Glenn is Spring MVP
3 comments so far
April 21, 2008 by
Regardless of who stood out at the spring game this Saturday, Cody Glenn gave the most valuable performance of the spring. While his move from running back to linebacker could be cynically viewed as opportunistic, it’s clearly helpful to the team.
Linebacker depth was easily the biggest concern for the 2008 Huskers going into next season. Only Phillip Dillard brings starting experience at linebacker and only a handful of other scholarship players were competing at the position (Nick Covey, Austin Stafford, Blake Lawrence, and Latravis Washington). Glenn not only helps solidify the two-deep with scholarship options, but he appears good enough to start. In fact, with the walk-ons at the position counted in, there seemed to be enough competition to prompt Kyle Moore (a walk-on and brother of former standout Husker defensive end Jay Moore) to transfer away.
Glenn’s position switch also eases the crowding at running back a bit, which while a nice problem to have can still be a problem. With an 85 scholarship limit, the name of the game is retention. One big reason the Huskers aren’t three-deep at every position is that a fair number of players don’t stay in the program four to five years. Leon Jackson for example was a touted recruit that might have helped the Huskers at safety who opted to transfer when it became clear he wasn’t likely to see much playing time at running back. Had Jackson stayed, we likely wouldn’t have seen Major Culbert move from defense to running back to shore up the running back depth in 2006 and 2007. Without the move, Culbert would be that much more ready today to play safety at a high level today.
Nebraska has five scholarship running backs competing this spring besides Glenn and as many as three more are set to join the mix at the position in the fall. With so many kids competing for maybe three or four meaningful running back roles, a transfer would hardly be shocking. But the likelihood was that Glenn would have been among the four better players, leaving one more of the remaining backs out. In that way, his move decreases the likelihood of transfers.
But perhaps more than the specific problems Glenn’s move addresses is the example it sets for the rest of the team. That team needs are more important than individual desires. That if you do the work, you can switch positions and still ascend to a starting role. And if it all goes well, he may ascend to the professional level as a linebacker which would make switching positions that much more appealing to the next guy. Before even playing a down his senior year, Glenn may well have cemented a legacy at Nebraska to be proud of.
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ze bop Apr 21 08
whoa, i hadn't heard that Glenn had moved to LB, I dont know about that one...what if Castille gets injured?
donfl Apr 21 08
Zebop, where have you been? the move was the talk of all the husker sites. He moved over about three weeks ago and made an impact from the start. We need the help at LB and the move was positive in all respects. By the way Castille may not be the back up at RB. Helu was more impressive during spring training. Big, fast, and does not cough up the ball. It's going to be a long summer, can't wait for fall when we get to see what we really have. GBR
Greg Morrow Apr 21 08
It's an amazing story, also considering the circumstances his first 3 seasons. The heel injury, the continual mystery of the playing time rotation. He's hung in there, sucked it up. When he could've easily transfered, with a reshirt year available.
Now, he's maybe the best athlete at the linebacker spots. Bo essentially gets a free linebacker! A really good time to do it, too. That position looks to be the most upgraded grouping on the team, when the frosh (hopefully all of them) show up. Should be big competition next year.