Spring Game Recap

Hunter94

Heisman Trophy Winner
Keller impressive during Nebraska's spring game

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LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska quarterbacks Sam Keller and Joe Ganz played to an apparent draw in their game of "Anything you can do I can do better."

Each led three scoring drives and put up similar numbers while leading the Red squad, made up of the top offense and defense, to a 38-0 victory over the Whites in Saturday's spring game.

Keller and Ganz alternated series, with Keller completing 10-of-13 passes for 193 yards and Ganz 11-of-18 for 157 yards. Each threw for one touchdown, and neither was intercepted.

"We felt very good about how Sam Keller and Joe Ganz performed," coach Bill Callahan said. "You look at some of the numbers they posted today, and it's pretty impressive. I was really pleased with everything they did."

The only down notes were injuries to I-back Marlon Lucky and offensive tackle Lydon Murtha. Lucky, who led all rushers with 94 yards and a touchdown, suffered an apparent left knee sprain early in the fourth quarter and was to have a magnetic resonance imaging test. Murtha sprained his right ankle on the third play of the scrimmage.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Arizona State | Neb | Keller | Terrence Nunn

Callahan said he didn't expect Lucky's injury to threaten his status for the season.

A crowd of 54,288 saw Keller's first public performance since he transferred from Arizona State. He quarterbacked the opening series and finished it with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Terrence Nunn.

On Ganz's first series, he hit Nate Swift for 27 yards — five plays after Swift dropped a perfect pass. Ganz then pulled the ball down and dived for the pylon to finish a 10-yard touchdown run.

Ganz, who backed up Zac Taylor for two seasons, said he felt some pressure to match Keller's touchdown drive with one of his own.

"Being competitive, that's my nature — if he does well, I want to do well," Ganz said. "It swung back and forth. He led one, I led one, he led one, I led one. We fed off each other."

Ganz said he didn't sense any separation between him and Keller in the spring.

"Today it looked pretty even to me. Maybe that's just my sense of reality," Ganz said. "I thought it was pretty equal today and pretty equal all spring."

Ganz said he was motivated to show fans he would be a capable starter and that he won't just hand the job to Keller.

"I wanted to put a good performance on for them so they'll have a little more respect for what I do," Ganz said. "I didn't feel it was going to make or break my shot for starter. But it helped my case today, having a strong performance."

Though it was only a scrimmage, fans had been looking forward to getting a look at Keller. He was most valuable player of the Sun Bowl after leading Arizona State to a comeback victory over Purdue in 2004, and he started seven games in 2005 before injuring his right (throwing) thumb. A day after being named the Sun Devils' starter last year, the job was yanked from him and given to Rudy Carpenter.

Keller bolted for Nebraska, where he served on the scout team while sitting out his transfer year.

After throwing away a ball on his first series, he strung together seven completions, including the TD pass to Nunn.

"You always want to start off on a high note," Keller said. "Being that this was the first time I was in front of a crowd since '05, it felt really good to get things going, get the crowd into it and get some first downs."

Ganz and Keller said their receivers made them look good. Todd Peterson had four catches for 105 yards, Maurice Purify four for 75 yards and Swift three for 70 yards.

"We just have a really good offense," Keller said. "It's just a matter of managing it and taking what the defense gives you. You can't stop all of our guys. We showed how efficient we can be."

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 
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I love Ganz's attitude!!!! He is not just going to roll over and give the spot up to Keller and that will make Keller better!

 
I was very impressed with both quarterbacks. Ganz threw a bullet while rolling out. He also had great poise and looked relaxed....made good decisions. It's good to know that, even if he doesn't get the starting nod, that he can come in and contribute if something happens to Keller. I also respect Ganz for sticking with the program and competing hard to vie for the starting job.

 
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