Death. Taxes. That damn Texas. The stories before Senior Day.

You're a Nebraska football fan. You know the drill, right? Like peonies at Memorial Day. Hay fever in mid-June. The smell of burning leaves, right now, just beyond the city limits.

We're here already. Nearing the end of strange and potentially wonderful 2009 NU season. Money time for the Cornhuskers. Used to be, you'd have the scent of Oklahoma in your nostrils right about now, but the Big 12 ruined that. Now it's an annual dance with Kansas State, followed by a Buffalo Thanksgiving.

Well, those two games knock on the Big Red door.

Where did the time go? Don't ask me. I've got a 2-year-old. I mark time in ear infections, words learned, fruit snacks eaten, and the same 40 books read over and over again.

But this year feels fleeting anyway. It hasn't been a journey for Bo Pelini's second bunch so much as a harrowing, unpredictable ride through dungeons and gilded rooms out of an Edith Wharton novel. Drama tends to move quickly inside a movie theater. It's no different on a football field.

A final, crucial chapter of 2009 is yet to be written. A tragedy, triumph, or typical tale of struggle and virtue? We'll see.

But we know the hero of the story already, however it plays out. As Ndamukong Suh nears the end of a remarkable career - to be punctuated with the loudest Memorial Stadium chant of “Suh!” you'll ever hope to hear – Nebraska fans need to take a minute and appreciate how, in two short years, the 6-foot-4, 300-pounder went from skilled athlete and occasional run-stopper to college football's most dynamic and unique defensive player. And how it almost never happened.

“I think he was testing the waters when we got here,” head coach Bo Pelini said. “But he wasn't ready to come out at that time.”

That's the NFL waters. Suh was a third-year sophomore bearing witness to about as awful a defense in the 2007 Nebraska as could be envisioned.

But his knee required surgery. Plus – Suh had performed far below his own potential in two years at NU. Part of it was consistent work ethic. Part of it was sheer inexperience. You already know this part of the story: Suh grew up playing soccer and basketball. Football, a complex, intricate, brutal game that arguably requires as much mental mustard as any sport, wasn't on his radar until high school.

“I didn't have the mental capacity of a lot of the other guys just because they grew up with it at a young age and they had always been around it,” Suh said Tuesday.

The surgery, and the missed spring practice, turned out to be a remarkable blessing. Suh became Carl Pelini's shadow in 2008, learning without actually doing the drills. But here's the thing, and it's rare for a football player: Suh actually soaked it up just by watching. That's one sharp visual learner.

In the following fall camp, Suh got help from center Jacob Hickman, a cerebral technician who didn't always beat No. 93, but could breakdown his counterpart's game.

“He's one guy that's really understood my game and been able to nitpick at some of my weaknesses,” Suh said. “We talk all the time. You'd see us in fall camp. I might beat him on one play, he might beat me on one play but after we're done with our three reps, we'll get back and talk.”

The rest is statistical history. In 23 games, Suh has 132 tackles, 32 of them for loss, 12.5 sacks, 11 pass break-ups, 25 quarterback hurries, six blocked kicks and three interceptions. Read that again.

“He's played pretty phenomenal,” said Bo Pelini, using the appropriate word.

And he's done so under the following two conditions:

*Offensive coordinators have developed a full-time obsession, since the 2009 Gator Bowl, of making sure Suh doesn't beat them.

*Suh still has more – and arguably much more – to learn.

We're not kidding. Suh tries, at times, to make too many plays. As much as he should trust his instincts, they'll be honed even more in the NFL, where quarterbacks are smarter than, say, Blaine Gabbert or Landry Jones. Once there, he'll also have to live with the reality that sacks and tackles for loss, for an interior 4-3 tackle or a 3-4 end, are rare. Those belong to defensive ends or outside linebackers. The biggest, baddest bull moose in the pros – Albert Haynesworth, Shaun Rogers, the duo in Minnesota – still doesn't get the flash and dash of their edge counterparts.

Take Kansas. Suh's numbers weren't flashy in a 31-17, and Pelini sensed some frustration from his senior.

“He thinks he should make the play no matter how many guys are on him,” Pelini said. KU used a double-team, and occasionally a running back, to block Suh. Baylor often did the same, which opened the door for Jared Crick's big day. Suh's a team guy – but he's also a elite player. Elite guys want to be the solution – not the decoy.

“But you watch the tape, and he played pretty well,” Pelini said.

Pelini doesn't like to compare Suh to his previous proteges, most notably LSU's Glenn Dorsey, a squat grinder who submarined offensive linemen and often blew up plays with his sheer girth and strength. As NU's defense evolves, you'll see Pelini recruit this type of player more often. He already has, in fact, in 2010 commit Jay Guy.

Suh is different. He's nimble. He's certainly not thin, but there isn't an ounce of fat on him. For a guy with so little time in the game, he certainly has a sixth sense of it. He obliterates an opponent's screen game. He peels back to make tackles downfield. Even when he's engaged at the line of scrimmage – which happens more than it should, frankly – he's strong enough to shuck out of it and still make plays.

Nebraska's never seen one quite like him.

Is he the best in NU history?

You could lodge an argument for a number of names – Wayne Mehlen, Rich Glover, Jim Skow, Jason Peter and Danny Noonan are in the mix – but Suh seems to make the most spectacular of plays out of all of them. He may not be as consistent, maybe, but his sack-and-strip of Gabbert in the Missouri game – which hobbled Gabbert and Mizzou's chances at the Big 12 North title in the same blow – is one of the most incredible plays I've ever seen. The strength, speed and perseverance on that single play is a recruiting poster for Bo Pelini's brand of dominating football. If Suh does win the Lombardi, the Nagurski and the Lott, that'll be the play burned in voters' minds when they check his name.

It's fitting that, when asked how fans should remember him, Suh chose a road less traveled. A lot of defensive players would say “dominant” or “great” or “a winner” or some word or phrase that conveyed toughness, victory and pure, hard character.

For Suh?

“A joy to watch,” he said. “I've always wanted to be a joy to these fans.”

The man knows his audience, huh?

Win Two Free Tickets to NU's Last Home Game of the Year!

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

There are no quick fixes, Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini likes to say. There are probably no instant leaders, either.

But after two lackluster performances, NU's offense stand to get a few more..

The consensus, really, is that Huskers' O has one who's up front, center Jacob Hickman, and two supporting players behind him. We'll get to them in a minute.

“Hick's the guy who really captains all of our calls,” offensive coordinator Shawn Watson. “He's a real leader.”

It's not necessarily common for a center to fill that role, although Dom Raiola and John Garrison did that years ago. But Hickman - a senior who's sampled nearly every offensive line position and thus knows the scheme as well as anyone – has been up to it.

A cerebral type, mature, already married, Hickman's a certain kind of leader, a strong, thoughtful hub of the Husker community. Ndamukong Suh happens to be that guy, too. Suh calls himself a “silent killer.” The phrase fits Hickman, to some extent, too, even if he's talking quite a bit during the game, calling out defensive line shifts.

But Hickman is not a red rump. I'd use another choice word, but we're still, you know, read by families and stuff. At any rate, he's not going to crawl down your skin. He's the good cop, the “calm down” guy.

“I get more annoyed when people yell at me than anything else, so I'd feel hypocritical if I got too riled up,” Hickman said.

But sometimes, he said, it's been necessary. Hickman stepped on the emotional gas pedal at Missouri, he said, getting the intended response in the fourth quarter. He did it again vs. Texas Tech, to no particular avail.

“I got a little frustrated,” Hickman said. “I got a little talkative.”

Who else?

“I don't really think we've had anyone stepping up and say “I'm the one taking control of this offense,'” tight end Mike McNeill said. “Hickman's done a good job, but I don't think we've had one guy who just stands out and says 'this is my offense, and I'm running it right now.'”

Said Hickman: “It really helps sometimes to have a guy get riled up like that.”

You already know Nebraska had that in 2008 with quarterback Joe Ganz.

“Nobody was quite as vocal as Joey,” Hickman said.

But the Huskers had Nate Swift, Todd Peterson and Matt Slauson, too. None of them had Ganz's swagger and personality, but each of them carried authority and experience.

Is the latter of those two traits always necessary for leadership? Not for head coaches, right? There are tons of first-timers, - Pelini included – who just have the “it” factor when it comes to commanding a group of men. They don't need to prove it at every level of football before they arrive in college.

With players, though – that's a leopard with different spots. For every Peyton Manning and Tommie Frazier, who just walks with an air of authority and confidence, there are thousands of guys who haven't properly paid their dues yet.

At a top five program, that's probably how it should be. For Nebraska, which aspires to get there again, a transformative leader wouldn't hurt. No matter what class they're in.

Besides Hickman, two names popped up from several sources for co-leaders: Roy Helu and Niles Paul. Paul does it, Hickman and Watson said, with his work ethic in practice. Helu's leadership skills are evident when you visit practice and talk to his teammates, but the junior, publicly modest, deflects all attention. Nebraska's best offensive player – the best Husker running back in a decade, from this vantage point – is thoughtful, lighthearted and sometimes deadly serious in the span of three minutes.

Is he healthy enough to put the team on his back?

“Roy's been hurt lately, which is tough,” Hickman said. “It's hard to be really in the forefront of leading when you've been hurt.”

Of course, Hickman was sick and a little hurt, too. Maybe not as much as Helu, but this season hasn't been sundaes and rose petals for No. 67.

Zac Lee was also establishing himself, Hickman said, but he's in the midst of a quarterback competition again.

“It's tough when you don't have many seniors out there,” Hickman said. “It's the nature of the game sometimes.”

Tougher still when you don't have many red rumps.

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Please enable Javascript, or download the podcast here.

Join Husker Locker today - it's free!

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Jacob Hickman doesn't like the circumstances that brought Nebraska's football team to a defining moment in its season. But the NU center isn't about to argue with the new offensive game plan.

“They're gonna shift it onto our shoulders this week,” Hickman said.

Meaning the offensive line. The bunch that helped produce just 70 yards rushing in a 31-10 loss to Texas Tech will be counted upon, Hickman said, to carry the load while the Cornhuskers try to settle on a starting quarterback and running back Roy Helu deals with a shoulder stinger.

“We're gonna go out there and run the ball out of every set we've got and see what works best for us,” Hickman said after practice Monday. “When they're committed to the run at that level I really like that. It's now on our shoulders.”

Expect NU, 4-2 overall and 1-1 in the Big 12 Conference, to “get big,” Hickman said, and use more heavy, tight end-laden sets that calls for the quarterback – be it Zac Lee or Cody Green – to stay under center. Against Missouri, the Huskers used a four tight-end, “W” set to score the game's final touchdown.

“There's going to be more plays that we like,” Hickman said. “We might get big some more. We didn't get big last year; that wasn't our identity. We're gonna get big sometimes (now).”

To prepare for it, the Huskers had a fully-padded practice Monday, with lots of “good on good,” head coach Bo Pelini said. Typically NU practices in shells on Monday.

“We do that now and then,” Pelini said. “I thought today was the right day.”

Lee and Green split snaps quarterback hours after Pelini said the starter would be determined as in a “gametime decision.”

Both “did some good things” Monday, Pelini said. He didn't elaborate, nor seem interested in breaking down the battle.

“Everybody wants to focus on the quarterback position, “We've got to execute around the quarterback. There's a lot of things that go into enabling the quarterback to play well.”

Hickman said he has a good rapport with both. The senior also added that the Unity Council talked Sunday about making sure the race doesn't become divisive inside the team, no matter how fans or the media might handicap it. Lee was booed by portions of the Memorial Stadium crowd on his last pass of the Texas Tech game, a fourth-down misfire that ended up in the visitors' tunnel.

You can't have picking sides,” Hickman said, “because then you'll have a situation like we had two years ago, when we had some problems with guys picking sides and not trusting certain people.”

Join Husker Locker today - it's free!

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

“We have Blackshirts there at Texas Tech, too. Every one of our guys is wearing a black shirt underneath their pads. I'm proud to say the Blackshirts won this one.”

It's pretty safe to say that little nugget from Mike Leach will find its way to Nebraska's bulletin board. The Texas Tech coach, is his own, inimitable way, praised his bunch and poked a little fun at NU's top defensive unit at the same time.

Let's just hope head coach Bo Pelini uses it to motivate the right bunch. Not the Cornhuskers' defense, which forced five punts, notched five sacks and only gave 259 total yards to one of the best offenses in America.

Rather, the quote needs to find its way to the offensive line, which can use every bit of fire, at this point, it can get. May Mike Smith, Keith Williams, Jacob Hickman, Ricky Henry, Marcel Jones and D.J. Jones tack it to their lockers to remind themselves of a performance that left offensive line coach Barney Cotton drained and a little crestfallen.

“I think I've got to do a better job preparing,” Cotton said. “We didn't play the physical ballgame that we had planned on playing...this is a league where you have to be physical to play well.”

Cotton and head coach Bo Pelini both called it “putting a hat on a hat.” The final tally - just 70 rushing yards, and most of those coming via improvisation from Roy Helu, Jr. - suggests the Huskers didn't do it. Couple the leaks with five sacks and a slew of tough penalties – including the drive-killing personal foul by Henry – and it was the sloppiest performance in recent memory.

“We'd always leave a hat open,” Hickman said. “Or a guy jumps. It's just one guy who can kill you...just one guy missing his block, and the play doesn't work. Gotta have 11 guys on the same page. You could really call any play at that point – and it should work.”

Hickman said the line affected quarterback Zac Lee's vision and performance. Although Lee held on to the ball for ten seconds on two different occasions – he was sacked once and threw another pass away - Hickman said some early hits on No. 5 - especially on two playaction passes where Lee couldn't even turn around without being hammered - set a bad tone.

“It threw him on his rhythm,” Hickman said. “It goes through the line first.”

NU planned to physical running game in the opening quarter; the playcalling was balanced through the first four drives. But Helu and Lee's rushing lanes were few; Tech slanted its defensive linemen into gaps, and the Huskers' front unit was unable to clear them away.

The Red Raiders weren't fancy, Cotton said. They just beat Nebraska's linemen into the backfield. When Cotton would gather his unit on the sideline, he'd talk to them – sometimes through the entire Tech offensive possession – about effort, and toughness.

“This was not a game where we were doing a lot of drawing things up,” Cotton said. “We talked about putting hats on hats, and keep those hats on hats. We've got to fight more aggressively and more relentlessly.”

What's that going to look like in practice?

“It's going to be physical,”Cotton said. “Everything we do during the week should be darn near live anyway. That's the way we prepare. But it'll be even more physical.”

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

The reverie lasted all of a quarter. All the fanfare and hoopla and warm feelings over No. 15 Nebraska and its potential run through the Big 12 have been put on hold. Indefinitely.

Sloppy, slow and uncertain. That's how NU played in a calamitous meltdown loss to Texas Tech. The Red Raiders looked speedier, smarter and definitely less rattled by one of the more incompetent group of officials I've seen.

Most of all, the seemed sure of themselves. Even before Niles Paul's boneheaded, casual drop of a backwards screen pass, which led to a 82-yard fumble return for a touchdown, the Red Raiders played and acted like the better, more confident team.

“If y'all would have seen the locker room before the game, you would have thought it was a bunch of animals running around,” Texas Tech quarterback Steven Sheffield said. “That's how our program is, just letting go and letting everybody be themselves and a lot of loud music.”

Understand that Tech's already been through a tumult of a season – two tough losses, suspensions, the typical Mike Leach chicanery. Maybe the boys from West Texas can give Bo Pelini some advice on how to handle the next two weeks. Loud music, apparently.

Get ready. It's going to be a bumpy, restless fortnight. Oh, Nebraska can probably handle defenseless Iowa State and toothless Baylor no matter who takes the field. But NU better have this figured out by Nov. 7, or the stretch run of the season could be a long, troubling slog.

What's wrong? Oh, quite a bit. We'll get there. Let's start with what's right.

Nebraska's front four plays like beasts. Every damn one of them. With attitude, toughness and fury. Phillip Dillard – remember, he's not as good as Colton Koehler for the first two games of this season – is suddenly realizing every ounce of potential he has. Can he please start the game next week and give Will Compton the sideline seasoning he needs? Alfonzo Dennard and Prince Amukamara, a few hiccups aside, bring their lunch pail every week. No cornerback – none – has a perfect record. Larry Asante plays a clean, hard-hitting game. And Pelini is starting to put some of those fancy blitzes back in the box – which is a good thing.

Now for the rest of it.

*Nebraska's offensive line is limping along. Something is missing, and the frustration on the face of Jacob Hickman and Barney Cotton make it clear that they don't quite know what it is. Part of it, I fear, is simple personality. The Huskers aren't nasty enough. Hickman, Mike Smith, Marcel Jones and Keith Williams are all, well, pretty nice guys. Analytical, thoughtful. Technicians. And right now, it's just not working. They're all getting beat at the point of attack. Ricky Henry, too, although he certainly brings a mean mug to the field.

You cannot – absolutely not – run a zone-blocking system without being quick, and tough. You don't have to be that big, and you don't have to pancake guys. But that first step has to be vicious. There can't be a hint of a leak. Roy Helu was flitting around all afternoon like a skier on a slalom course. He'd never admit it, but he got almost all of his yards on sheer improvisation.

*The line is forcing Shawn Watson to alter the game plan. Oh, we'll knock Watson when it's on him. And some of Saturday was on him. But not much of it. Sorry, but when NU runs two of its basic – and often successful – playaction passes, and a Tech defensive lineman is in the backfield before the fake is done, you're not going to have much luck with anything. Watson was relegated to calling two-second slant pattern (that Zac Lee can't throw) and bubble screens that were misadventures.

*Lee isn't trusting his game. His performance was painful, because it was the portrait of a quarterback second-guessing himself. Lee wants to go downfield. Something is stopping him. Because he's not Sam Keller, a professional bail-out artist, Lee sits back there, clutching, shuffling, worrying – until he's sacked, or he's left with a two-yard throw.

And he just won't scramble. This, I don't get. Watson doesn't get it, either. Nobody gets it. Lee is fast, he's tough – and he won't run. And when he does, he runs with his body pitched forward, and his head down.

*Bo still blows defensive timeouts. And two in the first half didn't make much sense.

The first of them was on the fourth down play that NU had stopped – until Pelini called the timeout at the last second. Was it to ice Mike Leach, who always does this? The result: A 21-yard gain on an end around that NU seemed utterly unprepared for.

The second occurred when Tech had the ball on the Huskers' four-yard line. Understandable – except that it was first down. What was Bo going to do – design three plays' worth of defense? As it was, Nebraska committed pass interference in the end zone, and Tech scored a few plays later.

*The penalties. Ugh. First of all, the officiating in the Big 12 – across the board – stinks. Bo can't say it. I'll say it. The zeebs on Saturday were confused, disorganized, out of position and generally perplexed. I give them credit for getting the fumble/touchdown right. Not a lot else.

But how does Bo help his cause by berating the line judge to the point where Memorial Stadium even takes notice, and it more or less delays the last kickoff of the game? How? NU clearly has a reputation at this point, and seems to nurture it with Bo's incredulous behavior.

Some of the penalties are earned, of course. The offensive line seems to pay its weekly toll of 30 yards. When does that stop? Can it stop?

*Most of all, it's just the vibe of this team. Tech obviously had a lot to be fired up about, but the Red Raiders seemed loose, active, ready to mix it up. Outside some of NU's defenders, the reticence – the sheer lack of fire - was glaring. The play of the game – Tech's 82-yard punt return – boiled down to a lack of concentration and mental toughness: Lee not getting a deep enough drop, Niles Paul futzing on a catchable ball, and the whole Husker offense just trotting back to the huddle. Folks, not every team does that. A lot of teams have a few guys, at least, with the sense to be safe about it, and cover the damn ball.

In key moments, Nebraska suffers a collective brain cramp. It happened last year. It's happening now. What's Bo and his capable crew going to do about it?

See also: Defending Shawn Watson - For Now

and

NU/Tech Report Card

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Texas Tech’s 15 minutes of fame might be up, but the Red Raiders have Nebraska’s full attention as the Cornhuskers prepare for Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. game.

“This team is better than people are giving them credit for,” NU center Jacob Hickman said.

Tech comes to Lincoln at 4-2, with a 34-24 loss at Texas and a 29-28 loss at Houston. That’s in sharp contrast to the 2008 Red Raider team, which started 10-0 before losing two of its last three games. That version slipped by Nebraska 37-31 in overtime. For NU, the loss served as a rallying point for the rest of that season, and the Huskers only lost once more, at Oklahoma.

In 2009, the Red Raiders are the stumbling block for the suddenly-popular No. 15 Nebraska (4-1), which beat Missouri 27-12 on ESPN. Despite losing stars like quarterback Graham Harrell, wide receiver Michael Crabtree, defensive end Brandon Williams, and safety Darcel McBath to graduation and/or the NFL Draft, Texas Tech still has plenty of firepower, head coach Bo Pelini said.

“These guys are a challenge,” Pelini said. “They were right there with Texas right to the very end. That speaks for itself.”

While Leach’s offense is still putting up huge numbers – scoring 48 or more points in three games this year, accumulating a rather astonishing 2,661 passing yards already in 2009 with two different quarterbacks – it’s the defense, which is 27th nationally against the run, that’s performed better than expected.

There’s nothing fancy about Tech’s defensive approach under coordinator Ruffin McNeill – a standard 4-3 with deep safeties - but the unit already has 18 sacks, which leads the Big 12. And while they’ve certainly bent a little against the pass, they’ve only allowed five passing touchdowns – against several prolific offenses.

“Pretty vanilla,” Hickman said. “They don’t blitz much. They’re gonna play one or two defenses. They’re gonna play so they don’t make mistakse. Basically their goal is to let their offense score points and minimize mistakes.

“But they’re not going to give you anything. You have to earn everything you get.”

Offensive line coach Barney Cotton said Tech’s front seven is among the best in the Big 12, especially defensive tackle Colby Whitlock, who has a sack and 3.5 tackles for loss so far this year.

“They play fast, they play physical and they’ve got linebackers who are extremely fast and play downhill,” Cotton said. “We need to make huge improvements from last week or otherwise we’re going to be very disappointed on Saturday.”

See also: 50 Husker Fans, 50 States: Pittsburgh

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Our offensive report card through the non-conference season, broken down by position and player:

OFFENSIVE MVP: Roy Helu
Helu’s been the steady force on the offense, and a playmaker to boot. One could argue he wasn’t used quite enough in the Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette games, but his fresh legs will be better served in the Big 12 season.
Special Mention: Zac Lee, Curenski Gilleylen, Jacob Hickman, Marcel Jones

GRADES

QUARTERBACK: B Zac Lee aced three out of four tests. He struggled at Virginia Tech, the only non-conference where he faced a big-league pass rush. Lee’s got a big-time arm. That we can see. It creates opportunities where Zac Taylor, Sam Keller and Joe Ganz could not. And Lee throws a better deep ball than any NU quarterback in recent memory. But his tendency to scramble forward and fire passes into the middle of the field will burn him in the Big 12 race if he isn’t more careful. Lee also has to manage the huddle a little better, and not waste timeouts or audible opportunies because he’s run out of time…in his brief mop-up appearances, Cody Green has flashed a lot of speed and a long stride that makes him particularly good as runner. His passing has been just fair. Green brings a fun, emotional component to the field. He looks, acts and talks like a quarterback, even at 19. LaTravis Washington has served mostly to hand off and take a knee.

Best game: Arkansas State. An array of dazzling passes.
Worst game: Virginia Tech. Lee “chased ghosts"

RUNNING BACK: B+ Very good things, thus far, out of Roy Helu, who’s running better – and tougher - than ever before. Helu’s not about to be the kind of guy who lets his level of play slip. He could polish up his pass blocking, but he’s been a credible receiver and tough runner. His back-up, Rex Burkhead, is shifty and elusive, similar to Helu, but possibly with better hands. Nebraska needs a hammer back, though, and apparently none is forthcoming to replace the departed Quentin Castille. Austin Jones and Lester Ward have been used sparingly, and Collins Okafor, who may possess the most natural talent, is fighting to learn the offense. Marcus Mendoza is back in the mix after an ill-advised move to wide receiver. Traye Robinson is a redshirt guy, and should be an interesting option next year.

Best Game: Virginia Tech. Helu = warrior. Burkhead had a nifty catch
Worst Game: Arkansas State. Helu missed some holes, blocks.

OFFENSIVE LINE: B Barney’s Cotton’s unit has battled injuries for a month and managed pretty well despite those problems. Aside from a couple breakdowns by D.J. Jones against excellent defensive ends, the pass blocking has been relatively solid, and Lee’s enjoyed plenty of time to throw. The run blocking has been better on first and second down than it has in short yardage. The Huskers pull and move with speed and aggression. They don’t maul as well as they could. Another weakness are dumb penalties – as evidenced by the Virginia Tech game – at bad times.

Individually, Jacob Hickman has been a steady force at center, aside from a few wayward snaps. Tackle Marcel Jones might well be MVP, swinging from left to right and winning more than his share of battles in the passing game. Guard Ricky Henry, aside from one costly holding penalty, has been surprisingly consistent and physical. Tackle Mike Smith had been a little dinged up, but solid. D.J. Jones still needs work on his pass blocking, but he could be NU’s best perimeter run blocker. Guard Derek Meyer filled in capably for an injured Keith Williams, who is now returning to form as Big 12 play begins. Andy Christensen and Mike Caputo offer useful depth.

Best Game: Lafayette. The big boys showed off all of their talents.
Worst Game: Virginia Tech. Several drive-killing penalties.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS: B+ We expected this grade of the tight ends, but the receivers are a surprise unit, as Curenski Gilleylen and Chris Brooks had sidled up alongside Niles Paul, Menelik Holt and Mike McNeill to provide Lee five dependable receiving options. Gilleylen has been one of the MVPs of the offense thus far, consistently get open in zones and providing Lee a deep threat out of the slot. Brooks has also been sure-handed out of slot, raising questions as to why he wasn’t played earlier. Paul’s been dynamic, if a little underused, while Holt is Lee’s possession guy on quick slants and out patterns. At tight end, McNeill’s made a few highlight grabs, missed on a few others, and been so-so with his blocking. Defenses are paying more attention to him; he’ll work through it. Dreu Young and Ben Cotton are solid blockers, while Kyler Reed has been targeted quite a bit without quite cashing in yet. Khiry Cooper, Antonio Bell and Brandon Kinnie have flashed some talent in reserve roles. They’ll be the guys next year.

Best Game: Arkansas State. Everybody got some love.
Worst Game: Virginia Tech. Holt needed to make those two catches.

GAME MANAGEMENT/PENALTIES: C Nebraska continues to struggle with its huddle at times, even vs. Lafayette, when NU had to burn a timeout right after taking one. Lee’s a new quarterback, but this has to clean up going into Big 12 season. As for penalties, the third-quarter meltdown at Virginia Tech stands out right now, and one has to wonder whether Lee could make good on a two-minute drill – first half or second half – it he was forced to do it. This is still an offense that seems, just like the beginning of last year, a little unsure of itself.

Best Game: Arkansas State. Easily the cleanest in that area.
Worst Game: Florida Atlantic First-game jitters.

PLAYCALLING: A- We could quibble just a little with Shawn Watson’s red zone gameplan at Virginia Tech – but not that much, considering NU’s offensive line is struggling to open running holes near the goal line. Overall, Watson’s been terrific, even better than last year. He’s tailored the offense to Lee’s ability to throw the deep ball, he hasn’t been afraid to mix and match receiving personnel, and the running game has been more varied and efficient. We applaud the new shotgun running schemes that mirror some spread offenses, and like how Watson uses the toss play in a variety of formations and situations. Instead of screens, which are hard for Lee to throw given his height, Watson has incorporated more shovel passes. No wildcat yet, and not too many trick plays, but Watson, wisely, knows not to overdo them.

Best Game: Arkansas State. Especially the first quarter.
Worst Game: Virginia Tech. Trust the run game a little more.

See also: Non-Conference Report Card Defense

CHALK TALK: Mizzou’s Run Game Pt. 1 and 2

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Before the review, we offer Nebraska’s football program a public service announcement. Imagine the following words as spoken by Yul Brynner.

Don’t schedule Sun Belt Conference teams. Whatever you do. Just don’t.

We know Western Kentucky is on the 2010 schedule. After that, close the vault, Bo Pelini and Jeff Jamrog. Go back to the MAC. Invite the Fighting Frankies. Dabble in Conference USA. Sniff around the WAC and Mountain West, as you’ve already done with Wyoming and Fresno State.

No more Sun Belt.

We saw enough penny-wise, pound-foolish football in the last month to last our lifetime. Not only were Florida Atlantic, Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette inadequate opponents, only the Red Wolves had a winning gameplan. FAU and ULL were content to move pawns around the board, tick off a ten-yard gain here or there, punt dutifully and get out of Lincoln with a paycheck and relatively few injuries.

We hear that distant refrain: But Louisiana-Lafayette beat Kansas State. True. On its home field. In KSU’s second game of a transition back to power football. By two points.

And while these Sun Belt teams might have wonderful fan bases in their hometowns, they were virtually non-existent in Lincoln. At least with Wyoming, some Cowboys will make the drive. Heck, South Dakota State will have five times the following than Florida Atlantic did. Jackrabbits all over the joint next year.

If you’re going to buy wins – and that’s what Steve Pederson was doing when he signed these contracts – at least buy local, where a Nebraska kid or two might sneak on to the roster. (Although SDSU is a threat to NU’s walk-on program, and should not be rewarded with trips to Memorial Stadium.)

What did we learn Saturday night? Less than we have after any other game since Nicholls State in 2006. Lafayette was tired and beaten up, facing its third major-conference opponent in as many weeks. The Ragin Cajuns visibly seemed to deflate after NU’s first touchdown, when tight end Ben Cotton recovered a Roy Helu fumble in the end zone. The secondary covered the Huskers’ receivers like it was optional. ULL shied away from nearly every physical showdown, as well.

So instead of offering a game-specific review – there were 15 players to love, frankly, the Huskers won all the keys, and there were few questions or concerns based on that three-hour window – we instead review the non-conference season as a whole. Later this week, look for an in-depth report card of the first four games, as well.

Five Players We Loved

Running Back Roy Helu: He’s been durable, dependable, productive (555 all-purpose yards)and capable of the home run play, too. Helu still needs to polish up his pass protection, but he’s been the Big 12’s best, most consistent running back through a month. And his performance at Virginia Tech – 169 tough yards, tons of broken tackles – goes on the NFL Draft audition tape.

Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh: Don’t let his sack and tackle statistics let you think he hasn’t been dominant. Three offensive lines have schemed specifically to stop Suh, and it hasn’t worked. He shoots into the backfield with such alarming speed, at times, that he’s almost there too soon, and overruns the play. But he’ll be tested by Missouri and Texas Tech, which frustrate great defensive linemen – especially those who like to fly upfield.

Punter/kicker Alex Henery: The nation’s best in a dual role, and certainly in the top three nationally as a place-kicker. Throw in kickoff specialist Adi Kunalic and Nebraska, hands down, has the best kicking unit in the country.

Wide receiver Curenski Gilleylen: The kid just gets open, and he gets open for big plays. He’s been the beneficiary of some of Zac Lee’s best passes, but eight grabs for 255 yards? That’s one-quarter of the football team every time he touches it. We’ll take that.

Strong safety Larry Asante: He’s forced a fumble and returned an interception for a touchdown. Most importantly, no breakdowns on his side of the defense. Through four games, Asante’s been NU’s quarterback in the secondary. Still plenty tough in run support. Getting better in coverage. Now – is he healthy?

Special Mention: Center Jacob Hickman for keeping an ever-changing offensive line grounded with his work ethic and smarts (work a little on the snaps, though, Jake), quarterback Zac Lee for his arm and confidence, nickel back Eric Hagg for being a consistently explosive wild card all over the field.

Four Concerns We Have

The Huskers haven’t faced a real offense yet: Only Florida Atlantic is in the NCAA’s top 50 of total offense, and the Owls are 115th in scoring offense. Missouri and Texas Tech? Both securely in the nation’s top 20 of offenses. NU’s defense has indeed been good – 23rd nationally in total defense, 3rd in scoring defense, 31st in sacks against teams that dearly tried to prevent them. But it hasn’t really been tested. Not yet.

Depth: NU can’t afford any more injuries at quarterback, running back, tackle or safety without moving into some uncharted waters. Every time Lee runs, you hear Husker nation cringe a little for his safety.

Penalties of all variety: There’s false starts, holding calls, pass interference penalties and way too many 15-yard personal fouls for my liking. Pelini keeps talking about cleaning it up. The Big 12 referees are flag-happy. Just look at the national rankings, where Texas Tech and Texas A&M occupy the last two spots nationally in penalty yards. Flags will have a clear impact on the outcome of games. Pelini should make a goal to win that battle every game, if he hasn’t already.

Wasted timeouts: No stat tracks this, but I’m willing to bet NU takes more defensive timeouts than any team in the Big 12. That’s not bad, but you’d like to see Pelini save a couple for a rainy two-minute drive.

Three Questions We Still Have

Who is the real Zac Lee? The calm stud we saw in games one, two and four, or the frazzled, inaccurate one who, by his coordinator’s own admission, “chased ghosts” at Virginia Tech and misread coverages. We’ll soon find out in upcoming weeks.

To be fair to Lee: The Hokies made a fool out of Jacory Harris, and smacked around Alabama’s quarterback for three quarters, too.

But his performance, thus far, isn’t all that surprising. Lee had the best arm on NU’s team in 2007, he has it now, he’ll have it five years from now. He opens up the field to all kinds of possibilities. But he has to produce for an entire year in tougher road games, frankly, than Joe Ganz had to face in 2008. Lee’s a good kid, and up the challenge.

Can NU generate QB heat with a four-man pass rush? Against pure spread teams like Mizzou, Tech and others, a four-man rush is the simplest, most surefire way to make sure you’re covering all the angles and pass routes. When Nebraska chose to blitz against both teams, they responded by burning the Huskers with quick screens for long touchdowns. The onus is on defensive ends Barry Turner, Pierre Allen and Cameron Meredith. How they play may determine how NU’s defense fares.

When the Huskers absolutely need a yard, will the offensive line deliver? Ever since the Callahan conversion to a slow, plodding zone stretch power game, this has been a consistent bugaboo. Oh, for the days when a quick fullback plunge for two yards happened faster than you blinked your eyes. At any rate, NU first has to get healthy. Then they have to start getting lower off the ball. The Huskers are a great pulling team. They need maul better, though.

See also: ULL Fan Photos

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Another day of fall camp in the books for the Nebraska football team equaled more changes and movement along NU’s offensive line Tuesday.

Position coach Barney Cotton opened his chat with the media after a 2 ½-hour workout on the grass fields just east of the Hawks Center with news that true freshman Brent Qvale, who had been working as the No. 2 right guard, will be held out for the remainder of fall camp with an undisclosed injury.

Only head Bo Pelini goes into any depth on injury issues, and he doesn’t speak on Tuesday.

In Qvale’s place: Redshirt freshman Quentin Toailoa, one of the few scholarship players to miss the original 105-man roster.

Qvale’s absence is another curve ball thrown at Cotton. Left tackle Mike Smith and right guard Ricky Henry have missed practices. True freshman Jesse Coffey is out for the rest of camp with an MCL knee injury. Even now, Henry, who is a contender to start at right guard, is “probably going a fourth of the time,” Cotton said.

“Sometimes your development is maybe not as fast as you would like,” Cotton said. “On the other hand, when you’ve got guys who aren’t out there for periods of time, you’ve got more depth.”

Cotton said he’s got a good idea of which ten players he’ll be using this fall on the line.

“We don’t necessarily know the order of which those guys are going to be placed on the depth chart yet,” Cotton said. “Little by little, it’s starting to fall into place.”

In the meantime, Cotton has experimented with a number of his linemen at different positions. Seniors Andy Christensen and Derek Meyer have worked at both guard positions. Marcel Jones, currently No. 1 at right tackle, has also worked at left tackle. Junior D.J. Jones was at left tackle briefly, but is now challenging Marcel Jones for the top job on the right side.

“Marcel and D.J. are locked in a good battle right now,” Cotton said. “It’s a very even competition.”

Center Jacob Hickman “experimented for one day” at right guard, Cotton said, but he’d prefer to keep the senior right where he is. Hickman previously started at right guard before moving to center, where a capable backup, sophomore Mike Caputo, now provides a viable starting option, if needed.

Continuity is important as the Huskers installed more of the two-minute offense and worked on third down situations Wednesday.

“Lots of running for the skill guys, lots of pass blocking and lots of pass rushing for the big guys,” Cotton said.

One skill guy held out: Junior running back Roy Helu, who walked among the rows during stretching encouraging linemen, and guided younger running backs to their spots. His injury, whatever it was, did not seem serious.

“Just the normal strain of practice,” Cotton said when asked why Helu wasn’t practicing.

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Nebraskans can be a hearty-yet-worrisome lot, and in times of concern, they often turn to the timeless stress reliever known as hand-wringing. Or hand-clasping, if you prefer.

It’s a tidy, discreet Midwestern gesture but fairly unmistakable at a Husker football game, when, in a big moment, you see a mass of hands drawn together, as if trying to rub off paint, to defuse the tension of the moment.

I suspect that more than a few hands have been wrung over the state of Nebraska’s right guard position, and maybe even the right side as a whole. The money side in the running game, usually. Where you stick the maulers and the gate crashers, and watch them slug and push and cut and engulf defenders to part holes for running backs.

But those same fans have looked past the strength of the left side of the line, where two returning junior starters –tackle Mike Smith and guard Keith Williams - are nice blend of athleticism and power.

And to hear Williams talk about it, chemistry between he and Smith and center Jacob Hickman.

“We show and lead by example,” he said. “If we’re not doing the job, then the others slack off. We’re not having that…it’s gonna be a war. We have our plays and we need to get the job done.”

The 6-foot-5, 315-pounder caught my eye late last year, when he seemed to blossom into the physical player that Bill Callahan envisioned him being in 2007, when Williams played frequently as a redshirt freshman. But Williams didn’t start to play with more nasty until Barney Cotton got ahold of him. Williams started the last ten games in 2008, and steadily improved.

On Quentin Castille’s 60-yard run in the Gator Bowl, Williams blocked/carried/tossed his Clemson defender ten yards to the side, creating a giant cutback crease for Castille to work through. In the Red/White Spring Game, the White team, with reserve running backs, repeatedly ran right behind the Florissant, Mo., native, as he generally controlled NU defensive tackle Jared Crick.

You cut these moments of excellence splice them together with the penalties Williams has committed and missed blocks, and you get a picture of inconsistency. And Williams, though he wears a slight smile on this day – the offensive line got the better of the defensive line in a goal line scrimmage – knows it.

“Can’t make mistakes anymore,” Williams said. “I’ve got to be mental error-free.”

Position coach Barney Cotton sees a steadily improving, and more consistent, lineman through this fall camp. After Saturday’s scrimmage, Cotton said Williams’ best practices had been his last two. NU had two more practices Monday.

“Keith has a chance to be a very, very physical guy for us,” Cotton said. “We just look for that continued development. I don’t worry about what his top end potential.”

We’ll say this much: Williams has the potential to be NU’s best guard since, oh, Toniu Fonoti in 2001. That spans a lot of time and a lot of players – including recently drafted Matt Slauson – but Williams is nearly prototypical for the role.

Now about that right side…

Join Husker Locker today - it's free!

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Nebraska's first up at the Big 12 Media Days, showing up in Dallas on July 27.

And if you had any doubt about the importance and leadership of junior running back Roy Helu, you shouldn't: He was one of the three head coach Bo Pelini chose to speak on behalf of the team, along with center Jacob Hickman and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

We knew it wouldn't be Zac Lee, as he hasn't "officially" won the QB job until sometime this fall.

But Helu, just a junior, has emerged as a unique role model on this NU team. The guy wears his faith and heart on his sleeve, and he's become what Shawn Watson and, yes, Bill Callahan, thought he would: A complete back. Plus, he should be an interesting interview down there. He doesn't always give the most likely answer.

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

It was the second straight season that zero Nebraska players were taken on the first day of the NFL Draft and only three were taken overall. It served as a death rattle for the Bill Callahan era.

Will the trend change in future years? We look at the potential Draft prospects of current Huskers:

2010 Draft

Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh: If Suh stays healthy and continues to improve his technique – whether or not his statistics are comparable to 2008 – he’s a sure-fire first-round pick, and possibly a top-ten or top-five pick, depending on team need. At 6-foot-4, 300 pounds, Suh probably isn’t a 3-4 nose guard – those guys are usually squatter and, well, fatter – but he fits into a 4-3 scheme as a 1, 2 or 3 technique, depending on how a defense chooses to play him. He already makes the flashy plays behind the line of scrimmage, and has since his sophomore year.

Defensive end Barry Turner: Teams will look over Turner’s broken leg injury, and since we’re not doctors or insurance specialists, we couldn’t say whether that would prevent Turner from getting selected. As an end, Turner has a good first step and can beat slower linemen to the corner. He’s not as adept at swim and rip moves as he should be. On the flip side, Turner’s received average coaching at best from John Blake. He’s got room to grow.

Center Jacob Hickman: He’ll be helped by his versatility to play either guard spot or center. Hickman, 6-4 and 290, is agile when pulling and skilled at getting to the second level. Probably not the nastiest guy on the planet, but he’s smart, and he knows a number of positions. You could see some team taking him with a late-round pick and developing him as a valuable reserve.

Strong safety Larry Asante: Depending on whether some NFL team thought they could put 20-30 pounds on Asante, he could play linebacker at the next level. Asante hits hard, and he’s generally decent in run support. Where’s he’s struggled is in the passing game. As a safety, we’d see him as a free agent; Clemson’s Michael Hamlin, a much better college player, lasted until well into the second day in the 2009 Draft.

Wide receiver Menelik Holt: Longshot here, but one never knows. Holt has the speed, and he’s a good enough blocker. Nobody knows if he can catch balls and get open consistently, however. He’ll get only one year to prove it and he’d better have big-time numbers. Otherwise, he’ll be a free agent, if that.

For now, we don’t consider middle linebackers Phillip Dillard and Colton Koehler, free safeties Rickey Thenarse and Matt O’Hanlon or receiver Chris Brooks as likely selections, although they may sign as free agents.

2011

Left guard Keith Williams: At 6-5, 305, Williams has the size and strength to become a very good NFL guard. He needs to get more consistent, and cut out wasteful penalties. He’s quicker than recent draftee Matt Slauson and he’ll get two more years of coaching under Barney Cotton. Too hard to project a specific round right now, but Williams would be in the Draft.

Safety Eric Hagg: Could be a quality safety for some NFL team; his size and anticipatory skills are a good fit. Nebraska coaches finally seem set on putting Hagg at safety and letting him blossom there. Two years of good development puts him right in the crosshairs of being drafted. Sometimes, though, it seems like Hagg isn’t aware of how good he could be.

Running back Roy Helu: We fully expect Helu to play four years at NU, if he stays healthy. As a pure runner, Helu is instinctive, quick and hard to bring down. He’s a decent pass-catcher and should improve his blocking. If you were projecting way out, you could see Helu getting picked in the 3rd-4th rounds, maybe even the first day.

Tight end Mike McNeill: We could definitely see a guy like McNeill taking that Dallas Clark role with the Indianapolis Colts. McNeill is sure-handed and athletic, and pretty fast for a tight end. His best skill is open-field running. In two years, he’s a 4th-6th-round selection, and better if he improves his blocking.

Defensive end Pierre Allen: Very good sophomore campaign could lead to big things in 2009 and 2010. Allen needs to keep grinding away as a pass rusher so that he can fit into a 4-3 system, which requires good pass-rushing skills out of its ends. He’d need to gain 20-30 pounds to play end in a 3-4.

Kicker/punter Alex Henery: If he continues to kick like he did in 2008, he’ll be one of a handful of kickers selected in the Draft. Henery’s punting skills may also help him make a roster. The kid’s a bit of a kicking savant; many of his field goal tries are perfectly shaped into the middle of the goalposts, looking like a Phil Mickelson wedge shot.

Running back Quentin Castille: Credit where it’s due: Castille has lost enough weight to be a viable player in a one-back, one-cut outside zone NFL system. No the lead guy, necessarily, but a bruiser type. He gets downhill quickly, strides nicely for a big guy, and seems more comfortable in the open field than he does traffic. Blocks and catches pretty well. Hasn’t shown himself to be a great short-yardage back, but he could develop into one. Castille isn’t a fullback, and NFL teams will quickly notice that watching him on film. The right team with the right need could draft him.

Cornerback Prince Amukamara: If this kid picks up the red the courtesy phone and figures out the position, he’s as intriguing a prospect as any on NU’s team. Naturally gifted, huge vertical leap, tall and fast, not afraid to tackle. Amukamara’s stumbling block isn’t physical stuff. But can he play, drive after drive, without mental errors?

Cornerback Anthony West: Steadier than Amukamara, not quite as gifted, and not quite as big. Gambled and lost a couple times in 2008. Needs to close better and be more aggressive to the ball, as his allowed touchdown in the Red/White Spring Game showed.

Wide receiver Niles Paul: Needs to play more often, and more consistently. Paul would be a slot receiver in the NFL, so route-running, savvy and elusiveness would be important to develop.

Guard Ricky Henry: Strictly a project right now, but the clay is there to be molded. We’ll see.

Cornerback Dejon Gomes: See Ricky Henry.

Quarterback Zac Lee: Too early to tell. The skillset and height suggests he’ll fit into the Joe Ganz category.

HuskerLocker is now on Twitter. Follow us!

Get free updates on NU football! Sign up for Husker Locker for free today!

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

For one day at least.

Nebraska's head football coach was highly displeased with the effort put forth in NU's spring practice Wednesday.

"We didn't get better today as a football team," Pelini said. "We took a step back."

About Sunday's scrimmage: "It was fine. We've got a lot to correct...we've scrimmaged plenty enough. We scrimmaged fine. We scrimmage when we decide to scrimmage."

What didn't Pelini like?

"You can go right down the board," he said. "We didn't play well. We didn't practice well. Not everybbody, but we're not getting it collectively as I'd like to see."

The last question regarded how a setback in spring might hurt progress.

Pelini's response: "What do you think? It's not good. Because you've only got 15 practices and I didn't like this one."

Well, folks, the man's honest.

NU jostled its offensive line a little bit. Guard Jacob Hickman continues to work at guard, while Mike Caputo is currently the No. 1 center. D.J. Jones, who had been at right guard, moved to backup left tackle behind Mike Smith. That would seem to pave the way for Ricky Henry at right guard, if he can pick up the offense quickly enough.

See also: How Shawn Watson breaks down his offense

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

More than 800 high school coaches milled around Nebraska’s football practice Friday as the Cornhuskers hosted their second day of the coaches clinic and capped it off with a situational scrimmage near the end of practice.

NU offensive coordinator Shawn Watson indicated “some good and some bad” in Friday’s two-and-a-half-hour workout. Friday was a “heavy install” day according to a number of coaches, so many of the younger Huskers – and some of the older ones – seemed to be swimming in the details a bit.

Watson did, however, take the time Friday to run down some of the offensive players he’s been impressed with so far in fall camp.

At quarterback, Watson kept the compliments pretty boilerplate. Zac Lee is handling the offense well, Kody Spano "has had his moments" and Cody Green is just hitting the ground with both feet now.

"They're getting it mentally," Watson said.

Running back Roy Helu “plays well every day,” Watson said. “I don’t expect anything but that. You watch film, he’s always making plays.”

On the offensive line, Watson said he’s particularly pleased with left guard Keith Williams and center Jacob Hickman. Hickman, Watson said, “got lost in the sauce” last year, but “us as coaches know how good of a player Jacob Hickman is.”

“He captains every call on the offensive line,” Watson said. Not only is he a smart player, but he’s a talented player.”

At right guard, where D.J. Jones and Ricky Henry are duking it out for the starting job, play “has to get more consistent,” Watson said. Although Jones is getting “more assured of his assignments” and Henry has been “really good at times,” both aren’t where Watson wants them.

Watson called Derek Meyer “a wild card” at the right guard spot.

At receiver, Watson said Curenski Gilleylen and Niles Paul have had good springs. He's also been impressed with the speed and hands of Antonio Bell.

“Big surprise,” Watson said. “Really fast. Instinctual. Natural at the position. Natural route runner, Good ball-catcher. Physical player. He just needs to grow in our offense. We didn’t know what to expect, but we’re pleasantly surprised because he’s a natural player.”

Get the best updates on Nebraska football by joining Husker Locker today!

Permanent Link to this Blog Post

Zac Lee wasn’t around Tuesday at the press conference that kicked off Nebraska’s spring football camp. Word is, he’ll chat after the first practice Wednesday.

But the junior NU quarterback – the early frontrunner to start in 2009 – couldn’t have received a better endorsement than the one he got from a potential NFL first-round draft pick. While defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh admitted that losing starter Joe Ganz was a “huge loss,” he wasn’t expecting much – if any – drop off with Lee.

“When he first came here, I saw his athletic ability going against him on the scout team,” Suh said. “Then last season, just going against him with the twos. Just watching him, once he gets that offense down and pat, I think he’ll be just as good – maybe a little better – than Joe.”

High praise for a kid who’s taken a handful of game snaps in major college football, and, until backup Patrick Witt left, was not necessarily the favorite to win the starting job this spring or next fall.

But Suh calls him “kind of a perfect fit.”

“It’s his job,” Suh said. “The coaches aren’t going to give it to him. He has to earn it…it’s his to lose. But I don’t think he will. The way he’s been working, the way I see him up in the office, in Coach (Shawn) Watson’s office, and doing stuff extra after our skills and drills, I don’t think he’s gonna lose it. I think he’s definitely gain a lot of confidence and progress through going into fall camp.”

Junior running back Quentin Castille has been impressed by Lee’s speed. Castille said he’d track his times winter running drills and match them up with some of the other marks from guys at other positions.

“He actually surprised me with how fast he was,” Castille said. “I was kinda intimidated. Actually a little mad. He was almost faster than me. He is pretty fast. He has a strong, strong arm…he’s worked hard every since I’ve been here. I know that Coach Watson is always on him to strive to be better.”

Senior center Jacob Hickman drew parallels between Lee and Ganz, calling both “almost obnoxiously competitive.”

“They’re both very athletic guys,” Hickman said. “I’m eager to see what Zac does out there.”

Enjoy all the great benefits of Husker Locker by signing up fro free today!

Permanent Link to this Blog Post