• Video: Nebraska football coach Bo Pelini talks about the Huskers' upcoming game against Baylor:

LINCOLN — The condition of Nebraska's wounded I-back has apparently improved.

Junior Roy Helu, who has injured both shoulders during games this month, is feeling better now, head coach Bo Pelini said after Thursday's practice.

“He's better than he's been in a few weeks,” Pelini said. “So yeah, he's ready to go.”

Senior wide receiver Chris Brooks isn't healthy enough to make the trip to Baylor, according to Pelini. Brooks hasn't played since Oct. 17.

Helu has been wearing a green no-contact jersey in practice for the past two weeks. He had just five carries for 24 yards and lost two fumbles last week.

Nebraska should have a few I-back reserves available if Helu needs a break Saturday. Pelini mentioned Thursday that freshman Dontrayevous Robinson, sophomore Austin Jones and redshirt freshman Lester Ward all made positive impressions during the practice week.

Robinson was the only one who carried the football against Iowa State. He gained 77 yards on 15 attempts. Also, sophomore Marcus Mendoza had two carries and a reception last week.

“You're going to see a rotation,” Pelini said of the I-back position. “We have a lot of options there.”

No word on QB

Let the water-cooler debate among Husker fans carry on. Pelini's not going out of his way to settle the quarterback controversy this week.

Pelini told reporters that Nebraska's starting quarterback will be announced when the offense takes the field Saturday at Baylor.

Junior Zac Lee has started all seven games, but the recent offensive woes have prompted position-wide re-evaluation. True freshman Cody Green, who didn't play against Iowa State, appears to be getting more comfortable week by week. But has he improved enough?

“We'll find out on Saturday, won't we?” Pelini said. “I don't announce that. We've got to evaluate the tape. We'll see how it goes.”

Pelini, in response to a question, initially said that if Lee starts, he would have a slimmer margin for error than normal. But Pelini retracted that statement almost immediately.

“There's no short leashes,” he said. “We want guys to go out there on the field and execute. That's the bottom line.”

West still battling

Assistant coach Marvin Sanders said Alfonzo Dennard is “playing at a high level'' as he prepares for his fourth straight start, but Sanders said the player who lost his cornerback job keeps plugging away.

Anthony West did not play at Missouri but has seen snaps in each of the past two games.

“He competes in practice as if he's the starter,'' Sanders said. “That's kind of what you look for in a guy like that. When you're not a starter, the whole key is to keep your focus on that sideline, because you can be called upon at any moment.

“Even though things are not going his way, he's an older guy that I expect to come in and respond in a positive way.''

Also in the secondary, Sanders said it was by design against Iowa State that safety P.J. Smith replaced Larry Asante briefly in both halves.

“Coach wanted me to get him some reps,'' Sanders said. “As the season goes on, you're going to need some of those guys to step up. So we needed to make sure we got some guys in there.''

Four-tight all right

Mike McNeill isn't going to complain about a formation that includes four tight ends, even though the junior wasn't one of the players on the field when Nebraska utilized it Saturday.

On four occasions, the Huskers showed a different look against Iowa State, lining up two tight ends on each side of the line. Lee was under center and Robinson lined up behind him.

Nebraska ran the ball all four times for a total of 12 yards and a touchdown. McNeill wasn't in on any of those plays but said tight ends are interchangeable in the formation. He hopes to see it again.

“We like it in the tight-end room,” he said. “We like playing, so it's fun for us.”

The Huskers used a similar formation against Missouri. That time, McNeill was on the field.

— Jon Nyatawa and Rich Kaipust

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