LINCOLN — Latravis Washington vowed Wednesday to remain at quarterback, though the junior was disappointed to fall behind true freshman Cody Green.

“I told my family I'm going to stay at the position,” said Washington, who moved from linebacker to QB last spring. “They're all behind me with whatever I do. I don't want to switch over for nothing.

“This little thing won't set me down.”

Offensive coordinator Shawn Watson informed the quarterbacks this week that Green had moved into the No. 2 job behind Zac Lee. Green and Washington have been battling for the backup job since spring practice.

“I thought I came along really well, coming from the position that I was at,” Washington said. “Coming into camp, having an opportunity to compete for the No. 2 job, I thought that was a privilege. I'm kind of disappointed in myself I didn't come out as the No. 2, but I'm going to just keep working and keep grinding, just keep on pushing forward.”

He praised Green for his work.

“He's putting his work on film,” Washington said. “That's the only thing I can say, is he's come out here and competing. ... He came out prepared. What he did, he took advantage of an opportunity.”

Washington “had some bad days” this month in practice, he said. A redshirt year remains available for the former defender, but he's not discussed that possibility.

“All Coach Watson says is to come out and compete, keep competing and put your work on film. It's whatever the coaches want. I'm a team player.”

Helu wants the ball on third-and-one

Junior I-back Roy Helu had an interesting response when asked Wednesday if he's more comfortable carrying the football on first-and-10 or third-and-1.

Helu, without hesitation, chose the latter.

“Everyone knows I'm getting the ball,'' he said. “That's how I want it.''

Nebraska has some questions about its short-yardage running game after the dismissal of 235-pound I-back Quentin Castille. The 215-pound Helu said he's ready for the role if called upon.

“You have to ask my coach, but if he asks me to do it, yeah, I'm willing to do anything,'' Helu said. “Running back is running back, whether it's pass-protection, whether it's catching out of the backfield or if it's short-yardage. It's all the same.''

Tight end Ryan Hill was part of the short-yardage and goal-line packages last season. The sophomore said Helu can get the job done if given the football.

“You can count on him to get a yard,'' Hill said. “Our line's a great line, too. But across the board, you just got to have that dogfight mentality when you're in that situation.''

Cotton wants offensive line to get tougher

NU assistant coach Barney Cotton has some ideas about an identity for the Husker offensive line. It just needs a few more practices together to hammer it out.

“Hopefully that will start to come together next week,'' Cotton said. “I'm not sure yet. I mean, school's still out as far as what kind of line we'll be.''

Where the Huskers won't compromise, he said, is with toughness. And that goes hand-in-hand with the short-yardage situation.

“I'd like to see us be a more physical, tougher offensive front than we are now,'' Cotton said. “I'm not saying that we're not tough and we're not physical, I just feel that we need to be more physical and tougher.''

Ex-NU player kicking for the Trojans

Former Nebraska kicker Jordan Congdon has been put on scholarship by Southern Cal and been picked to handle the Trojans' field goals and extra points to start the season, according to the Los Angeles Times.

USC coach Pete Carroll made the announcement Tuesday.

Congdon made 24 of 30 field goals with the Huskers, including 19 of 23 as a freshman in 2005. He left the team after the Cotton Bowl following the 2006 season.

— Mitch Sherman and Rich Kaipust

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