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NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS
Young players should make impact
By Spencer Schubert The Daily Nebraskan
LINCOLN, Neb. — The future is bright for the Nebraska football team,and for five good reasons.
More than 20 sophomores or younger saw playing time Saturday night against Florida Atlantic, with six of them getting starting nods. Seeing how influential the young guns were in NU's impressive 49-3 win got me thinking.
Who will make the biggest impact next year and the year after that?
Putting Green over running back Rex Burkhead might upset some, seeing as Burkhead is already in the mix and Green isn't. But in the few minutes Green was under center, he took advantage of his time.
1 Cody Green, QB, Fr.
The names that will follow might not pop off the page here in 2009, but be ready to hear their names early and often as the seasons keep coming in Lincoln.
The freshman ran the ball just twice against FAU — one rush being a 49-yard Tommy Frazier-like run down the sideline (against a Florida team no less), and a 1-yard touchdown run to help him total 50 yards. That's 11 yards more than Burkhead on seven fewer carries, in case you were wondering.
Nebraska coach Bo Pelini will have an interesting decision to make this
coming spring and next fall—who to start between what will soon be returning quarterback Zac Lee and the hyped-up freshman.
2 Rex Burkhead, IB, Fr.
Burkheadran the ball nine times for 39 yards in limited time behind starting running back Roy Helu Jr.
Because Hellu Jr. was so on that night, the coaching staff gave him the bulk of the carries, and rightfully so. He was the one breaking tackles and running over people to the tune of 152 yards.
My guess is Burkhead will get more carries as the season progresses, mostly because HeluJr. will tire and some teams might just flat out have his number. All that is yet to be seen, but Burkhead is another shifty addition that will fit in well behind whoever is calling the signals.
3 Curenski Gilleleyen,WR,So.d
Saturday night was Gilleylen's coming out party as the receiver pulled in four balls for a total of 92 yards, including a 51-yard touchdown grab that exhibited his explosive speed.
Coming into the 2009 season, the two guys talked about most at receiver were seniors Niles Paul and Menelik Holt, but it was the sophomore who forced them to take a backseat to his show.
"Aa Sean Fisher/Will Compton, LBs,
RedshirtFr.
OK. I cheated a little here, but these
two are attached at the hip when talking about their potential. Both started Saturday night, and both were in the top seven for tackles.
This could mean a few things. One, they were at the right place at the right time. Or, they made plays that weren't expected of redshirt freshmen.
I'm voting for the latter on this one.
Fisher and Compton looked anything but inexperienced against the Owls,but it was obvious that learning still needs to happen—after all, the defense did allow 358 total yards.
Fisher and Compton will highlight the linebackers alongside sophomore Matthew May in the coming years.
5 Brandon Kinnie, WR, So.
Finally, I come to a guy who didn't see a whole lot of the field Saturday but will make an impact in years to come. Kinnie didn't pull down any receptions, and he will not be remembered in the 49-3 NU win, but his small efforts are starting to come together.
Remember that 49-yard near touchdown run by Green in the fourth quarter?
It was sprung by a block made by Kinnie on the outside — something that doesn't show up in the stat sheet.
Kinnie will gradually see more playing time, but as with most of these youthful Huskers, they need to keep learning the playbook.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nebraska quarterback Cody Green carries the ball against Florida Atlantic in the second half of its game in Lincoln last Saturday. Nebraska beat Florida Atlantic 49-3.
COLORADO BUFFALOES
Senior QB helps CSU beat Buffaloes
By Arnie Stapleton Associated Press
BOULDER, Colo. — Grant Stucker's patience finally paid off.
The fifth-year senior quarterback made his first start Sunday night and led Colorado State to a 23-17 upset of Colorado, the Rams' first win in Boulder since 1986.
"One thing you've got to look at it, 50 years down the road, do you think you could've stuck it out, regardless if you get the start or not? It's something I didn't want to have — regret," Stucker said.
Stucker barely beat out Jon Eastman last week for the starting job, a year after losing out to Billy Farris.
"I'm very happy that I was able to have
that patience to stick it out."
So are the Rams and their fans, who stormed the field to celebrate the second upset for the Mountain West Conference over a Big 12 team in 24 hours, coming on the heels of BYU's stunning 14-13 victory over third-ranked Oklahoma.
Stucker threw a 13-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter to new running back John Mosure, who also had a 1-yard TD run as the Rams (1-0) took the Folsom Field crowd out early by jumping out to a 17-0 lead.
That helped calm down Stucker, whom Rams coach Steve fairchild said had a poor week of practice.
"I wasn't sandbagging anybody. First-year quarterback, there's just some growing
pains," Fairchild said. "We're not out of the woods yet with him. I think he's a talented young man. Hopefully he'll keep getting better ... I'll certainly pat him on the back and give him his due. That's not easy, coming into this place and trying to win a game like that."
Colorado coach Dan Hawkins — who's entering a do-or-die fourth season at Boulder — kept his starter a secret until just before kickoff when his son, junior Cody Hawkins, got the nod over Tyler Hansen.
That decision was met with derision by the Buffaloes' student section as Colorado's offense struggled behind Hawkins, who completed 7 of 14 passes for 46 yards in a first half that ended with Colorado (0-1) trailing 20-3.
The Buffaloes looked like they had made the proper adjustments at halftime when they took the opening kickoff and needed just four plays to pull to 20-10 on Brian Lockridge's 9-yard touchdown run.
Dan Hawkins said he never considered pulling his son, blaming the lack of cohesion on penalties and mental mistakes: "When you're three plays and out it's hard for anyone to get rhythm."
Their momentum stalled, however, when wide receiver Scotty McKnight fumbled inside the Rams' 20 on a hard hit by free safety Elijah-Blu Smith and linebacker Alex Williams recovered.
The Buffs don't have a lot of time to fix things they play at Toledo on Friday night.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE WAVE SEPTEMBER 11,2009