Normally Chris Cassidy isn’t the type of person to show much emotion. Then again he doesn’t get an football endorsement by Tom Osborne.

Cassidy, a 6-foot-1, 230-pound running back and linebacker at Lincoln Pius X, is one of the recent crop of recruited Nebraska walk-ons. Like most of them in the class, playing for the Huskers is going to be a dream come true.

Cassidy received his offer the night of the big walk-on recruiting event held last month at Memorial Stadium. Following the meal and presentation by a series of speaker, the recruits were given a tour of Memorial Stadium and its facilities before NU director of high school relations Kenny Wilhite told Chris the words he wanted to hear - he was offered a preferred walk-on spot on the Huskers roster.

And that’s where Coach Osborne comes into the picture.

“He told me Coach Osborne had influenced the decision to offer me. He said I would be a good fit in our program and hearing that was surreal,” says Cassidy.

The conversation with Wilhite came after Cassidy had a chance to spend time with new head coach Scott Frost, who told the prospect he liked his grit and toughness. “He said I know you have other offers but I’d like to see you play here,” says Cassidy. “Growing up in Lincoln I was already vested in Nebraska football, so hearing him say that was pretty awesome.”

Cassidy has been a three-year starter at Pius, playing fullback as a sophomore and junior before moving to running back as a senior, playing linebacker on defense all along. His love for football is about more than the game.

“I realize that playing at Pius has been a special opportunity at a special place,” says Cassidy. “Being able to share my Catholic faith and my football with my teammates has made this a real brotherhood and we have formed a lifetime bond in the process.

“I am looking forward to the same sort of bond with my teammates at Nebraska.”

In fact, it is that brotherhood and shared experience that helped yield the biggest win in Cassidy’s career at Pius, a Week 9 upset of No. 1 Omaha North. See, it was Senior Night.

“The friendship and brotherhood we have on our team is so special and it really came through that night,” says Cassidy. “That was a huge night for us and like always we played for each other and that was the difference in the game.”

Chris plans to study criminology in college with the idea of eventually attending the state police academy. “Then in something like seven to 10 years I can earn my way into becoming a criminal investigator and I’d like that. Being in that sort of environment, where I am part of a team, is a setting where I am most comfortable.”

Another highlight of Cassidy’s night at the walk-on event was the chance for a one-on-one conversation with former Husker great Joel Makovicka, who like Cassidy had the reputation for being a tough, physical fullback, the position Cassidy is projected to play for the Huskers. Close your eyes for a second or two and you can see Cassidy playing the Makovicka role for Big Red.

“That’s the plan,” says Cassidy.