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You could see it in about 2 runs. He’s different. I thought he looked head and shoulders better than the rest of the RB.
Official Fall Practice Thread
- Thread starter Kaladin
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Official Fall Practice Thread
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God it’s not that hard to get playmakers the ball. Only idiots will argue it is. The SEC does it and a lot of their players can barely read lol
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We got Gonedale the ball a lot….
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On runs up the middle lols
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Lol tiny tone didn’t specify
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Grants run style reminds me of Brandon Jackson.
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Drew sure is making his last year of eligibility interesting by......(checks notes)......not being available for the first few weeks of practice with a brand new team in a different conference.
Not sure how that's gonna work out for him.
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I think he had to graduate first before showing up in Lincoln.
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TTs summer graduation is tomorrow so hopefully he should be here soon, but like you said he's going to be behind and hopefully he's in football shape.
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On3 Nugs
***Frost reiterated that Mark Whipple was “in control” of the offense, and the focus right now as getting all of his system installed in camp. After that, Frost said they would mix in some things they did previously and would create “a good blend” of the schemes.
***Frost said defensive lineman Devin Drew was not on campus yet but would “be here soon.”
***Frost said he’d seen quarterback Casey Thompson really bounce back well after having offseason surgery on his thumb. Frost said Thompson looked more confident and had more “zip” on his throws and grip on the ball than he did in the spring.
***Frost said Nebraska wouldn’t do any live special teams work during Saturday’s scrimmage, just offense vs. defense. He said they would do more special teams scrimmaging later in camp.
***Frost said having Bill Busch as the full-time coordinator has given special teams “a consistent and constant voice” every day. Frost said he’d had players tell him that the special teams portion of practices was the hardest period of the day.
***Frost said the starting QB job was Thompson’s to lose, and not just because he was the most experienced in the room. Frost said has “just played well” all offseason, but still needed to keep getting better.
***Frost said he’d been really pleased with the competition at running back, calling it “day-to-day” with one back out-performing the rest. He said he hadn’t seen the unit have a bad day yet in camp.
***Frost said the leadership at wide receivers was coming along, but right now, Alante Brown might be the best leader in the unit. Frost called Brown a likable guy and “no one works harder” than him, which helps him set the standard each day.
***Frost called Ochaun Mathis an “elite talent” who immediately blended in with Nebraska’s culture on and off the field. He said Mathis’ presence has even pushed the rest of the EDGE players to step up their game.
***Frost said there were only a couple of players on the offensive line with finalized positions right now, as NU continued to shuffle guys at different spots to try and build more depth and competition.
www.on3.com
Head coach Scott Frost
***Frost said Nebraska would scrimmage for the first time this fall tomorrow, and sometimes there can be a drop-off in practice intensity and focus. That was not the case today, which Frost said was a perfect example about the leadership this year.***Frost reiterated that Mark Whipple was “in control” of the offense, and the focus right now as getting all of his system installed in camp. After that, Frost said they would mix in some things they did previously and would create “a good blend” of the schemes.
***Frost said defensive lineman Devin Drew was not on campus yet but would “be here soon.”
***Frost said he’d seen quarterback Casey Thompson really bounce back well after having offseason surgery on his thumb. Frost said Thompson looked more confident and had more “zip” on his throws and grip on the ball than he did in the spring.
***Frost said Nebraska wouldn’t do any live special teams work during Saturday’s scrimmage, just offense vs. defense. He said they would do more special teams scrimmaging later in camp.
***Frost said having Bill Busch as the full-time coordinator has given special teams “a consistent and constant voice” every day. Frost said he’d had players tell him that the special teams portion of practices was the hardest period of the day.
***Frost said the starting QB job was Thompson’s to lose, and not just because he was the most experienced in the room. Frost said has “just played well” all offseason, but still needed to keep getting better.
***Frost said he’d been really pleased with the competition at running back, calling it “day-to-day” with one back out-performing the rest. He said he hadn’t seen the unit have a bad day yet in camp.
***Frost said the leadership at wide receivers was coming along, but right now, Alante Brown might be the best leader in the unit. Frost called Brown a likable guy and “no one works harder” than him, which helps him set the standard each day.
***Frost called Ochaun Mathis an “elite talent” who immediately blended in with Nebraska’s culture on and off the field. He said Mathis’ presence has even pushed the rest of the EDGE players to step up their game.
***Frost said there were only a couple of players on the offensive line with finalized positions right now, as NU continued to shuffle guys at different spots to try and build more depth and competition.
Friday nuggets: Frost encouraged by Huskers' fall camp progress
Here is a full recap of what Nebraska head coach Scott Frost had to say following the Huskers' fall camp practice on Friday morning.
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Insideher Nugs
Scott Frost met with the media on Friday morning following his team's eighth practice of fall camp.
Here's a quick rundown of what the fifth-year head coach said during his press conference:
>> During Big Ten Media Days, Frost said the offense will be a collaboration between himself and first-year offensive coordinator Mark Whipple. But on Friday, Frost clarified who will be running the offense:
"Whip's in control, he's running it. I think it was important that the kids become familiar with all the stuff that he wants to do. There's elements of it that we've done, I think we'll add wrinkles and things that we've done. But trying to get overly involved every day probably wasn't the right strategy. So I'll help, and I think we'll end up with a good blend, but to this point it's been fun to watch his offense evolve and bloom. The assistant coaches on offense have done a great job, too. So it's been fun to be able to sit back and have a little more of a mile-high view of it all."
>> On the quarterback front, Frost said Texas transfer Casey Thompson had an offseason procedure on his throwing-hand thumb, which he injured against Oklahoma last year. Frost has seen more confidence from Thompson, and actually a better grip on the ball.
"I gotta tell you, his play has really risen since the spring, and I think that had something to do with it," Frost said of Thompson's thumb. "We have a lot of quarterbacks playing well right now, but I've been really pleased with what I've seen from Casey, and we'll let them keeping working. Right now, it's his (Thompson) job to lose."
>> Frost said Thompson hasn't separated himself, but rather that he's simply playing well right now. Thompson's playing experience trumps everyone else in the quarterback room. His feel in the pocket and command presence has stood out.
"Other guys have played well, too. He's obviously the guy with the most experience that we have. I want him to keep getting better," Frost said. "I want all the guys to keep getting better. We have really good players around, whoever is going to be quarterback, but I've seen a lot of consistency and you can tell he's experienced because he does some things that young quarterbacks don't do."
>> Texas Tech transfer defensive tackle Devin Drew isn't on campus yet, and won't be until after Texas Tech's graduation on Aug. 6. "He should be here soon," Frost said.
>> With a scrimmage set for Saturday, that will provide an opportunity for players to really show what they can do when the pads start popping. That includes the running backs, a position that Frost says is "day to day" with different backs outdoing each other each practice.
"It's close. It's kind of day-to-day right now. One guy has a great day, then the next guy has a great day. I haven't seen really any bad days from anybody, and we have a lot of capable bodies, so I imagine that fight will keep on going until the end of camp."
>> Frost made it a point to mention Alante Brown when talking about leadership in the receivers room.
"He gets along with everybody, there's not anybody on the team with a better work ethic than him," Frost said. "He kind of set the example for everybody else right now."
>> EDGE Ochaun Mathis has "elite talent" and is "just a great guy."
"You talk about someone who's come in and adopted the culture and fit in with the guys and been a good teammate from day one here, Ochaun is one of those guys," Frost said.
>> Since Mathis' arrival, Frost said he's seen other EDGEs like Garrett Nelson, Caleb Tannor, Blaise Gunnerson and Jimari Butler step up their games.
"I don't know if him getting added to the equation motivated them or not, maybe they would have been doing the same thing, but it's great to watch those guys work," Frost said. "That's a position I feel great about because of the depth and the talent we have there."
>> Offensive line coach Donovan Raiola has continued to move different players along the O-line, and there are only "a couple guys I think who are locked in to positions."
"Donnie has been doing a really good job of doing what I want, of moving guys around," Frost said. "There will be one day where a guy would be at left guard, and the next day he's at left tackle, and the next day he's on the right side. That's important because you never know how the season is going to play out where we're going to need to plug somebody in. Guys are getting more experiences at different places right now."
nebraska.rivals.com
Scott Frost met with the media on Friday morning following his team's eighth practice of fall camp.
Here's a quick rundown of what the fifth-year head coach said during his press conference:
>> During Big Ten Media Days, Frost said the offense will be a collaboration between himself and first-year offensive coordinator Mark Whipple. But on Friday, Frost clarified who will be running the offense:
"Whip's in control, he's running it. I think it was important that the kids become familiar with all the stuff that he wants to do. There's elements of it that we've done, I think we'll add wrinkles and things that we've done. But trying to get overly involved every day probably wasn't the right strategy. So I'll help, and I think we'll end up with a good blend, but to this point it's been fun to watch his offense evolve and bloom. The assistant coaches on offense have done a great job, too. So it's been fun to be able to sit back and have a little more of a mile-high view of it all."
>> On the quarterback front, Frost said Texas transfer Casey Thompson had an offseason procedure on his throwing-hand thumb, which he injured against Oklahoma last year. Frost has seen more confidence from Thompson, and actually a better grip on the ball.
"I gotta tell you, his play has really risen since the spring, and I think that had something to do with it," Frost said of Thompson's thumb. "We have a lot of quarterbacks playing well right now, but I've been really pleased with what I've seen from Casey, and we'll let them keeping working. Right now, it's his (Thompson) job to lose."
>> Frost said Thompson hasn't separated himself, but rather that he's simply playing well right now. Thompson's playing experience trumps everyone else in the quarterback room. His feel in the pocket and command presence has stood out.
"Other guys have played well, too. He's obviously the guy with the most experience that we have. I want him to keep getting better," Frost said. "I want all the guys to keep getting better. We have really good players around, whoever is going to be quarterback, but I've seen a lot of consistency and you can tell he's experienced because he does some things that young quarterbacks don't do."
>> Texas Tech transfer defensive tackle Devin Drew isn't on campus yet, and won't be until after Texas Tech's graduation on Aug. 6. "He should be here soon," Frost said.
>> With a scrimmage set for Saturday, that will provide an opportunity for players to really show what they can do when the pads start popping. That includes the running backs, a position that Frost says is "day to day" with different backs outdoing each other each practice.
"It's close. It's kind of day-to-day right now. One guy has a great day, then the next guy has a great day. I haven't seen really any bad days from anybody, and we have a lot of capable bodies, so I imagine that fight will keep on going until the end of camp."
>> Frost made it a point to mention Alante Brown when talking about leadership in the receivers room.
"He gets along with everybody, there's not anybody on the team with a better work ethic than him," Frost said. "He kind of set the example for everybody else right now."
>> EDGE Ochaun Mathis has "elite talent" and is "just a great guy."
"You talk about someone who's come in and adopted the culture and fit in with the guys and been a good teammate from day one here, Ochaun is one of those guys," Frost said.
>> Since Mathis' arrival, Frost said he's seen other EDGEs like Garrett Nelson, Caleb Tannor, Blaise Gunnerson and Jimari Butler step up their games.
"I don't know if him getting added to the equation motivated them or not, maybe they would have been doing the same thing, but it's great to watch those guys work," Frost said. "That's a position I feel great about because of the depth and the talent we have there."
>> Offensive line coach Donovan Raiola has continued to move different players along the O-line, and there are only "a couple guys I think who are locked in to positions."
"Donnie has been doing a really good job of doing what I want, of moving guys around," Frost said. "There will be one day where a guy would be at left guard, and the next day he's at left tackle, and the next day he's on the right side. That's important because you never know how the season is going to play out where we're going to need to plug somebody in. Guys are getting more experiences at different places right now."
Quick hits from Scott Frost's presser
Here are the quick hits from Scott Frost's time with the media on Friday.
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Isn't Drew's fault he's not back I don't think, but getting back for maybe 6 or 7 practices means he will be far behind. Unless he is just flat out better than the guys who have been practicing, I don't expect to see much from in a while. Takes time to acclimate.
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Ten Nebraska preseason thoughts: Special teams talk is more than hype, finally
If the Huskers are to win more games than they lose this year for the first time since 2016, improvement on special teams is a must.
theathletic.com
Ten Nebraska preseason thoughts: Special teams talk is more than hype, finally
by Mitch Sherman, The Athletic
LINCOLN, Neb. — Hard to believe it’s been a week already. A week and two days, actually, since Nebraska jumped back into football practice. The Huskers on Thursday completed their seventh preseason workout, following it with a round of interviews that featured special teams coordinator Bill Busch.
Busch addressed the elephant in the room, ever-present in Scott Frost’s four-year coaching run at Nebraska — the undeniable reality that if the Huskers are to win more games than they lose this year for the first time since 2016, improvement on special teams is essential.
“Right now, knock on wood,” Busch said, “things are going very well. But it’s got to happen on game day in the stadium.”
To review the first days of camp, here are observations from an open portion of practice and interviews with offensive players and coaches. Here’s a rundown of the defense.
And from Thursday at Memorial Stadium, here are 10 thoughts on all of the latest as Nebraska readies for its first scrimmage of August, set for Saturday, in a major step toward the Aug. 27 opener against Northwestern in Dublin:
1. The special teams talk is more than hype. Yes, we’re starting here. Because if there’s a single issue that has defined Nebraska’s bid this year to bury its many recent missteps, this is it. Busch means business.
Before every workout, the Huskers meet. Special teams is always first on the agenda, scheduled for 7:30 a.m. Which means, this year, that Busch expects his players in the room at 7:10.
“You get what you emphasize,” Busch said Thursday. “We emphasize how we’re going to be early, how hard we’re going to work. And every assistant coach matches that energy. It just becomes the overall culture of your team and what’s expected.
“Everyone knows that there’s no one on the roster that is off limits as far as who can go out and play (special teams).”
2. Busch is emphasizing the inclusion of top players on kick return and coverage units. Take, for instance, running back Rahmir Johnson. Johnson received a “promotion” this year, according to Busch, with his move from return specialist to a role on the front line in kickoff returns.
“He’s a core (player),” Busch said. “He’s a leader. He does everything correctly at full speed. I just have so much respect for Rahmir Johnson, where he’s at and what we’ve asked him to do.”
Johnson also plays a gunner spot on the Huskers’ punt team and starts on kickoff coverage. And he’s far from the only veteran, expected to contribute heavily on offense or defense, who’s in position to play a key role in the kicking game.
That’s a tangible difference in comparison with previous seasons. Busch is organizing the effort, but he’s not taking credit for the willingness of top Huskers to get involved.
“The offensive and defensive assistant coaches are kicking ass,” he said, “and I appreciate it.”
3. The specialists are coming together. Newcomers Brian Buschini at punter and Timmy Bleekrode as the kicker formed an immediate bond this offseason. Both were lured to Lincoln by Busch after successful runs at FCS schools. And both received scholarships, a first for Nebraska in the Frost era.
Bleekrode, a spring arrival at Nebraska, was drawn to Buschini, who got to Nebraska in January, because the punter made his presence known at summer workouts.
“Even if he wasn’t punting, he was there,” Bleekrode said.
And Busch, by design, assigned Buschini to hold for Bleekrode on kicks. Too often, the coach said, when a quarterback or receiver serves as the holder, he doesn’t get enough repetitions with the kicker to create the right chemistry.
It’s a point rarely considered — and evidence that no detail is too small for Busch as he attacks special teams this year.
4. The kickers are taking every step necessary. Speaking of details that could go overlooked but simply aren’t in 2022, Busch plots about 25 minutes per practice for the punters and kickers to get a feel for the new surface and kicking environment at Memorial Stadium.
It helps, Bleekrode said, with his ability to envision scenarios, prepare for the wind and check out sightlines from the hash marks.
“We’ve got to lock in,” Bleekrode said. “Having that mentality and focus, each rep helps prepare us for game days.”
Why 25 minutes? “You can’t punt and kick all day,” Busch said. “Your leg will fall off.”
He was joking, of course. But at Nebraska, where kickers have experienced more than their share of injuries since 2019, it’s no laughing matter.
5. The return specialists are prepared to make a jump. Nebraska ranked 121st nationally last season in kickoff returns, averaging 15.58 per attempt. It ranked 94th in 2020, 107th in 2019 and 126th in 2018.
In punt returns, it ranked 128th — better than only Georgia State, which returned three punts for 4 yards.
Get the picture?
“We’ve upped ourselves a lot in that area,” Busch said.
On kickoff returns, he’s looking to Anthony Grant, the running back out of junior college, to lead the way in a group that includes transfers Trey Palmer and Tommi Hill, Cooper Jewett, Jacob Weinmaster and freshman running back Emmett Johnson. On punt returns, Busch said, it’s Palmer, Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda, Hill, Brody Belt and Oliver Martin.
One name not mentioned Thursday that could factor in improved return production is freshman defensive back Malcolm Hartzog, who returned 11 kickoffs and punts for touchdowns as a high school senior last year in Mississippi.
6. In the kicking game, only one speed matters. To wrap the discourse on special teams, Busch made mention of the rate at which the Huskers practice when running through coverage and return drills.
“The three-quarters drill does not do us any good,” he said. “They go full speed.”
Don’t misunderstand, Busch said, he’s not advocating for blindside blocks or reckless play. But Busch refuses to settle for reps in practice that simulate anything other than game speed. His style creates a competitive atmosphere on special teams, Busch said, and leads to “a lot of kids that are just busting their tails at every position.”
7. Running backs coach Bryan Applewhite was a dynamic hire for Frost. Maybe Applewhite got lost amid the more showy additions of wide receivers coach Mickey Joseph and offensive coordinator Mark Whipple last December. But after his strong work in recruiting and the emergence of these running backs as a possible position of strength, dare I say that Applewhite rates a dark horse to finish this year as Nebraska’s best offseason coaching pickup?
He’s got Grant, Rahmir Johnson, Gabe Ervin, plus Jaquez Yant and true freshmen Ajay Allen and Emmett Johnson. It’s a diverse group that appears on track to head to Ireland in good health after injuries and indecision hurt Nebraska’s production over the past two seasons.
Applewhite deserves credit for the condition of his position group. Sticking with the dark horse theme, he compared the backs Thursday to a lineup of thoroughbreds.
“The competition’s been unbelievable,” he said. “It’s like you get the last seven Triple Crown winners in a horse race. Coming out of the blocks, it’s Man o’ War, then you’ve got Seattle Slew, then Seabiscuit’s got the lead.
“Iron sharpens iron. They’ve been holding each other accountable and competing with each other at the same time. It’s been good. It’s been really good.”
8. Don’t sleep on Ervin. Easily overlooked, Ervin missed spring practice while rehabbing from surgery to repair a torn ACL suffered last September against Oklahoma.
But he’s back and perhaps better than before. Ervin is up from his playing weight last year of 205 to 210 pounds. He started two of Nebraska’s first four games at running back, including the season opener, and rushed for 133 yards on 37 carries. Ervin said he was starting to find his groove just before the injury occurred.
The extra weight provides some added thickness, Ervin said, readying him to face Big Ten linebackers at the point of attack. He also feels more prepared to move laterally.
Remember the spring of 2021, when Ervin was the talk of camp as an early enrollee? While he slipped under the radar after sustaining the knee injury, Ervin did not fade from view. Just ask Busch, a defensive analyst last season who spent time on the sideline with Ervin.
“He’s a grown man, and he acts like it every day,” Busch said. “And he’s a pro.”
No surprise, then, that Busch has recruited Ervin to help on the punt return team. “He brings a lot of leadership,” the coach said. “He’s quiet. And he performs.”
This month, it all comes back to special teams.
9. The outlook is trending up for Teddy Prochazka. The offensive line at Nebraska remains shrouded in some amount of mystery. Donovan Raiola is the only assistant coach in camp yet to answer questions from the media. And really, the questions will persist until this position group gets a few games under its collective belt this year.
One of the major concerns involves the condition of Prochazka, a top true freshman last year with the Huskers who started two games at left tackle before a knee injury suffered against Michigan ended his year.
Expected to serve as an anchor of the line in his rebound season, Prochazka missed spring practice. He was seen early this week back at his old spot, working with the top line. And Thursday, classmate Ervin dropped a hint about Prochazka.
“He’s doing good,” Ervin said. “His knee looks stronger. The whole offensive line looks way better.”
Prochazka’s immediate return would rate as significant for the O-line — and for the entire offense. His presence allows Raiola to get creative with his lineup, perhaps playing Turner Corcoran, also on the mend from surgery, at left guard. And it provides flexibility for Whipple to craft an offensive game plan with confidence that his quarterback and running backs will have room to operate.
10. No stronger duo exists on the Nebraska roster than Luke Reimer and Nick Henrich, but the inside linebackers also feature the Huskers’ most impressive true freshman in Ernest Hausmann. Barrett Ruud’s group includes Reimer, back from an offseason hip scope and sports hernia repair, and Henrich. The duo ranked 1-2 at Nebraska in tackles last year, combining for 207.
Both set to enter their fourth seasons at Nebraska, they’re in position to fit as leaders this fall, Ruud said.
“They were really good leaders last year, too, in the sense that they worked really hard,” Ruud said. “But now, they have the experience factor. Leadership’s no different than playing. You get better at it the more you’re involved with it.”
Despite the veteran presence at his position, Hausmann is pushing for time in the playing rotation. The rookie out of Columbus, Neb., has emerged as the best of 15 true freshmen on scholarship, showing elite athleticism and the aptitude to handle a load early in his career.
“From his habits and his routine,” Reimer said, “it seems like he’s a fourth-year senior.”
A three-star recruit last year rated as the No. 5 prospect to play at a Nebraska high school, Hausmann rushes the quarterback especially well, according to Ruud.
“Just a really fluid, explosive athlete,” the coach said. “Not only is he fast, but he moves well side to side. He can flip his hips. It’s really natural for him, which is not the case for a lot of linebackers.”
by Mitch Sherman, The Athletic
LINCOLN, Neb. — Hard to believe it’s been a week already. A week and two days, actually, since Nebraska jumped back into football practice. The Huskers on Thursday completed their seventh preseason workout, following it with a round of interviews that featured special teams coordinator Bill Busch.
Busch addressed the elephant in the room, ever-present in Scott Frost’s four-year coaching run at Nebraska — the undeniable reality that if the Huskers are to win more games than they lose this year for the first time since 2016, improvement on special teams is essential.
“Right now, knock on wood,” Busch said, “things are going very well. But it’s got to happen on game day in the stadium.”
To review the first days of camp, here are observations from an open portion of practice and interviews with offensive players and coaches. Here’s a rundown of the defense.
And from Thursday at Memorial Stadium, here are 10 thoughts on all of the latest as Nebraska readies for its first scrimmage of August, set for Saturday, in a major step toward the Aug. 27 opener against Northwestern in Dublin:
1. The special teams talk is more than hype. Yes, we’re starting here. Because if there’s a single issue that has defined Nebraska’s bid this year to bury its many recent missteps, this is it. Busch means business.
Before every workout, the Huskers meet. Special teams is always first on the agenda, scheduled for 7:30 a.m. Which means, this year, that Busch expects his players in the room at 7:10.
“You get what you emphasize,” Busch said Thursday. “We emphasize how we’re going to be early, how hard we’re going to work. And every assistant coach matches that energy. It just becomes the overall culture of your team and what’s expected.
“Everyone knows that there’s no one on the roster that is off limits as far as who can go out and play (special teams).”
2. Busch is emphasizing the inclusion of top players on kick return and coverage units. Take, for instance, running back Rahmir Johnson. Johnson received a “promotion” this year, according to Busch, with his move from return specialist to a role on the front line in kickoff returns.
“He’s a core (player),” Busch said. “He’s a leader. He does everything correctly at full speed. I just have so much respect for Rahmir Johnson, where he’s at and what we’ve asked him to do.”
Johnson also plays a gunner spot on the Huskers’ punt team and starts on kickoff coverage. And he’s far from the only veteran, expected to contribute heavily on offense or defense, who’s in position to play a key role in the kicking game.
That’s a tangible difference in comparison with previous seasons. Busch is organizing the effort, but he’s not taking credit for the willingness of top Huskers to get involved.
“The offensive and defensive assistant coaches are kicking ass,” he said, “and I appreciate it.”
3. The specialists are coming together. Newcomers Brian Buschini at punter and Timmy Bleekrode as the kicker formed an immediate bond this offseason. Both were lured to Lincoln by Busch after successful runs at FCS schools. And both received scholarships, a first for Nebraska in the Frost era.
Bleekrode, a spring arrival at Nebraska, was drawn to Buschini, who got to Nebraska in January, because the punter made his presence known at summer workouts.
“Even if he wasn’t punting, he was there,” Bleekrode said.
And Busch, by design, assigned Buschini to hold for Bleekrode on kicks. Too often, the coach said, when a quarterback or receiver serves as the holder, he doesn’t get enough repetitions with the kicker to create the right chemistry.
It’s a point rarely considered — and evidence that no detail is too small for Busch as he attacks special teams this year.
4. The kickers are taking every step necessary. Speaking of details that could go overlooked but simply aren’t in 2022, Busch plots about 25 minutes per practice for the punters and kickers to get a feel for the new surface and kicking environment at Memorial Stadium.
It helps, Bleekrode said, with his ability to envision scenarios, prepare for the wind and check out sightlines from the hash marks.
“We’ve got to lock in,” Bleekrode said. “Having that mentality and focus, each rep helps prepare us for game days.”
Why 25 minutes? “You can’t punt and kick all day,” Busch said. “Your leg will fall off.”
He was joking, of course. But at Nebraska, where kickers have experienced more than their share of injuries since 2019, it’s no laughing matter.
5. The return specialists are prepared to make a jump. Nebraska ranked 121st nationally last season in kickoff returns, averaging 15.58 per attempt. It ranked 94th in 2020, 107th in 2019 and 126th in 2018.
In punt returns, it ranked 128th — better than only Georgia State, which returned three punts for 4 yards.
Get the picture?
“We’ve upped ourselves a lot in that area,” Busch said.
On kickoff returns, he’s looking to Anthony Grant, the running back out of junior college, to lead the way in a group that includes transfers Trey Palmer and Tommi Hill, Cooper Jewett, Jacob Weinmaster and freshman running back Emmett Johnson. On punt returns, Busch said, it’s Palmer, Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda, Hill, Brody Belt and Oliver Martin.
One name not mentioned Thursday that could factor in improved return production is freshman defensive back Malcolm Hartzog, who returned 11 kickoffs and punts for touchdowns as a high school senior last year in Mississippi.
6. In the kicking game, only one speed matters. To wrap the discourse on special teams, Busch made mention of the rate at which the Huskers practice when running through coverage and return drills.
“The three-quarters drill does not do us any good,” he said. “They go full speed.”
Don’t misunderstand, Busch said, he’s not advocating for blindside blocks or reckless play. But Busch refuses to settle for reps in practice that simulate anything other than game speed. His style creates a competitive atmosphere on special teams, Busch said, and leads to “a lot of kids that are just busting their tails at every position.”
7. Running backs coach Bryan Applewhite was a dynamic hire for Frost. Maybe Applewhite got lost amid the more showy additions of wide receivers coach Mickey Joseph and offensive coordinator Mark Whipple last December. But after his strong work in recruiting and the emergence of these running backs as a possible position of strength, dare I say that Applewhite rates a dark horse to finish this year as Nebraska’s best offseason coaching pickup?
He’s got Grant, Rahmir Johnson, Gabe Ervin, plus Jaquez Yant and true freshmen Ajay Allen and Emmett Johnson. It’s a diverse group that appears on track to head to Ireland in good health after injuries and indecision hurt Nebraska’s production over the past two seasons.
Applewhite deserves credit for the condition of his position group. Sticking with the dark horse theme, he compared the backs Thursday to a lineup of thoroughbreds.
“The competition’s been unbelievable,” he said. “It’s like you get the last seven Triple Crown winners in a horse race. Coming out of the blocks, it’s Man o’ War, then you’ve got Seattle Slew, then Seabiscuit’s got the lead.
“Iron sharpens iron. They’ve been holding each other accountable and competing with each other at the same time. It’s been good. It’s been really good.”
8. Don’t sleep on Ervin. Easily overlooked, Ervin missed spring practice while rehabbing from surgery to repair a torn ACL suffered last September against Oklahoma.
But he’s back and perhaps better than before. Ervin is up from his playing weight last year of 205 to 210 pounds. He started two of Nebraska’s first four games at running back, including the season opener, and rushed for 133 yards on 37 carries. Ervin said he was starting to find his groove just before the injury occurred.
The extra weight provides some added thickness, Ervin said, readying him to face Big Ten linebackers at the point of attack. He also feels more prepared to move laterally.
Remember the spring of 2021, when Ervin was the talk of camp as an early enrollee? While he slipped under the radar after sustaining the knee injury, Ervin did not fade from view. Just ask Busch, a defensive analyst last season who spent time on the sideline with Ervin.
“He’s a grown man, and he acts like it every day,” Busch said. “And he’s a pro.”
No surprise, then, that Busch has recruited Ervin to help on the punt return team. “He brings a lot of leadership,” the coach said. “He’s quiet. And he performs.”
This month, it all comes back to special teams.
9. The outlook is trending up for Teddy Prochazka. The offensive line at Nebraska remains shrouded in some amount of mystery. Donovan Raiola is the only assistant coach in camp yet to answer questions from the media. And really, the questions will persist until this position group gets a few games under its collective belt this year.
One of the major concerns involves the condition of Prochazka, a top true freshman last year with the Huskers who started two games at left tackle before a knee injury suffered against Michigan ended his year.
Expected to serve as an anchor of the line in his rebound season, Prochazka missed spring practice. He was seen early this week back at his old spot, working with the top line. And Thursday, classmate Ervin dropped a hint about Prochazka.
“He’s doing good,” Ervin said. “His knee looks stronger. The whole offensive line looks way better.”
Prochazka’s immediate return would rate as significant for the O-line — and for the entire offense. His presence allows Raiola to get creative with his lineup, perhaps playing Turner Corcoran, also on the mend from surgery, at left guard. And it provides flexibility for Whipple to craft an offensive game plan with confidence that his quarterback and running backs will have room to operate.
10. No stronger duo exists on the Nebraska roster than Luke Reimer and Nick Henrich, but the inside linebackers also feature the Huskers’ most impressive true freshman in Ernest Hausmann. Barrett Ruud’s group includes Reimer, back from an offseason hip scope and sports hernia repair, and Henrich. The duo ranked 1-2 at Nebraska in tackles last year, combining for 207.
Both set to enter their fourth seasons at Nebraska, they’re in position to fit as leaders this fall, Ruud said.
“They were really good leaders last year, too, in the sense that they worked really hard,” Ruud said. “But now, they have the experience factor. Leadership’s no different than playing. You get better at it the more you’re involved with it.”
Despite the veteran presence at his position, Hausmann is pushing for time in the playing rotation. The rookie out of Columbus, Neb., has emerged as the best of 15 true freshmen on scholarship, showing elite athleticism and the aptitude to handle a load early in his career.
“From his habits and his routine,” Reimer said, “it seems like he’s a fourth-year senior.”
A three-star recruit last year rated as the No. 5 prospect to play at a Nebraska high school, Hausmann rushes the quarterback especially well, according to Ruud.
“Just a really fluid, explosive athlete,” the coach said. “Not only is he fast, but he moves well side to side. He can flip his hips. It’s really natural for him, which is not the case for a lot of linebackers.”
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Plot Twist: Frost bringing back the full back as himself
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