STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Wednesday, April 5, 2006 7:00 pm
Nebraska I-back Cody Glenn, enjoying a breakout spring, hobbled off the field favoring his right ankle and didn’t return to Wednesday’s scrimmage-heavy practice at Hawks Championship Center. Husker head coach Bill Callahan said Glenn’s injury wasn’t serious.
Earlier in the practice, I-back Marlon Lucky absorbed a crunching hit from weakside linebacker Steve Octavien and stayed on the turf for more than a minute. Lucky eventually returned to drills. A hit by Octavien sidelined Glenn.
Most of the scrimmaging was situational, highlighting specific down-and-distances.
"We pounded them pretty good today, but I thought they responded really well," Callahan said. "We're trying to build that mindset of running the football and building upon the physicality of the offensive line and our backfield. All of those (I-backs) received quite a bit of repetition. From Cody Glenn to Marlon Lucky to Leon Jackson to Thomas Lawson — they all got reps."
Jackson also got up slowly at one point after a hard hit by strong safety Tierre Green.
"We need to start giving the ball to the fullback now," Callahan said with a grin.
In other injury news, backup quarterback Harrison Beck was limited to mostly watching Wednesday's practice because of a hamstring injury suffered in Saturday's scrimmage. Callahan said coaches are taking a cautious approach with Beck.
"We want to make sure he's fully rehabbed so that when he comes back, there'll be no recurrence of that injury," the coach said. "He's capable of playing. But if he comes back and tweaks it, we could lose him for the spring."
Quarterback Joe Ganz took snaps with the No. 2 offense in Beck's place. Ganz received a high-five from Callahan after a long completion to wideout Tyrell Spain in 7-on-7 drills.
OCTAVIEN SHINES: Octavien, who suffered a broken leg in last season’s opener, appears to be fully recovered. He made several impressive plays Wednesday. But it was a play he made Saturday that Callahan made it a point to show the team. The 6-foot, 250-pound Octavien sprinted about 50 yards to help tackle Lucky from behind. “He made a touchdown-saving tackle,” the coach said. “I thought it was the most impressive play of the spring. It just shows you that you can never give up on a play.”
ATONEMENT: Wideout Terrence Nunn broke a tackle and turned a reception on an intermediate sideline route into a 62-yard touchdown pass from Zac Taylor. The TD atoned for an earlier play in which Nunn sprinted behind the secondary and hauled in a deep pass, only to fumble away the ball.
HERE AND THERE: Steve Heiman, a pro-style quarterback at Papillion-La Vista High, was among those watching Wednesday’s practice. … About 25,000 tickets have been sold for the April 15 Red-White Game at Memorial Stadium. … Nunn and Cortney Grixby, last season’s punt return men, were joined in punt-return drills Wednesday by Isaiah Fluellen and Frantz Hardy.