Steven M. Sipple: Glenn probably won't be last to air his feelings
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Anybody who watched Nebraska football practices in the spring of 2006 had to be extremely impressed with Cody Glenn.
At that time a sophomore, the 6-foot, 225-pound Glenn punished tacklers with his hard-charging, high-stepping style. He was a budding star, or so it seemed. He would flatten a defender after running for a first down, then spring to his feet and yell, “All day long! I’m coming at you all day long!” The sideline would erupt. The players absolutely loved it. He energized the entire program.
I thought Glenn looked like he’d become Nebraska’s most potent offensive weapon.
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Then came the injuries. You know that story. His situation also became complicated by a logjam at running back. He became frustrated. Frustrated with his lack of playing time. Frustrated with his position coach.
Glenn bit his lip last season because he didn’t want to be a disruptive force on the team.
But he didn’t hold back Wednesday, Nebraska’s first day of spring drills and the first practice with Bo Pelini and a revamped coaching staff.
Glenn, a senior from Rusk, Texas, said his trust in former Husker running backs coach Randy Jordan deteriorated markedly last season. Glenn said Jordan would tell Glenn that he was going to play in certain situations in a particular game, then he would remain on the bench. All told, he appeared in five games, finishing with 27 carries for 78 yards and two touchdowns.
“The thing about me is, when you tell me you’re going to do something, I expect you to do it,” Glenn said. “Once you don’t, I just kind of don’t have any trust in you. We had a few situations like that, and I never got an explanation for it, where he’d come up to me and say, ‘I did this for this reason.’
“I was like, ‘Man, I can’t believe anything he says.’”
Glenn said he did express his frustrations to Jordan.
“He was like, ‘Once we get in the game and stuff starts rolling, it’s just different,’” Glenn said. “(Jordan) kept saying the same thing, and I kind of got tired of it and didn’t talk to him much anymore.”
I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that some Nebraska players are airing negative feelings about the departed coaches. Glenn probably won’t be the last to do it, and he wasn’t the first. Offensive lineman Matt Slauson on Monday said he “got jacked around a little bit” by the coaches last season regarding his playing time and position switches.
Nebraska players find themselves in the rare position of being able to take swipes at former coaches without repercussion. Here’s the thing: Last season’s 5-7 finish was intensely frustrating for everyone involved, and negative feelings linger. A few such feelings are bound to surface, especially when it involves players disheartened by a lack of playing time.
Neither Slauson nor Glenn was baited into making their comments. In Glenn’s case, I simply asked him how he’d describe his relationship with Jordan. It almost seemed as if Glenn welcomed the opportunity to vent.
It should be noted that Glenn acknowledged Wednesday that he might have shown hesitancy last season cutting on the right foot that he injured in the 11th game of the 2006 season, at Texas A&M. Perhaps that’s a reason why Jordan was hesitant to give Glenn a significant number of carries. Whatever. Jordan has moved on, taking over as running backs coach at A&M. It wouldn’t serve much purpose for Jordan to address matters that occurred at NU.
Nebraska obviously has moved forward, with seven new full-time assistant coaches. But there may be more dirty laundry coming from players. Wouldn’t surprise me. You hear it sometimes in programs that struggle and change coaching staffs. Maybe it’s part of healing.
Glenn also wants to move on.
“I think this is the first time since that A&M game (in 2006) that I’ve felt this healthy,” said Glenn, who rushed for 370 yards and eight TDs in 2006.
Glenn obviously welcomes a fresh start with his new position coach, Tim Beck. But Glenn once again faces an uphill battle for playing time.
“I can’t believe very many schools are going to have the depth we have at running back,” Beck said.
If Glenn regains the form he flashed in the spring of 2006, one would think he’ll play a prominent role. He insists his foot injury is behind him.
“Everyone’s on an even slate,” Glenn said. “Now you can show the coaches what you can do. I like competition, so I’m up for that. I just want to win. I’m a senior. I want a ring.”
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.
