Greeley – When Northern Colorado senior receiver Andy Birkel got word from athletic director Jay Hinrichs in December that a Nebraska assistant would become the Bears’ new coach, Birkel’s heart almost skipped a beat.
Fortunately, a smile followed.
“Funny how things work out,” Birkel said. “I was excited. I had a tough time at Nebraska, but Coach (Scott) Downing was somebody I could trust.”
Birkel, a 6-foot-2, 180-pounder and UNC’s top candidate for Division I-AA All-American honors, made the tough decision two years ago to turn his back on his hometown school.
“It was something I had to do,” he recalled. “I didn’t feel like I had a choice.”
Birkel signed with Nebraska in 2003 after earning all-state honors at Lincoln’s Southeast High School. He averaged more than 24 yards per catch as a senior, started as a guard on Southeast’s state runner-up basketball team and won gold medals in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter sprints at the state track meet.
The Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal Star named Birkel the state’s athlete of the year. Ranked as the No. 45 best football prospect in the Midlands by SuperPrep Magazine, the favorite son orally committed to Nebraska prior to his senior season. He appeared destined to become a Huskers hero.
A broken toe curtailed Birkel’s first year at Nebraska. Then Frank Solich, who had signed Birkel nine months earlier, was replaced by Bill Callahan. A bout with mononucleosis ruined the following spring for Birkel. And most of his playing time that fall was relegated to special teams. He did not catch a pass at Nebraska.
Birkel transferred to UNC and nabbed 50 passes for 907 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
“(Callahan) came in with a plan, and I wasn’t part of the plan,” Birkel said. “Obviously, some people there wanted me to stay and see what would happen if I stuck it out. But I realized I wasn’t going to get very many opportunities to play.
“Northern Colorado seemed like the right place. It’s been good to me.”
When Birkel announced he was leaving Nebraska, he told reporters in Lincoln that Callahan had been “very rude, very unprofessional.” Birkel doesn’t take back what he said, but prefers to not bring up the past.
Of course, it might have something to do with the fact that Downing coached under Calla- han for two years. Downing had moved to Lincoln from Purdue during Birkel’s freshman season.
“When I got here (UNC), I was happy to come out and see a familiar face in Andy,” said Downing, who is Birkel’s fourth coach in four years.
It’s also nice to inherit an athletic wide receiver. Downing, instrumental in recruiting during his three years at Nebraska, knew all about Birkel’s speed. Birkel has run 10.7 seconds in the 100 meters.
“He doesn’t look like a blazer, but you let him get behind you and he’s gone,” junior cornerback Aaron Henderson said.
Staff writer Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
