Anderson hopes message is clear
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By CURT McKEEVER / Lincoln Journal Star
Whenever the Nebraska baseball team holds its first meeting this semester on NCAA compliance issues, Craig Corriston will be front and center.
Yes, the senior infielder, though maintaining he thought he was doing nothing improper by trying to exchange some university-issued bats for credit at a local sporting goods store in June, remains embarrassed — personally and for the program — over that decision.
It’s one that brought the Huskers more unneeded attention at the end of a 2007 season marred by numerous off-the-field problems and will put Corriston on the bench for the first six games.
“I feel like I’ve got something to prove, not as a baseball player, but as a person,” Corriston said after participating in a team meet-and-greet function in Omaha on Saturday. “That doesn’t represent me in any kind of way, or the university, or our team.”
Sixth months later, NU coach Mike Anderson has moved on from the incident that involved four of his players — one of whom transferred, another who decided to end his career because of injury and the other who was not penalized. After all, the Huskers have a bunch of inexperienced pitchers who will be filling major roles.
But Anderson — who proudly notes that his team’s 2.94 grade-point average from last fall was the program’s highest in 10 years, and that the Huskers contributed 225 community service hours over the holiday break — also remains self-conscious over what transpired in the Lincoln Scheels. And he vows not to forget.
“For 14 years, we’ve done a great job in terms of NCAA compliance,” said Anderson, who is in his sixth year as Nebraska’s head coach and 14th in the program. “To me, it’s not the mistake that happened, it’s how you dealt with it . . . and we’re going to go 14 more years without that kind of an issue.”
Corriston came to Nebraska from the junior college ranks, where he said it’s common that players do what they want with the equipment given to them by their schools. And so when a serious-toned Anderson called to express his concerns after he’d found out about last summer’s ordeal, Corriston thought his coach was just joking around.
“From that standpoint, I think Craig’s right. There’s a cultural thing that goes on in baseball (with) gloves, balls, hats, bats, all those types of things,” Anderson said. “Guess what? At Nebraska, we said that’s probably not OK, where across the country it might be.
“We need to make sure we’re doing it the right way. There are so many rules, from agents to advisors, and we are a high-profile program, so we’d better cross our Ts and dot our Is and just make sure we’re OK. (But) nothing should change (regarding attention given to NCAA compliance matters) because we’ve been pretty darn good.”
What and how much equipment and apparel NCAA student-athletes receive from their schools is largely dependent on what kind of contract their schools have with those companies.
Anderson acknowledged that his players receive more goods than most because of Nebraska’s lucrative deal with adidas. Regardless, the ground rules are simple.
“We don’t give any kid anything that’s in excess,” he said. “Do you need two jackets? No. Two gloves? No, unless you’re a first baseman and in the outfield. I think it’s just common sense.”
Corriston now painfully knows that means the equipment is his to use, but not to use to get something else.
“It was a mistake on my part. As far as the guys, I think they’ve forgiven us, and hopefully the fans have, too,” he said.
Briefly
* The Huskers have begun individual skill sessions, but won’t begin team practice until the new NCAA uniform date of Feb. 1. The NCAA also established a new date for the start of competition, which this season is Feb. 22. Nebraska begins a four-game series at Stanford that day.
* Anderson said third-year assistant Dave Bingham, who spent his first two years as the pitching coach, will focus on team defense and assist him with hitting instruction. In July, Anderson hired Eric Newman from Dallas Baptist to be the Huskers’ new pitching coach.
“His strength is team defense — I’ve known that for a long time,” Anderson said of Bingham. “We’re (now) in the roles that we should be.”
* When the Huskers start practice, the positions that will receive the hardest looks are first base, left field and catcher.
Florida transfer Cody Neer will challenge returning starting catcher Mitch Abeita (who’s fully recovered from a broken leg), along with getting some looks at first. Anderson said another mid-year transfer, Tyler Farst, also has looked impressive in first baseman drills.
“That’d be a big plus for us in our infield. That’s the one hole that I was concerned about,” Anderson said.
As for Neer? His ability to swing the bat is probably going to be the thing that gets him into the lineup somewhere.
NU’s top candidates to replace Andy Gerch in left field are juniors Clay Cuno, Nick Sullivan and Farst. Gerch opted in August to essentially take a full-ride medical hardship scholarship over receiving much lesser aid and hoping to recover from a second major shoulder injury. At best, he wouldn’t have been ready until late March.
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.
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