Erickson, Husker linemates happy to get back on the field

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BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL

Tuesday night, Mike Erickson was prepared to watch his final spring football season from the sidelines.

That plan changed when Erickson answered his phone Wednesday morning.

"Mike, you're cleared to play."

So there he was, two months removed from hip surgery, lumbering around the Memorial Stadium FieldTurf on a balmy March afternoon.

His repetitions were limited, and Erickson, a two-year starter at left guard, said he wasn't always working with the first unit.

And, yeah, he was admittedly pretty sore by the end of Nebraska's first spring practice in the Bill Callahan era.

But at least he was there -participating, not watching. That's progress for a guy not listed on the pre-spring depth chart.

"Idon't particularly learn as well as some people by just looking in the book," said the 6-foot-4, 300-pound senior from Omaha. "I've got to go out and actually practice it."

That could be said for many offensive players delving into Callahan's West Coast offense - but especially the offensive linemen.

"There's only so many ways you can block a certain play," Erickson said, "but a lot of different coaches and different teams call them different things, and this year there's just a ton more words to learn and figure out meanings to what they go with. Each little thing has a different blocking word."

Erickson wasn't the only lineman back on the field Wednesday despite off-season health problems. Senior right guard Jake Andersen, who suffered a hamstring pull during winter conditioning, was cleared to play last week.

"I'm running No. 1 and everything," said Andersen, who's listed No. 2 on the pre-spring depth chart at right guard, behind Nick Povendo. "I feel good. I just had a hamstring. It's alright."

Andersen said he's also recovered from a nagging big toe injury that hampered him much of last season.

"It actually feels good to be out on the field without any injuries," he said. "That's nice. I'm actually healed up."

Erickson and Andersen join junior Richie Incognito as Nebraska's three returning starters along the offensive line. The Huskers' starting left tackle last season, Incognito is now practicing at center.

"Those are the three returners with all the experience," offensive line coach Dennis Wagner said, "so we want them on the field as much as we can."

Especially given the new offense. Everybody knows such a transition takes time, and that things will probably seem a little blurry at first.

"Your head was kind of spinning a little bit," Andersen said. "We've got so many new things to think about, things we're not used to, scheme-wise and stuff. There's a lot of talk, a lot of people asking questions."

The most common one?

"'What do I do on this play?'" Andersen said, laughing. "We come to the line, and I look over at Richie, 'What are you doing?' He'll look at me, 'Idon't know, what are you doing?'

"And then by that time, the ball's being snapped. We're kinda hoping we're guessing and doing the right thing."

Of course, the real fun begins Friday, when players can don full pads, and then later next week, when the team holds its first major scrimmage.

That, Wagner said, is when something resembling a depth chart will begin to take shape. Remember, there's been a number of position changes up front - Seppo Evwaraye's move from defensive tackle to left tackle, Kurt Mann's switch from center to left tackle and Chris Patrick's move from defensive end to right tackle - and the coaching staff will need time to evaluate.

"Right now, we have no idea who's first or second," Wagner said. "What we try to do is just put guys in positions, and as we go along and have scrimmages and opportunities to grade players, we'll move 'em around in first and second groups.

"We've made moves all over the place. Right now, we're trying to find ourselves. We're asking guys to come out and compete for jobs. Guys that were tackles might be guards. We're just trying to put the best five out on the field."

Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@;journalstar.com.