Eric the Red
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Green adjusts to cornerback position
By ROBIN WASHUT
Daily Nebraskan
November 16, 2005
It’s never really been the thought of being in the spotlight that drives Tierre Green.
At the end of spring practices, Green had just made one of the most dramatic transitions on the team by changing positions and moving from a backup I-back to Nebraska’s starting right cornerback.
Everyone knew the sophomore from Omaha had all the athletic ability in the world; it had just been a matter of finding the best place to put it.
For a brief moment, it had appeared Green had found that place.
Not even two months after he made his first career start in the Cornhuskers’ season opener, though, Green’s progress hit a wall.
Before the start of NU’s game against Oklahoma on Oct. 29, Green learned that juco transfer Zackary Bowman would be starting in his place, and that Green would work in on specific defensive packages.
Bowman has been starting ever since.
As frustrating as it was for Green to watch his starting job slip from his grasp, he has been able to maintain a positive outlook about his situation.
For Green, it’s not about being a starter. It’s about doing whatever he can to help his team win.
“The whole thing is, you’ve got to make play, and Zack’s out there making plays right now,” Green said. “That’s the way it should be. If a guy deserves to play, he should be out there. You can’t take that as an insult. It just means you have to get better.”
So far this season, Green has played in all 10 games with seven starts.
His 27 tackles and four pass breakups rank 10th and seventh on the team respectively, and he also leads the Huskers with nine kickoff returns with a 24.8-yard per return average.
Green’s numbers are admittedly lower than where he had hoped they would be coming into the season, but he is more concerned about other things to get caught up in worrying about statistics.
He’s more focused on the little stuff that doesn’t go down in the stat books.
“(NU Cornerbacks Coach Phil Elmassian) always talks about the point of attack, and what you do when the ball comes your way or when you have a chance to make a tackle,” Green said. “He obviously feels that Zack is doing those things well enough to start. If Coach thinks that I’m playing well enough, I’m sure I’ll be right back there. But it’s nothing that’s up to me.”
According to his teammates, Green’s positive attitude has been due in part to the close-knit relationships NU’s cornerbacks have with each other.
Since the start of the season, Elmassian and the Husker corners have stressed the fact that they consider themselves to have three starting cornerbacks.
All three – Green, Bowman and sophomore Cortney Grixby – have Blackshirts, and all three have started at least three games.
Deciding who earns the starting job, they say, depends on two things: who their opponent’s receivers are and who has the best week of practice.
“We’ve always said we run a three-cornerback system,” Grixby said. “Tierre’s still a Blackshirt, and he’s still an important part of our team. It just happens that he plays very well in the slots, and he likes to play inside. But as for him not starting, none of us have really noticed it.”
For Bowman, Green has played a significant role in his development and understanding of the system.
“We don’t care who starts, we’re just all glad we’re here,” Bowman said. “T’s helped me a lot. He worked with me all summer and gave me advice on how to get better. He has been a big help.”
With the amount of youth the Huskers possess at the position, it’s not likely the current multi-effort system at cornerback will change anytime soon.
The question of whether Green ever starts a game again is still up in the air, but there’s no doubt he will continue giving everything he has in every game and every practice – in the spotlight or not.
“I’ll never be content,” Green said. “When you believe you’ve arrived, that’s when you’re going to lose. That’s when you start lacking motivation. I definitely want to start again, especially since I’ve got a taste of it.”
By ROBIN WASHUT
Daily Nebraskan
November 16, 2005
It’s never really been the thought of being in the spotlight that drives Tierre Green.
At the end of spring practices, Green had just made one of the most dramatic transitions on the team by changing positions and moving from a backup I-back to Nebraska’s starting right cornerback.
Everyone knew the sophomore from Omaha had all the athletic ability in the world; it had just been a matter of finding the best place to put it.
For a brief moment, it had appeared Green had found that place.
Not even two months after he made his first career start in the Cornhuskers’ season opener, though, Green’s progress hit a wall.
Before the start of NU’s game against Oklahoma on Oct. 29, Green learned that juco transfer Zackary Bowman would be starting in his place, and that Green would work in on specific defensive packages.
Bowman has been starting ever since.
As frustrating as it was for Green to watch his starting job slip from his grasp, he has been able to maintain a positive outlook about his situation.
For Green, it’s not about being a starter. It’s about doing whatever he can to help his team win.
“The whole thing is, you’ve got to make play, and Zack’s out there making plays right now,” Green said. “That’s the way it should be. If a guy deserves to play, he should be out there. You can’t take that as an insult. It just means you have to get better.”
So far this season, Green has played in all 10 games with seven starts.
His 27 tackles and four pass breakups rank 10th and seventh on the team respectively, and he also leads the Huskers with nine kickoff returns with a 24.8-yard per return average.
Green’s numbers are admittedly lower than where he had hoped they would be coming into the season, but he is more concerned about other things to get caught up in worrying about statistics.
He’s more focused on the little stuff that doesn’t go down in the stat books.
“(NU Cornerbacks Coach Phil Elmassian) always talks about the point of attack, and what you do when the ball comes your way or when you have a chance to make a tackle,” Green said. “He obviously feels that Zack is doing those things well enough to start. If Coach thinks that I’m playing well enough, I’m sure I’ll be right back there. But it’s nothing that’s up to me.”
According to his teammates, Green’s positive attitude has been due in part to the close-knit relationships NU’s cornerbacks have with each other.
Since the start of the season, Elmassian and the Husker corners have stressed the fact that they consider themselves to have three starting cornerbacks.
All three – Green, Bowman and sophomore Cortney Grixby – have Blackshirts, and all three have started at least three games.
Deciding who earns the starting job, they say, depends on two things: who their opponent’s receivers are and who has the best week of practice.
“We’ve always said we run a three-cornerback system,” Grixby said. “Tierre’s still a Blackshirt, and he’s still an important part of our team. It just happens that he plays very well in the slots, and he likes to play inside. But as for him not starting, none of us have really noticed it.”
For Bowman, Green has played a significant role in his development and understanding of the system.
“We don’t care who starts, we’re just all glad we’re here,” Bowman said. “T’s helped me a lot. He worked with me all summer and gave me advice on how to get better. He has been a big help.”
With the amount of youth the Huskers possess at the position, it’s not likely the current multi-effort system at cornerback will change anytime soon.
The question of whether Green ever starts a game again is still up in the air, but there’s no doubt he will continue giving everything he has in every game and every practice – in the spotlight or not.
“I’ll never be content,” Green said. “When you believe you’ve arrived, that’s when you’re going to lose. That’s when you start lacking motivation. I definitely want to start again, especially since I’ve got a taste of it.”
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