#15 Alfonzo Dennard
Sr • CB • 5-10 • 205 lbs
| Hometown: | ROCHELLE, GA. |
| Previous School: | Wilcox County |
| Recruited By: | Marvin Sanders |
| Recruiting Class: | 2008 |
Moneyball for College Football
<font size="2">Whether your first exposure to "moneyball" was watching Brad Pitt or if you'd followed the improbable run of the Oakland A's a decade ago, chances are you've had some exposure to the concept. The idea is to figure out what other teams overlook to gain an advantage on the …
Draft Recap for Huskers
Bo Pelini has again coached defensive players with professional football potential into high NFL draft picks. Highlighted by defensive tackle Jared Crick and linebacker Lavonte David, the draft class also included corner Alfonzo Dennard who slipped because of off-field troubles and offensive tackle Marcel Jones who was mentioned as a …
Linebacker Commit Highlights Eventful Weekend
<font size="2">Usually the time period between the end of spring football and the NFL draft doesn't produce a lot of Husker football news. But this year is an exception. The fifth commitment for the class of 2013 was announced. This came after Bo Pelini revealed that Nebraska had a couple …
Profiles in Slobberknocking: Meet Daimion Stafford
Profiles in Slobberknocking was a series we dreamt up last spring to help while away the offseason. Seeing as how the Huskers are all on spring break sunning themselves (or something) this week, now seemed like the perfect time to revive it. Unlike previous iterations, we're not even going very …
Three players worth watching this spring
It’s officially bigger, faster, stronger, smarter, better season. Across the country, every coach, when prodded, will tell you that every player is at least one of the above five things and usually a combination of two or more. What else are they going to say? This is particularly true of …
Secondary is Stocked for New Coach
Regardless of who comes in to take over the secondary from the departed Corey Raymond, the new coach will get a chance to evaluate highly touted talent and impressive returning depth. In addition to two scholarship recruited athletes that could have an opportunity to contribute right away, the new coach …
Addition of Charles Jackson Gives NU Options at Corner
<font size="2">A player like cornerback Alfonzo Dennard isn't easy to replace, just like Prince Amukamara wasn't easy to replace. Neither were Keyou Craver, Ralph Brown, Tyrone Williams, or Barron Miles if you want to go back further. Nevertheless, the Huskers find themselves in the position of having to find a …
Fixing Nebraska's Cornerback Issues
For Nebraska, the 2011 season and 2012 recruiting class can be defined by one position - cornerback. Forget quarterback play. Forget the need for additional linebackers. The Husker's fortunes have risen and fallen with their corners. A "Bo Pelini Defense" needs great cornerback play, something that was missing for large …
Mistakes Doom Huskers Against South Carolina
<font size="2">It wasn't clear whether Nebraska would be able to compete with a team like South Carolina. The good news for the Huskers was that they found that they could physically for most of the day. The bad news was that they still came up well short due to a …
All-Big Ten Teams Testament to NU Walk-On Program
<font size="2">When the All-Big Ten teams were announced, it was no surprise to see Butkus finalist Lavonte David, cornerback extraordinaire Alfonzo Dennard, and workhorse/Superman Rex Burkhead honored as first team selections. Given his performances this season, it was also no shock to see walk-on kicker/punter Brett Maher receive top honors …
David, Dennard Star on Senior Day
Rex Burkhead's record-breaking performance captured most of the headlines after Nebraska's 20-7 win over Iowa on Friday. But, Nebraska's defense was every bit as impressive. That group was led by two seniors - Lavonte David and Alfonzo Dennard - who delivered excellent performances on senior day. As the regular season …
On Expectations
<font size="2">They say that those who don't learn from history may be doomed to repeat it. Four years into the Bo Pelini head coaching era at Nebraska, you fear that it could happen again. Former NU Athletic Director Steve Pederson was most frequently chosen as "Enemy of the State" in …
Michigan Routs Nebraska in Ann Arbor
In order for the Huskers to have an opportunity to beat Michigan in Ann Arbor, they needed to do a few things. They had to contain Denard Robinson and Fitzgerald Toussaint - the pair ran for 218 rushing yards and four touchdowns. They had to avoid penalties - they were …
Defending Against Kirk Cousins
So far this week, most of the reports and chatter about the Huskers' upcoming game with Michigan State has focused on how the NU offense matches up with the Spartan defense. That makes sense - strength against strength. But the outcome of the game may hinge more on the Husker …
How to Leave Wisconsin With a W
<font size="2">The easiest way to leave Madison with a W is probably to steal one of the Badgers helmets. Since Nebraska aspires to more than that, the recipe will be a bit more challenging. Here's what it will take:</font>
Nebraska Offense Delivers Victory Over Washington
<font size="2">Going into the 2011 season, concerns surrounded Nebraska's offense while the defense seemed likely to be strong. For the second straight week though, it was Nebraska's offense that delivered victory as the defense struggled. Taylor Martinez accounted for 237 total yards and three touchdowns while Rex Burkhead rushed for …
What We Know Now - Washington edition
While Bo Pelini seemed pretty upbeat following the Huskers' 42-29 come-from-behind win over Fresno State on Saturday it was evident that something had changed after seeing it on tape. What was a tough, gutty win on Saturday night became a lack of execution on Monday. To be fair, this typically …
What to Watch For Saturday Against Fresno State
Every football season is a work in progress, a journey where every outcome makes some impact on the one to follow. This is the case Saturday for Nebraska against Fresno State. The items for fans to watch for in these week's game are in some way a reflection of last …
What We Know Now - Fresno St. edition
The Monday turnaround from a Saturday game is a quick one. There was a lot of rehashing from what the coaches and players were asked in the post-game but there were some bits of information in there. Here's the rundown:
Huskers Top Chattanooga, 40-7
Taylor Martinez rushed for 135 yards and three touchdowns and added 116 yards passing to help lead Nebraska past FCS division foe Chattanooga, 40-7. First-time starter Brett Maher booted four field goals and defensive end Cameron Meredith had two sacks and an interception to power the Huskers past the Mocs. …
Position Battle Buzz - Defense
There's no actual depth chart on the horizon so lets take a couple of minutes for round two of the annual August parlor game: Guessing the depth chart. We won't know anything for sure until Sept. 3 but here's my take on what's happened so far this fall. …
Dennard Should Play Most of the Season
<span lang="">Bo Pelini has little credibility when it comes to his public comments about injuries. You don't hold it against him because it can be disadvantageous competitively to share too much about who's healthy and who isn't. As fans, it can be a bit maddening though. Pelini was his typically …
Crick, David make conference watch list
Nebraska's defense is definitely getting some respect from its new neighbors. Seniors Jared Crick and Lavonte David were among 12 players selected by a media panel to the Big Ten's inaugural Players to Watch list on Thursday. The list replaces the traditional preseason all-conference list.
Many Huskers Worth Watching
Preseason watch lists are curious things. In one sense, they offer little value because the game outcomes and player production for a season mean much more than any preseason hype. But, college football is an odd sport in that preseason perception does play a part in the eventual outcome. Like it or …
An Offense That Is Just Good Enough
To see the high expectations of the Husker Defense in 2011, one need not look further than a stack of college football preview magazines. They are astronomical. Pre-season national and conference watch lists have Seniors like Jared Crick, Alfonzo Dennard, and Lavonte David leading the way, along with a bevy …
Five Great Players for 2011
Former Husker linebacker and Wisconsin head coach Barry Alvarez once shared his theory that to win a national championship you don't need 22 great players. You just need five and the rest just need to be really good. We've made it something of a tradition to look at Nebraska's roster …
Handicapping the Spring Game
<span lang="">Since Bo Pelini returned to Nebraska, the spring game has become a competitive contest. By splitting the talent, Nebraska's head coach has kept things from becoming too one-sided. Even so, it's often been clear which team had an advantage. This season's contest might be the toughest to call yet.</span> …
Best Class in Ten Years?
With all of the focus on who the new assistant coaching hires will be, what people may not realize is that Nebraska may have just signed its best class in ten years. The only competition might be the class of 2005 and the class of 2007 - both much larger …
Crick's Return Should Continue Dominating Defense
Bo and Carl Pelini have had a penchant developing great defensive linemen into 1st round draftworthy NFL linemen. From Bo mentoring Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey to Carl's development of Ndamukong Suh (and now likely Jared Crick), the Pelini brothers are going to be known for their ability to churn …
Bo's Best Defense?
In the past two seasons, Nebraska fans have been treated to two tremendous defenses. In 2009, it was led by Ndamukong Suh and a front four that collapsed the pocket quickly, ending plays before they could begin. In 2010, it was a secondary that made completing passes seem downright futile. …
Time to Husker Up?
Nebraska's Holiday Bowl game against Washington is just a day away. But, I'm still struggling to find reasons to get excited about it. I don't think I'm alone. Is anyone else truly jacked up about this game? For any number of reasons, interest in this game is waning among fans. Maybe …
Bowl Week Buzz
It is game week for the last time of the season for the Huskers. Bowl week is always filled with the interesting possibilities of who is staying versus who might be going to the NFL draft. Injuries have had time to heal with the extra weeks of practice and rest …
Nebraska Pounds Colorado to Win Big 12 North Division
<font size="2">Going into a game that Nebraska desperately needed, the question was how would the Huskers generate offense. If you asked most NU fans, the name Rex Burkhead would have been a common answer. Burkhead started strong to stake the Big Red to a 17-3 halftime lead, rushing for one …
Martinez Starts as Huskers Down Kansas
<font size="2">Husker fans expecting to see someone other than Taylor Martinez taking snaps at quarterback for Nebraska this week got a welcome surprise as he made a nice return to the starting lineup. He did his damage through the air, staking Nebraska to a 14-0 halftime lead. The Blackshirts did their …
Nebraska Beats Missouri 31-17 Behind Roy Helu's Record Day
This was going to be a great win, no matter how it came. But Roy Helu made the game and himself an unforgettable part of Husker History. By toting the ball for over 300 yards (on fewer than 30 carries), he nearly single-handedly delivered victory. Though that would deny credit …
Huskers, Martinez Pass First Real Test
No, this Washington team isn't the equal of Virginia Tech a year ago or perhaps even Wake Forest in 2007, but given their offensive firepower they still presented a good test, especially given the noise their fans can generate to disrupt opposing teams. Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez was still a question …
Questions that Matter: How Will NU Replace the Middle of its Defense?
Season preview articles typically include a run down of the depth chart or a listing of key contributors. Often, they take the form of a unit-by-unit review of the team (Headline: NU is deep at cornerback!). At Big Red Network we get tired of reading that kind of thing. We suspect …
Five Candidates for a Breakout Season in 2010
About a week ago, I ran my usual off season talent test on the Husker roster, a simple exercise I call "Five Great Players." The results looked positive. Yesterday, the Big 12 media members more or less affirmed that audit of the Husker personnel, by naming four NU players to their …
Huskers Pass the "Five Great Players" Test
In a total team sport like football, the whole can be (and often is) greater than the sum of its parts. But, one of the unshakable standards I hold for the making of a championship team is that it must have "Five Great Players". It is a litmus test my amigo …
Red-Colored Glasses
Every team in Division I has reason to doubt their team's chances at a national championship. Even a team like Florida this past year with so much returning from a national championship squad came up short. But sometimes as a fan, you want to tune out those doubts. You want to …
Will it be a Happy New Year for Nebraska?
Coming off a big win in the Holiday bowl and a good game for Lee, you can begin to imagine a much better year for the Husker offense in 2010. Not to mention the ten returning starters for Nebraska on offense. Add to that the news that Lee has been playing …
The Sky Is Not Falling
The loss to Texas Tech was certainly deflating. If a win over Missouri was a step forward, then losing at home to Texas Tech felt like a step backward (never mind that Tech beat Nebraska in their last visit to Lincoln). But this doesn't erase most of the opportunities that still …
Will Recent Recruits Silence the Naysayers?
In recent weeks and months there's been a lot of chatter that Nebraska was "behind" in recruiting due to the relatively small number of commitments to NU and the many commitments to programs like Texas. The clamor rose to almost outright panic by some factions of Husker fans with the decommitments …
Depth Chart Observations
The coaching staff has released a depth chart for the Florida Atlantic game. The first glance at it confirms a few big picture items that many had already suspected - that we're going to see some freshmen playing on Saturday and that competition remains at many spots.
Neighborhood Watch: UNO and IWCC
Your mother really was right. You are who your friends are. Or, more broadly, we are who we associate with. While the University of Nebraska-Lincoln ("Dear Old Nebraska U") is most closely associated with the Big 12 schools to most people, it has some other loose affiliations that can have an …
Gomes Recruitment Telling
Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini and his staff have shown a clear preference for high school talent over junior college players. In the abbreviated recruiting season of 2008 none of the 16 new players that Pelini's staff recruited came from junior colleges. This signing day, only two players out of twenty-one …
Brandon Kinnie Most Likely to See Time
One of the favorite games of fans right after signing day, is “who will see early playing time�? While you'd expect at least a handful of players from this class to contribute in 2009, the top candidate is probably junior college wide receiver Brandon Kinnie.
The Big Picture: Nebraska vs Virginia Tech
http://bigrednetwork.com/archives/images/2008/10/bo-pelini.jpg In this week's Big Picture, you'll get an up-close view of the Tunnel Walk, Ganz in the pocket, and the sideline celebration after Swift's TD punt return. Enjoy.
Early Developments at Husker Camp
Seemingly every year, there are surprises that come from the pre-season practices at NU. Some players step up, while others get off to a rough start. Sometimes injuries are a factor, or maybe there is a newcomer or two who joins the mix. Through the first few days of NU's fall …
Position Breakdowns: Cornerbacks
Outlook: The Huskers are particularly thin at cornerback, which means it might be the spot where a true freshman is most likely to contribute. Former NU secondary coach George Darlington had once said that if a cornerback couldn't compete as a freshman, then they probably shouldn't have recruited him anyway. If …
- First-Team All-Big 12 (2010, ESPN.com, Rivals.com)
- Second-Team All-Big 12 (2010, Coaches, AP, Phil Steele, San Antonio Express-News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
- Preseason All-American (Phil Steele, 1st Team; Sporting News, Lindy's, 2nd Team, 2011)