bethelbacker
Special Teams Player
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2006 overall record:
9-5
Conference record:
6-2
Returning starters
Offense: 5, Defense: 5, Kicker/punter: 1
Top returners
WR Maurice Purify, WR Terrence Nunn, C Brett Byford, LT Carl Nicks, LB Bo Ruud, LB Corey McKeon, FS Tierre Green
Key losses
QB Zac Taylor, RB Brandon Jackson, G Greg Austin, DE Jay Moore, DE Adam Carriker, DT Barry Cryer, NT Ola Dagunduro, LB Stewart Bradley, FS Andrew Shanle
Top newcomer: RB Marcus Mendoza Insider
2006 statistical leaders (* returners)
Rushing: Brandon Jackson (1,023 yds)
Passing: Zac Taylor (3,197 yds)
Receiving: Maurice Purify* (630 yds)
Tackles: Stewart Bradley (76)
Sacks: Adam Carriker (7)
Interceptions: Andrew Shanle (4)
Spring answers: 1. Two quarterback options: So much for Arizona State transfer Sam Keller walking into the starting job. While Keller might indeed have a leg up in the race to replace departed starter Zac Taylor, he received a largely unexpected battle from junior Joe Ganz during spring practice. Ganz seems to have a better grasp of the West Coast offense. He completed 11 of 18 passes for 157 yards and one touchdown in the spring game. Keller is more athletic and has a stronger arm, but is still learning the nuances of the Nebraska offense after enrolling there last fall. He completed 10 of 13 passes for 193 yards and one touchdown in in the spring game. The starter won't be determined until fall camp, at the earliest. Freshman Patrick Witt also was very impressive during the spring.
2. Wide receivers: Undoubtedly the strongest position at Nebraska, the receiver corps is talented and experienced. Seniors Maurice Purify and Terrence Nunn combined to catch 76 passes for 1,227 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2006. Seniors Frantz Hardy and Todd Peterson should play bigger roles, and sophomores Menelik Holt and Chris Brooks are rising stars.
3. Experienced linebackers: The Cornhuskers have four senior linebackers back. Bo Ruud moved from the weak side to strong side, where he replaces departed starter Stewart Bradley. The move was precipitated by defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove's wish to get Ruud and Steve Octavien, his two most athletic linebackers, on the field at the same time. Senior Corey McKeon returns in the middle, and senior Lance Brandenburgh provides depth.
4. Safeties: The Cornhuskers expected senior Tierre Green and sophomore Larry Asante to grab the starting safety spots during spring practice, but senior Bryan Wilson played so well that he's slated to start at strong safety. Green, who started at strong safety last year, should play at free safety this fall. After playing only four players at times last season, at least the secondary finally has depth.
5. Watson has Callahan's ear: When former offensive coordinator Jay Norvell left to call plays at UCLA, Callahan wasted no time in promoting tight ends coach Shawn Watson. Watson was an offensive coordinator on Gary Barnett's staff at Colorado. While Callahan intends to keep the play-calling duties for himself, Watson will coach from the press box and might infuse some new ideas into the offense. Watson also coaches the Cornhuskers' quarterbacks now.
Fall questions: 1. Offensive line: The main question coming into camp was whether junior Lydon Murtha and senior Carl Nicks would be good enough to start at the tackle spots, after Chris Patrick unexpectedly entered the NFL supplemental draft and Matt Slauson moved from right tackle to right guard. Both Murtha and Nicks have been plagued by inconsistency during their careers, but each showed enough promise to somewhat ease concerns during the spring. There are no concerns about center Brett Byford, who has evolved into an NFL prospect. Three potential guards -- Jake Hickman (knee), Mike Huff (ruptured Achilles tendon) and Andy Christensen (shoulder surgery) -- didn't participate in spring practice. Guard Keith Williams and tackle D.J. Jones might be future stars.
2. Running back: The Cornhuskers seemed to have an abundance of talent in the backfield. But then leading rusher Brandon Jackson entered the NFL draft as a junior, and senior Kenny Wilson broke his femur while, ahem, moving a TV. That left juniors Marlon Lucky and Cody Glenn to carry the load. Lucky has had a history of ailments that has plagued his progress at Nebraska. He was bothered by a back injury last season, was hospitalized with an undisclosed medical emergency in February and then sprained the medial collateral ligament in his knee in the spring game. Meantime, Glenn has been hampered by a foot injury since November and still isn't fully healed. Incoming freshmen Quentin Castille and Roy Helu might have to help this fall.
3. Defensive line: All four starters are gone from last season's defensive line, including end Adam Carriker, the 13th pick in the NFL draft by the St. Louis Rams. Junior end Barry Turner missed spring practice with a shoulder injury, so converted tight end Clayton Sievers and Zach Potter were playing on the ends. Tackles Barry Cryer and Ola Dagunduro also must be replaced. Callahan believes junior Ndamukong Suh could be a force in the middle, and junior Ty Steinkuhler also should start inside.
4. Zach Bowman's status: Before he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on the third day of fall practice last season, cornerback Zach Bowman was considered a potential first-round pick in the NFL draft. He missed all of the 2006 season and worked diligently to get back this spring. But then he ruptured the patellar tendon in his right knee during spring practice and now faces up to six months of recovery. If Bowman isn't ready for the start of the 2007 season, junior college transfer Armando Murillo better be ready to play. If not, much-maligned senior Cortney Grixby might be starting opposite senior Andre Jones.
5. Kicker: When the Cornhuskers left spring practice, walk-on punter Alex Henery and junior Jake Wesch were battling for the place-kicking job. The job opened when Jordon Congdon, who had fallen out of favor with the coaching staff, transferred to Southern California. Congdon made five of seven field goal tries last season. Incoming freshman Adi Kunalic also figures to be in the mix this fall.
2006 overall record:
9-5
Conference record:
6-2
Returning starters
Offense: 5, Defense: 5, Kicker/punter: 1
Top returners
WR Maurice Purify, WR Terrence Nunn, C Brett Byford, LT Carl Nicks, LB Bo Ruud, LB Corey McKeon, FS Tierre Green
Key losses
QB Zac Taylor, RB Brandon Jackson, G Greg Austin, DE Jay Moore, DE Adam Carriker, DT Barry Cryer, NT Ola Dagunduro, LB Stewart Bradley, FS Andrew Shanle
Top newcomer: RB Marcus Mendoza Insider
2006 statistical leaders (* returners)
Rushing: Brandon Jackson (1,023 yds)
Passing: Zac Taylor (3,197 yds)
Receiving: Maurice Purify* (630 yds)
Tackles: Stewart Bradley (76)
Sacks: Adam Carriker (7)
Interceptions: Andrew Shanle (4)
Spring answers: 1. Two quarterback options: So much for Arizona State transfer Sam Keller walking into the starting job. While Keller might indeed have a leg up in the race to replace departed starter Zac Taylor, he received a largely unexpected battle from junior Joe Ganz during spring practice. Ganz seems to have a better grasp of the West Coast offense. He completed 11 of 18 passes for 157 yards and one touchdown in the spring game. Keller is more athletic and has a stronger arm, but is still learning the nuances of the Nebraska offense after enrolling there last fall. He completed 10 of 13 passes for 193 yards and one touchdown in in the spring game. The starter won't be determined until fall camp, at the earliest. Freshman Patrick Witt also was very impressive during the spring.
2. Wide receivers: Undoubtedly the strongest position at Nebraska, the receiver corps is talented and experienced. Seniors Maurice Purify and Terrence Nunn combined to catch 76 passes for 1,227 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2006. Seniors Frantz Hardy and Todd Peterson should play bigger roles, and sophomores Menelik Holt and Chris Brooks are rising stars.
3. Experienced linebackers: The Cornhuskers have four senior linebackers back. Bo Ruud moved from the weak side to strong side, where he replaces departed starter Stewart Bradley. The move was precipitated by defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove's wish to get Ruud and Steve Octavien, his two most athletic linebackers, on the field at the same time. Senior Corey McKeon returns in the middle, and senior Lance Brandenburgh provides depth.
4. Safeties: The Cornhuskers expected senior Tierre Green and sophomore Larry Asante to grab the starting safety spots during spring practice, but senior Bryan Wilson played so well that he's slated to start at strong safety. Green, who started at strong safety last year, should play at free safety this fall. After playing only four players at times last season, at least the secondary finally has depth.
5. Watson has Callahan's ear: When former offensive coordinator Jay Norvell left to call plays at UCLA, Callahan wasted no time in promoting tight ends coach Shawn Watson. Watson was an offensive coordinator on Gary Barnett's staff at Colorado. While Callahan intends to keep the play-calling duties for himself, Watson will coach from the press box and might infuse some new ideas into the offense. Watson also coaches the Cornhuskers' quarterbacks now.
Fall questions: 1. Offensive line: The main question coming into camp was whether junior Lydon Murtha and senior Carl Nicks would be good enough to start at the tackle spots, after Chris Patrick unexpectedly entered the NFL supplemental draft and Matt Slauson moved from right tackle to right guard. Both Murtha and Nicks have been plagued by inconsistency during their careers, but each showed enough promise to somewhat ease concerns during the spring. There are no concerns about center Brett Byford, who has evolved into an NFL prospect. Three potential guards -- Jake Hickman (knee), Mike Huff (ruptured Achilles tendon) and Andy Christensen (shoulder surgery) -- didn't participate in spring practice. Guard Keith Williams and tackle D.J. Jones might be future stars.
2. Running back: The Cornhuskers seemed to have an abundance of talent in the backfield. But then leading rusher Brandon Jackson entered the NFL draft as a junior, and senior Kenny Wilson broke his femur while, ahem, moving a TV. That left juniors Marlon Lucky and Cody Glenn to carry the load. Lucky has had a history of ailments that has plagued his progress at Nebraska. He was bothered by a back injury last season, was hospitalized with an undisclosed medical emergency in February and then sprained the medial collateral ligament in his knee in the spring game. Meantime, Glenn has been hampered by a foot injury since November and still isn't fully healed. Incoming freshmen Quentin Castille and Roy Helu might have to help this fall.
3. Defensive line: All four starters are gone from last season's defensive line, including end Adam Carriker, the 13th pick in the NFL draft by the St. Louis Rams. Junior end Barry Turner missed spring practice with a shoulder injury, so converted tight end Clayton Sievers and Zach Potter were playing on the ends. Tackles Barry Cryer and Ola Dagunduro also must be replaced. Callahan believes junior Ndamukong Suh could be a force in the middle, and junior Ty Steinkuhler also should start inside.
4. Zach Bowman's status: Before he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on the third day of fall practice last season, cornerback Zach Bowman was considered a potential first-round pick in the NFL draft. He missed all of the 2006 season and worked diligently to get back this spring. But then he ruptured the patellar tendon in his right knee during spring practice and now faces up to six months of recovery. If Bowman isn't ready for the start of the 2007 season, junior college transfer Armando Murillo better be ready to play. If not, much-maligned senior Cortney Grixby might be starting opposite senior Andre Jones.
5. Kicker: When the Cornhuskers left spring practice, walk-on punter Alex Henery and junior Jake Wesch were battling for the place-kicking job. The job opened when Jordon Congdon, who had fallen out of favor with the coaching staff, transferred to Southern California. Congdon made five of seven field goal tries last season. Incoming freshman Adi Kunalic also figures to be in the mix this fall.
