Quinton Newsome has a leg up for Nebraska open cornerback position

The battle for Nebraska's starting corner opening is far from over, but through 10 spring practices, there appears to be an early leader in the clubhouse.

After playing 149 snaps defensive snaps in 2020, sophomore Quinton Newsome has pulled ahead of the pack according to secondary coach Travis Fisher.

"Right now, Quinton Newsome is doing a very good job at that spot," Fisher said. "A lot of guys are doing great jobs, but Quinton Newsome is doing a great job at that spot."

Newsome is in a three-man battle with sophomores Braxton Clark and Nadab Joseph. It's been Newsome's attention to detail that has given him the early leg up.

"It's all about being able to take the coaching and the classroom teaching to the field," Fisher said. "It's about being able to take the mistakes you make in practice and correcting the mistakes.

"I think a lot of the guys are doing a great job in doing that. Braxton Clark is doing a great job of coming back. Even though Braxton has not been able to go live in spring, it would be the same thing for him too."

And as Newsome knows, the competition is far from over.

Fisher pointed that out as well, as he knows anybody getting reps with the top units has a chance to win a job.

"I would say it's intense every day," Newsome said. "We just come every day trying to make each other better. We're just competing. We're all going to make each other better. At the end of the day, everywhere you go is going to be competition."

When Fisher talks about his secondary, he also doesn't look at it like there's necessarily a first and second group.

He has what he calls his "1.5 group," which are guys working with the second team, but also getting an opportunity to see some time with the top units.

He puts like Clark, Joseph, and safeties Myles Farmer and Noa Pola-Gates in that category, knowing how important it will be as they build this defense in the future.

"Just because you practice in the second ground doesn't mean you stay in that group," Fisher said. "Hopefully one of those guys becomes a starter."