Matt Rhule
Nebraska Head Coach
Postgame Quotes vs. Louisiana Tech (Sept. 23, 2023)
Nebraska 28, Louisiana Tech 14
Opening Statement
“We came back down from Florida International 17-3, came back and won the game. You saw us down 17 last week, come back to tie the game, and so we knew that they battle all the way to the end. Thought our guys hung in there. It wasn’t our best game. At the game time we have 315 yards rushing we’re gonna be excited about that. Some of the option plays were really good plays for us, the speed options. Allowed us to get on the perimeter, but there’s still a lot of things to improve and clean up. So we’re going to improve, battle away and get better. Happy for the guys. They went 1-0 this week. They handled the rain delay. Very appreciative for everyone that came to the game and certainly for the people that came back after the rain delay and stayed until the very end. I appreciate that very very much.”
On the third quarter statement made by calls
“I’ll say it again, I think when you come out with an option attack you’re going to get different defenses. And so, part of it is seeing what people are doing. So we were getting a lot of 'Sam Strong' safety from the field, getting a lot of 'Bear'. We found that we played with some tempo on that drive. Anthony (Grant) made some big plays. (Luke) Lindenmeyer is a guy who has really stepped up for us recently and was collapsing the edge so we were able to hit some plays on that drive. I think it was just more a deal of ‘hey we found something. We’ll stay with it. Let’s get some first downs. Let’s go from there and attack.’ I thought the guys did that on that drive.”
On Haarberg’s day and his status at the end of the game
“When we came back in, he got wrapped. I think something felt tight and he was maybe cramping a little bit at the end, so we went ahead and went to Chubba (Purdy) there to finish the game out. I think, had we not had the rain delay, conceivably he would have finished it. Just when he came in, he just tightened up.”
On the QB position over the past two weeks
“I think anytime we protect the football we have a chance to play good defense, to control the game on the ground. We were at 3 and 15 there early in the fourth quarter, things go a little differently, I thought maybe we would get a couple more. Those two runs called back might have been a run for 400 or 450, you know that’s the kind of day you’d like to have out there, but he did a good job. He executed the play calls, some things he didn’t. Some things he didn’t execute. The great thing about Heinrich is he’s trying to get better. We’re coaching him through it, but for the most part I thought he managed the game pretty well, but he, like all of us, like me, all of us need to continue to get better.”
On Sims’ availability and how Haarberg’s play over the past two weeks impacting the position moving forward
“Jeff (Sims) was able to go but limited in what he can do, in terms of the ability to run the football. He did come in for one play. Chubba’s (Purdy) signaling and Heinrich’s finding his helmet. Jeff went in at the end, I think Jeff was probably tight there, just his ankle after being out there all day didn’t see the use of having him go reinjure that but I think Jeff’s an excellent player. He played two really tough teams on the road and a lot of things that happened people are just going to lump on him, some of those things weren’t his fault. We’re going to get him all ready to play and play the game that gives us the best chance to win.”