Winners, losers from Week One of Nebraska fall camp

By Paul Hilgers  |   Saturday, August 12, 2006  |  Comments( 33 )

Nebraska Cornhuskers
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Let's take a look at some of the winners and losers from week one of Nebraska's fall camp, or "training camp" as Nebraska head coach Bill Callahan likes to say in homage to his NFL past.

Week One Losers:

1. Evelyn Beck-Bothwell - Beck-Bothwell's son, Nebraska sophomore quarterback Harrison Beck, told Callahan on Monday that he would be quitting the football team. A player choosing to leave the team will receive more public scrutiny at Nebraska than at most other universities. However, all football teams commonly experience attrition every single year, as players often leave school for various reasons.

What is not common is for the mother of a departing player to publicly criticize another player who plays the same position as her son. That is exactly what happened this week, when Beck-Bothwell disparaged the abilities of Nebraska's starting quarterback, Zac Taylor, in a Nebraska newspaper. According to Beck-Bothwell, her son should be getting more attention in practice from the Nebraska coaches because Taylor is an average quarterback.

Beck-Bothwell's public comments about Taylor were in bad taste and reflect poorly on her. While it was likely an unsettling experience to learn that her frustrated son was skipping football practice, it does not justify Beck-Bothwell's comments about Taylor. Beck's one career completion suggests his mother was simply spewing sour grapes towards Taylor as opposed to having a legitimate complaint that her son had earned more playing time at Nebraska. One hopes Beck-Bothwell recognizes the immaturity of her comments.

2. Phil Elmassian - Nebraska cornerbacks coach Phil Elmassian probably felt good a week or so ago. At the time, Elmassian could study his cornerback depth chart and see the names Cortney Grixby and Zackary Bowman, both starters and key contributors during Nebraska's three-game winning streak to finish the 2005 season.

Oh, how one event can change the outlook for a position. Bowman was defending a corner route in practice on Saturday when he landed awkwardly and tore the ACL in his knee. The injury will cause Bowman to miss the entire 2006 football season.

Junior college All-American Andre Jones now needs to hasten his development in Bowman's absence. Also, backup wide receivers Isaiah Fluellen and Tyrell Spain moved to cornerback this week to provide added depth. Elmassian has about three weeks until Nebraska's season opener against Louisiana Tech to develop this group of inexperienced players into cornerbacks who can play at a Division I-A level.

3. Nebraska's high school quarterback target evaluations - Since taking over as Nebraska head coach, Bill Callahan has had nothing but problems with his top high school quarterback recruiting targets. Last year saw Nebraska's top quarterback prospect, Josh Freeman, renege via text message on a verbal commitment to Nebraska, in part, because NU already had top quarterback recruit Harrison Beck on campus. This week, Beck quit the Nebraska team, in part, because Zac Taylor is starting at quarterback for the '06 season. Ironically, Beck pre-approved Nebraska's recruitment of Taylor when Beck was still in high school. Callahan should reemphasize patience and maturity as traits that must be looked for in his quarterback targets.

Week One Winners:

1. Jay Norvell - It's a good day when your 6-foot-4, 210-pound junior college All-American wide receiver practices for the first time. That's what happened for Nebraska offensive coordinator Jay Norvell when Maurice Purify took part in his first Nebraska practice on Monday. Purify, who missed several practices while waiting for academic clearance, projects to challenge for playing time right away for the Cornhuskers. Adding to Norvell's positive week was the news on Wednesday that junior college quarterback Brian Hildebrand will join the team in the next week or so. Hildebrand essentially replaces Beck on the Nebraska roster. Norvell, who also serves as quarterbacks coach for Nebraska, will be in charge of coaching Hildebrand. Talented running back Leon Jackson did announce he would be transferring this week, but he did not project to see significant playing time in '06.

2. The Nebraska QB Transfer Club, North Carolina Chapter - Former Nebraska quarterbacks Joe Dailey, who transferred to North Carolina, and Curt Dukes, who transferred to Duke, likely experienced flashbacks this week. An early rumor suggested that Nebraska quarterback Harrison Beck was considering transferring to another North Carolina university, NC State. The rumor prompted new Nebraska basketball coach Doc Sadler to issue a statement that it's only fair that Duke, North Carolina or NC State return the favor by encouraging a hoops player or two to transfer to Nebraska. Sadler is still waiting for a response.

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