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NU Football: McNeill intrigues Huskers
BY RICH KAIPUST
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU
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LINCOLN — Preceding any conversation about Mike McNeill and his potential impact with the Nebraska football team, check these facts about Husker tight ends from last season:
• None of the four who played caught more than 13 passes in the 14-game season.
• They produced just five catches over the last six games. None were by Matt Herian, who currently has a chance to make the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
• Only three of their combined 35 receptions covered 20-plus yards. Take those away and the average yards per catch for the other 32 was 7.5.
Back to McNeill. Think the Huskers need him?
"He could be big for us," offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said.
"He's got great receiving skills and he's got vertical-field speed. He can get down the field, he can get in and out of breaks. He's a big man who can play like a receiver."
McNeill offers a threat NU hasn't possessed at tight end since Herian broke his left leg in 2004 — eight games into the transition to the West Coast offense. McNeill displayed his talent by catching 97 passes for 1,816 yards and 15 touchdowns in his final three high school seasons in Kirkwood, Mo.
Now the catch: The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder is a redshirt freshman who heretofore has missed more than his share of practices because of turf toe and shoulder injuries.
"I think, honestly, his potential is through the roof," NU senior tight end J.B. Phillips said. "He's got a long road ahead of him, but when you have that kind of talent, you're going to have a lot of people who push you to make sure you're going to live up to your potential."
NU has rushed McNeill into the mix through four preseason practices. He has ground to make up after only working with the scout team last fall and then missing spring practice.
His left shoulder still might not be "100 percent as strong as it was before," he said, but he is getting after it in an attempt to contribute immediately in 2007.
"I think everyone dreads fall camp a little bit, but I'm definitely excited to get back," McNeill said. "I haven't done anything for eight months. It's kind of weird actually to have the helmet on again."
McNeill headed into a redshirt season after the turf toe surfaced last August. Then he dislocated his shoulder just before Thanksgiving and required surgery last December.
In between, McNeill provided hints of what he can do.
"He would show some flashes of really great things," Phillips said. "You could see those and it would get you excited, and you want to take those and make them an everyday thing."
Phillips leads the NU tight end corps but is known more for his blocking than receiving. The Huskers also have Josh Mueller and Hunter Teafatiller, who combined for six touchdown catches last season but just 10 receptions total.
One of McNeill's tasks is to bring his blocking to the same level as his receiving skills. For now, though, Watson said NU will see what it can milk from the latter.
"When I was being recruited," McNeill said, "they'd tell you what the tight end can do in this offense. And when you get here, you see it."
Nebraska coach Bill Callahan spoke positively of McNeill at Big 12 media days. First-year assistant coach Joe Rudolph knew about him by the time he was hired to replace Watson as tight ends coach.
"Nothing but great reports from our staff, nothing but great reports from our players," Rudolph said. "To me, that's exciting for a guy who comes back and earns the respect of his peers, even though he's battled through injuries early in his career."
BY RICH KAIPUST
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU
LINK
LINCOLN — Preceding any conversation about Mike McNeill and his potential impact with the Nebraska football team, check these facts about Husker tight ends from last season:
• None of the four who played caught more than 13 passes in the 14-game season.
• They produced just five catches over the last six games. None were by Matt Herian, who currently has a chance to make the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
• Only three of their combined 35 receptions covered 20-plus yards. Take those away and the average yards per catch for the other 32 was 7.5.
Back to McNeill. Think the Huskers need him?
"He could be big for us," offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said.
"He's got great receiving skills and he's got vertical-field speed. He can get down the field, he can get in and out of breaks. He's a big man who can play like a receiver."
McNeill offers a threat NU hasn't possessed at tight end since Herian broke his left leg in 2004 — eight games into the transition to the West Coast offense. McNeill displayed his talent by catching 97 passes for 1,816 yards and 15 touchdowns in his final three high school seasons in Kirkwood, Mo.
Now the catch: The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder is a redshirt freshman who heretofore has missed more than his share of practices because of turf toe and shoulder injuries.
"I think, honestly, his potential is through the roof," NU senior tight end J.B. Phillips said. "He's got a long road ahead of him, but when you have that kind of talent, you're going to have a lot of people who push you to make sure you're going to live up to your potential."
NU has rushed McNeill into the mix through four preseason practices. He has ground to make up after only working with the scout team last fall and then missing spring practice.
His left shoulder still might not be "100 percent as strong as it was before," he said, but he is getting after it in an attempt to contribute immediately in 2007.
"I think everyone dreads fall camp a little bit, but I'm definitely excited to get back," McNeill said. "I haven't done anything for eight months. It's kind of weird actually to have the helmet on again."
McNeill headed into a redshirt season after the turf toe surfaced last August. Then he dislocated his shoulder just before Thanksgiving and required surgery last December.
In between, McNeill provided hints of what he can do.
"He would show some flashes of really great things," Phillips said. "You could see those and it would get you excited, and you want to take those and make them an everyday thing."
Phillips leads the NU tight end corps but is known more for his blocking than receiving. The Huskers also have Josh Mueller and Hunter Teafatiller, who combined for six touchdown catches last season but just 10 receptions total.
One of McNeill's tasks is to bring his blocking to the same level as his receiving skills. For now, though, Watson said NU will see what it can milk from the latter.
"When I was being recruited," McNeill said, "they'd tell you what the tight end can do in this offense. And when you get here, you see it."
Nebraska coach Bill Callahan spoke positively of McNeill at Big 12 media days. First-year assistant coach Joe Rudolph knew about him by the time he was hired to replace Watson as tight ends coach.
"Nothing but great reports from our staff, nothing but great reports from our players," Rudolph said. "To me, that's exciting for a guy who comes back and earns the respect of his peers, even though he's battled through injuries early in his career."
