It's too late to wipe away the eight turnovers that cost Nebraska in a 9-7 loss to Iowa State, but NU took dramatic steps Monday to make sure it doesn't happen again.

The 4-3 Cornhuskers devoted the opening portion of their 90-minute workout to ball-security drills. Position coaches manned four different stations – including one where players dueled one-on-one to recover a fumble – after Saturday's performance, in which NU fumbled five times, and defensive tackle Jared Crick failed to recover a fumble.

“It obviously needs emphasis,” head coach Bo Pelini said. “We can't emphasize it enough. It's something we talk about all the time. I'm embarrassed by what happened.”

Pelini said Nebraska would “over-emphasize” ball security for now.

NU wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore also shook up his depth chart, sending starters Menelik Holt and Curenski Gilleylen down to the scout team – at least for a day – while promoting Steven Osborne and Tim Marlowe to work with the first team. Khiry Cooper and Brandon Kinnie had already been seeing time with the top units - each played significant minutes in recent games – and continued getting repetitions there.

Gilmore said he wanted to get a look at some of his younger receivers with the first unit. Pelini called the wideout race “wide open,” although it would appear the starting job of Niles Paul, whose fumbles vs. Texas Tech and Iowa State cost Nebraska 14 points, is safe for now.

“We're looking for somebody to step up and make plays,” Pelini said. “That's where we are.”

That includes running back Roy Helu, who was in the green jersey Monday, but is still expected to play with a shoulder stinger. Helu had limited carries Saturday and fumbled twice. Running backs coach Tim Beck yanked Helu from the game in favor of true freshman Traye Robinson, who led all rushers with 81 yards.

Helu said he wasn't too hurt to play vs. the Cyclones. Pelini said Helu isn't going to be getting a break to rest his shoulder, either.

“We'd all like to have a week off,” Pelini said. “That's not part of the game. Everybody has bumps and bruises. Little nicks. You gotta work through it.”

Nebraska returns to the practice field Tuesday looking steadfastly forward, Pelini said, in preparation for 3-4 Baylor. The coach, who sardonically asked reporters if they knew a “good psychiatrist” on Saturday after the upset loss, declared the Huskers focused and mentally sound Monday.

“It's easy to have good morale when you win,” Pelini said. “But we lost. You've got to be a man about it, take a hard look at, we as coaches, we as players, and get better because of what happened.”

Wide receiver Chris Brooks remains out, while defensive end Pierre Allen was held out Monday, but should return to practice Tuesday. Cornerback Alfonzo Dennard wore a green jersey, too.

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Field officials during Nebraska’s 16-15 loss to Virginia told head coach Bo Pelini that Menelik Holt “clearly bobbled” a pass from Zac Lee that would have given NU a 19-10 lead, Pelini said during Monday’s Big 12 Teleconference.

Replays showed Holt caught the ball in the corner of the end zone, got a foot in bounds, then lost the ball when on the ground. Officials ruled the pass incomplete, and Pelini declined to challenge it.

“We didn’t have a good look at it,” Pelini said. “I asked the guy ‘Are you reviewing it?’ I’m under the assumption they’re gonna review scoring plays. I didn’t have a good look at it so I asked the guy and he said (Holt) was bobbling it. He said (Holt) was ‘clearly bobbling’ it going out of bounds.

“…We didn’t have a good view upstairs. I was blind. I had no idea. What are you going to do? I didn’t want to use a timeout at that point.”

After Pelini saw the video, he said it was “pretty obvious” that Holt caught the ball. Pelini wanted to be cautious in discussing referee calls.

“It looks like he did,” Pelini said.

According to NCAA interpretations added in 2007, Holt’s catch may best fit the following description, listed as Interpretation XI to rule 7-3-6 in the NCAA rule book:

“Airborne receiver A85 possesses the ball and in the process of going to the ground, first contacts the ground with his left foot as he falls to the ground inbounds. Immediately upon hitting the ground, the ball comes loose and touches the ground. Ruling: Incomplete pass. An airborne receiver must maintain control of the ball if going to the ground in the process of completing a catch.

The question becomes: Did Holt immediately lose the ball upon contact? Or was the rule interpreted incorrectly as a continuation?

Pelini also said Nebraska quarterback Zac Lee is “fine” after Saturday’s loss. Lee was not made available to the media afterward.

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Trap game. Tune-up. Upset alert. Afternoon pastry.

You could flip-flop all morning, you know, on just what Saturday’s 1:10 p.m. game vs. Arkansas State represents for Nebraska’s football team.

But, in the state that invented the reuben, we prefer the independent party on this debate: Call the Red Wolves the first of three “sandwich” games. The next is Sept. 26, vs. Louisiana-Lafayette. The third is Oct. 24 vs. Iowa State. All home games. All bridges to and from more important contests. All meant, eventually, to be devoured.

ASU is perched between NU’s season-opening romp over Florida Atlantic – crucial for development and experience – and the game at Virginia Tech. It’s should be a win, but, initially, it probably won’t be easy. Arkansas State is liable to raise more questions about the Cornhuskers than it answers. Consider it a hoagie bun of meat, vinegar, olives – OK, we’ve taken the analogy far enough. On with the keys:

The Buzz Word: Which, over the last week, was “tempo.” Is it college basketball season yet? Did Doc Sadler start coaching the NU offense?

No, it’s still Shawn Watson up in the booth dialing up the touchdowns, and he wants his plays more quickly relayed to quarterback Zac Lee, called in the huddle, and executed. Watson figures – and he’s right – that if Lee scoots to the line of scrimmage with 12-13 seconds left on the play clock, Nebraska can wear out a defense much like a no-huddle offense. Against Florida Atlantic, when Lee and Co. finally got around to establishing optimal “tempo,” some bioengineer got his wings, and the Owls couldn’t stop the run.

That’ll be the same idea against Arkansas State. It’s still humid in September around here. It’s still pretty easy to wear out a smaller-conference team. And it’s still a big, athletic Nebraska offensive line. Even though ASU has two defensive linemen who could play at NU – especially defensive end Alex Carrington – it is, as a whole, is undersized and mashable. It might take a couple quarters, but tempo, eventually, sets in.

Lead Wolf: On ASU’s offense, that’s quarterback Corey Leonard, a scrappy, stocky kid who threw for 2,347 yards last year and ran for 516. He was the team’s second-leading rusher in attempts with 157, or roughly 13 attempts per game. Leonard’s better running north-south than he is east-west, but he’s counted upon for that extra offensive dimension.

“He can run,” NU head coach Bo Pelini said. “He’s a good dual-threat guy. He presents some problems in that way. They’re not afraid to run him, especially when they get down in the red area.”

More of an athlete than a classic quarterback, Leonard runs to set up his passing, and the result isn’t always pretty. He was fairly awful (8-17, 67 yards) at Alabama last year. But Nebraska has to cause him to have a bad day.

Also a boon to Nebraska: ASU is a little vulnerable to the sack monster, giving up 29, 39, 37 and 31 of them in each of the last four years. The Red Wolves may try to play it safe, like FAU did, but look what it earned the Owls. A bag o’ peanuts back to Boca.

Much of the game will be decided on whether NU’s front seven – we’re including blitzers here - can get up close and personal with Leonard.

Lanes: As in keeping them. On punt team, on kickoff, and especially on upfield defensive pursuits. Spread offenses feast on teams with undisciplined defensive lines. The very concept of the sloppy sack, where four defenders just sort loop around aimlessly until one of them reaches the quarterback, doesn’t apply to the spread, which creates lanes so big, and so inviting, that if a player runs through that trap, Leonard, or his running back, Reggie Arnold, are zipping right by.

After a frustrating week against FAU’s timid offense, NU defensive linemen will be tempted to freestyle in order to get to the quarterback. Which is precisely what Arkansas State wants.

The Edges: Nebraska has a subtle, but potentially important, advantage over ASU. NU’s wide receivers will dwarf members of ASU’s secondary. All three starters – 6-foot-4 Menelik Holt, 6-2 Niles Paul and 6-1 Curenski Gilleylen – weigh well north of 200 pounds. None of the Red Wolves’ defensive backs, including strong safety M.D. Jennings, are anywhere near that weight total, or taller than six feet. It’s a fast bunch, but not necessarily a physical one.

Where does that advantage matter most? Running plays. If Nebraska can rebuff ASU’s scrappy defensive line, and running backs Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead can hit the corners, Paul, Holt and Gilleylen should be able to hold their blocks. Blocking, in fact, might be what the three of them do best. Paul and Holt earned some of their spurs last year, while Gilleylen shook down the thunder on Holt’s 28-yard touchdown catch in the Florida Atlantic game.

“I want a complete receiver, I do,” wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore said. “And I challenge them like you wouldn’t believe to block and take pride in it…you can fire up a team without making a touchdown.”

Mix tape: The Huskers only showed a portion of their running game vs. FAU, and what they did show was a little different from 2008. I liked what I saw – misdirection, a little veer action, a counter sweep. It wasn’t Florida’s offense, but it was nice blend of power and finesse.

Saturday may require more of the finesse. Option plays. Toss plays – which Nebraska ran well on Saturday. Outside zone runs out of the shotgun.

“We’ve got a lot of toys in the trunk,” running backs coach Tim Beck said. Not that he was dishing about just which toys offensive coordinator Shawn Watson was going to use, of course.

See also: Guess The Score NU-ASU, Five More Keys, Five Players to Watch, Husker Locker's Top 25 Poll

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Nebraska wide receiver Niles Paul said he plays football “angry,” anyway, but Saturday’s Florida Atlantic game provided an extra dose of frustration for the junior from Omaha.

After a month of making big plays in fall camp, Paul was the silent partner among the starting wide receivers in NU’s 49-3 win. Menelik Holt and Curenski Gilleylen both scored touchdowns on highlight-worthy receptions. Paul finished with two catches for 13 yards, one decent kickoff return and a personal foul penalty on Rex Burkhead’s eight-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter.

Not exactly the breakout party Paul had wanted.

“Everybody that knows me knows I play angry,” Paul said. “Things weren’t going the way I was hoping, so I was just trying to make a play.”

“I either have the safety or the corner on that play, and I chose to get the safety,” Paul said, smiling. “For whatever reason I chose the safety. A little frustrated. So I went in and took him out. And Rex scored. We exchanged words…and I got caught exchanging words.”

Paul wanted the ball so badly, he said, he made an ill-advised punt return attempt in the first half. Instead of calling for a fair catch, Paul took a running leap into a FAU defender, catching the ball, but getting flipped over in the process. He drew a penalty for his effort – and an earful from return coach Ron Brown.

“He chewed me out for it,” Paul said. “It was a little too risky. He wants me to be fearless, but not that fearless.”

Not that Paul wasn’t happy for his fellow receivers, Holt and Gilleylen, whom he said were “vindicated” by their performance on Saturday. As a whole, Nebraska’s receiving corps had been a question mark heading into 2009. It probably still is.

“They’re like family,” he said. “I was just happy for Curenski and Meno. It was just like I scored when they scored.”

Paul said Holt has been trying his hop-step move throughout fall camp. Not too successfully, either.

“We kind of give him crap about it,” Paul said. “But it finally worked. And he scored on it.”

And if Paul isn’t getting the ball, he knows, at the very least, blocking is a fallback. Younger receivers hold up 6-foot-2, 210-pounder as a role model, said sophomore Brandon Kinnie, who knew little about blocking before heading to Nebraska.

“He just gets after it,” Kinnie said. “Niles is the guy we all watch.”

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Nebraska wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore had wanted to find his six or seven top candidates for playing by the end of last week.

On Tuesday, Gilmore said, he’s carrying the competition over to the end of this week. As of now, only one player – junior Niles Paul – has earned significant playing time, and another sophomore Marcus Mendoza, moved back to running back. That leaves roughly a dozen players for five spots.

Well, maybe five more spots.

“You knew what? I threw that number out, six, but if two of them are doing it, then two of them are going to play,” Gilmore said. “I’m looking for the best football players.

And if NU needs four pass-catchers for a third down, who fills the role? Tight ends?

“There you go,” Gilmore said. “We’re gonna put the best 11 players on the football field.”

The receiving corps has until the end of this week to prevent Gilmore and offensive coordinator Shawn Watson from implementing any kind of plan out of the Norman Dale handbook.

Said Watson: “They’re competing. We’ll find out who those guys are. We’ll give them to the end of the week to figure it out.”

Here are the likeliest candidates for those roles:

Senior Chris Brooks: Battled injuries, expectations and bouts of inconsistency to earn more playing time at the end of 2008. He was NU’s No. 5 receiver and occasionally lined up in the slot. He caught a touchdown pass vs. Kansas.

Senior Menelik Holt: Has been slated to start by pundits and most fans since the start of spring football, but the coaching staff has handed the 6-foot-4, 225-pounder nothing thus far. Holt had 31 catches in 2008.

Senior Wes Cammack: Specialist on kick coverage units in 2008, finishing with nine tackles. He caught a touchdown in the spring game and just went on scholarship last week.

Junior Will Henry: A 6-5, slender outside receiver who had strong practice sessions in late 2008 and during the spring. Gilmore said last week Henry’s had a fair camp, but hadn’t made any standout plays.

Junior Adam Watson: Shawn Watson’s son. Converted walk-on safety.

Sophomore Curenski Gilleylen: With speed to burn and a good frame, he could be a front-runner at slot, but he’s struggled catching the ball at times.

Sophomore Brandon Kinnie: Looks the part at 6-3, 220 pounds, but is “sinking” in terms of learning the playbook.

“He hasn’t really shown what he can do,” Gilmore said. “And you can see it in his play. His hesitation…once he gets it, we’ve got something good there.”

Redshirt freshman Khiry Cooper: The two-sport kid who missed all of spring camp playing baseball.

Redshirt freshman Steven Osborne: Tall, lanky guy whose brother, Courtney, plays defensive back. Gilmore has alternately praised and been tough on Osborne during fall camp.

Redshirt freshman Tim Marlowe: Small, speedy slot guy whom Gilmore has praised a couple times in camp.

True freshman Antonio Bell: Nicknamed “Lil Frantz” because he has a frame and speed like former NU receiver Frantz Hardy, Bell has shown good receiving skills. Now it’s a matter of blocking and getting separation at the line of scrimmage. Same obstacles Hardy had, although Hardy enjoyed a solid career, and caught 54 passes for 971 yards and seven touchdowns during his career.

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Toward the end of Nebraska’s 2008 football season, wide receiver Menelik Holt would see quarterback Zac Lee literally throwing a football by himself, into a net, after practice. Lee, who at the time was about to engage in a battle for the 2009 starting job with then-Husker Patrick Witt, needed a partner.

Holt was the guy.

“There were some routes I didn’t really have down pat last year to work on,” Holt said. “Some balls in different positions that I wasn’t used to catching. So that’s something we worked on every day.”

The two of them would head down to the far, deserted north end of the Hawks Center and play catch, sometimes for an hour. Then they’d carry their pads back toward the locker room, discussing the work they’d done.

“Now, we’ve developed a rhythm,” Holt said. “I know where the ball’s going to be placed.”

Here’s the thing about Holt, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior who is hoping, at long last, for the breakout season that’s often been predicted for him: He has the conscience and good habits of an excellent player.

He’s thoughtful. He’s mindful of the younger guys, and helps them when he can. He’s made himself into a serviceable blocker, making several key plays in the Colorado game. He has done most, if not all, of the little things. Certainly more than his predecessor in size, Maurice Purify.

But here’s the other thing about Holt (and, tangentially, about Purify): For a wide receiver, the big thing is catching the ball, running with it, and scoring touchdowns. And the longer the catches, runs and touchdowns are, the better.

Holt’s caught 34 passes in his career at NU, most of them of the short, over-the-middle variety. And scored just one touchdown, on the last play of a 52-17 loss to Missouri. Frankly, Holt’s probably talked to the media more times, in the last calendar year, than he has career catches. To compare him, at this point, to Todd Peterson, Nate Swift, Purify or Terrence Nunn is a disservice.

Are Holt’s modest numbers a result of modest opportunities, or something else? The San Diego native has a year to provide the answer.

“When you’re a younger guy or underclassman, you don’t really understand it until you’re there,” Holt said. “It’s time for me to make those kinds of plays. It’s definitely been something I think about before I go to sleep every night. I don’t want it to end, but it has to happen sometime.”

After a so-so spring camp – by Holt’s own admission – and a Red/White Spring Game where he virtually disappeared, Holt’s been pleased with his work in fall camp. His best to date, he said. “Ball skills,” he said – catching the ball in the right place, and catching it cleanly – has never been much of a problem.

Rather, it’s catching the ball in traffic, with defenders groping after the ball. The best defensive backs get leverage by leaning, just slightly, into a receiver in coverage. Those nudges and racing rubs, if you will, are enough to knock some guys off balance.

“I’ve taken a couple hits this camp, and you don’t really want to have that as a receiver,” Holt said. “But I was able to hang on to the ball.”

Receivers coach Ted Gilmore refers to it as “courage.” You want the ball? Go own it. He wants to see his receivers show it before they earn starting jobs or a ton of playing time.

And not every receiver naturally possesses that instinct. Peterson did; it was his biggest strength. Purify, when he chose to be, was full of courage. Other times, he’d trot as if he were in a forest glade.

Holt, from this vantage point, is somewhere in between those standards. He’ll camp in the middle of a zone, receive the pass, and take the shot. He’s done that a number of times. But Holt has to be able to knife through a cover two on a deep post, catch the ball 25 yards downfield, and take the blowup shot. He has to deliver on those short slants on third down, when a linebacker is almost guaranteed to get a glancing blow, at least.

And if he doesn’t, well, Niles Paul will. Heck, if fall camp is any indication, Niles Paul has already been doing that. Or Brandon Kinnie will. Somebody will, because Zac Lee’s arm is too big to waste solely on 12-yard outs and bunch routes right to the first down marker.

So, to be more aggressive, Holt said, he’s written “attack the ball” right inside his helmet visor.

“I think about it before every play,” Holt said. “When the ball’s in the air, I have to have the mentality that it’s mine. I’ve tried to live by that in this camp.”

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More speed. More weapons. A clearer vision. All the coaches on the same page. And a tight end corps that every team in the Big 12 not named Oklahoma would die for.

If Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson can simply find a consistent, dependable right guard – and junior Ricky Henry will be given every chance to be that guy – NU’s offense could hum even more than it did in 2008 when, over the last eight games, Watson’s crew was an excellent balance of run and pass, explosiveness and possession.

“They’re a great looking bunch,” Watson said of this 2009 version. “More explosive and faster than they’ve ever been.”

You already the story of last year, of how Watson reassessed his offensive line and skill players practically in the middle of a 52-17 loss to Missouri, found that a simplified running game, based more on zone read principles, should be the Huskers’ identity, and promptly made adjustments before the Texas Tech game. It took about a quarter in Lubbock for the plan to click, but when it did, Nebraska kept the Red Raiders’ terrific offense off the field for most of the game.

NU still lost in overtime, 38-31, but head coach Bo Pelini remembered that contest at the Big 12 Media Days as his favorite of 2008, the one where Nebraska began to forge its identity.

In 2009, the plan will be, at times, more ambitious, taking advantage of an infusion of speed at the wide receiver position, and quarterback Zac Lee’s legitimate 70-yard arm. Wide receiver Menelik Holt talked about tempo, and the efficiency of Nebraska’s two-minute offense.

Might we see some no-huddle in the middle of the second quarter? We might. The Huskers, physically, are in terrific condition. And Watson has talented enough tight ends – Mike McNeill, Ben Cotton, Kyler Reed – to operate as Oklahoma does, alternating power sets and spread sets in the same drive, with the same 11 players.

OU’s no-huddle was so dynamic because it was equally explosive and punishing; opposing defenses couldn’t just run a nickel or dime against it, they had to keep linebackers on the field to stop the downhill running game. Those same defenses were then more vulnerable to covering a guy like tight end Jermaine Gresham, who habitually burned linebackers down the seam. Sub out a linebacker for a nickel corner, and Gresham would catch passes in front of the coverage. And OU’s running backs would make a killing on the outside zone play.

Yes, Sam Bradford operated the no-huddle like Nicola Benedetti plays a Stradivarius, but it was Gresham – and that terrific offensive line – that routinely presented the overwhelming mismatches.

Nebraska has McNeill, a 6-foot-4, 240-pound junior who had 32 catches for 442 yards and six touchdowns in 2008. And Cotton and Reed, who looks and runs like Gresham does. Reed has the fastest 10-yard dash time for a tight end in the history of the program. But all Husker fans needed to see was his catch and dash in the Red/White Spring Game.

McNeill confirmed he’d line up occasionally as a wide receiver, or as tight end in a “flex” set, out of which a lot – toss plays, bunch routes, play action stuff – can be run.

“As much as (Watson) wants to throw on us, at me, the better,” Lee said. “The more ways we can attack people, the better.”

And then you throw in NU’s young-but-fast receivers. Marcus Mendoza. Antonio Bell. Niles Paul. Brandon Kinnie. Khiry Cooper, who’s already “flashed” in the first couple days, Watson said Sunday.

Summer’s 7-on-7 drills were packed with big plays and daring tries from Lee for the deep ball.

“With Zac’s arm strength and the speed of the receivers we’ve got? I can’t wait,” Paul said.

But, simultaneously, the offense could be more old-fashioned, leaning on a experienced left side of the line – tackle Mike Smith and guard Keith Williams both return as starters – and two road-tested junior running backs – Roy Helu and Quentin Castille - north of 215 pounds.

“Taking the pressure off Zac would be amazing,” Smith said. “If we run the ball, it takes so much pressure off him. People don’t think he needs to make every single play and throw the ball for 300-plus yards every game, so if we can start the year off running the ball, it’d be a big plus.”

Smith stopped short of assuming Nebraska would emphasize the run, however. Last year, the Huskers seemed committed to trying, and it didn’t really work. Watson then stuck Joe Ganz in the shotgun more often, kicked the zone read into gear, and the offense took off.

“We’re going to attack people the way they allow us to attack,” Lee added. “Not worry about experience or inexperience or anything like that.”

That was a common theme among Husker offensive players. Watson’s more about strengths and weaknesses instead of time served.

Whereas Missouri coach Gary Pinkel more or less declared the Tigers are returning to their 2006 offense to accommodate new quarterback Blaine Gabbert, Watson has divulged virtually nothing – in the spring game or in any of his comments – about how the plan might look in 2009. He hints at Lee’s “arm talent.” He likes his receivers. He likes the competition between Helu and Castille, but wants two more running backs ready to go.

You hear comments like that, and think maybe Watson wants to head back to 2001 Colorado, when the Buffaloes shoved the ball down the collective throats of the Big 12. Some in the press corps seem to think that’s an option.

I’m not so sure. The heavy sets didn’t work last year. And they often didn’t work when Bill Callahan, Watson’s mentor, tried them either. You recall the 2006 Big 12 Championship, when counter after counter, zone play after zone play, was stoned by Oklahoma’s defensive line. NU’s Zac Taylor was stuck out on an island that night, without much to help him beyond screen passes and the same medium-rare routes that hampered the Huskers through much of the Callahan era.

In 2009, it’s a new Zac Attack, and although Lee may not be as efficient or savvy as Taylor once was, don’t expect the offense to slow down or regress in terms of sophistication. Instead, Lee will have to learn to live and adjust where Watson now gameplans: On the cutting edge.

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So let’s say you spent your summer vacation - if you had one in this economy - eating hot dogs, watching movies, moving into a new house, getting back home to see family and splashing around in the backyard pool with your kid.

Well, Nebraska football players did a little of that, too.

But they also had hours of fierce competition in the weight room and on the field for summer workouts. And when head coach Bo Pelini said two weeks ago at Big 12 Media Days that he envisioned a tougher, more accountable football team than the one he inherited in 2008, he wasn’t kidding.

In a word, tight end Mike McNeill said, the summer was “intense.”

“The other word we used all the time was “dominate,” McNeill said. “And we did a good job of dominating our tasks this summer.”

The mindset flowed from Pelini’s parting words in the spring. More than that, it came from strength and conditioning coach James Dobson, whom McNeill described as “full-go all the time.”

“He pushed us to the max,” McNeill said. “Really hard workouts.”

One of them was called “GPP,” a series of quick-twitch, agility exercises. Husker players would, in total, pull prowlers, push sleds, do sit-ups and push-ups for three straight minutes and perform speed and agility drills with weighted vests.

“It’s a combination of intense things,” McNeill said.

Another is “County Fair,” a series of agility and running drills inside rings and cones, all to be completed within a certain time.

The Huskers had accountability for poor effort or tardiness, too. Senior safety Larry Asante said players who fell short of expectations, or were late, had to admit those mistakes in front of the whole team.

Then the team would decide a punishment for the player. It was the kind of player accountability, Asante and wide receiver Menelik Holt agreed, that members of NU’s national championship teams in the 1990s had talked to them about in the spring.

“Sometimes we’d make them stand there and watch us run,” said Asante, a member of the 2009 Unity Council. “It was kind of a mental thing, to make them sit on the side and watch us run. Because we are a team.”

Holt, also on the Unity Council, said Pelini stressed that each Husker “learn how to be a man.”

“Part of being a man is being accountable for your actions,” Holt said. “We hear that all the time. Pelini’s always teaching us about those characteristics like a father would. And I think you’ve seen our team change in our leaders and how they act. You saw the team also change. We hear that from the 95 team when those guys come in.

Yes, Holt said, it’s a change from the Bill Callahan era.

“His motto was, ‘I shouldn’t have to tell you how to be a man,’” Holt said. “He expected that of you already.”

But, sometimes, 18-to-22-year-olds need a “Turkish Get Up” to remind them how.

That’s the name of the punishment Dobson devised for any player being late to anything – a lift, a meeting, a workout. It involved a player lying on his back with a 45-pound plate, rocking to standing position, and pressing up above his head.

“That’s 1,” Asante said. “Then you lay all the way back down and do it again. You do that about 15 times, and your back is about ready to give out.”

Except the punishment is to do 100 of them. McNeill saw one player, unnamed, do 150 of them. It took him an hour to lift the equivalent of 6,750 pounds, in 45-pound increments.

“It happened twice, I think,” Asante said. “And it never happened again. Guys seen other guys doing it, and said “Oh no, I don’t want to be doing that.”

Once, McNeill said, Dobson inflicted the punishment after the offense lost a mini-competition to the defense.

“But he just made us do one,” McNeill said, smiling. “It was a just a trick."

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A couple of them will have a chip on their shoulder. A couple more are being thrown into the fire. Others see the sands of time running out on their NU career.

The ten Husker football players who arguably have the most to prove in 2009 are on the list for various reasons. And each one of them could have standout seasons. Here's our take on the guys NU fans will be watching come fall:

Senior wide receiver Menelik Holt: You can’t create a more prototypically sized receiver – 6-foot-4, 220 pounds – but Holt hasn’t been the heir apparent to Maurice Purify that many expected him to be. At least not yet. His hands haven’t been the problem – sans a fumble at Iowa State – but Holt doesn’t easily get open, and hasn’t much been sent on those deep routes that were previously reserved for Nate Swift. Holt had an average spring camp, and needs to turn up the voltage in the fall.

Senior wide receiver Chris Brooks: Does “Brooksie,” as some call him, finally make good on his lauded high school potential? Time to find out. He had a solid spring, but receivers coach Ted Gilmore has typically been reluctant to play him. He won’t have much choice in 2009; Brooks should be the team’s No. 3 or No. 4 option, at worst. He’s well-liked, and seems to have the right attitude, and no lingering frustration over his lack of playing time.

Senior linebacker Phillip Dillard: Just two years ago, Dillard was seen as the answer to Nebraska’s flailing, failing linebacking corps, specifically the suddenly-average Corey McKeon. Today, Dillard tries to fight out of the doghouse after plummeting to the bottom of the depth chart in spring practice. If healthy, and at the proper weight, Dillard is probably an upgrade over Colton Koehler, who started over the last half of 2008. But he’s got to earn the trust of position coach Mike Ekeler and head coach Bo Pelini, and that should take the balance of fall camp.

Senior defensive end Barry Turner: We’re not questioning Turner’s previous production; he’s been a solid rush end at Nebraska. But he does have to fully recover from a nasty break in 2008 in order to give the Huskers that speed rusher they were lacking last year. With Ndamukong Suh attracting more double teams this year, Turner will have his shots at the quarterback. As the spring game showed, his first step is still there. But can he get around the Big 12’s best tackles? That remains to be seen.

Junior cornerback Prince Amukamara: He’s fast, he’s got huge hands and, by every account, dude can practically jump out of the gym. Now it’s time for Amukamara, a “hot one play, cold the next” cover corner last year, to make the leap that position coach Marvin Sanders knows he can. Sanders revamped his coaching installation this spring, beginning with basics and core principles, in an effort to get all of his defensive backs on the same page. When the light goes all the way on for Amukamara, he could be one of the Big 12’s best. Question is: Does it happen?

Junior quarterback Zac Lee: For it’s worth, we think Lee’s up to the considerable challenge in front of him, which is to sustain the success of 2008 with a tougher schedule, new receivers and a talented true freshman (Cody Green) waiting in the wings. Joe Ganz got to spend the first month in the cozy confines of Memorial Stadium; Lee gets no such luxury, with two vicious road games at Virginia Tech and Missouri on an ESPN Thursday night. The kid’s got to be sharp, fast. And the final exam – games at Kansas and Colorado – will determine the Big 12 North title. Lee has a lot of pressure to bear on that No. 5 jersey.

Redshirt freshman linebacker Sean Fisher: Really, all of the linebackers have something to prove, but Fisher is a perfect microcosm of the position in the fall of 2009: Lots of talent, little experience. Fisher has been the best of the young studs so far, settling into a BUCK linebacker spot nicely in spring camp and looking decent, in the spring game. The first month of the football season, he’ll face all kinds of different offenses - pro-style, spread, whatever Virginia Tech decides to trot out – and he’ll have to keep head above water in all instances. Fisher has earned the spotlight thus far. But his mistakes, should he make them, will be the most quickly exposed, too.

Sophomore cornerback Anthony Blue: He had the ugliest of ugly knee injuries – the dreaded MCL tear – and he’s just now rounding back into game shape and trusting his leg to do what it once did so easily. Before his injury, Blue was slated as a starting cornerback. Now, he might be the No. 5 guy on the board. Another talent, Willie Amos, never really came back from his devastating tear. Neither did wingback/cornerback Isaiah Fluellen. Husker fans don’t want to go down this road again.

Junior guard Ricky Henry: Nearly every Nebraska offensive and defensive lineman have professed an admiration for this kid. Mostly because his motor is on Autobahn speed most of the time, and he loves battling in the trenches with a zeal some haven’t seen since the Milt Tenopir days. That’s fine with us, of course, but, to paraphrase position coach Barney Cotton, it might be good if Henry turned it down a notch every so often, and realized there is such a thing as a holding penalty. If Henry can learn the offense, and be more than a toughman, Nebraska’s running game may be in even better shape.

Senior safety Rickey Thenarse: It would help if Thenarse would get a break on the health front, but he’s still a guy who was healthy enough last year in the Gator Bowl, only to get outplayed and replaced by Matt O’Hanlon. Thenarse is a special teams dynamo, and he’s pretty good in run coverage. But he still tends to get turned around in pass coverage. Does that finally end in 2009?

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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.

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Nebraska receivers coach Ted Gilmore smiles and doesn’t mince words when it comes to Will Henry.

The junior receiver has “worked as hard at his game as anybody” Gilmore said, in the last year, particularly when the light went on toward the end of the 2008 season.

“He’s a willing soul,” Gilmore said. “He’ll do whatever I ask him to do.”

And yet?

“I want him to do it with a little meaner attitude,” Gilmore said. “I want him to have a little snake in him. I want him to reach out and bite somebody.”

Gilmore calls the 6-foot-6, 215 pounder from El Paso, Texas, “a big man.” And he wants Henry to act like it when he goes up for a ball against a smaller defensive back. Or when he has the chance to smack a safety in the earhole on a “crackback” block.

Just one recipe will get Henry there, Gilmore said.

“A lot of collisions,” he said. “A lot of collisions. And, again, a lot more collisions.”

Henry, a “yes sir, no sir” kind of kid with bright eyes and a slight West Texas accent, said he’s game for whatever Gilmore can throw at him. Coupled with a Menelik Holt’s self-acknowledged so-so spring, Henry has now put himself in line for more playing time at the “X” position in 2009.

“It’s a battle,” Henry said. “One of us is going to take it. I’d like for it to be me. We’re all out there competing.”

Henry’s received some opportunities with the No. 1 unit this spring, the first in which he’s been completely healthy and/or experienced enough in the offense to excel. Henry missed last spring with an injury.

“When you don’t get a chance to get those reps in, you come into fall camp rusty,” Henry said. “That was the biggest deal to me. I was so focused on trying to make strides and catch up to everyone else, it just messed up my game.”

For a good chunk of last season, in fact. Henry appeared in nine games. Not a catch to his name. Also not terribly surprising, with seniors Nate Swift and Todd Peterson on the roster.

Yet Gilmore saw a switch in the kid in late November. Finally, Henry wasn’t just doing as he was told. He was stringing it together into a series of plays. He caught and secured the ball more consistently. His routes were crisper.

Henry wasn’t pushing Swift and Holt for playing time, but, in his third year on campus, he finally felt as if Yeah, I belong here. He no longer felt the eyes of the coaches on him, the pressure of their judgment.

“It just became routine for me,” Henry said.

As such, Gilmore is expecting every-down consistency.

“Not just one out of five plays,” Gilmore said. “Every time.”

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With his measured words, glasses, and occasional salt-and-pepper beard, Ted Gilmore often looks and sounds like he just taught an ethics class at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Like he’d be particularly good at haggling with an undergraduate over the fairness of a C+ on a term paper.

Only his adidas wardrobe suggests he’s Nebraska’s wide receivers coach. His class is in session for all of four weeks this spring, it's definitely graded on a curve, and students have plenty of cramming to do.

Gilmore is charged with replacing departed seniors Nate Swift and Todd Peterson - who combined for 125 catches, 1727 yards and 14 touchdowns - by developing a talented-but-inexperienced corps that includes true freshman Antonio Bell, who enrolled in January, and converted running back Marcus Mendoza.

And, of course, he has to mesh them with quarterbacks Zac Lee, Kody Spano and Cody Green.

“Although (the quarterbacks) haven’t played, I’ve got a lot of guys who haven’t played either,” Gilmore said. “They’re gelling. They’re throwing a lot of balls together and they’re finding their way through it.

“You have to be patient. But at the same time, you’ve got to press them. You have to let them know what’s acceptable, what’s not. Give them tough love.”

Gilmore’s troops agree: He’s a stickler for precision. He loved Swift and Peterson for “attention to detail” and “professionalism.” Peterson, in particular, wasn’t a receiver who whizzed by defenders. But he had a knack for positioning himself for Joe Ganz’s passes without taking too many big hits to his 6-foot-4 frame. Swift was more athletic, but he improved his hands significantly during his senior season, no longer dropping the balls that had cost NU first downs and touchdowns in previous years.

Plus, they could block.

“Coach Gilmore loves blocking,” junior Niles Paul said. “That’s the most important thing.”

Paul was one of Nebraska’s best downfield blockers in 2008, and it helped him earn playing time over guys like Chris Brooks, Will Henry and Curenski Gilleylen. What he had to improve – and did – was running some of shorter, safer routes in NU’s offense.

“Running routes is what we go over and over every day in the meeting room,” Paul said.

At Omaha North, Paul had been accustomed to challenging cornerbacks on deep routes, and winning jump ball situations with his superior speed and leaping ability.

Last year, he lived the life of the third, and sometimes fourth, option. Paul was the safety valve over the middle. Or the slot receiver sitting down in the zone. Or the guy running the ten-yard curl route to the first down marker.

“Of course there were some plays left out on the field,” Paul said. “But I went out there and played my hardest with the role I had.”

Should Paul win the starting job as one of the two outside receivers – Menelik Holt is the favorite for the “X” position – he’ll get more shots downfield.

“I can’t wait,” Paul said. “I’m excited about that.”

Not that Paul is counting his touchdowns. As a player under Gilmore, he said, the starting job is a constant competition. Receivers might be working at certain spots, but Gilmore doesn’t name leaders. And his expectations are higher than the ceiling of the Hawks Center.

Take Holt. Long presumed to be the heir apparent to Maurice Purify, Holt has spent four years at NU behind Swift, who in turn was behind Purify. Holt has prototypical size – 6-4, 220 – and speed, but many of his 30 catches last year were like Paul’s receptions: Short, over-the-middle grabs when Ganz had exhausted his two options. His longest catch was 25 yards, and his lone touchdown was the final play in a 52-17 loss to Missouri.

Last year, possibly sensing that Lee was gaining momentum for the starting quarterback job, Holt worked out after practice with him, running a variety of routes at the far end of the Hawks Center. This spring, Gilmore said, he’s been impressed with Holt’s willingness to work with underclassmen.

But the professor is a tough grader.

“It’s not his yet,” Gilmore said of Holt. “You’ve got to earn it. He knows that and he’s accepted the challenge. He’s showing some leadership, helping the younger guys out, which he should be able to do at this point. He’s got to demonstrate that he’s ready to be an every down player.

“I want them all to want be the No. 1 guy. There’s no guaranteed spot.”

The addition of Bell and Mendoza should turn the heat up in the room, too. In early workouts, Bell, while slight, has shown off good hands and top-end speed. For now, he looks a little more like former speedster Frantz Hardy than some NU fans might prefer – Hardy’s lack of upper-body strength made him an easy guy to jam at the line of scrimmage – but Gilmore likes the raw material.

“He’s swimming in it a little bit,” Gilmore said. “But he brings speed – legitimate speed – to the field. He’s got a lot to learn at that position, but he can really run.”

Then there’s Mendoza, a 5-10 sophomore jitterbug who couldn’t break the three-deep at running back. It’s not an official title, but Mendoza - along with freshman receiver Tim Marlowe and probably cornerback Anthony Blue before his knee injury - were the fastest Huskers on the team.

Gilmore said Mendoza is big enough to work on the outside, but he should see time at slot, too.

“I’m really excited about it,” Mendoza said. “Anything to get me on the field faster, and whatever helps the team.”

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Two weeks from the magic hour of spring football in Lincoln, and we’re unveiling ten priorities for the Nebraska bunch during those three developmental weeks. Today, part one of the list. Enjoy, argue and check out all of our spring football coverage.

Fully imprinting the culture: Explained in an earlier piece, head coach Bo Pelini earned the trust of his team over the last calendar year, and they clearly invested in what Pelini calls “the process” en route to a 9-4 season. But Pelini has been clear: Nebraska isn’t anywhere near where he wants it to be. So, the second spring will be a time to integrate redshirt talent with teaching and further discover who sinks, and who swims, in the Pelini administration. Bo can be as bold as he wants to be.

Develop the investment – and protect it at all costs: Might we suggest a papaya-colored jersey for Zac Lee, Cody Green and Kody Spano? Maybe Pelini can commission Dr. Manhattan to watch over his quarterbacks?

In all seriousness: The work offensive coordinator Shawn Watson does with those three this spring could be worth one or two wins next fall. And their health could be worth even more. Fortunately for Nebraska fans, Watson adeptly tailors his system to the talent, and NU defenders probably won’t lay a finger on the QBs.

Weapons, weapons, weapons: Nate Swift, Todd Peterson and, yes, Marlon Lucky were big pieces of the Husker offense for the last, oh, 25 games or so. Old, reliable jets they were – not supersonic and luxurious, but consistent, safe and usually landing on time.

The only proven returning offensive commodities are running back Roy Helu, Jr. and tight end Mike McNeill. Quentin Castille, based on his Gator Bowl performance, might get a complimentary key fob to the club entrance. The rest of the skill players – including Menelik Holt, Niles Paul, Marcus Mendoza, Curenski Gilleylen, Chris Brooks and Antonio Bell – have to show they’re ready to do more than guard the proverbial Taco Bell.

Holt, particularly, seems to have the physical gifts and desire. He spent a good half-hour after each practice honing his timing with Lee. They’d run a series of routes and finish with the jump ball to the corner of the end zone. Know this: Lee has a stronger arm than any Nebraska quarterback since Bill Callahan took over. “Go long” is something Holt, or Paul, or someone, is going to have to be able to do.

Commence (and preferably complete) the punting competition: Dan Titchener has graduated, leaving redshirt freshman Brett Maher, junior kicker Alex Henery and sophomore Jonathan Damkroger to vie for the starting job. Maher reportedly had a fine season with the scout team, and we’ll see if that translates over to spring practice. NU could stand to become a better net punting bunch after finishing 106th last year. You don’t have to be a “good” punting team to win a lot of games – Oklahoma was 85th – but four or five yards on every punt can help bridge the talent gap. Sam Koch’s punting, for example, was a huge part of the 2005 season, especially early in the year, when Zac Taylor was still getting his footing.

Finding depth at defensive end: We’re intrigued to see what happens at this spot. Nebraska returns Pierre Allen, who should slide over to Zach Potter’s old base spot, and Barry Turner, who resumes his role as a pass-rusher. But who backs these guys up? Reserves Clayton Sievers and Shukree Barfield both graduated. And it’s a position where formerly touted recruits – sophomore William Yancy, and seniors Nick Covey and David Harvey – have yet to become consistent contributors.

One presumes that 2008 recruits Cameron Meredith and Josh Williams will get first crack at the nut – Meredith would have played last year if not for an injured shoulder - but the aforementioned players, and maybe a couple of walk-ons, will get a roll of the dice, too. Ends coach John Papuchis should have a busy spring.

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Marlon. Roy. Quentin.



During fall camp and the initial month of Nebraska’s football season, the first names of NU's three running backs set up camp on the tongues of reporters and NU's offensive coaching staff, as the Cornhuskers' ground game resembled the Exxon Valdez.



Should senior Marlon Lucky still be the starter, or should sophomore Roy Helu, Jr. supplant him? What about sophomore Quentin Castille, the gifted-but-fumble-prone big back? Running backs coach Tim Beck would offer up patient smiles and the occasional "jeez oh man" to the same questions posed a different way.



While that drama continues to unfold, Nebraska's top three receivers - Nate Swift, Todd Peterson and Menelik Holt - have quietly, but effectively, gone about their business, combining for 74 catches for 944 yards and seven touchdowns. More than 20 percent of their production (20 catches, 202 yards) came in NU's 37-31 loss to Texas Tech.



Among his five grabs, Holt caught two on third down plays. Peterson caught three on Nebraska's game-tying drive - two "tiptoe jobs" nesr the sideline and the touchdown itself. Swift ignited the Huskers' second-to-last touchdown drive with an over-the-shoulder 43-yard play on a first down.



“On a consistent basis, those guys along with Joe (Ganz) have been the MVP’s,” head coach Bo Pelini said. “They’re playing very well. Not only running routes and catching balls, but blocking on the perimeter. They’re playing at a high level, I really like it.”



Swift and Peterson, both seniors, and Holt, a junior, have experience in offensive coordinator Shawn Watson's attack, and a solid rapport with senior quarterback Joe Ganz. Peterson, in particular, seems more in sync with Ganz than he ever was with Sam Keller.



For Ganz, the crucial development has been in Holt, the San Diego native who plays opposite Peterson in Mo Purify's old outside position, allowing Swift to return to slot receiver, where he spent most of his time in 2006.



"Nate's at his best in the slot," Ganz said. "His ability to get open, his ability to shake people in the slot has really been big for our offense. To have Meno come in and develop and play outside, play big, play physical. It’s not a real surprise but it's been a nice thing for us to have."



At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Holt was billed as the heir apparent for the now-graduated Purify, who could dazzle with his acrobatic catches and big play ability. Through six games, Holt hasn't been that guy, partly because NU's opponents are shutting down the routes on which Purify did most of his damage. Since the Western Michigan game, defenses have mostly kept their safeties conservatively deep, and Nebraska's so-so running game hasn't been able to consistently draw those safeties into run support.



So the deep post and 'go' routes that Holt's body is suited for just haven't been there for the taking.



"We save those routes," Holt said. "Those are big shots, and we practice those a lot. They're shots we know we can take, but it's all about timing.



"The defenses we've been playing, these "Cover 2" and "Tampa 2" teams, the middle of the field is pretty much closed and the outside lines are taken care of, so it's kinda hard to take those shots deep. You've got to pick and choose."

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