LINCOLN — Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson answered question after question Saturday regarding the Huskers' quarterback situation, without ever so much as hinting who he believes might be the starter when Western Kentucky visits Memorial Stadium on Sept. 4.
That's because Watson is adamant about having no preconceived ideas about the blooming race led by Zac Lee, Cody Green and Taylor Martinez.
“We just don't do it that way,” Watson said. “That wouldn't be fair to the kids. If we say it's going to be fair competition, it's going to be fair competition.”
Watson said the Huskers will continue to “grade everything they do, every step they take, every pass they throw, every decision they make in the run game.”
How long will the process take once preseason practice starts? Watson said that's also up in the air.
“I have no timetable on it,” he said. “To say we're going to do it the first week of the season, I think that's foolish. It may reveal itself sooner. If it does, we'll go sooner. We'll find out.”
NU choices at QB all good, tackle says
How do other NU offensive players expect the quarterback competition to go?
Junior offensive tackle Marcel Jones shrugged and said the team just needs to trust and support any decision, which he plans to do.
“We've still got Zac Lee coming back with a healthy arm and a healthy knowledge of our offense, so he'll add even more confusion to who's going to be our No. 1 quarterback,” Jones said. “But I like all those guys. They're all great quarterbacks. I'd follow any one of them into battle on any day.”
Pensick impresses in move to center
It was hard to tell that the starting center for the Red team during Saturday's spring game spent his redshirt year on defense.
Cole Pensick, a former Lincoln Northeast standout, made the switch to center during the offseason, and the redshirt freshman apparently made a positive impression.
“He's had a nice spring,” NU assistant coach Barney Cotton said.
Pensick's position change adds depth behind junior center Mike Caputo, the projected front-runner to start in the middle of Nebraska's offensive line next fall. But Pensick still needs to develop more consistency, especially when snapping in the shotgun formation, according to Cotton.
“The biggest thing with him is trying to make sure that the shotgun snapping game is an accurate deal,” Cotton said, “because if that's not accurate, you're really not able to run the gun.”
Gomes adapting to new role
The versatile DeJon Gomes said he's had no problem learning to play safety.
Gomes, playing for the White team Saturday, finished with three tackles and nearly recorded an interception. The senior defensive back said he was a safety during his final season at Logan High School in Hayward, Calif. He played cornerback in junior college.
So everything felt natural Saturday.
“It doesn't really matter where I'm at,” Gomes said. “I'm just out there trying to make plays, stay within the scheme and just do what the coaches are asking me to do.”
Gomes was the sixth defensive back in NU dime formations last year. He said the team hasn't practiced with six during the spring, but thinks he'll have the same role in that package next season.
Offense's success doesn't faze Fisher
Nebraska averaged 6.7 yards per play in the Red-White game a good figure for the NU offense. And it didn't bother the defense, according to linebacker Sean Fisher.
“It's good to see,” Fisher said. “From the defensive side, we want to see them excel for next fall for what that will mean for our team.”
Defensively, he said, the Huskers will be just fine once they get to game planning next season. The scrimmage Saturday involved little defensive strategy related to the offensive personnel and scheme.
Asked to identify an offensive standout, Fisher went with freshman quarterback Taylor Martinez.
“I see him in practice,” Fisher said, “but when gets out there in a live situation, he can really run.”
Crowd, tunnel walk energize Kinnie
Brandon Kinnie almost forgot what it felt like to play a football game at Memorial Stadium. The record crowd of nearly 78,000 reminded him.
“It was a great feeling,” Kinnie said. “I hadn't felt it in awhile.”
The second-year Husker caught a 36-yard touchdown pass from Martinez in the second quarterback, dragging much of the White team's secondary for the final 10 yards.
Still, the TD didn't rank as the high moment of his spring.
“To come out there with the tunnel walk, getting ready to warm up, it just all came back,” Kinnie said. “I love these fans.”
— Rich Kaipust, Mitch Sherman and Jon Nyatawa
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