Here are some quick notes and observations to pass along from Nebraska’s opening spring practice on Saturday afternoon…
***Head coach Mike Riley said it was a very good start to the 2017 season, as he really liked to overall efficiency and execution on both sides of the ball.
***In particular, Riley said he was most impressed with how well all of the quarterbacks played during the first spring practice. Riley said all of the QBs were efficient and made the right reads, which he said are the two most important things he’s looking for at the position.
***Nebraska actually held a coin toss between Patrick O’Brien and Tanner Lee to see who would take the first reps with the first-team offense, and O’Brien won. Going forward Riley said they would just rotate every practice between O’Brien and Lee for the first snaps.
***One new injury development concerned freshman wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson Jr., who sat out of Saturday’s practice. Riley said Johnson has been ill since before he even arrived on campus and hasn’t been able to recover much since.
Riley said it was a result of side effects from an appendectomy Johnson underwent in December. Riley said they expect Johnson to make a full recovery in time, and are even holding out hope to get him back on the field after spring break.
“We were very worried about him, and still are,” Riley said, adding that while they believe he’ll be back eventually they’re “not going to push it” in rushing Johnson back too soon.
***Riley praised what he saw from new defensive coordinator Bob Diaco in his first practice with the Huskers. Diaco’s energy and enthusiasm on the field were exactly what Riley saw during their initial interview for the job. Riley called Diaco’s passion in his teaching “contagious” to everyone around him.
***Riley was also impressed with how well freshman quarterback Tristan Gebbia played in his first college practice. Riley said Gebbia obviously needed to put on a lot more muscle, but he had a "great release" and was "a football junkie", adding that nothing NU did on Saturday was new to him.
***Other injury news included linebacker Collin Miller, who was out and on crutches with a toe injury, and linebacker Tyrin Ferguson was also out.
***Head coach Mike Riley said it was a very good start to the 2017 season, as he really liked to overall efficiency and execution on both sides of the ball.
***In particular, Riley said he was most impressed with how well all of the quarterbacks played during the first spring practice. Riley said all of the QBs were efficient and made the right reads, which he said are the two most important things he’s looking for at the position.
***Nebraska actually held a coin toss between Patrick O’Brien and Tanner Lee to see who would take the first reps with the first-team offense, and O’Brien won. Going forward Riley said they would just rotate every practice between O’Brien and Lee for the first snaps.
***One new injury development concerned freshman wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson Jr., who sat out of Saturday’s practice. Riley said Johnson has been ill since before he even arrived on campus and hasn’t been able to recover much since.
Riley said it was a result of side effects from an appendectomy Johnson underwent in December. Riley said they expect Johnson to make a full recovery in time, and are even holding out hope to get him back on the field after spring break.
“We were very worried about him, and still are,” Riley said, adding that while they believe he’ll be back eventually they’re “not going to push it” in rushing Johnson back too soon.
***Riley praised what he saw from new defensive coordinator Bob Diaco in his first practice with the Huskers. Diaco’s energy and enthusiasm on the field were exactly what Riley saw during their initial interview for the job. Riley called Diaco’s passion in his teaching “contagious” to everyone around him.
***Riley was also impressed with how well freshman quarterback Tristan Gebbia played in his first college practice. Riley said Gebbia obviously needed to put on a lot more muscle, but he had a "great release" and was "a football junkie", adding that nothing NU did on Saturday was new to him.
***Other injury news included linebacker Collin Miller, who was out and on crutches with a toe injury, and linebacker Tyrin Ferguson was also out.
