Mike McNeill is a native of Kirkwood, Mo., but he’ll expect no friendliness when he returns to his home state this week to take on Missouri.
The NU tight end hasn’t exactly been a fan favorite among Tigers faithful — and neither have his parents.
When Nebraska last played in Columbia, Allen and Sally McNeill received what their son called a rude awakening to recent rivalry between the schools.
“Their fans had some things to say to them,” he said. “My mom, she assumed they knew she was from Missouri, but obviously they didn’t care because they were wearing Nebraska stuff. They had some things to say about Nebraska.”
Last season, McNeill’s Facebook inbox filled up with messages from MU fans looking to remind him how inferior he was to the Tigers’ star tight end Chase Coffman.
Those messages haven’t come this year because Coffman graduated and is now in the NFL, and McNeill said he didn’t take them personally.
“I just feel like they don’t really like Nebraska in general,” he said. “I haven’t gotten any messages this year, so I think maybe they like me now.”
Though all the festivities took place in Lincoln two weeks ago, Thursday night’s matchup will serve as a real homecoming game for McNeill and several Huskers who hail from Missouri.
McNeill admitted the added bragging rights would make leaving town with a win even sweeter, especially considering NU’s recent history against the Tigers.
Though Nebraska leads the series between the schools 63-35-3, MU has outscored NU by a combined 92-23 in two straight wins and has taken four of their last six meetings.
“The last two years, they’ve really stuck it to us,” McNeill said. “It’s been tough going home every year and having to hear about it.”
Middle linebacker Will Compton said he also receives some “smack talk” when he goes home to Bonne Terre, Mo., and friends back home will be conflicted when he takes the field Thursday night.
“Most of them say they’ll root for me, but they hope we don’t win,” he said with a laugh.
The redshirt freshman is looking forward to playing in front of friends and family, and he anticipates an intense atmosphere surrounding the game.
“I’d like to play in Columbia every year if I could, so I could play in front of everybody I know and talk to,” he said. “I definitely have higher emotions for this game.”
The trip to Missouri will be even more meaningful to receiver Chris Brooks, who’ll get a chance to play in front of his family — most importantly, his son.
Chris Jr. lives back in his father’s hometown of St. Louis. Though Brooks isn’t sure how much he’ll get to see his 5-year-old before and after the game, he knows his son will be with him on the field.
“He’s on my wristband each and every play, so he’s never too far away,” Brooks said. “I mean, I can see that picture in the back of my head.”
Brooks has been working on dishing out his allotted game tickets to friends and family, and plenty of people have asked for tickets to the game.
“Oh definitely, I’ve heard from cousins I didn’t know I had and some uncles, but it’ll all get worked out,” he said. “I’m having a little ticket problem right now, but most of them will be able to come.”
Keith Williams said he has between 20 and 25 tickets to the game to give to family members who plan to make the nearly two-hour trip from Florissant, Mo.
“A lot of them don’t get to come up here, so it’s a treat for them,” Williams said. “I’m trying to get all that ticket stuff out of the way and stay focused.”
NU’s starting left guard said he occasionally catches flak for picking Nebraska, but that doesn’t bother him.
“I get crap for it, but I made the right choice,” he said.
maxolson@dailynebraskan.com
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