Former Husker Terrell Newby enlists in National Guard

"It's always been apart of me, and it's always been in the back of my head," Newby said. "It's something I never really thought I'd have the opportunity to actually go for."

When Terrell Newby decided to retire from football, there’s wasn’t time for him to mope around about it.

The former starting running back for Nebraska made a decision to enlist in the Army National Guard, something he’s always thought of doing.

“It’s always been apart of me, and it’s always been in the back of my head,” Newby said. “It’s something I never really thought I’d have the opportunity to actually go for.”

Newby’s father was also a member of the Army and growing up in a military family sparked the dream.

“Who doesn’t want to be a soldier as a kid? You know just running around in the backyard and stuff like that.

“I know he (his father) was pretty excited. I think it was something where he had a sense it was something that I wanted to do. For me to be able to have that opportunity had to be exciting for him.”

Newby had quite the roller coaster of a football career beginning from the time he committed to the Huskers.

He was recruited by Bo Pelini and coached by Mike Riley. However, Newby didn’t truly blossom into an every down running back until his senior season (2016), compiling 879 rushing yards, while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Newby scored seven rushing touchdowns, while adding an eighth touchdown on a reception.

Newby had 2,239 career rushing yards during his four years with the Huskers.

After his final season, Newby went undrafted in the NFL before signing a free agent deal with the Minnesota Vikings. However, he was cut before the regular season began.

He had a brief stint in the newly-founded AAF with Salt Lake City, joining former Nebraska teammates Kenny Bell, Josh Banderas and Demornay Pierson-El. However, the league folded midway through its first year, leaving Newby to retire from the game.

“Had a decision to make on what I wanted to do with my life,” Newby said. “I’ve always been interested in a life in the military and had the opportunity to pursue that with the national guard and I took it.”

Still, the former running back will always lean on what that adversity football taught him.

“No matter what, you’ve got to keep going,” Newby said. “Leagues fold. You get cut. It’s just what you’re going to do after that. Nothing is going to stop so you’ve got to keep pursuing what you want to pursue. The military was there and I just went after it.”