Former Cornhusker and Nephew of Nebraska Coach Dies in Car Crash
Fans of football in the state of Iowa have always had a back-and-forth with the Nebraska Cornhusker fan base.
This is a time when it's made apparent how incredibly minuscule football rivalries are and should be in the grand scheme of our short lives on earth.
As shared by KETV in Omaha, Nebraska, Mark Pelini who started at center for the Cornhuskers in 2013 and 2014 and was the nephew of then-coach Bo Pelini, died in a car accident on Sunday in Indiana.
Investigators in the area say that Mark was driving a 2017 white Ford SUV when he struck a deer on an Indiana toll road. Reportedly, the SUV crossed the median and hit a pick-up truck that was driving in the opposite direction head-on.
KETV adds that "Pelini, his passenger 31-year-old Jillian Marian of Youngstown, Ohio both were killed. A passenger in the pick-up, 57-year-old Jane Beecher of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania also died in the crash." All three were pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the truck as well as the passenger in the backseat of the vehicle survived the wreck but sustained serious injuries.
Mark Pelini was a member of the Cornhuskers football squad from 2010 to 2014. He started his career in Lincoln and worked his way up to be the starter by the end of his career. In total, he appeared in 30 games for the Big Red.
Mark is the son of Vince Pelini, brother of Bo Pelini.
One of Mark's teammates while at Nebraska and a well-known Cornhusker, Rex Burkhead had this to say on Twitter:
Crushed to hear about the passing of Mark Pelini. Unbelievable teammate and such a positive individual who loved some football. Prayers to the Pelini family.
Another notable teammate of Mark joined in, Tommy Armstrong Jr.:
Nebraska Home is Amazing, Inside and Out
Iowa is Home to 'Castletown, USA'