Burkhead, though healthy, didn’t run at all in NU’s first major scrimmage — 100 plays — of spring camp. Martinez, whom coach Bo Pelini called “very, very sharp” in limited work, sat after two drives.
So their sophomore backups — running backs Ameer Abdullah and Aaron Green, and quarterback Brion Carnes — carried most of the water. It’s not a scrimmage open to media or fans — just a handful of player parents and boosters — but Pelini said all three played well.
“Very productive day,” Pelini said.
Carnes got two drives with the No. 1s and two drives with the No. 2s. If play-to-play inconsistency reportedly dogged Carnes last fall in practice, Pelini said the Bradenton, Fla., native has ironed out some of those wrinkles.
“He’s recognizing coverages a lot better,” Pelini said. “He’s a lot more comfortable in the system. He knows now when to make checks — he doesn’t know, necessarily how to get to the exact check that we want him to, but that’s to be expected. ... I’m kinda liking some of the things I’m seeing out there from Brion.”
