Wednesday notebook: QB picture coming into focus

Nebraska’s important Sunday scrimmage was supposed to provide some clarity for what the team’s depth chart could look like come Sept. 1. While that was the case at some positions, quarterback was not one of them.

According to NU offensive coordinator Troy Walters and quarterbacks coach Mario Verduzco on Wednesday, the competition remains ongoing with the group and a decision on the starter wouldn’t be decided until next week.

“This week we’re going to evaluate them and then probably going into next week we’ll make some decisions as we get closer to the game,” Walters said. “All those guys are competing and they all bring different elements to the table.

“We’ve just got to figure out which one leads the offense the best, and that’s going to be our guy. But they all have to be ready.”

The one bit of clarity provided was that the Huskers are down to redshirt freshman Tristan Gebbia and true freshman Adrian Martinez for the No. 1 job.

Verduzco said Gebbia and Martinez would alternate practices working as the first quarterback this week, with sophomore Andrew Bunch still getting decent reps behind them.

As for Sunday’s scrimmage, Verduzco said he was pleased with all of his QBs in terms of making good plays, having good body language, and operating at a game-speed tempo.

He was especially encouraged that those performances came after a couple of “interesting” practices - not in a good way - on Thursday and Friday.

While the staff may still be a few practices away from naming a starter, it seems unlikely that Nebraska will utilize a two-quarterback system this season.

“If you have two you don’t have one,” Verduzco said. “But ultimately Coach (Scott) Frost will make that decision, and if that’s the direction he wants to go, that’s the direction we’ll go and I’ll coach the hell out of those guys and away we go. But I don’t know if that’s in Coach Frost’s so-to-speak DNA, something he wants to do.”

- Robin Washut

When former Husker and current NU offensive line coach Greg Austin breaks down what he wants on the offensive line, it’s pretty simple.

Austin wants versatility; guys that can play multiple positions vs. focusing on having two units coming in and out.

“First of all it’s very important,” Austin said of having versatility. “The more the positions you can play, the more valuable you are. Guys that can do it right now that I’m confident in are Tanner Farmer, Jerald Foster, Matt Sichterman and Matt Farniok. Those are probably the four guys that come to my mind that can play multiple positions whether it’s guard-tackle or guard-center. They can fill those dual roles so to speak.”

Austin also plans to rotate in players this year because of the number of reps the offense will run each game.

“I’m about the best five,” Austin said. “We put the best five guys out there; I don’t care what position you are. Let’s roll. It’s not next man up in that slot. It’s best five. Move chairs. A matter of fact, today we did a little bit of moving of the chairs.”

- Sean Callahan

For a player who nearly saw his football career - or worse - come to an end after a scary medical issue at the start of winter conditioning, Tyjon Lindsey has come a long way.

In fact, according to Walters, the sophomore wide receiver has been fully committed to doing everything possible to be a standout performance in Nebraska’s new high-powered offense. That determination has shown more than ever this fall.

“I’ve really seen a focused individual,” Walters said. “He comes out with a purpose. We had a good heart-to-heart this summer about his goals, what he wanted to accomplish. He told me, and I told him what it’s going to take; it was going to take someone that is focused every single day, day by day, and he’s come out focused.

“He’s paying attention to details in the meetings, and I think this offense fits him well. I’m excited about what he’s going to be able to do.”

- Robin Washut

Much has been made about the speed and tempo at which a Frost offense ideally operates.

According to Nebraska running backs coach Ryan Held, the offense has made major strides with its tempo over the past few practices.

“I thought we ran our tempos better,” Held said about the Sunday scrimmage. “We still have to learn how to line up and play faster. We have to learn the mechanics of tempo so we can get lined up faster. I liked where we were at tempo-wise (Sunday). The last couple of practices our tempos are 100 times better. I think with the guys it’s starting to click a little bit that this can be a real weapon for us.

“Now, we’ve got to be smart sometimes depending on the situation. We can’t go fast all of the time due to whatever the situation of the game is, but the mechanics of the tempo I liked, especially with my guys, was a lot better.”

Part of operating at a fast pace for the running backs involves getting the ball back to the right official after the play is over.

“My guys have got to learn that when they get tackled, they’ve got to run and get the ball to the ref,” Held said. “It’s all part of this moving part. Even on the sideline, instead of throwing it to the ref because then they’ve got to get a ball, throw it in here and that takes an extra seven or eight seconds. They’ve got to get it and run it to the official because then that guy is going to set it down.”

- Nate Clouse

As if Nebraska’s offense didn’t have enough on its plate in transitioning to an entirely different scheme with a room full of young and inexperienced quarterbacks, the defense hasn’t made life any easier on them.

One of the hallmarks of defensive coordinator Erik Chinander’s system is giving numerous pre-snap looks and blitz disguises to confuse opposing offenses as much as possible.

The defense hasn’t held anything back in practice this offseason, either.

“It’s horrible,” Verduzco said of practicing against Chinander’s defenses. “It’s just the worst. Because there are looks and you’re just like, ‘What on Earth? Who’s coming? Who’s your keep-side read?’ Then you set a motion and the first picture you got is different than the second picture you got.

“It can be maddening, man. But it keeps us on our toes. We have to be really disciplined just in our rules within the framework of the offense.”

Walters agreed but viewed it as a positive because of how prepared it’s going to make the offense for anything it will see this season, especially for the offensive line.

“With our defense, they get so many different looks,” Walters said. “I don’t think they’re going to find a defensive front that gives us as many looks as our defense. So they’re really testing our offensive line, and (the line) is doing a good job.”

- Robin Washut

One of the players who has benefited from the move to Nebraska's new offense is redshirt freshman tight end Austin Allen.

The Aurora native said he feels much more comfortable in NU’s new system.

“This system is a lot like I did in high school,” Allen said. “We were no-huddle in school, so I’m used to getting up and going. With the last staff it was kind of slow downed a little bit, and that wasn’t really my style. I like this staff in how they will widen you out and put you in the dirt. That’s what I did in high school, and that’s what I’m used to, so I like that better.”

Allen also said he thinks the overall practice approach is night and day compared to last year. There’s more of a science behind everything they do, and it is all beneficial to the players.

“The biggest thing is they are dialing in on recovering,” Allen said. “They have this set-up where today was a high intensity, low duration. Tomorrow will be medium intensity, medium duration. They are saving our bodies, but they are also getting us into shape at the same time. They are getting us going and what not.

“With the last staff, there was a lot of meetings and meetings and meetings. With this staff, you are lifting, then you are locked in with the walk-thru and then you are locked in with meetings. The meetings have more interaction. Everything is kind of more dialed in.”

- Sean Callahan

Earlier this summer, junior college transfer Mike Williams was called pound-for-pound the strongest player on the football team.

To put the numbers in perspective, the 185-pound the junior currently boasts a three-rep squat max of 610 pounds. On Wednesday, Williams gave a lot of credit to strength coach Zach Duval and how they’ve pushed him the last several months.

“A lot of it definitely goes to Coach Duval and his staff, but in high school, I didn’t run track. We did weightlifting,” Williams said. “I was a part of a weightlifting team, and I was taught the right way to lift, and power clean. A lot of it goes to Coach Duval and his staff. They’ve done a great job with us.”

As for speed, Walters said earlier this summer that fellow junior college wideout Jaron Woodyard may be the fastest player on the offense, but Williams joked on Wednesday he’s not ready to concede that title just yet.

“No,” Williams said. “Me and him go back forth. I think he knows what’s up. Deontai (Wiliams) has some speed on him too. But I just think I’m the fastest until they prove me wrong.”

- Sean Callahan

***Walters said looking back on Sunday’s scrimmage, the tight ends may have had as good of a day as any offensive position group. He said they have about 3-4 guys there that can do everything they ask of the position.

***Walters said running back Greg Bell got through his first spring at Nebraska relying mainly on his athleticism and natural ability. Now he’s really picked up on the offense mentality this fall and is a much better player as a result. Bell agreed that he feels much more comfortable in the system now.

***Austin said he wished he could coach Farmer for another season, saying the senior was everything he wants in an offensive lineman and a leader.

***Both Williams and receiver Stanley Morgan said they weren’t worried about being able to develop enough chemistry with whoever is going to be named the starting quarterback. Because of the volume of reps the team gets each practice, both feel they’ve had plenty of opportunities to work with all of the QBs.

***Held said Bell has really improved his blocking from the spring. He said Bell’s nickname was “The Eel” because of how he can slither through spaces with the ball.