Scott Frost was asked about no less than five positions groups Friday as the Nebraska football team completed its first week of fall camp.
He sounded like a coach happy with the direction things were going. In particular the depth of his skill positions on offense and the versatility that increased quality will provide the coaching staff.
"Some of the versatility of those guys is going to help us. It's going to help us scheme, and it's also going to help us defend against any potential nicks that happen to guys," Frost said Friday. "If we get short in the backfield there's a couple receivers, like Miles (Jones) and Wan'Dale (Robinson) that can take carries. Those guys have looked really good in the backfield too.
"The inverse of that, if we get a couple receivers hurt, Mo (Maurice) Washington and some guys can go out and they know the routes."
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It seems, slowly but surely, that the Husker offense is morphing into what Frost and his coaching staff envision: a highly-skilled quarterback (in this case Adrian Martinez) surrounded by interchangeable parts capable of stressing a defense from multiple spots.
"The tight ends are also doing good enough I feel like they’re going to be a big enough threat in the pass game that we’ll have to play more with two tight ends on the field and we’ll be fine," Frost continued. "Just the depth at all those positions is going to help us from a scheme standpoint, and also going to helps us protect against any potential injuries."
Much of Frost's optimism stems from a wide receiver position that the coach feels is "night and day better than last year".
JD Spielman has continued to do JD Spielman things, Frost said. Andre Hunt, Mike Williams and Jaron Woodyard have improved. Freshman Darien Chase has made plays there are walk-ons in the mix. That's not to mention Cal graduate transfer Kanawi Noa, who has added experience and a deep understanding of the college game.
"We just have way more guys that we can trust to be where they're supposed to be, trust to get open. A lot more weapons for the quarterbacks," Frost said. "Seven-on-seven looks different because we're stretchign the field, guys are running at full speed, and we're getting to spots we couldn't get to last year."