Everything Dana Holgorsen, Rob Aurich Said After the Second Week of Spring Practice

LINCOLN — Nebraska football is officially two weeks into spring practice.

Exactly three weeks from Saturday, the Huskers will bring back the Red-White Spring Game. Coordinators Dana Holgorsen and Rob Aurich took the mic for the second time this spring, discussing the latest from practices.

Here's everything that was talked about on Saturday from the Hawk's Championship Center.

Scrimmage
Quarterbacks
Wide Receivers
Offensive Line
Running Backs
Defensive Installs
Pass Rushing
Defenders Standing Out
Other Notes

Scrimmage

Saturday's scrimmage featured about 150 plays. For the offense, Holgorsen liked that a number of situations were worked on and guys rotated throughout.

"Everybody got a lot of good reps," Holgorsen said. "It'll be a lot of good tape to watch to see where we're at."

Holgorsen hasn't been shy about the process for getting the offense to gel and work through the installation of plays. He said he's "still trying to figure" the group out.

"We just keep installing things and keep evaluating players to see what we got," Holgorsen said. "Been very encouraged with the amount of football that we've been playing and what it looks like. Seeing some things that I haven't seen since I've been here."

Nebraska Cornhuskers offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Holgorsen noted that there's still a long way to go as plenty remains to be installed. He added that the team will be different in June and August, with more time to work with everyone.

On the other side, Aurich said his defense had to deal with quarterback Anthony Colandrea.

"Anothony can make a lot of things happen with his feet," Aurich said. "He's been a real test for everybody in the program to live to the extra length of the play. Scramble drills become a huge part of the day-to-day process."

Aurich said his side of the ball has "expedited" its learning defending mobile quarterbacks. Elsewhere from the scrimmage, he liked the physicality on the line and the run fits.

"Still a ways to go," Aurich said. "We're grinding every day. Nothing's built in seven practices."

Quarterbacks

Holgorsen said the quarterbacks have had the most install meetings for any group, but are handling it well.

"They got a good grasp of it," Holgorsen said. "TJ (Lateef)'s heard it. Danny (Kaelin)'s heard it. It's new to Anthony. He gets mad if I tell him the same play twice. He's like, 'I got it.' He's an experienced, bright kid."

The OC said his newest quarterback is "fun to watch" and "fun to coach". That includes having to work with Colandrea's ability to create.

"He does some things that I've never had," Holgorsen said. "I've never had that mobile of a quarterback. I've never coached extending plays, like I'm coaching now. He has a good understanding of off-schedule stuff, of keeping the play alive."

Anthony Colandrea has more than 30 starts in his career between Virginia and UNLV. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The quarterbacks are rotating and getting equal reps, but Colandrea is the one primarily operating with the first group.

As for the only returning QB from last year, Holgorsen echoed what he and Rhule have said about Lateef since the season ended: his competitiveness.

"He likes to play. He's competitive. He walks around here thinking and acting like he's the starting quarterback. That's what we want out of him. He's not scared of competition," Hologrsen said.

Still, Holgorsen would like to see the sophomore "speed things up".

"Watching Anthony has been good for him," Holgorsen said. "Anthony does everything so fast: he processes fast, he moves fast, he drops fast, he goes through reads fast. Everything is just really fast because he's started for three years.

"I think that's been good for TJ to understand how to accelerate things. I think that was TJ's biggest problem last year — and it's not his fault; he was a true freshman. Things were happening really fast, and he couldn't keep up with it at times."

Wide Receivers

Holgorsen said earlier in camp that he wants his wideouts to be more than just downfield and edge blockers. A new twist this year is what Colandrea brings to the table as an off-schedule creator.

"We weren't very good at extending plays and off-schedule stuff last year, so receivers got really lazy," Holgorsen said. "That's been a big area of focus. I'm encouraging those guys to extend the play and make things happen."

Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Nyziah Hunter catches a touchdown over Maryland Terrapins defensive back Jamare Glasker. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Head coach Matt Rhule showed the wideouts Vanderbilt tape. The Commodores had an elite play-extender in Heisman Trophy finalist Diego Pavia.

"A lot of his plays are off-schedule plays," Holgorsen said. "I'm telling you, it looked as good as I've ever seen, just as far as him extending the play and receivers accelerating to open spots.

"We go out there, and we start working it. I think it's starting to click, starting to make sense what they need to do, but more importantly, how fast they have to do it."

Holgorsen noted that "they know who's back there", referring to Colondrea.

"They see him running around back there making plays, it kind of gets those guys fired up because it's a chance for an explosive play," Holgorsen said.

Offensive Line

Although the O-Line isn't a group that has much to do with off-schedule plays, as Holgorsen said, "their job's kind of done" at that point, the offensive coordinator is also figuring out what to do with a new-look group.

Last year, the line was defined by its size and power. This year is more mobile.

"The overall movement with those guys is something that's encouraging," Holgorsen said. "We had large humans last year, and this year it's going to be kind of a different group."

Nebraska offensive linemen Teddy Prochazka 65, Rocco Spindler 50, Justin Evans 51, Hentry Lutovsky 59 vs Michigan 2025 — Nebraska 2025 offensive linemen, from left, Teddy Prochazka, Rocco Spindler, Justin Evans and Hentry Lutovsky. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Holgorsen believes this group of lineman will be able to get downfield or on the perimeter on blocks with their athleticism in a different way. That means outside zone runs and screens.

"Pleased with where that group's at," Holgorsen said.

Where Holgorsen wants to see an improvement is in the downhill run game. That's what Nebraska is replacing with smaller guards and no Emmett Johnson.

Running Backs

Speaking of no Johnson, Holgorsen said the competition to be the next guy is "good".

"Mekhi (Nelson) looks explosive. (Isaiah) Mozee looks more comfortable. (Kwinten) Ives is getting in there, doing some things," Holgorsen said.

A standout has been the true freshman.

"Jamal Rule will turn some people's heads," Holgorsen said. "He's big but he's athletic. Runs as good as any of them."

Defensive Installs

Aurich has been installing his offense as he takes over the defense. A pair of his former players from other stops, linebacker Owen Chambliss and safety Dwayne McDougle III, are playing at a faster speed but bringing others with them.

"They're not thinking out there; they've been in it," Aurich said. "I really anticipate to see that gap close here in the second half of spring as the guys come out of the level 100 stuff to the level 200 part of the D."

Aurich said the defense as a whole is picking up what he's teaching.

"We're laying the foundation of a bunch of good principles that we're doing," Aurich said. "I think we have to get better at executing the 200 and 300 level of the defense."

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Aurich has gone through the installation process of his defense at Idaho and San Diego State. He now knows what steps to follow to get it in.

"The first half of spring, you want to lay down your core concepts and your foundation," Aurich said. "The second half, or second third, of spring, you want to get into the level 200, 300 of the in-depth, the higher level stuff, now that they have the foundation. The third level, you get to start personelling some things."

Those "personelling" include who is in on third downs, heavy sets, and the cheetah package.

"There's an ongoing battle. Everybody wants to be on cheetah," Aurich said.

Pass Rushing

The cheetah package features the four best rushers and five best defensive backs in coverage.

"Our cheetah package is what we call when we're hunting the quarterback," Aurich said. "

Aurich said a big part of the evaluation is who is winning one-on-ones and who can corral Colandrea. Among those likely to make this package are Jahsear Whittington, Anthony Jones Jr., Williams Nwaneri, and Sua Lefotu.

Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood gets sacked by Nebraska Cornhuskers linebacker Dasan McCullough. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

What Aurich wants the pass rush to get better at, from watching the tape of last year's defense, is improving the get-off and closing space to the quarterback.

"We need to get in the fight more in pass rushing," Aurich said. "Rather, we're hanging out on the edges trying to dance. We need to carve that pass rush arc and compress the quarterback."

Defenders Standing Out

Aurich listed a number of players that have stood out for him.

Pitt transfer defensive tackle Jahsear Whittington
UCLA edge transfer Anthony Jones Jr.
Oregon State transfer linebacker Dexter Foster

"Those three guys, I think, have been good for the program," Aurich said. "What it's done is raised the expectation of what the play looks like at those positions."

Aurich added that a guy "flashing" to him right now is defensive tackle Sua Lefotu.

"He's coming off an injury a little bit, but you're starting to see him flash in some inside periods," Aurich said.

Other Notes

Former Husker All-American and Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch took in practice Saturday and then spoke with the team.
Aurich was encouraged by the players in Lincoln and what was available in the portal to run his defense.
Aurich wants linebackers to have the ability to accelerate, laterally move, and be firm on contact.
Competition is ongoing for the defensive back spots.

Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to kalebhenry.huskermax@gmail.com.