Spring update: Cornhuskers focusing on the running game

By Timothy Williams  |   Wednesday, April 05, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Nebraska Cornhuskers
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Last season, the Nebraska Cornhuskers ranked 107th nationally in rushing offense last season - averaging 96 yards per game.

Half of Nebraska's hardcore fans out there in Husker Nation just read that sentence and they immediately took a defensive posture, instantly ready to send off an angry e-mail if the tone of this article doesn't improve. The other half read it, simply shook their heads, and then thought back fondly on Ahman Green, Tom Rathman, and Mike Rozier. Remember Cory Schlesinger in the 1994 Orange Bowl? Remember those two rumbling, hard fought, fourth quarter touchdowns that won Tom Osborne his first National Title? Remember Warren Sapp and the Miami defensive front getting pushed around?

What happened?

The fear among some fans is that Bill Callahan's attempt to modernize the Nebraska playbook (by implementing a West Coast style - a timing-oriented, passing offense) is killing the tradition of a power-run game. That fear is crystallized when the offensive line struggles, and the Nebraska Huskers put up statistics that leave them near the bottom of the NCAA in terms of rushing (107 out of 119).

It's not the first time this early preseason that fans have heard that statistic. And until the Huskers duplicate another rushing performance a la Cory Ross's 160 yard Alamo Bowl showing, it won't be the last time that they hear it.

Callahan and his staff are wasting no time in trying to allay those fears this spring. The primary focus thus far has been on developing the running game. In last Saturday's scrimmage, more than 60% of the snaps were dedicated to the run. On one drive alone, 11 of the 14 plays called were runs, with most of those snaps going to sophomore running back Marlon Lucky.

Coaches have said that the competition at RB will remain open until fall camp concludes in August, but Lucky - with fellow sophomores Cody Glenn and Leon Jackson picking up the scraps - is getting almost all of the snaps at running back this spring. Junior running back Brandon Jackson will be out until the fall following a second offseason shoulder surgery in as many years, and highly-touted JUCO recruit Kenny Wilson will not join the team until the summer.

Lucky, the much-hyped blue-chip star of Callahan's 2005 recruiting class, struggled in his first season. He only saw the field in limited action while he learned the intricacies of the offense, and struggled with his blocking responsibilities. The unfortunate truth is that expectations for Lucky were so high, that anything short of a freshman All-American performance may have been looked at as a disappointment for some fans.

So far this spring, Lucky has shown flashes of developing into the player that Cornhusker fans are so eager to see. In Saturday's scrimmage, Lucky broke off the longest run of the day, a 55-yard gain, against the number one defense. He has also proven to have reliable hands out of the backfield, pulling in several passes.

Perhaps the biggest surprise so far has been the emergence of Cody Glenn. Glenn, the somewhat unheralded member of Nebraska's 2005 running backs class, has been impressive in scrimmage situations. He's been physically abusing defenders, refusing to go down easy, breaking tackles, and running all over the field. Offseason workouts have helped the 230-pound Glenn improve his strength and quickness, and the experience gained from playing as a true freshman has added tremendously to the young man's confidence. If he continues to develop at this pace, stays healthy, and enters fall camp with they same level of intensity, look for Cody Glenn to make a huge splash in the Big 12 this coming season.

Leon Jackson has also had his moments through the first half of spring camp. The multi-talented sophomore started out last season at running back, then moved to safety, moved again to wide receiver, and then finally returned back to his original position. Got all that? Good, because Jackson is happy just to compete and get the ball in his hands. He's shown some explosive playmaking ability both out of the backfield and when catching the ball, and is growing more comfortable with the offense every day.

Following the disappointing 2004 season, the Nebraska coaching staff made it a primary focus to develop the Cornhuskers struggling defensive pass rush. Philosophies were changed, fundamentals were stressed, and the staff worked the players hard in the spring and fall. The team responded by leading the nation in sacks in 2005. That same approach is being applied to the running game this year.

Callahan's staff is stressing the importance of a reliable, even dominant, running game as the key to a successful season in 2006. The development of the Cornhusker's young offensive linemen and running backs this spring is pivotal towards attaining that goal.

Husker fans are hoping for a running game resurgence this year. Through the first half of Nebraska's spring camp, the Big Red trio of Marlon Lucky, Cody Glenn, and Leon Jackson seem to be doing just that. If those three young men have anything to say about it, the fans will not be disappointed and the fear will become a thing of the past.
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