Red Report: What Whipple likes about Smothers; QB Purdy working back into action; Beckton happy with young TEs | Football

Logan Smothers threw an interception on Wednesday morning during Nebraska’s 11th practice of the spring, but his position coach only brought it up afterward to highlight what he deems progress.

“Right away he knew, ‘I need to throw it here,'” Whipple said of the sophomore from Alabama. “When you make a mistake and you don’t know why you made a mistake, that’s what concerns you. But he knows.”

That’s part of what the first-year offensive coordinator likes about Smothers, in addition to his athleticism and his smarts.

“He’s done a good job in the scrimmages that we’ve had, he’s got a lot of reps and I’ve been pleased with him,” Whipple said. “He’s done a good job.”

Smothers and Chubba Purdy are likely both chasing Casey Thompson for the starting job. Purdy, the Florida State transfer, is working back from a foot injury that’s kept him limited through all of spring but may now finally be mostly in the rearview mirror.

“Last week he had a bunch of skelly reps, 7-on-7, then today he got some team reps,” Whipple said. “So it’s better. Better and better that way functioning. He’s been fine.”

Overall, the coordinator likes the way his group is interacting, learning and competing for time.

“Everybody’s competing, but they’re helping one another out. It’s a good room,” Whipple said. “That’s important.”

OL confidence growing: How have things changed for Nebraska’s offensive line under new coach Donovan Raiola?

“It sounds weird, and I feel like you’ve probably heard this before, but when you watch it you’ll know the difference,” sophomore offensive lineman Brant Banks said Wednesday.

While the general public doesn’t yet know how effective NU will be at moving the line of scrimmage offensively, there seems to be growing sentiment inside the walls at Memorial Stadium that the Huskers will be more effective up front.

“I have whole faith that everyone we have in that room are the guys that we need to come out and down what we want to do next year, and I think that’s what’s going to happen,” Banks said. “There are no doubts in my mind that we can get it done with who we have.”

TE to watch: Injuries at the tight end position mean more repetitions for younger players.

Keep an eye on Nate Boerkircher, a redshirt freshman walk-on from Aurora.

“The first guy that I’m really proud of how hard he’s worked, is Nate Boerkircher,” Nebraska tight ends coach Sean Beckton said. “He’s been very detailed since the offseason. He’s worked really hard in the weight room. He’s really improved in all facets. He’s become a run blocker, (and) I don’t think he’s had a drop all spring. He’s making tough plays.”

Two other redshirt freshmen, AJ Rollins and James Carnie, also are seeing significant action.

Rollins “probably had his best day of practice” Wednesday, the coach said.

Meanwhile, Carnie, a Norris graduate, suffered a minor knee injury.

“Nothing too bad,” the coach said.

Getting after it: Beckton appreciates how hard Nebraska is practicing on both sides of the ball.

“The best thing I’ve seen is the physicality on both sides,” he said. “It’s been a really, really chippy spring ball. That’s what you need to prepare yourself for the Big Ten. Guys are physical — fighting and finishing — on both sides of the ball up front. Even the receivers and DBs are doing a better job of finishing to the ball.

“That’s one of the things that’s glaring to me. These guys come out every single day. We haven’t had any practices where there’s been a lull. Coach (Scott Frost) has done a great job of getting guys motivated.”

It starts on special teams with new coordinator Bill Busch, Beckton said.

“He sees those guys early in the morning and gets those guys motivated to go. They come out with a passion every single day. That’s what it’s going to take for us to continue to move this program forward.”

Double Whip: Whipple’s new quality control coach is the younger of his two sons, Austin Whipple. The coordinator said Wednesday that Austin had the same role at Pitt after a playing career that began at Penn State and finished as a quarterback under Mark at Pitt.

“We have eight quarterbacks now, so he does a really good job of handling the other things,” Mark Whipple said of his son. “He knows the progressions, he knows the footwork. It’s a good buffer. Sometimes I can be a … I can be uncomfortable. He’ll grab a guy on the side if I get after somebody. It’s a good thing that way. It’s been a good thing for the quarterbacks and it’s been nice for me.”