LINCOLN, Neb. — Coach Bo Pelini won’t name Nebraska’s starting quarterback until August, but there was little doubt after Saturday’s Red-White spring football game that Zac Lee will be the guy. “He’s clearly ahead,” Pelini said.
The competition for the backup job, however, could be very interesting.
Latravis Washington turned in a strong performance before 77,670 fans at Memorial Stadium, considering he hadn’t played quarterback since he was a high school senior three years ago and had been a linebacker until two days before spring practice started.
“I think I made a case,” Washington said. “All decisions are with the coaches. All I can do is put my play on film and go from there. It would be a wonderful deal to back up Zac Lee or even compete for a starting job.”
Lee played six series and completed 15-of-18 passes for 214 yards, throwing touchdown passes of 21 yards to Marcus Mendoza, 24 yards to Ben Cotton and 40 yards to Wes Cammack before taking the rest of the afternoon off after the Red team’s first possession of the second half. The Reds won 31-17.
Washington hit 13-of-21 for 190 yards, throwing TD passes of 4 yards to Chris Brooks and 71 yards to Kyler Reed.
True freshman Cody Green saw significant playing time and was 8-of-15 for 81 yards.
Gators’ Brantley looks good
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Gators celebrated last season by getting their national championship rings, then took a look at what’s in store for the future.
With 16 starters sitting out, many for precautionary reasons, Florida’s spring game turned into a showcase for young players who might not even make an impact this fall.
Sophomore John Brantley completed 14-of-23 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns, ran for two TDs and led the Orange team to a 31-21 victory over Tim Tebow’s Blue squad before an estimated 50,000 fans.
“He had a great spring,” offensive coordinator Steve Addazio said of Brantley. “You watch his presence in the pocket, his poise. He took a shot under the chin and delivered a strike. All the signs and evidence of a guy that’s really developing.”
Cowboys’ Sween shines
LARAMIE — Karsten Sween passed for 140 yards and a touchdown and ran for 39 yards and another TD in Wyoming’s third scrimmage of spring football drills.
The offense scored a 54-24 win in the scrimmage, held in Wyoming’s indoor practice facility. Sween hit 14-of-19 passes (no interceptions), including a 22-yard scoring pass to sophomore Brandon Stewart, who finished with five receptions for 71 yards.
Footnotes.
Notre Dame’s offense scored three touchdowns in 13 possessions, the defense scored a TD — returning an interception thrown by Jimmy Clausen (8-of-17, 70 yards) for a score — and the Irish finished spring camp with their intrasquad game.
• Iowa State quarterbacks Austen Arnaud and Jerome Tiller shook off shaky starts in the Cyclones’ spring game, rallying to pass for a combined 460 yards and three touchdowns before 7,000 fans.
