Nebraska...not feeling Frosty anymore

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.... should have clarified the east stadium club seats are for football. Gave up VIP volleyball tickets to get those instead... thinking, I'd have no problem getting normal volleyball tickets. silly me..

now, if you head hurt because they are volleyball tickets... I get that too. But I did a lot of stupid shit growing up and I married a nice girl. I have to earn points..

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Bills DE Chris Kelsay calls it a career

Defensive end Chris Kelsay has said for years that he wanted to spend his entire playing career with the Buffalo Bills. On Wednesday he made sure that would be the case.

After 10 years with the club Kelsay announced his retirement Wednesday.

“Chris has been the consummate professional throughout his career and we will miss him," said general manager Buddy Nix. "He always gave 100 percent, regardless of the situation and regardless of the score. He did everything with class and was an excellent team leader. Everyone in our organization from the players to the coaches to the front office personnel have the utmost respect for Chris. I know he will be successful in whatever he chooses to do next and I speak for everyone at One Bills Drive when I say that we wish him and his family nothing but the best.”

“I want to thank Mr. Wilson for the opportunity he gave me 10 years ago to be a Buffalo Bill,” said Kelsay. “One of my goals was to finish my career with the team that drafted me and that came to fruition. I feel very blessed to say that.

“The Buffalo Bills’ fans are the best in the NFL. Having played in every NFL stadium over my 10 years, there are no other fans like the ones we play in front of at the Ralph. It’s inspiring, it’s emotional and it’s exciting every moment you step on the field,” Kelsay continued.

“Your teammates are a big reason why you do this. Being around long enough you establish a lot of lifelong relationships, not just in the locker room but around the building. That’s something I’ll carry with me and cherish for the rest of my life.”

Kelsay appeared in 147 games for the Bills since the time the club made him a second-round draft choice in 2003. That ranks 16th most in team history. The defensive end stands ninth on the team’s all-time sack list with 32.5 in his career.

Kelsay also ranks eighth in team history in forced fumbles with eight and is tied for first in team annals in career safeties with two along with Ron McDole.

The Nebraska product was a locker room leader for the defense and remarkably durable throughout his career. After missing just three games in his first eight seasons, Kelsay missed 11 total in 2011 and 2012. After sustaining a torn ligament in his neck in the middle of last season he was eventually placed on injured reserve for the last four weeks of the year.

One of the more notable highlights of Kelsay’s career came in the home Monday night game against Dallas in 2007 when Kelsay tipped a Tony Romo pass in the air to himself for an interception return for a touchdown.

In retirement the 32-year old will return to his native Nebraska with his wife Natalie and three children.

Nice interview at the link:
http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-2/Bills-DE-Chris-Kelsay-calls-it-a-career/259d1d3e-788b-43bf-876e-2182cbd7f05a

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nice article on Turner..

http://www.omaha.com/article/20130303/HUSKERS/703039857

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His son’s perseverance through leukemia inspires Nebraska assistant coach

By Jeff Eisenberg | The Dagger – 29 minutes ago

Somewhere between the hospital and home, minutes before receiving the worst phone call of either of their lives, Nebraska assistant coach Chris Harriman turned to his wife Cheryl and joked about how nice it was to lead normal lives again.

It had been almost three years since their five-year-old son was diagnosed with leukemia, and the anxiety and stress that had engulfed the family was finally receding.

No longer was Avery receiving chemotherapy and radiation or going to the hospital two or three times a week. He had progressed enough by mid-October that Chris and Cheryl felt comfortable taking him on family trips to visit friends in Saint Louis and Florida.

Every doctor they spoke with during their appointment earlier that day was so optimistic about Avery's recovery that neither Chris nor Cheryl worried when a phone call from the hospital interrupted their conversation on the drive home. Only after Cheryl answered and heard a familiar voice on the other end did she begin to panic.

"When I heard the oncologist's voice, my heart went to my stomach," Cheryl said. "Chris could see in my face something was wrong. It was pretty awful. I was like, 'Here we go again.'"
The news from the oncologist indeed was as dire as Cheryl feared. He told her that based on the results of a routine monthly blood test Avery had just taken, he suspected the leukemia had returned.

"Other than the obvious, your child passing away, that was about as hard a phone call as you can get," Chris said. "It was tough. Really, really tough. You felt like you were being punched in the face."

Stunned by Avery's sudden relapse yet desperate to begin treatment as quickly as possible, Chris and Cheryl hastily stuffed a week's worth of clothes in suitcases, found a friend to look after their four-year-old daughter Kacee and made the hour-long drive from Lincoln to Children's Hospital in Omaha the next morning.

This time the mood in the car was somber yet still far from defeatist. Chris and Cheryl knew the survival rate for childhood leukemia drops significantly after a relapse, yet they were hopeful Avery's enthusiasm and fighting spirit could help him buck the odds.

• • • • •

If doctors and nurses in Omaha were initially surprised to see Avery driving a Hot Wheels mini-jeep down the hospital hallway after chemotherapy or out of bed watching basketball hours after radiation, they've gradually come to expect it.

Avery's tenacity is a product of how his parents have raised him. Chris and Cheryl have displayed the same relentlessly positivity during challenging times in their lives that their son is showing now.

When Chris and Cheryl met through mutual friends as freshmen at Augusta State University in 1999, they could not have been a much more unlikely couple.

Chris, a native of Sydney, Australia, was experiencing culture shock after leaving a sprawling city of 4.6 million to play Division II basketball in a town in the Deep South barely one tenth that size. Cheryl, who grew up in rural Georgia, had no way to relate since she had never spent time away from her family nor even been on a plane before.

"I was like, 'How on earth did you end up in this super small town?" Cheryl recalled with a chuckle. "But it was meant to be, I guess."
Chris and Cheryl became inseparable almost from the moment they met, dating all through college and getting married a few years after they graduated.

The first time Cheryl finally boarded a plane, it was a 23-hour non-stop flight to join Chris in Australia after college as he pursued professional basketball there. She endured homesickness and jet lag for a few days, but soon afterward she grew to love Australia as though it was her home too.
"I had to bring her back to America kicking and screaming," Chris joked. "She had no interest in wanting to leave."

They might never have left were it not for Chris' desire to break into coaching.

It was too good an opportunity to pass up when Chris' former coach at Augusta State, Gary Tuell, offered him a spot on his staff at Division II Nova Southeastern, so he and Cheryl packed up their stuff and traded Australia for Fort Lauderdale in August 2004. That was the first stop on a journey up the college coaching ladder that has since taken Chris and Cheryl to Saint Louis University in 2008 and Nebraska last spring.

"Every four years, we seem to move," Cheryl said. "I know as soon as I get comfortable in a community and a place, he'll have some new options to consider."

• • • • •

Had Chris and Cheryl had any inkling Avery's leukemia was going to return, they may not have left Saint Louis last spring to come to a town where they knew nobody.

Saint Louis became special to the Harrimans because of the success Chris had coaching under Rick Majerus and because of the way players he helped recruit embraced Avery. They high-fived him in the locker room after big wins. They visited him when he wasn't feeling well. And they even took the time to attend his fifth birthday party, which of course had a Billikens basketball theme.

"That meant the world to us," Cheryl said. "These college guys probably have other things they'd rather be doing than going to a five-year-old's birthday party but they all adored Avery. They came and made his day."
What made Chris consider leaving Saint Louis was an unexpected opportunity that arose during last year's Final Four in New Orleans.

Newly hired Nebraska coach Tim Miles was seeking an assistant coach who could recruit internationally because he believed that could be key to overcoming the scarce supply of in-state talent that has always hampered the Huskers. When Miles asked Loyola coach Porter Moser for suggestions over drinks at a New Orleans bar, the former Saint Louis assistant spent the rest of the night talking up his ex-Billikens cohort Harriman.

"The next day Chris and I met," Miles recalled. "It was supposed to last 45 minutes. It lasted about two hours. There was an easy chemistry that I think anybody would have with Chris. His ability to connect with people is just outstanding. I knew at that moment when he walked away, boy, this is the guy we've got to make a play on."

The opportunity to coach at a Big Ten school with sparkling new facilities intrigued Harriman instantly, as did the chance to learn under a man whose easygoing style was the polar opposite to Majerus. Cheryl wasn't eager to leave their friends in Saint Louis or move to a cold-weather state without any familiar faces, but she agreed because doctors assured her Avery's recovery was going as smoothly as possible.

It's safe to say Lincoln was a culture shock for Chris and Cheryl.
When every family on their block took time to introduce themselves within days of their arrival, Chris and Cheryl initially couldn't help but chuckle. They quickly came to appreciate that sense of community once Avery relapsed, however, because neighbors or wives of other Nebraska coaches regularly dropped off home-cooked meals or volunteered to pick Kacee up from school.

"This is as close to Australia in terms of the people as any place I've ever been," Chris said. "There's that slogan, 'There's no place like Nebraska.' Well, that's truly how I feel like it is."

• • • • •

Despite the support from friends and neighbors, the past few months have been challenging for the Harriman family
Avery began chemotherapy again soon after his relapse, but his oncologist determined by mid-December that the treatment was unlikely to fully eliminate the leukemia. As a result, doctors told Chris and Cheryl their best remaining option was a bone marrow transplant, a high-risk, high-reward procedure designed to provide Avery a new immune system to fight the residual leukemia.

The possibility of Avery living a normal, leukemia-free life was alluring to his parents, but the potential life-threatening complications were downright terrifying.

Since Avery would need high-dose chemotherapy and head-to-toe radiation to deplete his existing immune system in preparation for the transplant, any minor infection he contracted the first six weeks after the procedure had the potential to be dangerous. Furthermore, there was the frightening possibility that the new marrow would not be a sufficient genetic match and would perceive his body as foreign material to be attacked and destroyed.

"They told us things could go really wrong and Avery could die," Cheryl said. "We just kept thinking, 'Holy cow, can his little body really go through all this?' It's crazy. The only thing in your mind was how many complications could pop up and that it was really risky."

What helped Chris and Cheryl change their mind about the transplant was finding a viable donor. Doctors had to seek someone from outside the family because Avery's sister was not a match, but improbably they found a 10-out-of-10 match in a yet-to-be-identified 24-year-old.
After numerous conversations with doctors and late-night chats with each-other, Chris and Cheryl eventually conceded in late January that the transplant was Avery's best option.

"We always looked at the bone marrow transplant as a last resort," Chris said. "It's the hardest decision we ever had to make because it's so high-risk, high-reward. We tried to be as informed as possible and meet with as many doctors as possible. Everywhere we turned, the advice was we should do it."

• • • • •

More than two weeks have passed since Avery had his bone marrow transplant on Feb. 15, and so far he is exceeding the most optimistic expectations of his doctors.

Not only does the bone marrow appear to be a good match so far, Avery has also remained remarkably cheerful for a kid receiving shots or medicine every few hours.

Doctors said he'd likely be in bed for days after chemotherapy and radiation sessions prior to the transplant. He was racing nurses down the hallway in a tricycle. Doctors said he'd probably need a feeding tube the day after the procedure because he wouldn't have much appetite. He scarfed down a pizza and a banana smoothie. Doctors said it would be at least a few weeks before he could be unhooked from his IVs. He started taking his medication orally on Friday.

"Everyone who sees him asks, 'Did he really have a bone marrow transplant?'" Cheryl said. "It gives me chills to think about how incredible he has been."

One reason Avery has remained in such good spirits is because of the care packages that keep pouring in from friends of his father in the basketball industry.

Stuffed animals, T-shirts or videos of games seem to arrive from folks at Saint Louis once every few weeks. Signed jerseys have arrived from Saint Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford and Charlotte Bobcats forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. And just last week, Missouri assistant coach Ryan Miller arranged for his brother Mike to have Miami Heat teammates LeBron James and Dwyane Wade send autographed T-shirts, jerseys and photos.
Even though the past couple weeks have gone so well, Chris and Cheryl know hurdles remain for Avery.

Cheryl makes sure either she or Chris sleep in a chair at the hospital each night so that Avery will never wake up and not see one of their faces. And Chris has occasionally skipped practices or recruiting trips and done some of his advance scouting work from the hospital to minimize the chances that he's unavailable should something go wrong.

If the frustration of trying to help an undermanned Nebraska team remain competitive in the rugged Big Ten ever gets to Chris, he usually regains his perspective by thinking about his son. He can't complain about a bad practice or dwell on a blowout road loss because he knows Avery has it worse.

"He has every reason to get upset but when the doctors ask him how he's feeling in the morning, his response every time is 'great,'" Chris said. "He's a total inspiration."

Yahoo Article

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Nebraska is loaded with guys competing at cornerback, but one veteran who won't be involved this spring is Andrew Green.

The senior from San Antonio is coming off surgery — coach Bo Pelini did not specify what kind — and will be out for the remainder of spring.

Green is one of the few defenders returning with starting experience. In Saturday's first spring practice, Stanley Jean-Baptiste and Josh Mitchell ran with the first team at corner, with Ciante Evans at nickel.

The battle for those cornerback jobs is considered wide-open with at least seven candidates.

* SANTOS IN THE MIDDLE: Sophomore David Santos got a chance to be the quarterback of the defense Saturday, working as the MIKE linebacker with the first team. Zaire Anderson (WILL) and Thomas Brown (BUCK) also got a crack with the top group.

Santos made some plays, but at one point got a pep talk from the veteran Evans to be louder in his calls.

"I had to get on him today because he made a check and said it so low that me and Josh on the other side couldn't hear him," Evans said.

* NUMBER SWITCH: Anderson has switched from No. 8 to No. 13. There is still a No. 8 on defense, though. It now belongs to freshman safety D.J. Singleton.

* NEW FACES: Sam Hahn, an offensive lineman transfer from North Dakota State, was among the newbies to the Husker roster. A redshirt freshman, the 6-foot-6, 296-pound Hahn played his high school ball at Tri County High School.

Also now on the roster is Dennis Stille. The walk-on from Ashland is listed as a defensive lineman but was working as a tight end Saturday.

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GI Paper - The Independent

Young defense passes first test

Though it was just the first day of workouts, Nebraska’s secondary fared well against the Huskers’ top offense in 7-on-7 passing drills.

Seniors Ciante Evans and Stanley Jean-Batiste and junior Josh Mitchell all made their share of plays. Jean-Baptiste intercepted quarterback Taylor Martinez and broke up several more passes downfield. Evans often drew the assignment of Jamal Turner, blanketing the junior on routes over the middle. Martinez was often left double-clutching — waiting for routes that never came open — or throwing into double coverage.

“We were energized, ready, hyped up,” Evans said. “We have to carry that moving forward. Everybody wants to be out there for the first day and make plays. But it’s about consistency. Make the same plays you made on Day 1 on Day 11, Day 13.”

Inexperienced but enthusiastic

Nowhere did graduation hit Nebraska harder than at linebacker, where fifth-year seniors Will Compton, Sean Fisher and Alonzo Whaley played their last games in the Capital One Bowl.

That has opened the door for redshirt freshmen Thomas Brown, Michael Rose and Jared Afalava to get their looks, as well as true freshman Courtney Love.

“They may mess up, but they’re going to mess up full speed,” senior defensive end Jason Ankrah said. “All those guys are just athletic and happy to be out there. They just love playing football.”

Among the non-freshmen at linebacker are Zaire Anderson, David Santos, Trevor Roach and Max Pirman. Anderson got steady reps with the No. 1s in his first practice back after injuring a knee last September.

Leaner Cross impresses Bo

I-back Imani Cross showed up Saturday looking a little different from last season when he played as a true freshman.

Pelini said Cross started spring practice at about 220 pounds, 10 below his weight last season.

“He looks real good,” Pelini said.

Will that be Cross’ playing weight? Pelini said that’s something the Huskers will revisit after spring practice.

“He’s a big guy, and he doesn’t have a lot of body fat,” Pelini said. “So we’re kind of evaluating and he’s evaluating kind of what his ideal weight’s going to be.”

Cross, from Gainesville, Ga., rushed for 324 yards and scored on seven of his 55 carries last season. Because of the loss of Rex Burkhead and the transfer of Braylon Heard, Cross and Ameer Abdullah are the only scholarship I-backs going through spring drills before Terrell Newby and Adam Taylor come in the summer.

Opening with No. 1s

NU had a number of players working with the top defensive units on day one, but Santos, Anderson and Thomas Brown were top linebackers for Saturday’s workout. NU’s top safeties were juniors Corey Cooper and Harvey Jackson. The second unit linebackers were Rose, Afalava and Love. Second unit safeties included Charles Jackson and Auburn transfer Jonathan Rose.

On the defensive line, an injury will keep likely starter Thad Randle out for the spring, and several recruits arrive over the summer. On Saturday, Ankrah, sophomores Kevin Williams and Aaron Curry, and redshirt freshman Avery Moss played with the top unit.

On the offensive line, senior Cole Pensick is at center, and junior Jake Cotton will get the first look at left guard.

“We’re going to need him,” Long said.

Cornerback Green to miss spring drills

Pelini confirmed Saturday that cornerback Andrew Green won’t practice this spring, joining Randle as key defensive players on the sidelines.

Green, who started 12 games and registered 50 tackles as a junior, is coming off shoulder surgery.

In one other personnel move, NU has added North Dakota State transfer Sam Hahn to its offensive line. The 6-foot-6, 295-pounder is a redshirt freshman from DeWitt, Neb.

Former Gill player is new Husker G.A.

Saturday’s practice was the first for Kyle Brey as a Husker graduate assistant. The son of Notre Dame basketball coach Mike Brey is replacing Vince Marrow and working with the Nebraska offense.

Brey, from Granger, Ind., played tight end and fullback for Turner Gill at Buffalo, and then worked one season as a quality control coach for both Gill and Charlie Weis at Kansas.

Brey joins T.J. Hollowell, Joe Ganz and Jake Mandelko as GAs on the Husker staff.

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Tell me the guy isn't complex.

Nebraska football coach Bo Pelini graciously allowed media to watch practice Saturday, the first of 15 this spring. So, we saw the serious stuff.

When it was time for fun, we were ushered out the door.

Perhaps Pelini didn't want us to see his wild dance gyrations. Check out YouTube. The 45-year-old channeled his inner Elvis during his team's "Harlem Shake." Great to see that side of him. Makes you wish he'd let loose more often.

That was the easy part.

In coming days, Pelini has to whip into shape his defense, which struggled mightily at times last season and now is largely defined by inexperience. If you were on hand Saturday, you saw potential on that side of the ball. I won't go any further than that.

Nine other observations:

1. Quarterback Taylor Martinez will have better days as a passer. Much better. But make no mistake, he has a veteran presence. He also looks the part. The 6-foot-1 senior, after being listed at 200 pounds last season, is up to 210. He is every bit of 210 — chiseled and as tough as a leather boot. No wonder he seldom misses a snap.

And no wonder he has a chance to become only the second major-college quarterback to accumulate 3,000 career rushing yards and 9,000 passing yards. He needs only 42 rushing yards and 2,409 passing yards (he threw for 2,871 last season).

He would join Colin Kaepernick. Pretty decent company.

2. The redshirt freshman who intrigues me most isn't on defense. It is wide receiver Alonzo Moore. The 6-2, 185-pound Moore drew raves for his scout-team work last season. You can see why. He is ultrafast, quick and athletic. Seems to have good hands. Plays with confidence. His build reminds me of Kenny Bell's. Rich Fisher's cupboard overflows.

3. Barney Cotton's job title recently changed from offensive line coach to run game coordinator and tight ends coach. But there was no discernible change in his practice duties, as least from a layman's point of view. He joined John Garrison in coaching the linemen. Cotton coached the guards, the tackles, the tight ends. No wonder Pelini played down the story.

The change will manifest itself mostly in day-to-day meeting work, where Cotton now will be able to contribute "more big-picture stuff," Pelini said.

4. Ciante Evans, the senior cornerback, was the best defender on the field (Bell probably would back that statement). Evans also was among the most vocal. That's a change.

"I want to work on being more of a leader," he said. "I used to sit back and let Daimion (Stafford) and Will (Compton) take control. Sometimes I can take control and step up, especially in the meeting rooms. Sit by guys like D.J. (Singleton) and (Jonathan) Rose and be more active."

5. Talk about the "It" factor. ... Yeah, redshirt freshman quarterback Tommy Armstrong (6-1, 220) has plenty. Armstrong and Martinez are a cut above the QB pack physically. Armstrong is an instinctive runner with a strong arm. No wonder Pelini is in such good spirits these days. Armstrong, though, had better clean up his ball-handling.

6. Sophomore running back Imani Cross altered his body type. The 6-1 Cross has dropped to about 220 pounds from around 230 last season, Pelini said. Cross looks leaner, quicker, faster, more agile. He will see a lot of action as the No. 1 running back this spring because coaches want to lighten junior Ameer Abdullah's load. They know what they have in Abdullah.

Cross reminds me of some big Husker running backs of the 1970s, '80s and '90s — a guy well-suited for the power-I formation. Can Cross find the creases running the zone-read? Can he zip through those creases?

7. If you closed your eyes and just listened, the loudest voice belonged to running backs coach Ron Brown, especially if he saw someone who wasn't hustling.

8. From the "Who is that?" department: Keep close tabs on sophomore walk-on Sam Burtch of Murdock. He saw ample time with the first-unit receiving corps, and flashed impressive speed and quickness.

9. Redshirt freshman defensive end Avery Moss (6-2, 270) looked quick and agile working with the first string. Be careful, though, reading too much into depth-chart discussion. The depth chart is fluid. Very fluid, in some cases. What's more, NU players wore no pads Saturday — only helmets.

Still, it was serious business. That is, until the dance party commenced. What a hoot.

Reach Steven M. Sipple at 402-473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.

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Only ten left now...

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Unbeatable-Osborne-Greatest-Nebraska-Football/dp/0615715397"]Amazon.com: "Unbeatable" Tom Osborne and the Greatest Era of Nebraska Football: Sports & Outdoors@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Xg6d50WBL.@@AMEPARAM@@51Xg6d50WBL[/ame]

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Spring Q&A: Nebraska's Bo Pelini

By Brian Bennett | ESPN.com

If Bo Pelini is feeling any pressure in Lincoln this spring to deliver a championship, you couldn't tell by the way Nebraska started spring practice. The Huskers coach participated in a Harlem Shake video with the team over the weekend, with Pelini sending up his own fiery image before dancing with his players.

I caught up with Pelini after Nebraska's first spring practice to ask about the spring and how he plans to replace eight starters on defense. Here is that conversation.

How did the "Harlem Shake" video come about?

Bo Pelini: We were just having some fun with it. It was actually my daughter, she just turned 12, she had a sleepover the night before. And her and her friends, they'd been telling me what this "Harlem Shake" thing was and they were showing it to me. And I thought it was a good idea, that our kids would have fun with this. We had fun with it, and it was something different.

Was that a way to loosen things up as you get started with practice?

BP: No doubt. The team, they had a good time. It was fun. I'm just glad I didn't throw my back out. It was probably the first time I'd danced since my wedding.

It looked like you had some pretty good moves.

BP: Yeah, right. You know better than that.

What are some of your main goals and objectives this spring?

BP: Just get these guys taught and develop their understanding. We've got kind of an interesting mix of youth and experience. I think it's a very talented group, a pretty explosive group of athletes. We've got a lot of guys who've got a lot to learn. Even on the offensive side, where we have some experience coming back, per se, and some guys who have been through it, in this day and age you've got to keep building depth. Every guy out there you've got to try and get taught, and get as many guys out there that you trust as possible.

As a coach, is it kind of exciting to be able to work with a young group that has some athleticism on defense?

BP: Oh, no doubt. It's going to be fun. This a real eager group and a real hard working group. These kids want to play. They're eager, they soak in everything you tell them. Sometimes guys get to a point in their career where they think that they know. These kids know they don't know. They're like sponges right now. It's a fun time to work with them and help them develop into the kind of players they can be.

Given how much experience you have on offense, will you spend more time than normal with the defense this spring?

BP: Yeah, that's where I spend the majority of my time anyway, but it makes sense to get as many eyes and extra teachers on that side of the ball. That will help us. We feel good about where we are offensively and what that potential is; now we've just got to match that up with what we think we can do defensively. And I think we have a chance to be pretty damn good.

I saw a quote where one of your players said the young defenders might make mistakes, but they'll make them going 100 mph. Is that kind of what you're looking for, that they may not all get it right away but that they can make up for that with their speed and athleticism?

BP: Absolutely. And to a certain extent it's our job to try not to weigh them down. Don't get them thinking. Kind of the message is, I told them, "You're not going to be perfect. But play fast. Believe in what you see. We'll get you coached up, but don't go out there thinking. Go out there and believe in your preparation, believe in what you're learning, trust your learning and go out there and play fast and make plays." That's kind of been the common theme, and I saw a lot of that the other day.

The defensive line and safety are two areas hit hard by graduation. What do you see out of those positions this spring?

BP: I think we have guys that may be a little more dynamic athletically than what we've been. And we have some guys who we think can really do some things. It's going to be interesting to watch their development and how they continue to respond. We've moved some guys around. We have a lot of options in the secondary. A few years ago when we we were in the Big 12, we were recruiting more in the secondary than we were at linebacker, which is why we're a little bit younger at linebacker. We have a few more options in the secondary and guys that can do a lot of different things and play multiple spots, so that helps you.

Is there a whole lot of competition this spring, given how many starting jobs are open on defense?

BP: Absolutely. Like I told our guys, "Don't worry where you're lining up on the depth chart. Worry about taking care of yourself and your reps. Concentrate on making yourself a better football player." At the end of the day, it's only 15 practices. These jobs aren't going to be won or lost this time of year. Now we're going to make some strides, and maybe certain guys put themselves in position to be starters. But there's a lot of football to be played and a lot of practices to be had before we actually kick this thing off at the end of August. So if every guy just concentrates on making themselves better and tries to make the most out of every single rep that we have, then that's going to give them the best opportunity to grow as a football player and be ready to play in the fall.

You're going to be doing more live contact stuff than usual this spring, right?

BP: Yeah. We're going to do a little bit more scrimmaging maybe than we have in the past and really have a nice, good physical spring to try and put guys in position to see who can do it live, who's going to be able to make plays in space. Defensively, who's going to be able to make those one-on-one tackles when they find themselves in those positions? You want to take the guesswork out of it, see that guy, if he was there, would he have finished it off? Well, we're going to be asking them this spring to finish it off and see where they are. It's one of the reasons we went a little bit earlier in the spring than we have in the past, so we can be physical and then split up our spring with the spring break. We'll have eight practices before spring break and seven after, to give our guys a little bit of a break in there so we can make the most out of every opportunity we have.

Jason AnkrahAP Photo/Scott A. MillerVeteran Nebraska defensive lineman Jason Ankrah is looking forward to taking on a leadership role, coach Bo Pelini said.
Jason Ankrah is one of your few veterans up front defensively and a guy you're counting on as a leader. What do you see for him this spring and this season?

BP: He is a leader. He's been around, he's played a lot of football for us. He's looking to embrace that type of role, and he's got that kind of influence in the locker room. He's got the ability and the experience that guys are going to look to him. Some guys embrace that, some guys don't. It's got to be in your personality. He's looking forward to it, and I think that will be big. We had some leadership walk out the door. So we have to make sure we have guys who are ready, willing and able to step into that role.

You've got a lot of guys on offense where you pretty much know what you're going to get, like Taylor Martinez, Ameer Abdullah, Kenny Bell, Spencer Long. Do you hold them out of the live stuff and focus on younger players this spring because of that, or do they still need those reps?

BP: A little bit of both. We want to continue to develop our depth on that side. But the bottom line is, you've got to continue to get better. Even a guy like Taylor, as much football as he's played here, there are a lot of things he still needs to continue to work on to get better at. So there are going to be certain times and certain situations, just like any spring, where you take some guys out who have played a lot of football and maybe not get them as banged up as much, and that gives you a chance to look at some younger guys and build depth. But there are going to be some times where they're right in the thick of it.

What is the next step forward for Taylor?

BP: Just like any quarterback, it's such a difficult position, so much goes into it. Continue to work on being efficient and on decision-making. Eliminate turnovers and just continue to manage the offense. He has such confidence in himself that sometimes he tries to win the game by himself. As a quarterback, you've got to continue to let the offense work for you and let the game come to you. You don't need to try and win the game on every play. It all comes down to decision-making and managing the game, managing the offense. I think he made a lot of strides last year, but like any guy who's a young football player -- and all these guys are still young, they're all still learning how to play the game -- he has a ways to go in that regard.

The receiver group was impressive last year, and almost all those guys are back. How much potential does that group have this year?

BP: It's a dynamic group, and I think they got better last year. I thought they played very well. You look at it, and we still have some youth there. We have to continue to build that depth over there. We got hit hard with injuries. In the early games, we had a bunch of guys catching passes, but it was just one of those things where you got a bunch of injuries at the wide receiver spot. But we think we have some other guys who can spell those guys, and if that's the case and they can take some snaps off them and keep them fresh throughout the game, that will make them that much more effective.

Imani Cross did some great work at the goal line last year. How much more can he add to his game this spring and offseason?

BP: He's looking good. He's -- not noticeably, because he's such a big thick guy -- but he's carrying less weight, and he's slimming down a little bit. I think he has a chance to really be a good football player for us and do some things. Not be just a short-yardage guy, but a guy who can carry the ball and help us in a lot of different areas and a lot of different situations. I think he's got that in him, and we can really expand his role. I think he's excited to do that, and he's determined to do that.

Finally, you lost a very valuable special-teams player in kicker/punter Brett Maher. Is that an area you can figure out this spring, or will that have to wait until fall camp?

BP: It probably won't be settled until this fall, but we have some good competition there. We've got some kids coming in, too. I think it's going to be good competition. The talent is there. We have guys that can do it. But having that consistency ... we've been really fortunate that we haven't had to worry about it the past couple years. We had Alex [Henery] and then went right into having Brett. So we've been very fortunate in that regard. This year, the job is open, and the competition will go right to the end. Obviously, to win a championship, you'd better have somebody in that kicking mode that you can trust.

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0 hours ago • By BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON / Lincoln

It was a big blow when he first heard the news of his torn ACL last fall.

But now that he's chasing running backs again, Zaire Anderson can see there might actually be a benefit.

The linebacker still has two years of eligibility, for starters. And he knows the defense better.

“I think it helped me out, actually,” Anderson said after Monday’s second spring practice. “Now I’m more in tune to the playbook and I really don’t have to depend on anybody like Will Compton on what to do. I know what to do myself.”

In the program just since last summer, Anderson now has young players coming up to him for advice.

“They come to me a lot, because I’m a person (who) just wants to make every play, and they like that,” Anderson said. “I’m intense.”

Listed at 5-foot-11 and 220 pounds, Anderson has been working with the top unit of linebackers in the first two practices, though that position battle will rage through fall camp.

While Anderson has flashed potential, his position coach, Ross Els, said the linebacker hasn’t reached his peak performance yet this spring in regard to conditioning after coming off the injury.

"When (the injury) first happened, we probably wondered how many reps he'd get in the spring. And he's getting almost as much as anyone else, which is good. So I think he's ahead of schedule," Els said. "(But) he's really out of shape because he didn't winter condition at all. First part of practice, he's flying around. Great coverage, doing all that. Later part of practice, he's sucking air a little bit."

Els said Anderson is considered full-go, but “you just have to be smart with the number of reps he takes.”

As for why Anderson is wearing No. 13 this year instead of the old No. 8?

"Everybody knows who Ameer is, so I had to get a different number,” Anderson said. “People kept mistaking me for him."

* REPS FOR ALL: Els said all the young linebackers, such as freshmen Thomas Brown, Michael Rose, Jared Afalava and Courtney Love, are getting a lot of reps in practice.

Nebraska is doing a lot of two-group drills during practice to make sure they get their work.

The eagerness of the young backers helps the process. “They’re like sponges,” Els said. “They want to learn. They want reps.”

And Els is enjoying the teaching process quite a bit, too.

"I tell you what's really fun about this: The last two years I go to step in and make a correction and they're already telling me what the correction is, which is what you want,” Els said. “But here, I'm getting a lot of blank stares, which is fine. This is why we do what we do."

* TALKING SAFETY: Harvey Jackson and Corey Cooper started the spring with the top unit at safety.

But secondary coach Terry Joseph makes it clear to them they’re going to have to work hard to keep their spots.

"I think those two guys have put in the most time," Joseph said. "And I told them, 'Right now, you're the starting safeties. But we have a lot of young guys that are on your tail and chasing you. And we've got a lot of young guys that are champing at the bit to get in there. So every single day you need to hold on to the job, and you need to prove that you can be that guy day in, day out.’"

* TURNING AWAY OFFERS: There were various Internet reports this offseason about other programs being interested in Joseph. How many job offers did he get during the offseason?

"Every season you get calls," he said. "Probably, reasonably, three legitimate ones that there was something on the table. But for me, getting to work for Bo (Pelini) at a place like Nebraska, and for the guys I brought back, that plays a lot into it. And we're going to try to win as many games as we can."

* LOOKING TO CLOSE THE GAP: One of offensive coordinator Tim Beck’s goals this spring is to build depth at wide receiver to take some wear and tear off the top three veterans -- Kenny Bell, Quincy Enunwa and Jamal Turner.

While Beck likes the potential of young guys such as Alonzo Moore, Jordan Westerkamp, Tyler Evans and Sam Burtch, he said they still have a long way to go.

“There’s pretty good separation between the 1s and 2s right now and we can’t have that,” Beck said. “We have to get those guys caught up.”

* A KNIGHT'S OFFER: Luke Gifford has become the second Lincoln Southeast player to receiver a scholarship offer from Nebraska. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Gifford played safety and tight end for the Knights.

His teammate, offensive lineman D.J. Foster, also has an offer from the Huskers.

Offered as an "athlete," Gifford was obviously pretty excited. He tweeted the news.

“Just got offered a scholarship by Nebraska! I’ve been dreaming of this day for as long I can remember!"

* BO'S DANCE MOVES: OK, everyone who has seen the Husker football team’s Harlem Shake video has spotted Bo Pelini by now.

Did you see John Papuchis?

Hint: Close to Pelini. Another hint: Yard marker.

Papuchis laughed when asked about the video after Monday’s practice.

“I didn’t know Bo could dance that. That was probably the first and only time I’ve seen him dance,” Papuchis said. “I got a text message on Friday night saying, ‘Be ready for it.’ I didn’t know exactly what that meant. But I thought it was a good idea for Bo to kind show a little bit of a different side of the personality of this football team. I think the feedback has been good.”

So have the views. As of early Monday night, the video on YouTube had about 175,000 views.

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Monday practice kernels


54 minutes ago • By BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON
(0) Comments

Two spring practices down. The media didn't watch this second one but there were post-practice interviews, which means practice kernels to share.

And so we shall...

Let's start with linebackers coach Ross Els. He's really enjoying working with the young guys it seems.

"I tell you what's really fun about this," Els said. "The last two years I go to step in and make a correction and they're already telling me what the correction is, which is what you want. But here, I'm getting a lot of blank stares, which is fine. This is why we do what we do."

Els said Nebraska is doing a lot of two-group drills during practices to get linebackers more reps.

When he's with one group, grad assistant T.J. Hollowell or Bo Pelini or John Papuchis are with the other .

"So these backers are getting quite a bit of coaching. We're loving it."

The eagerness of the young freshmen like Thomas Brown, Michael Rose, Jared Afalava and Courtney Love helps the process.

"Great energy," Els said. "They're just sponges. They want to learn. They want reps. They're really focused. They've obviously got a long way to go but we do run to the ball well. It's kind of hard when you don't have pads on because sometimes, (you ask), 'Would I really have gotten off that block or not?' When we go Wednesday I think it will be a lot different to see how we do run when it's in full pads?"

* How's Zaire Anderson doing after coming back from the torn ACL. He's ahead of schedule and been running with the 1s. But he's probably not at his peak performance, his coach explains.

"When (the injury) first happened, we probably wondered how many reps he'd get in the spring. And he's getting almost as much as anyone else, which is good, so I think he's ahead of schedule," Els said. "He's really out of shape because he didn't winter condition at all. First part of practice, he's flying around. Great coverage, doing all that. Later part of practice, he's sucking air a little bit."

Els said coaches just need to keep an eye on Anderson as he gets back into shape to protect him from another injury.

"Make sure he doesn't get too fatigued. So you get that time maybe when you're not bending your knees to make a play and you get hit or something like that. You just got to be smart with the number of reps he takes. But other than that, he's full go."

* Papuchis says Nebraska hasn't eased Love into things at all. The true freshman who arrived to school a semester early is running with the second group right now.

"Doing a good job. He doesn't look like a guy that was in high school a month-and-half or two months ago," Papuchis said.

Els said the 6-foot-1, 230-pound Love is ahead of the game mentally as well as physically.

"Cardinal Mooney has done a good job of coaching him from a linebacker spot," Els said. "He'll compete in there, no question."

* Harvey Jackson and Corey Cooper started the spring off with the top group at safeties.

"I think those two guys have put in the most time," said secondary coach Terry Joseph. "And I told them, 'Right now you're the starting safeties. But we have a lot of young guys that are on your tail and chasing you. And we got a lot of young guys that are champing at the bit to get in there. So every single day you need to hold onto the job, and you need to prove that you can be that guy day in, day out."

* One of those young guys pushing for a job is 5-foot-11, 175-pound Charles Jackson, working with the second team at safety to begin spring ball.

"The thing about Charles, you saw on special teams last year, he's a runner and hitter," Joseph said. "And where we're at at corner as far as the guys we got that we feel can cover, he can probably help us the quickest at safeties and we don't have a lot of bodies there. So for how we want to fit those guys in the run, we kind of think that suits his game a little more. A lot of people ask about his weight. But I'd take him more than I'd take a lot of guys bigger than him."

* How many job offers did Joseph get during the offseason?

"Every season you get calls," he said. "Probably reasonably, three legitimate ones that there was something on the table. But for me, getting to work for Bo at a place like Nebraska, and for the guys I brought back, that plays a lot into it. And we're going to try to win as many games as we can."

* Potential is the popular word of use right now for the defense with youth all over.

"You would love for it to be a little bit more balanced for a variety of reasons," Papuchis said. "We're kind of real young at some spots and older at others. We're old at the corner spot but we're young up front and in the linebacker position with six more defensive linemen coming in fall. So there's a lot of potential at that spot. But that's all it is right now is potential, and there's a lot of work that has to get done over the course of the next 40 practices to be ready to go Aug. 31."

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Osborne to Headline Coaches Clinic
Coaches Clinic Registration
Coaches Clinic Schedule
Coaches Clinic Registration Form

Nebraska Hall of Fame Coach and former Athletic Director Tom Osborne will be the headline speaker at the 2013 Nebraska Football Spring Coaches Clinic. Osborne retired as Nebraska’s Athletic Director in January after five years in that role and guided Nebraska to three national championships in his legendary head coaching career from 1973 to 1997.


The three-day Nebraska Coaches Clinic will take place in Lincoln from March 28-30, and registration is now open by visiting bigredfootballschool.com or Huskers.com. In addition to Osborne’s speech to the coaches in attendance, all members of the Nebraska coaching staff will address the group, along with six championship coaches from the high school and junior college ranks.


The event will be split between the Nebraska football facilities and the Cornhusker Marriott in downtown Lincoln. In addition to the outstanding lineup of speakers on the schedule, those in attendance will also have the opportunity to watch Husker practices on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.


“We are fortunate to once again be able to offer a great group of speakers for our coaches’ clinic, and I hope coaches from around the area take the opportunity to learn and share ideas,” Nebraska Head Coach Bo Pelini said. “As part of our clinic each year, we try to bring in one of the great coaches in our profession, and this year it was a natural to have Coach Osborne as our headline speaker. His coaching record speaks for itself, but his impact on the game of football, this University and the state of Nebraska goes well beyond what happened on the field. I know everyone will appreciate the opportunity to hear from Coach Osborne.”

Osborne posted a 255-49-3 record in his 25 seasons with Nebraska, leading the Huskers to national titles in 1994, 1995 and 1997, while also capturing 13 conference championships. Osborne was an eight-time conference coach of the year and the 1994 national coach of the year. Osborne began his time on the Nebraska staff as an assistant under Bob Devaney from 1962 to 1972. Osborne was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

In addition to his remarkable record on the field, Osborne also served for six years (2001-06) in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Nebraska’s 3rd District. Osborne took over as Athletic Director in October of 2007 and served in that role until his retirement on Jan. 2, 2013. Osborne is also the co-founder of the Teammates Mentoring program.

The clinic will begin on Thursday, March 28 with an evening session with the Nebraska coaching staff at the Hawks Center and North Stadium. The Huskers’ offensive staff, led by third-year coordinator Tim Beck will conduct positional breakdowns beginning at 6:30 p.m., followed by John Papuchis and the defensive staff at 8 p.m.


Friday’s lineup of speakers at the Cornhusker Marriott will begin with Iowa Western Community College Head Coach Scott Strohmeier, who led his team to the 2012 NJCAA national championship. Also on the Friday agenda before practice are Omaha Gross Coach and former Husker fullback Tim Johnk, McCook Head Coach Jeff Gross and Omaha North Head Coach Larry Martin. Following practice, Archbishop Rummel (La.) High School Coach Jay Roth will speak before Osborne caps the evening.

Saturday morning’s pre-practice session in West Stadium will include Papuchis and Denton (Texas) Guyer Head Coach John Walsh. The clinic will conclude with Nebraska’s Saturday practice.

Cost of the three-day clinic is $55 per person. For more information and a detailed schedule for the event, visit the 2013 Coaches Clinic link on the football home page of Huskers.com or contact the Nebraska football office at 402-472-3116.

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NU looking

for cornerbacks

Nebraska clearly is loaded at cornerback this year.

But look at the names battling for starting jobs this spring at the position: Andrew Green, Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Ciante Evans, Mohammed Seisay. All seniors.

That is why Husker secondary coach Terry Joseph says surveying the recruiting landscape for corners is an everyday priority for him, along with his spring coaching duties.

"It doesn't take a genius to look at the depth chart and tell that we're probably going to have to sign three to four corners," Joseph said. "And the way to get in the game with those guys is to evaluate them early, offer them early, and start the relationship."

Joseph believes he'll have plenty to sell to cornerback recruits when he does eventually hit the recruiting road on April 15, after spring ball is complete.

"It's a position of need," he said. "It's a system where you can come and play in an NFL-type system. And if you do well, you can get a chance to go play in the NFL. So it's an attractive spot, and we've just got to get out and chase them with the rest of the big guys. And, hopefully, we can pull a few. I feel confident about it. We're on some good guys early."

While on the subject of recruiting, Joseph said he's talked to recruiting coordinator Ross Els about trying to recruit more mid-term prospects. In other words, players who are willing to enroll for the spring semester and take part in spring drills. Nebraska has three of those players this year -- offensive lineman David Knevel, safety D.J. Singleton and linebacker Courtney Love.

"Just imagine getting eight to 10 to 12 mid-year guys in January," Joseph said. "Now it takes a lot of stress off your staff as you go chase the rest of the guys in January. But you can also get a jump on next year's guys. Because if you don't get as many mid-years and now you're fighting for 20-plus guys, you'll always be a little behind because you'll always be fighting until signing day.

"So I think mid-year guys are going to be important. I look for more mid-year guys because it's a tremendous advantage."

* OSBORNE WISDOM: Tom Osborne will be the headline speaker at the Husker Football Spring Coaches Clinic, set for March 28-30. In addition to Osborne's speech, all members of the NU coaching staff will address the group.

Those in attendance also will be allowed to watch practice Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.

Nebraska coach Bo Pelini, in a prepared statement, said it was "a natural to have Coach Osborne as our headline speaker. His coaching record speaks for itself, but his impact on the game of football, this university and the state of Nebraska goes well beyond what happened on the field."

Headline speakers in the past have included Bob Stoops, Sean Payton and Bill Belichick.

This year's list of speakers also includes Iowa Western Community College coach Scott Strohmeier, who led his team to the 2012 NJCAA national championship.

You can register on the Internet at bigredfootballschool.com or Huskers.com.

* TOUTED TRANSFER: Sophomore cornerback Jonathan Rose is in the fierce battle at corner. The transfer from Auburn impressed last fall on the scout team. But what does Pelini need to see from him this spring?

"He's a talented young man who's got a lot to learn," the coach said. "He's got to embrace the mental aspect of it, learning what to do and how to do it. And the techniques we're asking him to accomplish."

* HERE AND THERE: Sophomore tight end David Sutton, a Lincoln Southeast graduate, has missed the last two practices with a hamstring injury. ... After two spring practices in helmets and sweat clothes, Pelini's squad donned full pads Wednesday. ... At least one representative from nearly every NFL team is expected to be on hand Thursday for Nebraska's Pro Day. A total of 16 Husker seniors from last season are set to participate. Rex Burkhead has said he will run the 40-yard dash and participate in individual drills ... Former Husker safety Josh Bullocks (2002-04) attended Wednesday's practice. ... NU resumes practice Friday.

-- Brian Christopherson and Steven M. Sipple

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Fact from someone on the Bookface:

Nebraska's first two games in the Bob (1976) were losses to Iowa and Minnesota. The last two, wins against Iowa and Minnesota.

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Shawn Eichorst isn't the highest-profile athletic director in the Big Ten. While Nebraska fans are a pretty sharp bunch, I bet some would have a hard time picking out Eichorst in a crowd. The fact Eichorst succeeded Nebraska legend Tom Osborne as AD also makes him fly under the radar.

But there's little doubt Nebraska considers Eichorst a rising star in the AD ranks. Either that, or Eichorst is a brilliant contract negotiator. Perhaps it's both.

When USA Today came out with its new survey of athletic director salaries, which not surprisingly are on the rise nationally, Eichorst's compensation at Nebraska certainly stands out. His base salary of $973,000 ranks highest in the Big Ten, and his total compensation of $1,123,000 ranks second in the league behind only Wisconsin's Barry Alvarez ($1,230,000). Eichorst served as Alvarez's deputy AD from 2009-11 before taking the top job at Miami.

Here are 11 of the 12 Big Ten athletic director salaries (as a private school, Northwestern doesn't disclose AD Jim Phillips' salary), sorted from highest to lowest:

Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin: $1,230,000 ($1,143,500 from university, $86,500 in outside pay)
Shawn Eichorst, Nebraska: $1,123,000
Gene Smith, Ohio State: $1,099,030
Dave Brandon, Michigan:$900,000
Mark Hollis, Michigan State: $700,000
Mike Thomas, Illinois: $589,250
Norwood Teague, Minnesota: $500,000
Gary Barta, Iowa: $490,842 ($487,842 from university, $3,000 in outside pay)
Morgan Burke, Purdue:$464,437
Fred Glass, Indiana: $430,746
Dave Joyner, Penn State: $396,000


Eichorst received a one-time payment of $150,000 for moving expenses from Miami. Alvarez received a one-time payment of $118,500 for coaching the football team in the Rose Bowl against Stanford. He would have received a $50,000 bonus if Wisconsin had won the game.

Ohio State's Smith has the highest maximum bonus in the league ($250,000), followed by Michigan's Brandon and Illinois' Thomas, both at $200,000.

Alvarez and Eichorst rank fourth and fifth nationally, respectively, in total compensation. They trail Vanderbilt vice chancellor/general counsel David Williams (who oversees athletics and seemingly everything else at the school), Louisville AD Tom Jurich and Florida AD Jeremy Foley. Smith ranks seventh nationally, and Brandon is tied for 12th with Iowa State's Jamie Pollard.

Michigan State's Hollis, named 2012 athletic director of the year at the Sports Business Awards, last summer received a significant raise -- the highest bump among any incumbent AD from a public school since October 2011. Purdue's Burke is the Big Ten's longest-serving AD (started Jan. 1, 1993) but ranks near the bottom in salary. Joyner began his term as Penn State's acting AD in November 2011 after Tim Curley took leave. He had the tag removed in January and will remain in the role through the term of university president Rodney Erickson.

Looking ahead to the future Big Ten, Maryland AD Kevin Anderson earns $499,490 (max bonus of $50,000), while Rutgers' AD Tim Pernetti earns $410,000 (max bonus of $50,000).