Posts tagged Nebraska Cornhuskers at FanHouse

This week's edition of "Trojan Gameday" travels to Lincoln, Nebraska, where we seek to bring you the sights of Fandom from the 2007 USC Trojans' quest for the National Championship. Luckily, there was more than just going through the motions this week.



Of course, the Trojans brought the world-famous Song Girls to Lincoln, who we imagine were quite cold in the fifty-degree weather of late Summer in Middle America.

Nebraska running back Marlon Lucky appears to be bouncing back from the curious medical emergency that he was hospitalized for in February. This is good news for the Huskers' backfield, but even better news for the junior-to-be. Bill Callahan sees a lot of positives in Lucky's play this spring.

"I couldn't be more pleased with his efforts and focus and concentration," he said. "He's really done a terrific job, and it's good to see him doing really well."

Coaches still aren't talking about the incident that led to Lucky's hospital stay and Marlon has declined interview requests so far this spring. While his coaches and teammates avoid discussing the problem head on, given their quotes, one has to wonder whether he might have been dealing with some depression.

Exhibit A:

"I hope the crowd sees a more energetic, more smiling Marlon," said [Randy] Jordan, the Huskers' running backs coach. "We talk about it all the time, that the biggest thing is to enjoy the ride. Don't be in such a hurry to get to the end of the road. Enjoy the journey. So I hope that they see a Marlon that's going to go out and play hard, and I hope they see that in all of our guys."

Exhibit B:

"I see a difference in him on the field," I-back Cody Glenn said. "When he's out here, he's more happy, he's having fun. When we're in the meeting rooms, he's joking, it seems like. I guess he's put everything in perspective. He just seems real happy right now."

Whatever might have caused his distress, the important thing is that Lucky seems to be feeling better. With the departure of Brandon Jackson and injuries to Cody Glenn and Kenny Wilson, the starting job should belong to Lucky in 2007. With his health and a more positive outlook, he now appears ready to grasp this role.

This may be a reason why Sam Keller isn't the slam-dunk choice for Nebraska's starting quarterback everyone assumed he is:

"He doesn't slur his words, but they just come all together," NU receiver Maurice Purify said. "It's sometimes that he says it so fast that you don't catch all the necessary stuff. We just have to pay attention a little more when Sam's calling the plays."

Jigga-wha? Jigga-who? Someone get Jay-Z in as a consultant stat.

Could this also be a reason why he suffered a coup at the hands of Rudy "El Presidente" Carpenter and the rest of the Sun Devil junta? After all, one must be able to communicate with the common people to lead them on the Glorious Path that winds its way towards BCS riches for the proletariat.

(Via Fanblogs)

Most Nebraska fans assumed Sam Keller would run away with the starting quarterback job a year after leaving Arizona State under curious circumstances. But someone forgot to inform Joe Ganz of this plan. The unheralded junior is confident and his performance in Saturday's scrimmage apparently bettered that of Keller. Ganz directed three scoring drives with the first team offense and also connected on a touchdown pass in the 80-play scrimmage.

"I'm as confident as I've ever been," Ganz said. "I know what I'm doing. I've been here for a long time and I know what the defense is doing. ... I like to get my motor going. I like to get the guys going and put a lot of pressure on the defense."

Keller, on the other hand, never got going on Saturday. He managed to complete a long pass to tight end Hunter Teafatiller, but failed to lead the offense to any points.

"I didn't really get into the flow today," Keller said. "It wasn't one of my best days. I made some good throws on some play-action. But we really couldn't get in the end zone, which was disappointing."

Although Bill Callahan has stressed that the starting job was up for grabs, most figured this was nothing more than coach-speak. It now appears that there is some true competition to replace Zac Taylor, who completed his eligibility in 2006. While Keller experienced a similar position battle last August, let's hope that his performances – both on and off the field – aren't signs that the pressure is getting to him.

In further proof that God is not a college football fan, Nebraska cornerback Zack Bowman will miss 4-6 months after suffering a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee in Wednesday's practice. Bowman was participating in spring drills at about 90% as he recovered form a torn ACL in his left knee, which kept him out of the 2006 season.

"We feel very badly for Zack," Nebraska head coach Bill Callahan said Thursday in a prepared statement. "He has worked diligently to rehabilitate his previous injury, and this is a tough setback for him. Zack has a tremendous attitude, and I expect that he will work just as hard to get back on the field this fall."

This is a huge blow for the Nebraska secondary which was counting on Bowman to lockdown one side of the field. Bowman had previously contemplated entering the 2007 NFL Draft, but ultimately decided he would benefit from another year in Lincoln. The best Nebraska fans can hope for might be getting Bowman back in time for a Big 12 North battle against Missouri on October 6. In his absence, Andre Jones and Cortney Grixby, the 2006 starters, will compete with JUCO Armando Murillo for the CB spots come August.

Nebraska running back Kenny Wilson suffered a broken femur in what has to be one of college football's freakiest accidents. Wilson somehow managed to fracture the largest bone in his body while moving a television on Monday. This is clearly a story that raises more questions than answers, but details unfortunately remain unclear at this time (how big was this TV?). Nebraska coach Bill Callahan's only briefly addressed the injury with the media on Wednesday:

"Our hearts go out to Kenny as he tries to rehab from a real tough injury," Callahan said. "This is a real tough circumstance for him. Just when he's seemingly feeling better, this is a tremendous setback for him personally."

Wilson has since undergone surgery to repair his femur and will miss the 2007 season. This is not the first setback for Wilson who was also hospitalized for complications from an infection following off-season knee surgery. The 6-0, 220-pound Wilson had arrived on campus as one of the Husker's most highly-touted recruits after earning junior-college All-American honors at Butler County Community College in Kansas. In 2006 he finished fourth on the team with 335 yards rushing and four touchdowns, while playing behind Brandon Jackson, Marlon Lucky and Cody Glenn.

It is surprising to think that a television could get the best of Wilson given that he was virtually impossible to bring down during Nebraska's fall practices.

Last Year: 9-5, Unranked

Fans Are: Sanguine, like every other spring, but anxious to see if the Huskers can take the next step in 2007.

Expectations: Win the Big 12 North. Beat USC or Texas. Contend for a BCS Bowl.

Questions:

1. What's going on at the running back position?

No one really knows right now, and what in the world happened to all of the depth? Brandon Jackson parlayed a strong second half in 2006 into an early exit for the NFL. Marlon Lucky was hospitalized for a curious medical emergency in February and both Cody Glenn and Kenny Wilson continue to recover from injuries. Lucky and Glenn should be available for the spring, but it might be August before things really clear up.

Whoever wins the job (and stays healthy) should get a lot of work. Nebraska RBs have combined to account for an average of 403 carries over the past two seasons. If Lucky and Glenn are both available, the Huskers will have a nice 1-2 punch. Without Lucky or Glenn, the picture is less clear. Sophomore Major Culbert, a safety in 2006 will start the spring at RB and early enrollee Marcus Mendoza will also get a look.

This is rich.

Campus police cited Nebraska quarterback Sam Keller Thursday for disturbing the peace after he allegedly yelled profanities at a woman who took a parking spot he was waiting for in a campus parking garage.

The woman told campus police Keller got out of his car, yelled and threw a plastic cup at her car, said University Police Capt. Carl Oestmann.

I was just about to write about the Nebraska quarterback competition when I discovered this fantastic item that adds to Keller's legend.

In case you haven't seen Keller play before, dude's a little unhinged. Mostly in a good way with the rat-a-tat-tat finger guns he likes to take out of his imaginary holster. But sometimes he's doing stupid things like throwing into quintuple coverage to prove a point about his arm strength and insanity. We're talking MC Pee Pants level insanity (I'm a giant spider and I wear diapers, I'm insane!).

Anyway. Consider yourself introduced.

Sign her up.

Big news for the tentative Big 12 North favorites: Nebraska left tackle Chris Patrick has entered his name in the NFL's supplemental draft. I know what you're thinking -- academic failure -- but NBC says it isn't so:

Often, entrants into the supplemental draft have academic or eligibility issues to contend with that would raise a flag for teams. Patrick, who's earned academic honors at Nebraska, has neither.

Patrick should get to know Clemson/FSU/Clemson WR Markish Jones, because he's no more decisive:

"It didn't have to do with wanting to get away from Nebraska," said Patrick. The supplemental draft entered my mind right when I got back to school (from winter break). My mind wasn't totally set but I had things going on with my family and I finally came to the conclusion this would be the best thing for my family. I loved playing for Nebraska and it's something I'll never forget. They were very supportive of me."

At 6'4", Patrick is unlikely to hack it at tackle in the NFL and will probably have to move inside. Big Red Newtork has all your Nebraska-related fallout.

Fans of Big Red may be seeing blue, as it looks like the top scorer for the 2006 Nebraska Cornhuskers will be transferring to a Pac Ten contender.

Cornhusker kicker Jordan Congdon, who made a name for himself as a Freshman, earning Freshman All-Big 12 and Freshman All-American nods is looking to transfer out of Omaha.

Tops on his list: the University of Southern California, though word on the street is he'll take a look at Cal-Berkeley before making a final decision.

Following the suspension of kicker Troy Van Blarcom and the tragic death of place kicker Mario Danelo, the Trojans are in dire need of help on Special Teams.