2008 Position Breakdown: Tight End
Position Overview: Tight ends were never a significant means of production during the Bill Callahan regime. While this partly had to do with the fact that there were few dangerous options at the position – especially after Matt Herian went down to injury – it also represented a Callahan preference to throw the ball to wide receivers and running backs. How will this change with Shawn Watson calling the shots on offense? Time will tell.
Though this isn’t a position stocked with talent, sophomore Mike McNeill has turned the heads of the coaching staff as a potential difference maker in the passing game. McNeill brings speed to the position not seen since Herian’s glory days. Whether he can be a breakout weapon in the passing game remains to be seen.
Likely backing McNeill will be senior Hunter Teafatiller. Teafatiller has shown good hands on the field, but questionable judgment off of it. Assuming he can show some more maturity, Teafatiller is the Huskers’ most complete option at tight end. Behind McNeill and Teafatiller are sophomore Dreu Young and redshirt freshman Ryan Hill. Both are fairly unknown qualities, though Young did have one catch last year and reportedly had a strong spring.
Reason for optimism: McNeill, Hill and a few true freshmen (see “New Blood” below) raise Husker hopes that this position has a brighter future ahead. McNeill especially could be a breakout performer in 2008 and may provide match up problems for opposing defenses.
Reason for concern: From Todd Millikan to Gerald Armstrong to Johnny Mitchell to Sheldon Jackson to Tracey Wistrom, the Cornhuskers always possessed a legitimate threat at the tight end position. However, since Matt Herian’s unfortunate leg injury, NU tight ends have had nothing more than a minor role in the offense. Though there is some young hope, a talent upgrade is still needed here.
New blood: Ben Cotton was headed to Louisville until his pop got a nice job offer in Lincoln. The result was two Cottons for the price of one. Expect the younger Cotton to redshirt while hitting the weight room in 2008. Junior college transfer Tyson Hetzer enrolled to NU in January, but missed spring practice (and will miss at least part of Fall Camp) due to a knee injury. If healthy, Hetzer will bring some good size to the position. Kyler Reed, a true freshman out of Kansas is listed as a fullback on the team’s fall roster, but may add some athleticism to the tight end spot as well.
What to expect in ’08: There’s really nowhere to go but up for the Husker tight ends. However, if receiving threats do emerge, one only need look as far as Columbia, Missouri to see how much of an impact strong tight ends can have on an offense. McNeill’s progress will ultimately dictate how successful this position is in 2008.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
2008 Position Breakdown: Offensive Line
2008 Position Breakdown: Offensive Line
Position Overview: The big bodies are in place for the 2008 version of the NU offensive line to be outstanding. Perhaps nowhere else on the Cornhusker depth chart is there as much quality depth as on the line (running backs…maybe). Start with seniors Mike Huff and Matt Slauson at guard. Huff is a steady, if not spectacular, veteran, while a slimmed-down Slauson is still a big, physical mother who should be in his element leading the charge in a much more head-knocking running attack.
Sophomore Keith Williams will be the top back-up at guard and will push Huff for a starter’s spot throughout Fall Camp. Coaches and fellow linemen can’t say enough good things about Williams’ size, explosiveness and footwork. Fellow soph., D.J. Jones will also provide quality depth at guard. The line won’t drop off much when Williams and Jones, a highly-touted recruit out of Omaha, sub in.
Oft-injured Lydon Murtha will take a few steps to his left and replace Carl Nicks at the left tackle position in 2008. Since he arrived in Lincoln, Murtha has had coaches and pro scouts drooling with his measurables. A lean, graceful 6-7, 315 lbs. with long arms, Murtha is a prototypical NFL left tackle, and could play himself into being a first round draft pick next April. For all his physical abilities, Murtha has to prove he wants it bad enough to be an All-American caliber lineman. If new O-Line Coach Barney Cotton can help Murtha’s performance catch up to his physical skills, the Husker offense will be awfully hard to stop.
True sophomore Javorio Burkes showed “sky is the limit” kind of ability after burning his redshirt at the end of 2007. Burkes shows nice footwork for his size and possesses freakishly long arms (a big plus at the tackle position). Conditioning could be the only thing to hold Burkes back during his sophomore season. Sophomore Mike Smith will get the bulk of snaps backing up Murtha and Burkes, while redshirt freshman Marcel Jones will get his feet wet as well. Both Smith and Jones are rangy and athletic options.
The center position belongs to junior Jacob Hickman. While not the most powerful member of the Husker line, Hickman makes up for it with technique and quickness off the ball. Relative unknown redshirt freshman Mike Caputo came out of spring football as the second teamer at center. This appears to be the one spot on the line where depth is somewhat lacking, however new Juco recruit Ricky Henry could impress enough during the fall to stabilize this position.
Reason for optimism: Like the running back position, the offensive line is an impressive mixture of experience and talented youth. Burkes, Williams, D.J. Jones and Smith are all sophomores. The Husker line could be good for a long time.
Reason for concern: Last season, the line excelled in pass protection, but less “Husker-like” when the team needed to grind out a three-yard-gain. Part of this was Callahan play calling. Part of it was that the defense often put a lot of pressure on the offense to score quickly. The talent and coaching appears to be in place for this to be a good run blocking line, but they will have to prove it.
New blood: If he can learn the system fairly quickly, Henry can provide instant help at guard and center. With so much quality depth ahead of him, scholarship recruit Brandon Thompson out of Texas will likely redshirt. It also appears, for now, that 5-star recruit Baker Steinkuhler will start out on defense, though this could change.
What to expect in ’08: This could be the most talented and deep Husker offensive line since 2001. While the depth is fairly young, Williams, D.J. Jones and Smith are each entering their third year in the system. Murtha and Slauson have NFL potential, while Huff and Hickman are heady veterans. If this group stays healthy and lives up to its potential, a Big 12 title is not an unreasonable goal.
Position Overview: The big bodies are in place for the 2008 version of the NU offensive line to be outstanding. Perhaps nowhere else on the Cornhusker depth chart is there as much quality depth as on the line (running backs…maybe). Start with seniors Mike Huff and Matt Slauson at guard. Huff is a steady, if not spectacular, veteran, while a slimmed-down Slauson is still a big, physical mother who should be in his element leading the charge in a much more head-knocking running attack.
Sophomore Keith Williams will be the top back-up at guard and will push Huff for a starter’s spot throughout Fall Camp. Coaches and fellow linemen can’t say enough good things about Williams’ size, explosiveness and footwork. Fellow soph., D.J. Jones will also provide quality depth at guard. The line won’t drop off much when Williams and Jones, a highly-touted recruit out of Omaha, sub in.
Oft-injured Lydon Murtha will take a few steps to his left and replace Carl Nicks at the left tackle position in 2008. Since he arrived in Lincoln, Murtha has had coaches and pro scouts drooling with his measurables. A lean, graceful 6-7, 315 lbs. with long arms, Murtha is a prototypical NFL left tackle, and could play himself into being a first round draft pick next April. For all his physical abilities, Murtha has to prove he wants it bad enough to be an All-American caliber lineman. If new O-Line Coach Barney Cotton can help Murtha’s performance catch up to his physical skills, the Husker offense will be awfully hard to stop.
True sophomore Javorio Burkes showed “sky is the limit” kind of ability after burning his redshirt at the end of 2007. Burkes shows nice footwork for his size and possesses freakishly long arms (a big plus at the tackle position). Conditioning could be the only thing to hold Burkes back during his sophomore season. Sophomore Mike Smith will get the bulk of snaps backing up Murtha and Burkes, while redshirt freshman Marcel Jones will get his feet wet as well. Both Smith and Jones are rangy and athletic options.
The center position belongs to junior Jacob Hickman. While not the most powerful member of the Husker line, Hickman makes up for it with technique and quickness off the ball. Relative unknown redshirt freshman Mike Caputo came out of spring football as the second teamer at center. This appears to be the one spot on the line where depth is somewhat lacking, however new Juco recruit Ricky Henry could impress enough during the fall to stabilize this position.
Reason for optimism: Like the running back position, the offensive line is an impressive mixture of experience and talented youth. Burkes, Williams, D.J. Jones and Smith are all sophomores. The Husker line could be good for a long time.
Reason for concern: Last season, the line excelled in pass protection, but less “Husker-like” when the team needed to grind out a three-yard-gain. Part of this was Callahan play calling. Part of it was that the defense often put a lot of pressure on the offense to score quickly. The talent and coaching appears to be in place for this to be a good run blocking line, but they will have to prove it.
New blood: If he can learn the system fairly quickly, Henry can provide instant help at guard and center. With so much quality depth ahead of him, scholarship recruit Brandon Thompson out of Texas will likely redshirt. It also appears, for now, that 5-star recruit Baker Steinkuhler will start out on defense, though this could change.
What to expect in ’08: This could be the most talented and deep Husker offensive line since 2001. While the depth is fairly young, Williams, D.J. Jones and Smith are each entering their third year in the system. Murtha and Slauson have NFL potential, while Huff and Hickman are heady veterans. If this group stays healthy and lives up to its potential, a Big 12 title is not an unreasonable goal.
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