Lincoln, Neb.- The Nebraska football team wrapped-up its 14th practice of the 2015 spring practice season on Wednesday afternoon. The Huskers practiced outside on the Ed and Joyanne Gass practice fields in misty conditions for just over two hours in full pads.
Nebraska Head Coach Mike Riley met with the media following Wednesday’s practice, noting that there are a few things to look for from players during the scrimmage.
“For some guys, it is about the reaction to a crowd—how they handle that, I think that is good, so we will learn a little about that,” Riley said. “Really, besides learning, it is just letting guys finish plays, finish tackles, as you know we have limited the amount of ‘full-time’ scrimmages we have had this spring. Just give them a chance to play football.”
Riley added, “There is a difference between practicing and actually finishing plays.”
According to Riley, the Huskers have not had many live scrimmages during the spring practice season for health purposes, so Saturday’s spring game will be a good indicator of how the players react at game speed.
“What we try to do when we are practicing not taking the guy down to the ground is still practice fast so you can simulate the speed of the game. I also want to get this team to the season, health wise. We try to be very thoughtful about how to balance all of that out, I have really come to the conclusion that we can get a lot done with having intermittent type periods instead of a couple of real long scrimmages on a couple different days.”
When asked how many people attended Oregon State’s spring game last season, Riley grinned and said a few thousand. Something that will be drastically different on Saturday, as more than 70,000 Husker fans are expected to swarm Memorial Stadium.
“I think that is a really good indicator for some of the things I was talking about Nebraska, there is such pride. What I have noticed—this will be my first time—my first picture of what this football deal looks like, I have been impressed with that at the baseball games, basketball games,” Riley said. “I mean the crowds, the enthusiasm for the event, every time there seems to be a game going on here—it is a big deal. I like that, people care and they love their team. I think that is just awesome.”
When asked what the spring game’s format is going to be, Coach Riley hopes that the scrimmage will look like a real football game with four quarters of action.
“I think we are going to play it, we are going to kick off, punt return—we are just going to play and we are going to run four 20 minute quarters with a running clock. We will stop the clock every time the ball (changes possession).”
As for how the teams will be split for the annual Red White Scrimmage Saturday, Riley said that the teams will be very similar to the Red and White teams used during spring practice. According to Riley there will be a good split of first, second and third teamers on both teams, with both squads having the ability to field full special teams units.
Check back at Huskers.com Friday, as the Nebraska football team will announce the rosters for this Saturday’s Red White Scrimmage.