If we accept what the Nebraska Red-White Spring Game actually is, then Saturday’s sometimes scrimmage, part-time practice, full-time showcase of Husker football was exactly what the team and fan base needed.
For the team, nobody moved up or down a depth chart. In the other practices this spring, Scott Frost and company got a much better idea of the order in their rooms. Plus there were plenty of expected starters, particularly on the offensive line, not taking part this spring.
“We have seen 14 practices of guys doing what they need to do and the schemes that we are running today was just about showcasing some of that to the fans and finishing spring ball the right way,” Frost said.
But, for the most part, guys got through the day healthy. Running back Markese Stepp hobbled to the sideline in the first half. Stepp was the only one to look too banged up on a day when the quarterbacks even took the green jerseys off in the second half to take on contact.
For the fans, it was the first time seeing a number of new players at Memorial Stadium. None of the nearly 55,000 in attendance had been back since the season ended, and that number of people showing up for a scrimmage/practice/whatever definitely looked good for the recruits on hand.
“Any time we can be on the field in front of fans it is great,” Frost said. “We miss it. There is just not a better environment.”
As for the game itself, the coaches elected to score offense and defense instead of having specific Red and White teams. The scoring broke down like this:
Offensive Scoring System (Red Team)
- Touchdown = 6 points
- PAT = 1 point
- 2-Point Conversion = 2 points
- Field Goal = 3 points
- 4th-Down Conversion = 1 point
Defensive Scoring System (White Team)
- Defensive TD = 1 point
- PAT (Defensive TD) = 1 point
- Interception = 6 points
- Fumble Recovery = 6 points
- Three & Out = 2 points
- Sack = 2 points
- 4th-Down Stop = 2 points
- 2-Point Stop = 2 points
- Stop Drive Before 50 = 1 point
The interesting scoring setup, and lack of offense in the first half, saw White (defense) race out to a 12-0 lead and hold a 29-10 advantage at the half. That makes sense since the defense needed to only touch the ball carrier for a tackle to be given.
“I thought it was a little ugly offensively in the first half,” Frost said. “That being said it is hard to tell whether some of those runs go when you are blowing it dead. We were being dreadfully simple and running inside zone and between the tackles and then you get tagged off and they would blow it down.
“I would not have wanted to be an official and decide where to spot a lot of those but it is hard to get a real read from that.”
The second half, when tackling was live and even the green jerseys came off for the QBs, favored the offense. Red scored seven points in the third quarter and 22 in the fourth, but the defense managed two turnovers and a fourth-down stop to secure the 43-39 victory.
Three quarterbacks saw action in the first half and three more in the second half.
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Casey Thompson, the presumed starter, led three drives, resulting in two punts and a field goal. Thompson threw the ball just four times, completing three passes for 31 yards.
Logan Smothers was the second quarterback to take a snap. Smothers led seven drives, resulting in five punts, a turnover on downs, and the end of the half. He threw for 46 yards on 5-of-14 passing.
Chubba Purdy was the other QB to take first half snaps. Purdy led three drives, resulting in one made field goal, one missed field goal, and a turnover on downs.
In the second half, Heinrich Haarberg got some work, along with walk-ons Matt Masker and Jarrett Synek. The only scholarship QB to not take snaps was freshman Richard Torres, who has been limited this spring with an injury.
Haarberg completed 4-of-7 passes for 78 yards with one interception. He also had a 34-yard touchdown pass to Kamonte Grimes.
Masker, the longest-tenured QB in the room, completed 4-of-9 passes for 29 yards.
Synek delivered an electric 16-yard scramble for a touchdown. He also threw for a TD, a 42-yarder to Ty Hahn, as part of his 3-for-5 day passing for 55 yards.
Away from the QBs, Anthony Grant got the crowd going with a 60-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. He finished with 69 yards while playing during the touch portion of the game.
Trevin Luben led all rushers with 91 yards on eight carries.
The tight ends had plenty of targets early. Nate Boerkircher and AJ Rollins combined for six catches for 57 yards. This bodes well for the fall when Travis Vokolek is expected to return to full strength. Thomas Fidone also missed most of the spring with an injury.
Just as shaky as breaking down the offensive numbers, defense is even more difficult. With half the game being played by the touch and the second half having mostly backups, Grant Tagge led the defense with eight total tackles.
Colton Feist had a nice pass breakup in the first half, as did Tyreke Johnson.
Darius Moore grabbed the only interception of the day — providing the Whites their go-ahead points in the final minute — while Ryan Schommer picked up the only defensive fumble recovery.
While we can’t glean too much from a day where the teams were a mishmash of who was even available and the scoring system favored the defense (according to Omar Manning talking with the Huskers Radio Network during the game broadcast), what we can take away from Saturday is that the fans haven’t given up on Frost and this team.
Despite not making a bowl game in any of his first four seasons, hope springs eternal for Frost and the Nebraska football this offseason. Only 140 days until the Northwestern game in Ireland to begin the 2022 campaign.
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