Huskers to focus on special teams
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BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
The statistics from the Western Illinois game are alarming enough.
Five kickoff returns for the Leathernecks' James Norris, for 207 yards.
One covered 75 yards. Another went 98 yards for a touchdown Saturday night against Nebraska.
Now, here's another scary fact: The Huskers' upcoming opponent, Southern Mississippi, boasts two — yes, two — All-American returners.
John Eubanks, a junior, ranked No. 4 nationally last season in kickoff returns, averaging 38 yards per return. He had eight returns for more than 25 yards, with five going for more than 30 yards. Eubanks' longest return covered 94 yards for a touchdown.
Then, there's Marvin Young, a senior punt returner. Young ranked No. 10 nationally in punt returns last season, with five returns for more than 15 yards, including three for more than 50 yards. Against Memphis, Young averaged 31 yards per return and had an 87-yard return for a touchdown.
"Sure, it's going to be a concern of ours," Nebraska special teams coordinator Bill Busch said. "But I feel very confident in our kids. I feel confident in our scheme. I'm very excited to be able to get back to work.
"Our kids are very resilient kids. We'll get some things corrected and be able to respond from there."
Are Nebraska's problems from Saturday night correctable?
"Absolutely, it's correctable," Busch said after the game. "It's hard, right when you walk off the field, until we get a chance to see things on film. But I know there's a couple of adjustments we have to be able to make.
"We just have to be able to cover them better. We'll get that corrected. There's no excuses for a couple of returns that were on there."
Busch said coaches rotated many players on special teams throughout Saturday night's game. He also assured reporters that special teams work hasn't taken a back seat in practice as Nebraska learns a new offensive and defensive system.
"None whatsoever. Coach Callahan does a great job of allocating the time and coaches with where we're at," Busch said. "The importance of it is stressed highly, from top-down.
"There's time available. There is no reason we won't be able to work these details out."
Covering kickoff returns, though, wasn't Nebraska's only special teams problem against Western Illinois. The Huskers also failed to recover two pooched kickoffs, and redshirted freshman Kade Pittman twice lost fumbles on punt returns.
"I think maybe we were a little hesitant," Pittman said. "I know I was a little hesitant.
"Everyone's going to have a bad day, but a true athlete, a true football player, is going to shake it off and be ready to play the next Saturday."
Pittman is listed as Nebraska's No. 2 punt returner on the depth chart but handled most of the punt return duties Saturday night. I-back Cory Ross, the top punt returner, returned one punt for 12 yards but gave way to Pittman after experiencing some cramping.
Defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove, who also oversees the punt returners, said Ross is still the top return man for punts.
"We still have great returners back there," Ross said. "Kade, he'll do a better job. It was his first time out there, under the lights. It's kind of difficult trying to catch them under the lights. We're all going to be back there, catching punts, and hopefully get things done back there."
Cosgrove explained some of the technique coaches have taught the punt return people.
"You've got to square up, you've got to absorb the ball," he said. "Eyes to the tuck is what we tell them. Watch the ball come all the way down, and eyes to the tuck, and you have to stay square to do that.
"You've got to make good decisions on the height of the kick, when you're going to fair catch, when you're not going to fair catch. Things that we've been working on that we have to continue to work on."
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
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