Shatel: Let Green gear up, pedal himself

I’m a little slow, but the more I thought about Shawn Watson’s comment about keeping the “training wheels’’ on freshman quarterback Cody Green, it struck me that that sums up the problem with this offense.

A college offense shouldn’t need “training wheels.’’ It shouldn’t take a fourth- or fifth-year quarterback like Joe Ganz to run this offense. If it does, it’s going to be a long three more years.

Watson also said that the offense was cut back for Green and that he was “down to three progressions.’’ If three passing progressions (receivers running routes) is “down,’’ I’d hate to see what’s normal. Let’s not make this rocket science. Look for two receivers and if nobody’s open, run, Cody, run.

• You heard it here last: Watson’s tenure at Nebraska will ride on Green’s success and how Watson utilizes his running talents. That is, if head coach Bo Pelini is serious about having an offense with a quarterback-run game.

• Is it time for Roy Helu to shut it down for a while? The junior ran like the league’s best back for the first month of the season, but he’s nowhere near that level now. It’s clear he’s banged up. To what degree?

No one knows. But if he’s going to run just five to seven times a game, why risk long-term damage in an offense going nowhere? Maybe he comes back to help the last two or three games of the season. Maybe he’s back next year. Either way, make sure he’s right.

• Remember last year’s “Game of the Century Reunion’’ in Norman before the NU-OU game? Well, Tom Osborne is returning the favor this Friday night in Lincoln, hosting a gathering of Sooner and Husker major award winners (Heisman, Outland, Lombardi). More than 20 former players, along with Osborne and Barry Switzer, are scheduled to attend. It’s not open to the public nor will the site be announced. These old legends need their space. They had a blast at last year’s event and not having to sign autographs all night was a reason why.

• Speaking of a future major award winner, Ndamukong Suh could use another big game on TV (ABC) Saturday night to keep his Outland and Lombardi campaigns going. The timing of Jared Crick’s emergence as an all-conference-level player couldn’t be better for Suh. Now opponents have to maintain equal consideration for both Suh and Crick.

• I was a little surprised Suh swerved to avoid hitting an animal the other night; No. 93 usually just runs over things. I’m sure Blaine Gabbert wishes Suh would have swerved to avoid him.

• Talent usually decides the deal in college football, not coaching. The exception is the talent-deprived Big 12 North, where the best coaching performance will probably be the difference. As of now, that edge goes to Kansas State and Bill Snyder, who is the best coach in the North and is making that work for him.

• A few notes from my conversation Monday with Creighton Athletic Director Bruce Rasmussen about CU playing baseball in the TD Ameritrade Park Omaha:

1. Rasmussen agrees that Creighton will have to be aggressive in marketing Jays baseball in the 24,000-seat stadium, but he said it shouldn’t be hard to get national programs to come play CU in the new home of the College World Series. It’s sort of the opposite of Creighton basketball’s problem of getting good teams to play in Omaha. Said Ras: “If the Final Four was played in Omaha every year, we’d have a lot easier time getting teams to come here.’’

2. The $10,000 per game rent seems steep, but Rasmussen said that includes MECA providing ticket-takers, ushers, security, etc. He said it’s possible CU could find a corporate partner to help offset the expense — and, in fact, might be more likely now that the team is in the new park.

3. Fans who buy a suite or club seating for the CWS in the stadium will automatically have use of those for Creighton games — the same arrangement that takes place in the Qwest Center. Said Rasmussen: “We think that will bring a new clientele to our baseball games, just as it did in basketball.’’

• Gutsy move by Mark Mangino to bench senior quarterback Todd Reesing with the game still in the balance late at Texas Tech. Mangino said he was trying to protect Reesing — KU’s offensive line is struggling — but what will that do to Reesing the rest of the way? Will he be motivated by that? Or shaken? We’ll find out this Saturday at Kansas State in a game that will decide KU’s fate this season. There’s a lot of pressure on Reesing, Mangino and KU this week; this was supposed to be their year. If they don’t do it now, with Reesing, when will they?

• It’s easy to bang on Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State for their smallish stadiums, but Baylor’s Floyd Casey is no bigger and it looks even smaller when it’s half-full. With a guy like Robert Griffin, Baylor looks like a Big 12 school. Without him, where’s TCU?

• This week’s quote comes a week late, but still applies: “Gentlemen, it is better to have died a small boy than to fumble this football’’ — John Heisman.

Contact the writer:

444-1025, tom.shatel@owh.com