Here are some quick notes and observations to pass along from Nebraska’s full-pads practice on Saturday afternoon…
***Nebraska spent a good potion of practice doing full contact scrimmage situations. Head coach Mike Riley said so far it’s been a “mixed bag of results” with the good-on-good work, which he said was a good thing.
***Saturday was Tanner Lee’s turn to get the first reps of practice, and Riley said Lee and Patrick O’Brien both had a very good day and really a very good week. Riley said NU got about 48 plays of team work in on Saturday, and both QBs impressed.
***Linebacker Luke Gifford had a large cast on his left hand but still fully practiced. Riley said Gifford broke a bone in his hand on Thursday and would continue to practice with the cast all spring.
***Riley said freshman receiver Jaevon McQuitty would not practice full speed all spring as he continues to recover from offseason shoulder surgery. McQuitty will still be able to do non-contact individual drills.
***With Keyshawn Johnson Jr. also sitting out due to an illness, Riley said it was disappointing that NU’s two early enrollee freshmen receivers haven’t been able to do much this spring. However, he said they would still benefit from being around the team and the mental reps they’ve been getting each day.
***Riley said his goals for the first half of spring ball were to get a lot of basic situational work in and have everyone on the same page with each of those. He also wants to get pretty much all of the special teams in place before spring break.
***Riley said while there is no full-time special teams coach, the entire staff is taking on coaching special teams in some form. Basically each assistant coach is in charge of a specific special teams aspect, including defensive coordinator Bob Diaco requesting to work with the punters.
***Riley said linebacker Marcus Newby was not at practice Saturday because he and his significant other just had a baby on Friday night.
***Riley said De’Mornay Pierson-El physically looks the best he’s looked since Riley has been in Lincoln.
***Riley said his ideal number for offensive line depth is 10 guys, but he’s never had that many in his time as a head coach. However, Riley said Nebraska might be close this season with the group they have up front.
***Riley said he really likes walk-on running back Wyatt Mazour, who nearly saw game action at kickoff returner before suffering a head injury that forced him to miss significant time. Riley said Mazour has a chance to once again factor into the return game and maybe even the running back rotation this year.
***Riley even went as far as comparing Mazour to Danny Woodhead.
***2018 offensive lineman Will Farniok, 2018 linebacker Zach Schlager and were in attendance for Saturday’s practice.
***Wayne State head coach Dan McLaughlin, a former NU graduate assistant, took in practice as well.
***Nebraska spent a good potion of practice doing full contact scrimmage situations. Head coach Mike Riley said so far it’s been a “mixed bag of results” with the good-on-good work, which he said was a good thing.
***Saturday was Tanner Lee’s turn to get the first reps of practice, and Riley said Lee and Patrick O’Brien both had a very good day and really a very good week. Riley said NU got about 48 plays of team work in on Saturday, and both QBs impressed.
***Linebacker Luke Gifford had a large cast on his left hand but still fully practiced. Riley said Gifford broke a bone in his hand on Thursday and would continue to practice with the cast all spring.
***Riley said freshman receiver Jaevon McQuitty would not practice full speed all spring as he continues to recover from offseason shoulder surgery. McQuitty will still be able to do non-contact individual drills.
***With Keyshawn Johnson Jr. also sitting out due to an illness, Riley said it was disappointing that NU’s two early enrollee freshmen receivers haven’t been able to do much this spring. However, he said they would still benefit from being around the team and the mental reps they’ve been getting each day.
***Riley said his goals for the first half of spring ball were to get a lot of basic situational work in and have everyone on the same page with each of those. He also wants to get pretty much all of the special teams in place before spring break.
***Riley said while there is no full-time special teams coach, the entire staff is taking on coaching special teams in some form. Basically each assistant coach is in charge of a specific special teams aspect, including defensive coordinator Bob Diaco requesting to work with the punters.
***Riley said linebacker Marcus Newby was not at practice Saturday because he and his significant other just had a baby on Friday night.
***Riley said De’Mornay Pierson-El physically looks the best he’s looked since Riley has been in Lincoln.
***Riley said his ideal number for offensive line depth is 10 guys, but he’s never had that many in his time as a head coach. However, Riley said Nebraska might be close this season with the group they have up front.
***Riley said he really likes walk-on running back Wyatt Mazour, who nearly saw game action at kickoff returner before suffering a head injury that forced him to miss significant time. Riley said Mazour has a chance to once again factor into the return game and maybe even the running back rotation this year.
***Riley even went as far as comparing Mazour to Danny Woodhead.
***2018 offensive lineman Will Farniok, 2018 linebacker Zach Schlager and were in attendance for Saturday’s practice.
***Wayne State head coach Dan McLaughlin, a former NU graduate assistant, took in practice as well.
