As the Huskers gear up for the week one battle against Fresno State, Head Coach Mike Riley and Defensive Coordinator Mark Banker talked to the media following practice. Riley announced some important news regarding suspensions and transfers of players.
Suspensions
Riley announced that starting wide receiver Brandon Reilly and starting safety Nate Gerry will be suspended for Nebraska's first game against Fresno State for violating team rules. Reilly was issued a citation for drunk driving back in March.
Banker said safeties Aaron Williams, Kieron Williams, and Antonio Reed would step in for the suspended Gerry.
"I haven't told them specifically as to who will step on the field right now because they are all quite close from a standpoint of the order," Banker said.
Banker said the safeties have been graded based on performance in the past two scrimmages based on production or lack thereof, as well as how well each executed assignments. He also said that all three will "play extensively in the game".
Transfer of Derrion Grim
Freshman wide receiver Derrion Grim announced late Tuesday evening that he would be transferring from Nebraska to pursue other opportunities. Mike Riley confirmed during his media availability today.
Riley said while he is not sure where Grim will transfer to, the last time he spoke with Grim it sounded more and more like he would be attending junior college.
Defensive progression
Banker said he has been impressed with the amount of progress his defense has made, citing only two instances where the Huskers had less-than-stellar practices.
"We've made progress. I thought that, out of our days of what would be considered camp, we had one day that it was not good at all, another day we were sloppy and kind of in slow motion with our reactions," Banker said. "We were where we needed to be, but I thought that overall we made a lot of progress. There were a lot of players at a lot of positions that really improved both their play as a person and as a team as well."
Defensive lineman Mick Stoltenberg was one player that Banker said he has seen quite a bit of improvement out of not only during camp, but in the offseason while rehabilitating from the knee injury he suffered before Nebraska's bowl game against UCLA.
Blackshirts, redshirts and captains
The long awaited announcement of who will receive Blackshirts, who will or will not be redshirted, and which players have been elected captains was not announced after practice.
However, Riley did say that within the next week those details will be announced.
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Twitter: @TylerMartinOSI
Email: Tyler.Martin@KMTV.com
