Mendoza a WR & Toailoa a OL

[longtimefan]

To play wide receiver you have to have great hands. We know he has the speed, but does he have the hands? Also, if he had good hands to catch the ball, I kind of wonder why he didn't field punts or kickoffs last year?

[Enhance]

Mendoza is a surprise to me. Who is our #3 RB?

 

Okafor?

Burkhead isn't there yet but could he be in line to be the third. But yeah hearing Mendoza moving to WR is a surprise to me

 

Okafor or Ward would be the prime 3rd running back. I know little about the two other than the fact that Okafor played at Westside and has some pretty damn good speed. They are both coming off redshirt freshman seasons.

 

I don't think Burkhead will make it into the rotation but anything can happen, so I'm excited to see what unfolds.

 

Nonetheless, expect to see little of our 3rd running back. Helu and Q will be there in the for the entire game, and I expect the 3rd back to come in sparingly, possibly at times when our opposing team is losing badly and we bring in the back ups.

[Pedro Guerrero]

Also, if he had good hands to catch the ball, I kind of wonder why he didn't field punts or kickoffs last year?

 

Maybe he couldn’t beat out Swift on punts and Paul & Dennard on kickoffs. It’s not like we were lacking in those 2 categories. Swift (12.9) was 2nd in the conference and Paul averaged 23.6. Also just because you have the hands to catch a pass thrown to you doesn’t always mean you are able to field kicks.

[carlfense]

I like the idea with Mendoza too! He could make a splash, even if it's just as a situational type reciever. We definiately need to get the ball in his hands.

I am a little surprised with the Toailoa move to OL. I would've thought Baker would be the first to make that kind of move, but hey the coaches see things we can't. I like the direction.

 

GBR

 

Hopefully this is a sign that Baker is going to live up to his 5-star reputation at DT. Nothing would warm my heart more than to see Suh and him clogging up the middle like cholesterol.

[huskerguy]

Also, if he had good hands to catch the ball, I kind of wonder why he didn't field punts or kickoffs last year?

 

Maybe he couldn’t beat out Swift on punts and Paul & Dennard on kickoffs. It’s not like we were lacking in those 2 categories. Swift (12.9) was 2nd in the conference and Paul averaged 23.6. Also just because you have the hands to catch a pass thrown to you doesn’t always mean you are able to field kicks.

 

He didn't return punts probably because the guys in front of him are better, but I do remember him back there in the Spring Game where he let one bounce right off of his helmet . Honestly I don't think that means much at all though, and I doubt hes going to be a WR that goes acrossed the middle and will have to make a bunch of tough grabs while getting hit. I expect to see him lining up for the bubble screens and short dump offs looking for some YAC.

[caveman99]

I like the idea with Mendoza too! He could make a splash, even if it's just as a situational type reciever. We definiately need to get the ball in his hands.

I am a little surprised with the Toailoa move to OL. I would've thought Baker would be the first to make that kind of move, but hey the coaches see things we can't. I like the direction.

 

GBR

 

Hopefully this is a sign that Baker is going to live up to his 5-star reputation at DT. Nothing would warm my heart more than to see Suh and him clogging up the middle like cholesterol.

I think this is a sign that the coaches really feel confident about their options with Crick, Moore and Baker at DT. I also think they are forward looking also, the O-Line depth for 2011 and on is a little thin. They need to bring in 4-5 players in the 2010 class or find someone else to help build depth, Toaila may help fill that need.

[Inwar1]

I like the idea with Mendoza too! He could make a splash, even if it's just as a situational type reciever. We definiately need to get the ball in his hands.

I am a little surprised with the Toailoa move to OL. I would've thought Baker would be the first to make that kind of move, but hey the coaches see things we can't. I like the direction.

 

GBR

 

Hopefully this is a sign that Baker is going to live up to his 5-star reputation at DT. Nothing would warm my heart more than to see Suh and him clogging up the middle like cholesterol.

I think this is a sign that the coaches really feel confident about their options with Crick, Moore and Baker at DT. I also think they are forward looking also, the O-Line depth for 2011 and on is a little thin. They need to bring in 4-5 players in the 2010 class or find someone else to help build depth, Toaila may help fill that need.

 

That was really my whole point. Baker was a 5 star recruit, but he was being rated that way as an offensive linemen, not a DT. Seem a little backwards to me. Guess we'll see how it shakes out.

[Enhance]

I like the idea with Mendoza too! He could make a splash, even if it's just as a situational type reciever. We definiately need to get the ball in his hands.

I am a little surprised with the Toailoa move to OL. I would've thought Baker would be the first to make that kind of move, but hey the coaches see things we can't. I like the direction.

 

GBR

 

Hopefully this is a sign that Baker is going to live up to his 5-star reputation at DT. Nothing would warm my heart more than to see Suh and him clogging up the middle like cholesterol.

 

Great analogy.

[caveman99]

I like the idea with Mendoza too! He could make a splash, even if it's just as a situational type reciever. We definiately need to get the ball in his hands.

I am a little surprised with the Toailoa move to OL. I would've thought Baker would be the first to make that kind of move, but hey the coaches see things we can't. I like the direction.

 

GBR

 

Hopefully this is a sign that Baker is going to live up to his 5-star reputation at DT. Nothing would warm my heart more than to see Suh and him clogging up the middle like cholesterol.

I think this is a sign that the coaches really feel confident about their options with Crick, Moore and Baker at DT. I also think they are forward looking also, the O-Line depth for 2011 and on is a little thin. They need to bring in 4-5 players in the 2010 class or find someone else to help build depth, Toaila may help fill that need.

 

That was really my whole point. Baker was a 5 star recruit, but he was being rated that way as an offensive linemen, not a DT. Seem a little backwards to me. Guess we'll see how it shakes out.

IIRC Baker would have graded out as a high 4 Star as a DT, I seem to recall a lot of discussion about that when he played in the AA game as a DT. I do know that he absolutely dominated at the AA game and frankly was playing really well in practice at the end of the season last year so he can definately play at DT.

[Enhance]

I like the idea with Mendoza too! He could make a splash, even if it's just as a situational type reciever. We definiately need to get the ball in his hands.

I am a little surprised with the Toailoa move to OL. I would've thought Baker would be the first to make that kind of move, but hey the coaches see things we can't. I like the direction.

 

GBR

 

Hopefully this is a sign that Baker is going to live up to his 5-star reputation at DT. Nothing would warm my heart more than to see Suh and him clogging up the middle like cholesterol.

I think this is a sign that the coaches really feel confident about their options with Crick, Moore and Baker at DT. I also think they are forward looking also, the O-Line depth for 2011 and on is a little thin. They need to bring in 4-5 players in the 2010 class or find someone else to help build depth, Toaila may help fill that need.

 

That was really my whole point. Baker was a 5 star recruit, but he was being rated that way as an offensive linemen, not a DT. Seem a little backwards to me. Guess we'll see how it shakes out.

IIRC Baker would have graded out as a high 4 Star as a DT, I seem to recall a lot of discussion about that when he played in the AA game as a DT. I do know that he absolutely dominated at the AA game and frankly was playing really well in practice at the end of the season last year so he can definately play at DT.

 

I'm so excited to see how our defense plays under great defensive minds like Bo and Carl.

[HANC]

Bubble screens up the wazooooo...... catching a pass is a totally different skill than fielding a punt/kickoff, especially a punt.... Bubble and slip screens are used all over in the SEC, which probably gave Bo fits at LSU, so he wants to put that pressure on other DC's......Great move !!!!

[Hunter94]

seems the bubble screen is in everyone's playbook and more often than not, it wasn't all that effectively run by anyone last year. i think Watson is just trying to find a place on the field to feature Mendoza's speed, knowing that the running back spot is not going to give him much opportunity. we'll see, transition to WR sure isn't easy.

[HANC]

Didn't see the bubble screen as much in big 12 play, but MU used it quite a bit the year before and OU uses a variation. Florida still ran Harvin with the bubble and slip quite a bit....... NU has really never had a true bubble or slip screen.

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

I like the idea with Mendoza too! He could make a splash, even if it's just as a situational type reciever. We definiately need to get the ball in his hands.

I am a little surprised with the Toailoa move to OL. I would've thought Baker would be the first to make that kind of move, but hey the coaches see things we can't. I like the direction.

 

GBR

 

Hopefully this is a sign that Baker is going to live up to his 5-star reputation at DT. Nothing would warm my heart more than to see Suh and him clogging up the middle like cholesterol.

I think this is a sign that the coaches really feel confident about their options with Crick, Moore and Baker at DT. I also think they are forward looking also, the O-Line depth for 2011 and on is a little thin. They need to bring in 4-5 players in the 2010 class or find someone else to help build depth, Toaila may help fill that need.

 

That was really my whole point. Baker was a 5 star recruit, but he was being rated that way as an offensive linemen, not a DT. Seem a little backwards to me. Guess we'll see how it shakes out.

IIRC Baker would have graded out as a high 4 Star as a DT, I seem to recall a lot of discussion about that when he played in the AA game as a DT. I do know that he absolutely dominated at the AA game and frankly was playing really well in practice at the end of the season last year so he can definately play at DT.

I remember Jeremy Crabtree discussing that exact point with Kevin Kugler on the recruiting show after that class signed.

[Ohio Pete]

I think this is a sign that the coaches really feel confident about their options with Crick, Moore and Baker at DT. I also think they are forward looking also, the O-Line depth for 2011 and on is a little thin. They need to bring in 4-5 players in the 2010 class or find someone else to help build depth, Toaila may help fill that need.

Well, Nebraska brings in 4 or 5 O-linemen in the 2009 class (and has already signed the #2 OG in Andrew Rodriguez out of Aurora High). But all of those guys will likely redshirt so as you said Toailoa is needed for depth in the fall.