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NU Football: Running on new wheels
BY MITCH SHERMAN
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU
LINCOLN — A funny thing happened Friday at a Nebraska football scrimmage as the Huskers moved near the halfway point in this grueling month of preseason drills.
The focus of the team's offensive work shifted. The Sam Keller-Joe Ganz quarterback race temporarily took a backseat, allowing the running backs to shine.
And it was the young backs who took advantage of their opportunities most.
If NU began its season now instead of two weeks from today against Nevada, the bulk of the work at I-back might belong to a pair of unheralded newcomers to the position: Major Culbert and Marcus Mendoza.
Marlon Lucky is working slowly to get back into the mix after suffering a mild concussion last week, and Cody Glenn remains out with a bothersome leg injury. That leaves Culbert and Mendoza as leaders at the position in their grasp of the offense.
Both players said they would feel comfortable if needed this fall. And it looks like they might be needed.
"Anytime I get in, I try to show what I can do," Mendoza said. "But still it's up to the coaches to decide if they want to see what I can do in a game. I feel comfortable, but there are still a lot of things I need to work on."
Mendoza, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound true freshman from Houston, participated in spring practice to earn an advantage in experience over fellow rookies Quentin Castille and Roy Helu.
Mendoza rushed for 700 yards and caught 20 passes last year in high school.
Last year at Nebraska, Culbert played safety and flashed impressive potential before switching to I-back in December practices. He rushed for 1,955 yards in 2005 as a senior at Narbonne High School in Harbor City, Calif.
Coach Bill Callahan mentioned Mendoza and Culbert first Friday in assessing the NU offense after its 55-play scrimmage — the most significant so far in preseason camp.
Nebraska practiced again Friday afternoon and will break today for team pictures and Fan Day events at Memorial Stadium before practicing once Sunday.
"We ran the ball a lot," Callahan said. "We really tried to establish the running game and just kept pounding it and running it, lining up and teeing off. We didn't really do anything in our passing game that was significant in evaluation."
The coach said it was "huge" for the Huskers to get in so much work on the running game.
A year ago, NU rushed for 170.5 yards per game, up from its 96-yard average in 2005. But workhorse Brandon Jackson is gone to the NFL, and Kenny Wilson is out for the year after breaking a leg.
Lucky practiced Friday, though he's taking it slowly in returning to full contact. Glenn has missed an entire week now with a right hamstring injury not believed to be related to the foot problem that caused him to miss four of the final five games last year.
Meanwhile, Mendoza, Culbert, Castille and Helu get more experience.
"When Coach tells us to go in, we're ready," Culbert said. "I think about it like I need to get better every day. If that's taking advantage of the opportunity, then I think we're all doing it."
Mendoza said he's thankful to have spent last spring in Lincoln. Without the extra 15 practices and countless hours to learn the offense, he said, he might be looking at a sure redshirt year.
In the scrimmage Friday, Nebraska used Mendoza in many formations. He lines up wide as a receiving threat and runs the ball from several spots out of the backfield.
Culbert, at 6-foot and 210 pounds, is more of a classic back, though smaller than Lucky, Glenn and Castille.
"I don't feel like a veteran yet (at I-back)," Culbert said, "but I'm coming along pretty well."
The former safety said he has "no idea" if he'll remain at I-back for his entire career or return to defense.
"I know this year, I'll be a running back for sure," he said. "And I'm looking forward to helping out a lot while I've got the chance."
i really like what is being said about our young players
BY MITCH SHERMAN
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU
LINCOLN — A funny thing happened Friday at a Nebraska football scrimmage as the Huskers moved near the halfway point in this grueling month of preseason drills.
The focus of the team's offensive work shifted. The Sam Keller-Joe Ganz quarterback race temporarily took a backseat, allowing the running backs to shine.
And it was the young backs who took advantage of their opportunities most.
If NU began its season now instead of two weeks from today against Nevada, the bulk of the work at I-back might belong to a pair of unheralded newcomers to the position: Major Culbert and Marcus Mendoza.
Marlon Lucky is working slowly to get back into the mix after suffering a mild concussion last week, and Cody Glenn remains out with a bothersome leg injury. That leaves Culbert and Mendoza as leaders at the position in their grasp of the offense.
Both players said they would feel comfortable if needed this fall. And it looks like they might be needed.
"Anytime I get in, I try to show what I can do," Mendoza said. "But still it's up to the coaches to decide if they want to see what I can do in a game. I feel comfortable, but there are still a lot of things I need to work on."
Mendoza, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound true freshman from Houston, participated in spring practice to earn an advantage in experience over fellow rookies Quentin Castille and Roy Helu.
Mendoza rushed for 700 yards and caught 20 passes last year in high school.
Last year at Nebraska, Culbert played safety and flashed impressive potential before switching to I-back in December practices. He rushed for 1,955 yards in 2005 as a senior at Narbonne High School in Harbor City, Calif.
Coach Bill Callahan mentioned Mendoza and Culbert first Friday in assessing the NU offense after its 55-play scrimmage — the most significant so far in preseason camp.
Nebraska practiced again Friday afternoon and will break today for team pictures and Fan Day events at Memorial Stadium before practicing once Sunday.
"We ran the ball a lot," Callahan said. "We really tried to establish the running game and just kept pounding it and running it, lining up and teeing off. We didn't really do anything in our passing game that was significant in evaluation."
The coach said it was "huge" for the Huskers to get in so much work on the running game.
A year ago, NU rushed for 170.5 yards per game, up from its 96-yard average in 2005. But workhorse Brandon Jackson is gone to the NFL, and Kenny Wilson is out for the year after breaking a leg.
Lucky practiced Friday, though he's taking it slowly in returning to full contact. Glenn has missed an entire week now with a right hamstring injury not believed to be related to the foot problem that caused him to miss four of the final five games last year.
Meanwhile, Mendoza, Culbert, Castille and Helu get more experience.
"When Coach tells us to go in, we're ready," Culbert said. "I think about it like I need to get better every day. If that's taking advantage of the opportunity, then I think we're all doing it."
Mendoza said he's thankful to have spent last spring in Lincoln. Without the extra 15 practices and countless hours to learn the offense, he said, he might be looking at a sure redshirt year.
In the scrimmage Friday, Nebraska used Mendoza in many formations. He lines up wide as a receiving threat and runs the ball from several spots out of the backfield.
Culbert, at 6-foot and 210 pounds, is more of a classic back, though smaller than Lucky, Glenn and Castille.
"I don't feel like a veteran yet (at I-back)," Culbert said, "but I'm coming along pretty well."
The former safety said he has "no idea" if he'll remain at I-back for his entire career or return to defense.
"I know this year, I'll be a running back for sure," he said. "And I'm looking forward to helping out a lot while I've got the chance."
i really like what is being said about our young players
