Tanner Farmer struck a chord with quite a few people.
In the short time since his senior year began, the offensive lineman has become known for giving impassioned speeches, but maybe his most moving came during Monday's press conference.
“The way I look at is that you’re always going to have some guys on the team that resist buying in," he said when asked about coach Scott Frost's postgame comments following last Saturday's 24-19 loss to Troy. "This coaching staff has set a precedent of what they want, what they expect, and we have a good group of guys who are leading the way and setting the standards. But, you always have a few guys that just aren’t quite buying in and that can be the difference between winning and losing games by a few points. It can be the difference between winning by 30 points or losing by 20 points. You would be surprised how big of a difference a few guys not buying in can make on a team.
"So, he is pretty much saying to any guys who aren’t buying in, either buy in or move out for the guy that is going to buy in. As leaders, we have to step in and we need to hold these guys responsible. Sometimes it’s just that they don’t know any better. They don’t know how to buy in. They think they’re buying in but they don’t truly understand what buying in means. So, we need to set a good example and we need to hold them accountable.
“When I first got here, I thought I worked hard in high school, to be a wrestler, to be a football player and I was pretty good at both. And I thought I was working hard. And then I got to college and I worked just as hard as I did in high school and I didn’t do crap. So, it is just a whole new level. If you succeed in high school, you have to be ready to amp it up, go even harder. It is truly just committing everything.
"I don’t have free time. I am up from dusk until dawn dedicating myself to football and schoolwork. I make sure I am passing my classes and I want to do everything I can. You’re doing extra stuff, if you want to go to yoga or watch more film that’s what it takes. You don’t really get a social life during football season. Either leave it or take it.”
A video of what he said went viral Monday and has stretched beyond just the realms of Husker fandom.
💯💯💯#Huskers OL Tanner Farmer speaking the truth. pic.twitter.com/My32g583zx
— Hail Varsity (@HailVarsity) September 17, 2018
In the Hail Varsity mentions have been football coaches, basketball coaches, baseball coaches, softball coaches, volleyball coaches, track and field programs, wrestling coaches, public speakers and student-athletes across the country, both at the collegiate and high school level.
Florida Atlantic's head football coach, Lane Kiffin, a Lincoln native, chimed in.
Go big red!!! @HuskerFBNation #borninlincoln https://t.co/zzMgCKKTSk
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) September 18, 2018
Hawaii head football coach Nick Rolovich chimed in.
This guy will win life https://t.co/3LvXGkb3CG
— Nick Rolovich (@NickRolovich) September 18, 2018
So did Western Kentucky's defensive coordinator.
As you young fellas say “FACTS” / “DEM FACTS”. I wish I knew this when I was in College. https://t.co/ptv4AAITVX
— Clayton White (@coachwhitewku) September 18, 2018
And more.
This is an awesome message I think should be publicly stated more often. Frost creating an awesome culture. https://t.co/AW8olokvpj
— Coach T. Brown (@CoachTB_LAHS) September 18, 2018
So can this be played every single day during basketball season @HCHSadmissions??? https://t.co/9wctr6v6Uu
— Justin Renck (@JustinRenck) September 19, 2018
Good stuff! You have to be uncommon, if you want uncommon results. No one plays a sport to just be average! https://t.co/b85lymmYS4
— Tristan Wilcox (@twilcox247) September 18, 2018
This young man genuinely cares for teammates, coaches, institution. Wants the PROGRAM to win, and does whatever it takes! That's buying in. https://t.co/C9f5OvvuIm
— Coach Nick (@CoachNick_13) September 18, 2018
This guy GETS IT! Great leadership will either make you or break you. This makes me wanna be a Husker fan. Yall are doing good things up there @CoachRHeld! https://t.co/XCBbQ0iYIr
— Megan Dobrinski (@CoachDobrinski) September 19, 2018
Former Nebraska basketball center Duby Okeke even showed Farmer some love.
One of the few genuine guys I met up there. Keep working G @TRFarmer73 https://t.co/q5RsTz1P2h
— Duby Okeke (@DubydatDeal) September 18, 2018
Even some of the most notable names in football had something to say.
Glad this went viral and into my timeline.
If he makes the NFL, I'm drafting him.
If he doesn't, I'm hiring him.
This is as important a resume reel for this young man as anything he's putting on all-22. https://t.co/kk8v7WnDj1— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) September 19, 2018
Love Tanners thoughts here. https://t.co/SMlfDasqYo
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) September 18, 2018
As of writing this, Farmer's speech has been watched over 1.3 million times on Twitter and that number is still growing. Even though he's talking about guys resisting a culture change, he's sort of become a shining example of the kind of locker room Frost wants.
The team motto is "One Team, One Heartbeat." Farmer's words are some of the most team-centric you'll hear all. After the latest loss, Frost told his team in the locker room to either work harder or "get out now." Asked if anyone has taken him up on that, he said it wasn't really about pushing guys away immediately, but more about getting out in front of any that might quit down the road.
"Coming into Nebraska and hearing about how things went down last year I want to make sure that nobody decides to go off on their own," he said. "We’re all in this together. There’s a lot that had to be fixed, we fixed a lot of it, but there’s still a lot more to be fixed.
"Typically it’s older guys. If you’re going to have some frustrating things that happen to you at the beginning of the season, they are bought in but not completely. That’s just what I don’t want to see. I want to see the old guys doing things the right way training young guys, everybody just fighting harder. It’s going to take more discipline, more attention to detail than these guys have done and that we’ve held them accountable to yet.”
Frost definitely doesn't need to worry about Farmer.
Bonus:
One fan even put aside their questionable choices in program loyalty in order to shout out Farmer.
I loathe Nebraska but love this. https://t.co/PiW2zSq0uz
— Derik Flerlage (@DerikFler) September 18, 2018
