Lincoln, Neb. – The Nebraska football team finished up its second full week of Fall Camp Saturday with a two-hour practice at the Ed and Joyanne Gass practice fields outside of the Hawks Championship Center.

Nebraska Head Coach Bo Pelini met with the media following practice, mentioning that the team had a pretty solid second week of Fall Camp, but would like to continue to see progression in depth on the defensive side of the ball.

“We just finished up what I thought was a pretty good week,” Pelini said. “I think we are in a situation now, more on defense than offense that I think there is a bit of too much separation in a couple positions between the 1’s and the 2’s.”

To Pelini, the upperclassmen and starting group on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball have been impressing him with their competition.

“I feel good about where our upperclassmen or 1’s are now, the 2’s are still coming and there is still good competition on the offensive side of the football,” Pelini said. “I think we are right where we want to be—we have to keep plugging along.”

Nebraska, which in recent years has become Kicker U, will look to continue to plug in the next great Husker kicker. Up to this point in camp though, there has not been much separation between junior Mauro Bondi and true freshman Drew Brown.

“When we start game week I will have a feel and we will name how we are going to do it. It is really close right now, they have both hit the ball pretty good, consistently and pretty solid.”

Returning sophomore quarterback Tommy Armstrong had an improved second week of camp according to Pelini, even if the Blackshirt defense has been throwing a lot at the young QB.

“Tommy had a good week, a very good week. Defensively we have installed a lot so we have been throwing a lot at him,” he said. “I think he has progressed, is he exactly where we want him to be at? No. He plays the quarterback position which is difficult, but he has seen a lot of looks and I think he is managing the offense really well.”

According to Pelini, last year if Armstrong would make a mistake out on the field, it would take him longer to bounce back from the mistake. This season though, Husker fans can expect a much more mature and refined Armstrong at quarterback.

“When he makes a mistake, he comes back from that mistake very strong, with a lot of confidence,” he said. “To me that is important to have at the quarterback position, he is showing a lot of maturity, I like where he right now but he has to keep going.”

Heading into the third week of Fall Camp, the Huskers will have a lot of good competition between the starting offensive and defense, before going into game week for the Aug. 30 season opening matchup against Florida Atlantic.

“We will go good-on-good (first team vs. first team) for the next couple of days to start the third week. Then we will start getting in game preparation towards the end of the week.”

The Huskers will be back on the practice fields Monday to continue the 2014 Fall Camp. Check back here or at Huskers.com for a practice report.

Lincoln, Neb. – The Nebraska football team continued its second full week of Fall Camp Friday evening with a 90-minute practice at the Ed and Joyanne Gass practice fields outside of the Hawks Championship Center.

Nebraska defensive coordinator John Papuchis met with the media after practice, noting that the team has had a good week of practice, mentioning that the tempo has been improving since the start of Fall Camp.

“I think it has been a pretty good week,” Papuchis said. “I thought as practice went on our tempo got better—we finished well and yeah, there has been some good and bad but that is every practice.”

Junior newcomer Byerson Cockrell of Columbus, Miss., has continued to impress the Husker coaching staff at nickel back. With fellow junior Charles Jackson out for the season with a knee injury, Cockrell has taken a huge step in filling the void Jackson leaves with his absence.

“(We are) Feeling really good about Byerson, he did a lot during the spring,” Papuchis said. “We came out of spring thinking he could be a nickel for us, but Charles was playing well so we didn’t want him sitting behind anyone.”

True freshman Josh Kalu has also been seeing a lot of action at nickel, and according to Papuchis, is really becoming a fast learner.

“Kalu is a quick learner, he is coming fast, he works hard and he asks good questions,” he said. “I don’t have many doubts that he will be ready to roll.”

Kalu is not the only freshman that has been impressing Papuchis, according to him the whole newcomer group on defense has been making some improvements these past two weeks.

 “I think with all the freshmen they are up and down. There is so much that has to be installed and so much teaching, they will have a couple days that are really good and then take a couple steps back,” Papuchis said. “This next week is about polishing up—making sure we get the details down, and then I think we will be ready to roll.”

The Huskers will be back on the practice fields Saturday morning to wrap up the second week of preseason practice. Check back here or at Huskers.com for a practice report and video coverage following practice immediately.