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Former Nebraska Football Blackshirt Criticizes Husker Fans in Social Media Post

Former Husker linebacker Collin Miller went to his X page to criticize Nebraska fans for their lack of enthusiasm Saturday at Memorial Stadium when the Huskers played against UCLA.

Austin Jacobsen

Oct 24, 2020; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers linebacker Collin Miller disputes a targeting call with an official during the third quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium.
Oct 24, 2020; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers linebacker Collin Miller disputes a targeting call with an official during the third quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. / Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
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Frustration has settled in to every crevice of the Nebraska football program - and has now seeped into the Huskers' alumni and fans.

Collin Miller, a former Nebraska linebacker from 2017-20, posted on X (formerly Twitter) Saturday night with some harsh criticism of the Husker fan base in attendance at Memorial Stadium during Saturday's 27-20 loss against UCLA. The Indiana native said he was "disappointed in Memorial Stadium" with a chance for Nebraska to clinch its first bowl berth since 2016.

Miller said the environment was "dead" and had "no buzz." He added that there was "no electricity through the air" and that fans were "literally asleep in their seats." Miller added a photo of Memorial Stadium from a vantage point in east stadium in the fourth quarter, showing some fans remaining seated.

"Are we proud of this Huskers fans?" he wrote. "Sitting while your team is down a one possession game ... This picture was with 2:30 left in the game."

Miller said he walked toward the Nebraska student section at halftime, and students were "flooding out the gates" with Nebraska trailing 13-7. He asked fans "you guys are coming back, right?" in which he was answered "why the hell would we come back?" as he posted on X.

The linebacker doubled down on his criticism of the fan base, stating that "your football team is only down 6 points and needs your help to go to a bowl game." Miller concluded his thread by saying he was hoping "we as a fanbase looked the same way we did against Colorado."

Many social media accounts were quick to defend Nebraska's fans, including media personality and former Husker offensive lineman Jeremiah Sirles. The Nebraska alum said in response that "the energy at the beginning of the game was there" and that UCLA's impressive first quarter helped "take the crowd out of it."

It was also pointed out that the photo Miller shared was not with 2:30 to go in the game. Rather, the picture was taken during a fourth-quarter timeout with 11:37 on the clock.

Other fan accounts on social media defended the fan base and argued about Miller's credibility in his criticism. The retired linebacker was never a part of a bowl game during his four-year career at Nebraska, posting a total of 122 tackles, four passes defended, one sack, and two forced fumbles. During his time at Nebraska, the Huskers were a combined 16-28, including the 2020 COVID-19 shortened season.

Miller was forced to retire during the 2020 season due to a spinal injury suffered in a Nov. 21, 2020 contest against Illinois. The linebacker suffered a spinal concussion, characterized by a temporary sensory impairment and motor weakness. The condition typically resolves itselft in one to three days with no lasting effects. He was taken off the field on a stretcher and hospitalized overnight.

Nebraska Cornhuskers linebacker Collin Miller is taken off the field during the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini
Nov 21, 2020; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers linebacker Collin Miller is taken off the field during the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini in the second half at Memorial Stadium. / Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images

Nebraska (5-4, 2-4 B1G) enters its bye week with three final chances to gain bowl eligibility for the first time since 2016. The Huskers will travel to Southern California to take on the Trojans on Nov. 16 before returning home to face Wisconsin on Nov. 23. The Big Red will wrap up the regular season in Iowa City, facing the Iowa Hawkeyes on Black Friday.

The full thread of his seven-comment post can be found here.

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Austin Jacobsen
AUSTIN JACOBSEN

Austin Jacobsen is a radio broadcaster and former Sports Director in Central Nebraska. He has seen the Cornhusker state from all corners; growing up in the Panhandle, completing his college degree in Kearney, working in the rural Sandhills, and now residing in Omaha. Austin is a statewide, regional, and national radio award winner and can usually be found at a high school football field on Friday nights and tuning in to the Huskers wherever they travel. If he is not on the road, Austin enjoys movie dates with his girlfriend and their dog, Ava.

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