NU Notes, 9/29: Koch will likely handle kickoff duties
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A healthy Sam Koch will assume Nebraska's kickoff duties Saturday against Kansas.
That's according to senior kicker Sandro DeAngelis, who started NU's last two games on kickoffs.
"Coach wants to make the changes he feels are necessary, and hopefully it works out this weekend," DeAngelis said.
When asked about the change, special-teams coordinator Bill Busch said coaches haven't made any final decisions regarding personnel changes on kickoffs, but did say Koch is healthy and will be considered.
Koch, who's punted 14 times for a 39.6-yard average, has recovered from a groin pull he suffered in fall camp.
"He is someone that's in the mix for us right now," Busch said. "He is healthy, so he is an option that will be looked at."
In Koch's debut last year, Texas A&M returned four kickoffs — including one for a touchdown. But NU opponents had just 10 returns for 165 yards over the final six games. Of Koch's 32 kickoffs, 18 went for touchbacks.
DeAngelis, who will continue to handle the place-kicking duties, and sophomore David Dyches have kicked off in NU's first three games. The duo has combined for 18 kickoffs, with six going for touchbacks. Opponents have returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, one against each kicker.
DeAngelis kicked off the first four times in NU's last game, against Pittsburgh, with kicks reaching the 10-, 4-, 6- and 12-yard lines. Dyches replaced him in the second half. His only kickoff went out-of-bounds at the 10.
BRANDON KOCH HONORED: Junior guard Brandon Koch, an Academic All-Big 12 selection in 2003, is the recipient of the 2004 Jake Young Memorial Scholarship. Young, a two-time All-America offensive lineman, was a two-time Academic All-American. He was 34 when he was killed two years ago in a bombing in Bali. "I know he was a great player and a great person, and it was a tragic thing that happened," Koch said. "So I'm honored to represent that in his name." Koch is a former walk-on from Gothenburg. He has a 3.119 grade point average in secondary education. "I'm going to go into teaching and social sciences (after football)," he said, "and hopefully do some coaching as well." Members of Young's family will be present to honor Koch before Saturday's game.
WHO'S NO. 2 AT I-BACK?: The Husker depth chart lists the I-backs in this order: Cory Ross, Tierre Green, Brandon Jackson and David Horne. But NU offensive coordinator Jay Norvell said there's very little space between the three guys behind Ross. "We use those guys differently," Norvell said, "so after Cory, I don't know that there's a clear No. 2." On the development of Green, Norvell said: "He's a guy that can give us some explosive snaps. We're challenging him to be an all-around back. He's not there yet obviously, but he's getting closer all the time."
ADAMS ‘A WAYS AWAY': Norvell said junior college transfer Jordan Adams, who had his spleen removed last month, is a long way from entering the quarterback mix. "He's still a ways away," Norvell said. "Physically, he's got to get his strength back. He's made some shorter throws, but to get the ball down the field, he's got to get his legs back under him and his body has to be stronger."
MURTHA TRIMS DOWN: Freshman Lydon Murtha, who has been hampered by injuries, is getting back in the swing of things, and coach Bill Callahan said it's too soon to talk about redshirting the 6-foot-7 offensive lineman. "We worked him hard last week, and two things glaringly stood out," Callahan said. "One, he lost a lot of weight. He's gotten down to about 280 pounds. His frame can easily handle 300, 310 pounds. In fact, he was around that range when he came in here when we recruited him. But on a positive note, he has trimmed down. He's much leaner right now, and he shows a great deal of potential of doing what we want him to do in terms of pass (protection) and run blocking."
PRO WATCHING: Norvell said the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offense is the NFL offense that's closest to the West Coast attack used by the Huskers. "The teams that run it in the National Football League are the Green Bay Packers, the Seattle Seahawks, the Philadelphia Eagles, but we're even different from them because we use more formations, shifts and motion packages than they do," Norvell said. "Probably Tampa is the most similar to us because Bill (Callahan) and Jon (Gruden) worked together." Norvell also said the Atlanta Falcons, with Michael Vick at the helm, provide good teaching material for Husker quarterback Joe Dailey. "Joe studies it," Norvell said. "There's a lot of similarities. You can watch a lot of teams play on Sundays and see a lot of our plays."
RECRUITING UPDATE: Callahan said seven prospects are expected to make recruiting visits to NU this weekend. He said he hopes to have 15 oral commitments by the end of October. The Huskers currently have 10. Callahan said this is a prime time to show off the program, before the temperature starts dropping. "I like to have those players from out of state see Lincoln at its best."
-- Brian Rosenthal, John Mabry and Steven M. Sipple
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