Few, if any, college football fans embrace spring scrimmages with the fervor of Nebraska devotees. Colorado, for instance, did well to draw 4,000 spectators to its spring season-ending scrimmages in 2003 and 2004, said former Buffaloes wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore.

Not bad.

“But it wasn’t 60,000-plus,” said Gilmore, the second-year Nebraska assistant who last spring watched 63,000 spectators file into Memorial Stadium for the Red-White Game. “I was in awe just like the recruits were. It’s fun. Our players get into it, and it’s great for us from a recruiting standpoint.”

A crowd in excess of 50,000 is expected today for Nebraska’s 12:30 p.m. scrimmage in the stadium, a scene that just might impress the 80-plus recruits on hand. About 57,000 seats will be available because of ongoing construction in North Stadium.

The 2004 Red-White Game drew 61,000.

“A lot of these recruits, the top kids, obviously will have had the opportunity to go to other spring games around the nation,” said Nebraska recruiting coordinator Shawn Watson. “When they come and see what ours is all about, it blows them away. I don’t know if you can have a bigger day than ours, really.”

Defending national champion Texas didn’t this year, attracting 41,200 to its spring finale two weeks ago. Nor did Alabama (40,000) or Texas A&M (31,000) or Oklahoma (25,000) or Georgia (18,500) or Clemson (17,500) or Tennessee (15,400) or Southern Cal (15,000) or Louisiana State (3,000).

Florida entered Nebraska’s realm last spring, drawing 58,500 to its Orange and Blue game for head coach Urban Meyer’s debut. The Gators’ spring finale this year is scheduled for next weekend.

Nebraska’s attendance at Red-White games reflects Husker fans’ unyielding passion for football, Watson said.

“You want to play at a place where it’s that important to people,” he said.

Not everyone is enamored with the Red-White Game.

“If it were up to me, we wouldn’t even play it,” said Nebraska junior linebacker Steve Octavien. “I really don’t care for the spring game. I’m looking forward to the fans coming out. Besides that, I could really care less. It really means nothing. It’s just another scrimmage.

“There’s no winner or loser because we’re playing each other.”

Like last year, the Red team today will feature first-string players on both sides of the ball battling reserves on the White squad, though head coach Bill Callahan said certain players will switch sides at various times.

Senior Zac Taylor, the Huskers’ returning starter at quarterback, will guide the Reds, though he isn’t expected to play for much more than a half, if that long. Sophomore Joe Ganz will start at quarterback for the Whites.

All four quarterbacks on the roster likely will wear “hands-off” green jerseys. Sophomore Harrison Beck, the touted recruit from the class of 2005, will be limited — and might not play at all — because of a sore throwing arm that’s plagued him for two weeks.

The most interesting matchup could be Red team sophomore I-backs Cody Glenn and Marlon Lucky running against a group of promising young players on the second-string defense, most notably nose tackle Ndamukong Suh, end Zach Potter and middle linebacker Phillip Dillard.

The Huskers have committed “a tremendous amount of practice time” this spring to improving the running game.

Don’t expect too much fancy stuff on either side of the ball, said defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove.

“It will be vanilla for the defense and offense,” he said. “We just want the guys to go play. We don’t want them to have to think, we want them to react.”

Nebraska’s prowess on defense — particularly its front seven — has generated ample buzz during 14 spring practices. Octavien and 6-foot-6, 300-pound end Adam Carriker have led the assault. In the 15th and final spring practice today, Cosgrove said he wants to see how defenders respond in game-like conditions.

“You have to keep your poise,” he said. “You have to keep your composure, so it’s a little different.”

Punts and punt returns will be the only part of the kicking game that won’t occur in “live” game-like conditions, Cosgrove said. Kickoffs and kickoff coverage, however, will be live.

Last spring, the game clock ran continuously during the second half.

As for today, “It will be a regular game in the first half,” Cosgrove said. “We just want to make sure we get enough snaps in the game. As to what number that is, that’s coach Callahan’s decision.”

Briefly 

— Fullback Dane Todd, who will be a senior, was named to the Brook Berringer Citizenship Team for the fourth time. Four other Huskers — Greg Austin, Kurt Mann, Eric Lueshen and Jake Wesch — were honored for the second straight year, while 2005 senior offensive lineman Brandon Koch was an honorable-mention selection to the team in 2003.

The team was established by the Husker football program in honor of former Nebraska quarterback Brook Berringer, who died in a plane crash in April of 1996. He was also one of the most dedicated Husker volunteers in the community with youth, both in Nebraska and in his hometown of Goodland, Kan. The team honors players who display a similar love and dedication for volunteering in the community.

The other members of the team are Cortney Grixby, Brandon Jackson, Matt Senske, Zac Taylor and Dan Titchener.  

 — Callahan attended Friday’s Nebraska-A&M baseball game with Jarrett Lee, a quarterback recruit from Brenham, Texas. 

Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.