Lately, Rickey Thenarse has felt untouchable.
Sprinting up and down the football field in all four of Nebraska's games, Thenarse, a true freshman, is all about finding a way to make big plays.
The safety-turned-cornerback has recorded two tackles for the Cornhuskers thus far and is looking for more.
"(The games are) a little faster, but I got a little faster and stronger," Thenarse said. "You just have to adjust to it.
"I feel like I'm untouchable (when running down the field). I'm in the zone, and I can't even hear anything. I'm just focused on making a tackle."
Like many young players before him, Thenarse is seeing most of his playing time with the special teams unit. He and his true freshman counterparts - Major Culbert, Anthony West and Corey Young - take turns on the kickoff and punt return squads.
For these inexperienced players, finding game time at defensive back is hard to come by. And going into conference play it could be even more difficult. But they seem to embrace whatever position gets them on the field.
In fact, Young, who has recorded six tackles this season, said that his and Thenarse's goal is to be the No. 1 kickoff team in the nation.
"It's just different because you have to have your head on a swivel at all times because people are flying everywhere," Young said. "It's real fast. It's just the same as defense. Everything is just moving so fast you have to get used to it."
NU Defensive Coordinator Kevin Cosgrove said he was pleased with the performance of the young defensive backs on Saturday as Young, Culbert and Thenarse saw time in Nebraska's secondary against Troy.
However, going into Big 12 Conference play this weekend against Kansas, they make not be in the mix as much on defense, and that means special teams experience will become more valuable.
Considering that the Husker coaching staff can't provide 80,000 fans at every practice, and the pressure at practice is not as intense as games, any sort of game time is important, Cosgrove said.
"The most important thing is game experience," Cosgrove said. "It doesn't really make a difference whether it's at their position at secondary or at special teams.
"We've got to get those young guys as many reps as they can - game reps preferably. But just having the opportunity to run down on kickoffs, being in the physical play, (getting off) blocks and make tackles - you can't make up for that."
For Young, the difference between special teams and defense comes down the technical side of the game. Instead of just running down the field like he does on kick off coverage, Young said he is still perfecting his ability to read offenses, remember checks and memorize patterns.
While the older Huskers will be looking for a little revenge this weekend against Kansas, who defeated NU last year 40-15 - the younger ones will just be looking for some turf time.
"Any time you touch the field as a player, it's invaluable experience you're acquiring," NU Coach Bill Callahan said. "When you play young guys, they're going to make errors, but you're teaching them in a setting where they're going to have an opportunity to correct those errors and get a feel for the game itself."
