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Tuesday notebook: Intensity heats up in first full-pads practice
***Nebraska suited up in full pads for the first time of fall camp on Tuesday. The Huskers still only did a little full-contact work during the session, but it was another step in gearing up for the season. Head coach Mike Riley there was “some obvious give and take” between the offense and defense and everyone was a bit rusty, but overall it was a good start in full gear.
***A couple notable players left practice early with apparent injuries. Linebacker Michael Rose-Ivey watched most of the second half of practice from the sideline with an ice bag wrapped on his right knee.
Cornerback Chris Jones pulled up with a hamstring injury late in practice. He spent the rest of the session stretching with trainers and then walked off the field with no noticeable limp.
Riley said he wasn’t sure what Rose-Ivey’s injury was specifically, but said Jones told him he thought he was dealing with cramping.
***Riley said NU has been experimenting with a new wrinkle at the end of practices where they keep the younger and newer players who are further down the depth around around for an additional period of work. He said they’ve been getting in an average of 24-34 plays during the extra session, which is just about as much as the first and second team units get.
***Both Riley and offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf praised the progress of Devine Ozigbo at running back this offseason. Riley said he’s been very impressed with how good of shape Ozigbo got into since last season, while Langsdorf said he’s noticed a big jump in his development as a pass catcher.
***Langsdorf said he thinks quarterback Ryker Fyfe is in the best shape of his life right now, and Fyfe agreed, saying he’s never felt better. Langsdorf said Fyfe looks a lot more comfortable with the offense, and that’s a result of how much studying he put in this offseason.
***Langsdorf praised tight end Sam Cotton, saying while everyone talks about Cethan Carter, Cotton was “a good player” who will play a lot. He also said Tyler Hoppes continues to be a standout as a downfield receiver.
***Langsdorf said he wasn’t sure if Tre Bryant would be ready to factor in at running back this season given the depth ahead of him, but said special teams could certainly be an area where he plays right away this season.
***Langsdorf said receiver Derrion Grim could be a freshman who works into the offense this season because of the head start he got coming in early this spring.
***Langsdorf said quarterback Tanner Lee has been everything he had hoped so far during camp. While Lee can’t work with the “varsity” offense, Langsdorf said he “looks like a veteran who’s played three years of college football… I’m really excited about him going forward.”
***Ozigbo said he’s made it a point to improve as a pass blocker, and before the start of the past few practices he and linebacker Josh Banderas have been working on rush/blocking to give each other some looks of what they’re going to see in practice.
***Ozigbo said he currently weighs 225 pounds and that he’s never felt so good physically. He said his goal is obviously to be the starter, but he’s mostly concerned with being able to play a key role and help his team win.
***Offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh said right tackle David Knevel had a huge offseason in terms of building strength, and he’s noticeably strong in his shoulders and overall upper body. Cavanaugh said Knevel was one of the biggest keys to the success of Nebraska’s o-line this season.
***Fyfe said it’s definitely been hard not having the late Sam Foltz around this fall. He said he hadn’t been to a practice without Foltz since he was in junior high, as the two grew up together in Grand Island. He said it was great to see Foltz’s father, Gerald, at practice recently, and the Foltz family is holding up as well as could be expected.
***2017 Ashland-Greenwood offensive lineman and Minnesota commit Brett Kitrell was in attendance on Tuesday. He and several of his Ashland-Greenwood teammates watched from the sidelines.
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