Monday Practice 4/1
- Thread starter SOHusker11
- Start date
I think it is easily explained by the following:
1.) The defensive line actually sounds like they are going to be huge badasses this year. We have Daniels x 2 and Davis x 2, plus Stille and Deontre Thomas, and then behind them DaiShon Neal, Damian Jackson, and younger dudes ready to get better. Damion Daniels is friggin' 340 pounds now! Yeesh!
2.) We're re-tooling our offensive line.
3.) Our corners are probably going to be really good this year.
I have zero doubt that our offense will be better this year. Our oline is going to be better and while AM lost his go to, he knows the O much better and will have many more options, and know how to use them.
On how the team may change when the “new guys” arrive in the summer and fall
I talked to my guys in the receiver room about that. I told them they got six more practices. If you can’t do what we’re asking, we gotta move on. We got some incoming freshman...if we gotta go find a grad transfer...we’ll do what we gotta to be successful.
On Andre Hunt
He’s matured a lot. He’s learned the playbook. Last year, he didn’t know the playbook so it slowed him down. Now, he knows it so he can use his speed...His mental toughness. Last year, he was lackadaisical, not focused at times. Now, he’s working with the ones, he’s gotta be on every rep. He’s a guy we’re going to depend on this fall.
https://www.cornnation.com/2019/4/1...ndre-hunt-brody-belt-cam-jurgens-troy-walters
I talked to my guys in the receiver room about that. I told them they got six more practices. If you can’t do what we’re asking, we gotta move on. We got some incoming freshman...if we gotta go find a grad transfer...we’ll do what we gotta to be successful.
On Andre Hunt
He’s matured a lot. He’s learned the playbook. Last year, he didn’t know the playbook so it slowed him down. Now, he knows it so he can use his speed...His mental toughness. Last year, he was lackadaisical, not focused at times. Now, he’s working with the ones, he’s gotta be on every rep. He’s a guy we’re going to depend on this fall.
https://www.cornnation.com/2019/4/1...ndre-hunt-brody-belt-cam-jurgens-troy-walters
https://hailvarsity.com/s/6557/defense-impresses-as-nebraska-hits-home-stretch-of-spring-football
>> Who is impressing in the running backs room so far this spring? Walters gave the nod to redshirt freshman Brody Belt.
“He’s doing an awesome job, not only as a running back but also as a receiver,” Walters said. “We get him matched up against linebackers [and] he’s going to win that most of the time.”
>> Another name that received praise from Walters on Monday was redshirt freshman wide receiver Andre Hunt. He said he has taken some big steps this spring and is gaining more of a grasp of the playbook.
As for Hunt, he sees this offseason as an opportunity to step up and fill the shoes left by Stanley Morgan Jr.
“I’ve been doing good but there’s always room for improvement and I know I need to get better,” Hunt said. “Coming off Stanley and to fill his shoes, it’s going to be a big time thing to do. I’m ready to do it but I have a long way to go.”
>> One more name that was mentioned: redshirt freshman Cam Jurgens. Walters said he has been looking good this spring, and continues to maintain his quickness and athleticism despite his added weight.
>> Junior quarterback Andrew Bunch put his name in the transfer portal before ultimately deciding to stay at Nebraska. That decision was one that fired up quarterbacks coach Mario Verduzco for a couple of reasons.
“He called me—I think it was the week before we got back—and the week before that, a couple of coaches called me and I talked to them about Andrew,” Verduzco said. “They wanted an evaluation and that was good. The week later he called me and said he was going to come back so I was excited. Having a young guy like that around is invaluable, just because of the type of person he is and because of the numbers for us from a guy who has reps in practice and games.”
>> Speaking of the quarterbacks, Verduzco said they were abducted by aliens on Saturday. Sophomore Noah Vedral said it wasn’t their best day and that the group made some bad decisions and threw some picks.
“We had a little bit of a rough day as a unit,” Vedral said. “Made a couple mental errors, a couple bad throws. Coach Verdu will get us right today. We’ve got meetings tonight and meetings tomorrow morning where we’ll watch that again and get those corrected. But I would agree with him, pretty rough day.”
>> Who is impressing in the running backs room so far this spring? Walters gave the nod to redshirt freshman Brody Belt.
“He’s doing an awesome job, not only as a running back but also as a receiver,” Walters said. “We get him matched up against linebackers [and] he’s going to win that most of the time.”
>> Another name that received praise from Walters on Monday was redshirt freshman wide receiver Andre Hunt. He said he has taken some big steps this spring and is gaining more of a grasp of the playbook.
As for Hunt, he sees this offseason as an opportunity to step up and fill the shoes left by Stanley Morgan Jr.
“I’ve been doing good but there’s always room for improvement and I know I need to get better,” Hunt said. “Coming off Stanley and to fill his shoes, it’s going to be a big time thing to do. I’m ready to do it but I have a long way to go.”
>> One more name that was mentioned: redshirt freshman Cam Jurgens. Walters said he has been looking good this spring, and continues to maintain his quickness and athleticism despite his added weight.
>> Junior quarterback Andrew Bunch put his name in the transfer portal before ultimately deciding to stay at Nebraska. That decision was one that fired up quarterbacks coach Mario Verduzco for a couple of reasons.
“He called me—I think it was the week before we got back—and the week before that, a couple of coaches called me and I talked to them about Andrew,” Verduzco said. “They wanted an evaluation and that was good. The week later he called me and said he was going to come back so I was excited. Having a young guy like that around is invaluable, just because of the type of person he is and because of the numbers for us from a guy who has reps in practice and games.”
>> Speaking of the quarterbacks, Verduzco said they were abducted by aliens on Saturday. Sophomore Noah Vedral said it wasn’t their best day and that the group made some bad decisions and threw some picks.
“We had a little bit of a rough day as a unit,” Vedral said. “Made a couple mental errors, a couple bad throws. Coach Verdu will get us right today. We’ve got meetings tonight and meetings tomorrow morning where we’ll watch that again and get those corrected. But I would agree with him, pretty rough day.”
This is becoming a pretty common theme. The D has either taken a huge jump forward or the offense needs to get things figured out by fall.
I'll believe the DL stuff when I see it in the fall on Saturdays.
I don't have a very good feeling about the offense this year. RB could be a major weakness. Hopefully Mo gets right and Mills makes it. I'd feel a lot better had the RB from Jersey been an early enrollee.
I am seriously concerned about the running back slot. Even if Mo comes back, how distracted will he be by his legal issues? And even if they are resolved by Fall, he will still have been mentally absent for months. Bradley? No confidence in him. None. Mazour??? Next.... Other than Mo, there simply are no standout running backs in that room. So I would not be surprised to see Wandale back there a lot and maybe even Miles Jones and the true Freshman coming in. Hopefully, Belt is the real deal and not just another walk on Spring hit who will disappear again in the Fall.
Edit: I highly doubt Mills will make it
I think you may be right. But I do not have "zero doubts". How can you have "zero doubts"? I mean seriously, you have to have some doubts. Right?
Rahmir Johnson.... Can see him being like Mo was for us last year...
Wait and see on Ronald Thompkins with the knee issues..
Miles Jones needs to be figured in as well..
Yes, Rahmir is the one I was thinking of. Thompkins will need a redshirt year and Miles Jones is Duck-R, not RB.
Miles Jones may have to play into some capacity at RB if the numbers do not flourish in the fallWinking.
I think when you lose guys like Tanner Farmer there should be some concern. Breaking in a redshirt freshman who has never played inside of TE before let alone center before could be very tough. Center is going to be the key for our offense. IF we struggle there we could struggle offensively.
I guess when I think of the offense, last year our guys, in their first year of this offense, put up a lot of yards and lotta numbers. It’s true that they needed to finish drives, but I think having a full year under their belts now only benefits them. And the fact that Martinez is the signal caller helps me tremendously. We may not have the star running back, but last year we didn’t either. Ozigbo was huge for us but who saw that before he stepped up?
Someone will step up, I have no doubt.
Also, I am an eternal optimist. I know no other way to be.
Someone will step up, I have no doubt.
Also, I am an eternal optimist. I know no other way to be.
@HBK4life really appreciate you putting these threads together, man.
No doubts? None?I guess when I think of the offense, last year our guys, in their first year of this offense, put up a lot of yards and lotta numbers. It’s true that they needed to finish drives, but I think having a full year under their belts now only benefits them. And the fact that Martinez is the signal caller helps me tremendously. We may not have the star running back, but last year we didn’t either. Ozigbo was huge for us but who saw that before he stepped up?
Someone will step up, I have no doubt.
Also, I am an eternal optimist. I know no other way to be.
Put me in the group of "zero doubts" the offense will be better this year than last. There are always personnel questions, but the second year in system combined with the strength and conditioning gains and AM's presence alone.... zero doubts. Maybe it's splitting hairs, but I can have concerns about specifics while still having zero doubt the offense will be better. Doesn't mean I won't be wrong!
Not sure the full process, I know he has a court appearance in a couple weeks. I don't know if that is the only one. Hopefully that is it and he and everyone can get back to a normal routine. If that is it, I think things should be good to go by fall for him. Would like to see him can another 20 lbs by then. lol The kid runs on toothpicks.
Defensive line probably looks better bc Darrion and Davis Twins going against Will Farniok, Trent Hixson, Cam Jurgens
Think folks should be stoked that the younger Olinemen have to beta test against the older guys on the Dline. Things are going to work out.
I would say that the top half of the B1G has, as good or better, a front 4 defense as NU has. Our Oline lacks game experience. AM can trump that with the read option that our offense employs. I saw Frost's second UCF team go toe to toe with Auburn and eventually won because of the qb play. I'm excited to see this year's offense. I love watching new guys emerge, but, I dont think any of the new guys will contribute much until half way through the season. Even then, four games max.
If I had to guess between offense or defense being the weaker link, I know which one I'm taking.
How talented were UCF’s RBs under Frost? I honestly don’t remember. Were they difference makers? Speedsters? NFL level talent?