Steven M. Sipple: Spring game momentum building
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You can feel momentum building for the Red-White Spring Game.
Yes, I just wrote that.
Yes, I actually mean that.
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Best I can tell, spring games are enjoyed most at universities in Nebraska, Alabama, Ohio and perhaps Pennsylvania.
Oh, the Florida Gators do pretty well (60,000-plus fans) when the GameDay crew visits The Swamp.
On the other hand, Nebraska cornerback Anthony West has a friend who plays for the Miami Hurricanes.
“For their spring game, it’s nothing — they get hardly anybody (to come),” West said Wednesday.
Nebraska appears set to draw 80,000-plus Saturday.
“Nobody I talk to believes me,” said West, a native of San Diego. “This is something I think you have to see.”
Nebraska fans are absolutely insane, in a healthy way.
Sounds corny, but I think they’re determined to will their beloved program back into national prominence.
Not that I think they ever lost that determination. I just sense them turning it up a notch.
At any rate, it’s nice to see a united fan base again.
So, rejuvenated Big Red fans will stream into the big stadium Saturday hoping to see a defense that sends swarms of players to the football. New head coach Bo Pelini has been preaching such effort since he arrived in December.
You never know what might happen when several defenders swarm to the ball, West said. He said Pelini’s relatively uncomplicated defense allows for such swarming.
“It’s easy to pick up,” West said. “It puts you in position to make plays and use your athleticism, basically.”
Basically, I just want to see a Nebraska defense that doesn’t make me feel like I’m covering an arena game, as was the case much of last season.
I’m interested in seeing which Nebraska defenders take their games to drastically higher levels under Pelini. Who can forget Demorrio Williams in 2003?
I’m interested in seeing which players set the tone for Nebraska’s defense. I’m guessing it will be safeties Larry Asante and Rickey Thenarse. Or maybe linebackers Phillip Dillard and Cody Glenn.
Glenn’s move from I-back has been the most intriguing storyline of the spring season. He’s elicited high praise from coaches and teammates, and he certainly looked natural playing the position in the two full practices I saw. He’s pumped up the energy level, to be sure.
As for the offense, I’ll closely watch the running backs. It’s great to see Nebraska’s top two runners on separate teams — senior Marlon Lucky on the Reds, sophomore Roy Helu on the Whites.
Helu’s emergence was the second-most intriguing spring storyline.
But make no mistake, Lucky is the team’s most explosive threat on offense.
“It’s a tribute to Marlon that he doesn’t let the ego thing get to him,” new running backs coach Tim Beck said. “He’s ultimately the senior and he’s ultimately the guy who’s had a lot of success and the guy we’re going to ride. But I think he realizes we need those other guys (Helu, Quentin Castille and Marcus Mendoza), too. The more success they have, the more success Marlon’s going to have.”
Quarterback Joe Ganz obviously is capable of putting up gargantuan numbers, and he operates behind what should be Nebraska’s best line since at least 2001.
But will anybody among the wide receivers step up and produce big plays the way Maurice Purify did?
Nebraska fans can’t wait to find out.
“I think they’re going to see us go out and have a lot of fun Saturday,” senior left tackle Lydon Murtha said. “I know you might not be able to understand this all of the time, but football should be fun. These coaches have definitely brought back that aspect.
“They’re just so involved. And they’re so determined to make each of us a better athlete. As much as it’s about getting down to business, they also want to make sure we’re enjoying ourselves.
“That’s a huge aspect of playing football.”
That’s also a huge aspect of watching football, even a football scrimmage.
Yes, you can feel the momentum building.
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.
