NU football notes, 3/27: Colman, Garrison back in NU program
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Former Huskers Doug Colman and John Garrison have joined the Nebraska football staff in capacities yet to be announced. Colman was on the field during Wednesday’s first spring practice.
Colman was part of two national championship teams as a linebacker at NU from 1991 to 1995. Garrison was an offensive lineman for Big Red from 1999 to 2002.
Colman recently stepped down as head football coach at Absegami High in his native New Jersey to pursue this opportunity at Nebraska. As a coach, his teams compiled a 40-15 record the past five seasons, making the playoffs four times.
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Before that, the 34-year-old played in the NFL for the New York Giants (1996-98), Tennessee Titans (1999) and Cleveland Browns (2000).
* THE SCENE: Reporters were allowed to watch about the first 45 minutes of Wednesday’s practice.
Also watching from the sideline was sophomore cornerback Anthony Blue. He was on crutches, his left knee in a brace.
Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, believed to be out for the rest of the spring, was in street clothes walking without much of a limp.
Running back Kenny Wilson, who missed all of last season because of a broken leg, was in uniform.
Major Culbert, who could be a safety or a linebacker, started spring ball working with the safeties.
Yes, Husker athletic director Tom Osborne was on hand for a while. Tom Ruud, too. Other former players on hand: Cortney Grixby and Jamel Williams.
Quarterbacks worked out in green hands-off jerseys. If you’re wondering what number the new quarterback got, true freshman Kody Spano wore No. 7.
Despite having been out of coaching four years, assistant Ron Brown hadn’t lost a step. Right when the opening horn sounded, Brown started a rapid-fire pass-catching drill with the tight ends: “Ball is on top of you. Get it clean. Find it.”
BY THE NUMBERS
30
Pounds shed by Husker junior linebacker Phillip Dillard since January. He said he’s now at 238 pounds and loving it.
“I’m running a lot faster being 238 and it’s really helpful, actually,” Dillard said. “I don’t come out of practice dragging. I can still keep going.”
SCOUTING REPORT
C Jacob Hickman
Junior Jacob Hickman manned the center position during Wednesday’s practice
The Bakersfield, Calif., native played mostly guard last season, but practiced some at center as a backup to Brett Byford.
“I have an understanding of it, but it’s a bit of a difference just getting the snap up and everything,” Hickman said. “I really like the position. So far it’s a pretty good deal.”
Naturally, there were missteps here and there in the first practice of the spring.
“You’re going full-speed but you do feel rusty and you got to shake some things out,” Hickman said. “That’s just the nature of it when you’re out for a couple of months. You got to get the rust out.”
OPPONENT WATCH
Colorado
Coach Dan Hawkins has his team working on a no-huddle offense this spring, something similar to what is being used by Kansas and Missouri.
According to the Boulder Daily Camera: “Coach Dan Hawkins has talked several times during his first two seasons in Boulder about his interest in using a no-huddle on occasion and taking advantage of the altitude to wear down defenses. But CU has lacked the personnel and overall team experience the past two years to pull it off in the way Hawkins envisions.”
— Brian Christopherson
