Spring Game notes: Glenn 'did his job' at LB
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BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL AND BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON / Lincoln Journal Star
So, was all the spring hype about Cody Glenn for naught?
Glenn, who moved from running back to linebacker after one week of spring practice, didn’t exactly turn heads in Saturday’s Red-White Spring Game.
The senior finished with three tackles and was credited with one sack when he touched the green jersey of quarterback Beau Davis.
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Red-White highlights
A record crowd watched NU's 2008 Red-White scrimmage, which the Red squad won 24-14. (Michael Mason-D'Croz / JournalStar.com)...
“He didn’t make a lot of big plays today, but he did his job within our defense, and that’s what we asked him,” Nebraska linebackers coach Mike Ekeler said. “I don’t know how many opportunities he had, but he did exactly what we asked of him today.”
Ekeler still feels strongly about Glenn, who’s in line for a starting spot at WILL linebacker. Husker coach Bo Pelini also praised the Texas native, saying after the scrimmage that Glenn is going to be a heck of a player.
“He’s had a tremendous spring,” Ekeler said. “He jumps out on film with his athleticism, with his feel for the game. He’s got a long way to go with understanding the concepts, but ... he is so far ahead of where I thought he could be at this point.”
Castille’s luckSophomore running back Quentin Castille provided the collision of the day when he ran over hard-hitting junior safety Rickey Thenarse on a 9-yard run in the second-quarter.
“I didn’t get in his face and talk trash or anything about it,” Castille said with a smile. “He knew what happened.”
Said Thenarse: “Um, yeah, he got me. He got me, man. He’s a big kid, man. He runs hard. We both brought it, but he brought it harder. Next time, I’ll go low.”
Unfortunately for Castille, he fumbled on the next play after rumbling 14 yards, the ball stripped by Prince Amukamara and recovered by Major Culbert.
Offensive coordinator Shawn Watson talked to Castille after the play.
“He didn’t say anything about the fumble, just to run hard,” Castille said. “When I came on the sidelines ... I got down on myself a little bit. I was like, ‘Man, I know I’m better than this.’”
Castille ended the day with nine carries for 47 yards and two receptions for 55 yards.
“I have more confidence in myself than I did last year,” he said.
Going deep
He didn’t catch every pass thrown his way, but the play of the day went to Curenski Gilleylen when he beat cornerback Anthony West for a 77-yard touchdown pass from Joe Ganz in the first quarter.
Afterward, Pelini said Gilleylen “could be a big weapon in our offense.”
The 6-foot, 210-pound redshirt freshman had two catches for 89 yards.
Ganz said Gilleylen is still developing, but believes once he sharpens his route running, he could be scary for opponents.
“It’s nice to have somebody like that who can stretch the field vertical,” Ganz said.
Crowded sideline
The sideline was full Saturday, with recruits and former players everywhere.
Ahman Green, Demorrio Williams, Adam Carriker, Brandon Jackson, even a Thunder Collins sighting. The list of former players in attendance was long.
Plenty of recruits from the 2008 class were spotted, too. Texas twins Steven and Cortney Osborne were on hand. So was running back Lester Ward.
And stopping to take a picture together were two defensive line recruits: Josh Williams and Quentin Toailoa.
Not just football
Melvin Oliver would’ve fit in nicely with the more than 100 recruits on hand Saturday — all 6 feet, 10 inches and 330 pounds of him.
Problem is, Oliver is a basketball recruit. The center was making an official visit — his first — with the Nebraska men’s basketball team.
The California native played last season at Mississippi Elite Christian Academy, a prep school in Jackson, Miss. The spring signing period began Wednesday, so Oliver could sign at any time.
Oliver may also make official visits to Baylor, Seton Hall and Southern Miss.
Nebraska coach Doc Sadler wasn’t at Saturday’s game but was scheduled to return Saturday night. He was attending a tournament in Fayetteville, Ark., recruiting.
Oliver, though, would fill an immediate need, as the Huskers look to replace departed senior Aleks Maric.
