Huskers Discuss Matchup with Colorado

Nebraska Football

Weekly Press Conference

Nov. 22, 2004

Head Coach Bill Callahan

Opening Statement:

“Last week’s players of the game; for the seventh time Cory Ross was named MVP of the offense and for the fourth time, Barrett Ruud was the MVP on defense.  We gave the special team award to David Dyches and we named Mike Huff as the defensive scout and Danny Burrow as an offensive scout.”

 

“We practiced three times last week and our players did an excellent job in every respect.  The practices were a bit more physical than usual.  We scrimmaged quite a bit trying to raise our level of intensity as we prepare for Colorado.  When you have that type of situation, you’re going to have some injuries.  At this point, it looks like Brandon Teamer will be doubtful against Colorado because of a knee injury he sustained.  It looks like Isaiah Fluellen will be doubtful for this game.  He sustained some type of tendon injury in his foot.  We’re hopeful that the rest of our team comes back healthy.  Cory Ross did practice yesterday and we’re looking for Brandon Jackson to recover from a knee injury last week.”

 

“We’re excited about this opportunity to play Colorado, about having the chance to keep the streak alive, for our seniors to go out on a winning note and give them a memorable game that will endure in their careers.”

 

On keeping the streak of 42 straight bowl games alive:

“I think it’s really important.  It’s significant in every respect.  From morale, to spirit, to tradition, to recruiting; it all ties in so we’re going to do our best to keep that streak alive.”

 

On the possibility of facing a losing season:

“It’s been a trying season.  It’s been a competitive season for us.  We’ve been in a year of transition.  We’ve put ourselves in this situation and we’ve got an opportunity to get out of it this weekend, so we’re working towards the win and looking forward to that on Friday.”

 

On what he has learned in his first season with the Huskers:

“I’ve learned a lot and I’ll probably learn a lot more as we move along in the off-season.  In any new environment and situation that you’re cast into, you’re going to learn a lot about the landscape and about the environment and the personnel and customs and traditions.  I think as a coach you continually grow and learn and you try to do the best that you can.  There are just so many things that I have learned.”

 

On players choosing to leave the team:

“Danny Muy was recruited by the previous staff and was committed to us, but I think he felt mutually that he would be best served to be in a program where he could see some playing time earlier.  I really like Danny, so it’s too bad things didn’t work out, but we wish him the best of luck.”

“Chris Patrick.  I talked to his father this morning and he’s still mulling over the decision of whether to return to the squad and we would certainly want him back.  I’ve said that to Chris in my meeting with him.  I encouraged him to persevere; I encouraged him to keep working and to not get discouraged where he’s at because he’s been on the scout team this year.  I could not make any guarantees to him about his playing time in the future.  You earn that and right now he’s working hard to possibly come back.  I certainly welcome him back.”

 

“Cory Timm has left the team temporarily in order to get a grip on his academics.  He was a little bit behind the eight ball and it was in his best interest to really do a better job in the classroom.  So he’s working really hard to redeem himself academically before returning to the team, if he decides to come back.

 

On the Colorado defense:

“I look at Colorado as a team that’s hot right now.  Looking at them against Kansas and KansasState, they’ve done a terrific job.”

 

“They’re a team that’s multiple.  They cause problems.  Their players are aggressive and they’re an improved football team, so despite whatever the stats happen to say or what they indicate, that’s not the team that you see on film.”

 

On the Colorado offense:

“They’re similar to what we do on offense.  They run the zone, they’ve got a lot of naked bootlegs, and they’ve got a lot of play action.  They’re very similar so our offense so our defense got a good dose of what Colorado is going to give them Friday, as we worked through our preparations this past week in practice.

 

On the Colorado special teams:

“They’re kicking game is a little bit unusual.  They line up in a lot of different odd-ball formations.  They try to diffuse your ability to potentially block because they’ll fake you at any time.  That’s Coach [Gary] Barnett’s history.   

 

 

On the likelihood of other players leaving:

“I hope that our players stay on and persevere.  I like this team and I’d like to see it grow in every respect.”

 

On the seniors:

“Our seniors have undergone quite a bit in terms of coaching changes and wins and losses.  It’s been a rollercoaster ride for these guys so it’s important that they leave on a good note with a good taste in their mouth.  What they’ve given our program this year and in the last four or five years that they’ve been here; a lot of them have given their heart and soul.  Not only the Barrett Ruuds, but you take a look at the Danny Burrows and Ben Zajicek and Kiffin Wigert, those guys that are really unheralded in terms of what they’ve given the program.  You look at them as a group and you can see that they’ve really gone through quite a bit and I’d love to see them go out with a win.”

On what’s on the line against Colorado:

“I’ve made it very clear to our team what’s on the line, what we’re playing for, what it means.  This is my first last game and obviously there is quite a bit on the line and it’s significant.  A bowl streak and a winning season, that’s big so we’re going to have to ante up to play a little bit tougher on Friday.”

 

On the value of extra practices gained by a bowl game:

“I think it’s huge.  I think any time that you can gain an extra two or three weeks of practice, your younger players get an opportunity to improve and to get more repetitions and you can improve the bottom of your roster in that three week period.  That’s a real key factor.”

 

On the outlook for Joe Dailey

“I think he’ll grow.  He’ll continue to grow.  I think he’ll continue to show positive signs of his play.  I think he’ll learn quite a bit in the off-season when he watches himself on film and the decisions he’s made.  Good, bad or indifferent he’ll study that so that a year from now he’ll have two seasons under this system and it should allow him to become a better quarterback with time and repetition.”

 

On Jordan Adams:

“When he had the surgery, we didn’t feel that he was going to come back quickly.  Even though he had a few weeks for his return, he still struggles physically.  He’s worked hard and made some strides but he’s still not where he should be physically at my estimation anyhow.”

 

On being eliminated from the Big 12 North Division title race:

“I just felt that we had opportunities to capture a division title and we didn’t get it done.  You get what you deserve in this business and we certainly didn’t deserve to be the conference champion at this point.  We just didn’t do enough to capture a championship this year.”