| BHF Mailbag Archives | Original Post Date: 05/08/06 |
With all of the problems that USC is currently having with their program, how is it that Bill Callahan and his staff have managed to keep the problems at Nebraska to a minimum? What kind of programs does the University have in place in order to keep our student-athletes on the straight and narrow?” Submitted by Coloradosker.
Answer:
Off the field troubles have always found their way into college football programs, some more than others. They will never be completely eradicated from the college football landscape. Though it is possible to keep them at a minimum. You have to take into account that you are dealing with 18- to 23-year old kids here and they will make mistakes.
As for what programs the University and coach Callahan have implemented in order to curtail the problems and enticements that can and do arise for our student athletes there are many. Recently Callahan brought in Lamont Wilson, who is the Player Personnel Director for the Kansas City Chiefs. Mr. Wilson addressed the team on many fronts which included (but were not confined to) life in the NFL, treatment of women, DUI/alcohol-related issues, being in the spotlight and a target as an athlete, personal conduct, et al. Bill Callahan has also brought in other notable NFL types such as Dick Vermeil and Jon Gruden to address his squad on varying issues that have included personal conduct and behavior.
The coaching staff has worked with both Athletic Director Steve Pederson and the University to promote various awareness programs. The most notable is the Life Skills Program which is second to none in the collegiate world. The NCAA also has a Life Skills Program, on which the University and it’s Athletic Department has went to great lengths on revamping and improving upon. This program circumferences about any scenario and potential problem you could possibly imagine. You can find out more on this program from the Athletic Department’s web site.
Coach Callahan and his coaching staff is also very active in addressing any agents that may be around campus and his team. He also addresses his team as to what they can and can not do in terms of relationships with agents, sponsors, boosters, alumni, et al. With his professional connections he is much more able to identify the vast majority of agents or would-be agents trying to gain an edge on a potential Nebraska prospect.
Answer contributed by The Big Red Emperor.
Question:
“Will Bill Callahan and his staff stick to what they have been saying and really run the ball a majority of the time? I'm having a hard time buying into this concept and wonder why we didn't run the ball more last year? With Zac Taylor returning this year, I could see us passing even more and then running even more once Taylor is gone. Just excited to hear your thoughts.” Submitted by Daniel.
Answer:
In all actuality Nebraska had a pretty good run/pass ratio in 2005. The Huskers rushed the ball 420 times and passed it 444 times. That is pretty good balance as far as play-calling. While that number may increase in 2006 what coach Callahan has been speaking of is being able to run the ball more effectively, more so than running the ball on more occasions.
When the new staff brought with them the midWest Coast Offense, many fans thought that their days of seeing Nebraska Running Backs putting up big rushing numbers were over. The days of power running and option football fell by the wayside as Nebraska made a change in their offense, something that hadn’t been done for years. A new type of player was being recruited and many felt that the running game wouldn’t be as important or as useful as it was under past regimes.
Players in the new system now have to be more versatile. Under the old system receivers were run-blockers first, and than pass catchers. Offensive Linemen spent most of their time practicing and polishing their road-grading skills. Current players are still practicing these skills but now they must also be accustomed to pass protection and picking up blitzes. To illustrate this, think of the job you have. Instead of performing just one type of job function you now have to perform another in addition to the first. This other element is pass protection, but the other element - your run-blocking, is just as important as it ever was.
If you take a look back at last season you can see many games where coach Callahan and his staff set out to establish a running game early on. They experimented with Offensive Lineman, tried a number of plays, and used several different I-backs. Many of us recall drives that would go three-and-out where they only ran the ball. At other times such as during the Alamo Bowl we saw some success in the running game and some rather large runs being pulled off.
Despite the fact that Nebraska did not have an I-back rush for over 1,000 yards or put up high numbers in the running game, we still had a lot of rushing attempts. In the Colorado game there was a point made that of the plays being called during the season were 51% passing attempts and 49% rushing attempts. These numbers are about as close as you can get to balance. Attaining balance is critical for the success of any offense so that it doesn’t become overly one-dimensional. If teams have to account for both a running and passing attack that has the capability to be successful it only makes their job more difficult.
To emphasize the importance of the running game and trying to perfect it, the coaches put some extra time and effort into it this Spring in order to help fine-tune it. The Running Backs got their chance to shine during the Spring game and they were far from a disappointment. The average per carry was over 5 yards and each back showed significant improvement from last season. With the returning starter moving on, the opportunity to capture the spotlight remains open with multiple different flavors that can be utilized at any given time throughout the season.
The running backs weren’t the only ones who put in extra time this Spring. The Offensive Line has also come along strong as well. We saw flashes of what things could be like during the Alamo Bowl and this years’ Spring game when things are clicking on all cylinders. Just about every key face from last year returns plus a few extra big bodies will be coming into the program to offer help. It all starts with the Line and creating holes for the backs to run through. If no lanes are opened or blocking assignments are missed Running Backs have little or nothing to work with. This years group looks to bring back some of swagger and nastiness of some of the older more dominant lines of 1990s.
Callahan has given a great responsibility to strength coach Dave Kennedy as he has emphasized the Offensive Line getting stronger. He has praised the overall physicality and size of the Line, which has been dramatically improved since he took the reigns of the program. Much of that credit has gone to coach Kennedy who has gotten these guys filled out and stronger. The time put into the weight program has significantly helped these kids. When coach made the statement that they finally look like a Big XII Offensive Line it told Husker Nation that we finally should have kids in the trenches who can perform at pre-1999 levels.
Now there is still a ways to go here but the size and strength of Lydon Murtha and Matt Slauson, the agility of Chris Patrick and the return of Andy Christiansen from injury will go a long ways to restoring the order in the trenches. Nebraska was very young across the Line last season depth-wise. This season we will have more experience and the hogs should be able to get a decent push in the rushing attack.
While that experience will still remain relatively young the game experience is where the difference lies. Mike Huff is a physical youngster who should see plenty of time at right Guard. Greg Austin and the Picou’s, Jordan and Rodney, should all log time as swing Guard’s in 2006.
Carl Nicks will have some catching up to do as he learns the play book and offensive blocking and pass protection schemes, but he is a very physically imposing player who could see some significant time this coming Fall. Victory Haines is another JUCO transfer to keep an eye on at Tackle.
Kurt Mann will return at Center for the Big Red and is the heart and soul of the current version of the Pipeline.
I could easily see Nebraska running the ball 55-60% of the time in 2006. When you realize the talent that is available at Running Back with Marlon Lucky, Cody Glenn, Brandon Jackson, incoming JUCO transfer Kenny Wilson and possibly a driven Leon Jackson the Huskers could have their deepest stable of backs since the Osborne era.
Glenn is bigger, stronger and faster than he was last season. His body has been transformed through the weight program and he should be better prepared to handle the rigors of Big XII play. He has made drastic improvements since the end of last season in his pass blocking and is the most versatile back on team currently.
Glenn will surely split carries with Marlon Lucky who has also made improvements since the end of the 2005 campaign. He is the big-play threat out of the backfield, as he will strike fears in opposing defenses with his ability to take it to the house each and every time he touches the football. Leon Jackson could be utilized more as a Wing Back type, but will see some time in the backfield with the possibility of having plays specifically designed to fit his talents.
If Brandon Jackson can return to his 2004 Freshman form Nebraska could have one of the deepest stable of Running Back’s in the nation for 2006. Kenny Wilson is a very talented JUCO transfer but his number of carries will depend primarily on how quickly he can pick up and retain the offensive play book.
Will we ever be a team known for running for 400+ yards as we used to? Probably not, but making the most of each rushing attempt and proper executing the plays sure helps make the running game look that much better. We will probably never be a true power football team, however getting good versatile Lineman and Running Backs with good power and speed can help bring back memories of classic Nebraska power running.
The emphasis will be on continually improving both our passing and running games. Having quality depth at both Running Back and along the Offensive Line will be vital to the success of the running game. With many relatively young faces on the roster we may still be a year or two away from being at a level where the coaches want to be, though we should still be able to see significant improvement in 2006. This year I envision an improved running game and with that we will probably see a few more big plays and big games from our stable of talented I-backs.
While Zac Taylor is a very cerebral Quarterback and we may have our best ever collection of Wide Receivers the running game will be important in setting up the aerial attack. If you look at what Bill Callahan coached offenses have done prior to his landing in Lincoln it is clear the guy knows how to run the ball effectively. He has always had credible running prowess, which he used to expose defenses when he put the ball into the air. With the overall lack of depth on offense, especially across the Line, we have only seen the surface scratched of what this offense will look like.
This year with the talent and depth finally coming together we should get a more accurate view of what Callahan is trying to do offensively. Which should include slightly more rushing, but not a significant difference as many have taken his words to mean. Though we should run slightly more than 50% of the time, but the goal is to still find the ideal balance between the two.
As for why Nebraska didn’t run the ball more last season it is a collection of the things already mentioned in this response; i.e. lack of depth and production across the Offensive Line, lack of experienced depth at I-back, playing from behind, et al. Though there was still a commendable balance, the running game was just not as effective as the passing attack. Nebraska only averaged 2.7 yards per carry in 2005, not what Cornhusker natives are used to and definitely not the production that the offensive coaches would have liked to see.
As for the last portion of your question, yes Nebraska may also increase the number of carries in 2007 once Taylor exhausts his eligibility and either Harrison Beck or another Quarterback takes to the helm. Though that may also be only early on until the new signal-caller gets his feet wet and proves he can handle driving the new Big Red Machine. Yet it is still too early to accurately gauge that at this time.
Answer contributed by redalert & The Big Red Emperor.
Question:
“When will our JUCO transfers and incoming Freshmen recruited for the 2006 cycle arrive in Lincoln to participate in "informal" summer work outs?” Submitted by sa husker.
Answer:
This will vary for each prospective student-athlete. Some students have been involved in Spring classes and are on campus currently. Other students will enroll in the Summer Pre-Session or Summer Session which starts on May 15, 2006. The second Summer Session begins on June 05, 2006. Other students may move to Lincoln and get acclimated as soon as they complete either their JUCO or high school requirements. Since the JUCO and high school systems vary from state to state it is hard to be accurate as to an exact date here.
June 05, 2006 (the start date of the second Summer school session) is the actually start date for the Summer Conditioning Program. Although many of the kids will arrive before then and begin workouts outlined for them by the staff without the constant supervision or under a structured umbrella as the “actual” Summer Conditioning session will be.
Answer contributed by The Big Red Emperor.
Question:
“I have always proudly touted Nebraska as being a university for the STUDENT-athlete. The claim for Academic All-Americans in the football program is what I am getting at here. I have always had to defend Nebraska when people say that Academic All-American status is easy to achieve when they have "special" classes for football players. Is there any truth to this?” Submitted by husker in the desert.
Answer:
I will attempt to answer this question twofold. Firstly any collegiate course load that is offered to student-athletes at the University of Nebraska is available for all students attending the Institution. So regardless if they are student-athletes or not there are not classes solely for them to enroll in. So we can move past that particular myth.
As for the second part of the question at hand, it is no easier at the University of Nebraska to achieve Academic All-American honors than it is at any other college in America. While some classes differ from college to college, as do admission standards and other fine details, each athlete is still held to the same standards when Academic All-America honors are doled out. Yes the schools such as Yale, Harvard, Brown, Stanford, et al. have higher academic standards and admissions standards but that should also lend to higher student-athlete grade point averages from the conventional wisdom standpoint, but we all know that not to be the case.
Any way that you chop this Nebraska graduates a higher percentage of their student-athletes than any other institution, especially over the past three decades. This has a lot to do with the importance that Dr. Tom Osborne put on scholarly studies and in the development of men, as that was of more importance to him and his efforts than winning football games. This tradition has been carried over to both the Frank Solich and Bill Callahan regimes.
Answer contributed by The Big Red Emperor.
Question:
“Who are some of our top recruiting targets for next season? And with the de-commit of a Quarterback from the last recruiting class, what Quarterback's are we looking at and they are looking at us?” Submitted by Bummerbry.
Answer:
I figured that it was only a matter of time before a question of this nature hit the ole BHF Mail Bag. While it is very early in the recruiting process since the coaches have just recently bunkered down to assemble their recruiting board for the 2007 class I will attempt to take a preemptive strike here...
In this response I will stick with players that have received an offer from the Nebraska coaches (and will list them alphabetically). Also I will omit the Quarterback position since it is the second part of this question.
Nebraska is after a few top Running Back prospects including John Clay, Lennon Creer, Noel Devine, Aaron Harris, Roy Helu, Avery Horn, Dale Martin, Shawnbrey McNeal, Thomas Merriweather, Shane Vereen, Bo Williams, Rai-Shawn Wilson and Anthony Wright. Obviously Noel Devine is the most celebrated of the backs that have been offered and coach John Blake has done a terrific job of creating an opening for the Huskers there but the most intriguing prospect may very well be John Clay. He has the most impressive package of size and tools in the 2007 RB class. The sleeper here is Roy Helu out of California, this youngster is already nearing NFL prototype size and speed and may be the most powerful back on the radar at this point. He has some real shiftiness to him and will surprise a lot of people this year.
As for the Fullback position the Husker have zeroed in on St. Louis product William Anderson. I will be doing an in-game update this Fall on both Anderson and teammate Thomas Merriweather, so stay tuned in to BHF for these in-depth scouting reports when the 2006 prep season kicks off! To offer a little here Anderson has the size and speed combination that coach Randy Jordan is looking in the new Fullback prototype for the midWest Coast Offense.
At Wide Receiver Nebraska already has garnered the commitment of Omaha prep star Niles Paul. They are targeting other top wide outs such as Jacob Amie, Anthony Boyles, Ron Brooks, William Cole, Brandon Collins, Broderick Hunter, Gerald Jones, James Kirkendoll, Darnius Moore, Ahmad Paige and Terrance Toliver. Obviously most Husker fans are familiar with Hunter’s name. Brandon Collins is the most intriguing option here and could put up similar numbers to those of Terrence Nunn on the D-1 level.
Tight End is a position loaded with bodies on the Husker roster though they have identified Denverite Steve Watson as their top target so far in the 2007 recruiting cycle.
The Offensive Line will surely be addressed during this recruiting cycle but the coaching staff is taking their time in identifying players they could develop and mold into their system. Early targets are Devan Cunningham, Matt Romine, Lee Ziemba and Matt Summers-Gavin. Romine is a player that the coaching staff has expired a lot of effort in already and there are no signs of letting up any time in the near future.
The Cornhuskers will have a pair of Defensive Ends in Jay Moore and Adam Carriker who will graduate from the program after the season so adding talent here will be of great importance. Early risers include Akeem Ayers, Kelly Griffin, Richetti Jones, Michael Keck, Michael Reardon, Kenny Rowe and Apiata Tuihalamaka. This is an eclectic bunch of Ends as they all offer different things for Kevin Cosgrove from a personnel standpoint. Michael Reardon may very well have the most potential of the pack.
Nebraska has also identified John Brown, Simi Fili, DaJohn Harris, Ahmad Jones, Andy Maples, Rolando Melancon and Chris Perry to fortify their depth at the Defensive Tackle position. The coaches have turned to space-eating Tackles with decent speed and athleticism in their schemes and each of these players would fit the bill.
The Big Red Machine may very well field the deepest Linebacker corps in the Big XII, if not the nation, this season but the coaches still have an eye towards the future. Top targets include Jared Glover, Pat Lazear, Jermaine Love, Von Miller and Kyler O’Neal. Glover could very well grow into a Defensive End prospect but he already has NFL size for the Outside Linebacker slot and some of the best pass-rushing skills at the prep level. He could have an A.J. Hawk type impact on the major college level if he remains at Linebacker.
At Cornerback the early prospects are Antwoine Baker, Ahmad Black, Andre Christian, Anthony Gildon, Victor Reynolds, Jamire Williams and Anthony Wright. Williams and Reynolds are the kids to watch here as they could both have an impact at the collegiate level early in their careers.
As for the last line of defense at Safety the coaches have their eyes on Jordan Bernstine, Lorenzo Edwards, Bret Harris, Desmond Jackson, Malachi Lewis, Antwan Murray, Brandon Thigpen, Curtis Thomas and James Thomas. Harris and Thigpen are the top targets and most imposing players on the board at this point.
Now on to the second part of your question which addresses the Quarterback position. Nebraska did take a hit in the Josh Freeman text messaging fiasco a year ago as it left them scrambling at the end to secure a Quarterback to add depth to the position. It was very encouraging to see that Bill Callahan didn’t take a Quarterback just to take on in the 2006 haul. Nebraska could be looking at adding a pair of signal-callers to the 2007 recruiting class.
The Cornhuskers have already lost some notable recruiting battles at this position thus far - falling short in the recruitment of Phillip Bates, Jimmy Clausen, Aaron Corp, Chris Forcier, Ryan Mallett and Charlie Russell. Currently Nebraska has offers out to Jarrett Lee and Latravis Washington. Both players have an interest in playing out their college careers in Lincoln, although Washington’s may very well be in the Nebraska secondary. Lee is far and away the top Quarterback target at this point and I think that coach Callahan has about a 60% chance of landing this Texas gunslinger. The third notable Quarterback offered is G.J. Kinne. He is a personal favorite of mine as he has a great pedigree (as the son of a football coach) and is a true student of the game who tirelessly studies film.
Other names to watch at Quarterback this season although they do not yet have an offer from the Big Red are Austin Cassidy, L.D. Crow, Nathan Dick, Cody Endres, Steve Heiman, Jason Munns, Andrew Nowels, Chasen Stangel and Ian Starnes.
Answer contributed by The Big Red Emperor.