LINCOLN Defense or offense? Prince Amukamara considered the question following a Nebraska football practice last week.
Defense is fun, but he misses offense.
"If you asked me where do I think I'm better, offense or defense, I'd say offense. I think I'm way better on offense than defense," he said.
Amukamara is a cornerback, and he's learning nickel back this spring. But when the subject of offense comes up, well . . . he's an offensive guy at heart.
"I don't know how good I can be on defense," he said. "I'm still, like, unsure. So my confidence level is kind of low. But it's building gradually."
In order to understand his situation, one has to know what he did in high school. He played defense, and that surely contributed to his earning the Arizona Republic's player-of-the-year award as a senior. But he distinguished himself on offense.
As a senior at Class 4A Apollo High School in Glendale, Ariz., he rushed for 2,106 yards and 24 touchdowns and caught 22 passes for 252 yards and six touchdowns. Over his final two seasons, he averaged 11.9 yards per carry.
In a 2006 playoff game, he rushed for 366 yards and four touchdowns.
That he would be confident about his ability on offense is understandable. He also returned kickoffs and punts. He was comfortable with the ball in his hands.
Nebraska recruited him as an athlete, however, and when he reported for pre-season practice, his name was listed at cornerback. Though the former coaching staff indicated he might be used in some offensive situations, his future was on defense.
"It's a whole different mindset," he said. "Your motor is always running on defense. And one of the coaches said you could do 99 things right on defense but one thing wrong and mess up the whole game. So it's more of a team (effort) on defense."
Offensive linemen, in particular, would dispute that.
Amukamara, one of 11 true freshmen to play last season, contributed on special teams, mostly kickoff coverage. He didn't see his first action until the fourth game against Ball State, then played in all except one of the remaining games.
He began the season on the scout team, "busting my butt," determined to impress the coaches. "That's how I got noticed," said Amukamara.
He really wasn't interested in redshirting. He wanted to play. Folks back home told him he would be wasting his redshirt playing on special teams.
"But I didn't see it like that," he said. "The team needed help, so I just wanted to help. If it was special teams, it was special teams."
He has no regrets about not redshirting.
"I always just wanted to play," he said. "But now that I think about it, to know you still had four years to play . . ."
He has three, and he has set about establishing himself in the secondary this spring. He has worked mostly with the second and third teams at cornerback and the first team at nickel back, joining Armando Murillo and Anthony West.
Nickel back has required some adjustment, combining run support with pass coverage.
"I look at it as kind of like a linebacker, so I have to know if it's run so I can come in and get in on the run," Amukamara said. "And if it's a pass, I have to go and guard a receiver."
He certainly has the speed to do that. He was the Arizona 4A champion in both the 100 meters (10.78) and 200 meters (21.91) in 2007.
Arizona high schools have spring football but he didn't participate because he was running track. So he's had to adjust to spring practice as well.
Redshirted freshmen Patrick Witt and Marcus Mendoza have helped with that. This is their second spring at Nebraska, after enrolling at mid-term a year ago.
"They just tell us what to look for and show the young guys the ropes," said Amukamara. "It's tough because you're not preparing for a game, so you just have to practice like it's a game (week). So I'm getting used to doing football year-round."
He's also getting used to playing defense instead of offense.
"It's very complicated," he said.
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