Football – Page 5 – North Platte Post Archive

NFL Gives 32 Compensatory Picks to 14 Teams

Posted on March 23, 2015

PHOENIX (AP) — NFC champion Seattle, Denver and Kansas City each were awarded four compensatory picks in this year’s draft.

The NFL handed out 32 such picks to 14 teams on Monday. They begin at the conclusion of the third round when Super Bowl winner New England gets the 97th overall choice.

New England lost LeGarrette Blount, Dane Fletcher, Brandon Spikes and Aqib Talib in 2014 free agency, while adding Brandon Browner and Brandon LaFell. Blount returned to the Patriots after being cut by Pittsburgh.

A team losing more or better compensatory free agents than it acquires in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory picks. The draft will be held April 30-May 2 in Chicago.

2015 National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame Nebraska Inductees

Posted on March 23, 2015

It is with great pleasure that the National High School Athletic Coaches Association and the Nebraska Coaches Association announces the upcoming induction of Randy Cordes of York and Del Schoenfish of Cambridge into the NHSCA National Hall of Fame. Both Cordes and Schoenfish were long time successful high school coaches in Nebraska that also served terms as President of the Nebraska Coaches Association.

This year’s induction ceremony for the Class of 2015 will take place at the National High School Athletic Coaches Association’s national convention at the Kahler Grand Hotel in Rochester, MN on June 19, 2015. This year’s class includes thirty coaches from sixteen states across the nation.

Cordes and Schoenfish were selected for this national honor by the Nebraska Coaches Association. This selection was based on longevity, service to high school athletics, honors, and other specific state criteria. The National High School Athletic Coaches Association is the oldest coaches association in the nation formed by coaches, for coaches, and has honored coaches from across the nation with induction into the NHSACA National Hall of Fame since 1996.

NFL Suspending TV Blackouts for 2015 Season

Posted on March 23, 2015

PHOENIX (AP) — The NFL will not block any games from local television during the 2015 season.

The league said Monday that team owners voted for a one-year suspension of the long-standing blackout policy for the preseason and regular season. There were no blackouts last season, because the minimum number of tickets were sold for every game, and only two blackouts in 2013.

Still, the experiment is a huge step for the NFL, whose blackout policy dates back decades. With low ticket sales in cities such as Jacksonville, Oakland and San Diego, the league is taking a bit of a gamble for 2015.

Seventh-Year Linebacker Reggie Walker Joins Broncos

Posted on March 19, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have agreed to terms with free agent linebacker/special teamer Reggie Walker on a one-year contract.

Walker is a seventh-year player who played the last two seasons in San Diego after four years in Arizona.

Walker has played in 75 regular season games with a half-dozen starts, all in 2013. His best season was 2013, when he had a career-high 36 tackles, three sacks and a fumble recovery.

For his career, he has 73 tackles, 3 1-2 sacks, one forced fumble, a fumble recovery and 25 special teams stops.

He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Kansas State in 2009.

Nebraska’s Riley Must Pick and Choose what Offense Can Do

Posted on March 18, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — New Nebraska coach Mike Riley says he has a hunch the entirety of his pro-style offense won’t be game-ready come fall.

Riley said Wednesday that he and his staff will spend next week’s spring break studying practice video and paring back the number of plays they’ll work on the rest of the spring practice.

He said he wants to head into the fall with his offense “pretty good at a few things and not average at a whole bunch of stuff.”

Riley said the quarterbacks need to complete a higher percentage and cut down on interceptions.

Presumptive starter Tommy Armstrong Jr. stood on the sideline for Wednesday’s practice because of tightness and spasms in his lower back.

Husker Offense Continues Learning Curve

Posted on March 18, 2015

Lincoln, Neb.- The Nebraska football team completed its seventh practice of the 2015 spring football season on Wednesday afternoon. The Huskers practices for just over two hours outside on the Ed and Joyanne Gass practice fields in full pads.

Nebraska Head Coach Mike Riley spoke with media members following practice, as he mentioned that the Husker quarterback corps has been doing really well learning all of the new commands in Riley’s offense.

“I think the quarterbacks have done a nice job of having a lot to learn and making some plays. I guess it’s remarkably like practice for me, some of it looks good, some of it doesn’t,” he said. “You go back and look at the film, but you know what, for the most part considering learning a new language—even the stuff as simple as a new cadence—I think they have done ok.”

Riley added that the Husker quarterbacks need to cut down on some of their interceptions before the annual Red-White Spring Game. Riley mentioned that location of the football and making good choices with the football are the keys to cut down on the interceptions and make good quarterbacks.

During practice Wednesday, things got a little chippy during the scrimmage portion of the Husker practice. Riley loved the team’s intensity during practice, but said that the team needs to be smart, as some of their actions can result in personal foul penalties.

“I like the spirit, but I think that you have to practice self-control because that is a penalty plus you get kicked out,” Riley said. “You are just practicing something that is bad for your team, so we don’t have that.”

Junior quarterback Tommy Armstrong sat out practice Wednesday. According to Riley, Armstrong has been battling a minor back injury that should not keep him off the field for long.

“He has had some lower back (spasms) so he has had a hard time, he has struggled through a couple of practices with it, so we just decided to keep him out today,” Riley said.

Overall, Riley said he is pretty impressed with the Huskers spring practice season so far, noting the team still has a long way to go, as the evaluation process continues.

“I think that it is interesting, I am impressed with a lot of the volume that we have in, I am not yet impressed with how we execute it all yet. I think we are going to now have to be very selective on the rest of spring and what we do for fall camp.”

Nebraska returns to the practice field on Friday for its eighth workout of the spring. Check back at Huskers.com for updates.

Significant Replay Rules Changes Proposed

Posted on March 18, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) — Significant changes to the use of video replay, including reviewing all fouls called by game officials, will be proposed by the NFL’s competition committee at next week’s owners meetings.

The committee is presenting a proposal by the Detroit Lions that would permit the instant replay system to correct an officiating error. That would include such controversial calls as pass interference.

Also to be discussed in Phoenix will be a proposal by the New England Patriots to place fixed cameras on all boundary lines. That would guarantee coverage of those lines regardless of where network cameras are positioned.

51,500 Tickets Sold for Riley’s 1st Spring Game at Nebraska

Posted on March 18, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska has sold 51,500 tickets for new coach Mike Riley’s first spring football game in three weeks.

Athletic department spokesman Keith Mann said Wednesday that all sections of Memorial Stadium would be open for seating at the April 11 event.

The Nebraska record for spring-game attendance was 80,149 in 2008. Last year’s event drew 61,772.

Huskers Enjoy Warm Weather on Monday

Posted on March 16, 2015

Lincoln, Neb.- The Nebraska football team completed its sixth practice of the 2015 spring season Monday afternoon. With temps reaching 90 degrees, the Huskers enjoyed beautiful weather in Lincoln as they practiced outside at the Ed and Joyanne Gass practice fields for just over two hours in full pads.

NU defensive coordinator Mark Banker met with media members following the conclusion of practice, mentioning that the new Blackshirt defense has basically been fully installed.

“We have pretty much finished up our base package, as far as what we are going to put in except for a couple things down in the red zone, just because we have not been there,” Banker said. “On Friday, Saturday we started a little nickel, but it was really just replacing a defensive back for an outside linebacker and start evolving from that standpoint.”

According to Banker, the Huskers are looking at using an experienced duo for the nickel position in 2015, with senior Byerson Cockrell taking snaps with the first team, while sophomore Joshua Kalu has been working with the second team.

After having two split teams at practice for the first week, Nebraska practiced as one team for the second straight practice, with the coaching staff split into two groups to help provide more individual coaching.

“Today we divided the staff and had myself, two of the graduate assistants that work with the defensive line and the secondary—we were over on one field with the ‘white’ group and then Coach Stewart, Coach Bray and Coach Hughes were on the other field with the ‘red’ group.”

Banker reiterated, “We try to get as many eyes on them in practice to make some of the instant corrections on the field, but then most of it obviously, like the specifics and details will be done up in the film room.”

A player that has stood out to Banker so far this spring has been redshirt freshman cornerback Trai Mosley. Mosley, a Texas native has been impressing so far this spring with his dynamic quickness and great ‘ball hawking’ skills.

“Based on the last practice, it’s not like he was 100 percent with what he was doing, but in the back end Trai Mosley all of a sudden showed up a little bit. I do not remember seeing him much on film or at practice, I probably should have, because him and I have a similar stature,” Banker said of the 5-10 Mosely.

Nebraska returns to the practice field on Wednesday for its seventh workout of the spring. Check back at Huskers.com for updates.

Nebraska CB Charles Jackson Out for Spring with Knee Injury

Posted on March 14, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska defensive back Charles Jackson will undergo minor arthroscopic surgery on his knee and will miss the rest of spring practice.

Coach Mike Riley also announced Saturday that cornerback Daniel Davie probably would miss a week of practice with an ankle injury.

Jackson and Davie were injured on consecutive plays during coverage drills on Wednesday. Riley said Jackson will be ready for summer conditioning.

Jackson was in line for work as a nickelback last fall but missed the entire season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Davie is a returning starter.