STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Monday, August 28, 2006 7:00 pm
At least one of Nebraska’s seemingly glaring advantages over Louisiana Tech might be even brighter than previously known.
While the Bulldogs prepare for Saturday’s season opener in Lincoln with a first-year starter at quarterback, the Huskers counter with senior Zac Taylor, who last season completed 55.1 percent of his passes for 2,653 yards as NU finished with an 8-4 record.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Taylor has responded with improved accuracy in preseason drills, Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said Monday, noting Taylor’s completion percentage in practices went “way up” compared to last year’s workouts (he declined to give specific numbers).
“That’s a sign of consistency, and also of accuracy,” Callahan said during the Big 12 football coaches’ teleconference. “When you’re practicing with that type of efficiency, a lot of good things are happening.”
Taylor, of course, hopes his strong showing this month manifests itself against Louisiana Tech, which returns seven starters on offense but only two on defense from a 2005 squad that finished 7-4, including 6-2 in the Western Athletic Conference.
This much is certain: Taylor feels much more comfortable than he did at this time last year as he prepared for his first Division I-A starting assignment, a 25-7 triumph against Division I-AA Maine in Lincoln. He finished 15-for-36 passing for 192 yards, with two interceptions.
“I know what to expect now, especially from the crowd,” Taylor said. “I think that’s a big deal when you’re a new guy and you walk out there and you’re playing in front of 80,000 people. You’re going to have some jitters. Now I feel a lot more comfortable in that environment.
“I just feel a lot more confident in myself. I know the playbook inside and out.”
Zac Champion, a 6-2, 202-pound junior, captured Louisiana Tech’s starting quarterback job in preseason drills. A native of Birmingham, Ala., Champion in two seasons has thrown a total of eight passes (completing six) in mop-up duty. He takes over for two-year starter Matt Kubik.
Champion possesses a “live arm and can make the right decisions,” Callahan said.
The Nebraska coach hopes Champion has to make those decisions in a noisy atmosphere Saturday.
“Hopefully it’s a crowd that doesn’t allow him to audibilize and make a lot of checks at the line of scrimmage,” Callahan said. “Let’s face it, you have some of the greatest fans in the country here who are supportive of this football team, and you really try to get this crowd cranked up so (opponents) can’t function the way they’d like to. You want to make them feel uneasy the best you can.
“I think it’s tough for any quarterback when you’re a first-year starter, whether you’re on the road or at home, just trying to get comfortable with your system and just trying to work through all of the variables you’re up against.”
Louisiana Tech also will try to overcome inexperience on defense, as only safety Dez Abrams and linebacker Brannon Jackson return from a 2005 unit that ranked No. 5 nationally in turnover margin at plus 1.18 per game. The Bulldogs last season possessed an “uncanny” knack for forcing turnovers, Callahan said.
“That’s the one thing I always get concerned about — ball security in the opener,” Callahan said. “I just want to make sure we come out and secure the ball.”
Former Nebraska assistant George Darlington was promoted to Louisiana Tech’s defensive coordinator position in July after being hired in February to coach defensive backs. Consequently, Callahan said, the Bulldogs could benefit from the “unknown,” as the Huskers are somewhat in the dark as to exactly what approach Tech will use defensively.
“This is a great test,” Callahan said. “It’s going to be a matter of adjusting and adapting to whatever’s new. You plan for all of the contingencies, but until you play you really don’t quite know.”
Blackshirts awarded
A total of 14 Nebraska defenders are believed to have received blackshirts on Monday — the 11 projected starters, plus senior free safety Brandon Rigoni, junior weakside linebacker Bo Ruud and sophomore defensive end Barry Turner.
The projected starters are defensive ends Adam Carriker and Jay Moore; defensive linemen Ola Dagunduro and Barry Cryer; linebackers Steve Octavien, Corey McKeon and Stewart Bradley; and defensive backs Cortney Grixby, Andrew Shanle, Tierre Green and newcomer Andre Jones.
Coach Bill Callahan is expected to officially announce blackshirt recipients today.