LINCOLN, Neb. (KETV) - Nebraska head football coach Bo Pelini made a surprise call during the Cornhuskers spring football game Saturday. The call brought Husker Nation to its feet.
Seven-year-old Jack Hoffman ran a 69-yard touchdown in front of 60,000 screaming fans. The fans included Hoffman's friend and idol, former Husker Rex Burkhead.
"I told him, 'Congrats,' that he looked good. I told him he needs to be the new running back here," Burkhead said.
Burkhead met Jack in 2011. The two quickly became friends, and Jack became one of the team's biggest inspirations - a little boy batting brain cancer.
Hoffman's dad Andy spear-headed 'Team Jack' to raise money and awareness for kids everywhere fighting brain cancer.
"You know, it was pretty special. It was very special. I told Coach and all these coaches, you know, they've given Jack so many once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and to have another one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, I think, speaks volumes about Coach Pelini and the kind of program he has, and really, what he's all about as a person." Hoffman said.
