Shatel: Redshirt for Green?

One of the more intriguing story lines at Nebraska's fall camp is freshman quarterback Cody Green. What do you do with him?

Does he automatically redshirt? Or would Bo Pelini and Shawn Watson be tempted to use him like Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor last season?

In a perfect world, Zac Lee is all-terrific, Kody Spano is a healthy, capable insurance policy and Green redshirts. That's the logical scenario.

But let's see how Green performs this month. I don't expect him to beat out Lee; that would be an improbable leap. But Green was here in the spring. What if he makes it close?

What if he plays well enough to make Pelini think he can be a difference-maker in a designated role off the bench? Goal line. Third down. Whatever.

Pelini redshirted 23 players last year, but that was year one. It will be interesting to see Pelini's philosophy toward playing newbies. A lot of big-time schools do it. It's a great recruiting tool. And this isn't 1978 anymore. A lot of kids can step right in.

If playing Green could provide an edge in a year with some tough road games, and it could show future recruits that Pelini will play freshmen, you wonder if it's worth doing. This is one to keep an eye on.

Ÿ Word going around Lincoln is that Tom Osborne is planning a Nebraska-Oklahoma throwback event for the night before the Nov. 7 home game against OU. Last year, Oklahoma hosted a party honoring the 1971 teams. Apparently NU may reciprocate by honoring all Husker and Sooner major award winners (Heisman, Outland, Lombardi, etc.).

Ÿ The Sooners already have a leg up on Nebraska this season. Last week, a crowd of 14,000 showed up at OU's “Fan Day,'' compared with an estimated 7,500 at Nebraska's “Fan Day'' last Saturday. Maybe OU fans are more autograph-starved than Husker fans. Well, doubtful.

Ÿ Absolutely love the Creighton-Michigan matchup in the first round of the Old Spice Classic Thanksgiving weekend. According to CU sports information director Rob Anderson, the two have met only one other time: an 81-62 Wolverine victory on Dec. 2, 1962, at Michigan. Creighton legend Paul Silas played in that game; Michigan legend Cazzie Russell (1964-67) did not.

Ÿ Kudos to Carol Ketcham, who was promoted to senior women's administrator at CU. No one bleeds more blue than “Ketch,'' who has worked in the Creighton athletic department since 1970. How many other people at CU — in athletics or otherwise — can say that?

Ÿ Nebraska gymnastics boosters are planning a big send-off and roast for retiring coach Francis Allen — and a celebration of the 30th anniversary of Nebraska's first gymnastics national championship. There will be a dinner on Aug. 21 at the Embassy Suites in Lincoln, followed by a golf tourney on Aug. 22 at HiMark in Lincoln. For information, call Mark Hobson at 402-592-0600.

Ÿ Does the world need another radio sports talk show? In this case, yes. My extensive local radio sources have confirmed one of the worst-kept secrets around: Matt Schick and Nick Bahe are starting a new morning show (9 a.m. to noon) later this month on ESPN 1620.

This is a good thing. Both Schick and Bahe are funny and entertaining. Just don't expect too many Creighton secrets. Bahe, a former Jay player and graduate assistant, has left the CU hoops staff.

Ÿ Camilo Villegas wins the PGA Championship at Hazeltine.

Ÿ I love Bobby Bowden (who doesn't?), but unless he starts coaching for Florida, he's not winning a national title anytime soon.

Ÿ This just in from Sunday's Dallas Morning News: The Big 12 South is better than the Big 12 North. Why are we still talking about this? There are two divisions in the Big 12. One is Texas and Oklahoma. The other is everyone else.

Contact the writer:

444-1025, tom.shatel@owh.com

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