Fullback Lawson showing talent catching the ball
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By BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON / Lincoln Journal Star
Don’t mistake the guy for Jerry Rice just yet.
Thomas Lawson wants to make it clear.
“I’m still a blocking back,” the junior Husker fullback said. “But hey, I caught the ball when I had to I guess.”
In Nebraska’s 35-17 win against Iowa State on Saturday, Lawson caught a touchdown, the first score of his Husker career. It was so much fun he went and did it again.
The first TD was a big one. It came on a third-and-3 play from the Iowa State 6-yard line.
After scanning the field, Husker quarterback Sam Keller spotted Lawson all alone in the middle of the end zone.
The score just before halftime made it 14-10 and gave Nebraska its first lead.
“I tried to catch it with every part of my body so I wouldn’t drop it like the Nevada game,” Lawson said.
Yeah, about that Nevada game ...
In the season opener, Lawson dropped a touchdown pass on the goal line when he was wide-open.
“It’s kind of funny,” Lawson said. “Because, after the second touchdown, me and Sam came together on the sidelines, and it was like, ‘Hey, we made up for the Nevada drop.’”
Some tomfoolery
Nebraska pulled out some tricks Saturday. One worked. One didn’t.
The Huskers scored their first touchdown on a 20-yard halfback pass from Marlon Lucky to tight end Sean Hill.
“We worked on that play a lot in practice,” Keller said. “It was executed beautifully. Marlon can throw well.”
The Huskers tried to be clever again on their first drive of the fourth quarter. On a second-and-5 from the ISU 45, backup quarterback Joe Ganz threw backward to Keller, who was hoping to throw it downfield to Ganz.
“That was going to be beautiful,” Keller said. “But I looked to my right and I got this guy coming, so I’m like, ‘Oh, man, I just got to tuck it and run and salvage some yards.’”
Keller ended up gaining 1 yard on the play.
Mismanagement
The Huskers missed a chance to score at the end of the first half when Keller was tackled on the Iowa State 13 as time ran out.
With 14 seconds left in the half, Nebraska wanted to take a shot at the end zone, then kick a field goal if the pass was incomplete.
Instead, Keller tucked the ball and ran for 2 yards.
“I was thinking we had a timeout,” Keller said. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Husker coach Bill Callahan took blame for the play.
“I’m not going to sleep tonight,” Callahan said. “I take that on myself. I really kick myself in the rear end for not telling him to just throw it away, complete or incomplete.”
Walking wounded
Husker nose tackle Ty Steinkuhler left the field in the first quarter and did not return.
Defensive end Clayton Sievers was injured tackling ISU quarterback Bret Meyer with 1:08 left in the second quarter. He didn’t return, either.
Defensive line coach Buddy Wyatt didn’t know the specifics of either player’s injuries. Neither did Callahan.
Quick hits
Husker freshman Eric Hagg gave up his redshirt, playing on special teams. ... Kenny Demens, a linebacker/tight end from Detroit who had Nebraska on his short list, orally committed to Michigan on Saturday. ... Bo Ruud’s 93-yard interception return is the third-longest in school history. Bill Kosch (1971) and Willie Greenlaw (1955) had 95-yard returns. ... Ruud is the first Husker defensive player to score two touchdowns in a season since Julius Jackson in 1999. ... Linebacker Steve Octavien had a career-high 11 tackles. ... The Huskers have won 15 straight against Iowa State, dating to 1977.
Reach Brian Christopherson at 473-7439 or bchristopherson@journalstar.com.
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