Positional drills, fired up coaches: 5 observations from a Nebraska football practice

5 hrs ago
Aportion of Nebraska football’s Tuesday morning practice was open to the media, with the Huskers splitting time between their outdoor and indoor practice fields at the Hawks Championship Center.
Here’s what stood out:
Offensive action: Usually on their own for much of practice, Nebraska’s quarterbacks spent part of the open practice window working with the team’s running backs. Each quarterback practiced the handoff exchange before rolling out of the pocket.
Running backs Rahmir Johnson, Emmett Johnson, Anthony Grant, Gabe Ervin Jr. and Trevin Luben also spent time catching short out routes from the quarterbacks.
Running backs coach EJ Barthel later put his backs through a drill that began with the ball-carrier lying flat on the ground. At each blow of the whistle, the running back would pop up, juke past a teammate and run through a blaster machine before hitting the pads held by his coaches.
After fullback Braden Klover delivered a powerful hit that knocked him back a couple of steps, Barthel reacted with excitement.
“That’s what I’m talking ‘bout!” yelled Barthel while pumping his fist in Klover’s direction.
Offensive line: In the indoor facility, the offensive linemen spread out across the southeast part of the field, spaced out further than a game formation. One by one, left to right, they sprung forward toward a teammate 5 yards away. They didn’t engage immediately; the drill more closely resembled the contact with a linebacker in the second level.
The next drill had a similar movement of blocking with momentum downfield. Bunched tightly, the line practiced run blocking as one player on the end pulled to the other side and upfield. Sam Sledge, Dylan Parrot and tight end Thomas Fidone II were among those with the running assignment.
“Good, that was good Thomas,” offensive line coach Donovan Raiola called after one rep. “Drive your hands through.”
Much of the offensive line’s work during the open portion of practice included a five-man unit consisting of Turner Corcoran, Ethan Piper, Ben Scott, Henry Lutovsky and Bryce Benhart. Several linemen rotated in after a rep or two, while others worked on individual assignments elsewhere on the field.
As Raiola reminded his players to keep their pad level high, incorrect form on a rep resulted in some teaching from the coach.
“It’s hit or be hit!” Raiola told his players. “I need more from you!”
Defensive drills: Just a few feet away, the defensive line worked in the end zone. Players took turns, two at a time, beginning on their knees, hitting a blocking sled and pushing upward, extending their arms without using their lower half. Position coach Terrance Knighton watched from the side and eventually shifted to the center, standing behind and between the two sleds.
After a pair of drills working on reactions — exploding off the line on the snap and adjusting to where a coach points, it was back to the sleds. This time the linemen were on their feet, hitting the sled, extending their arms up and out and eventually disengaging and shuffling to the right or left.
Knighton’s constant chatter scored the drill.
“Strike and extension. No bench press.”
“You got long-ass arms,” he told Vincent Carroll-Jackson after the freshmen got jammed by the sled. “Use them.”
Special teams: Much of the open period was dedicated to special teams work as the Huskers practiced both kickoff and punt coverage. Two units practiced simultaneously, with special teams coordinator Ed Foley’s booming voice carrying across the outdoor field on multiple occasions.
“I want it single leverage here,” Foley reminded his unit after a rep.
Physically, 6-foot-5 freshman Riley Van Poppel and 6-1 defensive back Corey Collier stood out during their reps on the punt-blocking team.
Nebraska also simulated several kickoffs with coaches applauding players who sprinted faster than their teammates to reach the returner.
Weather: 74 degrees, sunny. Humid.