NU Football: Lucky sees bright side on the field

Eric the Red

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NU Football: Lucky sees bright side on the field

BY RICH KAIPUST

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LINCOLN - It's been interesting through spring football practice to hear Nebraska head coach Bill Callahan and assistant coach Randy Jordan put so much stock in a player's facial expression and body language.

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"I couldn't be more pleased with his efforts and focus and concentration," coach Bill Callahan said of Husker I-back Marlon Lucky.

Both have mentioned more than once how good it is to see I-back Marlon Lucky smiling so much. To see a little spring in his step. In meetings, in practice . . . in general.

Yes, they've also said Lucky is looking bigger and faster and seeing the field better. But they smile when they talk about Lucky's smile.

It might be something to look for Saturday at the NU spring game.

"I hope the crowd sees a more energetic, more smiling Marlon," said Jordan, the Huskers' running backs coach. "We talk about it all the time, that the biggest thing is to enjoy the ride. Don't be in such a hurry to get to the end of the road. Enjoy the journey. So I hope that they see a Marlon that's going to go out and play hard, and I hope they see that in all of our guys."

Nebraska spring gameWhen: 12:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln

Tickets: General admission tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for youth (high school age and younger) and senior citizens. UNL students, faculty and staff members are free upon presentation of their valid NU ID.

Not all of NU's guys have had so much happen to them in recent months.

John Blake, the Nebraska assistant who brought Lucky to Lincoln and developed into a father figure, left in December for North Carolina. Fellow I-back Brandon Jackson, a competitor in the NU backfield but a close friend and roommate, took off in January for the NFL.

Then came Lucky's scare in February when he was hospitalized after an unspecified medical emergency, putting his immediate playing future in doubt but also placing football into perspective for someone just approaching his 21st birthday.

So it's no wonder his every move and mannerism was being studied.

"I see a difference in him on the field," I-back Cody Glenn said. "When he's out here, he's more happy, he's having fun. When we're in the meeting rooms, he's joking, it seems like. I guess he's put everything in perspective. He just seems real happy right now."

Lucky has asked to wait on his first spring media interview. The staff has continued to decline specific comment on any details or aftereffects of Lucky's hospitalization, as has his family and guardian.

But Callahan has offered nothing but positive reports through three weeks of spring workouts.

"I couldn't be more pleased with his efforts and focus and concentration," he said. "He's really done a terrific job, and it's good to see him doing really well."

Albeit via a circuitous route, Lucky might be closing in on the stardom predicted for him when he signed out of North Hollywood, Calif., in 2005.

Glenn said the pressure of being a big-time recruit might finally have eased for Lucky. Jordan said maybe he's just more comfortable with his surroundings - both in Lincoln and in the Husker offense.

"I always say this offense takes you at least two years to really be able to understand the lingo and understand what's going on," Jordan said. "The first two years, it feels like you're in Japan and you don't have a (translation) book, and everybody's speaking a different language. I think that's part of it, that he's been able to go out and communicate what he sees to me on the field, and to be able to communicate to Coach Callahan what plays he likes to run.

"I really see a change in him this year, and I hope that it continues to be for the better."

Lucky was slow out of the chute in 2005 as Nebraska relied on Cory Ross. Sharing time last season with Jackson, Glenn and Kenny Wilson, the 6-foot, 210-pounder ran for 728 yards and six touchdowns, showing glimpses of his ability.

With Jackson gone, Jordan has challenged Lucky to be an all-purpose back. To be durable. To reach the next level.

"He knows that he has a huge opportunity, just like Cody does," Jordan said. "One thing I've challenged him to do was to take care of your body, because you only got one. If he can take care of that body, I think that he can have a really good season."

Callahan said NU has been working with Lucky to become more of a breakaway threat. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry last season, but had only two games in which he broke runs longer than 17 yards.

He threw one of those into Saturday's scrimmage, making safety Rickey Thenarse whiff on a tackle in the open field and scoring from about 30 yards out.

"He's just maturing," NU quarterback Joe Ganz said. "He's seeing the field a lot better, his overall speed has improved, he's gotten bigger. The off-season really helped him out, and his vision is second to none in the conference. He sees cutback lanes that I didn't think anybody could see."

Lucky isn't one to share too much information, but Glenn said he can imagine what it's been like.

"I'll bet a lot of people back home were expecting him to do all these things, and expectations were really high," Glenn said. "Being a five-star recruit and then having to sit for a little while, and going through this and going through that, it was frustrating for him."

Jordan wants to weed out all that bad mojo. It's counterproductive. And unnecessary.

"He has a great attitude," Jordan said. "I've probably gotten closer to Marlon over the past couple months than I ever have been. I appreciate who he is and what he's going to bring to this team."

 
This is his year..... I am pumped for Marlon, I think this kid is gonna be a HUGE asset to our team this year. 1200 rushing 500 receiving.

I hope when he finally talks to the media they don't bring up all that negative crap, though.

 
This is his year..... I am pumped for Marlon, I think this kid is gonna be a HUGE asset to our team this year. 1200 rushing 500 receiving.

I hope when he finally talks to the media they don't bring up all that negative crap, though.

Fat chance in that happening. The media is blood thirsty at all times and will ask all the questions that he dosen't want to answer.

 
He's happy because he was promised PT. haha...i'm kidding.

Its going to be a good year from #20 and #34!

Dang Glenn sounds like a LEADER!

 
I don't care about how many touches. I don't care about how many yds. Don't really care about big blocks either. Didn't recruit this kid to block anyway IMO. What Lucky can do to serve himself and the team best... is find that EZ. He has a good knack of doing just that. Come out each week looking for scoreboard.

Coach Jordan talked about being happy. Yes feel good and enjoy the ride. You only go around once. If it helps him find that promise land (da end zone) ... go for it ... don't worry... be happy... (pardon the pun) be Lucky. In fact leave the field unfullfilled had you not scored that day or set the team for that big score. Like Walter Payton used to do and feel.

Marlon has it all. The tools, the experience, the situation and the ball in his hands now. He has pure instincts. Takes care of the ball. Always has it in the right hand (something BJax could of taken a lesson from), catches well out of the backfield and by golly didn't he even throw for a score last season? We haven't even tapped all of his resources yet.

Otherwise find him a good woman (not some Mustang Sally) and watch him shift it in 4th gear....(LMAO... inside joke). Now that would make a busta bust a move.

 
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