Jones continues to improve at right tackle
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BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
D.J. Jones’ face lit up when reminded what Barry Turner, a defensive end, did last season against Colorado.
Turner caught a pass. A touchdown pass. On a special teams trick play.
Maybe there’s hope for Jones yet.
“I can catch,” Jones says assertively. “I can catch.”
But to do what Turner did?
“I definitely could,” the 6-foot-5, 310-pound Jones said. “I feel like I have the speed to do it.”
It’s hard to let a dream die. Jones’ hope all along was to play tight end in high school. One problem: Jones got too big.
“Coach wouldn’t let me,” said Jones, a graduate of Omaha Central. “He said, ‘You’re bigger than everybody, so you’re going to play tackle.’ ”
And that’s where Jones continues to focus his work, now as a redshirted freshman on the Nebraska football team. This spring, he’s working behind junior Lydon Murtha at right tackle.
“I’m up there with the older guys now,” Jones said, “so I have to get my things down, or else I’ll be riding the bench my whole four years here. I don’t want that.”
It’s an important spring for not only Jones, but also Keith Williams and Cruz Barrett, two other redshirted freshmen who are aiming to crack the rotation along Nebraska’s offensive line. Williams is playing behind junior Matt Slauson at right guard, Barrett behind Andy Christensen at left guard.
The new guys want to play. The Huskers need depth up front. Seems like the perfect combination.
But those pieces will fall together only with strong progress this spring, and again in fall camp, from the promising youngsters.
“All three are guys that are progressing well,” Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said. “And it’s different (levels of progress) because you like to see your tackles progress a little faster, because the guards take a little time because they have more things going on inside.”
Jones, in particular, said he had a good week of practice last week, that he’s starting to better understand plays, formations and defenses. He said he particularly enjoys pass blocking.
“But you’ve got to run block, too,” Jones said. “Gotta pound that rock.”
Callahan said Jones “has all the tools and talents in the world” and is becoming a more consistent player.
That, Callahan said, is key during spring football.
“That’s the time when you want your consistency to emerge,” Callahan said. “Hey, they’re going to have error in their game. So spring is the time when you straighten that out, you get them into a rhythm that they can draw from and gain confidence from, so they can take it into training camp.”
Williams, like Jones, said he’s continuing to learn the offense. He’s also noticed an improvement in his endurance, crediting off-season training with strength and conditioning coach Dave Kennedy.
“Last season, I played at a higher weight, which wasn’t good,” said Williams, listed at 6-foot-5, 310 pounds. “I’ve got it more to where it’s manageable.”
Callahan said Williams has accelerated his progress, which could be in part because of an injury to guard Mike Huff. He’s sitting out the spring while recovering from surgery to his Achilles tendon. That’s meant more reps for Williams. Same could be said of Jones, who’s seeing more time this spring while tackle Jacob Hickman recovers from knee surgery.
That extra spring time could pay dividends come this fall, as the freshmen eye playing time, and coaches eyes offensive line depth.
“I’m of the philosophy — and you can check my background all the way back into pro ball — I kept coaching all of the guys, kept bringing them along, and that’s our philosophy here,” Callahan said, when asked about playing time for the redshirted freshmen linemen.
“Keep grinding them. Keep repping them. Keep coaching them. Because they could end up playing at any time. You don’t know.”
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
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