• Coach Bo Pelini after Thursday's practcie:
LINCOLN — NU coach Bo Pelini said Thursday he has a “pretty good handle” on who will start at quarterback for Nebraska on Saturday at Kansas — but he said there's a good chance that both junior Zac Lee and freshman Cody Green will play.
“We have confidence in both guys,” he said. “I like the competition.”
Lee was the team's top quarterback until Green started against Baylor and Oklahoma. But Green was pulled in the second quarter of the Oklahoma game. Lee finished it.
Pelini has indicated that the starting quarterback will not be identified until game time.
He said Saturday's offensive strategy will be the same no matter who's playing quarterback.
Praising Hagg, Gomes
Nebraska's two hybrid defensive backs might be making the biggest impact on the defense, even though their statistics aren't necessarily reflecting that. Eric Hagg is 11th on the team with 27 tackles. Dejon Gomes has 25.
When the Huskers match up against multiple-receiver formations, juniors Hagg and Gomes are called on to cover pass routes like cornerbacks and defend run plays like linebackers.
So far, they're doing a good job of that, defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said.
the players give the staff some freedom as it game-plans to defend against speed-oriented offenses.
“I just think we wouldn't be nearly as good a defense without both those guys and the talents they bring,” Carl Pelini said.
Better punt snapping
More consistency by the long snapper has helped Nebraska junior punter Alex Henery operate more comfortably during the past four weeks, assistant coach John Papuchis said.
True freshman P.J. Mangieri has improved as a long snapper since he struggled in the rain at Missouri on Oct. 8. And that has made life easier on Henery, Papuchis said.
“It's hard to kick when you're not sure where the ball's going to be,” said Papuchis, who orchestrates the special teams. “We've gotten a lot better over the last four weeks. The more consistent (Mangieri) is, the better off Alex is going to be.”
Henery punted the ball 11 times Saturday against Oklahoma for an average of 43.7 yards, putting two of those inside the 10.
His 66-yard punt in the first quarter changed the game, Papuchis said.
Henery ranks fifth among Big 12 players with his 41.1 average. Nineteen of his punts have settled inside the opponents' 20-yard line, the highest total in the conference.
Paul is open to options
Niles Paul wouldn't mind if Nebraska starts running that traditional option play to his side of the field more often.
The junior wide receiver likes the idea of hitting opponents who don't necessarily expect to be driven out of a play.
And when the Huskers are running the option his way, it's usually one of the safeties who isn't anticipating contact, Paul said.
“I can double-read it. I can either block the corner or I can come and get the safety who's crashing hard,” he said. “For the most part, I love getting the safety because he never pays attention.”
Paul, the team's leading receiver with 25 catches, didn't pull in a pass against Oklahoma on Saturday. Instead, the Huskers ran the ball 75 percent of the time.
But considering the outcome, Paul wasn't upset. If blocking leads to wins, he'll continue to take pride in that aspect of his game.
“That's one thing I do enjoy doing, trying to challenge another guy — put that fear in his heart that I'm stronger than him and I'm going to throw him down,” Paul said.
— Jon Nyatawa
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