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Nunn makes habit of taking on records

Senior receiver from Cy-Falls is climbing charts at Nebraska

By RICHARD CROOME
Eagle Staff Writer

Terrence Nunn's name will be mentioned along with Heisman Trophy-winner and Nebraska legend Johnny Rodgers on many occasions this season.

Of the two most significant Nebraska career receiving records held by Rogers, Nunn, a senior from Cy-Falls, is on target to eclipse one and close the gap significantly while finishing second in another.

"I think about it sometimes but I try not to let it get in the way," Nunn said earlier this season. "It's a great honor to be mentioned in the same sentence with Johnny Rodgers. It's just outstanding to know that I'm close to breaking his record."

Nunn needed 43 receptions to break the school record for catches coming into the 2007 season, and he's now 22 away. He caught 42 passes last season and 43 the year before. The record for career receiving yards is out of reach, but the 6-foot, 190-pounder moved into second earlier in the year and now stands at 1,553.

Despite the high company, which includes having better numbers than 1984 No. 1 draft pick Irving Fryar, Nunn has not made, nor has he been predicted to be on, any all-Big 12 teams.

Most wouldn't even consider him the most talented receiver on his team. That honor goes to fellow senior Maurice Purify, who Texas A&M fans remember for his game-winning reception with 21 seconds remaining in the Cornhuskers' 28-27 victory over the Aggies last season at Kyle Field.

Nunn's calling card is consistency and dependability.

He had caught a pass in 32 straight games until the Missouri loss two weeks ago and has at least three receptions in 13 of his last 19 Big 12 games.

"Consistency is really a big part of football. To come in each week and just keep doing what you did last week," Nunn said. "Some [receivers] go from eight catches to one, so [consistency] is a big part of my game."

Nunn came close to climbing up another red-clad team's record book. He had originally committed to Nebraska, but then decided to go to Wisconsin after Cornhusker coach Frank Solich was fired. Not long into new coach Bill Callahan's tenure, he and then-quarterbacks coach Turner Gill, who is now the head coach at Buffalo, made a trip to Houston to try to get Nunn to change his mind.

"He came to the school and everyone was shocked that he was at the school to talk to me," Nunn recalled. "I knew the offense that he ran in the NFL and I knew it would help me a lot."

Callahan promised Nunn he'd play as a freshman, and the rest is history.

"I told Turner, I said, 'Lets go down there and get this guy,'" Callahan said. "There's no way we're going to let this guy go to Wisconsin when he can be in a pro passing system."

Nunn caught 16 balls as a freshman before thriving the next two years with Zac Taylor at quarterback.

This season, Nunn had been catching passes from Arizona State senior transfer Sam Keller.

Nunn enjoyed his two years with Taylor but is very confident with Keller under center.

"He throws a very catchable ball and has the offense down," Nunn said in comparing Taylor and Keller. "Zac was a really smart guy though, he knew everything about the offense."