• Photo Showcase: 2010 Husker Fan Day
• Photo Showcase: NU Football Practice, Day 1
• Video: Bo Pelini after NU's first fall practice:
* * *
LINCOLN — In his first three seasons of Nebraska football, Eric Hagg played some at safety.
And some at cornerback.
And some as a nickel back.
And some on special teams.
But never full time in one spot for a full season, which the senior from Phoenix says sometimes made him a little nervous about forever being a Blackshirt “in-betweener.”
“I was thinking that a lot,” Hagg said. “Moving from position to position made me wonder. But I'm glad they found this one for me. It feels good to have a position where I'm on the field every play.”
That spot is the Peso, a hybrid spot in the back seven that he hopes to lock down in fall camp, which started Saturday.
“When I'm in at Peso,” Hagg said, “I'm like a real linebacker.”
That means more run support, which means dancing with 300-pound offensive linemen. But the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder said he hasn't bulked up with the move.
“It wasn't like I had to shoot up any weight or anything,” he said. “I just need to be more physical in there taking on linemen instead of receivers. It's going to be a test, but it should be good.”
The Peso defense won't be brand new to the Blackshirts
“We worked on it in the spring, so that definitely helped me out,” Hagg said. “So it's not like I'm jumping into it right now and then starting.
“We did it during the spring. We actually did it during the Arizona game. And Texas, too, a little bit. So I have a feel for it.”
Hagg is expected to carry a big load on a Nebraska defense that must replace heavy lifters such as national player of the year Ndamukong Suh, Phillip Dillard, Matt O'Hanlon and Larry Asante.
Despite those graduations, Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini has said he thinks that the 2010 defense can be better.
Is that possible?
“I sure think so,” Hagg said. “We're losing a lot of great players like Matty, Larry, Suh, of course, and a couple of others.
“But I think we can be just as good as long as we compete every day and listen to what the coaches have to say. Or maybe better.”
Contact the writer:
444-1024, lee.barfknecht@owh.com
* * *
• Video: 2010 Husker Fan Day
• Video: Husker football practice, day 1:
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
RSS Feeds