Single-match volleyball tickets for the 2007 season will go on sale at 8:00 a.m. Wednesday, August 1, 2007. Nebraska is the defending 2006 National Champion and tickets are always in short supply.

Single-match ticket prices for the upcoming season are set at $16 (floor and limited view seats), $10 (adult general admission) and $8 (youth/seniors general admission). Fans are limited to two tickets per regular-season home match at the NU Coliseum.

Tickets can be purchased on the Internet at Huskers.com, in person at the Athletic Ticket Office, located across the street from Memorial Stadium beginning at 8 a.m. or by calling (800) 8-BIGRED. Ticket Office hours are from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

ESPN.U is reporting that Husker AD Steve Pederson has agreed to a five-year extension of his current contract.

Our controversial head of athletics will receive a 16% pay hike, from $429,837 to $500,000 annually plus $50,000 for media appearances, up from $35,000. He will also maintain his opportunities for annual bonuses and pay hikes.

Not too shabby of a payday for stripping Husker Nation of its traditions and managing coaching changes with a complete lack of tact and professionalism. I wonder who is really to accountable for fan animosity toward the current program–Steve Pederson or Chancellor Harvey Perlman?

Jeff Writes:

This is in total disregard to this topic. I may be converting to the Pederson Camp!? Granted, he turned Husker “football” upside down, possibly for the better (he has 1 year to prove that in my book).

I know not many people here like to admit it, but I’m starting to believe, possibly outside of FB, that SP is doing his job well. He just might deserve the raise and extension.

***Administrator***
Definitely worth a post of its own, thanks for taking the time to share your perspective Jeff.

Maurice Purify was reinstated to the team Friday after pleading no contest earlier this week to criminal charges including assault.

Coach Bill Callahan said Purify will participate in workouts next week and will report to training camp Aug. 5.

He will be suspended for the season opener against Nevada, and will face “continued additional discipline within our football program,” Callahan said in a statement.

“I met with Maurice Purify this afternoon and I believe that he has made a sincere effort to redeem himself and move forward in a positive direction,” Callahan said.

[via Associated Press]

The Sporting News ranks Nebraska No. 23 in its preseason poll.

This is how SN sees the season ending: 1st in Big 12 North, 9-3, Holiday Bowl.

I think 10-2 is more like it. What say you?

[UPDATE] Big 12 Conference sports writers see Mizzou coming out on top in the North this fall.

Mizzou QB, Chase Daniel, said, “We’re honored to be picked to win it, and we’ll definitely help use that as motivation/ We’ve worked really hard over the last few years to earn some respect, and now that it’s coming, we need to work even harder to keep it.”

Given that Zac Taylor won’t be wearing Husker red this fall, fans, players and coaches are all curious to see who will emerge as the starting quarterback. Lincoln Journal Star takes a closer look at one of the players in the middle of this competition–6-foot-1, 205-pound Joe Ganz, a junior from suburban Chicago.

Ganz says he feels confident he can emerge as the starter, beating out Arizona State transer, Sam Keller. He also says there is something in the air this summer in Lincoln.

“…we have something special here. I mean, you can just feel it. There’s a certain feel in the locker room. Everybody wants to get better. They know this season is the season we need to get it done.”

“There’s an urgency. Guys want to prove that we can finally get back on top of the Big 12.”

Nebraska’s last Big 12 title came eight years ago in 1999.

Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated lists the 10 best and five worst coaches in college football.

The 10 best are:

• Pete Carroll @ USC
• Urban Meyer @ Florida
• Jim Tressel @ Ohio State
• Mack Brown @ Texas
• Bob Stoops @ Oklahoma
• Frank Beamer @ Virginia Tech
• Jim Grobe @ Wake Forest
• Rich Rodriguez @ West Virginia
• Mark Richt @ Georgia
• Gary Patterson @ TCU

Note, the Huskers line up against the very best and the seventh best coach this September. Hey, challenges are good.

The five worst college coaches are:

• Al Groh @ Virginia
• Dennis Franchione @ Texas A&M
• Tommy Bowden @ Clemson
• Bill Doba @ Washington State
• Karl Dorrell @ UCLA

You’ll no doubt notice that BC did not make this list, but hold it…Mandel has a “Just Missed” list to go with his main dish.

Just missed: Georgia Tech’s Chan Gailey (who gets a one-year reprieve for winning a division title, even if he did still manage to lose his requisite five games), Nebraska’s Bill Callahan, Arizona’s Mike Stoops, Illinois’ Ron Zook and Arkansas’ Houston Nutt.

Mandel says he picked the worst coaches by “simply gauging who’s doing the least with the most.”

Omaha World Herald is running a feel good story about walk-on Tyrone Fahie, a 24-year old Defensive End from Virginia Beach, Va.

Fahie (pronounced FOY) is an Iraq War veteran looking forward to a far less dangerous line of work in Lincoln.

The 6-foot-3, 258-pounder emerged from an 85-man tryout and joined the Huskers for spring practice. As a backup base end, he made three tackles in the Red-White game on April 15. Fahie is listed as only a redshirt freshman on the updated NU roster available on Huskers.com.

“It’s almost surreal,” he said. “A guy in my situation shouldn’t have this chance — 24 years old, just starting out college, playing for an elite program — so I’ve got to make the most of it.”

Lincoln Journal Star spoke to Nate Swift about the Purify situation (Callahan won’t make any permanent decision regarding Purify’s team standing until his legal issues are resolved).

“Me and Maurice are pretty good friends. We go and play basketball once or twice a week in the offseason. We hang out. I want him to come back a lot. I love the kid. We’re real good friends on the team, too. I hope the best for him.”

Those are telling words, considering it was last year’s arrival of Purify, the highly touted junior college transfer, that bumped Swift from center stage. Both play the “X” receiver position; Purify was the starter by midseason.

Swift sounds like a good guy and a team player with the big picture in mind.

KETV taped an entertaining segment with NFL running back and Omaha native Ahman Green.

Green shows the viewing audience his new custom Husker-themed ride. The reporter, a graduate of Univ. of Colorado, wonders if he might be able to afford such a vehicle. Green double checks that he works for KETV–not ESPN–then delivers the answer, “No, you don’t have a chance, sorry. That’s out of your price range.”

If 70 large is in your price range, and you want to sport some Husker pride, see RSI for more details.