Saturday, March 31, 2012

Nebraska O-Line developing depth


As Nebraska football tinkers with its offensive line by trying to move Andrew Rodriguez from guard to tackle, one thought crosses my mind, and this could very well be a good move. Granted, every move in the month of April is good on paper but this one would appear to make sense because Rodriguez seems better suited to play outside. At 6-foot-6, 325 pounds, Rodriguez would qualify as a behemoth.

Nebraska appears pretty well set at tackle with Rodriguez and Tyler Moore along with guard as Spencer Long and Sung Holon Choi return. The question is who will take over at center for Mike Caputo? Probably Cole Pen sick but don’t rule out Justin Jackson or Mark Perini because both have been seeing reps with the first unit.

Don’t be surprised either if Long moved from guard to center with Jake Cotton taking Long’s spot at guard.

Pen sick, however, has the most experience at center because he is the most sound there at the moment but Jackson has the intensity and athleticism to make an impact. Even if Pen sick opens the season at center, don’t be surprised if Jackson eventually starts. However, having both Pen sick and Jackson get reps with quarterback Taylor Martinez in spring practice is a good idea.

Most importantly, with Rodriguez going to tackle, that gives Nebraska four tackles that are in the 6-6, 300 pound-plus range that have playing experience. Besides Moore and Rodriguez, there is also Jeremiah Sires and Brent Vale.

The Huskers also appear to have experienced depth at guard with Long, Choi, and Brandon Thompson. If Pen sick and Jackson can give the Huskers solid depth at center, that will be a huge plus.

With that being said, the Huskers line will have a solid two-deep this year with a lot of young guys right behind them on the come. Nebraska has 23 offensive linemen on the roster right now.


Sunday, March 25, 2012

Spring optimism must be taken with caution


“There’s something in the air in Lincoln. It might just be the hope of spring. But the Nebraska football team, from fifth-year coach Bo Pelini on down, is convinced it’s more transformative than that.


Defensive end Cameron Meredith, on the third day of spring practices in preparation for his senior season, said, “We’re all vibing on it.”

But what is it?

“There’s a lot of confidence,” Meredith said, “but it’s not just confidence. It’s the reasons we have to be confident.”

The Huskers believe they’re a smarter team than the 2011 squad that went 9-4 overall, had a disappointing third-place division finish in its first season in the Big Ten and lost 30-13 to South Carolina in the Capital One Bowl. They say they’re more together, too. Pelini says they’re deeper and already
showing signs of being better prepared, and he includes himself in the latter area.


Those were some of the words spoken in a recent Sporting News story as the Nebraska football team prepares for the 2012 campaign. If there is one thing I have learned about spring football is that if you are not optimistic now, when will you ever be? However, such optimism should always be taken with caution.



I remember now former defensive coordinator Carl Pelini (now the Florida Atlantic head coach) saying last year that the defense was so far ahead of any other defense he has had. Pelini added that they were beyond the basics and working a lot on different packages, and we all know how that turned out. I find it somewhat interesting that they are going back to the basics now that head coach Bo Pelini seems back to being more involved with the defense even though John Papuchus is the defensive coordinator by title.

I like what I’m hearing but I want to actually see it on the field. About that bowl game against South Carolina, Nebraska had a 13-9 lead, lost two turnovers, both of which more than likely would have been touchdowns and Brett Maher missed a field goal. If they put those points up on the board, the Huskers go into halftime with a 21 point lead. Coulda. Shoulda. Woulda. But didn’t. And the Northwestern game (28-25 home loss), that’s what happens when your team doesn’t take an opponent seriously.


There’s usually one or two teams every season where it is blatantly obvious that the Huskers didn’t really prepare. I think Pelini is a very good coach and despite what a segment of Husker fans think, the seat he is as on isn’t even warm let alone hot. While Pelini has done a fine job pulling the program from the wreckage known as the Bill Callahan era, at some point the Huskers need to take that proverbial next step and become a BCS bowl team. Winning a national championship would be outstanding but let’s focus on winning the division first, then the Big 10 title and if the BCS bowl game is there at the end, great.

I can’t honestly see Nebraska winning a national championship this year either but I definitely think a division and Big 10 title are within reach. The out of conference slate is not particularly strong and Wisconsin, Michigan, and Penn State all come to Lincoln. Theoretically that leaves Ohio State and
Michigan State as the two potential road losses. The Huskers going 11-1 is possible but 9-3 again
as more likely. The biggest key will be to see what happens when this team faces adversity in 2012. It’s not that the Huskers gave up when facing adversity but they had a tendency to self-destruct.

I think many people forget how young this team was two years ago and how little depth there was at every position. Let’s also remember how many systems and offensive coordinators they have had. Last year was the learning curve in Tim Beck’s first season. Most of us knew that the defense was going to struggle, they were put together to stop the spread not a power game. They didn’t attack; they waited for the play to come to them.

I really have no clue how to predict next season though. I can’t quantify how much impact playing in a new conference, against 11 new teams had on the outcome last season, or the performance of the offense/defense. Nebraska might have had defense better than the 2010 version had we still been in the Big 12. Who knows? If I put too much weight into last season, I see 8-4 going into the bowl as a real possibility. If I don’t put as much stock in it, and assume we are going to have a major jump in our second year if for no other reason than we'll be better prepared going into games then I’m seeing 10-2 out there.



I like the skill positions and like the offense as a whole if they can come together as a team. Quarterback Taylor Martinez has to be effective, he’s in his third year. Rex Burkhead is Rex Burkhead. The freshman running backs behind him are now into their second year. We had some guys last year we didn’t hear from on defense, who I think will send a loud message this year like Eric Martin, Meredith, Damion Stafford, Will Compton, and Andrew Green. That’s a pretty solid six.



There were three great players last year on defense but I see us having 6-7 very good players going in this year. No one shines, but overall maybe a little more potential.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

D-Line, secondary huge keys for Blackshirts


So I'm thinking about the Huskers for next year and I can think of two areas need to get shored up before the 2012 season begins.



The defensive line needs to get a pass rush. You don’t necessarily have to record a ton of quarterback sacks but if you can make opposing quarterbacks throw a fraction of a second too soon. The Husker secondary also struggled last season and needs to get shored up but that was partially because of the subpar pass rush.


Granted, losing LaVonte David at linebacker is a crushing blow but Will Compton and Alonzo Whaley provide a good starting point to develop the younger players at the position.


As for the defensive line, part of the problem was injuries, most notably Jared Crick (torn pectoral muscle), part of it was adjusting to the Big Ten and part of it was because the secondary lost a number of quality players from the previous season. Regardless of the reason, the Husker defensive line did not collapse the pocket last season which put added pressure on the secondary.

With the loss of Alfonso Dennard, the Huskers need JC transfer Mohammed Seisay and freshman Charles Jackson to contribute right away.

In closing, if the secondary can shore up things and the defensive line can generate pressure, Nebraska could win 10 or more games.


Sunday, March 18, 2012

Reed and Cotton together could be dangerous


While comparing the 2012 Nebraska offense to the New England Patriots is a reach at best, Sam McKewon’s recent story in the Omaha World Herald suggests that perhaps the Huskers will, or should, employ more double tight end formations involving Kyler Reed and Ben Cotton much like the Patriots use their two-headed tight end monster of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez:


While I despise the Patriots, if Cotton and Reed can even be a faint shadow of the Pats' pair, look out Big Ten. Keep in mind, New England head coach Bill Belichick was a recent visitor to Husker spring football practice. If there is a position where Nebraska is truly set going into the 2012 campaign, it’s tight end. In 2011, Reed recorded 15 catches for 257 yards and one touchdown but Reed still ranked among the top 50 receivers in the Big Ten (third among tight ends). Cotton was No. 5 with 14 grabs for 189 yards. Both also made some clutch third down grabs throughout the season.

With Tim Beck replacing Shawn Watson at offensive coordinator, the Huskers were trying to master the basic installments of their offense last season but it should also be noted that Reed was slowed by ankle and hamstring injuries last season.

Since Nebraska fired Frank Solich after the 2003 season, the tight ends have been a hit or miss element of the offense. Tracy Wistrom was the go-to man until graduation in 2001. Matt Herian looked like the second coming of Brent Jones but suffered a broken leg in 2004 and while he miraculously returned to action he was a shadow of his old self. Mike McNeil looked primed for a big senior year in 2010 after a 32-catch junior year in 2009 but as a senior caught just 21 passes and disappeared down the stretch.

I hope the Huskers are able to effectively use two tight ends, it puts more pressure on the defense and chances are someone is open if you have five viable receiving options on any given play, you become harder to defend.  




Thursday, March 15, 2012

Better turnover margin can jump start the next step


If there is one thing that statistics can tell you is that numbers can convince you of just about anything.

Let’s face it, fans and media alike use statistics to back up their argument. Key word is “their” argument, not someone else’s point of view. The bottom liner would scoff and say, “The only stat that matters is winning.” While that is a true statement, it’s also a peerless insight into the obvious. There are reasons (aka common denominators) why a team wins or loses. From my vantage point there are three: turnover margin, third down conversions and red zone touchdown percentage.

Some people would say “points off turnovers” matter more than turnover margin. That’s true to a point but even that angle can be misleading because of a defensive team gets a takeaway near the end of a half with the lead, they are rarely looking to score. Instead, they are looking to run out the clock.

Third down conversions are vital because at some point, a team will face a clutch third down. Offenses can’t score if they cannot convert third downs and defenses cannot win unless they make those crucial stops on third down. Look no further than the NFC Championship Game between the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants. True, Kyle Williams fumbling two punts loomed large in the Giants 20-17 overtime win but San Francisco’s offense did itself no favors by converting 1 of 13 third downs.

Red zone touchdown percentage is important because many games in the NFL and for that matter in college are decided by a touchdown or less. If an offense fails to convert a red zone trip into a touchdown, that’s four points it is taking away from itself. On the other hand, if a defense makes an offense settle for three points instead of getting a touchdown, that can also loom large.

In 2003, when Bo Pelini was Nebraska’s defensive coordinator, the Huskers produced 48 takeaways en route to a 10-3 season. When Pelini was named head coach in 2008, most people (myself included) were thinking Nebraska’s defense would produce more turnovers than the Hy-Vee Market bakery. Except, that has not been the case.

Pelini’s initial impact from taking the Huskers to an embarrassing 5-7 season in 2007 in Bill Callahan’s final season to 38-16 the last four has been very good. However, Nebraska has been unable to make the jump to being a BCS bowl team with turnover margin being a huge culprit.

Since Pelini took over in 2008, the Huskers are minus-8 in the takeaway-giveaway ratio. Nebraska has created 86 turnovers on defense but has coughed it up 94 times on offense.

Yes, there have been other aspects that have prevented the Huskers from taking the next step: dropped passes, a few too many penalties, Taylor Martinez’s passing or third down defense. All of those things need to improve. However, having a superior turnover margin is the fastest way to becoming an elite program.

Say what you want about dropped passes, penalties, Taylor Martinez's completion percentage or the Blackshirts' third-down defense. Each needs improvement.

In that same span, the Huskers are 2-7 against Top Ten teams primarily because they are minus-12 in the turnover margin category.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Linebacker and fullback are two intriguing position battles


Anytime a team goes into spring practice or fall camp, you can expect to hear a lot of talk about “position battles.”

As Nebraska continues with its spring football practice sessions, linebacker and fullback are two of the more intriguing position battles for the 2012.

Any discussion regarding Nebraska linebackers in 2012 begins and ends with the loss of LaVonte David to graduation. David is projected by most NFL draft boards to be a second round pick, possibly even first if you listen to Mel “I Have Plenty of Hair” Kiper. Without David, Nebraska very well could have finished 7-6 instead of 9-4. David’s numbers speak for themselves as he recorded team highs in total tackles (133), tackles for loss (13) and quarterback sacks (5.5).

However, things are not all doom and gloom with the loss of David because Will Compton came alive in the second half of the season and recorded 82 total tackles, seven for lost yardage. Sean Fisher came back after having missed the 2010 season with a leg injury to start four games and record 24 total tackles. However, Alonzo Whaley saw his most significant playing time the last two games of the season and actually moved ahead of Fisher on the depth chart.

David’s incredible skills will be hard to replace. Nebraska has had its share of legendary linebackers such as Tom Novak, Broderick Thomas, Barrett Ruud, Jerry Murtugh, Ed Stewart and Marc Munford. Where David fits in the annals of Husker lore is open for discussion but he certainly belongs in that conversation.

The fact that Compton made it through an entire season mostly injury free, which hadn’t been the case throughout his career before the season, is a good sign. The Huskers will need Compton to take on an even bigger role in 2012. Sophomore Trevor Roach saw action early in the season and can be a capable backup at MIKE linebacker to Compton.

It also bears watching if Whaley stays ahead of Fisher on the depth chart at the BUCK position. Either way, both will be needed when the Huskers go to their goal-line defense.

The player from the 2012 class that will need to contribute immediate is junior college transfer Zaire Anderson.
. The Huskers have a strong group of recruits but will they be ready to contribute right away?

Though the fullback position in today’s game of college football has taken on a lesser role with such a big emphasis on spread-oriented offenses, the Huskers still must find a way to replace Tyler Legate. Losing Legate might not be high on many people’s list but since Nebraska incorporated some of the traditional I-formation option, replacing Legate is not so insignificant. Plus, even though shotgun formations and spread offenses are all the rage, at some point teams will face short yardage situations where it behooves them to have a fullback as a lead blocker.

Legate had eight carries and four catches (two for touchdowns). The fullback carrying the ball, however, seemed to be more of an attempt to pander to the fans that long for the retro Tom Osborne playbook.

Given that the option has returned as part of the Husker offense, losing Legate might be more of a concern that at first glance. For openers, there’s the role of lead blocking for the running back but also quarterback Taylor Martinez seems better suited on “load option” running plays that involve either a fullback or pulling guard.

The likely candidate for this position is Mike Marrow, who transferred from Alabama and Eastern Michigan. Marrow brings a menacing presence at 6-foot-2, 250-pounds. He has the body to become a dominant lead blocker for Rex Burkhead but he could emerge as a counter-puncher to Burkhead by carrying the ball himself and abusing defenses.

Other players who will compete for the position are freshmen Carson Collins and Andy Janovich along with junior CJ Zimmerer.

Friday, March 9, 2012

At some point, players have to lead -- not just Pelini



As Nebraska football begins spring practice Saturday in preparation for the 2012 season (Year No. 5 under head coach Bo Pelini), I can’t help but keep coming back to a column that Tom Shatel wrote about a week ago in the Omaha World Herald:


It was an excellent story on the scuttlebutt about what is going on in the program to hopefully get Nebraska that elusive conference title that has been missing since 1999 and BCS Bowl appearance since 2001. The Huskers have flirted with both statuses on a couple of occasions but people are hungry for a return to the glory years. While such a feat is no more likely to happen this year, the fact that the team is making changes that Shatel addresses is a good sign.

Shatel focuses on how players are being given more latitude to show leadership and take ownership of the program. The story focused on a players meeting that was held after the team returned to Lincoln following their 30-13 Capital One Bowl loss to South Carolina. You know the particulars of that game. Nebraska outplayed the Gamecocks in the first half but staggered worse than a drunken sailor when it came time to take control of the game.

In addition, the story also addressed players being given more latitude to voice those concerns to Pelini, something that reportedly was not the case in the past. It certainly makes sense for Pelini to do so because he has led the program for five years. These players are exclusively his and were recruited exclusively in his time. Translation, no more even slight remnants of the Bill Callahan era. Pelini has built this car and hired the drivers.    

Is this a sign that Pelini himself is growing more as a leader? Well, talk is cheap and March is always full of optimism but something had to change. Pelini has a persuasive personality but at some point players tune out the coach. I’m not suggesting that Nebraska players have done that to Pelini but if you have vocal leaders that are preaching the same message as the coach, then the coach’s message carries that much more weight.

You can’t help but think back to the Tom Osborne days and the constants that were the heart of the program, this gives me hope that this staff realizes what is lacking today. Osborne said himself that having that upperclassman leadership was vital when playing on the road. When keeping a team sharp after big wins. Paraphrasing, he said to Bob Costas, it was what was missing before that run in the 1990s. Having special players that took control was as big a reason as any why Nebraska went 60-3 from 1993-1997 with three National Championships.
 
Having the same offense and coaches intact back then, was a much easier proposition than the past decade’s attempts. Osborne always said it was those little things that tripped you up. Starting a freshman at quarterback and underclassmen in the lines, meant that the little things were bypassed for expediency. It showed in the penalties and missed assignments too often. Teaching the underclassman was a problem, but having to teach a young coaching staff a new system every season wasn’t a recipe for excellence.


Leadership/ownership from players is exactly what I’ve been hoping for out of this team for years. So far, running back Rex Burkhead and linebacker Will Compton appear to be leading the charge. While neither one of these guys will be mistaken for the Peter brothers (Jason and Christian) or Grant Wistrom, opening up the communication and clearing up any conflict is absolutely essential for these guys to really function as a unified team.

What was said is immaterial but I’m glad the players feel comfortable with their coaches and their teammates to step up and say the things that most likely need to be said. It could create some resentment but hopefully it will lead to unity. So maybe this will be a good step forward for Pelini and the team.

There is plenty of reason to be skeptical until the approach works but I agree with the crux of Shatel’s message. Players have to be the ones to decide how they’re going to play. If I may use an old cliché, coaches can only show players the door, but the players have to open it. The Hail Mary play from Connor Shaw to Alshon Jeffrey at the end of the first half of the Capital One Bowl is the perfect example. I know the coaches told the players, right before that play, to get behind Jeffrey and not let him behind them. What happened? Nobody gets behind him and they score a touchdown.

Mental errors, miscommunication, etc., the focus just wasn't there on a Hail Mary - the most basic of defensive schemes. It’s one thing if a players leaps in the end zone and makes an amazing catch, but to straight up not get behind a receiver and let him just fall into the end zone is unacceptable. Since college football pass interference penalties are only 15-yards as opposed to spot foul penalties, you given the receiver a subway-style mugging before you let him catch the ball.

I realize that feel good stories are nice this time of year because this team has far to go. However, at least they are trying to figure out how to get better. That cannot hurt.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Husker offense at least resembles continuity


For the first time since the 2006 season, Nebraska returns both its offensive coordinator and starting quarterback for a second consecutive season.


OK, hold the snarky comments. Yes, the Huskers finished last season ranked 66th nationally in total offense (379.9 ypg) and 104th in passing offense (162.7). You have to think the Huskers will make significant improvement in both areas in 2012. Right?

Junior Taylor Martinez returns as the starting quarterback and Tim Beck returns as offensive coordinator despite pleas from some Nebraska fans for a change at both positions. However, let’s not diminish the importance of continuity. Does that mean the 2012 Huskers are going to suddenly make us forget the Scoring Explosion of 1983? No. Far from it but when a team has to learn a new system there is so much involved as far as the most basic points of the system. That’s not an excuse by any means but continuity is no small advantage.

After watching a year of Beck’s offense, the Huskers are closer to having a definite identity but are still caught in the ‘tweener phase. Under Shawn Watson as offensive coordinator, the Huskers tried to marry the West Coast offense with the zone read and pistol. With Beck last season, the Huskers alternated between zone read, pistol, and traditional option but with the passing game either being too vertical or horizontal.

There was plenty to like about Beck’s offense and plenty of room for improvement. I’m not looking for so much as “Well, I hope we find someone to play tackle,” as much as “I hope our offense does more of X as opposed to Y.” Either is fine, though, if you believe it pertains. Personally, I hope the offense becomes better tailored to fit Martinez’s strengths, or at least the strengths I think he has. I don’t think Martinez has the agility to run traditional option. He’s too close to the line, doesn’t have that great lateral movement, and didn’t make correct reads very often last year. However, when he’s back in the shotgun with more room to spare, his running skills and read skills seemed significantly better. I hope we see less traditional option and more shotgun option.

On the passing side, I would like to see more short routes (7-8 yards). These are statistically Martinez’s best throws. Use bubble screens and jailbreak screens as long handoffs and the long ball to keep the defense honest and try to force the safeties out of the box.

I hope we see more of the diamond formation.
This consists of a quarterback in the shotgun formation flanked by a triangle of running backs. It can be effective for a run or pass play. The diamond fits Nebraska's talent perfectly; it seems that whenever this formation was utilized it produced.

It just creates so many options and matchup problems, not to mention the multiplicity of possible changes at the line of scrimmage without showing your hand. I know a lot of last year was experimenting for Beck in trying to find the right combinations with so many young players and a new offense. I think this year we’ll see a lot more of a focus on certain aspects that we
know are/will be successful, and hopefully the diamond becomes one of those mainstays.

In addition, I say keep the creativity as long as it doesn't make the offense too cutesy. Beck seemed to do a good job last year.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

New DBs coach has some talent to work with

Given that Nebraska football landed its replacement for Corey Raymond as defensive backs coach much sooner than anticipated, the picture for the last line of Husker defense does not look so bad.


Are things perfect? Far from it. When are they? However, given head coach Bo Pelini’s ability to land Tennessee defensive backs coach Terry Joseph, who also has five years of experience as a recruiting coordinator, just a few days after Raymond’s departure, things could be much worse.

What’s nice is that Joseph is not walking into a bare cupboard. Damion Stafford will be a constant at the strong safety spot. There are a number of capable - and experienced - players to compete to play alongside him. P.J. Smith and Courtney Osborne are the first names that come to mind, but I will be curious to see if Corey Cooper remains at safety and makes the most of a chance to compete.



At corner, there is potential but a lot of unknowns. Andrew Green improved as the year went along. He’s the only one fans may be able to count on at corner. Ciante Evans was inconsistent to the end. The coaches moved a wide receiver (Stanley Jean-Baptiste) and now a running back (Braylon Heard) to the spot. That tells me they aren’t in love with the talent there now. Fans can be optimistic about Mohammed Seisay’s ability but he’s a newcomer that must learn quickly. Seisay will be given every chance to make an impact right way because team’s don’t bring in JC transfers just to be a body on the roster.



The X factor is the possible addition of freshman Charles Jackson, who could give the coaches another option. Jackson has the talent to be a game changer at NU and get on field.



I’m hopeful the staff can coach them up, but the team needs a good surprise by Seisay and Jackson to make the secondary good this year. Otherwise, Green is an adequate starter and the Huskers have a huge question mark on the other side.



Last year, the experience was sparse, but there are guys with promise returning this year. The talent level could not do what Raymond wanted them to do. Good coaches are able to adjust to the abilities of their young or undeveloped players to compensate for perceived deficiencies. I’m not a fan of a coach who disparages the players under his command, so I will happily blame some of the problems on Raymond last season.



Hopefully, Joseph can bring aggressiveness that the secondary lacked last season because there were so many receivers running loose. Stafford and Osborne would be the ideal safety tandem. You know Green will man one corner spot; the question becomes who takes the other? Evans was beat more than any other DB last year.


Whether it’s Seisay, Jackson or Jean Baptiste, Nebraska needs one if not two of those guys to elevate their performance because last season the unit’s inexperience really showed. Evans was a disappointment and the defensive line was no better without Jared Crick.

Despite the losses of Crick, linebacker LaVonte David and cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, the 2012 Husker defense is not void of talent but is lacking in terms of impact players.

For what it’s worth, Seisay’s JC coach was quoted as saying Seisay was a better player than Zack Bowman, at that level.


With so many prospects on campus and arriving over the summer, there’s got to be enough players to replace Dennard and compete for the opposite side and third corner.


I was thinking this is similar to the 2003 defensive backfield, which had a new DB coach, a walk-on corner and some young players. Then I realized the young players turned out to be the Daniel Bullocks and Josh Bullocks, who had NFL talent and Fabian Washington, who was a multi-year starter in the NFL.


At the moment, Safety looks like the strongest position, talent and experience. Which is key because good Safeties can make up for a lot.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Pelini moves quick to hire new DBs coach

So much for Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini not being in a hurry to name a replacement for recently departed Husker defensive backs coach Corey Raymond.


Raymond, who replaced Marvin Sanders, left Lincoln after one season to join the LSU coaching staff Tuesday just one week after denying that he would even as much as interview for the position.

Three days later, after a lot of speculation pointed in such a direction, Pelini replaced Raymond with Terry Joseph. Oddly enough, Pelini said he was in no hurry to fill the position but he did so three days later. According to a Lincoln Journal Star report, Joseph told govols247.com on Friday that he has accepted an offer to become secondary coach at Nebraska, leaving Tennessee after two seasons and thus parting ways with Derek Dooley after a total of five years together following a stint at Louisiana Tech.

Joseph has worked with Pelini and current Nebraska defensive coordinator John Papuchis at LSU. Joseph, the recruiting coordinator and defensive backs coach who would have earned $250,000 this year, was set to have slightly different role with the Vols moving forward thanks to the addition of another body in the secondary with new defensive coordinator Sal Sunseri dividing the responsibilities in the back end. Joseph was tabbed to handle the safeties, and recent hire Derrick Ansley was put in charge of cornerbacks.

The addition of Ansley appeared to complete the staff for Dooley heading into his third season at the helm, but that didn’t even last a full month for a program that has undergone dramatic changes since the end of a 5-7 campaign last November.

Joesph, who is the cousin of former Husker quarterback Mickey Joseph, becomes the seventh coach on Dooley’s staff to vacate.

Nebraska’s staff has also undergone its share of turnover as well. Linebackers coach Ross Els is the only defensive coach returning to the same position he held throughout last season. Papuchis, who was the defensive line coach, was elevated to defensive coordinator after Carl Pelini (Bo’s brother) took the Florida Atlantic job. Pelini then moved quickly to hire Iowa defensive line coach Rick Kazsenski just like he did in hiring Joseph.

On the surface, this is a horizontal step for Joseph but it’s a move that speaks well to Bo Pelini’s ability to recruit coaches as well as players. Though the Volunteers have struggled in going 23-27 the last four seasons, Tennessee’s not exactly a bottom-tier program, plus they’re in the SEC. Pelini must really be preaching a defensive gospel to lure Joseph to Nebraska for essentially the same role.


Despite the Vols’ struggles as a team, their secondary finished among nation's top 20 with 18 interceptions in 2010; fourth in the SEC. Joseph relied on only one starting safety for each game, while the rest of the defensive backs were an ensemble unit that rotated. He also served as a recruiting coordinator and is a New Orleans native. He also had one graduate assistant season at LSU, where he worked under head coach Les Miles and Pelini, who at the time was the Tigers defensive coordinator.

In most cases in any job, people are not going to take a lateral move without a good reason. Tennessee’s aforementioned struggles the last few seasons would definitely put Dooley on the hot seat heading into the 2012 season. If the Vols decide to send Dooley packing, it is very likely that the staff would be fired.

Joseph, however, may very well want to work under Pelini (from what I’ve read, he truly enjoyed and respected him when they were together at LSU) and he may also find the job security greater in Lincoln.

The fact, Joseph has coached high school football in the New Orleans area, having spent three seasons each as an assistant coach at both Archbishop Shaw and Destrehan high schools in the New Orleans area. Joseph was at Archbishop Shaw from 1999 through 2002, and then at Destrehan through 2005. That coupled with the fact that Joseph has five years experience as a recruiting coordinator is an asset.

In one respect the state of Tennessee is a lot like Nebraska in that they do not have a lot of local high school talent from which to draw. Tennessee has a bigger population base (6.4 million to Nebraska’s 1.8 million) but they don’t recruit as nationally as the Huskers. The Vols, however, regularly go to Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, and really the entire southeast for players. That’s where Joseph will be able to bring some new ideas to recruiting. You think it’s tough recruiting against Texas and Oklahoma or now Ohio State and Michigan? Nothing is more competitive than recruiting in the SEC. Try being Joseph and going against LSU, Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, Georgia, and South Carolina.

The hire looks good on paper. Joseph brings solid credentials and appears to be an upgrade on the recruiting side and the coaching/teaching side.


I like the dual hires of Kaczenski and Joseph. I think the Huskers are going to be better technique-wise next fall. Papuchis may bring something a little different, and the transition is minimized by Pelini's influence.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

On the surface, Heard's move to corner makes sense

According to a Life in the Red blog entry from the Lincoln Journal Star, Nebraska running back Braylon Heard will move to cornerback this spring, Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said Thursday.


"I think he has the ability to be really good there," Pelini said.

Heard, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound sophomore, rushed 25 times for 114 yards (4.6 per carry) in a backup role at running back last season. The Huskers, however, return All-Big Ten running back Rex Burkhead as well as experienced sophomores Ameer Abdullah and Aaron Green.

The fact that Heard was caught in a three-way logjam behind Burkhead coupled with the fact that he played both running back and cornerback at Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown, Ohio, makes sense why Pelini moved him to cornerback.

Pelini also said that while the change was presented to Heard, the move was ultimately the player’s call. While it’s too soon to know how the move will play out, it would appear to makes sense because you need to try to make everyone happy. Heard is also very talented but like anyone wouldn’t be happy if he's a fourth or fifth string running back. However, with the likes of freshman Charles Jackson and JC transfer Mohammed Seisay coming in, will this make a difference? I think Nebraska will have pretty decent depth, but if Heard tries it and is good at it, might as well see what happens.

However, when I first heard rumblings about this a few weeks back I liked the idea. Those three sophomore backs (which would have included Heard) are all very skilled athletically and it's pretty much a must that in their second year you find ways to get them on the field. It's going to be difficult enough finding touches for Abdullah and Green, much less wide receivers Kenny Bell and Jamal Turner, with Burkhead back there, so this should ease a little anxiety in the backfield that must certainly be transpiring.



It may also be a revelation that Heard may have been the farthest from getting significant touches, or he is the most athletically skilled so that his services are most needed in the secondary.

I always feel somewhat bad when a kid changes positions, but it can often be for the better (see Prince Amukamara). It’s safe to say that Amukamara fared pretty well in that position.

Heard may have maximized his potential at running back. Hopefully, this move is about Pelini finding the best way to maximize skills. Nobody who saw Marcus Mendoza play could give me any legitimate reason why the guy shouldn't have been on the field. He was a hell of an athlete, speed to burn, and aside from any underlying reason I do not know, he should have been on the field.



Mendoza is not the only example of players spending their careers in position rotation. I trust Pelini to find the right spot for these guys, but to pretend Pelini doesn't make mistakes is boneheaded. He has made mistakes, and will continue to make mistakes. Switching positions is a tough thing to do, and even the best coaches don't always nail it. You just plain don't have a lot of time with these young men. That's why it is much easier to spend a year or two scouting and recruiting your needs, and plugging in players at the positions you desire. That gives you far more time to get a feel of their overall skills and strengths. By the time most of these kids reach Div. I football, it should be pretty clear to just about everyone what they are best suited.