LINCOLN — Niles Paul took some more of his punishment Sunday.
The Nebraska receiver did his first interviews since being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in April. The junior was the last Husker to leave the Hawks Center after facing a steady stream of news media members asking about both football and the incident.
“It was a mistake I made,'' Paul said, “and it won't happen again.''
Paul said he went to see NU coach Bo Pelini immediately afterward, and Paul was suspended for the final week of spring practice and the Red-White game. The former Omaha North star said he has met all other demands and completed all NU-imposed punishments.
“He had some issues off the field and he got them cleared up fast,'' NU receiver Menelik Holt said. “He showed maturity. When football gets taken away from you, it puts things in perspective.''
Paul, who turned 20 on Sunday, last month was ordered to pay a $150 fine for reckless driving, and he settled on a plea agreement that dismissed charges of minor consumption and driving under suspension. He was never charged with the DUI.
WR Cooper returns
Unlike his returning Nebraska teammates, Khiry Cooper is practicing for the first time since Gator Bowl preparations. The receiver chose to play baseball after redshirting in his first football season.
NU offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said Cooper had a good summer and has played well through two practices.
“He's flashed out here,'' Watson said. “We kind of put him down on the rookie field a little bit and then brought him up, and he's flashed a couple times.
“It's still early and he's making up for what he lost in the spring. But a real talented player.''
The Husker receiving corps added new faces when Antonio Bell joined the team for spring practice and junior-college transfer Brandon Kinnie arrived in the summer. Also, Marcus Mendoza moved over from I-back.
Cooper played in 35 baseball games last spring, starting 20. The outfielder hit .229 with two home runs, nine RBIs and three stolen bases.
QB Spano practices
He's in a green jersey, restricting contact during preseason practice, but Kody Spano has already proven his toughness to the Huskers.
The sophomore quarterback returned to practice less than four months after undergoing surgery to reconstruct a torn anterior cruciate knee ligament.
Spano went down during spring practice in April and missed the Red-White game. Now, he's a contender again to serve as the top backup behind projected starter Zac Lee.
Coach Bo Pelini said last month that Spano had recovered completely. He has not been limited in practice.
“The kid worked (tirelessly), and that gained him a lot of respect with our team,” Lee said, “just seeing someone work that hard. What's it been, four months or something like that since he tore his ACL? Him coming back that quickly and being at the point he's at, the guys love him for it because they know how hard he's worked.”
Pelini said Lee has “always had my respect.”
“He'll continue to earn more respect as he moves along,” the coach said, “but he's a great kid, a good football player. I think he's somebody who has a bright future.”
Developing depth
NU head coach Bo Pelini said at Big 12 media days that he feels good about his 1-2 punch of Roy Helu and Quentin Castille at I-back.
Watson said Sunday it can't stop there, however, saying “we have to'' when asked about developing a No. 3.
“We're going to find three and four,'' he said. “Not just one and two.''
The stable behind Helu and Castille includes redshirt freshmen Lester Ward and Collins Okafor and newcomers Rex Burkhead and Dontrayevous Robinson. Also returning is walk-on Austin Jones, who carried 12 times for 38 yards in the spring game. — Mitch Sherman and Rich Kaipust
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