Football coaches rarely like surprises, particularly when it comes to the health of their players, but Nebraska received something of a pleasant one as preseason camp hits full gear.
Junior running back Markese Stepp, a USC transfer who missed all but the team’s first two spring practices in April after doctors determined he needed foot surgery, appears to be ahead of schedule.
That has made him squarely a factor in NU’s six-man competition for the starting running back job this fall.
“He’s done some really good things. This is really his first time taking reps because he was hurt in the spring, but he looks 100% and ready to roll,†Lubick said.
Coach Scott Frost said last month at Big Ten Media Days that Stepp, a 6-foot-1, 230-pounder, might be on a “pitch count†to begin camp, but Lubick on Wednesday said that hasn’t really needed to be the case.
A couple of caveats: NU is keeping a close eye on Stepp and on Thursday the team goes full pads for the first time, so there is still reason for some level of caution.
However, Lubick said he at this point doesn’t have any doubts that Stepp is just about full speed.
“Coming into this fall, we kind of thought limited reps, let’s see what he can do, we don’t want to rush him back too soon and see how he progresses," Lubick said. "He’s been doing better than we thought as far as his health. I don’t know, it’s kind of a practice-by-practice thing, but I think he’s ready to roll in a scrimmage. If we had to play tomorrow, he’d be ready to roll. We feel good about that. He’s kind of progressed faster than we thought he would from a health standpoint."Â
Lubick said all of Nebraska’s running backs are still getting about equal repetitions in practice.
“Sevion Morrison is repping with the No. 1s and No. 2s, he’s done some really good things,†Lubick said. “Gabe Ervin made big steps, which we expected, because when you’re a freshman, the biggest steps you make — he was actually here in the spring, so from spring to fall. He’s doing some really good things. So is Marvin (Scott). Rahmir (Johnson) is probably having his best spring since he’s been here.
“We’ve got good competition there.â€
Lubick also continued to have high praise for Ervin, the freshman from Georgia.Â
"Gabe's talented, but he's very physically tough," Lubick said. "He runs the ball hard between the tackles, he runs through contact, and he's not afraid to take on a linebacker coming off the edge. It's a big quality we look for in all of our players is physical and mental toughness."Â
Lubick said it’s too early to say what the depth chart is going to look like.
“Today was only practice No. 5, so we’re just getting into it. We’d like to get a definite No. 1 and then a No. 2, and the reason for that is just so we can give him more of the reps. Right now we’re installing our whole offense, so we’re exposing them to everything, but once we really start to pare it down and do the Illinois game plan, you want to have ones and you want to have twos, but the No. 1s need a lot of reps.
“Sooner is better than later, but again, we’re very early in camp.â€
Photos: Huskers hit the field Wednesday morning for practice No. 5
The North Star product's strength is that he has no glaring weaknesses. It also helps that he’s faster to the ball than almost anyone on the defense.