More than 100 of the guests were former Huskers — proud dudes who desperately want their program back.
One of those dudes, Mike Erickson, is a straight shooter from south Omaha. A starting offensive lineman during the early 2000s, Erickson liked what he felt in that big room.
"A lot of love for the program, a family feel, like this is what's supposed to be happening," he said. "Everybody's here together. It felt right."
Only the most cynical among us would try to tell you otherwise. Boy, did this feel right. This felt genuine. It didn't feel forced.