Herian's got the moves for Callahan's offense

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BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL

You can imagine Nebraska tight end Matt Herian's reaction when he learned BillCallahan was bringing the West Coast offense to Lincoln.

"It made me smile a little bit," said Herian, who tied for the team lead in receptions last season with 22.

Nebraska fans probably got a little giddy, too, with thoughts of the big, athletic Herian hauling in even more passes - short, medium and long.

Hey, he's proven. He can catch. At least the Huskers have one primary target to help lead them through this transition phase.

"Great hands," Nebraska quarterback JoeDailey said. "I don't think too many big guys like that at the tight end position have hands like he does."

Yet halfway through spring football drills, it's not Herian's hands that have most impressed NUtight ends coach Scott Downing.

It's his arms.

"He's gotten a lot stronger," Downing said of the 6-foot-5, 240-pound junior. "If you look at him, he's got arms now. He's getting stronger, he's getting heavier, he's maintaining his speed."

Yes, tight ends will catch the ball fairly often out of the West Coast offense. But you still have to block, and that's a never-ending improvement process for Herian.

"That's something I've got to keep working on," Herian said. "It's never going to be as good as I want it to. It's always something I'm working on."

Downing, though, said blocking is the part of Herian's game that has improved the most during spring football.

"He's really made some strides, he's really working hard on hitting his landmarks, getting his hands in the right place, moving his feet into the right place, right footwork and everything," Downing said. "He's decided to work on becoming a total tight end, not just a receiver that runs out and gets open, but a guy that can be in there and be a force when we're running the football."

Herian made strides in that area last season, his first as a full-time starter. Still, he's earned a reputation as more of a receiving tight end with the knack for big plays.

As a freshman, Herian caught seven passes - for 301 yards and four touchdowns. Last year, under new offensive coordinator Barney Cotton, he caught 22 balls for 484 yards and three scores. Those were the most catches by a Nebraska tight end since Johnny Mitchell's position-record 31 catches in 1991.

Hence, the exciting thoughts of Herian flourishing in Callahan's system.

"It allows him to use his strengths," Dailey said. "Last year, if you paid close attention ... Matt Herian, he's a big dude with some moves. This offense is going to allow him to sell a post and break out on a corner route. It's going to allow him to get open a lot."

Many of Herian's grabs have been for big plays - he's averaged 27.1 yards per catch for his career. He needs 46 receptions to qualify for the NCAA record for average yards per reception by a tight end (19.2).

In a West Coast offense, however, the tight end will become a target in more short and medium routes.

"The shorter routes mean quicker throws," Downing said, "and guys have to get their hands up and catch them instinctively, coming out of a break faster, because you don't have as much time to adjust to the ball."

Herian, Downing said, can do that.

"Anything that can rely on Matt having to make a catch is good," he said. "Even when he gets out of a break late, he can catch a ball."

Herian said he's adjusting well to the new offense. When executed properly, he said it will cause general confusion for defenses.

"I'm just a lot more flexible," Herian said, describing the difference in his role. "I'm moving a lot more, and Ican play at a lot of different positions on the field. Just the main part is being in motion a lot more than I was.

"It's going to create some mismatches that I hope we can get next season, just help me out a little bit."

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