CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – College football season is back and Nebraska is kicking it off on a steamy afternoon in Illinois.
Temperatures on the field at Memorial Stadium are already pushing 100 degrees as the Huskers hit the playing surface for early warmups.
True freshman Gabe Ervin got the start at running back for the Huskers. The Georgia native arrived in January and had a strong spring. He worked his way to a starting spot over a group that includes USC transfer Markese Stepp and second-year freshman Sevion Morrison.
Brant Banks got the start at left tackle.
Here are some other notes:
* It does not look like sophomore defensive lineman Casey Rogers is on the trip. He is not among the seven defensive linemen going through the early portion of drill work.
The guys that are here: Ty Robinson, Ben Stille, Deontre Thomas, Damion Daniels, Jordon Riley, Nash Hutmacher and Chris Walker.
* Freshman receiver Alante Brown and junior Omar Manning were among the first out on the field for the Huskers. So, too, were tight ends Austin Allen and Chris Hickman and receiver Oliver Martin.
* Among the specialists on the trip for the Huskers: Freshman walk-on kickoff man Brendan Franke and punters Daniel Cerni and William Przystup.
Franke is the odds-on favorite to handle the kickoff duties for Nebraska to start the season, while Cerni and Przystup have been locked in a tight battle to win the punting job during preseason camp.
* When the return men came out on the field, not surprisingly Cam Taylor-Britt was at the front of the line. Others in that group: Martin, Samori Toure, Gabe Ervin Jr. and Rahmir Johnson, among others.
The running backs in the house are Gabe Ervin Jr., Sevion Morrison, Markese Stepp and Rahmir Johnson. Freshmen Marvin Scott and Jaquez Yant did not make the travel roster.
* Not terribly surprisingly, but no sign of tight end Travis Vokolek during early warmups.
* Here are the 74 players on the travel roster, confirmed by reporters from the Journal Star and Omaha World-Herald.
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