Here are some quick notes to pass along from Nebraska’s full-pads practice on Wednesday morning…
***Notable players sitting out of practice were Wan'Dale Robinson, Alex Davis, Kanawai Noa, Kade Warner, Christian Gaylord, and Joey Johnson.
***Notable players who were suited up were JoJo Domann, Ronald Thompkins, and Cam Jurgens.
***JUCO transfer defensive lineman Jahkeem Green practiced for the first time as a Husker on Wednesday, going through the session without pads. From our observations during the first 30 minutes of practice, Green looks every bit the part of an instant impact player.
***Offensive coordinator Troy Walters said he was overall pleased with this weekend’s scrimmage, saying the offense scored on its first three drives of the day. However, the defense stopped them on the next three drives, so everything was still a work in progress.
***Walters said one of the standouts in the scrimmage and overall in fall camp has been receiver Jaevon McQuitty. Walters said McQuitty finally looks comfortable and confident in the offense, which was not the case for him last year.
While Nebraska has 7-8 receivers all pushing for playing time, Walters said McQuitty was firmly in the mix to see action this season.
***Another offensive standout in the scrimmage for Walters was freshman QB Luke McCaffrey.
***Quarterback Adrian Martinez said he had noticed a really good connection with his wide receivers, saying with everyone being in the second year of the offense things happen so much faster and smoother than last year.
***Offensive line coach Greg Austin said there hasn’t been much shuffling on the offensive line yet, as Brenden Jaimes, Trent Hixson, Will Farniok, Boe Wilson, and Matt Farniok have been the first-team group all camp. Austin said some movement could come going forward but wouldn’t say what shakeups there could be.
***Will Farniok said he came in as a freshman around 265 pounds and he was now up to 300. Martinez said Will had made it a point to take things to the next level both physically and mentally this offseason, and that definitely seems to have happened.
***Austin said they were very close to turning Jurgens loose for the first time this fall, and he could be 100-percent cleared any day now.
***Austin said Broc Bando had been a pleasant surprise this fall, and that Bando’s focus had definitely improved from last year and the spring.
***Running backs coach Ryan Held said Dedrick Mills wasn’t slowing down at all midway through his first Nebraska fall camp, and that he’s proven that no one is going to bring him down with an arm tackle.
During the team’s “Nebraska Drill” early in practice, Mills ran through an arm tackle and scored. Held immediately turned to a group of NFL scouts watching and said: “Guy runs his ass off!”
Held said Mills was a guy NU could hitch its wagon to in a 9-6 game and have him go grind out a win, which was something Held said they didn’t really have last year.
***Held said Maurice Washington was playing as focused as ever and has been having a great camp so far.
***Tight ends coach Sean Beckton said Austin Allen was bigger and stronger than ever at a solid 255 pounds. Beckton said that added weight and power has really shown in Allen’s blocking this fall.
***McCaffrey said NU’s coaches never changed their message to him from the recruiting process to now, and there has never been any talk of him playing a different position. He said they’ve told him he’s here to compete for the starting QB job.
***McCaffrey said the playbook test that quarterbacks coach Mario Verduzco gives to his guys every year was an all-day event at Verduzco’s house. Verduzco cooks up an “Italian feast” and the QBs eat, take some of the test, eat some more, take more of the test, etc.
McCaffrey said the bulk of the 722-question test was written answers, and there were only a handful of multiple-choice questions.
***Walters said Noa "acts like an NFL player" on and off the field and had been a great resource for NU's younger receivers.
***Martinez said he'd definitely noticed an uptick in confidence and swagger from Nebraska's defensive backs this fall. Especially in creating turnovers, Martinez said the DBs were playing so much faster and comfortable in the scheme than a year ago that now they can "break the rules" a little more and take chances on plays.
***Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts was in attendance for Wednesday’s practice.
***Notable players sitting out of practice were Wan'Dale Robinson, Alex Davis, Kanawai Noa, Kade Warner, Christian Gaylord, and Joey Johnson.
***Notable players who were suited up were JoJo Domann, Ronald Thompkins, and Cam Jurgens.
***JUCO transfer defensive lineman Jahkeem Green practiced for the first time as a Husker on Wednesday, going through the session without pads. From our observations during the first 30 minutes of practice, Green looks every bit the part of an instant impact player.
***Offensive coordinator Troy Walters said he was overall pleased with this weekend’s scrimmage, saying the offense scored on its first three drives of the day. However, the defense stopped them on the next three drives, so everything was still a work in progress.
***Walters said one of the standouts in the scrimmage and overall in fall camp has been receiver Jaevon McQuitty. Walters said McQuitty finally looks comfortable and confident in the offense, which was not the case for him last year.
While Nebraska has 7-8 receivers all pushing for playing time, Walters said McQuitty was firmly in the mix to see action this season.
***Another offensive standout in the scrimmage for Walters was freshman QB Luke McCaffrey.
***Quarterback Adrian Martinez said he had noticed a really good connection with his wide receivers, saying with everyone being in the second year of the offense things happen so much faster and smoother than last year.
***Offensive line coach Greg Austin said there hasn’t been much shuffling on the offensive line yet, as Brenden Jaimes, Trent Hixson, Will Farniok, Boe Wilson, and Matt Farniok have been the first-team group all camp. Austin said some movement could come going forward but wouldn’t say what shakeups there could be.
***Will Farniok said he came in as a freshman around 265 pounds and he was now up to 300. Martinez said Will had made it a point to take things to the next level both physically and mentally this offseason, and that definitely seems to have happened.
***Austin said they were very close to turning Jurgens loose for the first time this fall, and he could be 100-percent cleared any day now.
***Austin said Broc Bando had been a pleasant surprise this fall, and that Bando’s focus had definitely improved from last year and the spring.
***Running backs coach Ryan Held said Dedrick Mills wasn’t slowing down at all midway through his first Nebraska fall camp, and that he’s proven that no one is going to bring him down with an arm tackle.
During the team’s “Nebraska Drill” early in practice, Mills ran through an arm tackle and scored. Held immediately turned to a group of NFL scouts watching and said: “Guy runs his ass off!”
Held said Mills was a guy NU could hitch its wagon to in a 9-6 game and have him go grind out a win, which was something Held said they didn’t really have last year.
***Held said Maurice Washington was playing as focused as ever and has been having a great camp so far.
***Tight ends coach Sean Beckton said Austin Allen was bigger and stronger than ever at a solid 255 pounds. Beckton said that added weight and power has really shown in Allen’s blocking this fall.
***McCaffrey said NU’s coaches never changed their message to him from the recruiting process to now, and there has never been any talk of him playing a different position. He said they’ve told him he’s here to compete for the starting QB job.
***McCaffrey said the playbook test that quarterbacks coach Mario Verduzco gives to his guys every year was an all-day event at Verduzco’s house. Verduzco cooks up an “Italian feast” and the QBs eat, take some of the test, eat some more, take more of the test, etc.
McCaffrey said the bulk of the 722-question test was written answers, and there were only a handful of multiple-choice questions.
***Walters said Noa "acts like an NFL player" on and off the field and had been a great resource for NU's younger receivers.
***Martinez said he'd definitely noticed an uptick in confidence and swagger from Nebraska's defensive backs this fall. Especially in creating turnovers, Martinez said the DBs were playing so much faster and comfortable in the scheme than a year ago that now they can "break the rules" a little more and take chances on plays.
***Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts was in attendance for Wednesday’s practice.
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