A Story From The Stands - What Have Former Nebraska Football Players Learned From The Game - McCord
Nebraska fans love defense, especially hard-hitting dominating defense. That's the kind of defense that makes a soft-spoken Fairbury farmer smile. His name is Jim McCord and he knows a little about dominating defense.
"When Jim Ross and his wife came down to see me in 1964, I was ready to sign to play at Nebraska," McCord said The talented Fairbury prospect had other offers. "Kansas State wanted me but they were not very good and I wanted to play in Lincoln."
In the late 1960's Nebraska was playing great defense and one of the most famous defensive players in Nebraska history was also one of Nebraska's leading scorers.
"I played next to Wayne Meylan," McCord said as he remembered those days. Meylan was in the end-zone almost as much as Nebraska's offense and league punters found Meylan on the end of their kicking shoe more often than the pig.
Lincoln had become a pretty exciting place in those years. The new North stadium was done and for the first time, Memorial Stadium looked like a bowl and most of the red-clad fans had bowl fever. Devaney knew he had to deliver.
But great defense wasn't enough in 1967. Lady luck didn't buy a season ticket in Memorial Stadium. Nebraska 20 game home winning streak ended when #4 Colorado beat the Huskers, 21-16. Kansas made matters worse by beating the #7 Huskers 10-0. Mizzo jumped on the bandwagon and downed the Huskers 10-7 and Oklahoma won a close one, 21-14. Devaney's battles with the Bear continued to go bad. And, Nebraska went from No. 5 in 1965, to No.6 in 1966 to out of the top 10 in 1967.
"I liked Devaney," McCord said. "He was a straight shooter, maybe a little bit of a rounder in his day, but he was fair with me. He had a good sense of humor, too."
The coaching staff tried McCord on the offensive side of the ball but it didn't take long to see that his talents were best used on the other side of the line so they moved his 6' 2" 220 lb. Nebraska talent to defensive tackle. "By my senior year, I was 245."
In typical small town Nebraska fashion, McCord is quick to give the credit to his teammates. "Oh I guess I had a few fumble recoveries and tackles," he said as he reflected on those years. "It was a long time ago and I forgotten most of details." A few? Try 61 assisted tackles.
Other people haven't forgotten. They use terms like "really tough" and "hard stick" when they talk about him. He knew his responsibility and took the job seriously. "I think we did have a great defense in those years," he said. "If it hadn't been for a few interceptions and fumbles, we could have had one of Nebraska's best teams."
He isn't bragging. In fact, that may be an understatement. That defense is still number one in the Nebraska record book. Nebraska was yard-stingy giving up only an average of 157.6 total yards per--67 rushing and 90 passing. Nebraska led the Nation in total defense. If defense wins championship, 1967 should have been Devaney's big year.
Besides Meylan, another one of his life-long friends was in that defense. Barry Alvarez, the former Wisconsin Head Coach was a linebacker.
McCord's position coach was George Kelly. "Kelly was a boisterous guy," McCord remembered. "He hollered at Alvarez one time. He called him a Mexican field general. Barry hollered back that he was a Spanish Field General. We had a good time." Kelly was also famous for hollering out, "hit 'em with your purse" if Husker defenders seemed to be loafing a little.
McCord learned early that half efforts were not going to make it at Nebraska. "During my freshman year, after we played our four games, they picked a few of us to play on the scout team and rush the kicking team. I got through and pulled up instead of hitting the punter and John Milton got all over me. He wanted me going full speed all of the time regardless of who we faced."
It would take patience and top effort every time to succeed at Nebraska. "I learned patience when I rolled a hay truck in high school," he said. "I put my leg out when I thought the truck stopped rolling but it hadn't and I broke my leg. I was on crutches for a year."
Even though his seasons at Nebraska didn't produce a National Championship, those years were paving the way for teams that soon would. McCord went on to play in the Senior Bowl and the Blue-Gray game. He also received Big 8 All-Conference honors.
He tried out with the Minnesota Vikings but he didn't stay. "I was behind Alan Page so I wasn't going to play much. I had enough of football and I was ready for other things."
He took his college bride home to Fairbury and out to the farm where they raised four children, one boy and three girls. "The kids liked basketball and were pretty good at it." One of the girls played in a tournament in Madison, Wisconsin so they stayed at the Alvarez home. "Wayne Meylan flew down and hunted with me every year." He said as he fondly remembered his old teammate and friend. Meylan was killed in a plane crash.
McCord loves to roam the sideline of his beloved Fairbury football team. Some of the new kids out on the field, who are taking their first licks, probably don't know who he is. But, when one of them shows the heart to stop a running back dead in his tracks and plant him on the ground for a loss, there is probably no bigger smile in the crowd than the one on the face of Jim McCord.
After all, he knows what dominating defense is all about.
Author: Kenny Miller
Kenny Miller has been in the creative business for over 30 years. He has created two advertising agencies and is the author of two
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