It's mostly quiet on the Jahkeem Green front since the junior college defensive tackle arrived at Nebraska during the second week of fall camp.
A four-star recruit considered to be one of the top juco prospects in the nation, Green was likely headed to the SEC before a quirky academic rule prevented him from qualifying in that conference.
Once on campus, he made an immediate impression. Defensive coordinator Erik Chinander said he could challenge for a starting role.
But the 6-foot-5, 305-pound Green has yet to see the field, and Nebraska's defensive line has proved through three games to be a strength.
So what does that mean for the rest of Green's season?
"We're kind of evaluating that as we go," Nebraska coach Scott Frost said Thursday. "It depends on health and everything else. He's getting really close to being ready."
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Even if Green is close to making his first appearance as a Husker, he's still a strong candidate for a redshirt. Green could play in four games this season and still be given a redshirt under NCAA rules.
"He's got a ton of talent, so we're excited about him," Frost said. "If we can just play him in four (games) and have two years left with him, I think that's the direction we'd like to go, but you never know how the season is going to unfold."
Defending less: Nebraska's defense will be on the field plenty as long as Frost is coaching the Huskers. It's just the nature of how NU plays, with an uptempo offense capable of striking for big plays.
But through three games, Nebraska has defended 238 plays (79.3 per game), which is No. 126 in the country. Only Wyoming, Oklahoma State, Louisiana Tech and Florida State (nation-high 259) have defended more so far this fall.
That number has "been higher than I want it to be. Part of it’s been good with the big plays, part of it’s been bad with lack of execution and having quick drives on offense, so we need to find a balance there," Frost said. "Every team I’ve ever coached, the defense has to stop a lot of plays and has to be on the field quite a bit because of the nature of our offense, but it’s been higher than we want right now."
More for Rahmir:Â Speedy freshman running back Rahmir Johnson got his first collegiate carries last week against Northern Illinois, running three times for 9 yards.
NU running backs coach Ryan Held has been complimentary of the New Jersey native, saying throughout the fall he would be able to help the Nebraska offense.
On Thursday, Frost said Johnson is close to being able to get on the field more.
"I think Rahmir’s got a bright future. He’s one of the speed guys that our offense needs," Frost said. "He’s getting more and more familiar with the offense, he just needs to limit some mistakes in practice so we can trust him to be out there more, but he’s definitely a guy who can do great things with the ball in his hands."
900 club:Â With a win Saturday at Illinois, Nebraska would become the sixth college football program to win 900 games. NU's 899-389-40 record leaves it one game short of a 900-win club that includes Michigan, Ohio State, Texas, Alabama and Notre Dame.
That was news to Frost, but the coach said it's a place Nebraska should be.
"But Nebraska belongs in conversation with those types of schools. We’re doing everything we can to get ourselves to that level again," Frost said. "Every school’s kind of gone through downturns. I look at Oklahoma, and when I was in school we beat them bad (73-21 in 1996 and 69-7 in 1997). They weren’t as good a team. Then they got the right people back in there with Coach (Bob) Stoops and Coach (Lincoln) Riley, and Oklahoma’s humming again.
"So that’s what we want to try and accomplish, and we’re on our way to that."
— Chris Basnett