John Mabry: This ship needs strong captains
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This is all you need to know about the ever-changing world of Husker football:
Three of the four captains on last year's team were underclassmen, and none will be in the role of captain next fall.
Josh Bullocks is headed for the NFL. Ross Pilkington is out of football. And Joe Dailey …
It made you want to cry to see the poor guy chasing Daniel Bullocks after an interception in the second quarter of Saturday's Red-White Spring Game.
But talk about a picture being worth a thousand words.
Dailey has been through the wringer. (Did any other NU QB get blitzed Saturday?) Dailey deserves credit for returning to the interview area Saturday after having a day far rougher than last year's four-touchdown Red-White performance.
But his days at Nebraska are numbered. For one thing, I'm guessing he wouldn't be referring to his head coach as "Billy C" in the postgame media session if he were planning to stick around for much longer.
So who is going to lead this offense in the fall? Offensive coordinator Jay Norvell said the list does not include a quarterback.
"I talked to Cory (Ross), I talked to Seppo (Evwaraye), and I talked to Brandon Koch before the season," Norvell said. "Those guys have played a lot of football around here. Those guys are going to have to be the leaders for us this year."
Ross, a senior I-back, was up to his old tricks Saturday with 12 carries for 67 yards and three catches for 26. He caught the eye of former Michigan coach Gary Moeller, one of the many sideline guests in the house.
Moeller described Ross as a player with "lights."
He knows where he's going, and he knows how to get there.
Norvell said the Huskers need Ross to help others find their way.
"He's one of the old-timers now," Norvell said. "He's got to really take charge of this offense."
On the line, that role falls to the senior anchors — Evwaraye and Koch.
You won't find a more deliberate young man than Evwaraye. Every word is carefully chosen. Every thought is carefully conveyed.
His take on being a leader?
"I'll just be honest with you," he said. "Sometimes I feel like it's quite a load to carry, but there has to be somebody who will shoulder that load. And I think me and Brandon Koch are trying to do a good job of splitting the load.
"We had that (leadership) last year, but it needs to become more predominant."
A few other thoughts on Saturday's affair:
n Zac Taylor didn't have to contend with much in the way of pressure, but he showed nice touch on his passes — short and long. "He was very accurate," said receivers coach Ted Gilmore. "Even the balls that weren't caught were on target."
n One of the highlights of the day was the loud reception Turner Gill received from the fans during the "Scoring Explosion" tribute. The man still has an arm. He launched a couple of rockets into the stands.
n If Bill Callahan's emphatic "Just say NO!" speech at halftime doesn't keep the kids drug-free, nothing will.
n The crowd of 63,416 exceeded my expectations — another huge recruiting boost. Top prospect Josh Freeman, a quarterback from Grandview, Mo., said he had never seen anything like it.
n Speaking of notable sights, did you get an eyeful of former Husker lineman Toniu Fonoti? A larger Charger you will not find. He's listed at 6-foot-4, 349 pounds, but I don't think those numbers do him justice. When Fonoti walked into the Wilderness Ridge clubhouse before a golf outing Friday, ex-NU linebacker Demorrio Williams said, "It's like a building walking into a building."
Reach John Mabry at 473-7320 or jmabry@journalstar.com.
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