LINCOLN — An occasional moment arises in football practice at Nebraska when P.J. Smith steps back to appreciate that he’s the right player in the right place at the right time.

Like recently, when Smith played hesitantly in bracket coverage on a receiver over the middle of the field. Coach Bo Pelini whistled for a stoppage and approached Smith, delivering an explanation of his mistake. More than that, Pelini illustrated to the redshirt freshman how the concept at work in that defense called for Smith to drift toward the sideline.

Guess where the ball went?

It’s invaluable, Smith said, to play for a coach who sees the game through the eyes of a safety. There’s never been a better time, in fact, to play the position at NU.

“It’s all because of the coaches,” Smith said. “They’re going to put you in the right situations. You’ve got to work hard in practice and watch film. If you do and they put you out there, you’ll be successful on the field.”

Nebraska loses its senior safeties after the Dec. 30 Holiday Bowl against Arizona. But the position looks equipped to remain a stabilizing defensive force, with Smith, fellow redshirt freshman Courtney Osborne and sophomore Austin Cassidy set to step into more important roles.

The expected return of senior Rickey Thenarse and the potential to shift junior Eric Hagg, a two-year starting nickel back, only brightens the outlook.

After all, if Pelini — a former safety at Ohio State — and secondary coach Marvin Sanders can make stars of Larry Asante and Matt O’Hanlon, imagine what’s in store for the superior athletes who played behind them.

“They’re not going to miss a beat,” said Asante, a former junior college linebacker who made the All-Big 12 first team this fall as picked by the league coaches.

O’Hanlon, once a walk-on afterthought, intercepted three passes against Oklahoma and sacked Texas quarterback Colt McCoy on a perfectly executed blitz in the Big 12 title game. He earned honorable mention all-conference honors.

“We’ve been real fortunate to have those guys back there,” Sanders said, “because they’ve played a lot of football. When something showed up different than in practice or than what we saw on film, those guys have the experience. They’ve seen it somewhere before.

“That’s what you worry about, moving forward. The younger guys not having the experience of adjusting on the fly.”

According to the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Smith, they’ll make it work. He ranks as the top candidate to break into the starting lineup next year.

“Just let the game come to you,” Smith said. “Everybody on that defense has a chance to turn into a great player. It doesn’t matter if it’s me or whoever, even a freshman coming in. If we work hard in this defense, everything will take care of itself.”

Smith has collected 14 tackles this season in a backup role to O’Hanlon and Asante. His confidence skyrocketed, he said, after he stayed on the field for much of the Huskers’ 10-3 win over Oklahoma in November.

“The seniors prepared me well,” Smith said. “I’m just trying to get better. I know I’ve got to step my game up a lot. I’ll watch film by myself. I’m going to spend time watching film with the coaches. I just want to learn as much as I can.”

On Hagg, already a valuable defensive piece, the Huskers face a decision: Move him back to safety or keep him at the nickel position next year? Much of it likely depends on the condition of Thenarse after his rehabilitation from knee surgery.

“We can’t rob Peter to pay Paul, so to speak,” Sanders said.

Regardless, the safety play should stay solid.

Just look at Nebraska’s track record under Pelini and Sanders, a starting safety at Nebraska 20 years ago. In 2003, their first season together as defensive assistants, Josh Bullocks intercepted a school-record 10 passes. This year, Asante and O’Hanlon have combined to make 140 tackles with seven interceptions.

Primarily, all it requires is an understanding of the defense.

“But you have to know it,” Smith said. “There’s no faking with these coaches.”

Contact the writer:

402-444-1031, mitch.sherman@owh.com

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