BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Friday, April 14, 2006 7:00 pm
Remember two years ago, when 61,000 people stood and cheered for the first play — a deep pass — of Nebraska’s spring football game? Or last year, when 63,000 fans went ga-ga over new quarterback Zac Taylor’s record 357 passing yards … in the first half?
Perhaps we’ve come full circle. Saturday’s Red-White Game, at times, resembled spring games of old. Run left. Run right. Run up the middle.
And a crowd of 57,415 seemed nearly as entertained.
The first-string Red team, showing a clear emphasis on running the football, defeated the second-string White team 35-7 at Memorial Stadium.
Perhaps the Red team’s 219 rushing yards on 47 carries — 4.7 yards per run — don’t appear that glitzy. But it’s a sign of progress for a team that struggled on the ground last season.
“Coaches have been talking the whole winter about pounding the rock, so that’s what we did,” sophomore running back Marlon Lucky said. “It was real physical (in spring practices). We scrimmaged, like, every day. They just wanted to see what we had.”
Nebraska’s focus on the run was understandable. The Huskers ranked 106th nationally last season in running the football, averaging 96 yards per game. They also lost their top running back, senior Cory Ross.
“Without a running game,” offensive guard Mike Huff said, “we don’t have an offense.”
Yes, Taylor did his thing Saturday, completing 14 of 21 passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns, all before halftime.
But as Huff indicated, this West Coast offense is much more potent with a threatening ground game. Therefore, the focus on Lucky, who ran 15 times for 84 yards, and fellow sophomore Cody Glenn, who ran 16 times for 98 yards. Both played on the Red team.
“The yards after contact was huge for them today,” Taylor said. “They made some great cuts before they got hit, but after they got hit, they would break a tackle and get those extra yards. There were a lot of situations that could have been second-and-one, and they powered through and got that first down. They were tough runners today.”
Glenn became known last year as a short-yardage, power back. Lucky was the finesse guy.
Saturday, each showed his other side. Glenn bounced outside on occasion, including his first run, a 13-yard gain.
Enter Lucky. He ran left for another gain of 13. He then followed Huff’s block, found a crease up the middle and gained seven.
“The last week or so (there) has been a phenomenal change in terms of his ability to see his blocks,” Nebraska running backs coach Randy Jordan said of Lucky. “One thing we always try to teach them is run with your eyes, then your feet, in that order. Your eyes take you to the hole.”
The Red team’s first scoring drive, which lasted 11 plays and covered 62 yards, featured eight runs for 51 yards. In last year’s spring game, the two teams combined for 49 rushing yards on 51 carries.
“I know one thing, we’re going to be a physical team,” Jordan said. “And when you look at the type of backs we’ve got, we’ve got some hammers back there.”
Glenn said the offensive line is communicating better this year and appears to have better chemistry. The holes, he said, are noticeably bigger.
“After the first couple of scrimmages, with the way me and Marlon was running, I think it was Mike Huff, or somebody, that came and said, ‘Man, the way ya’ll run, ya’ll make us want to block.’
“When you hear your offensive linemen say something like that, it makes you want to run even harder, and that’s going to make them block even more.”
Sophomore running back Leon Jackson joined the Red team in the second half and ran nine times for 48 yards. He’d carried three times for 4 yards on the White team.
None of the young running backs fumbled, and of the combined 43 carries for Lucky, Glenn and Jackson, only one resulted in a loss — that for 1 yard, by Lucky.
However, nobody broke a long run, either, although Jordan said that’s not a concern.
“A 4-yard run is a good run,” Jordan said. “That 20-yard or 30-yard scamper comes off, we take it. But you get me my 4 yards, and the rest is yours.”
The Red team defense, meanwhile, shut down the White team, as expected, allowing only 4 total yards on 31 plays. The White’s touchdown came on Titus Brothers’ 100-yard kickoff return.
On a blitz-free and stunt-free day, linebacker Corey McKeon had a team-high seven tackles, and linebacker Steve Octavien intercepted one pass.
Ola Dagunduro and Barry Cryer each had two sacks, which amounted to simply touching the green-jerseyed quarterbacks. The White team got to Taylor for two sacks.
Backup quarterback Joe Ganz led the White team in the first half and played for the Red team in the second. He was only 5-of-19 for the day for 25 yards, but also was victimized by three dropped balls. Beau Davis, playing for the White team, didn’t complete a pass in six attempts, and threw the interception. He played the entire second half, which featured a running clock.
Those who came Saturday hoping to see sophomore quarterback Harrison Beck were disappointed. Beck sat out with a sore shoulder, and fans missed out on seeing the youngster’s arm.
Instead, they saw youth served on the ground.
“We really wanted to test our young backs and see how they held up,” Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said. “I think they did a fine job.”
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.