McKewon: More players communicating as younger Husker football … – Omaha World-Herald

LINCOLN No word yet on whether itll win any more games, but the 2017 version of Nebraska is a bigger democracy among teammates than in recent seasons.

Its a lot more free, junior left guard Jerald Foster said. Youre able to get your word in. If you have something thats really going to help out an older guy, just say it. Get it going. Im happy with what were doing right now.

Previously, Foster said, the seniors would talk and everybody else would sit back and listen to what they say.

Since that large senior class left after the Music City Bowl, it changed. Sure, Foster said, the true freshmen dont know the lay of the land. But redshirt freshmen are able to get a word in.

On a team as young and inexperienced as Nebraska, thats logical. Conventional wisdom about team building suggests that this squad might still be finding its way in terms of chemistry, culture and player leaders.

Coach Mike Riley sees just the opposite. The first week of training camp, he said, was seamless. Two practices viewed by reporters revealed much the same. Riley credited the player leaders, many of whom werent leaders in previous years.

Theres no doubt that talent is respected, and that can cloud that real leadership deal sometimes, Riley said. But with this group, I dont have to worry about anybody being misguided in that way. When your good players are doing the right thing and working at the highest level, thats what you have to have.

Riley likes it when he can steer young players toward the veterans and say, Watch how he does it. When the players, Riley said, are the main teachers. Sometimes hell call them magnets.

On Saturday, Riley pointed to inside linebackers Chris Weber and Dedrick Young as examples. Weber is a sit-in-the-front-of-the-class walk-on. Young is a shy interview who may be more chatty with his teammates, but is far from a screamer.

Theres guys who are dynamic about lets go, but theyre not overly dramatic, Riley said. Theyre just great example guys. Those two inside linebackers, you just dont have to worry about those guys. The football phase, the school phase, life. To me, thats tremendous leadership. They do everything theyre supposed to do.

Its hard not to contrast that with a 2016 captain who was suspended for the first and last games of the season because of academic issues. Or the 2015 captain who went on a Twitter rant after the loss to Miami, suggesting fans would kiss my feet. A few weeks later, he blew sarcastic kisses to fans after a loss to Illinois. He got to remain captain.

Nate Gerry and Alex Lewis are going to play in the NFL a long time, Id bet. It wouldnt surprise me if both make Pro Bowls one day.

But this Husker squad less experienced than either of those teams and facing what I think is a harder schedule needs as much smooth, seamless practice as it can get, especially as camp drags into that fourth week, when guys start school but are 12 days away from a game.

Coaches, players and training staff were prescient in understanding this team would need great chemistry. So it set up those offseason conditioning groups, with 11 captains, to help. And it appears to have worked. It probably benefited quarterback Tanner Lee the most; installed as a group leader months ago, Lee built up cachet with his teammates.

Hes a workaholic, receiver DeMornay Pierson-El said of Lee.

Pierson-Els on-field story is interesting, perhaps more so than any current Huskers. As a freshman, he was a big part of that final Bo Pelini team. The edge that Pierson-El plays with easily fit into the old Bo-to-the-troops leadership paradigm.

Like all players under Riley, Pierson-El has more personal freedom to figure out where he fits in, and coupled with two injuries and a slow road back to full health, he seemed a little restless. At times last season he seemed, to this reporters eyes, to press a little. Like Jamal Turner used to, and not just trust that he was as good of an athlete as he was.

You sensed a big jump in the spring. Pierson-El had that extra gear back and he shifted into it often. His routes were cleaner and more exact; he seemed more confident Lee was delivering the ball where Pierson-Els route was actually headed. Nebraska needs Pierson-El at the top of his game; this is not a deep receiving corps.

Though Pierson-El said hes never been shy to speak up if something needed to be said, his answer about how he views his senior season is a portal into what might happen. Getting back to the basics and just having fun, for real, for real, Pierson-El said. Enjoy myself, let things come to me, have a blast and enjoy the team, friends. Just have fun.

Young guys speaking up. Seniors trying to find a good groove.

Its a different culture inside Nebraska football.

Five stats

Three: Years since Nebraska has been ranked in the preseason Top 25, in either the coaches or Associated Press poll. NU received votes in the coaches poll in 2017, but fell short of the Top 25. I dont expect the AP to be any kinder. In 2014, NU was No. 22 in both polls to start the season. In 2013, the Huskers were 18th in both, and 17th (AP) and 16th (coaches) in 2012.

Five: Ohio State Buckeyes projected in the first round of NFL analyst Matt Millers 2018 mock draft. Miller, who writes for Bleacher Report, has long been one of the scouts I follow. Four of the five Buckeyes play defense, and two (end Sam Hubbard and tackle DreMont Jones) play on the defensive line. There may never be a better defense than 2011 Alabama which gave up 8.2 points and 184 yards per game but this OSU unit could make a run at 10 points and 250 yards, if it finds a way to slow down Oklahoma.

6.26: Average number of Nebraska penalties per game since joining the Big Ten. Over that same time, Wisconsin has averaged 4.42 penalties per game. Iowa averaged 4.52 penalties per game. Fewer penalties doesnt always mean better teams, but its interesting to compare the three teams.

Minus-10: Nebraskas penalty margin in its last six games against Wisconsin and Iowa. NU has committed 39 penalties in those six games while Wisconsin (13) and Iowa (16) have committed a combined 29 penalties in those games.

Minus-105: Nebraskas penalty yardage margin in those six games. Divided over six games, thats 17.5 yards, or roughly two first downs. NU is 1-5 in those games.

Opponent watch

You may remember last week when I wrote about Penn State embracing a quick-tempo spread offense and riding that to a Big Ten title. Under P.J. Fleck, Minnesota is going to run a similar style of offense, and its practices are being run at a furious tempo to accommodate it.

We get in 90 plays a day within an hour and 20 minutes, Gopher Carter Coughlin told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. That tempo is honestly faster than a game tempo, so its preparing us for a game. Its going to slow things down for us in a game.

Said Fleck: We condition during practice and put them in a lot of very tough positions in practice. We put them in situations that youd like to say will be harder here than in a game.

Flecks a lot of PR flash and catchphrases, but this thing how his offense runs is what will determine his success in Minnesota. Pay attention to that. Flecks betting on not needing four- and five-star recruits to win. Hes betting on his leadership style and this system. Im curious to see if it works.

According to the Daily Chronicle, Northern Illinois opened its camp at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday. The Huskies have a three-man quarterback race, and one player is Chad Beebe, whose last name might ring a bell: His dad, Don Beebe, played in the NFL for the Bills and at Chadron State.

Forecast

After a week of all smiles, Im guessing the training camp grind starts to settle in.

As a freshman, Husker wide receiver De'Mornay Pierson-El had 1,090 all-purpose yards, including 596 on 34 punt returns, 147 on on 10 kickoff returns, 321 on 23 receptions, 16 on one completion and 10 on five rushing attempts. Do you think he'll break that total this y
ear?

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Husker football coach Mike Riley greets players.

Husker linebacker Willie Hampton stretches.

Husker wide receiver Jaevon McQuitty stretches.

Husker defensive back Dicaprio Bootle runs through drills.

Husker Mikale Wilbon walks onto the practice field.

Husker wide receiver Stanley Morgan, left, and defensive back Dicaprio Bootle greet each other.

Husker kicker Drew Brown practices his field goals.

Husker wide receiver Conor Young runs through drills.

Husker linebacker Mohamed Barry stretches.

Husker defensive lineman Peyton Newell walks onto the outdoor field.

Husker Zack Darlington holds for kicker Drew Brown.

Husker quarterback Tanner Lee warms up before the start of practice.

Husker running back Mikale Wilbon warms up before practice.

Husker Caleb Lightbourn punts a ball during practice.

Husker defensive line coach John Parrella talks with his players during practice.

Husker offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh works with his players during practice.

Husker offensive lineman Nick Gates arrives for practice.

Husker defensive linemen Mick Stoltenberg, left, and Matt Jarzynka walk onto the field.

Husker wide receiver De'Mornay Pierson-El.

Banners commemorating Nebraska's five national championships hang in the Hawks Championship Center.