Callahan Says Huskers Used Bye Week Well

Lincoln, Neb. - The Nebraska football team continued its week-long preparations for Saturday’s Big 12-opener against Kansas with a two-hour workout in full pads inside Memorial Stadium on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day at his weekly press conference, Head Coach Bill Callahan said he believed the Huskers made significant progress in their preparations for the remainder of the season during their bye week, especially in the special teams area.

"We’ve had four solid, good days of work in preparation for this game," Callahan said. "This bye week has given us an opportunity to really take an inventory of where we are in all three phases, and we looked at our special teams strongly. We practiced a lot of different phases of our special teams to try to improve that aspect of our coverage element."

Callahan said the Huskers had great respect for Kansas. "They are a good team that could easily be 4-0 right now," Callahan said. "They’ve lost their last two games by a total of four points, but I know they’re going to be mad coming in here because they could have had the chance to be 4-0 coming into Lincoln. They didn’t quite get that done, but they’re a good group, a fine team, good coaches, good scheme; a very sound football team in all three phases.

Another of NU’s goals during the past week was to nurse injuries, particularly on defense. Callahan said that both cornerback Lornell McPherson and defensive end Adam Carriker were progressing nicely in their quest to return to the starting lineup after missing the previous game, while offensive lineman Jared Helming’s status is uncertain. Meanwhile, cornerback Joey Robison will not play this weekend due to an injury suffered during the Pittsburgh game.

Nebraska Weekly Press Conference
Tuesday, Sept. 28, Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Neb.

Nebraska Head Coach Bill Callahan Quotes
Opening Statement
"What I thought I’d do is bring you up to date in terms of the medical status and injuries. (Lornell) McPherson is day-to-day right now. He will practice today, and he is getting better. We haven’t given him a clear yet as to how much he can do, but he will be on the field on a limited basis. We’ll see how he does. We’ll have a little more update on him after practice today and tomorrow and as we head into the game. But if he’s not ready to go, then (Cortney) Grixby and (Kellen) Huston will be ready to step up like they have.

Adam Carriker is really much improved. He’s better than he has been the last week or so. He’ll be out today, and we’ll see where he is. He’s close, very close, but again, we’ll see where he is after practice. He’s made some real strides in the bye week in his condition, and we’ll just have to see.

Two other players are suspect for the game: Jared Helming, a backup guard who sustained a knee injury last week. It’s just a sprain of the knee, so we’ll see how he responds to that. He has done some running, and we’re counting on him being back in the later part of the week. Joey Robison, who was hurt in the Pittsburgh game, sustained a hamstring injury. He will be out for this game against Kansas, so that’s where we are from a medical standpoint.

We’ve had four solid, good days of work in preparation for this game before we get back to work this afternoon. It has been very profitable in a lot of respects. This bye week has given us an opportunity to really take an inventory of where we are in all three phases, and we looked at our special teams strongly. We practiced a lot of different phases of our special teams to try to improve that aspect of our coverage element. Secondly, we looked long and hard at where we are as an offense and defense on third down. That’s the critical down for us as we go into the Kansas game. As we prepare for Kansas, it’s doing a better job in both respects on both sides of the ball when we get into the third down areas, so that’s something that we focused very hard on and worked exceedingly hard during the bye week. We saw a lot of improvement on the practice field, and we hope to see that continued improvement on the field on Saturday. We’re really looking forward to the game against Kansas. It’s a good team that could easily be 4-0 right now. They’ve lost their last two games by a total of four points, but I know they’re going to be mad coming in here because they could have had the chance to be 4-0 coming into Lincoln. They didn’t quite get that done, but they’re a good group, a fine team, good coaches, good scheme; a very sound football team in all three phases. You can see what coaches put into place there in terms of a system. Their production in all three areas has been very good, very solid. We’re looking forward to this challenge and looking forward to Saturday night."

On problems during third downs
"When you look at third down football, everything comes into play. You look at the defensive side of the ball ? enhancing and increasing your ability to rush the passer and how you do that, whether it’s with the three-man rush or the four-man rush, or whether you apply numbers to your pressure package and bring six, seven, eight rushers at a particular sequence. Conversely, the ability to protect against a team that’s giving you an onslaught of blitzes and pressures, you’ve got to show the potential and the capacity to pick that up. If you don’t pick those blitzes up, you’re going to see them again and again and again. We’ve worked very hard on our pressure package, and we’ve worked very hard also on the pickup aspect of our protection. Then you look at the other side of how people are featuring their receivers on third down and the quarterback from the shotgun, the route running, the decision-making. All those things come into play. And we’d like to get better at running the ball on third down. I think when you have a little bit more balance on third down running it in the short-to-medium range, you give yourself a better opportunity to throw the ball more effectively. So we’ve been focusing in on all those things. The sequences change from third-and-short to third-and-medium to third-and-long, and when you get backed up, you’ve got to face those loaded coverages possibly three deep, five under or two deep, six under with three-man rushes, and your ability to throw into those type of coverage ranges and squeeze the ball in there is going to be really critical."

On taking notice of the win streak versus Kansas
"I’ve read the release that came out for the Kansas game, and it’s well-documented, it’s well-noted, but I look at football differently. I live in the here-and-now. I don’t look back and I look forward to this challenge. I don’t think whatever happened years ago has any significance about what’s going to happen on Saturday, so with all due respect, that’s a great accomplishment and achievement, but that’s for the former players and the former coaches. We’ve got our work cut out, and we’ve got to set our own tradition. Again, I really don’t pay that much attention to it, but it is significant. It’s historic, and it’s obviously a tradition, and it’s one that’s respected by all of us, and we hope that we can add to that."

On Nebraska Cornerback Fabian Washington
"Fabian has been out practicing the last week, so that’s why they mentioned him on the report. He’s been out on practice and working, so we’re expecting a full go on Fabian."

On kickoff coverage by the special teams
"I think the big thing is the techniques, the execution of how hard we’re going. It’s never good enough. There were times where we did do a good job of covering kicks. There are kicks on the film that are very positive, and I want to highlight those. But when you do get returns, as we have twice in three games, there’s particular notice. That was the same type of return, and we felt that we addressed it coming out of the first game. Again we got hit with it in Pittsburgh, and we did a good job of covering three of them, but the one that we let go was very costly. That’s been addressed, but I see a technique here or two ? lane distribution, the ability to slip a block and two-gap a blocker on that phase of the game, and the ability to tackle. That’s football ? the ability to make a play and a tackle, but that’s going to happen, and I understand that. We can correct that and improve our techniques and the way we attack the coverage, the way we attack the wedge, the way we stay inside and in front as we converge, squeeze, and press to the ball. Those are the things we try to get better at. In football talk, that’s just being able to converge, stay square to the ball and keep that continual press and that pressure toward the ball carrier. That’s what we attempt to do."

On offensive differences in the first and second halves
"I’m most critical of myself in terms of the direction of play selection. A lot of it is third down. A lot of it is staying balanced and trying to come out with possibly a different package in the second half where we do utilize things that went well in the first half. We try to repeat those, and then we try to add to that package. In adding to that package, sometimes those plays are 50-50. Sometimes you’ll make a great play on it, sometimes you won’t. We try to be more consistent in what the players can do and what they know and understand, than try to trick anybody and try to come up with a phantom call or something of that nature. I would say the plays in the game plan are practiced, and they’re inventoried during the course of the week. We can tell you how many times we’ve practiced each of those specific plays, so when we do make a call, and we do dial up a call, the players have a great understanding of that particular play. They know how it’s to be executed. As I tell the players, there are a lot of good plays in the offense, but if they’re not executed, we’re not going to call them up. So those plays have to be executed very well in practice for them to be called on game day."

On the second half of the Kansas vs. Texas Tech game
"I don’t know if it was so much Texas Tech. I can’t speak for Kansas, but if it were me, I would look at it critically in terms of what we could have done. Texas Tech, you know what they’re going to do. They make no secret about what they’re doing, and they’re going to throw the football, and they’re going to throw it every down. They’re going to mix in a run every now and then, try to keep you honest somewhat. I just think it’s execution. Like I said earlier, Kansas is very, very good structurally. They have a good plan, they’re a very solid defense. They don’t make mental errors. When you beat Kansas, you’ve got to beat them. You’ve got to beat them physically, and you’ve got to beat them man-to-man, so that’s what that comes down to ? individual breakdowns."

On the Kansas-Texas Tech game
"I felt that Texas Tech is one of those types of teams that has the uncanny ability to come back from behind. You watch them against Kansas and the week before against TCU, and they can generate a lot of points in a very short period of time. They’re very explosive, and when you play an offense like that, they’re dangerous because they can hit you at any point in time, anywhere on the field. They’re going to try to exploit you in some type of fashion. But it didn’t surprise me. And no disrespect toward Kansas, but Texas Tech is a good football team, a very good football team. Our focus right now lies toward Kansas, and I think Kansas is the No. 1 challenge in our books."

On Nebraska I-back Cory Ross
"He’s pretty good. We backed him way down last week, so I don’t envision any potential problems going into the game. I want to keep him healthy. I want to keep him to a 15-20 game."

"He had that 27 in the first game, and we talk about the possibility of overusing him. He got a little nicked up in the Pittsburgh game, so we backed him down quite a bit last week to get him some rest and allow him to recover a little bit better so he’s fresh to go this week."

On the Kansas linebackers
"These guys are really productive players. They play in a system they really understand, and they know how to fit. What I mean by that is that as a linebacker, you have to fit off of a defensive line and in a particular gap. They know exactly where to be on each play. You never see them out of position. Their run fits, and their run definition is very good, and that’s why you see the production that you see out of both those outside linebackers. I’m really impressed with them. They’re the heart and soul of that defense, and they’ve got some young defensive linemen in there. But they play very well off of them, and their line has done a great job. Their back end is new outside on the corner on the edge, and they’ve got solid safeties. They’re a very good football team."

On Nebraska Defensive Coordinator Kevin Cosgrove’s system
"I think football continually evolves, and everybody is going to pick up a trend or implement some type of a new technique, new scheme, or a new defense that they’re comfortable with for their particular players. So the evolution of Coach Cosgrove has been interesting because he’s adapted a lot of pro principles in terms of pressure principles and techniques of that nature, but he’s always been very sound. And the one thing that won’t change with Coach Coz is his fundamental belief of what we need to do from a technical standpoint. That will never change. Keeping your outside arm and leg free, being square, playing square, playing with speed, playing fast ? those core fundamentals won’t change, and he continues to do an excellent job of conveying that to the players, and then adding whatever he needs to add to complement what the players do well. I think that’s always been his strength."

On personnel changes for special teams
"We’ve got great competition on special teams. I think the No. 1 thing you see is that we have backups who do compete. Whoever is the best player for that given week is going to play, and that’s always something that’s under consideration. Our players fully understand that there’s competition at a lot of different spots on special teams. We’re trying to put the best players we can out there.

The best players play. If we need a starter, they’ll definitely be on the field, and they’ll contribute in that specific area."

On the rushing defense being rated No. 1 nationally
"It always means something. There’s a lot of pride on that side of the football, and in the last year or so, there’s been a building pride, and you can see it culminating in these first three games. It’s going to be important as you get into conference play to see that statistic hold up because there are some awfully good football teams in the North and the South that will challenge that. That’s impressive. That’s very impressive against some pretty good teams, but any time you can hold down an opponent in terms of the running game and force them into a one-dimensional attack, it just allows you to do what you want to do, and you become able to dictate a little bit more in terms of your package."

On stopping the run
"I think you start with the front. You look at our front four and their ability to not only play base defenses and fundamentals that they do so well, but the changeups off of them. Their ability to move and stunt the line and to utilize different types of movement packages with them has been a real bonus. I look at our linebackers, and I see great leadership in the middle and on the edges. These guys are very active, they’re very knowledgeable. They can diagnose, read and make a play. That really comes down to that front seven. The incorporation of the two safeties into the attack as well ? we’ve got two big safeties who can come down and play in the paint. They can fill the run as well as anybody in college football. So when you have those types of attributes, it just lends itself to a successful front. It all plays hand in hand. And then you add the energy, the tempo, and the speed and it’s a good front."

Nebraska Defensive Coordinator Kevin Cosgrove

Press Conference Quotes

 

Kevin Cosgrove, Defensive Coordinator<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

On last weekend’s Texas Tech vs. Kansas game

“I was very impressed with Kansas. I thought they played a very good football game. They have a lot of weapons on offense and they are very explosive.”

 

On Kansas QB Adam Barmann

“I think he’s much improved over last year. He’s very athletic, he can run the ball. They don’t seem to be running it as much as they would probably want to right now, but he has that ability. He’s been a much better decision-maker this year.”

 

On scouting a team that plays differently each half

“You scout more than one game. But they’re a consistent team. They improve every week. They get better with what they do offensively, very similar to last year.”

 

On the Kansas offensive line

“I’m very impressed with the center (Joe Vaughn). I think he’s a very good lineman. He’s athletic and they use him to pull, so you know he’s got good athletic ability. You don’t normally see centers pull like that unless they have the ability. I’m impressed with him, and their big, strong line. I think they do a lot of good things.”

 

On the quality of the Kansas receivers

“The receivers are good. Their go-to-guy is (Brandon) Rideau. He’s a very good player, big receiver. They have a solid group of receivers beyond him.”

 

On the versatility of Charles Gordon

“He’s that type of athlete. He has the ability to play all of those positions. I’m sure there are certain things they limit in this offense and what they do with him, but he’s certainly a very good player.”

 

On big plays the NU defense has given up this year

“Both of those long passes were after sudden changes, after turnovers. We have to address with what we’re doing in those situations and improve and give our kids better chances.”

 

On the availability of injured Huskers

“We hope to have them all back, but I’ll tell you later in the week. They were all practicing on Sunday.”

 

On the overall job of the defense through three games

“I think we’ve done a lot of good things. I think that’s obvious, statistically. Again, we have to improve with every practice and every game. You either get better or you get worse, you never stay the same. So we look for improvement every day.”

 

On the defense’s success stopping the run

“I think we have a very good front. We have linebackers that play downhill, and we have a big, strong physical line that has done a good job of controlling our opponent’s offensive line.”

 

On the effect of injuries on the defense

“It creates depth. I think we proved last game that without our two starting cornerbacks, we can hold up pretty good.”

 

On reasons why Kansas’ offense has seemed to be more effective in first half

“I can’t really comment on that. I don’t know. For whatever reason in the second half, they seem to not do as well as they do in the first half. It’s not because they change their offense. Guys were making plays in the first half and not in the second half.”

 

On the defense searching for that perfect game

“We want it every game. It’s hard to do in this day and age. You look at the types of offenses you have to play, particularly this week, with the way they spread you out. They’re going to move the ball. You just have to eliminate the big plays, the quick hits. That’s one of the things we’ll really put an emphasis on this week.”

 

On Wali Muhammad’s status now that starter Adam Carriker is healthy

“His performance allows him (Muhammad) to get more playing time. Again, injury creates depth. It gave our backups an opportunity to show what they can do in a real-game situation. So, he’s earned playing time, and what it does is create a rotation to keep guys fresh all of the time. They (Kansas) will be running around a lot this week.”

 

On Le Kevin Smith

“He’s been solid. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. He’s made some plays. But as with everybody, we expect him to play better ever week. “

 

 

Nebraska Offensive Coordinator 

Jay Norvell

Press Conference Quotes

 

Opening Statement

“We had the week off, we had the chance to work on some areas that we felt we needed to shore up and improve. We’re anxious for a great challenge this week from a fine Kansas team that is much improved and solid on defense.”

 

On last weekend’s Texas Tech vs. Kansas game

“It was a pretty wild game with the way Kansas went out early. I got to watch it a few times. Turnovers play a big role in all games, and those are some things we went back and studied about our own team and tried to emphasize with our players last week. The game’s never over until it’s over and the way that (Texas Tech) scored at the end, uncharacteristically, with the long run is very unusual. But it just goes to show you anything can happen in a football game. We tried to make those same points to our guys, that every play could be the difference.”

 

On how the Husker coaches decide when to play which running back

“We have different backs and they all have a different role. We try to use them all. Over the course of the year, they’ll all get their opportunities to play in different situations. They’re all capable, they’re all guys we have confidence in. We expect them all to step up when their opportunity comes. They’ve all practiced, and as they continue to work, their roles will be defined even more. We’ve said more than once that we need them all to step up, Tierre (Green), Brandon (Jackson) and David (Horne). They’re all guys we expect to have quality minutes for us and give us quality reps.”

 

On the drop in offensive execution from the first half to second half during games so far this year

“We just have to sustain our focus and tempo. We’ve got to hit spurts, but we’ve got to do it consistently over four quarters. That’s what we’re striving to do offensively, play every snap at the same high intensity and tempo that we start the beginning of the game with. We’re getting closer and closer to that. I think that comes with the leadership of the guys in that huddle. In the line, at the quarterback position, at the running back position, understanding that tempo and focus and keeping their foot on the pedal for four quarters.”

 

“We have always talked about halftime as adjustment time. We make adjustments, they make adjustments, and you have to think quickly and adjust quickly as an offensive unit and continue to play at a high level. One of the things disappointing about our last game was that we did poorly on third down, in the second half especially. But we also did poorly on first down, and I think that’s the critical point. We did not stay in the normal, we had some penalties that put us behind the eight ball, and we didn’t execute the way that we did in the first half on first down. That puts even more pressure on you on third down, and that’s one of the things we really talked and emphasized to our guys this week. We went back and worked on some specific third-down areas, and felt that we improved some areas. We want to take that to the field this Saturday.”

 

On the benefit of scripting the game’s first 15 offensive plays

“I think it helps some. We practice everything that we’re going to do on Saturday. By game time on Saturday, our players pretty much know what we’re going to call in third-and-medium, third-and-short, in the red zone and goal-line situations. So I think there’s some familiarity with our openers, but at the same time there’s familiarity with all of our game plan calls in certain situations. That’s the way we practice it. By Saturday they should be very familiar with the situations and plays we’re going to call.”

 

On the importance of finishing

“We talk about tempo every day in practice, we talk about finishing plays. Basically, what that means is we finish every play with great effort and technique. When we started with these plays, it wasn’t so much that the plays were new to our players, it was the techniques that make the plays work?the pass protection, the route-running techniques, the footwork for the quarterback. All of the different areas, it’s very specific, defined execution that needs to take place and those techniques need to be executed and finished on ever play for the play to be successful. Those are the things we’re honing up on. Every day we go to practice, we work on finishing our pass protection finishing at the tops of our routes, the quarterback finishing throws and finishing his footwork and his fakes. It’s all those little things that turn into big things on the field on Saturday, and that’s the discipline we’re working our kids toward.”

 

On Kansas’ defense

“We have a lot of respect for this defense. They’re very solid all the way across the board. They do an excellent job in third down. I think that’s our challenge in our offense. We need to stay in the normal, do a great job on first down moving the ball and being efficient, and putting ourselves in manageable position on third down. When we’ve been successful this year, that’s what we’ve done offensively. So that’s our challenge to our guys, to execute on first down, get us in third-and-medium, third-and-short situations where we can really call the bulk of our offense and execute. That’s really every team’s goal.”

 

On the Kansas linebackers

“They’re an experienced bunch. That’s probably the heart of their defense and most experienced unit on their defense. They’re the leaders of that defense. They’re physical, very similar to the Pittsburgh defense. They’re physical and tough. We’re going to have to do a very good job of getting underneath them and running the football, and we’ll challenge our guys that we’ll need to be able to run the football successfully. We’re going to have to mix it up and keep them off-balance with the run and the pass.”

 

Nebraska Offensive Lineman Jake Andersen
Press Conference Quotes

 

On I-back Cory Ross

"He’s been very impressive this year. He’s running the ball hard and every time he gets a chance to get his hands on that football, he’s taking advantage of it. He’s hitting holes and he’s making people miss, so it’s fun blocking for a guy like him."

 

On Nebraska finishing games

"That’s a big focus of ours. We’re happy with how we’ve been coming out, but we definitely need to work on finishing stronger than we have been. That’s been a big focus during this bye week and pushing ourselves very hard at the end of practice so that we can carry that over in the game. There’s no real reason why it happens, but we’ve come out in the second half and have not executed quite as well as we have in the first half. It’s something that we need to get better at."

 

On <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska’s 35-game winning streak against Kansas

"That’s an awful lot of games in a row, but you can’t look at that anymore. The parity in college football is so great, that you have to come to play every game. You can’t look past teams because we know if we don’t show up and play, we know Kansas will come here looking for a win. We know they’re not going to lie down; they want to come here and come away with a victory, so we need to go out and play well. You hear about that stuff, but I try not to think about it. That stuff really doesn’t matter. The past is the past and this is now, and if we want to continue that streak we’re going to have to come out and play real well."

 

On the Texas Tech-Kansas game last Saturday

"It was a good game. Texas Tech has shown that they can come from behind when they need to, and I think they’ve done it the last two weeks. Both teams are good football teams. It was a hard-fought football game, and Kansas just kind of let it slip away at the end."

 

On the play of Kansas’ linebackers

"Those guys are playmakers. They play real hard. I remember last year playing against them. They were two guys out there hustling every play and doing everything they can to make tackles and give their team a victory."

 

Nebraska Quarterback Joe Dailey

Press Conference Quotes

 

On Nebraska's bye week

"It has been a long week, but it was nice."

 

On the second-half offensive production

"It’s been emphasized the last three weeks. Last week was pretty much a tempo week to get us to stay strong throughout the entire practice, and this week I think it’s going to be the same thing. I think it’s just the way the second half plays out. Field position is a big thing. In the first half of the Pittsburgh game, we were inside their 50-yard line a lot, but in the second half we were in there very few times and that plays a huge role in our success."

 

On third down production

"It’s the most important down in football. You have to be successful on third downs. If you’re not, you’re not going to be able to score points. You have to be able to get first downs. Third and long is very crucial."

 

On dropped passes

"The receivers understand and they already know. I don’t have to get on them. They have to catch the ball. That’s their job as a skill position."

 

On the Texas Tech-Kansas game last Saturday

"I thought it was a decent game. Kansas plays aggressively on defense and that’s good for us because we like chances. "

 

On Nebraska’s 35-game winning streak against Kansas

"I really don’t think about it like that. We look at it like we want to be the elite in the Big 12 so we have to beat everybody. Numbers are great, but it really doesn’t matter. If they were to break it, we could start a new one. It’s all about winning the football game. We could really care less about the streak or anything else."

 

On the Big 12 opener

"We all know it’s the opener and you have to beat everybody in the Big 12 to go to the Big 12 Championship Game. Our motivation is to be the best in every play and every time you go out there, understand that every play is crucial. That’s one thing I’ve learned; every time you step on the field you have to continue to fight regardless of the scoreboard. You have to keep pushing to come out on top at the end of the game."

 

Nebraska Defensive Tackle Titus Adams

Press Conference Quotes

 

On the importance of stopping the run

"Stopping the run is really important. Coach Cosgrove has talked about it ever since the spring and in the fall. The first thing we have to do is stop the run to make the game more predictable. Then we know they’ll have to pass the ball so we can pin our ears back and attack the quarterback."

 

On leading the nation in rush defense

"We just go out every game and try to play hard, and I guess we’ve been playing pretty well. There’s always room for improvement and we’re going to keep playing hard and getting to the ball."

 

On the Texas Tech-Kansas game last Saturday

"Both teams are pretty good, and you could tell that it was kind of hard for Kansas to finish the game. This week, I know they’re going to come in here this week and play for a full four quarters. They have a pretty good team, and I know they’d like to have a win because it could turn their season around."

 

On stopping Kansas’ running game

"Our goal is always to stop the run. If we’re able to do that, hopefully the game will be a lot easier. I know Kansas is going to come in and have a great plan and give us their best."

 

On the Big 12 opener

"This week is important because it’s the start of the Big 12 season. You want to start off and let everyone around the nation and the Big 12 know that we’re taking this serious and we want to win. We’re going to come out and play our best and I’m sure the other teams are as well."

 

On Nebraska’s 35-game winning streak against Kansas

"I remember growing up when Nebraska would win a lot of games. Nebraska was kind of like the bully and everyone wanted to beat up the bully. We can’t think about that, no matter who we play."

 

"Every game we go into, we want to win. We go in expecting to win."

 

On Wali Muhammad:

"He never gets tired. He plays every play like it’s the first one. He has a really good motor and he keeps running and pursuing the ball. He was a big spark in the Pittsburgh game with the interception, blocked passes and pressure on the quarterback. Every time you looked up he was somewhere doing something, so he helped a lot in that game."

 

 

Nebraska Cornerback Kellen Huston

Press Conference Quotes

 

On Kansas’ offense

They play a lot of three and four wide receiver sets. We’ll be in a lot of nickel packages I think, so I’ll again see a lot of playing time this week, which is exciting for me.

 

On seeing more playing time

I’ve considered myself a starter since the beginning of the year when I wore the Blackshirt, even if it was just in the nickel package. Being able to play the second half against Pittsburgh as one of the guys that’s out there every play on defense was a lot of fun and it gave me a lot of confidence, especially heading into the Big 12 season.

 

On Kansas’ receivers

"They have some really good receivers. Brandon Rideau is a really good receiver, and he can do pretty much anything. He’s going to pose a challenge for us, but I think we’re all up for it. Having Fabian (Washington) and possibly Lornell (McPherson) back will be a big boost for us."

 

On Nebraska’s 35-game winning streak against Kansas

"To tell you the truth, that’s the first I’ve heard of it. That’s a long streak, but every game is just another game. You can’t live in the past and you can’t look too far ahead because you can’t look past anybody. Anybody can sneak up behind you and beat you."

 

On the emotional aspect of his game

"I play very emotionally, and that’s just the way I’ve always been. When I’m on the field, I am very into the game. I try to rub off on my teammates too, because energy is contagious. I’ve always thought that when you play with emotion, you play a little bit better, so that’s how I’ve always played, even in high school."

 

On the Texas Tech-Kansas game last Saturday

"Both sides of the ball had an air attack. It was kind of nice to see both of our next two opponents at the same time. We saw them kind of expose each other, as well as their strengths. We got a good feel for all their players and we’re anxious to get going this week and next week also."

 

On the Big 12 opener

"Even though we’re 2-1, we’re basically saying we’re 0-0. Last year it was nice to have the Big 12 opener as our first game and to be able to say we’re 1-0 and leading the Big 12, but as of right now we’re tied for the lead in the North as we see it, and anything can happen."

 

On the goal of reaching the Big 12 Championship Game

"It’s been our goal for all five years that I’ve been here. The race is wide open, but the Big 12 North title is what we’re shooting for right now and that will get us to the Big 12 Championship Game. Once we get to the championship game, we’ll concentrate on the overall Big 12 title and that will get us to where we want to be."