Chris Brooks sees big picture

[Husker_Power]

Published Monday | August 27, 2007

BY RICH KAIPUST

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

 

LINK

 

LINCOLN — Chris Brooks Jr. is pretty sharp for 3 years old.

 

Football games come on and the tyke has been known to blurt out: "My daddy's on TV!"

 

One of his favorite videos is the Nebraska spring game. Really. Little Chris even requests it.

 

"He tells his mom, 'Mom, I want to watch my daddy play football,' and she'll throw the DVD on for him," said Chris Brooks Sr. "He knows daddy's No. 1. He knows that's me."

 

Someday, Chris Brooks would like to provide an expanded video library for his boy. For now, the Husker receiver realizes that he's probably a year away from really getting it started.

 

"I'm just in a position where we have a lot of trusted guys right now in Maurice Purify and Nate Swift and a lot of the older guys," Brooks said. "It's kind of a deal where you've got to swallow your pride and you've got to put the team first. I think that's just the situation I'm in."

 

The hard part for Brooks is that people are always asking when his time might come.

 

Internet hype followed the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder from St. Louis to Lincoln as one of the first big-name receiving recruits as NU transitioned from the option game to the West Coast offense.

 

He played sparingly as a true freshman in 2005 and redshirted in 2006. Still behind proven players, the outlook for 2007 isn't much better.

 

So it's been hard for Brooks to be exempt from the bad thoughts.

 

"That's anybody," he said. "At some time, you're going to be like, 'Dang, this isn't going the best.' But you've got to keep pushing and I think that's been my motivation."

 

Nebraska assistant coach Ted Gilmore has seen the change. Brooks is stronger now, a better blocker, more likely to practice and play at a fast pace than when he first arrived.

 

Gilmore said Brooks has risen with the competition, which also includes underclassmen Menelik Holt and Will Henry at the "X" receiver position. Not to mention freshmen Niles Paul and Curenski Gilleylen coming into the program and wanting to play right away.

 

"I think he knows what's at stake," Gilmore said. "You've got to do it. He's got to find his way. For whatever reasons, if he's not in that main rotation it's not because of effort, because the effort is there.

 

"I've got a lot of talent there. I've got a lot of competition. It's one of those deals where if you're on this field playing, you earned it."

 

Brooks generated his first real momentum during spring practice, which he capped with three catches for 32 yards in the Red-White game. Ever since, everything just seems a little easier to handle and understand, something he couldn't say in 2005 or 2006.

 

"I think I just wish I would have been able to see the big picture better," Brooks said. "I think the big picture was focusing more on my assignments and just playing faster. If I was able to play faster, I think things would have been a lot different."

 

Both Brooks and Holt have practiced at other receiving spots. The 6-foot-5 Henry likely will stay put.

 

"With Will, he's just so big, a big guy with a long stride," Brooks said. "He's going to be a good football player. I think he has a really, really bright future.

 

"You really can't take a day off. I think something the younger guys are trying to do is be consistent and play up to the level of the older guys. I wish you guys could see practice sometimes. There's just great flashes from all of us."

 

Chris Jr. would appreciate them. Or his father's dedication to doing everything for the boy.

 

"It pushes me to work harder," said Brooks, 20. "If I'm running a bad route or if I drop a pass, I'm thinking it's not for me anymore. It's that way with a lot of guys on the team who have children. They're doing it for their child or somebody in their family."

[Necava Husker]

Nice article. I hope Brooks sees the field more this year. I remember thinking the guy was a stud receiver when he signed with us. I think he still could be.

[skersOVRsc]

Can't wait to watch this kid play, even if it is in the fall of 08.

[I am I]

i think receiver is one area callahan put in immediate help when he got here. he brought in some good talent.

 

side note: this article sums up why i think most freshman should redshirt. more than a few players on our team entering their 3rd year are saying "i'm finally playing up to speed and getting the picture. what it takes to play. my first year was a whirlwind."

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

I hope he does step up and make the catches when his time comes.