Huskers Work at Eliminating the Fumbles

Fixing the fumbles has been a top priority since Nebraska running backs flirted with disaster by coughing up the ball twice in the fourth quarter against Illinois on Oct. 6.

Nebraska offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield said Tuesday that Anthony Grant had a "really good week" in that regard.

"He's one of the most talented running backs in our league," Satterfield said, "but if you can't hold onto the football, now you start messing with wins and losses."

Grant and backup Emmett Johnson each turned the ball over in the late going against the Fighting Illini. Johnson too has since done a good job of focusing on ball security, Satterfield said.

The Huskers face Northwestern in Lincoln on Saturday. Both teams are 3-3, and both are coming off a bye week.

Satterfield said he's pleased with how quarterback Jeff Sims has handled second-fiddle status behind Heinrich Haarberg. "He's a great teammate," Satterfield said, "and he coaches all the other quarterbacks during practice when it's not his turn to get reps."

Defensive coordinator Tony White announced that three more players have received Blackshirts: safety Phalen Sanford, linebacker Nick Henrich and defensive end Jimari Butler.

Several players also spoke after Tuesday's practice. Scroll down for coverage and video. Refresh this page to see the latest additions. Asterisk indicates item may require a subscription. | HuskerMax discussion