• Video Nebraska coach Bo Pelini speaks after the Huskers' practice Friday:
* * *
LINCOLN — The Nebraska football staff may soon need to start picking more foreign currencies to label its various hybrid players in a versatile defensive secondary.
Coaches have already introduced the peso, a crossbred position that possesses the duties of a strongside linebacker but requires an agile defensive back to carry them out. (That's Eric Hagg's spot.) Now, they're cross-training safeties to do more than just patrol the outer fringes of the defensive formation. Depending on the personnel grouping, players like DeJon Gomes, Anthony West and Austin Cassidy might be stepping up to the line of scrimmage, taking on linebacker-like responsibilities.
In other words, a player like Gomes — even if he proves to be Nebraska's best option — may not spend an entire game as a full-time starter at safety. It's becoming more and more likely that during moments where the Huskers field six or seven defensive backs, the top safeties might rotate down to the center of the NU defense, while reserves take their spots on its back end.
Call them the euro and the yen. Or, the pound and the ruble, maybe.
Whatever the new names, it seems that safety may not be the appropriate term anymore. Because Nebraska's not developing defensive backs to contribute solely at that spot.
“Right now, I would say we have no positions,” secondary coach Marvin Sanders said. “I'm just trying to figure out who can grasp concepts, and who I believe from a physical and athletic standpoint can help us.”
That doesn't mean the NU staff is operating without a plan for its backfield lineup. Quite the opposite.
Coach Bo Pelini said most of the veterans have settled into concrete roles, even at this early point in camp.
It's just that those roles change depending on the formation.
“Combinations change according to offensive personnel groupings and what personnel group we're in,” Pelini said. “There are a few guys that we see as swing guys that can play a number of different spots, but a lot of that is dictated by what personnel group we're in.”
For example, Gomes is learning the safety spot — but he still can occupy the same dime back position that he played last year. Cassidy's a safety, but he's also backing up Hagg at peso. West is a cornerback and a safety. Redshirt freshman Andrew Green plays corner, peso and dime. Pelini hinted Friday that Hagg could play safety too, if needed.
“They get double trained when we switch personnel groups,” Pelini said. “It's really not an issue for us. It really makes us more versatile. I really like the way the combinations have come together.”
Even Prince Amukamara, the All-America candidate at cornerback, is trying to experiment. He told the staff earlier this week that he wanted a few extra reps at peso.
“It's definitely fun out there,” Amukamara said. “I know it seems like an oxymoron, but it really is fun. This is probably my favorite (fall) camp.”
Same goes for Sanders.
The position coach is teaching the same principles to the same players, but he gets to see how they react now that they're playing in different spots. And he likes the results.
“Last year, it was easy for DeJon to take a risk up front because he had (help) behind him. Now he's that guy,” Sanders said. “Or West ... how will he respond to this and that as a safety? Will he get frustrated?
“For me, working with the guys and coaching them on the little things, it's new. It's exciting to see them go through that learning process.”
Contact the writer:
402-473-9585, jon.nyatawa@owh.com
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