7:34 p.m.: The quarterbacks have always been easy to notice at Nebraska football practices. Just look for the green jerseys, which signified to anybody on the defensive side that they were not to be hit or harmed.
NU offensive coordinator Shawn Watson recently decided that would change when the Huskers start spring practice on March 24 — and has his reasons because it will be a mostly inexperienced crew.
"We need to see them," Watson said. "The other thing with a green jersey is that a false sense of security develops. We want them to know it's a contact sport and they need to be ready to play the contact sport."
Though it sometimes makes sense to protect your quarterbacks, often some of your most valuable commodities, Watson also said you can "do them wrong" with that false sense of security or them not being exposed to that exact game speed that will come.
Another reason this spring is key is that Nebraska, with Zac Lee sitting out, needs to get a good read on underclassmen such as Cody Green, Taylor Martinez and Kody Spano. We'll have more on the whole quarterback situation in a story in Sunday's paper.
Watson did say that the green could come out before spring practice finishes April 17 with the Red-White game.
"If one guy steps up — makes himself the guy or really takes the bull by the horns — we'll probably put the green jersey on him," he said. "Where we're at now .... we'll put them out there and let them play."
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