J.B. Phillips works about three days a week as an intern in the Nebraska athletic marketing department. A graduate student, Phillips earned his marketing degree in December.
BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 7:00 pm
J.B. Phillips works about three days a week as an intern in the Nebraska athletic marketing department. A graduate student, Phillips earned his marketing degree in December.
He described his duties as “odds and ends” work. A step above making the coffee.
“I’m not saving the world,” Phillips joked.
As for his potential part-time role of fullback on the Nebraska football team?
Phillips grinned.
“The fullback,” he said, “does save plays sometimes.”
Whether Phillips, who’s listed as a tight end on Nebraska’s spring roster, will be asked to save the day at fullback remains to be seen.
“I couldn’t give you a really great answer for that,” said Phillips, a 6-foot-3, 245-pound senior from Colleyville Texas. “I’d have to see what goes on in spring to see how much I’ll be truly back there.”
Nebraska begins spring practice today, and finding a fullback will be on fourth-year coach Bill Callahan’s “to-do” list over the next four weeks, culminating with the April 14 Spring Game.
The Huskers must find a replacement for Dane Todd, the team’s top fullback the past two seasons. Phillips, who played an H-back role last season, is among the candidates.
Sort of.
“He’ll give us an opportunity to play not only the second tight end on the line,” Callahan said, “but off the line as well, and assume fullback responsibility within that role of the H-back.
“Is that clear?”
If not, don’t fret. Phillips is prepared for his interchangeable role that includes a position considerably different from the days of Schlesinger and Makovicka.
“There is a lot of tradition at Nebraska with the fullbacks,” Phillips said, “but for me, it’s just another thing that’s thrown in. It’s just another thing to add on.”
As an H-back, Phillips could line up in the backfield, or motion to the backfield, then straight-line. Or he could line up as a regular tight end. Or even split out.
“Matt (Herian) was one of our true, in-the-dirt tight ends,” Phillips said, “and then I just did wind sprints before every play.”
Phillips wishes he had a better name for his role. He even used the phrase “joker player” during Tuesday’s press conference. People snickered.
“I don’t know,” Phillips later said. “If you have any ideas, shoot ’em this way.”
Callahan said he may insert another tight end into the H-back role because Phillips could miss nearly half of spring practice. He has afternoon class conflicts.
“It won’t put us behind,” Callahan said, “because he’s a smart guy, but it will allow us an opportunity to potentially plug someone else into that role.”
As for possibly playing some snaps exclusively as a fullback, Phillips said he’s prepared to step in when necessary, if needed. He said he respected Todd’s work, and still keeps in close contact with him.
“You’re cleaning up and you’re saving a play,” Phillips said of playing fullback. “Your block could spring it, and also your block could just get (the running back) a yard, that would’ve been negative-three. That’s good and bad, because if you don’t get it, then everyone’s like, ‘Oh, he missed a block.’ But they don’t realize you were just trying to save someone else’s thing.”
Matt Senske, a senior from Bellevue, will miss spring practices because of a back injury, meaning other players will get a close look at fullback.
Among them is another Makovicka. Justin, the younger brother of Jeff and Joel, who starred at Nebraska in the 1990s, is a redshirted freshman.
“He’s got the tools,” Phillips said. “I think the spring is going to be big for him, just learning stuff and becoming more comfortable.”
In addition to Makovicka, senior Andy Sand, a converted tight end, and junior Thomas Lawson, who’s split time between running back and fullback, are fullback candidates.
“It should be interesting, with those three,” Phillips said, “and whatever I’m going to do with it, too.”
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.