Part of the history of the Nebraska football program is its well-known families.
The Peter brothers. The Ruuds, father and sons. The Makovickas. And others.
And this season will really be something when three sets of brothers are set to play a lot for the Huskers. And two of the sets of brothers may be starting on the offensive and defensive lines, respectively.
Matt and Will Farniok from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, will probably make up two of the five starters on the offensive line. Matt is a junior right tackle, and Will a redshirt freshman center.
Khalil and Carlos Davis, the twins from Blue Springs, Missouri, will each start or play a lot at defensive end as seniors.
Darrion and Damion Daniels from Dallas will be in the middle of the defensive line playing the same position.
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There is one more set of brothers, with walk-ons Corbin and Connor Ruth from Malcolm.
The Davis brothers came to Nebraska together in 2015, after being recruited by Bo Pelini and staying with the Huskers when Mike Riley was hired.
Matt Farniok came to Nebraska in 2016, and was followed by Will two years later.
It was actually younger brother Damion Daniels who came to Nebraska first. Then his older brother, Darrion, transferred to Lincoln this spring from Oklahoma State.
Two sons playing at the same school can be really good for their families. During the recruiting process they have a familiarly with the school and coaches, and it makes Saturdays in the fall a lot more manageable.
Christine Farniok-Jones can speak with authority on how good it is to have sons playing football at the same school. Her two older sons, Tom and Derek, also played college football at the same time but at different schools. Tom played at Iowa State, and Derek at Oklahoma. Tom is now a strength coach at Stanford.
Farniok-Jones said it’s fantastic to have to sons playing at the same school. She’s very proud of them, and says she gets chills every time during the Tunnel Walk.
“The only con that I can think of is that it’s going to be hard to watch both of them at the same time when they’re on the field,†Farniok-Jones said. “When I watch the football game there is only one player that I’m watching, and it’s my son. And now I’m going to have two of them, so I’m sure I’ll be watching the play, and then watching the Jumbotron a lot.â€
But if both Farniok boys are starting during the season opener on Aug. 31 their mom said she’ll be a nervous wreck.
“I’ll probably be pacing that city,†she said. “I know they’re both going to do an excellent job, but having two of them out there you want them to perform at their best level, and you don’t want them to get hurt.â€
Farniok-Jones plans to be at all 12 regular season games.
But how did we get to where the family ended up with four college football playing sons?
“I was never a parent that let my kids sit in the house,†Farniok-Jones said. “They always need to be outside doing something, and so they did every sport when they were young. They did baseball, soccer, basketball, football. And eventually football just won out as their favorite, which for four boys to all enjoy the same sport, and all end of being linemen, is really unique.â€
Darrion Daniels joined the Huskers in January as a graduate transfer, and enjoys being on the same team as his brother.
“I always have somebody watching me and keeping me accountable,†Darrion Daniels said. “And there are certain ways that he can talk to me that other people can’t, and vice versa with him. And you know, that’s my brother, and it makes Nebraska feel a little bit more like home.â€