Go ahead, try to knock the football from Dedrick Mills' grasp.
Take a shot at it. He's carrying it around every day this week, he said.
He carries it to his classes. To the grocery store. Even to the Nebraska football team's weekly news conference Monday.
"You're not going to get it," the junior running back said. "Anybody can try. It's not coming out anymore. That's it."
Mills lost a fumble in the second quarter Saturday night against Illinois, one of Nebraska's four lost fumbles in the 42-38 triumph.
A 5-foot-11, 220-pound junior-college transfer, Mills has lost fumbles in three of the Huskers' four games this season. As for toting a football in his daily life, it's his idea, he said.
"I want to focus on holding on to the ball," he said.
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Mills last used the approach to curing fumble issues as a standout at Ware County High School in Georgia, even though he only fumbled twice in high school, he said.
He thinks he understands why he's fumbled a few times this season.
"It's just me holding on to the ball with two hands, but when it comes to hitting the ground, I always try to catch myself with one hand," he said. "Someone always comes in and hits me or hits the ball right on the spot, and it comes out."
On two of his lost fumbles, he thought he was down before the ball came loose. No matter. He's not making excuses. He started carrying the ball with him right after practice Monday.
Other than his fumbles, Mills feels good about his progress. Entering Saturday night's game against fifth-ranked Ohio State, he has rushed 46 times for 229 yards (5.0 yards per carry) and five touchdowns. Against Illinois, he carried 12 times for 45 yards and two TDs.
"I have a feel for the offense now — a whole lot more," he said. "I'm starting to run the ball and see things a lot more clearly. You can tell that by the yards I'm getting."
A new Blackshirt: There was an additional Blackshirt hanging in the locker room before Monday's practice.
JoJo Domann has been one of Nebraska's top defenders this season, and he was rewarded with a black practice jersey.
"It was nice (and) it was fun,†Domann said. "If you have a dream and the courage to pursue it, anything can happen. Earning a Blackshirt has been a process in the making over the last year and a half.â€
NU coach Scott Frost said Domann probably deserved a Blackshirt a lot sooner. But the 6-1, 235-pound versatile linebacker was slowed by injury at the start of fall camp, and missed several practices.
Domann shows no signs of rust. He has 17 tackles this year, and recorded his first sack against Illinois. He had four tackles against South Alabama.
Fun to watch: Nebraska junior safety Eli Sullivan had a nice view from the sideline Saturday night as he watched a couple of teammates come up big on offense.
"Adrian (Martinez) found that look in his eye late in the game and you knew he was going to take over — him and Wan'Dale (Robinson)," Sullivan said. "You could just see it clicking. It's just so fun to see them play when they have that look in their eyes. It makes you want to just sit and watch and let them be on the field.
"As much as we want to be on the field on defense — getting turnovers and sacks — you see them operate and you're like, 'Whew, good thing that's not us on defense.'"
Washington practices: Maurice Washington is apparently good to go. The sophomore running back didn't play in the second half Saturday and the Husker Sports radio broadcast said he was being evaluated for a head injury.
Frost, while discussing Robinson, intimated Monday that Washington practiced in a helmets-only session earlier in the day.
"We’re a better team when Mo Washington and Dedrick (Mills) are on the field, too," Frost said. "So we’ve got to try to get all those guys out there as much as we can. Everybody was good to go today at practice, so (Robinson)’s going to practice mostly at receiver."
-- Steven M. Sipple