Red Report: Younger players see the field
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Two notable Husker seniors, Zackary Bowman and Carl Nicks, saw reduced playing time on Senior Day.
Bowman, the cornerback and a team captain, played in only one series of Saturday’s 73-31 win against Kansas State. His lack of playing time was not because of injury.
Why didn’t he play more?
“Well, we played (freshman) Anthony Blue, and I thought Anthony played outstanding football,” NU coach Bill Callahan said during Monday’s Big 12 coaches teleconference.
“We had some young players like (Prince) Amukamara and Blue that I think are going to be outstanding corners. I thought Blue, for the most part, in the coverages he was in, played very well at times, and played physical football. (He) played the type of football we’re looking for from a corner.”
So Bowman didn’t play much simply because Blue earned the playing time over him?
“Well, like I said, I’m just going to talk about the starters and players that did well,” Callahan answered.
As for Nicks, he did not start the game at left tackle. Junior Matt Slauson did.
Callahan said Nicks did not play the first quarter because of disciplinary reasons.
HELU DINGED: Freshman running back Roy Helu suffered a foot injury early in Saturday’s game.
Because of it, Helu ended the day with just two carries for 6 yards. Fortunately for him, the Huskers don’t play again until Nov. 23.
“I think he’ll be OK,” Callahan said. “The bye week will give him an opportunity to get rest and regenerated. I think he’ll be fine for the Colorado game.”
BY THE NUMBERS: 0. Number of kicks Nebraska has missed this season. Redshirt freshman place-kicker Alex Henery is 8-of-8 on field goals and 40-of-40 on extra points, while true freshman Adi Kunalic is a perfect 1-for-1 on field goals and PAT kicks.
SCOUTING REPORT: OT Mike Smith
Redshirt freshman Mike Smith played more against Kansas State than he had in any game since the season opener.
Many of those snaps Saturday came late in Nebraska’s 73-31 victory, although Smith was in on about four or five plays early in the game at tackle.
On one of those plays, the 6-foot-6, 290-pound Smith, a native of Las Vegas, got out on the perimeter and flattened a
K-State cornerback in the first quarter, freeing Marlon Lucky on his 26-yard touchdown reception that made the score 14-10.
“They just harped on getting out there, since last week we ran a similar play, and I didn’t quite get out there,” Smith said. “This time, I made sure I got out there. The corner tried to juke me, and I just went down and cut him. Just the best I can do, run full-speed.”
Smith also played on Nebraska’s kickoff return team, something he’d not done before Saturday. He said assistant coach Randy Jordan informed him of his new role on Tuesday.
Smith had a block that helped spring Cortney Grixby free on his 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the first quarter.
Opponent watch: Colorado
According to the Boulder Daily Camera, the Buffs gave up their largest lead in more than 25 years on Saturday, blowing a three-touchdown advantage in a 31-28 loss at Iowa State.
The game-changing play seemed to come early in the second half with CU leading 21-0.
On fourth-and-1 from the Buffs’ 43-yard line, CU coach Dan Hawkins went for it.
Running back Demetrius Sumler got stuffed. ISU then scored 31 straight points.
“In this game there are a lot of guys who can sit there on Sunday and go, ‘Yeah, I would have done that differently,’” Hawkins told the Daily Camera. “We had a good play, and coulda, woulda, shoulda.”
— Brian Christopherson and Brian Rosenthal
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