• Photo Showcase: Spring football practice, April 2
• Video: Watch the interview with NU coach Bo Pelini after Friday's practice. See practice highlights below the story:
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LINCOLN — There has been a definite pattern developing this spring when anybody on the Nebraska staff discusses the progress or potential of Jermarcus Hardrick, the Huskers' prized addition to their offensive line.
They always include caution.
Hardrick is raw. He's got a long way to go. He's a work in progress.
And they always include optimism.
Hardrick is big. He's talented. He's full of effort.
“He's a good football player,'' NU offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said. “He's got a lot to do. We got a lot of ground to catch up, but he's a very good football player. He's got a hot motor.”
Hardrick might be one of the most interesting pieces to this Nebraska football team as it goes through spring practice. The junior-college transfer enrolled in January so he's getting a jump on the acclimation to NCAA Division I football.
If the 6-foot-7, 315-pounder makes a smooth transition, it could allow NU some flexibility on its offensive line. If he's as good as anticipated, Hardrick could be a nice anchor from the left tackle spot.
“Technically and fundamentally, he's got a lot of rawness to him,'' said Barney Cotton, the Huskers' offensive line coach. “But the one thing that he has is a tremendous amount of effort and heart.”
Cotton said the NU offense routinely practices passes from its 5- or 10-yard line where the receiver continues down the field as defenders “tag off” on him. As that process is completed, Cotton said, Hardrick is usually still on the go or right behind.
“He might be at that 40- or 45-yard line, where we're having to wait in the huddle because he's 40 or 50 yards away,'' Cotton said. “The guy gets after it — and that's contagious to the other guys. You see one guy doing it, it has the tendency to make other guys want to do it.”
Hardrick, who goes by the nickname of “Yoshi,” was both an all-conference and all-region player last season at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College. Before picking NU, he had interest or offers from Louisiana State, Arkansas, South Florida, Mississippi and Southern Miss.
One thing for sure, he is accustomed to winning.
At Fort Scott, he played on Greyhound teams that went a combined 20-3, including an 11-1 season in 2009 that ended with a loss to Blinn College in the JC national championship game. At South Panola High in Batesville, Miss., all three of his years as a starter included undefeated records and Class 5A titles.
Cotton said Hardrick might not have seen as complex an offense at Fort Scott, but called it a “great brand of football” that helped prepare him for the Big 12.
“That's a good league that he played in and he played a very competitive team in Blinn,” Cotton said. “But it was a very physical brand of ball, which is good. So he understands and has that drilled in that the physical part is the most important thing. So he's all about effort and trying to win the physical battle. Those are probably the things that are the hardest to teach.”
Cotton said Hardrick was usually around the football offices about four or five times a week during the winter. How to shake the raw aspect? Cotton pointed to the nine remaining practices of spring football and the 29 in fall camp.
“It's ever evolving,” Cotton said. “A guy plays in the NFL 15 years and he can still get better technically. So he's got a ways to go, but he's got a good heart.”
The success of JC offensive linemen at Nebraska has been hard to predict. Ricky Henry redshirted in 2008 but started every game last season. It took Carl Nicks deep into his junior year before he flashed some of the play that would lead to being a fifth-round NFL draft pick in 2008 — and a Super Bowl ring last season with New Orleans.
Cornealius Fuamatu-Thomas managed to become a starter, but the careers of Darren DeLone, Brock Pasteur, Jordan Picou and Victory Haines were mostly forgettable.
Thus some of the caution with Hardrick, who is still 19, and the practice reps Nebraska needs to get him. Even with a broken bone in his left hand, Hardrick will finish the spring with it wrapped because he doesn't want to miss time.
“He's a talented young man,” NU head coach Bo Pelini said. “He's big, he's got good size. But he's got a long ways to go as far as getting up to speed with conditioning, getting into position where we can get him developed. He's got a lot of learning to do.
“We believe hopefully in the future Yoshi will be in there and get a chance to show what he can do.”
Contact the writer:
444-1042, rich.kaipust@owh.com
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• Video: Watch Friday's Nebraska spring football practice highlights:
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