One of the biggest questions of fall camp got a little murkier as Nebraska kicked off fall camp Saturday morning.

Freshman quarterback Bubba Starling wasn't on the practice field and freshman wide receiver Jamal Turner was taking snaps with the quarterbacks as Nebraska started fall camp.

Pelini said Starling isn't on Nebraska's 105-man roster this fall, and won't practice until he makes a decision about his future in professional baseball. Pelini said Starling could be added later should the freshman decide to forgo professional baseball.

“The situation is normal, but obviously he has a lot at risk,” Pelini said of Starling. “So we communicated with the family and decided the best way to go about it and we're on the same page.

“This was the plan we've had for a little while now. No surprise to me or them. We're on the same page.”

Pelini said Starling would continue working out and attending class, though he won't practice with the team. Starling, who arrived on campus in mid-July, has until Aug. 15 to decide whether he will sign a professional baseball contract with the Kansas City Royals or begin his career at Nebraska.

The uncertainty about Starling's future leaves the team in a tough position. If Starling chooses Major League Baseball, and the staff keeps Turner at wide receiver, that would leave Nebraska with just two scholarship quarterbacks on its roster in 2011.

Turner had moved to wide receiver midway through spring practice, and the coaching staff had said repeatedly that he would stay at wide receiver, even if Starling chose to pursue a Major League Baseball career.

Turner, who will compete for immediate playing time totaled 228 all-purpose yards and hauled in a 49-yard touchdown catch in the spring game.

Pelini said Turner is a wide receiver first, but that the coaching staff is taking the same approach with him as it did during spring practice.

“Jamal is a multi-talented guy,” Pelini said. “He's a receiver first, we're working with him some at quarterback, same thing we did with him in the spring.”