Huskers Open Fall Training Camp

Lincoln - The Nebraska football team hit the practice field for the first time to open fall training camp on Thursday afternoon on the grass practice fields adjacent to Memorial Stadium.

Under a partly cloudy sky with temperatures hovering in the upper 70s to low 80s, the 2005 Huskers enjoyed a spirited first practice according to second-year Nebraska head coach Bill Callahan.

"It feels great to get back out again. I love this time of year.  I absolutely love it," Callahan said. "The first day was really encouraging and very positive.  Our kids were high-spirited, very positive, up-beat and had a lot of energy on the field."

Callahan went on to say that the Huskers have shown solid signs of improvement from his first Nebraska training camp during the spring of 2004.

"I will tell you that our older, experienced players have a little bit more of an advantage because they have heard these plays and heard these techniques now for about the fifth or sixth time," Callahan said, "so they are pretty confident in what they are doing out on the field."

Callahan also said the communication level among all of the players was a promising sign.

"The way you feel that (energy on the field) and they way that you recognize that as a coach is that you hear a lot of communication," Callahan said. "You hear players talking the game.  When you have players that are communicating and feel loose and confident in the way they are making the calls, that gives you confidence as a coach.  Obviously that spreads throughout the team."

Callahan announced that 100 of the 105 players scheduled to report for the Huskers attended Thursday's first fall workout, while five players awaited word from the NCAA to be cleared to practice.  He also announced that three walk-on players and one scholarship player have been added to Nebraska's roster.  The three walk-ons include Adam Gibson (Indianapolis, Ind.), Hunter Teafatiller (Fresno, Calif.) and Nathan McBride (Scottsdale, Ariz.).  Matt Slauson, a native of Colorado Springs, Colo., who attended the Air Force Academy Prep School last season has also been awarded a scholarship and will have five years of eligibility remaining.