The horn blared Sunday on training camp at Nebraska, an 18-day stretch that included little time for anything other than football at the opening of a season filled with expectations new to the Bill Callahan coaching era.
NU closed camp with a 90-minute practice in front of about 4,000 college students at Memorial Stadium. It was a festive atmosphere, complete with loud music, touchdown passes and cheerleaders.
Kind of like many days the Huskers hope to enjoy over the next four months.
"I think we're progressing well," Callahan said. "We're on schedule. We're on track."
Nonetheless, here are a few semi-educated observations:
• Sophomore I-back Marlon Lucky took the first set of snaps with the top offensive unit. The former marquee recruit remains mired in a four-man battle for playing time with Cody Glenn, Kenny Wilson and Brandon Jackson.
All four backs played with the No. 1 offense, but Lucky's role appeared the most versatile of the group.
• The Huskers have a deep receiving corps. Nate Swift, Terrence Nunn, Todd Peterson, Frantz Hardy and Maurice Purify all played regularly with the first-team offense.
Purify's presence here is intriguing. The 6-foot-4 newcomer glides on his routes and displayed a knack for finding the end zone.
• As strong as the receivers appear, the secondary might be equally shaky. Depth is a concern at cornerback, where a season-ending knee injury to Zack Bowman has sent the Huskers scrambling for help.
Top newcomer Andre Jones was limited Sunday in his work at cornerback because of a hamstring injury. Converted receives Isaiah Fluellen and Tyrell Spain practiced Sunday with the top two units, as did Titus Brothers and Bryan Wilson.
"How ready are they?" Callahan said. "I don't know, when you have a situation like this, that they're ever fully ready. They're still developing and getting better."
• Senior Matt Herian ran comfortably and found open seams in the secondary. Herian, a two-time All-Big 12 tight end, hasn't played in a game since suffering a broken leg in October 2004. Junior Justin Tomerlin looks like the Huskers' No. 2 receiving option among the tight ends.
