LINCOLN — Austin Cassidy plays two positions on the Nebraska defense, but he wants to understand them all.

“I’m just trying to pick up as much as I can,” he said.

Apparently he’s doing it well. NU revealed Monday that the 6-foot-1, 210-pound former walk-on from Lincoln Southwest will receive a scholarship this season. He earned the honor in a team meeting Friday.

Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini stood before his squad, thanked the walk-ons for their hard work and announced that Cassidy would be going on scholarship. It was the first Cassidy had even heard about the subject.

“Obviously, I was really excited, but I wasn’t expecting it,” he said. “No one had said anything before.

“It’s something that I don’t think most guys try to think about. You can’t focus on it.”

Cassidy said he quickly called his parents — his dad is Texas A&M Associate Athletic Director for football Tim Cassidy, a former Nebraska staff member. His parents didn’t mind the interruption of a dinner at Outback Steakhouse.

“My mom said they just couldn’t stop crying,” he said.

Pelini said it was hard to select just one new scholarship recipient, but he lauded Cassidy for everything he brings to the Huskers.

“I can’t say enough about Austin,” Pelini said. “Austin has done a great job.

“He’s come a long way. He helps our football team in a lot of ways,’’ Pelini added.

“It just goes to show hard work pays off. It’s a credit to him.”

Cassidy is making a push for playing time at both safety and the Huskers’ new peso position, a linebacker spot occupied by a defensive back.

His main contributions to this point at NU have come on special teams.

Cassidy said he’s ready for the next step.

“Anytime you get on the field, that’s a big deal,” he said. “I was excited to play on special teams.

“But at the same time, I want to be out on the field for every play,’’ Cassidy added.

“Whatever role the coaches want me to play, that’s what I’m going to do and make sure I’m doing it 100 percent.”

Of his nine tackles a season ago, two each came against Louisiana-Lafayette and Oklahoma as Nebraska finished 13th in the nation in kickoff coverage.

He played on kickoff and punt coverage and return teams. Cassidy hopes to keep that up, with some defense mixed in. He’s working again with all four special teams groups.

Secondary coach Marvin Sanders said Cassidy, an academic All-Big 12 selection, is one of the smartest players he’s been around.

“He may not be the fastest, he may not be the strongest, but what you can say is he is a good football player,” Sanders said. “He helps you on special teams, you can plug him in at the peso, plug him in at safety, and you can know he’s going to do what he needs to do.’

“He’s a good football player. That’s it. He’s a very good football player.”

Cassidy said he has turned his focus to learning not just his portion of the defense, but how it runs as a whole.

Instead of focusing on plays, he has tried to grasp concepts and schemes.

“It’s more of understanding the why,” Cassidy said. “I think it makes it easier looking at it that way. It makes it easier when you know what else is going on around you. That’s the idea. I wouldn’t say that I know it all, but that’s the idea.”

Anthony West, another player who knows a thing or two about playing multiple positions, said that knowing the big picture pays off in the long run.

“It gets you more involved in everything that’s going on with the defense,” said West, who is splitting time at corner and safety. “(Cassidy has) made really good transitions so far.”

Cassidy welcomes the chance to play the peso position in addition to safety.

“I think it’s fun because you get in the mix a little bit more,” he said. “You’re closer to the ball.

“When you’re playing safety, a lot of times the play is dead before you can even sprint up there. When you’re playing a little closer, you’re in there more.”

Contact the writer:

850-0781, nickrubek@hotmail.com

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