Practice report: PJ Smith says spring is wide open for all

[Nexus]

Remember before spring practices began, when Bo Pelini stressed in his news conference that coaches are using no depth chart?

 

That’s for real, P.J. Smith said.

 

“There’s no depth chart. We have groups one, two, three, four, but that’s not the depth chart,” said Smith, a sophomore safety. “He’ll take somebody from group one and tell him to go down to group three or four. They’re just throwing us all around, trying to get everybody an even opportunity.”

 

Smith, a reserve last season who’s vying for a starting position, said he wouldn’t have it any other way this time of year.

 

“It’s a big time to step up and let all the coaches know you’re ready to play,” he said. “Spring is wide open for anybody. It doesn’t matter what position.”

 

Smith said many young players in the secondary are “stepping up,” and that a main goal now is to eliminate repeat errors.

 

“Like coach said, he doesn’t think there’s one player in the secondary who doesn’t know what they’re doing,” Smith said. “Everybody’s getting the same amount of reps.”

 

Practice Friday: The Nebraska offense had the upper hand in Friday’s practice, players and coaches said.

 

“(The) offense kind of got after us a little bit today,” said senior defensive end Pierre Allen. “I hate to say it, but it is what it is. We’re building. Just got a lot of technique issues, but it’s going to get better.”

 

Said Bo Pelini: “I thought we had a real good practice offensively. We did some good things on both sides of the football. We’ve have a lot of things we’ve got to get cleaned up. We haven’t installed in a few days. We’re just kind of sticking with what we have in right now.”

 

Saturday’s practice will be a mix of scrimmaging and normal practice, Pelini said.

 

“We have a lot of basic things we’ve got to keep getting fixed and keep working on. Overall, it’s OK.”

 

Injury update: Pelini said sophomore linebacker Micah Kreikemeier is sidelined with an elbow injury. “Nothing significant,” he said. “He basically has some debris in there we’ve got to get cleaned up.”

 

Aiming high: Injuries and a fair share of criticism fell on Nebraska’s offensive line last year.

 

The Huskers averaged 147 rushing yards and 322.8 total yards a game in 2009. There were some bright spots, but also moments like the Texas game when NU managed 67 rushing yards on 35 carries.

 

But senior left guard Keith Williams is thinking big in 2010. With more depth on the line this year, the Huskers also have their sights set high.

 

“Our whole deal is to be physical and be the best offensive line in the Big 12 and eventually in the country,” Williams said. “So we’re going to work on that.”

 

The 6-foot-5, 310-pound Williams said it’s important that, as a senior, he is leading by example and putting everything out there each day.

 

“I got to make guys hungry,” Williams said.

 

“I’m not really that big, loud guy, but I help with the young guys, bringing them along … because we really need each guy. We really need depth.”

 

May’s mental reps: Coaches were heavy on praise for junior linebacker Mathew May leading into last season.

 

But just when it seemed like the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Imperial native could be a major factor, a stinger injury stymied his progress.

 

May remained injury-riddled this spring, out for all the practices with a hamstring injury.

 

So how tough will it be for May to be a main contender in the linebacker competition this spring?

 

“It’s always difficult,” linebackers coach Mike Ekeler said. “He’s missing out on a lot of reps, but he’s taking great mental reps. He’s with some of the younger guys right now and really coaching. And he comes down between periods and he’s asking me questions. … So he’s getting it. He’s seeing it from a different vantage point and taking advantage of it.”

 

Attention to detail: At this point, Ekeler isn’t ready to declare anyone ahead in the battle at linebacker. He cites Will Compton, Sean Fisher, Alonzo Whaley, Graham Stoddard and Thomas Grove as potential candidates who have all shown improvements.

 

“It’s so early. It’s so early. All these guys have so much more to go,” Ekeler said. “But what I like right now is I like the attention to detail these guys are putting in, I like the effort, and I like the physical nature of the whole group. You would have thought it was a game at times (during practices).”

 

LINK