Husker nose tackle Ndamukong Suh speaks during Nebraska's weekly press conference Tuesday.

LINCOLN — Redshirt freshman Khiry Cooper is set to start at X-receiver over senior Menelik Holt and sophomore Curenski Gilleylen, offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said Tuesday.

Holt and Gilleylen continued to run plays with the scout team during practice, demotions after their performances Saturday in the 9-7 loss to Iowa State. NU receivers, as a group, dropped several passes in the game.

Gilleylen, second on the team with 16 receptions, and Holt, fourth with 15, were involved in turnovers as NU committed eight in the loss.

Watson said the Huskers are looking at combinations of young players at every position offensively.

“They're giving the indication that every spot is really open,” freshman quarterback Cody Green said. “We go out there, and people are switched around. It's really out there that if you want spots, just go take them.”

Holt and Gilleylen could return to the top unit this week. “We'll see,” Watson said. “Time will tell.”

Will Henry also has played with the scout team this week as redshirt freshmen Tim Marlowe and Steven Osborne moved up.

The start for Cooper would be his second.

Any other personnel matters settled? “I don't want to give away too much of our game plan,” Watson said.

QB's ‘homecoming'

Green's hometown of Dayton, Texas, is some 200 miles southeast of Waco, where the Huskers will play Baylor on Saturday. But it's still a homecoming for Green.

Green said he expects a large contingent of friends, family and former coaches in attendance.

“Yeah,” he said, “basically it's going to be a home game. It's going to be exciting.”

Green's sister Ashley graduated from Baylor last spring. She worked in the football office at the school, allowing Cody Green to meet many of the Bears and their coaches.

“If I get in there and (play well),” Green said, “it's going to be a little statement for us Texas boys that we can go everywhere else and play well.”

‘Shared decision'

Watson said weekly decisions at quarterback are shared between both he and head coach Bo Pelini.

Zac Lee continues to be the starter with Green behind him.

“I always value his opinion,'' Watson said. “He always says, ‘Hey, Wats, you do what you think's right. What you believe is best.' But we share opinions and we scratch it out every day.''

Asked Tuesday if he and Watson are on the same page as far as whom the starting quarterback should be, Pelini responded: “Yes, we are on the same page.''

Unwanted criticism

Pelini voiced some displeasure with the actions of offensive guard Keith Williams, who was all over Dontrayevous Robinson after the freshman I-back fumbled in the third quarter against ISU.

Williams needed to be pulled away by offensive tackle Marcel Jones.

“It's been addressed,'' Pelini said. “If you do something like that, you got to do it in the right way. No one felt worse about that fumble than Dontrayevous, who's playing hard and he didn't want to fumble. Anybody that does it, you've got to make sure you look in the mirror, too.''

— Rich Kaipust, Mitch Sherman and Jon Nyatawa

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