Wisconsin's Gaglianone to walk out of tunnel with Nebraska in Sam Foltz tribute

It's not often that a football player will emerge from the tunnel and enter the field accompanied by the opposing team, but that's exactly what will happen this Saturday.

Wisconsin kicker Rafael Gaglianone will help to honor late Nebraska punter Sam Foltz by joining the Cornhuskers to carry Foltz's jersey onto the field Saturday when the Badgers play host to Nebraska, according to Jason Galloway of the Wisconsin State Journal.

Foltz, along with former Michigan State punter Mike Sadler, was killed in a car accident in July while returning from Kohl's Kicking camp in Wisconsin. Gaglianone, who befriended Foltz when the pair met two years earlier at the same camp, changed his number to 27 before the season as a tribute to Foltz.

"That's where you find out why Sam was the great guy that he was," said Gaglianone, who won't play in Saturday's game after suffering a season-ending back injury earlier this season. "It comes from the family and the base that, that small-town mentality of being nice to everybody and just caring about everybody."

Gaglianone won't be playing in the game after undergoing surgery for a season-ending back injury in September, but he'll have some support in the stands just the same. Foltz's parents, who Gaglainone met at the funeral, will be in attendance and he's been in contact with Foltz's father, Gerald, ever since.

"That's where you find out why Sam was the great guy that he was," said Gaglianone. "It comes from the family and the base that, that small-town mentality of being nice to everybody and just caring about everybody.

"Ever since, (Gerald's) been calling me and talking to me and just kind of keeping up with the season. Just wondering how I'm doing and how I'm dealing with all that and just keeping me motivated. … It's been good having his support and knowing that they're doing fine and they're doing well with all the things they're dealing with on their plate."