Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
Husker Football Notes, 12/10: Slauson tries hand at right guard
BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star
Saturday, Dec 09, 2006 - 11:07:37 pm CST
Carl Nicks’ late-season emergence at right tackle has allowed Matt Slauson to slide inside to guard this month, Nebraska offensive line coach Dennis Wagner said Saturday as the Huskers convened for their first Cotton Bowl practice.
Slauson’s move isn’t necessarily permanent.
“It’s all about getting your best five linemen on the field,” Wagner said. “We certainly have some time now before the bowl game to decide where we’re at and what we want to do.”
Nebraska takes a 9-4 record into the Jan. 1 bowl game against No. 10 Auburn in Dallas.
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Slauson, a 6-foot-5, 335-pound sophomore, started 11 straight games this season at right tackle before suffering a high ankle sprain against Texas A&M. Nicks has started the last two games at right tackle, against Colorado and last week against Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game.
Slauson never got into the game against the Sooners, although he could have played if needed, Wagner said.
Turns out, Nicks played well, Wagner said.
“There was one play he got beat on,” the coach said. However, “We didn’t feel Carl was doing anything that warranted putting Matt in the game.”
At right guard, Slauson will compete with 12-game starter Mike Huff.
Nicks began his college career as a defensive tackle at New Mexico State before transferring to Hartnell (Calif.) Junior College, where he earned All-America honors in 2005.
“With a junior college player, unless he’s here in the spring, it’s very difficult to pick up the system,” Wagner said, referring to Nebraska’s complex West Coast offense. “It’s just a matter of him feeling comfortable and learning the offense. He’s got all of the ability in the world, but there is a lot more to it than that.
“He’s gotten into a little groove,” the coach added. “But now he’s got to fight. It just gives us more depth and more competition.”
THEIR BIG CHANCE: During Saturday’s practice, several Nebraska freshmen got a taste of some rare full-scale scrimmage action away from the scout team. “The young guys had been begging to scrimmage, so they got their wish,” Husker offensive coordinator Jay Norvell said. “That was kind of exciting to see. (Running back) Justin Makovicka got a bunch of reps, and offensive linemen like D.J. Jones and Keith Williams and Cruz Barrett got a lot of work today.” The freshman offensive linemen engaged in a one-on-one drill that was “pretty spirited,” Norvell said. In addition, transfer quarterback Sam Keller saw plenty of action.
THENARSE ON MOVE? Nebraska true freshman Rickey Thenarse began the season as a free safety before switching to cornerback before the fourth game (he plays as a reserve). He said Saturday there’s a possibility he may switch back to safety for next season. That’s not necessarily a surprise, considering that this past week the Huskers landed an oral commitment from touted junior college cornerback Armando Murillo and learned that Zackary Bowman will stay in school for his senior season instead of leaving early for the NFL. In addition, both of the current starting cornerbacks, Andre Jones and Cortney Grixby, will be seniors next season. Thenarse prefers to play cornerback. “I just feel more comfortable at corner,” he said. However, “I don’t have a problem (with a switch). I just want to contribute to the team.”
ETC. Nebraska will hold a full-scale workout this afternoon. The 22nd-ranked Huskers on Saturday began some work on Auburn (10-2). “Once it gets a little closer to the game, that’s when we’ll really start focusing fully on Auburn,” Grixby said. “Right now, we’re working on a lot of our own techniques and putting in some of the basics for Auburn. At this point, you can knock some of the kinks out that you don’t really get to work on during the season.” . . . Junior center Jordan Picou will now work at nose tackle, defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove said . . . It appears cornerback Tyrell Spain will return to wideout, the position at which he began preseason drills.
BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star
Saturday, Dec 09, 2006 - 11:07:37 pm CST
Carl Nicks’ late-season emergence at right tackle has allowed Matt Slauson to slide inside to guard this month, Nebraska offensive line coach Dennis Wagner said Saturday as the Huskers convened for their first Cotton Bowl practice.
Slauson’s move isn’t necessarily permanent.
“It’s all about getting your best five linemen on the field,” Wagner said. “We certainly have some time now before the bowl game to decide where we’re at and what we want to do.”
Nebraska takes a 9-4 record into the Jan. 1 bowl game against No. 10 Auburn in Dallas.
Advertisement
Slauson, a 6-foot-5, 335-pound sophomore, started 11 straight games this season at right tackle before suffering a high ankle sprain against Texas A&M. Nicks has started the last two games at right tackle, against Colorado and last week against Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game.
Slauson never got into the game against the Sooners, although he could have played if needed, Wagner said.
Turns out, Nicks played well, Wagner said.
“There was one play he got beat on,” the coach said. However, “We didn’t feel Carl was doing anything that warranted putting Matt in the game.”
At right guard, Slauson will compete with 12-game starter Mike Huff.
Nicks began his college career as a defensive tackle at New Mexico State before transferring to Hartnell (Calif.) Junior College, where he earned All-America honors in 2005.
“With a junior college player, unless he’s here in the spring, it’s very difficult to pick up the system,” Wagner said, referring to Nebraska’s complex West Coast offense. “It’s just a matter of him feeling comfortable and learning the offense. He’s got all of the ability in the world, but there is a lot more to it than that.
“He’s gotten into a little groove,” the coach added. “But now he’s got to fight. It just gives us more depth and more competition.”
THEIR BIG CHANCE: During Saturday’s practice, several Nebraska freshmen got a taste of some rare full-scale scrimmage action away from the scout team. “The young guys had been begging to scrimmage, so they got their wish,” Husker offensive coordinator Jay Norvell said. “That was kind of exciting to see. (Running back) Justin Makovicka got a bunch of reps, and offensive linemen like D.J. Jones and Keith Williams and Cruz Barrett got a lot of work today.” The freshman offensive linemen engaged in a one-on-one drill that was “pretty spirited,” Norvell said. In addition, transfer quarterback Sam Keller saw plenty of action.
THENARSE ON MOVE? Nebraska true freshman Rickey Thenarse began the season as a free safety before switching to cornerback before the fourth game (he plays as a reserve). He said Saturday there’s a possibility he may switch back to safety for next season. That’s not necessarily a surprise, considering that this past week the Huskers landed an oral commitment from touted junior college cornerback Armando Murillo and learned that Zackary Bowman will stay in school for his senior season instead of leaving early for the NFL. In addition, both of the current starting cornerbacks, Andre Jones and Cortney Grixby, will be seniors next season. Thenarse prefers to play cornerback. “I just feel more comfortable at corner,” he said. However, “I don’t have a problem (with a switch). I just want to contribute to the team.”
ETC. Nebraska will hold a full-scale workout this afternoon. The 22nd-ranked Huskers on Saturday began some work on Auburn (10-2). “Once it gets a little closer to the game, that’s when we’ll really start focusing fully on Auburn,” Grixby said. “Right now, we’re working on a lot of our own techniques and putting in some of the basics for Auburn. At this point, you can knock some of the kinks out that you don’t really get to work on during the season.” . . . Junior center Jordan Picou will now work at nose tackle, defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove said . . . It appears cornerback Tyrell Spain will return to wideout, the position at which he began preseason drills.
