NU Football Press Conference - 11/20/2001

Opening Statement:
"We're fortunate, this week, in terms of the weather. We'll be playing on grass (at Colorado), as you all know, and last week, every practice that we had was on our grass. Sometimes that's not normally the case that you're able to get practices in on the grass during this time of year. This week, we've gotten two of our four practices in on the grass, which is generally the way we do it on game week. I think that's all played out well for us, so we certainly will be conditioned to playing on grass. I think both weeks have served (the two) teams well in terms of trying to put on the field as healthy a team as possible. It sounds like (Colorado) has made some strides with some of their players, health wise, that will give them an opportunity to play. We've made strides with some of our (players) that will enable some of our guys to play. As you look at our season, and probably the same with (Colorado's), we've been playing the last two or so ball games with some guys that have been banged up yet have been able to stay on the field for us and that kind of effort, that kind of toughness is appreciated and that's also what helps you win football games. It's certainly helped us to be 11-0 at this point. It should be a great game if you look at it statistically. Both teams have been able to move the football and put points on the board. The two teams are ranked at the top of the (Big 12) Conference in total offense. You look at both teams defensively and you see teams that have played very well defensively against both the run and the pass. Both teams have been able to put points on the board through special teams play, and as well as putting points on the board, both teams have been able to gather great field position. I think you'll see a very physical football game. I believe both teams will try to establish the run and build off of it. Both teams will have defenses that will move around well and both teams have the kind of capabilities on special teams to score from a distance out, which should bring about a good football game.

On the practice schedule leading up to the Colorado game:
"I think as you go through a schedule such as ours with the possibility, if things fall right, that you play 14 games, I think you have to be very careful as you're going through the year that you don't leave some of the games on the practice field and you don't have your guys beat down and worn down to where, when they step on the field, they may play hard, but they may not have enough left to get it done and you may have so many injuries that it's going to keep you from being able to play great football, team-wise. As you go through the year, you kind of have some give and take as far as practices and time commitment and when you give your team some time off. Right now, at 11-0, our team seems to be fairly well healed up. We are going to be playing a very physical football team. We're going to be playing a game where their offense is going to be running at our defense and you don't get to where you're conditioned and ready for that kind of game by just running around (at practice) in shorts all the time. Last week we tried to utilize that a little bit where we've gone in pads and gone some ones against ones and we did a little bit of that yesterday. As I think back on it, that's not really out of character for this time of year to have some of the kinds of practices that we've had. I'm sure some of what has been related to the fact that they've already played 11 games and when you start getting ready to play in a bowl game, you get time off, your practices are a little bit shorter and you kind of build up to the bowl game. Well, (Nebraska) is not in that position yet, so we're still trying to get done what we need to get done prior to any kind of a bowl that we would go to. You put all that together and you come out with the kind of practices that we've been having and I think (the practices) have been beneficial for us and we've been fortunate that we haven't gotten anyone hurt in those practices."

On the difference between preparing for Colorado this year compared to preparations the last couple of years:
"I think the philosophy that (Colorado) will use is that they will certainly try to do the things that will enable them to win. They'll do some things that we expect and we'll do some things that they expect. They'll run the football at us. We expect that to happen and they're just going to do it. Will they build in some other plays, some special things in the kicking game? I think they'll continue to do that. They've done that in the past. Is it easier to call some of those plays when everything's not on the line? Probably, but they're a very proud program and they have very talented athletes and even though they maybe were not playing towards a Big 12 Conference spot in the playoffs (before), they stepped on the field and played great football and wanted to get it done. From that angle, things don't change too much. I expect we'll see the same kind of energy generated that we've seen in the past. It seems to me that every time we've played them, they've been ready to play and have played very hard and played well. We expect that will continue to happen. Is there a little bit more for both teams to play for at this point in the season? That might be right going into this game, but I think both teams would've matched up and played really hard regardless of what was at stake.

On any part of Nebraska's game that the team will have to concentrate on:
"Certainly, we're going to have to step up and play great run-defense because (Colorado) will come at you. We have played very good against running football teams, but will we need to play even better? Possibly. (Colorado) will keep fresh tailbacks in (the game). (Cortlen) Johnson is certainly an outstanding tailback and we know what he's capable of doing. He's done it against us for a couple of years. The other great tailbacks that they've got have all played and done extremely well because (Colorado's) got a big, aggressive line. Stopping the run will be vital and it cannot be a deal where we allow them to control the clock with the running game and run up and down the field. I don't know that there's any one spot that our team has been ridiculous at that if they continue to play that way, we won't have a chance, but certainly there are areas that we must improve some. All in all, we've made some great strides in some areas. I think turnovers is one of those areas. That'll be very important in this game, of course. If you look at the last two or three games, we have done a very good job of taking care of the ball and not just giving it to the opponent. That will play out heavily here. We've done some things that have helped ourselves. Generally, we've relied on being a balanced football team and being able to do things well offensively, defensively and on special teams. We're hoping that's going to play out well enough again to be able to get it done. If you look at (Colorado), they're also that same way. They're a balanced football team.

On finishing the season on the road:
"I'm sure it'll be a difficult environment. That's just the way it is for us on the road in general. It's a game that has been played at the end of the year and generally, that means a great deal to both teams wanting to end their season on a good note. It's a nationally televised game and all of those things come in to play."

On the difference between Colorado last year and this year:
"Certainly, (Colorado) knows better than us, but from what I'm reading and from what I'm hearing them say is that they are maybe a little more unified football team (this year) and I've seen comments where they've indicated that last year's game (against Nebraska) was the first game of the 2001 season for them. Coming out of the game, even though they lost, it brought them together more. If that's the case, then certainly that is an area that is vitally important to producing a great football team. It appears that's the way they are when you watch them on a tape. They're playing hard and they're playing hard together. They've always been a team that's had very good talent and they've been great football games and I don't expect this (game) to be any different."

On Thunder Collins:
"If you look at Thunder, he's not really built as an I-back, but yet he's turned out to be an aggressive runner for us and he's held up physically for us this year. As far as expectations, he's delivered for us and will continue to deliver for us throughout his career here. He's got a great attitude and every time he steps on the field he gives you something. We feel very good about what he's gotten done, what's he contributed and what he'll continue to contribute for this team."

On the importance of play in the fourth quarter:
"It's been very important in the previous games and I'm sure it'll be very important in this one. I think both teams will have to play four quarters of football if they want to have a chance coming down the stretch in this game and that will obviously be the case. I think you'll find both teams will play very hard throughout the course of the game. (Colorado) has played in physical football games and so have we and I expect we'll be involved in another one. That's the way it generally is in this game, especially if you're competing for a chance to be a representative in your division to play for the Big 12 Conference Championship."

On passing to Tracey Wistrom and Wilson Thomas:
"I want us to have the best chance that we can have. What that might mean is involving all of (the receivers) as much as we possibly can. Sometimes, teams are able to give you some things that you try to take and sometimes they try to take away things that have been very good for you. To say that Tracey (Wistrom) didn't have a great reputation coming into this season where the teams had been foolish and they just let him run around and catch passes, is not true. Certainly, (other teams) were coming into this season with the idea of taking things away. If you look at Tracey, sometimes there were two people on him in route and sometimes that's going to be the case. It depends upon what you're able to get done offensively. If you don't throw the ball much in a game, (Thomas and Wistrom) are not going to be directly involved in the receiving aspect in contributing to the win. Will they make a catch or two? Generally, yes, but where will they be in terms of blocking and getting other things done on the football field for you? The good thing about those two is they've been complete players. Sometimes, when it doesn't look like the other guy's catching five or six passes a game, (it looks like) he's not contributing greatly, but that's really not been the case with those two. They've contributed greatly without (the catches). If both of them catch a lot of passes, that means we're throwing a lot of passes and I'm not sure what that means in terms of the game. We'll still try to run the football some and if we're able to run it well, and (Colorado's) able to run it well, you probably won't see as many passes."

On Eric Crouch
"I think Eric is as good as it gets, not only in our program, but around the country. He's been a guy that has done all the right things and along with that, has had a make-up about himself that comes across very non-assuming and very much a guy that appreciates other players on his team and their talents and what they're all about. Our players see that and know that and that's why he's so well liked by our players. I don't know that he's ever refused an autograph. He tries to do all the speaking that he possibly can and he tries to answer all the media questions. You'd be hard pressed to find a group of people who would say that Eric Crouch is not what he should be in terms of an athlete and a person. When you get a guy like that who does it out on the football field and does it out in the community as well and does it in front of all the cameras and mikes, I think you really appreciate what that guy is all about. I don't think there's a question that he's as good as it gets in college football.