LINCOLN — I-back Lester Ward turned up the Memorial Stadium sideline Saturday and was making something out of a short pass from Taylor Martinez.
Until Rickey Thenarse came crashing into him.
The
old Rickey Thenarse.
“It’s been kind of gradual,” said the Nebraska safety, thinking about playing with abandon again. “I made a couple big hits this spring. I think it’s just going to continue.”
Thenarse jarred the ball free when he hit Ward in the Huskers’ spring game. It flew out of bounds and the Red retained possession, but that wasn’t what mattered.
It was more about Thenarse and his trust in a surgically repaired right knee that caused him to miss the last 10 games of 2009. And the senior feels like he may have arrived after 15 spring practices.
In the Red-White scrimmage, Thenarse finished with seven tackles and an interception to go with his forced fumble.
“I haven’t made a play, and I haven’t been out there for a long time,” he said. “To come out here and play the way I did, it kind of gave me a lot of confidence.”
The process will continue through summer conditioning and into preseason practice, with his progress likely determining what he does next season for NU.
Thenarse is trying to be a factor at safety, where the Huskers must replace Larry Asante and Matt O’Hanlon. He’s also willing to take on any special teams role if the staff asks.
“I see myself fitting in where the coaches need me,” he said.
Otherwise, his contributions can come in the area of leadership doing the right things and putting the right stuff on film for the younger safeties to see.
“One thing I’ve learned is you have to know what you’re doing out there on defense,” Thenarse said. “It ain’t all about making plays. If you’re just trying to have that attitude and approaching the game like that, I think you’ll lose in the end.”
Thenarse said he was in the right positions and read his keys Saturday. And he made some plays, like the interception of the ball deflected by cornerback Alfonzo Dennard.
His game still needs some refinement. But Ward can vouch for Thenarse wanting to be part of the action again.
“I think I still got a long ways to go to become the best player I can be,” Thenarse said. “But as far as just being healthy and being out there and making some plays, I kind of feel like I’m getting there.”
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