Nebraska Press Conference Quotes

Nebraska kicked off its first game week of the 2006 season with a press conference featuring Coach Callahan and select Husker players. Coordinators Kevin Cosgrove and Jay Norvell addressed the media following afternoon practice. The following is a detailed transcript of the press conference and post-practice quotes.

Nebraska Weekly Press Conference
Pregame vs. Louisiana Tech
Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2006

Head Coach Bill Callahan
Opening comments
"Well we’re ready to roll. We’re excited about the opener, excited about the opportunity to play Louisiana Tech. Just a few brief comments on Tech. They are a solid football team, in all phases. They’ve got good experience coming back on offense. They may not have quite the experience, starters, coming back on defense but certainly the majority of those players on defense have seen a lot of action. And if you look at their bios and read through what they’ve accomplished, whether it is on special teams or in a backup role, this will be a unit that I’m sure will step up and present a challenge for all of us. And special teams, they’re an outstanding corps of special team units that we’re going to face. Good football team, solid across the board. I think (Louisiana Tech Head) Coach (Jack) Bicknell has a history of being an excellent coach and they certainly portray that on film as you study them."

On who will get the starting nod at I-Back
"Well I couldn’t fit them all on one line (sophomore Marlon Lucky, sophomore Cody Glenn, junior Brandon Jackson, junior Kenny Wilson), so I had to put two on one and two on the other. They’re all going to play, they’re all going to play, I guess you’ll have to come to the game to see who’s going to get that first call. It’s all based on what the first opening call will be."

On whether a rotational system is planned for this game
"We sure do. We sure do have a rotational system. It’s based on play selection, based on personnel grouping that will be in the game at that time, but absolutely, absolutely."

On the battle at I-Back and how it’s going
"Well, it’s great competition and all four backs (sophomore Marlon Lucky, sophomore Cody Glenn, junior Brandon Jackson, junior Kenny Wilson) are capable of playing at anytime and they’re outstanding. I love each and every one of these guys, and as I’ve stated many times throughout the duration of training camp they all have the attributes and skills to play at a very high level. It would really be unfair for me to say that one is better than the next. I’m not in a comparative mode. I think they all bring something different to the table, and they are certainly competitive guys. They’re great guys. They’re well prepared and it’s going to be fun to watch them play. I can’t wait to watch them play and I’ll reserve any comment on that group of guys until after we’ve seen them play a little bit here in the non-conference schedule.

On whether the staff will stick with one guy if he gets a hot hand
"Is he throwing the ball? [laughs] You know it’s going to be a thing that we’re going to have to feel and look at how they’re rhythm is going and how we’re doing collectively as an offense before we make any decision as whether or not we’re going to keep a guy or roll a guy. We’ll have a good plan for that".

On hopes that one I-Back would have distanced themselves by now
"No, I think they’re all good backs. And again, I hate to be redundant, but that is the truth of the matter, they’re all quality backs. They all are physical, capable, skilled enough to play and we’re going to play them all. And that’s the test for the coach here is trying to find a way with one ball to get it into four guys’ hands and also feature a passing system where you try to feature a quarterback and distribute the ball to your wide receivers as well. It’s a good problem to have, I will say that."

On an ideal number to average for rushing yards a game
"I’m not going to put that out there. I don’t think there’s any reason to even talk about it, whatever it takes to win, whatever’s in the best interest of our team and staff at that time, we’ll do what we need to do to win. I think that’s the most important thing, is not the numbers and not the carries and the statistics - it’s winning the football game. That’s the objective, that’s the goal."

On preference to have one guy as a starter at I-Back
I just think they’re all good backs, and like I said I love each and every one of these guys. I love watching them compete. I love them on the practice field. They all bring something different to the table and they’re a fun group to watch. They’re competitive, they compete with each other. I think Randy Jordan’s done a heck of a job managing them all. They’re guys that are unselfish. I mean let’s face it, these guys want the football and these guys are unselfish players and they all want to play. And that’s the great thing about it, they want to help this team win. So I love they’re attitude, I love the way they approach practice and they’re approach on the season so it’s going to be fun to watch, see how it all sorts out."

On how to explain to players their role when there is no set number one I-Back
"I think Coach (Randy) Jordan’s done an excellent job through the course of training camp, and through the course of the last few weeks of just visiting with them and explaining them their roles and what we expect of them, but overall I think Coach Jordan has managed that group of running backs as well as any coach I’ve ever been around because they’re highly skilled and talented. And let’s face it, there’s going to be times where you’re not going to have the luxury of having four quality backs. So with that being said, let’s knock on wood and let’s keep them all healthy. Let’s get them all rotated into the mix and wish them the best of luck."

On plans to use more than one I-Back in the back field at a time
"You never know. I think the unknown is, or not the unknown, but the oversight in this whole equation is the fullback, Dane Todd. He’s done a remarkable job, and he’s kind of the quiet guy in that mix where he’s going to see quite a bit of playing time, and he’s a guy that has all the tools that you look for in a quality fullback. He’s smart, he’s tough and he’s versatile. He can play a lot of different roles. He can line up in the H-Back roll, off the line of scrimmage, out of the backfield. Yu can motion him out of the backfield. He’s a good receiver. He’s got good hands. He’s a guy that I’m really proud of. He’s a journeyman guy and he’s certainly a leader in that particular group and really kept those guys going throughout training camp and through last season and spring. Just a tremendous leader, tremendous person, just a quality guy through and through."

On Bo Ruud being listed as the starter at WILL linebacker
"Yeah, Bo’s done an excellent job. And you know Steve (Octavien) is going to play quite a bit as well. Both those linebackers are quality guys. And I would tell you that when the depth chart comes out all these players have been informed, they’ve been talked to, they’ve had conversations with their position coaches, they all know where they stand. And we need each and every one of them so when a depth chart comes out I think the initial reaction is to overreact and to say, oh this guy, he’s the one, so in the public’s, in the fan’s mind everybody thinks there’s a great disparity between one and two, and there’s not. Both Bo and Steve Octavian are excellent linebackers, and they’re both going to play for us. They bring different attributes to the defense as well. I don’t overreact when the depth chart comes out because the players, they want to play and they’re all going to play and they’re all going to help. Whether it’s through the nickel packages, the sub packages, special grouping packages, special teams, whatever we do our best to create roles for each one of those guys."

On the two freshman safeties
"I like them. They’re two guys, we’re talking about (Rickey) Thenarse, (Major) Culbert, they are what we thought they were and thought they were going to be. They have good speed, athleticism, physicality; they have the ability to play coverage. And they’re young, they’re still learning, they’re going to make some errors here and there, but by and large I think Coach (Bill) Busch has done a very good job with them. They’re two guys that I think are going to have great careers here, as long as they continue to do what they’ve shown and what they can do. But the promise is very encouraging from the point that both those players they pick up the system well, they understand their roles, they’re going to be viable special teams corps players for us on the kickoff cover team, on the punt return team. These guys bring a lot to the table and it’s going to be exciting to watch them develop."

On Andre Jones earning the top spot at cornerback
"Well Andre (Jones) is very gifted athletically and he’s picked up the system very well. He’s shown the ability to play all the different variations of coverage. Whether it’s press, bump, whether it’s off technique, whether it’s cloud. Coach (Phil) Elmassian is wearing him out and he’s just really versatile, and he shows the cover skills and the speed and the catch up speed to make plays on the ball. So he’s a guy that we’re very excited about. You know he had that hamstring injury early in camp, but it didn’t keep him out for long. He bounced back pretty quickly, came back into the lineup and I thought competed well, picked up the system. And you know for a transfer guy that comes to us in the fall, I think he’s done very well. I think it’s tough to come in here. Those three corners come in here, those three DBs rather, come in here in the fall and try to pick up the system, try to acclimate not only to the team, and everything else outside of football but then again try to master a system with a lot of complexities and get that down and then go out and execute it. My hats off to him. Those young guys, they’re going to make some mistakes and we’re going to try to correct them as we move along. And they have made mistakes, but they learn quickly and that’s the main thing, that they don’t repeat the same type of error in their game."

On the importance of establishing a running game in these first couple games
"I think the main thing is balance. I’ll always come back to balance in our offensive system. We’re always trying to achieve balance, strike for balance. We’re working to that end. I think the main thing coming out of this game is that we play clean. And what I mean by that is a clean game on both sides of the ball. We don’t want to come out with error, mental error, we don’t want to come out with a lot of penalties. We want to play a clean, physical football game. That’s what we’re striving to do objectively in this game.

"We always refer to the Triple A club, that’s alignment, assignment and adjustment. If we can do those three things well in this game we’ll be pleased as a staff. It’s critical, in a first game, to line up, get the jitters out, you know what you’re assignment is so there’s no confusion, no clutter mentally and then lastly the ability to adjust. And I think I spoke to that yesterday in the Big 12 media conference when we were talking about the ability to adjust to the unknown and adapt to unusual circumstances that could occur in an opening game. I mean let’s face it, when you have a team that’s coming up here in an opener that you don’t have much familiarity with, there’s always those unknown factors.

"You have to be alert for the obvious onside kick so an opponent does come in here and steal a possession away from you. You have to be heads up for gadgets, reverses, reverse passes, whatever that may be, you really have to be on the screw. So if we can play clean in this game and make progress, I think we’ll reach our objective."

On whether the depth at I-back will place a heavy emphasis on the running game
"We’re going to look for balance. We’re always going to try to run, and we’re always going to try to throw it, because we’re looking for the best balance."

On the impact of Nebraska's new facilities on the football program
"I don’t know if it makes anything easier, because everyone has great facilities, and we’re in a competitive environment. I will say this, however. The facilities that have been constructed are the very best in the country, in my opinion. As you (go on the media) tour (of) the facilities today, I think you’ll take note that it’s logistically laid out for our student-athletes, so that they can go from the training room, to the locker room, to the weight room, to the meeting rooms and to the field in a very short amount of time.

"The logistics that they’ve constructed are extraordinary. But the big thing here is that (Athletic Director) Steve’s (Pederson) vision that he created has surpassed all of our thoughts about what this facility could be like. He deserves a lot of credit for what he accomplished. It took a lot of guts to put that facility up on that end. It is an outstanding building, because it represents, in my opinion, a championship atmosphere and environment. Those players, when they come in each day to the facility, they all have to live up to that standard. And I think there’s a real clear message when you step into the north stadium complex, ?You’re here to be a champion. You’re here to succeed. You’re here to be the very best.’ You’re not here to ride out the four years. You’re here to achieve excellence and be great at what you do. I think this facility presents a very clear message to any athlete: That they are here to be the best. If you don’t want to be the best, and you don’t want to commit the time and the effort and the energy, then this isn’t the place for you.

"I’m really proud of our facility, and our floor and everything else that accompanies the overall facility itself. It’s outstanding, and I think you all will really appreciate that today, and I think our players really appreciate that as well."

On the advantage the new facilities give the team
"I think it gives an advantage to a point. You still have to go out and compete against the big schools. Texas and Texas A&M both have facilities, Southern California has the weather. You’re still battling some variables in that regard. But for us, at Nebraska, it puts us up there and allows us to compete with anybody. I think Coach (Tom) Osborne has said many times, ?We don’t have beaches or mountains here in Nebraska, but what we can offer is great championship facilities, and that certainly will give us an edge. In our own division it gives us an edge in terms of competitiveness, and I also think nationally, it puts us right up there at the top."

On the rotation in the offensive line
"I think we’re getting deeper in the offensive line, where we can play more players. I look at the second-team offensive line, and they’re certainly capable of taking a series or two throughout the game, whether it’s early, mid-point or late, they’re certainly capable. I have a tremendous confidence in that group as a whole. It was a very competitive training camp for that group as a whole.

"Coach (Dennis) Wagner did an excellent job creating that competition, and also moving some guys early to take a look at them in different positions. I think (sophomore offensive lineman) Lydon Murtha and (junior offensive lineman) Chris Patrick have done an excellent job. (Junior offensive lineman) Carl Nicks continues to show improvement in his play. It’s going to be a solid offensive line. There has been progress and improvement, and we’ll have to look at it on Saturday and see how it looks under pressure."

On having a third-year starter on the offensive line in senior center Kurt Mann
"I think any time you touch the field, it’s invaluable. That certainly holds true for Kurt. He’s been a two-year starter for us, and going into his third year as a starter, he knows just about every scheme, every call there is along the offensive line. And that communication really helps and assists those younger guys up front. If Andy Christensen, to dispel Greg Austin, just talking in normal dialogue and helping them through certain situations that happen on the field, I think it gives those younger guys a lot of confidence, because he knows what to do and can put them in the right call for the right situation. So it’s a comfort zone for a coach, I do know that."

On the the decision to have any players redshirt this year
"We never make a decision about redshirting in their freshman years. We never tell anybody, at any point, that they’re going to sit out for the year. We like guys to be actively involved in their game-time preparation, actively involved in their roles as special team players, or their potential to develop. Now, with the (NCAA) rule keeping it to 85 players, and a 14-game schedule, you’re going to need everybody. Certainly, injuries occur, and that’s a contingency we’ve got to prepare for. That’s a lot of time from August, when a young man gets on campus, all the way to December, that’s a long time. So we won’t make any decision relevant to the season on red-shirting. We’ll make that decision down the line."

On the development of junior defensive back/wide receiver Tyrell Spain
"His camp was very good. He’s come in and competed well. He’s always a threat whenever we put him on the field, and that’s the great thing. I think Coach (Ted) Gilmore is confident that we can give him a package of plays that he can go out and execute and grow from that package. We’ve got excellent receivers across the board. Just the development of Terrence Nunn in three years time, what he’s done with his body and his development, is just outstanding. And his production speaks for itself in this training camp and preseason. I also think that Nate Swift is a guy who’s come out of nowhere, and has emerged as a top-flight wide receiver for us. Todd Peterson has done an excellent job in our three and four wide sets. Then there’s still Frantz Hardy, Maurice Purify and our young receiver from San Diego, Menelik Holt, we believe he’ll see action somewhere along the line. Chris Brooks is another guy who’s not listed in the two-deep, but I would not rule that out as a role for Chris as well. So we really feel that we’ve upgraded that position. We feel we’ve got some guys that can really add to the value of our passing game and to our production in the pass offense."

On junior I-back Kenny Wilson taking on the role of return specialist
"We’ll look at it on a week-to-week basis. I think there’s good athletic ability in all the possibilities for our back end. I’m looking at Brandon Jackson, Marlon Lucky, Kenny Wilson, Tierre Green. They are all viable, they’re all solid return specialists that can field the ball and make plays, and have potential to score. So we’ll take a wait-and-see attitude and see how they perform, and keep the competition alive. We’ll do whatever we need to do to put the best guys out there."

On the possibility of having a starting player filling the role of return specialist
"I think if you look at last year’s return specialist role, with Terrence Nunn and Cortney Grixby back there, they were two starters, and they’ll do it again this year. We also have Andre Jones as a punt-return specialist, and yeah I think that’s alright. You want to put your best players on the field, and that’s what we’re trying to get accomplished."

On the improvement of senior quarterback Zac Taylor
"We say that he’s progressed very well in the course of practice, and you can see it statistically. But comparatively speaking, when you’re talking about game comparisons, we’re going to have to wait and look at that as it sorts itself out. But we think he’s progressed well in training camp and in the preseason. He’s done as excellent job. He’s upgraded his percentage, he’s more accurate, he’s got better understating. He’s handled more volume."

On the highlight of training camp
"I felt that through the duration of training camp that we did more scrimmaging. In the sense of a highlight, I would say that our players are becoming more physical."

On the replay rules in the NCAA
"I’ve been a proponent of replay since I’ve come into college football. I think there’s a place for it. I also think that a lot of the coaches, whatever apprehensions they had relative to that rule change, they’re now more familiarized and a little bit more comfortable. Now we’re basically at that next step in the replay process where coaches get that opportunity to challenge a call. And you only get that one chance, but I do think that as times moves on, you’ll see replay evolve to the possibility of two challenges, very similar to what the NFL is. But that’s just my own prediction. I like replay. It’s interesting to have that challenge this year. I think the officials have done an outstanding job of monitoring replay through the booth and on the field, and they’re going to work hard to improve it. I see that when we go to conference meetings and you sit down with supervisors of officials and they take you through all their dialogue in what they’re trying to improve. You can see that there’s a lot of work in the background being done to help that process to make it the best it can be for the coaches, the players and the fans."

On teams going to multiple coverages  
"I think teams go after secondaries no matter what game it is. As a coach, you’re trying to find the weakest corner or you’re trying to find a weakness in the coverage to go attack. That’s football. You’re going to get thrown at, especially in the Big 12. This is a spread offense league, and you’re going to have the ball thrown at you. I don’t care who you’re playing against, Iowa State, Missouri, Colorado, Texas Tech ? they all throw it, and you’re going to get tested. You’ve got to have enough coverage in your package, and enough variation in your coverage, to change up. That’s the big thing I’m seeing on film. I’m seeing more variations, and more coverage alignments, then I ever have. Usually in college football, if you went and saw one or two coverages, you made a game plan and you went out and played. Now you’re seeing six, seven, eight different coverages. You’re seeing zero-blitz coverage, you’re seeing man-free, two-cloud, two-Tampa, three-cloud weak, three-cloud strong. You’re seeing quarters, quarter-quarter halves. What I’m trying to say is that you’re seeing more coverage, because you’re seeing more passes and I think coaches are more advanced and more sophisticated in their teaching than what they were years ago."

On Louisiana Tech
"It’s a team that’s very solid. They’ve been efficient. They’re a team that’s come up from a year ago. They were certainly, in my mind, a bowl team (last year). They played very well on the road, and they played very well against the upper level of Division I teams. They take on all comers, and I think that’s their history and that’s their mantra, and that’s what they target for. Knowing that, we’re well informed. I know there are going to be a lot of unknowns in this game, but we have great respect for Louisiana Tech."