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Four practices in, Bo still looking at linebackers
Four practices in, Bo still looking at linebackers
8:00 p.m.: Four spring practices haven't been enough for Nebraska coach Bo Pelini to determine who might be ready to lead and play the way at linebacker that Phillip Dillard did finishing last... »

Three could leave NU men's team
Three could leave NU men's team
2:30 p.m.: Nebraska men's basketball coach Doc Sadler is wrapping up individual meetings with players as I write this. It appears there could be three who leave the program because of family... »

K.C. goes red and green
K.C. goes red and green
8:15 p.m. Greetings from the Sprint Center, where the predominant colors are red (Nebraska fans), green (Notre Dame) and black (curtain around the upper deck): »

BASKETBALL PREVIEW

The World-Herald's college basketball preview section, "Destination: Unknown," including in-depth analysis of the squads, conference outlooks, players to watch and more.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW

The World-Herald's 2009 college football preview, featuring three distinct sections: "Formula for success," "A thinking man's game," and "Finding a new mix."
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    REBECCA S. GRATZ/THE WORLD-HERALD


    NU defensive end Barry Turner, who finished with four tackles, smacks quarterback Jerome Tiller during a fourth-quarter pass attempt.




    FOOTBALL NOTES

    Robinson earns praise in his debut

    LINCOLN — Just a week removed from a possible redshirt season, Nebraska freshman I-back Dontrayevous Robinson got plenty of work Saturday.

    Robinson carried 15 times for 77 yards and scored his first career touchdown on a 3-yard run in the first quarter. After the TD, the 6-foot-1, 215-pounder from Euless, Texas, went down the line congratulating and thanking members of the offense.

    “From the first look, from just watching during the game, I thought he did some good things,'' NU coach Bo Pelini.

    As with most everything in the 9-7 loss to Iowa State, however, Robinson had his down moments.

    After plowing to the ISU 5 with a 13-yard run in the third quarter, Robinson saw the ball stripped and James Smith recovered for the Cyclones.

    But running backs coach Tim Beck also pointed out good things from Robinson in his first game at I-back. He had played only on special teams against Texas Tech.

    “We try to keep him in the meetings and things,'' Beck said. “He had a general understanding, but not the specifics, and that kind of limited him a little bit in the last game. We were in some two-minute situations last game. (He didn't know) signals and everything, that kind of stuff.

    “You've got to learn to walk before you can run. He was in a walking pace last game. If last game warranted a walking pace, he probably would have played a little bit more.''

    No blaming shoulder

    Coaches didn't blame Roy Helu's two fumbles on the junior's beat-up shoulder.

    The normally sure-handed I-back lost the ball on his first carry, leading to an ISU field goal. Then, early in the third quarter, he fumbled again inside the ISU 5-yard line. The Cyclones recovered that one for a touchback.

    Helu suffered a stinger against Texas Tech. Against Missouri, he injured his right shoulder. He spent last week practicing in a no-contact jersey.

    But Pelini said Helu's fumbles weren't injury-related, and Beck agreed.

    “We've got to hang on to the ball. It doesn't matter,” Beck said. “If he can't do it, we've got to find someone else. That's the bottom line.”

    Helu didn't participate in postgame interviews.

    Caputo steps in

    Backup center Mike Caputo got the most extensive playing time of his career when starter Jacob Hickman left after the first two series with an ankle injury.

    Assistant coach Barney Cotton said he had “absolute faith” in the sophomore out of Millard North.

    “To be honest with you, we kind of consider ‘Puter' a starter anyway,” Cotton said. “It's just that when you have a starter like Hick, it sometimes becomes hard to get a guy like him on the field.”

    Also, senior Derek Meyer got work behind Keith Williams at left guard as part of a planned rotation. Cotton also inserted senior Andy Christensen at right guard in place of Ricky Henry in the second quarter.

    Suh impresses Tiller

    Jerome Tiller doesn't have a vote for the Heisman Trophy. But if he did, you can bet the Iowa State quarterback would put Ndamukong Suh on it.

    Tiller called Suh's ability “ridiculous,” and said he lost his breath a couple of times when the 300-pound defensive tackle fell on him.

    “He should not be that quick on his feet like that,” Tiller said. “That guy's going to be something else in the league.”

    Big week for ISU

    Iowa State's 9-7 victory Saturday wrapped up a good week for the Cyclones against Nebraska.

    The volleyball team on Wednesday scored its first victory in 75 matches against the Huskers with a win at the NU Coliseum. Saturday, the football team left Memorial Stadium with its first victory there since 1977.

    “The volleyball team helped send a message for this university and our athletic department.,” Rhoads said.

    Rhoads did little to downplay the significance of Iowa State's first win in Lincoln since Jimmy Carter was president.

    “When you don't win in a stadium on the road since 1977, it's big,” Rhoads said. “This is a (Nebraska) program that has as much tradition as anyone in college football. This is a program that was in the top 25 a week ago. It's a big win.''

    Fleet punter

    Iowa State's lone touchdown came one play after punter Mike Brandtner had run 20 yards for a first down on a fake. Facing fourth and 5 at the Iowa State 35-yard line, Brandtner took the snap and raced into open field around the left side of Nebraska's defense.

    Brandtner said videotape of Husker games showed that running up the middle might work.

    “They rush two guys off the ends of our middle wedge,'' Brandtner said. “I was originally supposed to go up the middle, but no one came from the left side. I just took off to the outside and ran.”

    Brandtner said his first thought when he looked downfield was touchdown.

    “As a punter, that's usually in your mind,'' he said, chuckling. “I was thinking about it afterward that I probably could have cut back and kept going. But I just wanted to get the first down, and Coach Rhoads told me to hit the ground or get out of bounds.”

    The play produced a first down at the Nebraska 47. On the next play, Tiller hooked up with Jake Williams for the game-winning score.

    “After the game, Mike told me he set that score up,” Rhoads said. “He took a lot of credit for it. I had to remind him that he had a couple of bad punts to go along with it.''

    Brandtner, who came into the game ranked fourth in the Big 12 in punting, averaged 40 yards on his nine kicks. He had kicks of 60 and 58 yards in the first half but mixed in a 19-yarder in the third quarter. Five of his punts dropped inside the Nebraska 20-yard line.

    Bowling season?

    Iowa State moved within a win of becoming bowl eligible, pretty heady stuff for a team expected to contend for the Big 12's basement.

    “This is a big win, but it's just one in moving us closer to our goal,'' center Reggie Stephens said. “getting to a bowl game is what we're striving for, all the workouts, all the weightlifting, all the getting up at 6 a.m. It just feels good to be in this position.”

    — Rich Kaipust, Jon Nyatawa, Steven Pivovar and Nick Rubek




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