Steven M. Sipple: Callahan has own version of Marc

[Eric the Red]

Steven M. Sipple: Callahan has own version of March madness

 

Bill Callahan, Nebraska’s football coach/gridiron scientist, lapsed into his version of March Madness.

 

Call it “Minutiae Madness.”

 

Callahan, in an interview last week at Memorial Stadium, was wringing his hands and scratching his head over Nebraska’s kickoff return game. He lamented the number of sky kicks, or short popups, that his return team had to field last season. It skewed the statistics, he said. He went on and on, speaking with a passion typically reserved for more weighty issues, such as Congressional ethics and developing a couple of starting safeties to replace departed seniors.

 

If Nebraska fails to capture the Big 12 North title in 2006 — make no mistake, I’m picking the Huskers to win it — you can’t blame it on Callahan for lacking in detail. He’s a “football guy” through and through. He’s painstaking when it comes to particulars. It’s his modus operandi, and it’s something to behold if you listen and watch closely.

 

The point is, Callahan seems to have all the bases covered. He sees both the small picture (“The only thing I can tell you regarding the sky kicks is, the wind changes everything,” he said) and the big picture (thank goodness for an experienced quarterback). He has one eye on popup kickoffs, the other on developing a running game consistent enough to allow Nebraska to reach the Big 12 championship game Dec. 2 in Kansas City, Mo.

 

However, before you reserve a seat at Arrowhead Stadium, consider:

 

1. Nebraska’s offensive line issues in 2005 probably won’t disappear overnight, and the Huskers feature a band of mostly unproven sophomores at I-back.

 

2. The defense lost to graduation seasoned starters in the very heart of the unit — that is, in the defensive line (Titus Adams and Le Kevin Smith) and the safety positions (Daniel Bullocks and Blake Tiedtke).

 

Callahan said offensive line and running back are his primary concerns entering spring practice, which begins Wednesday and ends April 15 with the annual Red-White Game.

 

“It’s too early to say, ‘This guy is going to be the guy,’ or ‘That guy will be the starter,’ ” Callahan said. “I won’t get boxed into that corner. For these kids’ sake, we need great competitiveness. We’re going to compete like crazy this spring. It’s going to be a lot of fun. With those two positions — running back and o-line — it’ll be a knock-down, drag-out.”

 

I-backs Marlon Lucky, Cody Glenn and Leon Jackson will tussle to gain an upper hand this spring. Callahan was quick to point out that junior college transfer Kenny Wilson will join the fray this summer. No question, Wilson will get a long look. Husker coaches make clear their high regard for him.

 

Meanwhile, junior college transfer Victory Haines arrived in town in December and already is projected by coaches as a top-unit player at tackle, where he’ll compete with returners Chris Patrick, Lydon Murtha and Matt Slauson. Slauson will double as a guard, at least for now. Young players such as Mike Huff, Andy Christensen and Brett Byford will try to lock down playing time at the guard spots. Starting center Kurt Mann will miss the spring with a shoulder injury.

 

On defense, Callahan’s to-do list begins with building strength in the interior line.

 

“Let’s face it, in college football the teams that are winning titles are the teams that have big people inside, teams that are dominating inside, whether it’s Texas, USC or Oklahoma. Those are quality programs with quality interior linemen,” Callahan said.

 

“For us, it’ll be important that Ola Dagunduro has a tremendous spring, as well as Barry Cryer. We’ll look hard at Ndamukong Suh as a nose tackle, and also have the flexibility of taking a player like Ty Steinkuhler and moving him from a five-technique (base end) to (tackle), so we can get more reps from him. That will allow Zach Potter to get more reps (at defensive end).”

 

Tierre Green will start off No. 1 at strong safety, Andrew Shanle at free safety. Both players are unproven as starters at those positions, and depth at both spots is a primary concern.

 

Confidence, particularly on the part of Nebraska’s defensive players, evidently is not an issue.

 

“I think we can be No. 1 in the nation,” Suh said of the Blackshirts. “I see the sky being the limit for this program right now. We’re just inching our way up.”

 

Nebraska’s optimism stems largely from three straight wins to close 2005, stability and poise in quarterback Zac Taylor, increasing comfort in the West Coast offense, and overflowing talent at linebacker and defensive end, where the Huskers have NFL-caliber talent in base end Adam Carriker and emerging NFL talent in open-side end Barry Turner.

 

Yet the Huskers have enough pressing issues (replacing punter Sam Koch comes to mind) to avoid feeling overconfident.

 

So, let spring practice begin. Plenty of questions demand answers. Will Matt Herian regain his 2004 form? Is Harrison Beck far enough in his development? Which players will emerge from relative obscurity? (I’ll pick tight end Josh Mueller and safety Dan Erickson). Is Lucky finally ready to show everything the recruiting gurus promised? Or will the Huskers ultimately gravitate toward Wilson? Have the injured linebackers recovered?

 

And what about those darned popup kickoffs?

[Foppa]

OK, i'll bite.

 

Is anyone else worried about Beck? I worry because NU allows Taylor to get planted about every other play, and Beck, although he is (was) a freshmen, just didn't ever look comfortable. Now I understand that, but some players just have that moxy, ya know...the first time ya saw Frazier? You just knew lol.

 

But here's to me hoping he kicks !ss. Why? Because he's a Husker. And anyone that puts on that jersey can kick *ss whenever they want

[Blackshirtsguru]

OK, i'll bite.

 

Is anyone else worried about Beck? I worry because NU allows Taylor to get planted about every other play, and Beck, although he is (was) a freshmen, just didn't ever look comfortable. Now I understand that, but some players just have that moxy, ya know...the first time ya saw Frazier? You just knew lol.

 

But here's to me hoping he kicks !ss. Why? Because he's a Husker. And anyone that puts on that jersey can kick *ss whenever they want

I think its not fair to grade Beck on how he did last year in what amounted to total of two series. I mean the kid was thrown in there when we were down literally. I think he did what every freshman would of done in that situation.

[Eric the Red]

I don't know how to explain it, but once he throws a few passes, completes a few, is successful for a time you just feel it.

[BigRedDallasTexan]

OK, i'll bite.

 

Is anyone else worried about Beck? I worry because NU allows Taylor to get planted about every other play, and Beck, although he is (was) a freshmen, just didn't ever look comfortable. Now I understand that, but some players just have that moxy, ya know...the first time ya saw Frazier? You just knew lol.

 

But here's to me hoping he kicks !ss. Why? Because he's a Husker. And anyone that puts on that jersey can kick *ss whenever they want

I don't think we can really compare QB's from the Osbourne era and the Callahan era. I understand that you're just talking about intangibles but Frazier had a much better offensive line than Beck had his first time out and his playbook was probably half the size.