Heisman Trophy winner and Nebraska great Eric Crouch will have his name permanently placed among college football's all-time greats on Tuesday evening when he is inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Crouch and other members of the 2020 and 2021 College Football Hall of Fame classes are being honored at the National Football Foundation dinner in Las Vegas on Tuesday evening.  

A total of 29 players and three coaches will be inducted in the ceremony, with Crouch and USC's Carson Palmer leading the way as the two Heisman winners among the inductees. Crouch is the 19th Nebraska player to earn induction into the College Hall of Fame and gives NU 25 overall members of the Hall including six coaches. Crouch is the first Husker inducted since Aaron Taylor in 2018, and Crouch is the seventh Husker inducted since 2006, joining Taylor (2018), Trev Alberts (2015), Tommie Frazier (2013), Will Shields (2011), Grant Wistrom (2009) and Mike Rozier (2006).

Crouch finished his college career as only the third quarterback in NCAA history to rush for 3,000 yards and pass for 4,000 yards. A 2001 first-team All-American, Crouch won the Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Player of the Year and the Davey O'Brien Award. He guided Nebraska to an 11-2 record and a spot in the BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl. In his senior season, Crouch became just the 13th quarterback in NCAA history to rush and pass for 1,000 yards in the same season.
Crouch ended his Nebraska career by holding 32 school records, and he remains atop the Nebraska charts for rushing by a quarterback (3,434), total touchdowns (88), career rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (59) and single-season rushing touchdowns for a quarterback (20). Crouch rushed for more than 100 yards 17 times in his career, an NCAA record for a quarterback at the time.

Crouch guided Nebraska to a 10-2 record and a share of the Big 12 North title as a junior in 2000. He was named Co-Offensive Player of the Year in the Big 12 as a sophomore in 1999, when he led the Huskers to a 12-1 record, a Big 12 title, and No. 3 final national ranking.

One of five team captains as a senior, Crouch had his No. 7 jersey retired in 2002. Crouch was drafted as a receiver in the third round of the NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams. He went on to play professionally in NFL Europe and the Canadian Football League. Crouch is the Owner & CEO of Crouch Recreation, a playground and recreation equipment vendor in Omaha.

Four Huskers Earn AVCA All-Region Recognition

Four Nebraska volleyball players have been named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-North Region Team, the AVCA announced Tuesday. Lexi Rodriguez highlighted the Husker haul as AVCA North Region Freshman of the Year, and she, Kayla Caffey, Nicklin Hames and Madi Kubik each earned AVCA North All-Region awards.
 
Hames and Kubik were honored as all-region for the third straight year.
 
Nebraska has boasted at least three all-region honorees nine straight seasons dating back to 2012 and counted four selections in three consecutive years.
 
Rodriguez's inaugural campaign as NU's libero has seen her average 4.48 digs and 1.12 assists per set while adding 14 aces. She took the conference awards by storm this year, earning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, first-team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Freshman Team plaudits. The Sterling, Ill., native totaled at least 15 digs in 17 matches and notched 20+ digs seven times. She has helped NU limit opposing teams to.142 hitting, which is the league low and ranks eighth nationally.
 
Rodriguez is the seventh NU player in program history to draw AVCA Region Freshman of the Year recognition, joining Madi Kubik (2019), Kadie Rolfzen (2013), Hannah Werth (2009), Jordan Larson (2005), Sarah Pavan (2004) and Greichaly Cepero (1999).
 
Additionally, Rodriguez is the seventh Husker freshman to collect all-region accolades, alongside Kubik (2019), Mikaela Foecke (2015), Rolfzen (2013), Rachel Holloway (2006), Pavan (2004) and Jen McFadden (1993).
 
Kubik, a two-time all-conference outside hitter, has averaged 3.47 kills and 2.12 digs per set in her junior season, adding 17 aces and 51 blocks. The West Des Moines, Iowa, native has paced the Huskers in kills in 21 matches and finished in double figures 21 times.
 
Kubik previously picked up all-region honors and All-America Honorable Mention in both 2019 and 2020.
 
Hames is three-time All-Big Ten and North All-Region setter, having previously been honored in 2019 and 2020. The 2020 All-American from Maryville, Tenn., has averaged 10.70 assists, 3.36 digs, 0.45 blocks and 0.31 aces per set in her senior season. In helping the Huskers to their 10th straight NCAA Regional, she has led NU with 20 double-doubles this season. Hames owns the program's rally-scoring era career assists record and ranks second all-time at Nebraska for assists.
 
Caffey garnered her first all-region award after averaging 2.36 kills and 1.12 blocks per set while hitting a team-leading .377 in her senior season. Hailing from Chicago, Ill., the middle blocker ranks fifth in the Big Ten for attack percentage, owns seven double-digit kill performances and has hit .400 or better 11 times.
 
All four Huskers will be eligible for AVCA All-America honors, which will be announced next Wednesday, Dec. 15.