Coming home to lead
the next generation
Returning to Nebraska
After time away, Boyd returned to the program he helped build — bringing renewed energy, fresh insights, and a commitment to carrying Husker Power forward. This chapter reflects his enduring connection to the athletes and traditions of Nebraska.
2013
Shawn Eichorst is hired by Nebraska
Shawn Eichorst is hired by Nebraska. Eichorst relied on a strong value system and a student-centered approach to lead the department.
January 5, 2013
Mike Arthur and J.R. Speak at NSCA
Mike Arthur, CSCS and RSCC*E, Hall of Fame Strength Coach from Nebraska and my first paid assistant speaks at the NSCA Coaches Conference in Nashville with my son J.R. Epley demonstrating. Regarding the Husker Power contribution to his coaching career, Osborne said, “Boyd Epley created Husker Power and was sort of the gold standard of strength coaches. We got some players who came to Nebraska partly because of the fact that Boyd was there.”
September 16, 2014
President’s Council Lifetime Achievement Award
I was presented the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award is presented by the Department of Health in Washington, D.C. to recognize individuals whose careers have greatly contributed to the advancement or promotion of physical activity, fitness, sports and nutrition-related programs nationwide.
Recipients are selected by members of the President’s Council based on the span and scope of an individual’s career, the estimated number of lives they have touched, and the impact of their legacy. I was the first strength and conditioning coach to ever be honored with this prestigious award.
September 20, 2014
1994 Championship Team Honored
The 1994 National Championship Football team is honored prior to the start of the Miami game at Memorial Stadium. Coaches and players took the field to create a tunnel walk for the current football team.
September 14, 2014
Halftime Lifetime Achievement Honors
Also that evening Bill Byrne (former Nebraska Athletic Director) and I are honored at half-time. Bill was honored with the NCAA Lifetime Achievement Award while I was honored with the Lifetime Achievement award from the President’s Council.
September 22, 2014
Return as Assistant Athletic Director
The University of Nebraska Athletic Department announced that I will return to Nebraska as the Assistant Athletic Director for Strength and Conditioning.
December 4, 2014
Mike Riley picked to be Nebraska’s new head coach
After a swift, silent search Mike Riley was picked to be Nebraska’s new head
football coach.
I didn’t waste any time taking advantage of the five million dollar Nebraska Athletic Performance Research Lab (NAPL) I moved testing for all sports to the NAPL and began creating all new school performance testing records.
December 2014
Lab Testing Drives New Records
Soon the Nebraska football team and eleven other sports were setting records in the Lab.
Coach Mike Riley says “We have Boyd Epley, he’s like a scientist with research lab expertise to give our players a picture of who they are, but also a vision of where they can go.”
January 6, 2015
Birth of Grandson Colt Beideck
My daughter Jenna Epley Beideck and husband Chase have a second son named Colt on January 6, 2015. The photo to the right shows Cash seeing his new brother Colt for the first time as Jenna looks on.
February 1, 2015
Guests at Gatorade’s 50th Anniversary at the Superbowl
Jane and I were surprised to be guests of Gatorade at their 50th anniversary celebration hosted at the Super Bowl in Phoenix. We were very humbled to be included along with some incredible athletes such as Michael Jordan, Peyton Manning, Derek Jeter, Usain Boldt, J.J. Watt, Mia Hamm and many others.
2015
J.R. Epley Coaches Big Ten Champions
J.R. Epley In Michigan working on his Master’s Degree. His mentors are Mike Favre and Bo Sandoval. His Men and Women’s Cross Country Teams each won the Big 10 title in 2015. The first since 1998. His Women’s Track athletes won in 2016.
June 2015
SUH Weight Room Expansion
The SUH weight room went through a major facelift as Mark Philipp requested Power Lift to switch out the twenty half racks for twenty double half racks making forty lifting stations in basically the same footprint.
August 2015
NCAA Requires Certified Strength Coaches
The NCAA legislation went into effect requiring all Division I Strength and Conditioning Coaches to have accredited Certification. The NCAA recommended CSCS Certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association or SCCC Certification from the CSCCa for all strength and conditioning coaches.
September 4, 2015
Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Established
Nebraska creates the Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame and the first class is inducted before the home opening BYU football game.
October 2015
Judged 2015 Mr. America Contest
I was asked to judge the 2015 Mr. America contest in Rodchester, New York. Bruce Ebel purchased the rights to the Mr. America event and cleaned up the drug issues. I had judged the Mr. America contest in Santa Monica, California in 1977 and afterward was asked to replace R. Countryman as the National Physique Judge. I declined the offer in 1977 and voiced my displeasure for the rampant drug use that was involved at that time and never judged a physique competition again until Ebel called.
The 2015 winner, Cleveland Thomas was the first Mr. America winner to be drug tested. Ebel then came to Nebraska to interview me for a documentary film he was making and had his cameras rolling for parts of the upset win over Michigan State.
December 2015
Tom Heiser Award Presented to Karen Cook
The Tom Heiser Award was presented for the fourteenth time to a Husker Power staff member who has overcome all obstacles to succeed. The winner this year is Karen Cook. Previous winners of the Heiser Award are: Nate Thomas, Curt Thompson, Ken Williams, Rob Kobza, John Archer, Tony Swenson, Danny Noonan, Rodger DeGarmo, Zach Duval, Chris Wieseman, David Hofmaier, Shaun Huls, and Josh Hingst.
December 19, 2015
Fourth Volleyball National Championship
Nebraska Volleyball Wins a fourth NCAA Championship. The championship was held in Omaha, Nebraska in front of the largest crowd to ever view a volleyball game live at 17,561 in attendance.
December 2015
The Dashr timing system now sends a signal to a coaches telephone.
July 31, 2017
