Defense to utilize Prince's talents

[sea o' red]

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1200...;u_sid=10307084

LINCOLN — Before dissecting his preference of offense over defense, first examine some old high school football statistics for Prince Amukamara.

 

The Nebraska sophomore-to-be rushed for 3,389 yards his final two seasons at Apollo High in Glendale, Ariz., once going for 366 in a game. His end zone visits were so frequent that he scored nearly 50 touchdowns as a junior and senior.

 

"My confidence level was really high," Amukamara said. "I don't know how good I can be on defense so I'm still a little unsure, so my confidence level is kind of low there. But it's building gradually."

 

Amukamara settled in at cornerback when Nebraska started spring practice. It's different. A little more complicated. Maybe things don't come so naturally for him as on the other side.

 

"I don't know, in the back of my head I still miss offense, but defense is real fun," Amukamara said. "But if you're asking me what do I think I'm better at, offense or defense, I'd say offense."

 

It's all for conversation purposes, because the NU defensive staff is going forward with Amukamara. In fact, the 6-foot-1, 195-pounder is rotating in as the third cornerback with Armando Murillo and Anthony West this spring when the Huskers practice their nickel package.

 

"It's a new position, but I'm getting used to it," Amukamara said. "Sometimes I'll be lined up as a linebacker and I'll shift out and guard like the slot receiver. I still feel like a cornerback but I still have to be aggressive and go in on the run plays."

 

It's that versatility that makes Amukamara capable of playing offense, defense or special teams. When he signed in 2007, NU didn't list him with a position but rather as an "athlete" after Amukamara was named state player of the year by the Arizona Republic in 2006.

 

There still might be chances to handle the football as a Husker, because Amukamara has volunteered to return both kickoffs and punts as NU starts to sift through potential candidates.

 

But his focus is on handling this assignment to the defense.

 

"It's a whole different mindset," Amukamara said. "Your motor always has to be running on defense. As one of the coaches said, you could do 99 things right on defense but then one thing wrong can mess up the whole game."

 

Amukamara feels as if he got a jump on next season by playing as a true freshman. Sophomore linebacker Latravis Washington had said recently that he wished he would have redshirted and had four years remaining to play.

 

As it was, Amukamara didn't play until the Huskers' fourth game and then was utilized mostly on kick coverage.

 

"I've always just wanted to play," he said. "People back home and people here say I should have redshirted because it wasn't worth wasting my redshirt on special teams, but I didn't see it like that. I just felt like the team needed help so I just wanted to help, and if it was special teams it was special teams."

 

Amukamara felt like he gained the trust of defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove by the end of last season. Cosgrove and the defensive staff then were replaced over the winter.

 

Starting over didn't bother Amukamara. In addition to his role in nickel defenses, he also is practicing with the second and third units as a cornerback.

 

"It's just like proving yourself again," he said, "and just showing the coaches what you can do again."

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

He could draw comparisons to Mike Brown, another AZ player of the year, or maybe Keyou Craver who had awesome numbers at RB while in high school in Texas but became an All-American DB.

 

Time will tell.

[Cy the Cyclone]

Defense to utilize Prince's talents

 

 

 

Oughta be a bitchin halftime show!

[I See Red People]

Defense to utilize Prince's talents

 

 

 

Oughta be a bitchin halftime show!