Bowman good news

[huskerdavo]

Per Lincoln Journal Star:

Nebraska receiver Mark LeFlore has faced cornerback Zack Bowman many times during summer workouts, and now fall camp.

 

Quite frankly, he's getting sick of it.

 

Oh, sick in a "I'm-glad-this-guy's-gonna-be-on-our-team" sort of way. But for now, LeFlore shakes his head.

 

"Man, it's tough," said LeFlore, a 5-foot-11 senior. "We haven't had 6-2 corners around here with long arms. It makes you work on your technique."

 

LeFlore looks at the positives. He said Bowman, a junior college transfer, already is making Nebraska's receivers better.

Come Sept. 3, he hopes Bowman makes opposing receivers look silly.

 

"I'm just going to put it out there and say he's going to be a great player. No doubt about it," LeFlore said. "He's big. He's got long arms and he's fast, and he can catch. He can tackle. He's great."LeFlore's not alone in his adoration for Bowman, perhaps the most highly-touted recruit in Nebraska's 2005 recruiting class.

 

From quarterback Zac Taylor: "Players like him don't come along very often. The first thing that jumps out to you about him is his size. You're not used to seeing 6-2, 6-3 corners who are built like he is."

 

From cornerbacks coach Phil Elmassian: "Size, intelligence, speed, competitive(ness). Everything we saw on film. He's everything we thought we were going to get. He's fun to coach."From quarterback Joey Ganz: "What an incredible athlete he is. The kid's a football player. You can just tell by the way he moves, the way he runs, the way he closes on the ball. He's going to be a powerful football player."

 

Want on-the-field proof? Take Friday's practice, and Bowman's accomplishments during his first four plays of a 7-on-7 drill — interception, pass breakup, interception, forced fumble.Saturday morning, Bowman was wearing the coveted yellow Tour De Camp jersey given to the outstanding defensive player from the previous day. By Saturday afternoon, he'd replaced it with his normal red jersey.

 

"I didn't feel comfortable with it," Bowman said of wearing yellow. "All of the stuff I did (Friday) I'm supposed to do. I shouldn't get rewarded for doing it. That's my job."

OK, so what's not to love about this guy?

 

He's 6-2, 190 pounds, runs a 4.3 in the 40-yard dash, has two years of junior college experience, is humble, and just happens to play a position where the Huskers desperately need a big boost from a big difference maker.

 

Last season, if you haven't heard, Nebraska had the nation's 110th-ranked pass defense.

 

"What I seen that hurt them was the deep route," Bowman said. "They'll play the short routes good, but the deep route, they'll get beat, and the guy would end up catching a 40-yard touchdown pass."

 

It just so happens that Bowman's specialty is guarding against the deep ball. LeFlore remembers one time, during 7-on-7 workouts in the summer, when receiver Frantz Hardy ran a post on Bowman.

 

"And Zack caught up with Frantz and intercepted the ball," LeFlore said. "That's something I'll never forget, because I know how fast Frantz is."

When lining up across from Bowman, LeFlore said, you'd better have a plan.

 

"You just can't go up on the line against Zack and think you're going to run anything," he said. "He'll put some hands on you and drive you out of bounds. You have to work on your releases, your swipes, a couple of different things Coach (Ted) Gilmore has taught us when we go one-on-one with (defensive backs)."

 

Taylor, in line to become Nebraska's starting quarterback, said he hates to admit it but Bowman has picked him off a few times.

 

"He's just a smart corner," Taylor said. "He knows when to bait you. He has good route recognition."

 

Taylor isn't alone. True freshman Harrison Beck threw a pass Thursday that Bowman intercepted and returned some 85 yards for a touchdown, according to players and coaches. They were still talking about the play Saturday.

 

"Harrison threw a go-route, left it a little inside, Zack picked it off, carried it out to the 20-yard line, and he made about four or five guys miss," Ganz said. "Harrison had a chance to tackle him but Zack give him a little shoulder fake, and his knees buckled, and he just took it all the way."

 

Cool, yes. But what really impressed Elmassian was that Bowman, after having just ran nearly the length of the field, returned for the next play. Beck connected with Shamus McKoy on a post pattern, and McKoy ran about 60 yards.

The only reason he didn't score? Bowman darted across the field and caught up with McKoy, making a touchdown-saving tackle.

 

"He gets better every day," Nebraska defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove said. "He's a tremendous athlete."

 

After all the praise and firsthand accounts of Bowman's prowess, it probably sounds odd that nobody (on the coaching staff, at least) has declared Bowman a clear-cut starter. Bowman admits he's still learning, that at the Division I-A level, there's more attention to concepts, techniques and principles than in junior college.

 

But if you're looking for a pure playmaker ... well, there's little reason for Bowman to sit out too much.

 

"I'm just out here making plays," Bowman said. "I've told myself I'm going to make mistakes. I've just got to make plays and make up for those mistakes."

 

Also per LJS:

 

Defensive lineman Ola Dagunduro (ankle) was wearing a walking boot and using crutches Saturday afternoon. BUMMER, BUMMER, BUMMER

.

 

Callahan said there was a "competitive spirit" during the morning scrimmage. "I can't even begin to tell you how many guys (stood out)," he said. "Our defense played well on all three levels, secondary, linebackers, defensive line."

 

Terrence Nunn, Tiedtke? and Grixby are in the lead pack of players competing for the starting punt return job, said receivers coach Ted Gilmore, who oversees punt returners. He said coaches will continue to chart practices until the week of the opener before determining the starter. Meanwhile, nearly a dozen players are competing to handle kickoff return duties, said coach Bill Callahan. Also, Busch said Leon Jackson and Robert Rands, both true freshmen, are getting looks at returning kicks. Very Happy

[Pedro Guerrero]

Saturday morning, Bowman was wearing the coveted yellow Tour De Camp jersey given to the outstanding defensive player from the previous day. By Saturday afternoon, he'd replaced it with his normal red jersey.

 

"I didn't feel comfortable with it," Bowman said of wearing yellow. "All of the stuff I did (Friday) I'm supposed to do. I shouldn't get rewarded for doing it. That's my job."

I love these statements. It shows where this guys stands as far as team first. I know it is practice but he sounds like a freakin stud.

[Spartness]

It means that Green and Grisby or even Wilson are going to be tested a lot. Guess what direction opponents are going to throw the ball? Not Bowman's way if they can help it. I hope Bowman is being taught to play both corners so he can cover each opponent's best receiver. This of course means that Green, Grisby, etc. would have to play both sides. Is Callahan being flexible about this?

[BigRedJake]

It means that Green and Grisby or even Wilson are going to be tested a lot. Guess what direction opponents are going to throw the ball? Not Bowman's way if they can help it. I hope Bowman is being taught to play both corners so he can cover each opponent's best receiver. This of course means that Green, Grisby, etc. would have to play both sides. Is Callahan being flexible about this?

The difference between both sides as corner is a whole lot less than say weak and strong side linebacker or right and left end. Heck, the nickel back is going to be all over the place. Your #1 CB will always line up accross from their best reciever, be he strong side, weak side or otherwise.

[Husker19941995]

Ola is feeling better and is walking around without the crutches.. Coaches says he'll be fine and will be ready to go..

[JR 5]

Sounds like Bowman is the real deal. Now that Leon has shifted over to the defensive side of the ball, we may have decent (not great, but decent) depth in the secondary.

[indianahusker]

Sounds like Bowman is the real deal. Now that Leon has shifted over to the defensive side of the ball, we may have decent (not great, but decent) depth in the secondary.

[StuckinChicago]

Yeah, thank god for that. I think Andrew would be an adequate free safety, but the depth behind him was just scary. We need some fresh bodies at that position, and Leon could turn out to be a game breaker if we give him the chance. My favorite quote about him is from his high school quarterback, who said that "all I know, is that when number 23 touches the ball, he scores a touchdown." This guy has big play potential written all over him, which is exactly what you want at the free position.