The Roark Bros
The transfer of Freshman Center Chad Roark from Oklahoma to join big brother *Fr DT Craig Roark in Lincoln has never been "officially" confirmed (or even mentioned) by Callahan or Nebraska. That will come before long.
Chad came to Lincoln this summer and is rooming with brother Craig and Matt Slauson.
The LJS and OHW had earlier reported Chad's apparent transfer earlier this summer, but not with words from the players' mouths. The Ada, Oklahoma newspaper takes care of that below...
From the Ada Evening News:
_ _ _
Chad Roark insists there are no hard feelings.
Roark, an All-State lineman from Ada High, thought he had wanted to be an Oklahoma Sooner. In fact, he left high school last January during his senior year, enrolled in OU early and went through spring practices with the Sooners.
But when it came down to it, family ties ultimately proved stronger than running with the Crimson and Cream. He left OU this summer and decided to join big brother Craig at the University of Nebraska.
“It’s nothing against the program or anything. I still respect all the coaches [in Norman],” Chad said. “I started looking at things, and realized I wanted to play with my brother....
“OU is going to have a good team, and it was a hard opportunity for me to walk away from. I just had to do what I felt was best for me,” Chad said. “Their offense has a chance to be unbelievable. (Running back) Adrian Peterson is a freak of nature.”
Things were going great on the field for Chad in Norman last spring. In fact, he was No. 1 on the depth chart at center and was the starter during OU’s Red-White scrimmage.
“It was great. I got a lot of reps with the first team and second team and that was a very valuable experience,” he said.
Now Chad will have to sit out a year due to the NCAA transfer rule. He’ll be the starting center on the scout team and may get a few chances to go one-on-one with Craig — who has switched from the offensive line to the defensive line.
“That’s going to be a big difference because I probably would have been playing on Saturdays if I had stayed at OU,” Chad said.
Craig is looking forward to playing with his brother. And the two will get to spend three years together on the field. During the 2007 season, Craig will be a redshirt sophomore while Chad will be a true sophomore.
[Craig:] "It's a good opportunity for him. I know OU would have been a good opportunity for him too, but our offensive line coach (Dennis Wagner) is one of the best in the country. The offense we run is an NFL offense, and if that’s what he wants to do, and that’s his dream, our offensive line coach will get him there.”
Meanwhile, Craig is looking forward to contributing to what looks like a promising 2006 season for the ‘Huskers. Nebraska is the favorite to win the Big 12 North title and Craig said NU head coach Bill Callahan basically guaranteed it during an interview at last week’s Big 12 Media Days in Kansas City.
“We’re going to have a really, really good team this year. I’m really excited about it,” Craig said. “Coach Callahan guaranteed we were going to win the north, and that’s not like him at all.”
“Our head trainer (Jerry Weber), who has been there for 30 years, says this is the best Nebraska team he’s seen since 1995 and that team is considered our best team ever. For him to say that to us means a lot,” Craig said.
It was just before spring workouts began that the NU coaching staff approached Craig about a position change. He was more than willing to try it and he liked it.
“They told me I could switch back if I didn’t like it after a few practices. We’re really short on defensive linemen, and we needed someone who could come in and help and contribute,” Craig explained. “Why wouldn’t I try it? I made the move, and I loved it. It was awesome. I have a senior in front of me this year, but it’s really working well.”
Craig said he will enter preseason practices this Tuesday about 25 pounds lighter than he was last year (he’s listed at 6-2, 295 on the NU roster).
“I’m happy with the way things are going right now. I have a good opportunity to play a lot this year,” he said.
While Craig will begin workouts this week, Chad won’t join his ‘Husker teammates until Aug. 22. When he gets to Lincoln, he’ll be roommates with Craig and Matt Slauson, a 6-6, 335-plus pound lineman.
Last year, Craig set a new bench-pressing record for an NU freshmen with a lift of 415 pounds. Slauson then erased Craig’s name from the record books with a 420-pound lift a week later....
Chad came to Lincoln this summer and is rooming with brother Craig and Matt Slauson.
The LJS and OHW had earlier reported Chad's apparent transfer earlier this summer, but not with words from the players' mouths. The Ada, Oklahoma newspaper takes care of that below...
From the Ada Evening News:
_ _ _
Chad Roark insists there are no hard feelings.
Roark, an All-State lineman from Ada High, thought he had wanted to be an Oklahoma Sooner. In fact, he left high school last January during his senior year, enrolled in OU early and went through spring practices with the Sooners.
But when it came down to it, family ties ultimately proved stronger than running with the Crimson and Cream. He left OU this summer and decided to join big brother Craig at the University of Nebraska.
“It’s nothing against the program or anything. I still respect all the coaches [in Norman],” Chad said. “I started looking at things, and realized I wanted to play with my brother....
“OU is going to have a good team, and it was a hard opportunity for me to walk away from. I just had to do what I felt was best for me,” Chad said. “Their offense has a chance to be unbelievable. (Running back) Adrian Peterson is a freak of nature.”
Things were going great on the field for Chad in Norman last spring. In fact, he was No. 1 on the depth chart at center and was the starter during OU’s Red-White scrimmage.
“It was great. I got a lot of reps with the first team and second team and that was a very valuable experience,” he said.
Now Chad will have to sit out a year due to the NCAA transfer rule. He’ll be the starting center on the scout team and may get a few chances to go one-on-one with Craig — who has switched from the offensive line to the defensive line.
“That’s going to be a big difference because I probably would have been playing on Saturdays if I had stayed at OU,” Chad said.
Craig is looking forward to playing with his brother. And the two will get to spend three years together on the field. During the 2007 season, Craig will be a redshirt sophomore while Chad will be a true sophomore.
[Craig:] "It's a good opportunity for him. I know OU would have been a good opportunity for him too, but our offensive line coach (Dennis Wagner) is one of the best in the country. The offense we run is an NFL offense, and if that’s what he wants to do, and that’s his dream, our offensive line coach will get him there.”
Meanwhile, Craig is looking forward to contributing to what looks like a promising 2006 season for the ‘Huskers. Nebraska is the favorite to win the Big 12 North title and Craig said NU head coach Bill Callahan basically guaranteed it during an interview at last week’s Big 12 Media Days in Kansas City.
“We’re going to have a really, really good team this year. I’m really excited about it,” Craig said. “Coach Callahan guaranteed we were going to win the north, and that’s not like him at all.”
“Our head trainer (Jerry Weber), who has been there for 30 years, says this is the best Nebraska team he’s seen since 1995 and that team is considered our best team ever. For him to say that to us means a lot,” Craig said.
It was just before spring workouts began that the NU coaching staff approached Craig about a position change. He was more than willing to try it and he liked it.
“They told me I could switch back if I didn’t like it after a few practices. We’re really short on defensive linemen, and we needed someone who could come in and help and contribute,” Craig explained. “Why wouldn’t I try it? I made the move, and I loved it. It was awesome. I have a senior in front of me this year, but it’s really working well.”
Craig said he will enter preseason practices this Tuesday about 25 pounds lighter than he was last year (he’s listed at 6-2, 295 on the NU roster).
“I’m happy with the way things are going right now. I have a good opportunity to play a lot this year,” he said.
While Craig will begin workouts this week, Chad won’t join his ‘Husker teammates until Aug. 22. When he gets to Lincoln, he’ll be roommates with Craig and Matt Slauson, a 6-6, 335-plus pound lineman.
Last year, Craig set a new bench-pressing record for an NU freshmen with a lift of 415 pounds. Slauson then erased Craig’s name from the record books with a 420-pound lift a week later....
posted by G-Money at 6:15 PM
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