NU football team employs creativity in spring game

Football coaches like Nebraska Cornhusker offensive coordinator Shawn Watson are always looking for ways to catch opposing defenses off guard.

"We constantly evolve, and that has to do with how the game changes," Watson. "And that has to do a lot with how defenses change."

Much of the transformation that was seen in Saturday's Red-White spring game and might become a large part of the Husker offense in the fall is due to the speed and athleticism in the Nebraska backfield. NU head coach Bo Pelini said the team only showed a small piece of what the offense will eventually look like, but it was apparent Nebraska's quarterbacks have the ability to do more than just pass the ball.

"It's just a simple game of math really," Watson said. "Quarterback added to the run game, now defensively they're down a guy."

Nebraska quarterbacks Cody Green, Taylor Martinez and Latravis Washington combined to rush for 118 yards during the spring game. Most of the quarterback runs came from the shotgun formation, where a tailback joined the quarterbacks in the backfield, providing another option for the offense.

One change the Husker offense has employed to take advantage of its athleticism is the widening of the offensive line splits. Offensive line coach Barney Cotton said in the past, the splits were close to 18 inches, but now they are closer to 30 inches.

"We hang the defense out on long gaps," Watson said. "They have big gaps to fill and then you utilize the type of run game we're using, with the type of talent we're playing with. It just causes a lot of space issues for the defense."

Cotton said the wider splits also help to spread opposing defensive ends out to keep them farther away from the quarterback.

The quarterbacks weren't the only Huskers who saw the benefits of a changing offense. Running back Rex Burkhead did most of his damage on the ground during the first series of the game that resulted in a touchdown for the Red team. He finished the game with 36 yards rushing on six carries.

"The offensive line did a tremendous job," Burkhead said. "They really opened up things. We expect it to be like this, and they really opened it up for us."

Nebraska added a couple more wrinkles to the offense during the spring game, but they weren't from Watson's playbook. The coaches allowed each team to create a play of its own designed by the players.

"We kind of let them come up with their own trick play," Watson said. "It was a lot of fun."

The Red team was the first to give its play a shot. After a direct snap to Burkhead, he passed it outside to Prince Amukamara.  Multiple defenders swarmed Amukamara, and the play went for a four-yard loss.

"The only problem was Prince ran out a little too far and he just got caught," Watson said. "The corner saw him out there and that kind of ruined the play."

The White team was more successful with its created play. Green threw a backward bounce pass to Mike McNeill, who tossed it down the field with a defender in his face. Niles Paul snatched the ball up for a 31-yard gain as he stumbled out of bounds.

Although one play worked and the other failed, Pelini said it gave the players a chance to have some fun. Burkhead said they didn't get a chance to practice the play either.

"We just kind of winged it," Burkhead said. "We drew it up before the game."

Even though the plays were mostly allowed for entertainment, Watson said he would consider adding the successful play to the playbook.

"Yeah, shoot, you bet," Watson said, drawing laughs from reporters. "I don't know if it would be Mike that I would throw it with."

dougburger@dailynebraskan.com