According to Lincoln Journal Star, Marlon Lucky, one of the Huskers’ most experienced running backs, will return to Lincoln for his senior season.
“I am excited to return to Nebraska for my senior season and play for Coach (Bo) Pelini,” Lucky said. “I know he is committed to winning and returning this program to the elite of college football, and I want to be here to help out with that.
“Another year here will also allow me to continue to pursue my college degree and enjoy the experience of playing football at Nebraska. I also know that another year can only benefit me as a player and help me become a more complete back to prepare for the next level.”
Lucky submitted his name to an NFL advisory committee designed to gauge players’ stock in the draft. It wasn’t immediately known what type of projection Lucky received from the committee.
January 16th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Thanks Collins Okafor for letting the cat out of the bag at your 5 star press conference to re affirm your commitment to NU. Thanks for letting the cat out of the bag about Josh Williams and not dishing on Will Compton.
Lucky was projected at a 5/6 rounder in this years draft and that was before McFadden came out. Another year will do him some good. He did seem to run harder at the end of the year and I hope he finally gets some vision under new leadership. Run like a RB and catch like a receiver and he will go high next year. I think Watson favors Castille and Helu, though. If you watched the times when Watson was calling the offense, it was a heavy dose of #19 and #10.
January 16th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Did you see that we might get to see all of these guys under the lights for the spring game? Sounds like Bo want’s to change it and sell out the place.
Sounds like a great idea to me!
(courtesy of HuskerExtra.com)
http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2008/01/16/huskerextra/football/doc478d6682c4451865233494.txt
New idea II: Pelini is seriously considering moving the kickoff of the April 19 Red-White Spring Game to 6 p.m.
“I just thought it would be something different,” he says.
Perhaps such a move would draw the NFL Network back to the booth in Lincoln, as was the case last year.
“It’s not about the NFL Network,” Pelini says. “It’s about our fans and trying to do what’s best for them.”
January 16th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
And the NEW contributer to HZ is………………..? Good stuff Dizz!
January 17th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Having his experience in the huddle and in the locker room can only help. I agree, he did seem to run with a little more intensity as the season wore on. I’ll be the first to admit, I was never a big Lucky fan. But, he changed my mind, and seems to have made himself into a top notch back. Also, it’s refreshing to hear guys talking about finishing their degrees, very mature decision.
January 17th, 2008 at 9:23 am
Lucky needs to prove to me he can find the hole and make quick decisions on the field. He is really really good in open spaces, but getting to those spaces from the RB position has been tough for him to do. I remember during the Texas game the announcer said “Lucky breaks a tackle”. I had to do a double take to make sure he meant Marlon. Getting his college degree, in my opinion, was his second choice. If he would’ve been a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd rounder, he’d be gone.
January 17th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Yeah, you’re probably right about the college thing and his draft projection being a big part of his descision. I guess I meant more in general, it’s nice to see that some of these guys understand that they are, supposedly, students first and athletes second.
And, top notch may have been a little much, but, overall I am happy to see him coming back. Hopefully the new staff will be able to ‘coach up’ those insticts behind the line he seems to lack. Spread, or Coast, whatever the hell they want to call em offenses live and breathe on their ability to get skill players the ball in space. This should bode well for Marlon I would think.
January 17th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
I guarantee It won’t hurt him!
January 17th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Am I the only that thinks Lucky can’t run the ball? To me, he’s only good for cathing screen passes. Everytime we would try and run up the gut with him he would get tackled for a two or three yard gain. He also needs to learn how to break an occasional tackle! I think another year will only help him.
January 17th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
No, you’re right Pete he’s not the best off tackle, classic NU runner. He’s indecisive at the point of attack when running out of the backfield. Like Brad said he needs to pick his hole, hit it, and ‘run like he’s mad at the ground’ (classic Kent Pavelka description of Cory Schlesinger’s running style).
OK, here is my one and only, pitch for Lucky. For starters, I don’t think the guy has ever dropped the ball, OK maybe once at Iowa State, but he’s reliable. So we have a guy who is admittedly better catching the ball in space out of the backfield than taking a hand off up the middle, but in order for that to be effective defenses have to respect him as a credible threat to carry. He had just over a thousand yards rushing with nine TDs with a 4.9 yard avg. In my oppinion that makes him credible. I also think he would have had better rushing numbers had he had a Todd, Schlesinger type fullback in front of him. Anyway, I think it’s good for the team having him return, and hopefully it will work out for the best for him after he graduates.
January 17th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
@RD….yeah he had a 4.9 yard per carry average, but take away the Nevada game and then what is it? I just don’t get it with him. Sometimes he hits the hole great, with full speed and is off for at least a 5 yard gain, other times he tiptoes around and pretends to slip off his cleets right before he is going to get pounded…..how many times have you seen that happen? Hopefully with a new strength coach, because it has looked like Lucky might have put on some bad weight last year….Almost like Ahman during his Sophomore year….which wasn’t good then he dropped some weight and BAM!!!! His junior year happened to be the last great year for a RB. I think a different set of eyes on him will help him out. I also don’t think this staff will sugar coat anything…so these guys will have to man up and be able to take it. However, their reward will be worth all the blunt talking!
January 18th, 2008 at 4:29 am
@ Brad.. Oh there’s no doubt he was inconsistent, at best, but couldn’t the same be said for the whole team? I think you’re right about how this staff treats him - all the players for that matter - it will be put up or shut up time. I’d also agree Green’s jr. year was the last year we had a truly great rb, incidently, wasn’t that Dr. Tom’s last year on the sidelines? (It’s way too early for me to be looking stuff up or I would have)
January 18th, 2008 at 8:24 am
When camp opens and we actually have football players who practice consistently in pads and actually hit one another we may see more of the physicall type football we are used to. Lucky is a nice slot type receiver who might be a gimmick runner ie. the reverse slot sweep his true nature is like that of a third down back in the NFL blocks well receives well and can run when defense is setting back thinking pass. I don’t beleive it is in NU best interest to give lucky the bulk of the carries when he will never be the I-back who will get dirty and want to physically pound the defense into submission. I agree he will need some carries to keep the defense honest, but we have some good backs that like to run physical, and are more of the true I-back mold. It is nice to have his receiving skills but his running makes me throw up in my mouth a little everytime.
@Huskerbrad
In the games against KU,USC,MU he had 42 carries for 115yds that is a whopping 2.7yds per carry so with you I agree
January 18th, 2008 at 9:27 am
yeah, but like RD stated, Lucky is sure handed. The only fumble I remember last year came against Iowa St. right at the goal line when he was reaching the ball over. We thought we had a touchdown and Alvin Bowen took off for 30 yards.
January 18th, 2008 at 9:29 am
Helu didn’t fumble and picked up the blitz well, but is a north south runner. He didn’t show too many jukes last year, it was get to the corner and then run. Castille coughed up the ball more last year than Dahrain Diedrick, which was alot! I’ll take my chances with this staff and believe Marlon will be loads better next year.
January 18th, 2008 at 10:49 am
As long as Castille doesnt fumble and Helu is able to stay as fast and decisive as he was this year then we will be pretty damn good at running the ball in a few years.
@ Brad
I agree. I think Marlon wills be loads better with this staff.
January 18th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
I was disappointed to see LaMichael James commit to Oregon this week. I think he looks like a smaller Barry Sanders and is perfect for the spread offense. He didn’t rate his Oregon trip very high but when asked about Nebraska, he said ” I loved it. I loved every bit of it. The facilities, coaches, acedemics, tradition and such, but they haven’t contacted me in 3 or 4 days so I don’t know.” Looks like after Okafor REcommitted, Lucky decided to stay, Helu healthy, Castille healthy, and Kenny Wilson coming off injury, NU just didn’t need another back. But, I don’t care, you don’t pass a back up like this! That’s too bad, because in a year or 2 this guy will be EXPLOSIVE!! Remember his name, cause he’s that good.
January 18th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
@HuskerBrad
I don’t cough up the ball, but you won’t see me in the backfield. I just don’t want to waste the carries on Lucky when he can line up in the slot or motion out of the backfield catch the ball and get into space. Cory Ross was no Ahman, but he didn’t have those O-lines either. I will say that Cory Ross was good NU tailback, and with a little better line may have been great. So I disagree with the Ahman hypothesis. If Ross had Zatechka, hochstein,Taylor, Anderson, Schwab and Julch not to mention the 95 &96 lines Cory Ross’s numbers would have been phenomenal. So as we compare our backs lets not forget who the big eaters are in front of the guys.
January 18th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Also want to add that I think Castilles fumbles will go down due to the fact that he will be getting hit more in practice. They can also adjust the way he carries the ball ala Ahman Green if his current case of fumblitis continues. I myself think that the more
physical practices will lead to less gametime fumbles.
We were not a physical team, have not been for 4 years. this was the main problem for this team. I would drop the ball during the game too if it was the only contact drills I had all week.
January 18th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Thought I would put this link in a couple spot’s so everybody see’s it. A very good article about the return of Bo.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3201703
January 18th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
@RTD
Just because you look like you can still play O-line, doesn’t mean I have to give credit where credit is due!!
I do agree with you, though.