Long season for Cornhusker castaways

By Kyle Simonsen  |   Thursday, December 07, 2006  |  Comments( 5 )

Nebraska Cornhuskers
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It's been a long season for the castaways.

No man on a football field is on an island like the cornerback, out in coverage on a wide receiver. For Nebraska's Cortney Grixby and Andre Jones, it must feel like their little plots are drifting further and further away from the mainland of Husker Nation all the time.

They've had a rough season: eight opposing receivers had their best games of the year at the expense of the Blackshirt secondary. And just when they were starting to clamp down in the last stretch of the season (Colorado was held to just 131 yards through the air), Oklahoma wideout Malcolm Kelly dominated them again, catching 10 balls for 142 yards and two scores.

And neither player has been getting the support of the fan base NU players are used to. Grixby was much maligned last year as the Achilles' heel of the pass coverage, and when Andre Jones was brought in from Fresno City College, many speculated he would take over Grixby's job as the season progressed.

But when Zack Bowman, the Huskers' No. 1 corner, went down with a season-ending injury, Jones was thrust into the starting position opposite Grixby instead. He quickly found that the learning curve from the junior college ranks to Division I football is a steep one, and soon enough unhappy fans were proclaiming him a bust, too. People began calling for more playing time from Rickey Thenarse and Major Culbert, two true freshmen who looked very good in limited playing time.

But to be fair, Grixby and Jones haven't gotten much help from the pass rush this year. A Nebraska defensive line that led the nation in sacks last year slipped to 59th this season despite having four senior starters, including all-conference end Adam Carriker, who many speculate will be a first-day pick in the spring NFL draft.

Ola Dagunduro and Barry Cryer, new starters at the tackle positions, recorded 50 fewer tackles, three fewer tackles for loss, and one fewer sack than their counterparts from last year. Linebacker Corey McKeon, who had 22 TFLs and seven sacks last year as a big part of the Blackshirt pass rush, managed only a single sack this season.

The safety counterparts in the backfield haven't been as solid, either. Both Andrew Shanle and Tierre Green are first-year starters, and combined they were unable to fill the void left by Daniel Bullocks, last year's defensive general who is playing on Sundays for the Detroit Lions now. Grixby and Jones often found themselves without help over the top covering wideouts half a foot taller than themselves, a recipe for certain disaster.

In actuality, Andre Jones was a crucial contributor this year. He leads the team in tackles with 58, 47 of them solo tackles. His lone interception came in the end zone to stop a crucial drive in a game against Kansas early in the year that the Huskers ended up needing overtime to win. Grixby has shined at times, too. He's seventh on the team in tackles (right ahead of Carriker) and his 10 pass breakups lead the team and equal his production of last year, as well as the production of any other player from last year (except Bowman).

Which brings us to the situation next year. Both Grixby and Jones are juniors who will definitely be returning for their senior seasons, but neither one may be starting come kickoff of the opener against Nevada. Bowman eschewed entering the NFL despite rumors to the contrary, opting to return and spend another year honing his technique, and he will almost certainly reclaim his starting position. This will force one of the current starters, likely Jones, into the nickel role, but Grixby might be headed for the dime.

Junior college standout Armando Murillo from Eastern Arizona committed to NU's current recruiting class and will transfer in January so he can be in Lincoln in time for spring practices.

With only the bowl game against Auburn remaining, Grixby and Jones will have to use their final opportunity to launch them into spring practice's competition for the starting jobs. Last year's bowl game against Michigan was Bowman's coming-out party, where he shut down Chad Henne and the Wolverines with two pass breakups and an interception. Perhaps the Cotton Bowl and the Tigers will help Grixby or Jones do the same, because the island is going to be a crowded one come next year.
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