I found this an interesting read. It caught my eye because USC plays Nebraska 9/16 in game #2. After reading this, I'm glad they play the Huskers in LA. Enjoy.
Callahan making strides in Lincoln
posted: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 | Feedback
I just returned from a great trip to Nebraska, where my boy Sean Callahan, the ultimate Huskers insider, provided a campus tour on an 80-degree day in Lincoln. The day was so nice coach Bill Callahan (no relation) had his team practice outside, in Memorial Stadium, for the first time all spring. For some reason, they let me watch.
And I learned a lot. Quarterback Zac Taylor is having an oustanding spring and is in complete command (how about that?) of Callahan's (Bill's that is) West Coast offense. I also found out that Taylor takes his studies pretty seriously. (No wonder they've had so many academic All-Americans in Lincoln.)
Taylor bolted just before practice was over, but phoned today to apologize.
Schad: So where did you go?
Taylor: Oh, sorry 'bout that. Astrology class.
Q: Astrology? Weak. Learn anything good?
A: Not really. Took a test. I'm sure I passed.
Taylor really passed Callahan's test in season-closing victories over Kansas State, Colorado and Michigan (Hey wait, is that play alive?) that gave Nebraska an 8-4 record and (temporarily, at least) eased panic in the Big Red Nation.
Turns out Nebraska can pass effectively, as hard as that is to type.
"Yeah, people really weren't happy at 5-4," Taylor told me today. "But we were still trying to learn the offense. Then, it clicked. Then, the fans really started to buy into it. Everybody jumped on board."
Seriously, Zac?
"No, really," Taylor said. "Everybody's been so nice. They're genuinely excited for you. They thank us for coming to Nebraska. I mean, look, people were really questioning us throwing it all over the place, after 90 years of the option. People aren't really too quick for change, you know? But then we started beating teams. And really good teams."
Since the season ended, Taylor says, his facebook.com board (if you don't know what this is, almost every college athlete in America has a facebook profile, so look it up) has been flooded with postings from exuberant (OK, many female) Huskers fans.
So, coach Callahan, do you feel you've been embraced by the Nebraska community?
OK, so I hit Callahan with the question after a practice in which his offense hadn't exactly been flawless and on a day he doesn't usually address media. But hey, I thought I'd give it a shot.
He gave that Callahan grin you'd recognize if you hang around him for more than a few minutes. And after some comments about how active he and his players have been in the community and how they've gained confidence, he hit the point.
"I knew it was going to be a very difficult transition," Callahan conceded. "You flip a culture. You flip everything that has ever been done here. I knew it was going to take time. You want to be able to recruit to your system. You want to be able to execute in your system. And in those last three games, you saw the fruits of our labor. But that's not the be-all-end-all. It's still a process. We're evolving. And making strides. Great strides."
And I saw it with my own eyes on the practice field on Monday.
Here are some things I saw and heard, regarding Nebraska in 2006:
Lesson 1: Taylor is in complete command and control and could become, in only two seasons, Nebraska's all-time passing leader.
"Well, after 90 years of option, that's not too difficult," said Taylor. "I see Tommie Frazier and Eric Crouch all the time and they don't bring it up. I mean, they could start talking about how they used to run the ball and they'd blow us out of the water."
"I saw Zac really make tremendous progress during the bowl preparation," said Callahan. "Don't ever let anybody tell you that bowl preparation is not invaluable. He made tremendous strides with his confidence and progressions and reads and getting rid of the ball. It all came together in the Kansas State and Colorado games. He took it right into the offseason and into spring ball. He continues to make progress. We're going to lean on him as our leader."
Lesson 2: Callahan will not allow Taylor to be sacked 38 times again.
"It was frustrating, but that comes with the position," said Taylor. "People throw it all on the offensive line, but I missed some checks. We've got more experience up front this year. We're better at identifying. We'll be much better this season."
"I think we've got to be committed to a more maximum-protection scheme and really account for the numerical matchups, so we're not throwing to hots and making him throw against unprotected defenders," said Callahan. "We'll take our shots and there will be times where there will be hot receivers. But we'll be more conscious of how he's protecting himself and how we're protecting him schematically as a staff."
Lesson 3: Nebraska won't finish last in the Big 12 in rushing again.
"We've committed a tremendous amount of practice time to the running game," said Callahan. "Individual period. Group installation period. A lot more offensive line versus defensive line. The competition has been heightened. So I feel very good about what we've tried to do. More 9-on-7, 11-on-11 and goal-line situations. We've done more scrimmaging this spring than we've done since I've been here. We're becoming a more physical football team."
"We're going to run the ball more and we're going to run the ball better," running back Cody Glenn. "This 2.7 yards per carry stuff? Forget that. We have a goal to run for 4 yards per carry this season and I think we can do it."
Lesson 4: Sophomore Cody Glenn, a Texas native less heralded than sophomore Marlon Lucky from California, could be the tough, inside runner Nebraska has desired. Glenn has dominated this spring.
"Cody can be as good as he wants to be," said Taylor. "Last year, he was more of a short-yardage guy. But you can tell he wants the ball every play now. He's worked himself into position to maybe be the guy. He's a total bruiser."
"Texas wanted me, but to play rover linebacker," said Glenn. "I wanted to be a running back. I want to be like Earl Campbell. I bring a lot of power. I like to mash. Where does the power come from? My legs. I can squat about 580 pounds. Me and Marlon complement each other. I'm like LenDale [White] and he's like Reggie [Bush]. We're not roommates, but we hang out. I even cut his hair."
Lesson 5: Junior linebacker Steve Octavien is Nebraska's breakthrough defender of the spring.
"Steve has a lot of ability." said Callahan with his eyes lighting up. He can run sideline-to-sideline as good as anybody in this conference."
"That boy is a monster," said Glenn. "He is out to hurt you. He's a beast. You really don't want to meet up with him. But I practice with him, so I have to."
"He is our fastest linebacker," said defensive end Adam Carriker. "So physical. So strong. He really would have helped us last year if he hadn't broken his leg in the first quarter of the first game. This guy can really, really play."
I'm tiring of this list, so I'll just fill out the rest of this blog with some fodder. You might like to know that:
• Nebraska is the only team fortunate enough to have Texas and USC on its schedule next season. What could Callahan say? He laughed when I asked if he gave AD Steve Pederson some -- um -- grief about it. Then said even Louisiana Tech poses a challenge. Ah, to be a coach. "They're dangerous," Callahan warned.
• Tight end tight end Matt Herian, who has missed the last season-and-a-half with a leg injury requiring two surgeries, is actually back practicing, if not at full speed. Herian is somewhat of a mythical, cult figure around Lincoln, with everyone wondering what a tight end with his speed and athleticism could do in Bill Callahan's offense.
"Everybody in Lincoln loves Matt and wants to see what he can do," said Taylor. "I haven't really had him running around full speed. But he has remarkably soft hands. A lot of tight ends, the ball bounces right off of them. But this guy, on film, looks like a receiver."
• Lucky, who Callahan recruited last year to build his offense around, is making some progress and coaches are comforted by the fact he's been on campus less than a year. Lucky has been working on improving his pass-blocking and pass-catching skills and on keeping the play inside and finding space there, instead of always instinctively bouncing the play outside. Still, the buzz is that Glenn is so hard to tackle, it will be hard not to look to him most in the fall.
• Senior cornerback Zack Bowman, by way of Anchorage, Alaska, is an absolute stud and future pro at 6-foot-2, 195 pounds. The Cornhuskers will break in two new safeties, but figure to be covered in large part by Bowman.
• Nebraska led the nation in sacks last season and Carriker led the conference in sacks. Carriker said he uses Michael Strahan's bull-rush and then "after I let the linemen know how strong I am, I get them lunging and I can do what I want." Cool.
Lauded in Lincoln -- for now
OK, so it turns out Carriker is really quite a funny guy. See, Carriker was trying to tell me a story about how the Husker Nation was sticking together, even when the team was 5-4 last season, and I kind of called him out on it. But it's still a good story, so here it goes:
Schad: So, what was it like when you guys were 5-4 last year?
Carriker: You know what, after the Kansas game, I had one guy call me. He left a message and he said, 'Man, My Nebraska flag is still hanging outside my house.' And you know, that was a simple message, but it meant a lot. People around here are just used to national championships and we haven't really had one for a while.
Schad:Wow. That's a really nice story. Was that like a random fan who somehow tracked down your cell phone number or something?
Carriker: No, it was my girlfriend's uncle, actually.
Well, still a nice thought. I guess. And a reminder: if Nebraska wins the Big 12 North this season, as I suggest they will, Callahan will be lauded for bringing the Cornhuskers back to the upper echelon.
And, of course, if Nebraska is routed by USC and Texas and then loses to Oklahoma State and Texas A&M, for example, then Callahan will be deemed a dummy again.
At least Callahan has the right perspective.
"Our players really do feel good about themselves right now," Callahan said to me as we stood on the Memorial Stadium field the other day. "But you know you're only as good as your next game."
For the record, that would be against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 2 on that same field.
Callahan making strides in Lincoln
posted: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 | Feedback
I just returned from a great trip to Nebraska, where my boy Sean Callahan, the ultimate Huskers insider, provided a campus tour on an 80-degree day in Lincoln. The day was so nice coach Bill Callahan (no relation) had his team practice outside, in Memorial Stadium, for the first time all spring. For some reason, they let me watch.
And I learned a lot. Quarterback Zac Taylor is having an oustanding spring and is in complete command (how about that?) of Callahan's (Bill's that is) West Coast offense. I also found out that Taylor takes his studies pretty seriously. (No wonder they've had so many academic All-Americans in Lincoln.)
Taylor bolted just before practice was over, but phoned today to apologize.
Schad: So where did you go?
Taylor: Oh, sorry 'bout that. Astrology class.
Q: Astrology? Weak. Learn anything good?
A: Not really. Took a test. I'm sure I passed.
Taylor really passed Callahan's test in season-closing victories over Kansas State, Colorado and Michigan (Hey wait, is that play alive?) that gave Nebraska an 8-4 record and (temporarily, at least) eased panic in the Big Red Nation.
Turns out Nebraska can pass effectively, as hard as that is to type.
"Yeah, people really weren't happy at 5-4," Taylor told me today. "But we were still trying to learn the offense. Then, it clicked. Then, the fans really started to buy into it. Everybody jumped on board."
Seriously, Zac?
"No, really," Taylor said. "Everybody's been so nice. They're genuinely excited for you. They thank us for coming to Nebraska. I mean, look, people were really questioning us throwing it all over the place, after 90 years of the option. People aren't really too quick for change, you know? But then we started beating teams. And really good teams."
Since the season ended, Taylor says, his facebook.com board (if you don't know what this is, almost every college athlete in America has a facebook profile, so look it up) has been flooded with postings from exuberant (OK, many female) Huskers fans.
So, coach Callahan, do you feel you've been embraced by the Nebraska community?
OK, so I hit Callahan with the question after a practice in which his offense hadn't exactly been flawless and on a day he doesn't usually address media. But hey, I thought I'd give it a shot.
He gave that Callahan grin you'd recognize if you hang around him for more than a few minutes. And after some comments about how active he and his players have been in the community and how they've gained confidence, he hit the point.
"I knew it was going to be a very difficult transition," Callahan conceded. "You flip a culture. You flip everything that has ever been done here. I knew it was going to take time. You want to be able to recruit to your system. You want to be able to execute in your system. And in those last three games, you saw the fruits of our labor. But that's not the be-all-end-all. It's still a process. We're evolving. And making strides. Great strides."
And I saw it with my own eyes on the practice field on Monday.
Here are some things I saw and heard, regarding Nebraska in 2006:
Lesson 1: Taylor is in complete command and control and could become, in only two seasons, Nebraska's all-time passing leader.
"Well, after 90 years of option, that's not too difficult," said Taylor. "I see Tommie Frazier and Eric Crouch all the time and they don't bring it up. I mean, they could start talking about how they used to run the ball and they'd blow us out of the water."
"I saw Zac really make tremendous progress during the bowl preparation," said Callahan. "Don't ever let anybody tell you that bowl preparation is not invaluable. He made tremendous strides with his confidence and progressions and reads and getting rid of the ball. It all came together in the Kansas State and Colorado games. He took it right into the offseason and into spring ball. He continues to make progress. We're going to lean on him as our leader."
Lesson 2: Callahan will not allow Taylor to be sacked 38 times again.
"It was frustrating, but that comes with the position," said Taylor. "People throw it all on the offensive line, but I missed some checks. We've got more experience up front this year. We're better at identifying. We'll be much better this season."
"I think we've got to be committed to a more maximum-protection scheme and really account for the numerical matchups, so we're not throwing to hots and making him throw against unprotected defenders," said Callahan. "We'll take our shots and there will be times where there will be hot receivers. But we'll be more conscious of how he's protecting himself and how we're protecting him schematically as a staff."
Lesson 3: Nebraska won't finish last in the Big 12 in rushing again.
"We've committed a tremendous amount of practice time to the running game," said Callahan. "Individual period. Group installation period. A lot more offensive line versus defensive line. The competition has been heightened. So I feel very good about what we've tried to do. More 9-on-7, 11-on-11 and goal-line situations. We've done more scrimmaging this spring than we've done since I've been here. We're becoming a more physical football team."
"We're going to run the ball more and we're going to run the ball better," running back Cody Glenn. "This 2.7 yards per carry stuff? Forget that. We have a goal to run for 4 yards per carry this season and I think we can do it."
Lesson 4: Sophomore Cody Glenn, a Texas native less heralded than sophomore Marlon Lucky from California, could be the tough, inside runner Nebraska has desired. Glenn has dominated this spring.
"Cody can be as good as he wants to be," said Taylor. "Last year, he was more of a short-yardage guy. But you can tell he wants the ball every play now. He's worked himself into position to maybe be the guy. He's a total bruiser."
"Texas wanted me, but to play rover linebacker," said Glenn. "I wanted to be a running back. I want to be like Earl Campbell. I bring a lot of power. I like to mash. Where does the power come from? My legs. I can squat about 580 pounds. Me and Marlon complement each other. I'm like LenDale [White] and he's like Reggie [Bush]. We're not roommates, but we hang out. I even cut his hair."
Lesson 5: Junior linebacker Steve Octavien is Nebraska's breakthrough defender of the spring.
"Steve has a lot of ability." said Callahan with his eyes lighting up. He can run sideline-to-sideline as good as anybody in this conference."
"That boy is a monster," said Glenn. "He is out to hurt you. He's a beast. You really don't want to meet up with him. But I practice with him, so I have to."
"He is our fastest linebacker," said defensive end Adam Carriker. "So physical. So strong. He really would have helped us last year if he hadn't broken his leg in the first quarter of the first game. This guy can really, really play."
I'm tiring of this list, so I'll just fill out the rest of this blog with some fodder. You might like to know that:
• Nebraska is the only team fortunate enough to have Texas and USC on its schedule next season. What could Callahan say? He laughed when I asked if he gave AD Steve Pederson some -- um -- grief about it. Then said even Louisiana Tech poses a challenge. Ah, to be a coach. "They're dangerous," Callahan warned.
• Tight end tight end Matt Herian, who has missed the last season-and-a-half with a leg injury requiring two surgeries, is actually back practicing, if not at full speed. Herian is somewhat of a mythical, cult figure around Lincoln, with everyone wondering what a tight end with his speed and athleticism could do in Bill Callahan's offense.
"Everybody in Lincoln loves Matt and wants to see what he can do," said Taylor. "I haven't really had him running around full speed. But he has remarkably soft hands. A lot of tight ends, the ball bounces right off of them. But this guy, on film, looks like a receiver."
• Lucky, who Callahan recruited last year to build his offense around, is making some progress and coaches are comforted by the fact he's been on campus less than a year. Lucky has been working on improving his pass-blocking and pass-catching skills and on keeping the play inside and finding space there, instead of always instinctively bouncing the play outside. Still, the buzz is that Glenn is so hard to tackle, it will be hard not to look to him most in the fall.
• Senior cornerback Zack Bowman, by way of Anchorage, Alaska, is an absolute stud and future pro at 6-foot-2, 195 pounds. The Cornhuskers will break in two new safeties, but figure to be covered in large part by Bowman.
• Nebraska led the nation in sacks last season and Carriker led the conference in sacks. Carriker said he uses Michael Strahan's bull-rush and then "after I let the linemen know how strong I am, I get them lunging and I can do what I want." Cool.
Lauded in Lincoln -- for now
OK, so it turns out Carriker is really quite a funny guy. See, Carriker was trying to tell me a story about how the Husker Nation was sticking together, even when the team was 5-4 last season, and I kind of called him out on it. But it's still a good story, so here it goes:
Schad: So, what was it like when you guys were 5-4 last year?
Carriker: You know what, after the Kansas game, I had one guy call me. He left a message and he said, 'Man, My Nebraska flag is still hanging outside my house.' And you know, that was a simple message, but it meant a lot. People around here are just used to national championships and we haven't really had one for a while.
Schad:Wow. That's a really nice story. Was that like a random fan who somehow tracked down your cell phone number or something?
Carriker: No, it was my girlfriend's uncle, actually.
Well, still a nice thought. I guess. And a reminder: if Nebraska wins the Big 12 North this season, as I suggest they will, Callahan will be lauded for bringing the Cornhuskers back to the upper echelon.
And, of course, if Nebraska is routed by USC and Texas and then loses to Oklahoma State and Texas A&M, for example, then Callahan will be deemed a dummy again.
At least Callahan has the right perspective.
"Our players really do feel good about themselves right now," Callahan said to me as we stood on the Memorial Stadium field the other day. "But you know you're only as good as your next game."
For the record, that would be against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 2 on that same field.
