Thur practice report & NU Notes

[Blackshirt]

NU Hits the Grass Fields

 

NU NOTEBOOK, 11-5: Deja vu all over again

BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nebraska has at least one built-in advantage as it prepares for Saturday's game at Iowa State.

 

"The offenses we've faced over the last three weeks are very similar," Husker secondary coach Phil Elmassian said, referring to previous contests against Kansas State (a 45-21 NU loss) and Missouri (a 24-3 victory).

 

Iowa State will run many of the same plays out of some of the same formations used by the Wildcats and Tigers. Elmassian, in fact, said it's amazing how similar offenses are in the Big 12 overall.

 

"I don't know if it's because of Oklahoma's influence or what, but there's a lot of carryover with all of the offenses in terms of the running game," he said.

 

Kansas State rushed for 294 yards and six touchdowns against Nebraska. NU, though, came back a week later and controlled Missouri standout quarterback Brad Smith.

 

"We didn't do a good job at Kansas State because we just didn't play, obviously," Elmassian said. "Missouri helped us, to a point, because they were so one-dimensional.

 

"The big difference this week is these (Iowa State) receivers … they run routes hard and are extremely competitive for the football."

 

Jon Davis, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound sophomore from Papillion-LaVista, leads Iowa State receivers with 33 catches for 406 yards.

 

GRASS GRABBING: For the first time since mid-September, Nebraska practiced Thursday on the grass fields northeast of Memorial Stadium. "Our turf is in great shape out here," Husker head coach Bill Callahan said. "It's an opportunity to get some quality work in. We weren't at it too long today. That's good." The Huskers last played on grass in a Sept. 18 win at Pittsburgh. Iowa State plays on grass at Jack Trice Stadium.

 

ROSS UPDATE: NU starting I-back Cory Ross, who's played the last two games despite a turf toe injury, practiced on a limited basis Thursday. "He's OK," Callahan said. "He'll fight through it. It's not going to be a situation (Saturday) where he's totally comfortable, but that's life. That's the game of football. He's going to have to deal with it. He's dealt with it really well so far." Ross comes off of a 19-carry, 194-yard rushing performance in last week's 24-3 win against MU.

 

ETC.: Nebraska will have a walk-through practice at Memorial Stadium this afternoon before traveling in buses to Ames.

 

 

 

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2004/1...05968950460.txt