Huskers Continue Preparing for KSU

Lincoln?The Nebraska football team continued to prepare for Saturday night’s 6 p.m. matchup against KansasState with a two-hour workout in shorts and shoulder pads Wednesday afternoon inside the HawksChampionshipCenter.

 

The Huskers will play their fifth straight night game on Saturday, and, according to Head Coach Bill Callahan, NU has settled into a good game-night routine.

“We’re in a good frame of mind,” Callahan said.  “We’re in a good routine because we’ve been doing this the last four weeks.  I can’t speak for every guy in the room, but as a team, I know that we’re fine with it.  Nebraska fans have an opportunity to see the game, and I think that’s great.  Our kids have really adapted to it.  We’re in a really good routine and we’re really confident in what we do and how we prepare.”

 

Callahan, who reviewed the film of Nebraska’s 28-14 win over IowaState Wednesday before practice, noted the continued development of cornerback Rickey Thenarse.  The freshman from Los Angeles, Calif., broke up a pass against IowaState and has six tackles on the season.

“He has the body type that you want in a corner,” Callahan said.  “He’s lean, he has good size and length and he has excellent speed.  I think that he’ll get better with time.  You have to take your hat off to the guy.  He just wants to play, whether it’s at safety, corner or on special teams.  He’s a football player.  He takes his role seriously and whatever he can do to help us, he’s all aboard.”

 

On the injury front, senior offensive lineman Greg Austin dressed for practice and participated in individual drills before being held out by the Nebraska training staff.

“He tried to go today,” Callahan said.  “He put the pads on and went out for individual drills, but (Head Football Trainer) Doak (Ostergard) backed him down.  He needs another day.  We’ll see what he looks like tomorrow.”

 

Austin’s continued perseverance through injury is an inspiration to Callahan.

“I keep mentioning the fact that he’s a player that inspires me on a daily basis because, for anyone to go through what he does is unbelievable,” Callahan said.  “I don’t know how he does it.  But he has such a passion for the game of football, he wants to be out there with his teammates and he wants to do everything for Nebraska.  He wants to play.  Playing is important to him.  He’ll do anything to do that.  If it means sacrificing and going through some painful practices and going through injury and things of that nature, he’ll do it.  He’s willing to do it, so I have a lot of respect for his ability to play the game under the conditions that he’s in.”

 

If Austin isn’t ready to go by Saturday, Nebraska will look to either sophomore Andy Christensen or redshirt freshman Jacob Hickman to fill in at left guard. 

“Both guys are ready,” Callahan said.  “I know that (offensive line coach) Dennis (Wagner) has worked both of those players.  They’re really good players.  We’ve shuffled them along the board and across the front through pre-season and during the season, so we’re confident in both those guys.  Either one of those guys could fill that responsibility.”

The Huskers will wrap up their preparations in Lincoln for the KansasState game on Thursday afternoon before departing for Manhattan on Friday.