Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
Evwaraye has QB's back
There was a time, Seppo Evwaraye admits, when he didn't want to play on the offensive line.
Because of selfish motives, he said, he wanted to play along the defensive line and build impressive tackle statistics and make highlight-reel hits. Perhaps he'd even perform those self-indulgent post-sack celebrations that have become so popular.
"I wanted that recognition," Evwaraye says. "And I wanted to be a little more of an individual. I wanted to make sure people knew what I was getting done on the field."
Evwaraye no doubt recognizes the irony at work as Nebraska plows through its second spring of practices in head coach Bill Callahan's pass-oriented offensive system.
These days, as the Huskers' No. 1 offensive left tackle, Evwaraye likely will attract more attention if he fails at his task than if he completes it.
If Evwaraye fails to protect the quarterback's blind side, well, Husker Nation will discharge a simultaneous gasp as a hard-charging defensive lineman either:
A) Sacks the QB for a sizable loss; or
B) Knocks the ball from the QB's grip, causing all sorts of problems.
"Your left tackle has got to be your best pass blocker, and Seppo's a proven guy at tackle," said Nebraska offensive line coach Dennis Wagner, referring to Evwaraye's performance as starting right tackle last season following three years as a defensive lineman.
"You know, Seppo's a good football player," Wagner added. "He'd be the first to tell you he's got a lot to work on right now. But we're challenging him to play that tough position and win in one-on-one pass protection."
Evwaraye, a 6-foot-5, 330-pound senior from Laurel, said Saturday — Nebraska's third day of spring drills — that he remains in an "experimental phase" in his move from right tackle to left tackle, where Mike Erickson started last season as a senior.
So far, Wagner said, Evwaraye has adapted well.
"I mean, he's still in the phase of trying to learn," said Wagner, emphasizing Callahan's system of requiring offensive linemen to play multiple positions.
To that end, Wagner said, Evwaraye could move back to right tackle or even right guard.
"Pretty much the first seven or eight practices this spring, he'll stay at left tackle, and then we'll start moving him around a little bit," Wagner said.
Wagner said Evwaraye became a leader along the offensive line last season, when the Huskers favored running the ball to the right side of the line.
During a 5-6 season, Nebraska's running game was one of the bright spots, as I-back Cory Ross rushed for 1,102 yards. Meanwhile, the Huskers allowed only 16 sacks.
Wagner feels he now has a solid 11-man rotation, led by returning starters Evwaraye, senior left guard Brandon Koch and junior center Kurt Mann.
Along with Erickson, the Huskers lost starting guard Jake Andersen and top backups Darren DeLone and Nick Povendo.
"We actually had more bodies last year, but we've got better players right now," Wagner said. "What I'm saying by that is, we've got guys who are more prepared, we've got guys who are physically strong."
Evwaraye said Nebraska offensive linemen, with a year in Callahan's system, can react instead of thinking too much as they step to the line of scrimmage.
Wagner said the players' greater familiarity with the system could help Nebraska achieve one of its primary goals — to establish a quicker offensive tempo that keeps pressure on defenses.
Evwaraye embraces the challenge of his new position. The hardest part of his transition, he said, is learning different footwork and a new stance. What's more, he said, he recognizes the inherent pressure on a left tackle in an offense that features a right-handed quarterback.
After all, Evwaraye said, check out the exorbitant salaries of left tackles in the National Football League.
"Most of the time, you're on an island," Evwaraye said. "You're responsible for the quarterback's back side. You need a guy there who's as solid as a rock because the quarterback will never see the hit coming."
Evwaraye was asked if he regards his move to left tackle as something of an honor, considering the importance of the position.
"I don't really look at it like that," he said. "I just look at it as being a need the team has right now."
Those days of Evwaraye having selfish motives? They've gone the way of Nebraska's run-oriented offense.
There was a time, Seppo Evwaraye admits, when he didn't want to play on the offensive line.
Because of selfish motives, he said, he wanted to play along the defensive line and build impressive tackle statistics and make highlight-reel hits. Perhaps he'd even perform those self-indulgent post-sack celebrations that have become so popular.
"I wanted that recognition," Evwaraye says. "And I wanted to be a little more of an individual. I wanted to make sure people knew what I was getting done on the field."
Evwaraye no doubt recognizes the irony at work as Nebraska plows through its second spring of practices in head coach Bill Callahan's pass-oriented offensive system.
These days, as the Huskers' No. 1 offensive left tackle, Evwaraye likely will attract more attention if he fails at his task than if he completes it.
If Evwaraye fails to protect the quarterback's blind side, well, Husker Nation will discharge a simultaneous gasp as a hard-charging defensive lineman either:
A) Sacks the QB for a sizable loss; or
B) Knocks the ball from the QB's grip, causing all sorts of problems.
"Your left tackle has got to be your best pass blocker, and Seppo's a proven guy at tackle," said Nebraska offensive line coach Dennis Wagner, referring to Evwaraye's performance as starting right tackle last season following three years as a defensive lineman.
"You know, Seppo's a good football player," Wagner added. "He'd be the first to tell you he's got a lot to work on right now. But we're challenging him to play that tough position and win in one-on-one pass protection."
Evwaraye, a 6-foot-5, 330-pound senior from Laurel, said Saturday — Nebraska's third day of spring drills — that he remains in an "experimental phase" in his move from right tackle to left tackle, where Mike Erickson started last season as a senior.
So far, Wagner said, Evwaraye has adapted well.
"I mean, he's still in the phase of trying to learn," said Wagner, emphasizing Callahan's system of requiring offensive linemen to play multiple positions.
To that end, Wagner said, Evwaraye could move back to right tackle or even right guard.
"Pretty much the first seven or eight practices this spring, he'll stay at left tackle, and then we'll start moving him around a little bit," Wagner said.
Wagner said Evwaraye became a leader along the offensive line last season, when the Huskers favored running the ball to the right side of the line.
During a 5-6 season, Nebraska's running game was one of the bright spots, as I-back Cory Ross rushed for 1,102 yards. Meanwhile, the Huskers allowed only 16 sacks.
Wagner feels he now has a solid 11-man rotation, led by returning starters Evwaraye, senior left guard Brandon Koch and junior center Kurt Mann.
Along with Erickson, the Huskers lost starting guard Jake Andersen and top backups Darren DeLone and Nick Povendo.
"We actually had more bodies last year, but we've got better players right now," Wagner said. "What I'm saying by that is, we've got guys who are more prepared, we've got guys who are physically strong."
Evwaraye said Nebraska offensive linemen, with a year in Callahan's system, can react instead of thinking too much as they step to the line of scrimmage.
Wagner said the players' greater familiarity with the system could help Nebraska achieve one of its primary goals — to establish a quicker offensive tempo that keeps pressure on defenses.
Evwaraye embraces the challenge of his new position. The hardest part of his transition, he said, is learning different footwork and a new stance. What's more, he said, he recognizes the inherent pressure on a left tackle in an offense that features a right-handed quarterback.
After all, Evwaraye said, check out the exorbitant salaries of left tackles in the National Football League.
"Most of the time, you're on an island," Evwaraye said. "You're responsible for the quarterback's back side. You need a guy there who's as solid as a rock because the quarterback will never see the hit coming."
Evwaraye was asked if he regards his move to left tackle as something of an honor, considering the importance of the position.
"I don't really look at it like that," he said. "I just look at it as being a need the team has right now."
Those days of Evwaraye having selfish motives? They've gone the way of Nebraska's run-oriented offense.