LINCOLN — Snapping the football to three quarterbacks hasn't been a problem for Husker centers, Nebraska's offensive line coach said.

Barney Cotton said each member of the competitive quarterback trio — Zac Lee, Cody Green and Taylor Martinez — has eliminated his own personal line-of-scrimmage tendencies.

When the quarterbacks have subbed in for one another during practices, the transition's been smooth, Cotton said.

“We've really stressed that their snap counts and their cadences have to be exactly the same,” Cotton said. “And they really are right now.

“So our guys are able to (execute) regardless of which quarterback it's going to be.”

Cotton, of course, didn't care to reveal which quarterback would start Saturday's 6 p.m. opener against Western Kentucky at Memorial Stadium.

Cotton did discuss the center spot, though.

Although Nebraska hasn't released a depth chart and isn't expected to do so before Saturday night's game, Cotton said junior Mike Caputo is expected to start.

Cotton mentioned redshirt freshmen Cole Pensick and Spencer Long among those who have seen time at center behind Caputo, a Millard North graduate, during the past few weeks.

Assistant praises Helu's work

Tim Beck threw out an “awesome” when asked how senior I-back Roy Helu has looked during the past four weeks.

“He's had a great fall camp — probably as good as he's had,” said Beck, the running backs coach.

Helu will get his carries as a returning 1,000-yard rusher, but he also will get help from sophomores Rex Burkhead and Dontrayevous Robinson. So Beck said Helu knows he doesn't have to put all the pressure on himself.

“I think he knows that he's the veteran of the group and there's a lot expected of him, but I also feel like he has been able to play a lot more relaxed,” Beck said.

Beck said Nebraska hasn't settled on an I-back rotation, but that “they're all going to play.”

Freshman lineman expected to play

Andrew Rodriguez still hasn't completely mastered the entire offense, but the true freshman offensive lineman apparently is too talented to keep off the field.

Cotton said Wednesday that he expects the former Aurora High School standout to play Saturday as a backup guard.

Listed at 6-foot-6 and 325 pounds, Rodriguez has the skills to perform. He just has to do it now, Cotton said.

“He's young and he's raw, but he's really physical,” Cotton said. “Granted, he's got a lot of learning to do.

“But the big thing with him, if he'll go out, play fast and turn it loose, we'll take a couple of mistakes.”

Quicker start in return game

Assistant coach John Papuchis rattles off some of the kickoff and punt returns he liked last season, and it turns out that many had something in common.

They came in the last handful of games last season.

“I want to start faster in the return game this season,” Papuchis said Wednesday.

The Huskers finished last season ranked No. 4 in the Big 12 in both kickoff returns (24.1 yards) and punt returns (11.6). Senior Niles Paul is back as one of the league's most effective at both.

The late-season surge by NU included Paul having punt returns of 59 yards vs. Colorado and 43 vs. Texas, and kickoff returns of 49 vs. Arizona and 42 vs. Texas. In the Kansas game, the Huskers had kick returns of 44 yards by Paul and 40 by Tim Marlowe.

“I thought our kick-return game got to where I wanted it to be in the back half of last season,” Papuchis said.

Saturday might offer an element of the unknown, both because it's the first game of the season and because Western Kentucky made changes to its staff.

“You always have a little bit of worry going into the first game, only because the speed of the game on special teams changes so dramatically,” Papuchis said. “During fall camp, offense and defense have a lot of good-on-good work. With special teams, most of our work is against scouts, so the speed of the game is going to be different.”

— Jon Nyatawa and Rich Kaipust

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