Husker QB1 battle to extend into fall, but one is separating from the pack
The second, and most important, scrimmage of the Nebraska football spring season is in the books.
Husker coach Matt Rhule said the Huskers ran “about 200 plays” at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. The team began the morning with individual drills, then it moved into a period of 9-on-7 and 7-on-7 which lasted roughly 40 plays, and then a two-minute drill period working on end-of-half situations for about 40 plays.
Ultimately, those periods gave way to a live scrimmage featuring approximately 120 plays on the field of Memorial Stadium. Similar to the Huskers’ first team scrimmage last Saturday, Rhule said there was a handful of veteran guys held out of the live period, which was based on players who had a certain amount of game snaps in the regular season under their belt.
On offense, Ben Scott and Bryce Benhart were two prominent guys held out, but receiver Jahmal Banks was on the field for a handful of live reps when the No. 1 offense got the ball into the red zone. (Banks was held out of the first scrimmage.)
On defense, players held out included defensive backs Tommi Hill and Isaac Gifford, plus defensive linemen Nash Hutmacher and Ty Robinson. Defensive lineman Jimari Butler and Jack linebacker MJ Sherman were given about 15-18 reps each.
The goal, Rhule said, was to get all other players between 20-40 reps of live action.
The entirety of the scrimmage served as the next major step of evaluation to see who’s separating themselves at certain positions – such as the two outside cornerback spots, where it’s shaping up to be the law office of Hill and Hill holding court on the field as Tommi Hill has one spot essentially locked up, and Rhule said today that Blye Hill would be the other starting corner if the season began today.
The season, as you’ll see if you check out a calendar, does not begin today, however. It begins Aug. 31 when UTEP rolls into Lincoln. Some position battles – like the No. 2 CB job – will extend into fall camp, Rhule said today. So nothing is locked up at that position.
Nothing is determined – officially, on paper – at the team’s most important position, either: Quarterback.
But, as we turn our focus to the Huskers’ competition for QB1, the clear distinction of who the top guy has been heading into today’s scrimmage has been made even more clear coming out of the scrimmage.
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