Homesick college punter Archie Wilson breaks down in sad scenes
The 18-year-old made the move to Nebraska as he gets set to kick off a college football career as a punter.
Towards the end of his media appearance, the youngster was asked how it felt to be so far away from his family. The question hit the teen as the emotion spilt out in sad scenes.
'That part's hard. I mean … I'm sorry,' Wilson said as the tears began to flow.
'I love them a lot. I got two little brothers, and my mum and dad. That's the tough part about being here. I love them a lot and I miss them.'
Moving halfway across the world to chase his dream wasn't easy, but he was already looking forward to his family coming over later this month.
'They know this is what's best for me,' he said.
'It's good I can still talk to them plenty over the phone. They're coming here to see the first few games, so I'm looking forward to that.'
The youngster, who turns 19 tomorrow, became an instant fan favourite as the heartbreaking footage quickly spread across social media.
Nebraska natives were quick to wrap their arms around the teen with love for their new recruit coming in thick and fast.
Producer Michael Snow wrote on X: 'I will go to war for Archie.'
Liam Jones wrote: 'Can't wait to watch this man play. Husker nation has his back.'
Kara Lynnie added: 'Love this kid. Hang in there buddy. It'll be worth it the first time you do the tunnel walk. The state of Nebraska's got you!'
Darin Geiger wrote: 'You're 'home' here Archie. And may you always feel that.'
Larsen Greg posted: 'You are in our family now too brother. Nebraska forever.'
Special teams co-ordinator Mike Elker heaped praise on the Aussie's talent following a Huskers' practice session.
'Man, that guy is special. I mean, he truly is,' Ekeler said.
'He's 18 years old, leaves home for the first time, goes to a different country, and leaves his family which he's extremely close to.
'What coach (Matt Rhule) said about him is accurate. That kid knows every one of his teammates, and his teammates love him because of the energy he brings in the building, not just because of what he can do with the football.'
The Huskers' 2025 season kicks off against the Cincinnati Bearcats on August 28.
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Sydney Morning Herald
5 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘We will lose this part of the game': Why Roosters coach fears for future of the kick-off
Rabbit invasion angers rivals The Roosters and Storm are the fiercest of rivals, but they have a common enemy in the area of player development – South Sydney. The Storm are fuming that the Rabbitohs have tried to pick the eyes out of their slim but growing junior playing ranks. The Storm have been working overtime to kick-start their pathways programs, and they are making progress. They have been stunned to watch the Rabbitohs complain that the Roosters have invaded their space by using Matraville Sports High School as a base for their rising stars. The Storm feel the Rabbitohs are being hypocritical. Souths are making a major incursion into Melbourne, and have not tried to hide it. On their website, they boast: 'The South Sydney Rabbitohs have kicked off their partnership with the Victorian-based Iron Armour Academy for season 2025, with players, coaches and staff visiting both organisations in the early weeks of the year.' Rabbitohs head of pathways David Furner visited the Iron Armour Academy in Melbourne in January, taking players, coaches and staff through a training session and a presentation about what it takes to make it to the highest levels of the game. Iron Armour Academy is a not-for-profit organisation focused on sporting development through high-performance training, mentoring and scholarship programs. 'The ground-breaking partnership between the oldest club in rugby league in Australia and the long-established Melbourne-based academy is unique, with players, coaches and staff from Iron Armour coming to Maroubra to check out the USANA Rabbitohs Centre [of excellence] in February.' There are photos on the Rabbitohs website of Melbourne youngsters dressed in South Sydney gear at the Rabbitohs' Maroubra facility. It is a clear effort to tap into a new area of junior development. South Sydney's expansion into other areas is smart, but expressing anger at rival teams for doing something similar leaves them open to criticism. The Gold Coast Titans are also unhappy about Souths making inroads into their heartland. Again, it's a smart move, but it makes their criticism of the Roosters harder to digest. The Rabbitohs announced their move this way: 'The South Sydney Rabbitohs are delighted to announce the commencement of a three-year exclusive affiliation agreement with renowned rugby league school Keebra Park State High School [on the Gold Coast], which will see the expansion of the Rabbitohs' elite male and female pathways into south-east Queensland. 'Keebra Park State High School is regarded as one of the premier sporting schools in Queensland, with a particular focus on rugby league through the school's male and female academies. This partnership will enable the Rabbitohs to expand its reach into Queensland for elite young players and coaches to add to the talent from the South Sydney district and other recruited players from New South Wales and beyond.' 'I had a good meeting with [Storm CEO] Justin Rodski on Thursday and explained our position,' South Sydney chief executive Blake Solly said. 'There is one major and fundamental difference here: we are not training our Harold Matthews, SG Ball and Jersey Flegg teams in Melbourne – the Roosters are training all their girls and boys representative pathways teams in our district.' Roosters making space for DCE Those doubting whether the Roosters would fulfil any obligation they may have to Daly Cherry-Evans don't understand the character of chairman Nick Politis. If Politis has done a deal to bring DCE to Bondi, there is no way out for the Roosters. He would not dud Daly. If Cherry-Evans plays on next year, it will be with the Roosters. The season was only three rounds old when Cherry-Evans dropped the biggest bombshell of the year, announcing he would be leaving Manly at the end of their current campaign. He also hinted he may play on in the NRL. Moves are already being made to accommodate DCE's potential arrival at Bondi Junction. Rising star Hugo Savala is being told to ignore offers from elsewhere, on the promise that he will learn from DCE. Sandon Smith has been told he can go to another club. Also, the Roosters are set to part ways with the man who helped deliver them the 2018 and 2019 titles, Cooper Cronk. Cherry-Evans will be positioned as a coach down the track. Roosters have last laugh Brandon Smith has been in the headlines recently, and behind the scenes, the Roosters are breathing a sigh of relief. They are also having a bit of a chuckle at their arch-rivals South Sydney, who took Smith off their hands. The Rabbitohs have had to deal with questions about why Smith was spoken to by police last Sunday. No charges have been laid. The Roosters now concede they made a significant error in signing Smith, who is being warmly received by the South Sydney playing group. The Roosters did not do their due diligence into his character away from football before signing him to a very rich deal. Smith has had a number of off-field issues during his career. Melbourne were also happy to see the back of Smith, not because of his football ability, but because he was not seen as someone who passed the Storm's character test. At the time, this column was heavily criticised for suggesting that. Unfortunately, the Storm's judgment was better than the Roosters'. To the credit of the Bondi-based club, they went to great lengths to try to get the best out of Smith as a player and a person, including appointing a mentor to help him through some off-field issues. It is unclear whether all of that work benefited Smith. Now Wayne Bennett has the challenge of dealing with this latest matter and getting the best football out of him, because there is no doubt he is a talent. Smith needs to keep his nose clean for the remainder of his career so that he can take advantage of his obvious media talent. He could make a significant living as a television identity if he can finish his career off well. Brook-fail: Sea Eagles growing restless The talk of dissatisfaction with the coaching style of Anthony Seibold is coming from the Manly playing group. It is not made up, nor is it a criticism of him as a person. While there are some on the fringes of the club with personal gripes or agendas, it is not those views that are the biggest issue for the club – it is the opinion of the players that is of concern. The Sea Eagles were tipped as potential premiership threats at the start of the season, but have slumped to 10th heading into Sunday's clash with Wests Tigers and are in real danger of missing the finals altogether. The situation has not been helped by Manly's admission that there is a succession plan in place for Seibold. Nor does it help that there is dissatisfaction in some quarters with chief executive Tony Mestrov, and even chairman Scott Penn. One thing that is certain is that respected player agent George Mimis is not sitting in the background trying to have clients Michael Ennis and Matt Ballin take over from Seibold. Mestrov has already admitted Ennis is being looked at as part of a succession plan. Ballin has strong support from past players, but he needs to work out if his future is going to progress while he is an assistant at Brisbane. Silva mettle Tallyn Da Silva and Mitch Moses came together at full-time after the Eels halfback gave his hooker one of the all-time on-field sprays last Sunday in their win over the Cowboys. They had a quiet word and there was no conflict between them after that. Da Silva might look like a flashy player who is not from the school of hard knocks, but he can absorb what Moses dished out, and plenty more. There is a tough side to a player with all the tricks. When the players came together again during the week at training, Da Silva picked Moses in his walk touch team to show there is no ill feeling between the pair. Sharpe operator The appointment of Mal Meninga as head coach of the Perth Bears is considered the most significant acquisition for the new team – but they are close to securing a vital backroom signing, with Meninga pushing for David Sharpe to be general manager. Sharpe has worked for the Raiders, but was also the chief executive of Sports Integrity Australia. It was a huge job and a great stepping stone into a role where he has to help build a club from the ground up in a hurry. Especially in a market where clubs are trying to lock down their stars and sure up their juniors. Bailey mail under scrutiny Parramatta are privately mystified by the way Bailey Simonsson has reacted to being made to play his way back into the first grade team. They also want to know how news of his request for a release made its way onto NRL Tonight – a show that rarely breaks news – on Fox Sports. It is worth noting that Simonsson's partner works for Fox. She is a reporter who is held in high regard by her colleagues. Simonsson was re-signed by Eels coach Jason Ryles, but insiders say he has behaved his way out of the club. London calling for Kev's Kangaroos It is clear that the Kevin Walters Kangaroos coaching era will involve a heavy input from his players. Walters has already consulted leading players in the game, predominantly from the Panthers and Storm, about the Kangaroo tour in October and November. Walters consulted the players before deciding where they will be staying. The players want to largely base themselves in London, rather than in the north of England. Walters has also been speaking to players who are undecided about their availability, and he has started assembling his team. He has considered Australians coaching in England to be part of his staff. Names that have been mentioned include Willie Peters (Hull KR) and Adrian Lam (Wigan). Walters is believed to be moving away from that idea, however, preferring coaches who can help get his team ready without focusing too heavily on the English side. Staff from the Mal Meninga regime have been waiting anxiously to find out if they have a role under Walters. Zac race: Kelly successor locked in The departure of Roz Kelly from the Channel Nine newsroom left a gap in the sports department, and Kelly's role as back-up sports reader has just been filled by one of the best and most respected journalists in the NRL media, Zac Bailey. He will now be the understudy to the smoothest host in sport, James Bracey. Loading Bailey's rise to the Friday and Saturday night role is a deserved one. 'I grew up watching and admiring the great Ken Sutcliffe and to be doing the role that I've been given behind someone as accomplished and respected as James Bracey is a pinch-myself moment,' Bailey said. 'As someone who watched Nine news with my family all my life, I can't explain what this opportunity means to me.'
The Age
5 hours ago
- The Age
‘We will lose this part of the game': Why Roosters coach fears for future of the kick-off
Rabbit invasion angers rivals The Roosters and Storm are the fiercest of rivals, but they have a common enemy in the area of player development – South Sydney. The Storm are fuming that the Rabbitohs have tried to pick the eyes out of their slim but growing junior playing ranks. The Storm have been working overtime to kick-start their pathways programs, and they are making progress. They have been stunned to watch the Rabbitohs complain that the Roosters have invaded their space by using Matraville Sports High School as a base for their rising stars. The Storm feel the Rabbitohs are being hypocritical. Souths are making a major incursion into Melbourne, and have not tried to hide it. On their website, they boast: 'The South Sydney Rabbitohs have kicked off their partnership with the Victorian-based Iron Armour Academy for season 2025, with players, coaches and staff visiting both organisations in the early weeks of the year.' Rabbitohs head of pathways David Furner visited the Iron Armour Academy in Melbourne in January, taking players, coaches and staff through a training session and a presentation about what it takes to make it to the highest levels of the game. Iron Armour Academy is a not-for-profit organisation focused on sporting development through high-performance training, mentoring and scholarship programs. 'The ground-breaking partnership between the oldest club in rugby league in Australia and the long-established Melbourne-based academy is unique, with players, coaches and staff from Iron Armour coming to Maroubra to check out the USANA Rabbitohs Centre [of excellence] in February.' There are photos on the Rabbitohs website of Melbourne youngsters dressed in South Sydney gear at the Rabbitohs' Maroubra facility. It is a clear effort to tap into a new area of junior development. South Sydney's expansion into other areas is smart, but expressing anger at rival teams for doing something similar leaves them open to criticism. The Gold Coast Titans are also unhappy about Souths making inroads into their heartland. Again, it's a smart move, but it makes their criticism of the Roosters harder to digest. The Rabbitohs announced their move this way: 'The South Sydney Rabbitohs are delighted to announce the commencement of a three-year exclusive affiliation agreement with renowned rugby league school Keebra Park State High School [on the Gold Coast], which will see the expansion of the Rabbitohs' elite male and female pathways into south-east Queensland. 'Keebra Park State High School is regarded as one of the premier sporting schools in Queensland, with a particular focus on rugby league through the school's male and female academies. This partnership will enable the Rabbitohs to expand its reach into Queensland for elite young players and coaches to add to the talent from the South Sydney district and other recruited players from New South Wales and beyond.' 'I had a good meeting with [Storm CEO] Justin Rodski on Thursday and explained our position,' South Sydney chief executive Blake Solly said. 'There is one major and fundamental difference here: we are not training our Harold Matthews, SG Ball and Jersey Flegg teams in Melbourne – the Roosters are training all their girls and boys representative pathways teams in our district.' Roosters making space for DCE Those doubting whether the Roosters would fulfil any obligation they may have to Daly Cherry-Evans don't understand the character of chairman Nick Politis. If Politis has done a deal to bring DCE to Bondi, there is no way out for the Roosters. He would not dud Daly. If Cherry-Evans plays on next year, it will be with the Roosters. The season was only three rounds old when Cherry-Evans dropped the biggest bombshell of the year, announcing he would be leaving Manly at the end of their current campaign. He also hinted he may play on in the NRL. Moves are already being made to accommodate DCE's potential arrival at Bondi Junction. Rising star Hugo Savala is being told to ignore offers from elsewhere, on the promise that he will learn from DCE. Sandon Smith has been told he can go to another club. Also, the Roosters are set to part ways with the man who helped deliver them the 2018 and 2019 titles, Cooper Cronk. Cherry-Evans will be positioned as a coach down the track. Roosters have last laugh Brandon Smith has been in the headlines recently, and behind the scenes, the Roosters are breathing a sigh of relief. They are also having a bit of a chuckle at their arch-rivals South Sydney, who took Smith off their hands. The Rabbitohs have had to deal with questions about why Smith was spoken to by police last Sunday. No charges have been laid. The Roosters now concede they made a significant error in signing Smith, who is being warmly received by the South Sydney playing group. The Roosters did not do their due diligence into his character away from football before signing him to a very rich deal. Smith has had a number of off-field issues during his career. Melbourne were also happy to see the back of Smith, not because of his football ability, but because he was not seen as someone who passed the Storm's character test. At the time, this column was heavily criticised for suggesting that. Unfortunately, the Storm's judgment was better than the Roosters'. To the credit of the Bondi-based club, they went to great lengths to try to get the best out of Smith as a player and a person, including appointing a mentor to help him through some off-field issues. It is unclear whether all of that work benefited Smith. Now Wayne Bennett has the challenge of dealing with this latest matter and getting the best football out of him, because there is no doubt he is a talent. Smith needs to keep his nose clean for the remainder of his career so that he can take advantage of his obvious media talent. He could make a significant living as a television identity if he can finish his career off well. Brook-fail: Sea Eagles growing restless The talk of dissatisfaction with the coaching style of Anthony Seibold is coming from the Manly playing group. It is not made up, nor is it a criticism of him as a person. While there are some on the fringes of the club with personal gripes or agendas, it is not those views that are the biggest issue for the club – it is the opinion of the players that is of concern. The Sea Eagles were tipped as potential premiership threats at the start of the season, but have slumped to 10th heading into Sunday's clash with Wests Tigers and are in real danger of missing the finals altogether. The situation has not been helped by Manly's admission that there is a succession plan in place for Seibold. Nor does it help that there is dissatisfaction in some quarters with chief executive Tony Mestrov, and even chairman Scott Penn. One thing that is certain is that respected player agent George Mimis is not sitting in the background trying to have clients Michael Ennis and Matt Ballin take over from Seibold. Mestrov has already admitted Ennis is being looked at as part of a succession plan. Ballin has strong support from past players, but he needs to work out if his future is going to progress while he is an assistant at Brisbane. Silva mettle Tallyn Da Silva and Mitch Moses came together at full-time after the Eels halfback gave his hooker one of the all-time on-field sprays last Sunday in their win over the Cowboys. They had a quiet word and there was no conflict between them after that. Da Silva might look like a flashy player who is not from the school of hard knocks, but he can absorb what Moses dished out, and plenty more. There is a tough side to a player with all the tricks. When the players came together again during the week at training, Da Silva picked Moses in his walk touch team to show there is no ill feeling between the pair. Sharpe operator The appointment of Mal Meninga as head coach of the Perth Bears is considered the most significant acquisition for the new team – but they are close to securing a vital backroom signing, with Meninga pushing for David Sharpe to be general manager. Sharpe has worked for the Raiders, but was also the chief executive of Sports Integrity Australia. It was a huge job and a great stepping stone into a role where he has to help build a club from the ground up in a hurry. Especially in a market where clubs are trying to lock down their stars and sure up their juniors. Bailey mail under scrutiny Parramatta are privately mystified by the way Bailey Simonsson has reacted to being made to play his way back into the first grade team. They also want to know how news of his request for a release made its way onto NRL Tonight – a show that rarely breaks news – on Fox Sports. It is worth noting that Simonsson's partner works for Fox. She is a reporter who is held in high regard by her colleagues. Simonsson was re-signed by Eels coach Jason Ryles, but insiders say he has behaved his way out of the club. London calling for Kev's Kangaroos It is clear that the Kevin Walters Kangaroos coaching era will involve a heavy input from his players. Walters has already consulted leading players in the game, predominantly from the Panthers and Storm, about the Kangaroo tour in October and November. Walters consulted the players before deciding where they will be staying. The players want to largely base themselves in London, rather than in the north of England. Walters has also been speaking to players who are undecided about their availability, and he has started assembling his team. He has considered Australians coaching in England to be part of his staff. Names that have been mentioned include Willie Peters (Hull KR) and Adrian Lam (Wigan). Walters is believed to be moving away from that idea, however, preferring coaches who can help get his team ready without focusing too heavily on the English side. Staff from the Mal Meninga regime have been waiting anxiously to find out if they have a role under Walters. Zac race: Kelly successor locked in The departure of Roz Kelly from the Channel Nine newsroom left a gap in the sports department, and Kelly's role as back-up sports reader has just been filled by one of the best and most respected journalists in the NRL media, Zac Bailey. He will now be the understudy to the smoothest host in sport, James Bracey. Loading Bailey's rise to the Friday and Saturday night role is a deserved one. 'I grew up watching and admiring the great Ken Sutcliffe and to be doing the role that I've been given behind someone as accomplished and respected as James Bracey is a pinch-myself moment,' Bailey said. 'As someone who watched Nine news with my family all my life, I can't explain what this opportunity means to me.'
ABC News
5 hours ago
- ABC News
The brutal reality of sporting comebacks
For some, a sporting comeback might be about money, fame or relevance. For others - like tennis superstar Serena Williams who is courting speculation she will join her sister Venus at the US Open this month - it can be as simple as having more left to give. In basketball star Lauren Jackson's case the decision to step out of retirement was all down to a happy accident. Getting back to super star fitness level was no easy task though and the cost and toll it took to re-enter the elite sporting competition was brutal. Athletes not only face intense training, heightened scrutiny, and huge pressure but also questions about whether they are up for the challenge. For those returning after a longer break, that is compounded even further. When boxer Manny Pacquiao announced he was returning to the ring almost four years after his last fight, it raised eyebrows, not least of all because he was facing a much younger rival. The 46-year-old took on Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight championship last month. But Pacquiao's bid to become the oldest welterweight champion in boxing history fell short after he failed to beat his 30-year-old rival in the Las Vegas bout. Instead Pacquiao and Barrios fought to a majority draw, with one judge giving Barrios a 115-113 win and the other two judges scoring it a 114-114 draw. The result allowed Barrios to retain his WBC welterweight belt. A Filipino senator from 2016 to 2022, Pacquiao had originally retired from boxing in 2021 while he also ran for president in 2022. But the former senator isn't the only athlete to step back into the competitive global limelight and joins sporting elites such as Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps and not to mention Jackson. After being forced to retire the first time in 2016 due to injury, Jackson got back into the game at a competitive level after initially rejoining the gym to get fit and shooting some casual hoops. "My whole goal was to lose weight gained during Covid so I got back into the gym and it evolved from there," she said. "It was never about getting back into high performance. I never anticipated I would go further." But what began as some casual court time in Albury, turned into a grand comeback in 2022, with Jackson playing in the Women's National Basketball League, as well as the Opals. Physically she would become the strongest she had ever been. If she hit a roadblock or had a meltdown along the way, she moved on. But that all came at a huge cost both physically and mentally. "My body was in shock because I was not used to competing at that level," she said of her return to high level competition. With small kids to consider, there was also the guilt that came with intense training and being away from home for periods at a time. Jackson admits retiring the first time was hard and she had visceral emotions about stepping back into the competitive limelight. "I was worried all the time, about my kids about my parents, about how changing schools would affect them," she said. But ironically it wasn't until she had recovered from injuring her Achilles and breaking her foot that she really hit her full fitness peak and entered "full on rehab mode" coming back even stronger than ever. The champion athlete was soon working out three times a day, juggling motherhood and other demands. Following her bronze medal win in the Paris Olympics last year, she stepped back from elite sport - this time for good. It was no surprise when it came to retiring the second time, it was not easy and the emotional rollercoaster was just as brutal. "I had a comedown just as hard," Jackson said. "But once I had the Christmas break, got an opportunity with the WBNL, and was spending time with the kids — that was a special time for me." She said she will have to monitor her injuries going forward. "I love the sport so much but have to remember the impact it had on my body. The physical injuries I got was because of the sport." Then there's the pressure all athletes face — something she does not miss. "That constant pressure to perform — I can't handle it anymore and I had to walk away because it's addictive," she said. Jackson remains grateful for every opportunity and is still amazed at what the human body is capable of. Post retirement 2025, the mother-of-two couldn't be happier. Now working as a part-time Special Advisor for the WNBL and also the Head of Women in Basketball at Basketball Australia, there's not a lot of down time. But she wouldn't have it any other way. "I'm having so much fun — post retirement I am busier than ever before," she said. According to Kevin Filo, a Professor in Sport Management and Event Management in the Griffith Business School at Griffith University, stepping back into an elite level of sport after significant time off was physically tough - even for the best athlete. The reasons why they did and kept doing so were varied. "It's essentially impossible to get into the psychology of these athletes," he said. "Rather it's often a confluence of circumstances." Some athletes adapted to life beyond their sport relatively well, while others had relevancy deprivation, which if pronounced could have "significant impacts on a person's identity". Prof Filo said many athletes enjoyed connecting with others, as well as the benefits of training and the competitive environment. Those who retired could even miss having a platform. These days thanks to advances in healthcare many athletes were also able to compete for longer and returning was sometimes not has hard as in years past. "Advances in health, technology and overall support means many athletes have been able to extend their careers," he said. "From a career return perspective this means they can re-enter as well, especially if it's something they enjoy." While not easy for every athlete, Prof Filo said athletes needed both determination and persistence to push their bodies but needed to manage expectations. "One of the reasons they do succeed is because of their ability to push boundaries," he said. How quickly an athlete returned and how soon depended on the sport, level of competition as well as the individual. Likewise when an athlete decided to retire, how each reacted to life after sport would vary, Prof Filo said. In the case of Manny Pacquiao, a four year break from competition would be harder at 46 than 42. But success was possible at any age and it was also subjective. Fellow basketball legend Michael Jordan's reasons for stepping back into the competitive sporting field were varied and complex. The now 62-year-old retired not once, but three times from basketball, first in 1993, then in 1999 to pursue a career in baseball. After returning back to basketball he hung up his laces up for good in 2003. "Michael Jordan's comebacks was broadly seen as a failure," Prof Filo said. "But he had some pretty impressive highlights even if they weren't as high as they were in the 1990s. In retrospect it was impressive given the amount of time he had off from the game."
