Huskers Focus on Running Game

If you have been following the progression of practices this fall camp, you would know that the Huskers are on practice number 12, they are in full pads in Memorial Stadium and are practicing two-a-days with a 55 play scrimmage yesterday Friday, August 17. You may also know that during said scrimmage the new look running back line-up with some familiar faces was the focus. Freshman Quentin Castille, Marcus Mendoza and Roy Helu, sophomore Major Culbert and junior Marlon Lucky were all under the microscope during Friday practice.

Refining the backfield is huge, considering what the Huskers lost in leading rusher Brandon Jackson when he opted for the NFL Draft early this year. Learning the strengths and weaknesses of unproven commodities leading up to the start of the season is something that is a bit of a no brainer when playing the likes of ACC Champion Wake Forest on the road and pre-season number one USC at home in the comfy confines of Memorial Stadium in Weeks two and three. The passing game saw limited activity yesterday with the obvious focus on the I-backs. With the timing and rhythm that goes into Callahan’s offense you should expect to hear more about that facet of the offensive gameplay closer to the end of this month.

Being in full pads and out in the hot Nebraska sun the past two weeks should help condition the team to play harder and faster late into games this season, something the Huskers struggled with last season. The 2006 team was not a team of finishers with one exception being the game in College Station, Texas against the Aggies of Texas A&M. Losses, near losses and comebacks at the hands of Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma State and Auburn in the Cotton Bowl showed that something was missing in the team’s ability to close out a game and turn an advantage into a victory. I haven’t heard much on this out of fall camp and I hope that it is something that has been addressed at least on a coaching staff and training level to combat this problem. A team that ended 9-and-5 last season could have easily been 11-and-3. With a schedule that is much more ominous, loads of unproven talent and a reconstructed front seven on defense the Huskers need to shed this stigma if they want to build upon the progress they’ve made since 2004 when Callahan took over and not take a step backwards.