Vets may be second to Nunn

[Blackshirt]

This kid looks poised to make a big impact.

 

LINCOLN - Terrence Nunn bought a big, gawdy Nebraska flag to hang outside his house in suburban Houston. Four months have passed, and no Longhorn or Aggie wiseguys have stolen it.

 

"No sir," Nunn says.

 

It seems to be the only thing twisting in the wind. One week into fall camp, Nunn is the most talked-about freshman in Lincoln. The receiver from Cypress Falls drew oohs during Friday's practice when he caught roughly a 40-yard touchdown pass from Joe Dailey.

 

Nunn has been working with the No. 1 offense, in part because Coach Bill Callahan says the 6-foot, 185-pounder looks seasoned for a rookie.

 

"He's fast, he's really agile, and we haven't had that in awhile," Dailey said.

 

"You guys are here, you watch practice . . . He's awesome."

 

Nunn almost became Barry Alvarez's prize, as he wavered on a commitment to NU after Frank Solich was fired last November. Nunn changed his choice to Wisconsin for a couple of weeks, but then Callahan made a trip to his high school and chatted about the West Coast offense.

 

Nunn was a Raiders fan and grew up idolizing Jerry Rice. Callahan coached Rice in Oakland. Nunn said he was shaking when Callahan showed up at the high school, but he calmed down in time to tell Callahan that he had changed his mind again and was coming to Nebraska.

 

When Callahan was hired, Nunn worried that the new coach wouldn't want him. The son of a mechanic and a nurse, Nunn was taught to be polite. He answers questions with a "Yes sir" or a "Yes ma'am."

 

His 10.6 clocking in the 100-yard dash appealed to Callahan and Offensive Coordinator Jay Norvell.

 

"He's learning pretty quickly for a young guy," Norvell says. "He's a strong kid, he's got speed and he can run."

 

But Norvell warns that like any freshman, Nunn has to keep his nose in the playbook.

 

"It's hard for young guys because they come out and have a little success and they think they've got it figured out," he says. "Then they come out the next time and they get overwhelmed again. We just need to keep pushing them forward and keep them on a steady course."

 

Nunn says he spends an extra 45 minutes a night reading the playbook. He battled back from a leg injury last year to catch 34 passes for 471 yards. When asked if he expects to play this year, Nunn says, "Yes ma'am."

 

He pondered the future on a drive to Lincoln a couple of weeks ago, 13 hours with his parents and I-35.

 

"I came up here earlier for (summer conditioning), and when they dropped me off, I felt really homesick," Nunn says. "This time I feel better. I'll be all right."

 

 

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