Listen to the guys from the No Block No Rock Podcast as they talk with former Husker WR Kenny Bell.
He all my bones are dislocated I just keep from wondering Alone got this then I have Everything welcome to NB andr the authority on unfiltered opinions and authentic player insight for Nebraska Athletics connect with us on Twitter Instagram and at nbnp podcast.com we have to say no block no rock you know we just really love UD he’s a junkyard dog tny Bell to me like you know what you
You just did get mad when you going to get in the portal and go to another podcast you know usually dumbbells are in pairs they had five dumbbells he got it Mohamed gbr red indeed no block no Rock season 4 episode 23 we are coming at you live from the
Nebraska BR company barrel room and we have with us a very special guest he is one of the most decorated Husker wide receivers of all time dare I say one of the best players of the past decade to put on a Husker uniform he left Nebraska as the leader in career receptions
Career receiving yards he was a multiple all big 10 performer and guys I don’t know if this is hyperbolic when I say it he might be a future Nebraska Football Hall of Famer Kenny Bell how does that is that too much what do you think is
That too much I think all of it was too much but I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the love how can we not I don’t I don’t know if I deserve I don’t know if I deserve uh all all those accolades being listed by any means especially not with how
Many great guys I got to play with that made my career what it was but uh I’m I’m very thankful also episode 23 I got the MJ episode that’s right there it is didn’t even think about that yeah absolutely no we had it all planned shut
Up J now Kenny I just want to ask you first off did you did did you wake up pissed off today and you know why I asked no I’m not as dope as Trey Palmer uh yes my goodness every that dude is a beast that uh that 43 speed is very
Legit I he breaks he breaks that tackle and it’s like bye yeah yeah not even close bye did we say if it’s not every makes up P off like looked up he looked up field sorry I don’t mean to interrupt you guys yeah he broke that that tackle
And looked up field and realized the safety didn’t have a chance it was great and the safety realized that too I think oh man yeah um so Kenny you know you grew up you went to high school and played football in Boulder Colorado and of course when you think of the past
Year in college football Boulder Colorado was a pretty popular talking point what with Deion Sanders going there and coaching the Buffalo um if you could just kind of go into the recruiting process for you going to high school there um and just kind of how Nebraska approached your Recruitment and
Just any other schools or any stories that you want to get into about that yeah absolutely so uh I was born and raised in Boulder I grew up going to Buffs camps uh loved the Buffs but at the time Dan Hawkins was the coach for
The Buffs and I I uh I when they offered me I I can’t tell the story because it’s just not appropriate the stuff that like I couldn’t believe what he said during our meeting um but that that was kind of flag for me so that pushed me away from
The Buffs and then at that time uh bo was at Nebraska he had he had just gotten the job in 09 and the defense was awesome um and uh the wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore at the time would come out to Colorado he’d come to my games
He’d come to my basketball games my track Meats I mean Nebraska really made me feel like I wanted to or they wanted me and for me to be right up the street for C I mean they weren’t coming to any of that stuff uh so it was it was really
A no-brainer in terms of where I wanted to go and then I came we played uh it was 09 and we played uh K State at home and I was it was like the dudes on that official visit were like me Levante David uh Yoshi Hardrick there were some
Big names and Rex Burkhead was my host and uh after that night uh I always like promised my dad always told me like get off campus and don’t make a decision right now but when I was leaving Memorial after we waxed K State that night it was uh it was it was pretty
Obvious where I wanted to go you knew yeah yeah to be class with the guys that you just named was that intimidating or encouraging seeing like at that point you have to I I feel like you probably saw the talent that was surrounding that
That class yeah uh for me no yeah for me it was uh at that time I was I was from Boulder I was like in a little bubble you know we I didn’t understand the national talent level that really was associated with college football was
Just you know I was a kid from Colorado I didn’t know any better um but yeah realized and at that time I didn’t know who Lon David was either right I didn’t realize that he was going to go down as one of the best linebackers in our
School’s history let alone a future Hall of Famer in the NFL right so we we were stacked and I’m incredibly thankful for that uh but yeah it was it was a bit of a wakeup call to say the least when I saw Yoshi Hardrick on the sideline Yoshi Hardrick man Canadian
Football League like I don’t know if there a hall of fame for them but I have to assume that he’s right he’s got to be he’s got to be in the Hall of Fame for the bombers one of these days he’s a legend up there he’s a legend man um so
You kind of mentioned the talent that you were surrounded by on your visit and I just got to ask like we have literally the highest rated recruit of all time in Nebraska’s history coming Dylan Rola and you look at that kind of wide receiver room a lot of young guys and it just
Came out today or I’m sorry yesterday that Nebraska has hired a new quarterback coach Glenn Thomas he was an assistant with the Steelers and I just kind of want to pick your brain about what can this coaching staff do in terms of game planning or game calling to kind
Of ease Dylan’s transition in playing Power five ball I mean he’s a true freshman that kind of scares a lot of people but he’s a he’s a firear for reason yeah so what can the staff do to kind of ease the transition with him and some of the younger receivers in that
Room establish the Run game is most important right I think that’s one that’s something that we hang our hat on as a university and as a culture but I don’t think people understand how much playing wide receiver relies on the ability to run the football obviously there’s there’s freaking Natures like AJ
Brown right and Jamar Chase and these guys that can just get open all the time but when you got a when you got a defense that’s worried about a run game like ours was in 2011 I don’t mean to bring up the pass obviously but it’s all
I can speak on it’s where I played but what right I had success because I got to catch 45 yard 50 yard bombs from Tommy and Taylor because the defens has had to worry about tackling Rex Burkhead and Amir Abdullah right like that was that was and soulle of our offense so I
Think that’s the most important thing can we get back to smashing people between the tackles um and I think and that fits for the culture too right with these four new pack 12 teams I think there’s a lot of Bea in their chest that they’re going to come come in run all
Over the place throw all over the place and it’s like all right well let’s play in 10 degree weather and we’re going to run the ball at you 40 times a game and we’ll see how you guys feel after three quarters you know so when you talk about
That style of football I think it fits the Big 10 and more importantly it fits big red yeah I mean again we we we talked about we the thing that We crave as fans here and I think especially you know Mike touched on this that getting a bcow
That you can give the ball reliably like 20 times a game can can we find a guy that can just be that consistent bcow rb1 guy can we get a thousand yard rusher we haven’t had a thousand yard rusher since Divina zigo in 2018 is it
Not on the nose that cowbell rhymes with Dowell yeah yeah we got to do something with that yeah I like um and I did just kind of if you look at if you look at it sorry if you if you look at other programs like you look at
Uh Minnesota right and how they were able to St establish the Run game with uh Mo Ibrahim I mean that made them relevant in the Big 10 right um they’re not and I’m not taking anything away from the program uh I think coach flex’s a good coach I think they’re doing the
Right stuff up in Minnesota I just think when you look at a program like that and you look at us it’s like well dang why can’t we have one of the nation’s top rushers um because that automatically will free up a Young quarterback right so yeah I think when when they get to
Game planning in the spring I would I’d be surprised you know if if it was five wides and Dylan was slinging it all over the place but it’s also not my job right now to go out there and win football games so I’m gonna trust in coach Rule
And that staff um and because I I genuinely do I really like the staff that they got go up there and I think Trev is the absolute man I think he’s one of the best ads in the country so um I’m really really excited about where H
Not only football is at but just Husker Sports heck yeah so a question for you and establishing that run game obviously your o line is going to be incredibly important um I don’t know if you’ve been following the recent additions uh most recently who we’ve been referring to as
Mizuka the Bazooka yeah and the development that we saw over this last year do you see that o line being in a place to really allow I mean a dowo is a great running back and I’m excited to see I think he’s got three years left do
You think this o Line’s in a place to really establish that run in a way that you know not only can Rola be do you see this o line being in a spot where that can be a huge Factor right I think I think yes they can
Without a doubt I think it depends on how they gel through the spring and through the early part of the season I think of like um they were talking about Philly uh the Eagles o line the other night um obviously not a great game for them but the playing every game together
Or I think it was Buffalo excuse me playing every game of a season together on the o line like in terms of communication and knowing where your guys are at I mean that makes a world of difference so if we can get uh five Hogs that can stay healthy all year I don’t
Think I don’t think it’s a problem to have one of the big 10’s best rushers um so no I I I I wholeheartedly believe that that’s a goal that’s attainable and I believe that that’s a goal that the Huskers want right I mean as a team if
You can if you can run the football in the Big 10 you can run the football on anybody in the country in my opinion so hey Kenny so obviously uh you moved back to Nebraska um have you had an opportunity to be around the the new staff and and what is the comparison
Comp compared to where when you were back at Nebraska yeah I don’t have the uh experience like with the staff personally yet to comment on that I I’ve gone to as many games as I could and I was on the sidelines and I saw coach rule obviously um saw coach fully giving
Them all my best and letting them know that I’m supporting them but I try and uh I don’t I don’t want to be down at practice and being a distraction you know what I mean those guys have jobs to do they’re trying to win football games
I’m not g to be down there just to you know show face and and I’m not sh taking shots at anybody that’s not what I’m doing I’m just saying I understand that they got a job to do and um I’m not going to just be wandering around the
Building if when they’re working you know if they if they if they were to ever ask me to come down and just help or anything I’d be there in a heartbeat yeah and like relating to that you know I think uh you guys correct me if I’m
Wrong but I’m pretty sure like coach rule asked to come on no block no Rock but we said no look you have a job to do coach rule if you listen we don’t want to be the possible for you you know taking quote unquote a day off and
Responsible for an L we don’t want to be responsible for that so coach R we appreciate the offer but yeah I respect that you guys you guys will have you’ll have Husker Nation at you guys talking about oh he was on the podcast and he didn’t care about the game plan that’s
Right we know we don’t that gota be careful us we’re usually the ones saying that to about other people so we don’t want to be that Target yeah uh you know what that would remind me of I don’t know if the dude still does it but the
Tunnel Walk of Shame yeah does that still exist oh man that dude I don’t think so oh we would I our whole team would wake up and read those on the way to the game that was that was funny that’s awesome that reminds me of
That yeah we don’t want to be on that so I guess not had like the direct interaction with the current staff I guess what is your perception of how they’re like the jobs they’re doing how they’re doing it what is your perception of how the staff is going about their
Jobs well first and foremost the Huskers undoubtedly got better throughout the year last year right so I know uh losing close games and taking care of the football and all those pains that we’ve had for all these years since I was playing football and we were doing that
Stuff on offense um I I hear I hear the fans frustration but I mean it’s corny but Rome wasn’t built in a day right like this stuff isn’t gonna just turn around in a year I think um the first month people were looking at the success
Maybe that the Buffs were having in the hype train um and I mean that as much as I love the Buffs obviously crashed and burned so I think there’s just a process of things that people aren’t always um willing to see but there is no doubt that we got
Better better last year right especially especially on the def games in the Big 10 conference it’s playing defense and running the football so um if I if we can continue to get better at those things and we’ve got a stud um under Center I’ve got a lot of a
Lot of faith and a lot of um confidence in in where the program is headed and where the coaches have the program headed yeah and um I kind of want to go back and what you said about is lishing a solid Run game to take pressure off
Dylan Rola and I think a lot of fans might they might argue that hey you are bringing in arguably the best quarterback in the class of 2024 like we’re not going to run the ball 30 times because then you’re taking away the thing that Dylan Rola does best which is
Slinging the ball around um and I don’t know if that’s necessarily right or wrong but I just kind of want to ask you about this quarterback’s coach now when you look at the quarterback there are two true freshmen in that room with riola and kin and the thing about
Quarterbacks coaches guys is like all these quarterbacks that are coming up they work with quarterback coaches their whole lives and then they come in and it’s I just kind of wonder about the kind of impact that a quarterback’s coach can have in a program and so I just want to
Ask you Kenny maybe with your experience with quarterback coaches what’s what’s something that Glenn Thomas can do to to make these guys better right um one it’s fundamentals right teaching the fundamentals of a higher higher paced game where the players are bigger stronger faster smarter um but two it’s
Going to be preparing the young guys for the offense right and that I know that sounds basic but it’s not necessarily A quarterback’s job at that level to show a kid how to throw a football right like that’s not you’re not going to work on uh mechanics necessarily I don’t think
As much but learning how the offense operates and what makes the offense successful means the world right like that’s that’s if you got a QB coach that can do that and I think uh someone that did phenomenal with that for us was Joe Gans uh Joe Gans came in for us and took
Over at the QB position or quarterback position a guy that had played at Nebraska guys that respected him um respected his opinion and um I thought the second that happened Tommy and Taylor’s play went through not I mean I don’t want to say through the roof but I
Mean they definitely started to improve as as quarterbacks so um when you got a guy that can teach the ins and outs and the nuances of the offense um that’s that’s what that you’re looking for out of that quarterback coach right right yeah and I mean I don’t bring up I don’t
Mean to bring up a source subject um but wasn’t it uh Joe Gans that outd drove you at the team Jack remember that wow that was a really that that did not need to be but yeah it was icorrect Joe G I remember correctly I think Joe Gans was on top and then
Nate Gary went out there with last with no shoes on Barefoot went Barefoot yeah Jesus Country Boy Gary That’s my boy you still beat the hell out of our Squad so I I wouldn’t feel too bad you guys will have to come back this year yeah um you know speaking of like
Coaching staff and stuff we’ve had dozens of Bo Pini guys come on our podcast and they have nothing but glowing things to say about him and we all know you know he gets fired and all the external factors surrounding the program it’s very unfortunate right
There’s a lot of things that he was kind of going up against which kind of makes me think and I guess I’m kind of asking you to speculate I guess and you know tell me to kick rocks if this is too much but like why why hasn’t he found
Just another Power five job somewhere like what do you think what do you think oh I talked to the headman and yeah we we love him to death he’s like a father to us uh and Bo Bo doesn’t want to coach anymore um unfortunately where the game
Is at and I don’t blame him right um his Co his coaching style doesn’t exist in the game anymore um and I think that is a detriment I think uh telling 17 18 year old 19 year old kids how great they are all the time and giving them a a
Pocket full of money uh doesn’t raise the best young men always um I think back when I was 18 years old and I got to Nebraska um I was humbled like incredibly humbled if you ask my teammates my first year and a half I didn’t really talk to anybody I didn’t
Have friends um and that’s because I wasn’t used to the environment that I was in and I was you know I was having all those rough edges as a young man being sanded down by men like coaches that genuinely cared about my well-being they wanted me to be a good man not just
A great football player for him so that’s what I’ve always appreciated and loved about Bo and from my point of view that’s why he’s not gonna get back in the game because if Bo was to yell at a guy like he used to yell at us that guy
Will just transfer right you can just leave the program and do whatever you want bad mouth the coach so um it’s just not a culture and environment that I think Bo would thrive in and I I don’t think that’s a a a negative strike on his character if you know what I mean
Sure yeah sure so uh my question as you talk about how Bo maybe like that coaching style doesn’t exist in the NCAA right now my question for you is coming through your college career at Nebraska what motivated you the most was it your coach holding you to like you know I’m
Angry with you because I know you can be better was it because you wanted to be the best guy on your team what motivated you the most I’d say it was all-encompassing it was a being just part of a culture that was bigger than yourself right no one is bigger than
What we’re trying to accomplish and nothing is more important um and that kind of mentality I don’t know I don’t know if it’s necessarily the healthiest right for for 18 19 year old kids but in terms of creating a team and a bond and
Guys that you want to go to war with on Saturdays I mean that’s I in my opinion that’s the only way to do it right you talk about if you ask great teams um about themselves right when they’re getting interviewed I don’t think it’s obviously it’s about the practices and
The preparation but it’s I think it’s everything about the camaraderie and the guys right it’s the it’s wanting to leave it all out there for the guys that you are coached by and the guys that you play with so um that’s a especially in football I mean in sports Period there um yeah and I mean you I so I just rewatched you and will Compton’s uh golf outing you know on like the big like that little that you guys did and uh you guys like talked that a little bit like uh it was kind of like
Hindsight right like looking back and Bo like getting on you guys a bunch and it was part of this bigger plan because he believed in you guys and you’re like we were not privy to that like we did not he was actually like you know whatever but
Yeah but at 20 years old like how many 19 20 year old kids know that you know you’re in school you think you’re a big man on campus uh like you you you play on uh television on Saturdays and the whole nation watches you I mean that
Stuff just goes will goes to a lot of people’s head right and I’m not going to just say everyone’s but it certainly went to mine and without a coaching staff and the teammates that I had um I wouldn’t have turned out to be who I am today so I’m I’m incredibly thankful for
That experience and where I chose to go Kenny we you talked earlier about you know Bo trying would be adapting to the college game the the modern day of college football with transfer portal nil all that stuff that leads me to a question for you if you had an nil deal
Which one would you want in college because obviously there was no nil when you were playing I just want to add mik before before you finish Kenny Bell I remember reading a story about you that you had to get a job as a bartender because you could not pay your bills is
True I came home and my lights were off so I started bartending at the bar and yeah so how what nil deal would I have taken I mean honestly I would have taken a ramen noodle nil deal when I was in school I wouldn’t have that was such a
Foreign uh like even thought that that would even that I’d see that you know in especially this soon um and it if it if I’m being honest I want to tell you to kick rocks because it’s a sore subject there’s nothing there’s nothing worse than being like Oh yeah these kids
Are uh getting uh hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars for their jersey sales and appearing in commercials um and I’m sitting here at 32 now I’m just like wow I missed that uh missed that boat yeah I think you would have done pretty good for yourself you know
Especially in the Nebraska Market I was gonna say I used I used to catch you at the uh the Runza in the union all the time I figured Runza was gonna be a number one option there yeah I I honestly I should call Runza right now and ask them if they’re if they’re
Interested in 32y Old watched up football players or an N come on just tweet hash that’s all you have to do and you make money yeah no they’re they’re actually good a big shout out to the folks that runs a uh I went and got chili and cinnamon rolls a couple weeks
Back and tweeted it just how phen because I mean they just free advertising for runs just because they’re phenomenal but they uh they sent me a cinnamon roll and chili candle in a in a personalized note they are awesome that’s badass they have candles yeah they yeah and they’re great so another
Free shout out to Runza buy their cinnamon and chili uh candles they’re fantastic brother I’m ordering one right now me right now dude I tweet at renza all the time and they don’t send me anything yeah yeah maybe you should be better at football mike yeah obviously we all have our own
Thing yeah you’re still such a recognizable face and name around here I’m kind of surprised that look Runza come on guys you it’s right there the opportunity deal now Mike what does you have a question on the uh chat yeah we we are live and so we have some comments
And questions in the chat we had some people ask some stuff prior to the interview too uh somebody had a question and obviously we have to bring this up this is the no block no Rock podcast and we have the king of no block no rock
With us so uh the question is uh does Kenny believe that the player from Wisconsin has found his soul yet asking for a friend oh oh man funny story that poor guy uh he was playing up in the Canadian football league on Josh Mitchell’s team one of my old teammates
Uh from back in the day we got brought up while like during their training camp can you guys hear me oh yeah we no we’re just waiting in anticipation for this story oh no did we lose him yeah no we got you we got you can you hear
Me if you can hear me give me just a sec I’m just going through a bad spot sorry about this no worries we got as you can hear us those mountains are freaking deadly man that was a good question though can you hear us now Kenny oh man
My audio is a mess hey no worries listen it’s not new for us man hey we’re used to this we’re just Reminiscing on that block like that’s that’s really all we’re doing in fact Michael Delaware you can show off your shirt there oh he wore he
Wore the he wore the the KB shirt you just fre straight I actually didn’t notice that until right now yeah I wore it yeah I don’t know if he can oh he’s gone okay he’s probably gonna have to rejoin us okay uh so we’ll just anticipate the the story um but I guess
We can go around the table right now since we are still live um for the guys that are and people that are listening to us we do have Kenny Bell on live um he is rejoining hold on let’s see oh we got a little some hold on a
Second Kenny are you getting called over oh jeez can you guys hear me yeah yeah we can hear you we can hear what’s going on are there some Sirens around you oh no oh yeah oh he’s gone again okay okay hold on is he okay I hope so oh he’s back
Again there he is let’s try it again are you okay Kenny Kenny are you there I’m so sorry guys dude you’re good are you you a safe we heard sirens oh no Hello Kenny you there oh no oh I’m getting concerned while we’re waiting for Kenny let’s go around the table what
Is uh what’s your oh here we go there he is again the one Kenny Kenny can you hear us Kenny are you are you there I’m sorry yeah like I can kind of hear you guys but the the audio is messed up hey no worries brother we uh we heard sirens we got
Concerned here here’s what I’ll say and I don’t know if you can hear us but here’s what I appreciate you know we wish we wish we could have had him in studio yeah say Studio but I want to say and you know he’s gonna try to rejoin I appreciate
The effort of him continually trying to rejoin us he’s coming back like four or five times he’s not just like using this as an excuse to kind of peace out yeah here we we must be doing one thing we’ve learned is Kenny Bell is a dog on and off the field
Yes Kenny hear us K Kenny Kenny Canen you hear us did could everybody hear my uh a oh my gosh I know I mean we we we got him pretty clear it’s just yeah whatever I he said he was driving through a bad spot I I get
That well I think I can I can appreciate kind of what he said about B and how the Kenny cheum says can’t be doing no live stream on no Cricket phone brother CRI what is this 1998 K speaking of you probably you probably had a Cricket phone back in the
Day huh getting fried am I back you are back can you hear us yeah I just I just saw somebody said you can’t be doing a live stream on that’s that’s Kenny cheetah oh boy all right yo yo yo Noob I’m gonna find you one of these days that’s messed
Up you you didn’t exactly uh argue his are you using a Cricket phone what are you using got that dial up literally I don’t I’m pulled I’m pulled over now trying to get some service oh man well we we heard the sirens and we’re like okay yeah we got
Concerned your your safety is first priority here so is he are you still there I’ll be all right okay okay he’s still here okay you were telling us the story about in the the can Canadian Football League the guy’s soul that you had taken yeah the story and we lost back again well
Look okay can you am I hear can you guys hear me at least we can hear you Kenny we talked about this when you were off for uh the second or third time we want to point out we appreciate you just AB abely not giving up on
This yeah we we love that we appreciate it yeah I got you guys I’m I’m pulled over I’m a little cold but it’s all right oh no oh you’re outside you’re not outside are you yeah yeah I’m outside don’t worry about it so the Wisconson
The Wisconsin guy yeah so he was up in uh CFL playing with Josh Mitchell and it got brought up everyone was like yo look at this hit uh we’re bringing it up and sure enough uh J Mitch is like yo that’s Dev and the dude got crucified oh
No all rightfully tell that whole story and you guys can’t hear me no we can hear you we can hear you we got you oh he’s gonna leave again Kenny no K I can hear AIO Kenny we got you Kenny can you hear us no there’s two of oh no there’s two Kenny
Bells we got you Kenny can you hear us now am I in yeah we hear you can you hear us oh no oh no we might we might this is going really well I didn’t get hit by a truck I’m all right if you guys can hear me thank God thank God all
Right you guys got me now yeah got we can hear you Kenny I know I know I just want to just have a moment of levity here Kenny I just want to request that you put on your VD I gotta see this video I Gotta See Your Face what’s going on over
There I’m pulled off hold on I’m pulled off on like the side Of I pulled off I pulled on like the side of an exit so I can talk to you guys look at this look at this guy Lord we could have him in the tap room or he could be outside of his car this is that is incredible okay the commitment is
Insane anything for you guys but yeah uh it was I don’t know if the Wisconsin story finished but it was brutal he was playing up in the Canadian football Le with Josh Mitchell and it got brought up in the whole locker room like the hit and then Josh Mitchell was like oh yeah
That’s Devon and he was sitting in his locker like trying to hide you just hear everybody went there watching it go oh exactly so do you do you think the hit was legal yeah absolutely at that at that okay especially at that time head on a swivel dude yeah I mean yeah
Absolutely second part to that question after that hit do you just go home feeling like the coolest dude in the world because you I feel like you had to him right I felt pretty bad uh I had never seen someone like snoring on a like from
Being knocked out and the he was snoring on the field so I wasn’t we were down by quite a bit I was trying to calm people down I was like guys that was a little bit too violent you could tell that as as soon as you laid that block like you
Didn’t like start hovering over him or you know yelling like you you could tell that you were like oh boy no I knew I there was no need to stand over him I knew he was he was hurt that was that was the most violent or Collision I’ve
Ever been a part of is is there um such thing as a defenseless player on a football field no absolutely not thank you great answer great answer there’s never there has never been such thing I love that that’s my favorite answer of all time Kenny did you did you
Uh like you you rung his Bell like was your bell rung as well I don’t mean to no pun intended uh no I didn’t I honestly didn’t feel it it uh his feet were perfectly off the ground and it just yeah he was flying he was human flight
Is possible yeah if you if you pause yeah if you pause it like both of his feet are perfectly off the ground yeah Kenny I don’t know if you can see my shirt and I don’t know if you’ve seen it on Twitter before but we do have a Kenny
Bell um block shirt that we made in honor of the of that and he is in the air yeah it’s very dry or burnt uh we made that the first time first season we started this podcast back in 2020 so we’ve got the Badgers at home this year don’t
We uh yes yeah you guys gonna have to you guys gonna have to send me that shirt to wear for the game yeah oh absolutely we’re gonna have to like update it a little bit but yeah because it’s it’s pretty sharp if if we can just kind of rough those or smooth those
Edges yeah we’re good especially my dryer burnt version so yeah can of hear me out we we’ll get you that shirt no charge but we all we all wear the shirt and we get a picture in front of the stadium together yeah we’ll grab a we’ll grab a
Beer afterwards tooy oh dude we can get you a beer yeah so uh Kenny with you know I we know that you still do some freelancing with the Big 10 Network and your show link up you had interviewed uh Eric Crouch but I’m going to kind of flip it and pose
You some of the questions that you had posed to him all right what would you say is the most you know sentimental or emotional moment as a Husker and I’m I’m gonna say if we could limit it to on the field because we’re gonna talk about
Team Jack and I know that was a huge deal during the Spring but uh like on the field what would you say is like the most emotional moment that you’ve ever had as a Husker oh obviously yeah the team Jack run right when Jack ran that uh touchdown yeah for the spring game
That was by far the most but as a player I’d say the 2014 Miami game at home um to have the um 01 team out there and all the alumni and that was like at that point I was a senior so I thought I had seen it
All in Memorial Stadium and I had never heard of that Stadium like that and it was yeah that was probably just standing there prior to the game with Amir Abdullah um we knew it was something special and then we just hammered Miami at home which was just the greatest
Feeling ever so I’d say that that’s probably got to be it the last day at the res that was the last day at the res I’m sure he oh the res yeah that we were at the that tailgate and it got Rowdy quick it was awesome out of control I
Bet I know Kenny listen you you are outside and I don’t know again we appreciate your your willingness to to do this with us despite the elements um I just want to ask you I know that you majored in history so I just want to know like is
There a particular historical figure or a time period or event that is like Kenny Bell’s Roman Empire like what is your like historical thing that is your bag um I mean any war from any 20th century War I’m gonna be uh pretty well educated on it’s something that I like I
Like reading about it’s something that I think is really interesting especially World War II seeing how country lines were drawn and borders were drawn and so societal rules and cultural rules were really put in place so um looking back on that kind of stuff you can always see
What was built on top of it and why we are where we are now um and I think that’s really fun or really interesting so that’s something I’ll always be passionate about awesome okay Kenny well we’ll touch on the last question so you can get back on the road safely and get
Your get in your freaking car are um obviously this interview happened because of the team Jack foundation and uh we just wanted to ask you kind of what your role is with Team Jack um what they’re doing in 2023 2024 gosh holy cow in 2024 and uh
Anything that uh or is there anywhere that people can donate and and help out with Team Jack yeah absolutely um 24 we’ve got some pretty cool stuff set up obviously we’re going to run it back with the um the team Jack golf foundation with the uh golf or excuse me
With the golf tournament we’re gonna have more alumni guys there this year hopefully get some coaches and some current um players out as well um the team Jack Gala obviously is in February uh you can go on the site look at how to purchase tables and uh that’s a spe
That’s always been a special night for us it’s a good fundraiser um a ton of stuff to be auctioned on it’s that’s a fun night I think it’s February 26 yeah we’ll be there yeah awesome um then we’ll have the tournament or the golf tournament in the summer and then this
Um fall I’m going to be working with a couple of the alumni guys from um past Generations above me also to start um getting some guys together from my generation to start hosting a Husker tailgate for once a year so we’re gonna try and circle the uh the Buffs game and
Give us all an excuse to all get back to Lincoln and kind of rub elbows see how everybody’s doing and then obviously support the Huskers and um but yeah I’m I’m always looking for ways to be involved with the foundation it started obviously 12 years ago with Rex and Jack
And um Andy and my father Dan became really close friends um through our relationship and my my stepdad actually went to the very first Gala um in their Hometown so it’s it’s been a it’s been a really special and rewarding relationship I’ve had with the Hoffman and the foundation um and they actually
Put me in charge of um the the alum for the foundation so I’m the chairman for the alumni chapter of the foundation that’s lovely love to hear that um oh they’re Lov K Kenny we just we want to thank you again for uh not just coming on the no block n podcast
But risking life and limb basically my man got out of his car I talk he dodged semis you guys owe me a cold one this fall we’ve got plenty for you there’s always a seat here at the brewery for you too if you want to come in person
And and we have the the whole Brewery to ourselves so for let’s plan on something uh before the spring game or something yeah for sure absolutely all right Kenny Kenny get back on the road thank you again we appreciate it and uh we appreciate your work with Team Jack obviously and uh go
Big red right go Big Red baby appreciate you guys having me it’s an honor yes sir much K apprciate okay well look uh said that we appreciate when when guests come into the brewery yeah we love iners you know you can look them in the eye there’s there’s body language social
Cues all that there’s also no traffic and there’s also it’s also pretty uh like we we got full bars when we’re talking to each other here yeah so at least we’ll we will always have a story to tell right yeah sure he didn’t come in which would
Have been cool but he got out of his damn car dud got out of his car turned his camera on he’s in there you can hear him shivering he’s trying to answer questions it’s got to be below and this man got out of his car and reconnected
Like six times to be with us out Kenny that Cricket phone of his finally at the end there came in clutch but yeah I mean that was that was great and uh I just kind of asking about my B plany thing we always talk about how like what
If boy was so great why doesn’t he have a dang job you know and just kind of hearing him and this is probably something we should have thought of but the way that he did things and how people can just leave right we’ve had players say that though in the past
We’ve had guys say like no it wouldn’t work like not in today’s world because players are too soft like they can’t take they can’t take criticism I was confused by your question though when you said that why does bini why hasn’t he had another Power five job was he not
At LSU but he a head coach you know head coing like running a program and and I think you even more mean like right after Nebraska the guy could have got a a head coaching job if if if he wanted to I would imagine thought but instead of Youngtown yeah well and he
Did great at Youngstown State okay did fine did fine but I I would also I I guess I would have to look back at the coaching Carousel in those years and see you know what what jobs were open and who else was available I don’t I I think
Bo plany um the big thing was Bo was known as husar fans know him as you know maybe an aggressive individual yeah well might he might have said something okay again I will go you guys are all soft I will go directly at this um the the main
Thing that Bo Pini said was [ __ ] the fans um sure and honestly there are some very soft fans you don’t want to be here when we’re losing don’t be here when we’re winning I don’t disagree with him I don’t disagree with him Bo just said the things that everybody else was
Thinking honestly I mean he not just beat around the bush Mike how long have you been going to Husker basketball games a long time a long time yeah how many times Mike how many how many tournament wins you ever see Zero Zero Mike how many games you plan on going to
In the future well currently they’re playing right now so I plan on popping the television when we get done here we were’re winning last night let’s look up the score guys Mike you 3328 3328 but Mike you ride or die yes win or lose yes I think that’s
That’s a fan yes the people that only want to be here when we’re winning those are the people that Bo P was talking about it wasn’t about all of fans it was the ones that only want to see wins well you know when you’re in an emotional
State you you have the tendency to General generalize and Flash out your comments and you have things and you have things to compare to like as a fan you know you you had the you were spoiled through the 70s 80s and 90s right and so when you try to compare
That in the 2000s with with B it it’s kind of tough because we weren’t winning championships but we were winning consistently winning nine games a year in hindsight we’re like we would kill I I guarantee there’s fans out there that would kill to win nine games yeah and
The other thing that I was going to ask him like well look we can we can uh acknowledge that he won nine games a year but in those big games right yeah Rucker just took the lead but in those big games it just seemed like the team
Would clench and I think Kenny Kenny has addressed this before you know it’s not a secret that Melvin Gordon is still running yeah and it’s like he even said himself like there was that pressure to be perfect and balini is the kind of guy that if you’re not playing well he’s
Probably going to get on your ass a little bit so that could puts a little more clench in your butt muscles if you know what I mean and yeah I was like I don’t know if I should ask him then but yeah he handled it well I’m sure he’s
Been asked that question before and yeah sure he has he had he’s had a guy like Conor come in the bar go why the [ __ ] did you lose that game like that oh my God I actually uh I I did not do that to Kenny ever that was one time and it was
Nate Gary um which I actually I I did get Barefoot Nate Gary yeah did get to talk to Nate about that um and I apologized and he looked at me was like who are you and I was like all right great that’s actually kind of the
Response I was hoping for Nate Gary I do still love you please come on the podcast AB otherwise I think it was an awesome interview I hope I hope he uh definitely makes an appearance in person one of these days uh he says maybe before the spring game so we’ll
Definitely get something lined up we just have to be sure to to clip that moment that he showed himself on the side of the road that was in a like in a field or something where was he I we are all hosts of this podcasted I don’t know that I would be
Getting out of my car on the side of the road and what I have to assume is below zero weather to just get on my phone with I maybe airpods like that is some commitment and I want to give a massive shout out to Kenny Bell for that absolute commitment for this episode
Shout out to him and shout out to us guys because we are that good we are that big of a deal that we could hey we could always say what other podcast can say yeah we made kennell get out of his car at negative 10 windchill to talk to
Us not only did Kenny Bell do that but uh Charlie McBride called us during a yeah during a Storm’s power his power went out and he called us in the middle of a storm to continue his interview so this yeah this was case were like we would lose him and
Then get him back and L how that went and honestly that just goes back to like I feel like people that are associated with Nebraska fans and this program in general like they they just care more and people aren’t gonna do that if if they don’t care would you say it just
Means more it just means more in Nebraska it just means more I think that’s a good place to wrap this thing up guys absolutely hey again Kenny Bell thank you very much uh Team Jack Foundation we want to give a shout out to them I know we’ve probably had an ad
Read by now oh yeah um go to NBN podcast on Twitter Instagram Facebook Tik Tok we’re really trying to get our YouTube game right so please go follow And subscribe to our videos on YouTube there are tattoos on the line there are tattoos on the lineare get a tattoo I think the folks
On the street call them tattoos the tattoos tatos and Mike will also call it that once he gets one so again thank you Kenny Bell and guys uh you know merch NB andr podast c.com Mike uh ah that sh I don’t know we don’t think we have that hat hat hat these
Hats are freaking sharp go buy one we would appreciate it we need money so they’re also very comfortable like genuinely yeah my head is yeah comfortable my head is very nice it’s very ni very nice okay guys what do you say we wrap up Mike’s like will you shut
The [ __ ] up I’m one of your hosts Jared Hall Mike Delaware Kyle buers and Connor cavac as always thank you Kenny Bell follow team Jack thank you ngbr oh beat Ruckers yeah be record we have to say no block no Rock
