np_husker
Starter
Lucky's maturity shows on field
BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
http://huskerextra.com/articles/2008/10/28...95211994482.txt
Marlon Lucky left the practice field Monday in street clothes, his left foot in a walking boot.
He was still smiling, still joking.
“I’ll talk,” Lucky said to reporters, “if you don’t ask about my foot.”
The first question: “How’s your foot?”
Lucky laughed.
His good spirits indicated his injury probably isn’t serious. Nebraska coach Bo Pelini confirmed as much, saying Lucky sat out for precautionary reasons and should return to practice by Wednesday “at the very latest.”
But Lucky’s lighthearted mood is a sign of something else, too. Something coaches have seen evolve with the senior running back in the 10 months they’ve been in Lincoln.
He’s growing up.
“His leadership role has gotten better,” first-year running backs coach Tim Beck said. “You see him speaking up more. You see him dragging the team almost, to some degree.”
That halftime speech by Phillip Dillard on Saturday? Lucky was part of that, too, Beck said.
“Maybe in the past he was quiet and worried about himself, and maybe, ‘I’ll do my thing,’” he said. “He’s really grown up and matured and become a real good leader for us.”
Lucky, who’s taken a stranglehold on his starting position in recent weeks, credits the new coaching staff — especially Beck — for pushing him.
Coaches were point-blank when they arrived. They told Lucky he wasn’t practicing hard enough.
Was he?
“Not to my full potential,” Lucky said. “I think I could’ve gave more. But nobody really ever tried to grab it out of me. But these coaches, they have. They sat me down, ‘You want to play? You’ve got to practice.’ It gave me my boost. Another level came out of me.
“This staff is more loving and just tells you up front what they need and what they want from you.”
Lucky responded, although his on-field performance wasn’t really reflecting that. He rushed seven times for 23 yards against San Jose State. Eight times for 17 yards against Virginia Tech. The man who set a school record with 75 receptions last season didn’t catch a pass in two of Nebraska’s first five games.
Then offensive coordinator Shawn Watson began implementing more spread looks after the Missouri game, getting Lucky — and others — in open space.
Why give Lucky the ball 9 yards deep in the backfield against a stacked box, when you could throw him a quick little flare and have him take on a safety one-on-one?
“(Opponents) have to cover the whole field, they have to cover all your guys,” Beck said. “We’re spreading the ball, everyone’s catching it now. It’s hard to be one-dimensional in this offense.”
It’s a basic offense, Lucky said. Less thinking, more playing. Simple as that.
“I couldn’t get in a rhythm earlier in the year,” Lucky said. “Now I know what to bring to the table. Every time I go out there, I’ve got to bring my ‘A’ game.”
Lucky had a season-high 165 yards of total offense — 83 rushing, 82 receiving — in Saturday’s 32-20 victory against Baylor. His 16 rushes equaled his season high from the Texas Tech game, when he ran for 66 yards. His 74 rushing yards against Iowa State came on 15 carries — two on direct snaps.
“I think he’s seeing things a little better, he’s finishing his runs harder,” Beck said. “He’s really just been playing well in everything, getting the ball out in space. He’s catching the ball well, his protection’s been good. He’s been the most consistent guy for us right now.”
It helps, too, that Nebraska’s been averaging 80 plays over its last three games. That means more opportunities for everybody, not just Lucky. Nebraska still uses Roy Helu and Quentin Castille. Before the recent offensive changes, some fans and media questioned the rotation, and whether Lucky should top it.
“Coach said they’d give it to the hot player. Whoever gets in there has got to do what they can,” Lucky said.
“We’ve all got different talents, and we’ve all got different things we bring to the game. Coach is using all of us because we’re all weapons.”
BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
http://huskerextra.com/articles/2008/10/28...95211994482.txt
Marlon Lucky left the practice field Monday in street clothes, his left foot in a walking boot.
He was still smiling, still joking.
“I’ll talk,” Lucky said to reporters, “if you don’t ask about my foot.”
The first question: “How’s your foot?”
Lucky laughed.
His good spirits indicated his injury probably isn’t serious. Nebraska coach Bo Pelini confirmed as much, saying Lucky sat out for precautionary reasons and should return to practice by Wednesday “at the very latest.”
But Lucky’s lighthearted mood is a sign of something else, too. Something coaches have seen evolve with the senior running back in the 10 months they’ve been in Lincoln.
He’s growing up.
“His leadership role has gotten better,” first-year running backs coach Tim Beck said. “You see him speaking up more. You see him dragging the team almost, to some degree.”
That halftime speech by Phillip Dillard on Saturday? Lucky was part of that, too, Beck said.
“Maybe in the past he was quiet and worried about himself, and maybe, ‘I’ll do my thing,’” he said. “He’s really grown up and matured and become a real good leader for us.”
Lucky, who’s taken a stranglehold on his starting position in recent weeks, credits the new coaching staff — especially Beck — for pushing him.
Coaches were point-blank when they arrived. They told Lucky he wasn’t practicing hard enough.
Was he?
“Not to my full potential,” Lucky said. “I think I could’ve gave more. But nobody really ever tried to grab it out of me. But these coaches, they have. They sat me down, ‘You want to play? You’ve got to practice.’ It gave me my boost. Another level came out of me.
“This staff is more loving and just tells you up front what they need and what they want from you.”
Lucky responded, although his on-field performance wasn’t really reflecting that. He rushed seven times for 23 yards against San Jose State. Eight times for 17 yards against Virginia Tech. The man who set a school record with 75 receptions last season didn’t catch a pass in two of Nebraska’s first five games.
Then offensive coordinator Shawn Watson began implementing more spread looks after the Missouri game, getting Lucky — and others — in open space.
Why give Lucky the ball 9 yards deep in the backfield against a stacked box, when you could throw him a quick little flare and have him take on a safety one-on-one?
“(Opponents) have to cover the whole field, they have to cover all your guys,” Beck said. “We’re spreading the ball, everyone’s catching it now. It’s hard to be one-dimensional in this offense.”
It’s a basic offense, Lucky said. Less thinking, more playing. Simple as that.
“I couldn’t get in a rhythm earlier in the year,” Lucky said. “Now I know what to bring to the table. Every time I go out there, I’ve got to bring my ‘A’ game.”
Lucky had a season-high 165 yards of total offense — 83 rushing, 82 receiving — in Saturday’s 32-20 victory against Baylor. His 16 rushes equaled his season high from the Texas Tech game, when he ran for 66 yards. His 74 rushing yards against Iowa State came on 15 carries — two on direct snaps.
“I think he’s seeing things a little better, he’s finishing his runs harder,” Beck said. “He’s really just been playing well in everything, getting the ball out in space. He’s catching the ball well, his protection’s been good. He’s been the most consistent guy for us right now.”
It helps, too, that Nebraska’s been averaging 80 plays over its last three games. That means more opportunities for everybody, not just Lucky. Nebraska still uses Roy Helu and Quentin Castille. Before the recent offensive changes, some fans and media questioned the rotation, and whether Lucky should top it.
“Coach said they’d give it to the hot player. Whoever gets in there has got to do what they can,” Lucky said.
“We’ve all got different talents, and we’ve all got different things we bring to the game. Coach is using all of us because we’re all weapons.”
