Resilient Jurgens Happy To Return To Field

Cameron Jurgens woke up feeling a little sore on Sunday morning, and he wouldn't have it any other way.
 
"It was just awesome," Jurgens said Tuesday. "I love being a little sore after a football game. It was fun just getting back out there and getting back in the groove of things.
 
"I just love coming out and playing football. Being able to get back out there, after a while, it's fun. It's just awesome being out there with my guys."
 
In Nebraska's 35-21 victory over South Alabama, Jurgens became the Huskers' first freshman to start at center since the NCAA re-instated freshman eligibility in 1972. He also became only the sixth true freshman to start at offensive line for the Huskers in that same period; all have been since 2001.
 
Jurgens played in only one game last season before an injury sidelined him and forced his redshirt. Going back to his senior season at Beatrice High School, he battled injuries that limited his playing time.
 
Even entering this season, Jurgens began fall camp rehabbing an injury, leaving his status for Nebraska's first football game in doubt. But Jurgens persevered, worked hard and returned sooner than his coaches had anticipated.
 
Most of all, he maintained a positive attitude.
 
"I just had to keep my mindset where it should be, and keep looking forward to where I'm going to be, not where I'm at," Jurgens said. "Just keep working, day by day. I can't be getting upset or down in the dumps. That's not helping anyone. That's not helping myself or the team."
 
"It's just a mentality thing. When I was rehabbing, I still went to practice, I'm watching, staying involved, doing everything I can. Just keep my head involved, and my body will deal with it."
 
Nebraska offensive line coach Greg Austin said last week he admired Jurgens' resiliency, toughness and ability to overcome fear of injury, which Austin knows can become an issue for some players who've experienced multiple injuries.
 
"You can't worry about that," Jurgens said. "You just got to strap up and go out there and play. It's just a mindset. You can't worry about what's going to happen. You worry about that, you're not going to do what you need to do."
 
Since Austin and head coach Scott Frost first saw Jurgens practice, they believed he had the necessary tools – and frame – to become a center. They marveled at his explosiveness, his power.  
 
"And then," Austin said, "there's kind of a quiet grit about Cam that he brings to that position."
 
Austin also wants a player at center who commands presence. Jurgens checks that mark, too.
 
"He's a 'Maestro,' if you will," Austin said. "He has to orchestrate the whole deal up front, initially. He's smart." 
 
Coaches have said that when Jurgens played healthy, they saw a noticeable improvement in production with the offense in fall camp.
 
Of course, Jurgens and Frost will be the first to tell you that correlation didn't necessarily translate to Saturday, when the Huskers produced a mere 276 yards of total offense and didn't score an offensive touchdown in the second half -- when another freshman, Will Farniok, played center.
 
Frost said the offense, both coaches and players, made some poor calls and decisions, and that practice earlier in the week didn't meet expectations.
 
"Our offense was nowhere near our standard. You play how you practice," Frost said. "You're not all of a sudden going to show up and play well on Saturday, if you didn't execute things on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The good thing is I think we got their ear on that and (Monday) looked really good for the first day of a new game plan.'
 
Jurgens, in particular, had multiple high shotgun snaps that, at best, threw off the play's timing, and at worst, resulted in negative yardage.
 
"I think it's just getting more reps and getting more game reps," Jurgens said. "Everything is correctable. I was just rushing myself. I'll be ready for it next week."
 
Frost also said more reps will help Jurgens fix the issue.
 
"He missed quite a bit of training camp," Frost said. "I suppose it's like shooting free throws or any other athletic movement: If you've done it one million times, it's second nature. We're certainly going to take a look at it and be working on it."
 
As for the offensive line as a whole, "it's just getting more comfortable with my guys to the left and right of me and having more confidence in them and getting confidence in me," Jurgens said. "There's going to be a lot of improvement from last week to this one coming forward."
 
Buffs Up Next
 
Like Colorado did last season, Nebraska will be hitting the road to face a former conference rival that's ushering in a first-year head coach.
 
The Buffaloes, though, will have the advantage of having already played a game in the first year of coach Mel Tucker. Colorado rolled past instate rival Colorado State, 52-31, to begin the season in Denver.
 
"I know Mel. I think he's done a really good job wherever he's been," Frost said. "They executed pretty well last Saturday, so he's done a good job of going in there and getting a new team ready to play.
 
"We went through that last year and know how hard it is when you're installing new things and doing different things, so I have a lot of respect for him and I'm looking forward to the competition." 
 
Frost, in his first season, had an unplanned opener against Colorado after severe weather forced the cancellation of the scheduled season opener against Akron. Nebraska lost 33-28 in a game it lost quarterback Adrian Martinez to a second-half knee injury; Martinez had produced 304 yards of total offense to mark the beginning of what would be a standout true freshman season.
 
"He's an excellent playmaker," Tucker said Tuesday at his weekly news conference, when asked about Martinez. "I believe your quarterback has to be your number one competitor, and on tape, he looks that way. He puts a lot of pressure on you defensively because of all the things that he can do, and his competitive nature.
 
"Everyone's going to be at the point of attack on every play. We'll have to be at our best."
 
Colorado played turnover-free football in its first game, as quarterback Steven Montez was 13-of-20 passing for 232 yards, leading the Buffs to 475 yards of total offense.
 
"I think if we keep doing those things, take care of the ball and just keeping running the offense at a very high level," Montez said Tuesday, "I think we'll be in good shape."
 
The return of a border rival to Boulder means Folsom Field will have a little extra pizazz on Saturday afternoon, too. Montez welcomes it.
 
"Obviously it's going to change the atmosphere a little bit. It will probably be a little louder," Montez said. "I'm sure there will be a lot of Nebraska fans here trying to be loud when we're on offense, which is fine. I mean, we've played in loud environments before so it's not going to be any different to us."
 
Reach Brian at brosenthal@huskers.com or follow him on Twitter @GBRosenthal.