Nebraska Football: Position-by-Position Spring Practice Preview

Nebraska football’s spring practice starts soon, culminating at the spring game on April 6 (weather permitting). This is all the football the Children of the Corn are going to get until after the summer, so it would be wise for fans to savor every moment.

To help with that, let’s take a look at each position and see what we can expect from Nebraska this spring.

Quarterback

Safe as starter: Taylor Martinez. I know how frustrating he can be for many fans, but Martinez is still the most dangerous offensive weapon in Nebraska’s arsenal. Offensive coordinator Tim Beck will construct this year’s attack around his skills.

Fighting for playing time: Tommy Armstrong and Ron Kellogg III. Will youth and talent win out over experience?

Needs a big spring performance: Ron Kellogg III. Kellogg will need to sparkle in the spring to avoid being relegated to clipboard duty.

Breakout candidate: Tommy Armstrong. It’s possible Martinez will have legitimate competition for the first time in his Nebraska career.

Running Backs

Safe as starter: Ameer Abdullah. With Braylon Heard’s departure, Abdullah looks locked in at I-back.

Fighting for playing time: Andy Janovich and Mike Marrow at fullback. Janovich seems to have the inside track, but Marrow has the kind of physical talents to warrant a second chance.

Needs a big spring performance: Imani Cross. With the two new freshman I-backs arriving in Lincoln, Cross may have to work hard to retain a spot as first-off-the-bench backup.

Breakout candidate: Terrell Newby II and Adam Taylor. Logic would dictate that one of these two freshmen will win a roster spot and the other would redshirt. But Bo Pelini didn’t do that with his last group of talented young running backs—and now only one is left on the team.

It will be interesting to see if that experience informs Pelini’s roster decisions this season.

Receivers

Safe as starter: Kenny Bell, Jamal Turner and Quincy Enunwa at receiver, Jake Long at tight end.

Fighting for playing time: Taariq Allen, Jordan Westerkamp and Tyler Evans will all be in the mix to get snaps at wide receiver.

Needs a big spring performance: Cethan Carter and Greg Hart. With only one tight end who has any experience, the door is wide open for either freshman to grab playing time right away.

Breakout candidate: Tyler Wullenwaber lost much of 2012 to injury, but he has the kind of speed (not to mention an awesome name) that could be a huge asset to Nebraska’s offense.

Offensive Line

Safe as starter: Spencer Long. On an offensive line that has been much maligned, Long may be one of the best linemen in the B1G.

Fighting for playing time: Brent Qvale, Andrew Rodriguez and Jeremiah Sirles are the only three returning tackles, and will be sparring between them for starting roles and to hold off some of the new additions.

Needs a big spring performance: Cole Pensick. A near certainty to be Nebraska’s starting center, Pensick will need to learn how to take the leadership mantle for the offensive line on this spring.

Breakout candidate: Ryne Reeves. One of the few remaining linemen from Nebraska’s 2010 recruiting class, Reeves finally should get his chance to make a name for himself.

UPDATE: This slide has been updated to correct Spencer Long's name.

Defensive Line

Safe as starter: Jason Ankrah and Randy Gregory. Ankrah should be one of the defensive leaders, and Gregory looks ready to slot in right away.

Fighting for playing time: Aaron Curry, Vincent Valentine and Kevin Williams. Nebraska’s situation at defensive tackle is really up in the air, and all of the players who were fighting for scraps of playing time last season have their opportunity.

Needs a big spring performance: Tobi Okuyemi and Jay Guy. With Thaddeus Randle missing spring practice due to injury, Okuyemi and Guy may need this spring to take one last shot at a spot on the depth chart.

Breakout candidate: Randy Gregory. Perhaps the highlight of Nebraska’s 2013 recruiting class, Gregory looks to be an instant-impact signing for NU.

Linebackers

Safe as starter: David Santos. The only linebacker with any kind of experience returning in 2013, Santos looks to anchor Nebraska’s linebacker corps.

Fighting for playing time: Zaire Anderson, Jared Afalava and Michael Rose. With a year learning Pelini’s system, these three will have a leg up on the competition bearing down on them from behind.

Needs a big spring performance: Josh Banderas, Courtney Love, and Marcus Newby. Nebraska’s success at linebacker in the 2013 recruiting class might be stuff of legends in a few years, but it seems unlikely all will get playing time next season.

Spring practice will likely decide who gets redshirted.

Breakout candidate: Thomas Brown. Lost in all the shuffle of recruiting might have been Brown, who the coaches have raved about and could be the surprise of the spring.

Secondary

Safe as starter: Jonathan Rose at corner. The Auburn transfer sat out his transfer year in 2012 and looks ready to slide in as Nebraska’s primary corner.

Fighting for playing time: Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Harvey Jackson, Charles Jackson, Josh Mitchell, Corey Cooper and Ciante Evans. Yeah, that’s a big list, but Nebraska’s secondary is a muddled mess. Look for Pelini to chop and change all season, trying different players in different positions to see who works out.

Needs a big spring performance: Andrew Green. As a player who has won and lost a starting cornerback position, and with all the traffic in the secondary, Green needs a solid spring to re-establish his place on the depth chart.

Breakout candidate: Mohammed Seisay. Injuries hampered his 2012 season, but Seisay has the kind of size and physical skills that could help him stand out amongst the competitors in Nebraska’s secondary

Special Teams

Safe as starter: Mauro Bondi. While Nebraska’s run at another scholarship kicker in the 2013 class didn’t inspire confidence, Bondi looks the leader in the clubhouse for at least one of the two kicking roles.

Fighting for playing time: Jordan Bellar, Spencer Lindsay and Grant Schumacher. Bellar is the only punter listed on the pre-spring roster, but look for all three kickers to fight for a job.

Needs a big spring performance: Mauro Bondi. With Alex Henery and Brett Maher, Nebraska has had the luxury of an NFL-caliber kicker for the last few years. Bondi will need to take hold of the kicking position this spring and establish himself.

Breakout candidate: Terrell Newby II. One of the ways Ameer Abdullah earned his playing time as a freshman was as an electrifying kick returner. With Abdullah taking over the starting I-back position, look for another freshman to earn his stripes in the same manner. 

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