It sounds as if Nebraska assistant coaches John Garrison and Barney Cotton don’t have to worry much about Spencer Long sitting on any of his surprising success from last season, his first as a starter on the Huskers’ offensive line.

Long, a junior walk-on from Elkhorn, emerged last August to not only win the No. 1 job at right guard but earn second-team All-Big Ten honors. Garrison said Monday night that the 6-foot-4, 305-pounder has picked up where he left off to start preseason camp.

“No sophomore slump for him, no second-year slump,” Garrison said. “He’s done a great job coming out and competing these first few days.”

Long still doesn’t say a whole lot, Garrison said, but he continues to gain respect among his peers.

“He’s not one of those guys that needs to talk, but when he does it matters,” he said. “And it means something to the guys.”

Long and Seung Hoon Choi appear set to anchor the guard spots around center Cole Pensick on the NU line. At tackle, Tyler Moore and Brent Qvale are battling on the left side and Andrew Rodriguez and Jeremiah Sirles on the right.

“I think we’ve got seven or eight guys right now that are competing to be that five, and I don’t know if we’ll ever just have five,” Garrison said. “We might have seven or eight that are going to play quite a bit. We’re fluctuating, moving guys around — not every day but every period.”

Nebraska has three practices in the books and will hold its fourth Tuesday night.