has been vital to a Husker defense that’s now allowed 85 points against conference opponents and hasn’t given up more than 17 points in 10 of its 11 games this season.
“We take it personal as a unit — we don’t want to give up any points,” Asante said. “Our goal is to hold our opponent to zero points. I don’t think we had the culture back then. We play each play like it’s our last.”
Asante’s last game at Memorial Stadium was an emotional one. He admitted he was in tears during his final tunnel walk, and producing a career-best game made the night all the more special for the three-year starter.
“We had to get this victory for the senior class and go out the right way, and the right way was to win the Big 12 North,” he said.
Asante came to Lincoln with plenty of hype and the nickname “The Assassin.” On Saturday night, he chuckled when he was asked if he’s finally playing up to the title.
“It’s a good nickname,” he said. “I’m just happy I made plays out there tonight.”
maxolson@dailynebraskan.com
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