Fall camp has reached its third week with the Huskers about three weeks from the Sept 5 opener against Ohio at Memorial Stadium. The first major scrimmage is done and the staff is sorting through the film to firm up depth and clean up the details before the final stretch toward game week.
Matt Rhule spoke with the media Saturday after that scrimmage and covered a few key points. On running back Mekhi Nelson he confirmed there would be no suspension or team discipline. The charges from the summer were dropped and Rhule said Nelson had been cleared. He pointed to his time at Baylor after the scandal there and stressed the need to avoid overreacting or underreacting. Nelson stays in the competition for carries in a backfield that handled the ball well in the scrimmage.
The secondary also drew strong comments. Rhule called the defensive backs especially the corners one of the deeper and more competitive groups on the team right now. Freshman Danny Odom has caught attention with his competitiveness length and hands and the unit is winning its share of contested throws.
Rhule also talked about Mac Markway. The former tight end asked to move to defensive end after dealing with multiple knee injuries. Rhule likes the power and explosiveness Markway is showing on the edge and the staff will keep watching him as camp rolls on.
On the same day the program unveiled its new alternate black uniforms for the second annual Blackout game against Washington on Oct 31. The look features a black base with metallic red accents and will debut under the lights at Memorial Stadium on Halloween.
The Huskers came out of the 120 play scrimmage mostly healthy with solid effort across the board. There is still work left but the competition remains sharp as September approaches.
