B-Jax Looking for more carries vs KU

[Blackshirt]

NU Notes, 10/1: Action Jackson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remember Brandon Jackson, the true freshman I-back who pounded out 79 yards on 13 carries in Nebraska's season-opening win against Western Illinois?

 

Well, Jackson has carried the ball just once in the last two games combined. That figures to change Saturday night, when the Huskers play Kansas at Memorial Stadium.

 

"We're going to try to get him involved in the rotation," Nebraska head coach Bill Callahan said. "I can't give you a set number of carries, but we'd like to see him on the field Saturday night."

 

The 6-foot, 210-pound Jackson, of Horn Lake, Miss., said it has been a challenge for him to learn Nebraska's complex playbook. In the Huskers' last game, a Sept. 18 win at Pitt, Jackson never entered the game.

 

"I didn't know my blocking schemes very well — that's one reason why," Jackson said this week.

 

Jackson, the Huskers' biggest and strongest I-back, said he's working hard to learn the plays.

 

"It's kind of stressful," said Jackson, an effective runner between the tackles who's also capable of bouncing to the outside for big gains.

 

"I have a lot of confidence in myself," he said. "What I think I can do, I will do."

 

Nebraska starting I-back Cory Ross, a 5-6, 192-pound junior, leads the team with 367 yards on 64 carries, and redshirt freshman Tierre Green has gained 202 yards on 23 attempts.

 

Callahan has discussed the possibility of reducing Ross' carries in coming weeks.

"He had 27 (against Southern Mississippi), and we talked about the possibility of overusing him," Callahan said. "He got a little nicked up in the Pittsburgh game, so we backed him down quite a bit last week to get him some rest and allow him to recover a little so he's fresh to go this week."

 

INJURY REPORT: Starting left tackle Mike Erickson practiced Thursday, but remains questionable for Saturday's game, Callahan said. "Whether or not he'll be cleared to play, we'll have to wait and see," the coach said. Erickson, a 6-foot-4, 300-pound senior from Omaha, suffered a "stinger" injury Wednesday and was on the sideline wearing a neck brace by the end of the workout. If he's unable to play Saturday, he'll be replaced in the lineup by either Nick Povendo or Darren DeLone, a pair of seniors. Povendo has started twice in his career, while DeLone has never started. The only Huskers ruled out of the game are starting fullback Steve Kriewald and Joey Robison, a walk-on defensive back who contributes exclusively on special teams.

— Steven M. Sipple

 

 

http://journalstar.com/articles/2004/10/01...5f742676970.txt