Glenn 'gimpy' in Wednesday's practice
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By the Lincoln Journal Star
Nebraska senior WILL linebacker Cody Glenn practiced Wednesday but isn’t 100 percent, coach Bo Pelini said after practice.
Glenn was injured in Saturday’s loss to Missouri and didn’t practice Monday.
“He’s not there yet,” Pelini said. “He was out there, but he’s still gimpy. It’s kind of a day-to-day thing. He’s getting better, but it’s not to the point where he can plant.”
What if Glenn is unable to play at Texas Tech?
“We’re working through a number of different options,” Pelini said. “We’ll see.”
Even with Glenn hobbled, the linebackers had what position coach Mike Ekeler said may have been the best practice all season.
“Just execution, attitude, attention to detail,” Ekeler said. “The kids, they came back. You would have thought we won 50-0 just by the attitude and the effort. It's just the character of these kids. ... They're hungry. We want to get back out there."
Ekeler also had some bouncing back of his own to do.
“I commented too much on our game plan last week,” Ekeler said, referring to his comments at Friday’s Big Red Breakfast in Omaha. “So I'm not going to jinx us this week," he said, smiling.
This and that: Pelini said the team “improved” during a good practice Wednesday. ... About Texas Tech’s offensive line, Pelini said: “They’ve got big guys who just try to engulf you and position block you, and they’ve got little backs who try to hit it quick. It all fits in (Mike Leach’s) system.”
Scouting report: DB Lance Thorell
Thorell’s significant playing time on Nebraska’s defense so far this season — he plays extensively in the dime package — has caught many Husker fans by surprise. A redshirt freshman walk-on from Loomis, he seemed to rise from nowhere.
Did Thorell anticipate playing so much this season?
“To be honest, not really,” he said. “I kind of had some goals to make it on special teams this year, and I was able to do that. Some injuries happened, and they moved me up. They moved me to this dime position, and I took it and ran with it. It’s been good ever since.”
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Thorell sees ample time against spread offenses and has recorded 14 tackles this season.
His role against Missouri?
“I played dime (sixth DB) and I was in the run fit quite a bit,” he said. “I played on the slot receivers on the inside. I was lined up almost like a linebacker.”
True freshman Alfonzo Dennard also is practicing at the dime spot. It’s a critical role, “especially with these teams spreading it out. We’ll be playing a lot of dime,” Thorell said.
Thorell expects to see extensive playing time against Texas Tech.
As for the Missouri game, “It didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to, obviously, so I was disappointed in the way I played. When the team doesn’t do well, you kind of put it on yourself to improve so the team improves as well.
“When the breaks don’t go your way, you have to dig down and settle down, mainly. Play your keys and do what you’ve been taught.”
Opponent watch: Oklahoma
OU middle linebacker Ryan Reynolds was perfect against Baylor.
At least, he graded out 100 percent, according to defensive coordinator Brent Venables.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever had that before,” Venables told The Oklahoman.
Venables, by the way, has coached a couple of Butkus Award winners and four All-Americans at linebacker.
“I tried to be very nit-picky, but he graded out at 100 percent.”
Reynolds leads the Sooners with 41 tackles. Against Baylor, he had a game-high 14 tackles, including two for loss.
Just asking: What does Pelini’s first travel roster of the season look like?
“You know, it’s on my desk, and I haven’t even looked at it yet,” Pelini said. “Jeff (Jamrog) kind of handles it with his coaches, and I’ll give it final approval.”
Nebraska can take 70 players.
— Brian Christoperson, Brian Rosenthal and Steven M. Sipple
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