Things I know, and things I think I know:Â
Don't stop me if you've heard this before.
Nebraska's football team comes off seven weeks of winter conditioning as it heads into Monday's start of spring practice. This is a critical time of year for player development. If you're a Husker fan you should expect more from the program in this regard based on one statistic alone.Â
Nebraska hasn't had a first-team All-Big Ten selection since punter Sam Foltz in 2015. You have to go back to 2014 to find the last time the Huskers had something other than a special-teams selection. Defensive end Randy Gregory and wide receiver Kenny Bell were honored that year, Bo Pelini's final season as head coach.
Yes, six seasons ago.
Don't tell me it doesn't matter. Ohio State had seven first-team All-Big Ten selections in 2019. Of course it matters.
People are also reading…
In its breakout 2019 season under P.J. Fleck, Minnesota had three first-team players, same as Wisconsin and Iowa.
Nebraska in 2019 was the only team in the Big Ten West Division that failed to produce at least one first-team all-conference pick. Yeah, that's embarrassing for a program with such a proud history. It's sort of astonishing considering the amount of resources NU pours into recruiting.Â
But here we are again. As Nebraska prepares for the 2020 season, there's nobody you can identify as a surefire first-team selection. If you're a Husker fan, you hope senior offensive linemen Brenden Jaimes and Matt Farniok can progress to that level. Perhaps Adrian Martinez can return to that level. You have to figure center Cam Jurgens can reach that level eventually. Same goes for all-purpose player Wan'Dale Robinson. Running back Dedrick Mills may get enough touches this season to put up all-conference-level numbers. We'll see on that.Â
This discussion is perhaps more interesting when it comes to defense. Erik Chinander's crew, as it stands, has impressive depth at several spots but less star power than the offense. The strongest candidate to become a first-team selection in 2020 is probably senior corner/safety Dicaprio Bootle, who was a third-team selection by the coaches in 2018. Maybe outside linebacker JoJo Domann becomes a consistent play-making force.Â
Another top candidate for all-conference honors is defensive back Cam Taylor-Britt, although it's unclear exactly what role he'll play. His best spot might be as a nickel, which would allow bigger-bodied corners Braxton Clark (6-foot-4, 210 pounds) and Quinton Newsome (6-2, 180) to get more playing time.
Nebraska's defensive backfield has some impressive young talent waiting to emerge. Travis Fisher has a lot of options back there. There may even be a first-team all-conference pick or two. And, yes, it matters.
* Count redshirt freshman safety Noa Pola-Gates among the impressive young players in Fisher's secondary. However, Pola-Gates will be limited this spring by an injury that required surgery last fall.Â
In a Sunday column, I mentioned redshirt freshman safety Myles Farmer as an up-and-comer in the program to watch. Javin Wright, son of former Husker great Toby Wright, also qualifies in that regard. Fisher's recruiting (and coaching) have been excellent, hence his big offseason raise.
* Much has been made of Nebraska having only four scholarship receivers on hand for spring drills. It's obviously a concern. But it's also a chance for walk-ons to shine. In addition to junior Kade Warner (25 career catches), keep an especially close watch on the progress of junior Christian Banker (Omaha Skutt) and sophomore Bennett Folkers (Gothenburg). They've progressed well behind the scenes.Â
* Your Naismith Trophy Coach of the Year semifinalists: John Calipari (Kentucky), Patrick Chambers (Penn State), Scott Drew (Baylor), Brian Dutcher (San Diego State), Mark Few (Gonzaga), Anthony Grant (Dayton), Leonard Hamilton (Florida State), Greg McDermott (Creighton), Bruce Pearl (Auburn) and Mark Pope (BYU).
Wisconsin's Greg Gard didn't make the cut even though he deserves Big Ten Coach of the Year. His Badgers, on the strength of their eight-game winning streak, earned the top seed in the conference tournament even though they lack a first-team all-conference player. That only underscores the excellent nature of his work.
* Nebraska sophomore point guard Cam Mack this season has been benched three times and suspended twice. It's become an unfortunate storyline in part because he possesses the talent to be the best to ever play the position at NU (think Tyronn Lue, Jack Moore and Brian Carr). But he's required so much disciplinary action that it's gotten ridiculous. I hardly ever advocate kicking a college kid to the curb -- especially an underclassman -- but at some point a player has to help himself, and be accountable to his team.
First-year Husker head coach Fred Hoiberg is trying to lay a solid foundation for his program, and Mack is testing the no-nonsense coach. Fred will likely announce roster moves early next week. Can 6-foot-8 sit-out transfer Dalano Banton play point guard? That's just one key question to think about in the coming week as it relates to Mack.Â
Another is this: How much has Mack eroded his head coach's trust in him? The head coach and point guard almost have to be on the same page for a team to have meaningful success.Â
* Regarding the finality of former Nebraska running back Maurice Washington's legal case: I genuinely wonder if there's ever been more column inches devoted to a case that resulted in a misdemeanor plea. The exhaustive — even encyclopedic — coverage of Husker football often trends toward bizarre.