Swift becomes quite the catch for Cornhuskers

There were three big-time recruits for the 2003 Hutchinson Tigers: running back Nathan Swift, tackle Lydon Murtha and quarterback Tony Mortensen. They reached the Class 4A title game and were whipped 57-13 by Totino-Grace.

Swift was the Star Tribune's Metro Player of the Year. He went to Nebraska. So did Murtha after reneging on a commitment to the Gophers.

Mortensen went to Minnesota. There was speculation that the 6-4 and athletic Mortensen would be moved to tight end, but he was redshirted and has spent the past four seasons as a backup quarterback.

Mortensen has completed 14 of 38 passes in his career with a touchdown and three interceptions. He has participated in two games as a senior without throwing a pass or carrying the ball.

"I talk to Tony all the time," Swift said. "It's always tough being a backup quarterback, but the Gophers are winning this fall, and he's having a good time."

Murtha is a standout offensive tackle and figures to be taken in the early rounds of the 2009 NFL draft.

And Swift? He went to Nebraska knowing he would be moved to receiver -- and knowing the Cornhuskers' leading receiver in 2003 totaled 22 catches.

Irving Fryar is remembered as an extremely explosive receiver -- and he had a career total of 1,196 yards in his three seasons (1981-83) with Turner Gill as his quarterback.

"It is amazing," Swift said in a phone interview this week. "They definitely didn't throw the ball much here."

Swift told the Omaha World-Herald earlier this month: "I wasn't necessarily looking for a team that was going to pass a lot. That wasn't my first thought. I wanted to be somewhere where they were going to be a good team, a contender, and where I could play."

Solich was 58-19 in six seasons, including 9-3 in 2003. And then he was fired by athletic director Steve Pederson. Assistant Bo Pelini coached the Huskers to a victory over Michigan State in the Alamo Bowl.

Pederson decided what Nebraska needed was a modern offense built around throwing the ball. So he hired Bill Callahan, the fired coach of the Oakland Raiders.

"I played more as a freshman than I did the next two years," Swift said.

The program came apart last season. First, Pederson was fired in mid-October and replaced by the legend, Osborne. And then Callahan was fired after a 5-7 season and a four-year record of 27-22.

"There was a lot of uncertainty, especially after the AD was let go," Swift said. "It's hard for the players to ignore the situation when you know there's going to be a coaching change."

Pelini had gone to Louisiana State as the defensive coordinator. He came back as Osborne's choice as the head coach.

"He's a very positive, fired-up type of coach," Swift said. "And we kept Coach [Shawn] Watson as the offensive coordinator, so we haven't changed much offensively."

Swift has 33 receptions for 486 yards and four touchdowns in seven games. He also returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown against Virginia Tech.

And here's the punch line:

Nathan Swift, a fifth-year senior from Hutchinson, Minn., is on track to finish his career as Nebraska's all-time leading receiver for catches.

He has 136 for 2,021 yards for his career. With eight more receptions, Swift will surpass Johnny Rodgers -- the 1972 Heisman Trophy winner -- and his 143 for the most in Cornhuskers history.

Swift had eight catches for 112 yards and a touchdown last week against Iowa State. Today, the Huskers (4-3) play Baylor in Lincoln.