The Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Miami Hurricanes will always be linked when it comes to college football.  There was the legendary 1984 National Championship, when then Nebraska head coach Tom Osborne chose to go for two – and the win – and came up short, losing 31-30.  Then the 2001 National Championship game, in which Miami played what appeared to be Nebraska’s JV team in a 37-14 beat down, on their way to a perfect 12-0 record that season.

However, now the Huskers will now be linked to Miami in another way – players who are criminals.  While the “U” has always led college football in this category, Nebraska is sure doing its best to compete, at least with its former running backs.

"Yea, after college I just feel like selling drugs and shooting people, ya know what I mean?" (Elsa/ALLSPORT)

Former Nebraska running back Thunder Collins (2000-‘02) recently decided it was in his best interest to murder someone.  In his post-collegiate “formula for success,” Collins took up drug dealing (just ask Maurice Clarett, when the NFL stops calling, you can always sling hash), but that apparently wasn’t enough for this shining star.

According to prosecutors, Collins put together a master plan to set up a drug deal in which he would rob the two men selling the drugs.  Although it’s a shocker, the plan didn’t work out and shots were exchanged.  The 29-year-old Collins killed one man and seriously wounded another.  He was convicted of first-degree murder and faces life in prison.  And though it’s hard to believe, this isn’t Collins first run-in with John Q. Law.

In 2002 and 2003 he faced charges of disturbing the peace and assault and burglary (both were altercations with his girlfriend that ended violently).  Then in 2006, this model-American spent ten days in jail after pleading no contest to obstructing a police officer (apparently he didn’t like the cops questioning him about anther shooting or about the marijuana they found in his pocket).

Nebraska is also the proud alma mater of former running back Lawrence Phillips (1993-’96), who makes Collins look like Tim Tebow.  Collins managed to stay clean in college, while Phillips has been in trouble since he first arrived at Nebraska, and still is.

Phillips recently made headlines again as he was found guilty of assault.  He was sentenced to 25 years in prison for attacking and choking his ex-girlfriend back in 2005.  Apparently he didn’t see eye-to-eye with his significant other, and choked her until she lost consciousness on two different occasions.

So what Lawrence is trying to say is playing against college athletes is easier than playing a pickup game with kids?

However, as horrible as that story is, nothing compares to why Phillips is currently serving a ten-year sentence.  In 2005, the 33-year-old Phillips was playing a pickup football game with some young kids and ended up losing.  Phillips thought the kids were cheating and accused them of stealing some of his possessions.  The kids paid no attention to Phillips and he felt disrespected by this – so he drove his car on to the field and tried to run them over.  He struck three boys – ages 14 and 15 – and a 19-year-old man (who received some cuts and bruises), and just missed four others.

Upon hearing that one of the kids he hit could never play sports again, Phillips said “I’m sorry that your leg is messed up, I just wanted the chance to say I didn’t mean to hurt people.”  Yea, I can see that…and I am sure a judge can too.  People who drive cars as fast as they can into groups of pedestrians almost always have the best intentions.

Collins’ sentencing is scheduled for November 10^th, while Phillips while most likely spend the rest of his life in prison.  With standup guys like this coming out of the program, one can’t help but wonder what to expect from other star RB’s like Ahman Green or Mike Rozier.  Phillips and Collins have set the bar high, but if they put their minds to it and work hard, I am sure they can surpass it.