Outta Control Optimism

So we're halfway through spring ball, and despite my best efforts to keep from getting too excited about all the glowing reviews coming out of practice, I just can't help myself. Bo seems to already be changing the mindset of the once-downtrodden Husker defense, and word coming out of camp is that they are flying around with an enthusiasm and confidence that was (obviously) non-existent the past few years. While this is encouraging, we have to keep in mind that the Huskers were the 112th-ranked defense last season, so even an incredible improvement would only put them in the top 50 units in the nation. Of course, couple that with a top-15 offense, and you'll probably finish with more than 5 wins.

I know that everyone is probably really distracted today due to tonight's title game between Tennessee and.....um.....whoever else is in the women's championship game, but before we get too carried away with all the exciting lay-ups and set shots that are sure to make it a barn burner, let's look at a couple developments with the Huskers.

- While it's a bit early to hand him the Bednarik, it seems that Cody Glenn, despite my expert analysis that he would struggle, seems to be doing well thus far on the defensive side of the ball. I thought that there might be too much rust for him to make much of a contribution, but time may prove me wrong. But the main thing to stress at this point of the experiment, as always, is patience. After all, Bo knows:

“It’s either (that) he shows it’s a fit or not a fit. So far he’s done a lot of good things. He’s made some plays. But it’s too early on making a rash judgment. I do like some of the things I’ve seen out of him.”

The real question is this: being a senior, will he make any kind of contribution in games this fall? Even if he can provide about 20 snaps a game, that would be considered a huge success.

-In a move that will have traditionalist Husker fans bowing at Pelini and Watson's feet, the Big Red have apparently been working a little bit of the option game into their practices. When we were going through the interview process after Callahan's ouster, many of the old-school Husker fans were clamoring for Paul Johnson, mainly because he loves the option like a fat kid loves cake.

I was never part of that camp, but at least they'll be appeased by some elements of the option this fall. What I am really hoping to see is some elements of the spread, with Helu at the slot and Lucky in the backfield, where we have Ganz either pitching to Lucky or giving Roy a shovel going the other way, against the flow of the defense, who will be keyed on Marlon. This kind of offense will keep defenses guessing all game, and make our already-good offense extremely potent. Nobody knows how much Bo and Watson actually use the option, but the fact that it will have even a small part in the Big Red offense this fall can't help me from feeling nostalgic.

-One article I enjoyed thoroughly was the OWH's article about Jared Crick taking some of his city-raised teammates home to Cozad, Nebraska. It's truly a satisfying experience to take kids who have never been out of a metro area to a small town community. I grew up in Iowa and still have a farm about an hour East of Omaha, and several times I have taken some of my friends from the Twin Cities there for four-wheeling, tractor driving, and relaxation. It's a rewarding experience, and the guys gain a new appreciation for a slower pace of life and genuine small-town kindness. I'm just glad to hear that it's happening with the Huskers, because that is a huge bonding experience. Maybe I'm biased, but to look in every direction and see farmland and hear nothing but the breeze.......that, to me, is the good life.