Husker_Power
Starter
by Samuel McKewon
August 22, 2007
LINK
Wait 'til you get a load of Latravis Washington.
You know that French phrase, "joie de vivre?"
Invented for him.
Because there aren't that many football players who can so easily (and arrogantly) say "I'm from Florida, we produce great athletes," then bust out in a knowing grin that lets reporters feel like they're the kids in the candy store.
"I wake up every morning and I thank God I woke up," the Nebraska freshman linebacker said. "People always ask me, 'Why you so happy?' I be like, 'Why be so mad?' Why? It's just a blessing that you're here."
Washington gestured around to the fatigue-clad soldiers from the Nebraska National Guard, which attended practice on Tuesday with their kids.
"People that came from the army, man, that's crazy," he said. "They're fighting for our freedom every day. Why can't you get up happy?"
The 6-foot-3, 210 pounder knows his way around a pep talk. The former quarterback from Bayshore High School Bradenton, Fla., has also developed a taste for defense.
"It's better than getting hit," he laughed.
When Washington arrived in Lincoln, he wasn't sure whether he'd be placed at safety or linebacker. Because he could add weight to his frame, either position was suitable to his size.
Washington said there was a "debate" between defensive coaches. Finally, Defensive Coordinator Kevin Cosgrove settled on putting Washington at linebacker, where NU loses seniors Steve Octavien, Bo Ruud, Corey McKeon and Lance Brandenburgh after this season.
And linebacker is where the coaches intend Washington to stay.
"They told me straight up," Washington said. "They told what I was going to play when I got here. I really appreciated that."
He didn't quite trust the motives of some of the other programs that recruited him, particularly West Virginia and Ohio State, which offered Washington a quarterback scholarship. At Bayshore, he was a dual threat to run or pass, and his height made him a good prospect for the spread offenses that WVU Coach Rich Rodriguez and OSU Coach Jim Tressel ran last season.
Did Washington give any thought to being the next Pat White or Troy Smith?
"Nah," Washington said of offers from the Buckeyes and Mountaineers. "I was like 'Y'all just gonna' bring me there and then, boop!'"
As in, move him over to defense.
At NU, he'll get to follow his cousin, Fabian Washington, who played corner for NU and now starts for the Oakland Raiders. Latravis grew up watching his former cousin play little league football in Bradenton, outrunning all of his opponents.
"Dang, my cousin was fast," Washington said.
Still is. It was Fabian Washington's speed that enticed Raiders' owner to draft him in the first round after he spent three years with the Huskers. Fabian Washington played in his true freshman season and left after his junior campaign.
Although Latravis has been told by his older cousin not to leave school early, he's been assured by Cosgrove that he, too, will be playing as a true freshman.
"Coach Cosgrove was like, 'You're not redshirting. You're not gonna' redshirt. No,'" Washington said. "That's not scary. That's pretty nice."
Ditto for freshman linebacker Blake Lawrence, a decidedly more low-key member of the 2007 Husker recruiting class.
"Coach Cosgrove told me to not think about redshirting because he sees opportunities for me all over the field," Lawrence said.
Cosgrove said it's crucial that Lawrence and Washington, among other, get good reps and field time in 2007.
“We have to develop those kids because they're the guys that will have to play next year along with next year's incoming class,” he said. “The quicker we can develop them the better off we can be.”
Lawrence is another player who's grown into his 6-2 frame. Playing for Shawnee Mission (Kan.) West High School last year, he was both a star quarterback and linebacker, and was generally considered the best player in the Sunflower State. He also weighed 200 pounds.
After a summer in Lincoln, he added 20 more to that total.
"Coach (Cosgrove) always said I had a big frame to carry weight," Lawrence said. "I believed them. I came in here and ate up this summer and did a lot of protein. It feels great to weigh what my goal was."
But Lawrence said he hasn't lost any speed, which he'll if he plays, an planned, on the kickoff coverage team. Lawrence is currently battling for the No. 2 slot at strongside linebacker, but he should see significant time on special teams.
"On kickoff coverage, I really enjoy running down the field at full speed and disrupt plays," Lawrence said. "I feel I can do that early here in my career. We'll see what the coaches think, but that'd be very enjoyable to me."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NU Practice Notes 8/22
- Junior running back Marlon Lucky returned to practice Wednesday. The Huskers did not scrimmage, practicing in shoulder pads and shorts.
- Cosgrove had high praise for senior linebacker Octavien, who had spent much of last couple years nursing injuries.
"He's a playmaker. We ask him to do a lot of different things, he plays a lot of different position on our defense. We're trying to put him in position to make plays. He's improved as a linebacker also. His fundamental techniques have gotten better. He still has to improve but he's a hard worker. He's got a great motor. He'll go until he can't go no more.”
August 22, 2007
LINK
Wait 'til you get a load of Latravis Washington.
You know that French phrase, "joie de vivre?"
Invented for him.
Because there aren't that many football players who can so easily (and arrogantly) say "I'm from Florida, we produce great athletes," then bust out in a knowing grin that lets reporters feel like they're the kids in the candy store.
"I wake up every morning and I thank God I woke up," the Nebraska freshman linebacker said. "People always ask me, 'Why you so happy?' I be like, 'Why be so mad?' Why? It's just a blessing that you're here."
Washington gestured around to the fatigue-clad soldiers from the Nebraska National Guard, which attended practice on Tuesday with their kids.
"People that came from the army, man, that's crazy," he said. "They're fighting for our freedom every day. Why can't you get up happy?"
The 6-foot-3, 210 pounder knows his way around a pep talk. The former quarterback from Bayshore High School Bradenton, Fla., has also developed a taste for defense.
"It's better than getting hit," he laughed.
When Washington arrived in Lincoln, he wasn't sure whether he'd be placed at safety or linebacker. Because he could add weight to his frame, either position was suitable to his size.
Washington said there was a "debate" between defensive coaches. Finally, Defensive Coordinator Kevin Cosgrove settled on putting Washington at linebacker, where NU loses seniors Steve Octavien, Bo Ruud, Corey McKeon and Lance Brandenburgh after this season.
And linebacker is where the coaches intend Washington to stay.
"They told me straight up," Washington said. "They told what I was going to play when I got here. I really appreciated that."
He didn't quite trust the motives of some of the other programs that recruited him, particularly West Virginia and Ohio State, which offered Washington a quarterback scholarship. At Bayshore, he was a dual threat to run or pass, and his height made him a good prospect for the spread offenses that WVU Coach Rich Rodriguez and OSU Coach Jim Tressel ran last season.
Did Washington give any thought to being the next Pat White or Troy Smith?
"Nah," Washington said of offers from the Buckeyes and Mountaineers. "I was like 'Y'all just gonna' bring me there and then, boop!'"
As in, move him over to defense.
At NU, he'll get to follow his cousin, Fabian Washington, who played corner for NU and now starts for the Oakland Raiders. Latravis grew up watching his former cousin play little league football in Bradenton, outrunning all of his opponents.
"Dang, my cousin was fast," Washington said.
Still is. It was Fabian Washington's speed that enticed Raiders' owner to draft him in the first round after he spent three years with the Huskers. Fabian Washington played in his true freshman season and left after his junior campaign.
Although Latravis has been told by his older cousin not to leave school early, he's been assured by Cosgrove that he, too, will be playing as a true freshman.
"Coach Cosgrove was like, 'You're not redshirting. You're not gonna' redshirt. No,'" Washington said. "That's not scary. That's pretty nice."
Ditto for freshman linebacker Blake Lawrence, a decidedly more low-key member of the 2007 Husker recruiting class.
"Coach Cosgrove told me to not think about redshirting because he sees opportunities for me all over the field," Lawrence said.
Cosgrove said it's crucial that Lawrence and Washington, among other, get good reps and field time in 2007.
“We have to develop those kids because they're the guys that will have to play next year along with next year's incoming class,” he said. “The quicker we can develop them the better off we can be.”
Lawrence is another player who's grown into his 6-2 frame. Playing for Shawnee Mission (Kan.) West High School last year, he was both a star quarterback and linebacker, and was generally considered the best player in the Sunflower State. He also weighed 200 pounds.
After a summer in Lincoln, he added 20 more to that total.
"Coach (Cosgrove) always said I had a big frame to carry weight," Lawrence said. "I believed them. I came in here and ate up this summer and did a lot of protein. It feels great to weigh what my goal was."
But Lawrence said he hasn't lost any speed, which he'll if he plays, an planned, on the kickoff coverage team. Lawrence is currently battling for the No. 2 slot at strongside linebacker, but he should see significant time on special teams.
"On kickoff coverage, I really enjoy running down the field at full speed and disrupt plays," Lawrence said. "I feel I can do that early here in my career. We'll see what the coaches think, but that'd be very enjoyable to me."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NU Practice Notes 8/22
- Junior running back Marlon Lucky returned to practice Wednesday. The Huskers did not scrimmage, practicing in shoulder pads and shorts.
- Cosgrove had high praise for senior linebacker Octavien, who had spent much of last couple years nursing injuries.
"He's a playmaker. We ask him to do a lot of different things, he plays a lot of different position on our defense. We're trying to put him in position to make plays. He's improved as a linebacker also. His fundamental techniques have gotten better. He still has to improve but he's a hard worker. He's got a great motor. He'll go until he can't go no more.”
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