Linebacker Corey McKeon

Nebraska Weekly Press Conference
Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2006
Memorial Stadium - Lincoln, Neb.
Pre-Oklahoma State

Corey McKeon
Junior, Linebacker
On his condition for the Texas game
“Mentally, I was 100 percent into the game.  I prepared hard all week and Coach (Kevin) Cosgrove had a great plan for us.  We knew what they were going to do out of everything.  Physically, it was hard to say.  As the game went on, I felt better and better.  I did what I could out there.  It wasn’t enough to win, obviously, but the linebackers played so well that it didn’t matter what percentage I was at.  Steve Octavien stepped up and played well, so it didn’t matter.  ”

On the performance of NU linebacker Steve Octavien
“It was awesome.  I love going out there and watching Steve go out and make plays.  I love watching our linebackers make plays out on the field.”

On OklahomaState’s offense
“We go into every game thinking that.  We don’t go into any thinking we have a lot to worry about.  They are a very high-powered offense and they’re tough.  Watching them on film, they have a lot of weapons and there are a lot of things they can do.  It’ll be a tough test for our defense, but we like tests.  We like hard offenses to beat.  It makes it more fun for us and more dynamic.  Coach Cosgrove will put in a great plan, and as long as we execute it, it doesn’t matter who we play.”

On the similarities between the offenses of OklahomaState and IowaState
“They’re similar in some ways, especially in the ways they use their quarterback.  He’s a dual-threat.  But OklahomaState does a lot more under center, while IowaState does more out of the shotgun.  They use the option a lot differently.  They use the option out of the two-back sets.  But there are a few similarities."

On the increased depth at linebacker
“It’s easy to have a rotation like that when you have five or six guys that can make big plays and be big-time players, especially with Lance (Brandenburgh) and Steve coming back.  It’s fun going out there not knowing who you’re going to go out there with.  Everyone makes big plays.  Everyone brings something to the table.  It keeps everyone rested and healthy.  It keeps people playing at high levels.  If you’re tired, you have the capability to tap your helmet, sit down for a play or two and let the next guy eat a little bit.  It’s nice to have that kind of luxury.”

On the rotation at linebacker
“We had a base rotation with Lance.  Stewart (Bradley), Bo (Ruud) and I start out each game, and then he would just rotate in and we’d get an equal amount of reps.  Now with Steve back, we’re able to do some more stuff and move some guys around.  Lance can play all the positions still, but he gets more time at the SAM and the MIKE now.”

On practicing with injury
“I don’t get to make that decision (on whether to limit reps at practice or not).  Coach Cosgrove makes that decision.  I could tell him that I feel 100 percent and he’ll say, ?I don’t care, sit down’.  I don’t get much of a say in it. He looks out for his players.  I’ll do what I can do, and then I’ll be ready for the game, no doubt about it.”

On the possibility of missing the Texas game
“I never even thought about it.  That’s just having the defensive mentality and the linebacker mentality that nothing is going to stop me from playing.  I don’t care what it is.  I don’t care if they have to cut the ankle off.  Cody Glenn offered his ankle to me, but he needs that and he said that I’d have to go both ways if I used his ankle, and there’s no way that’s happening.  But you don’t sit out any games, especially for a big-time game like UT, you don’t sit games.  You don’t take plays off.  That’s just not what we do.”

On playing through his injury
“I think it’s just the degree of the sprain.  I already had a low ankle sprain that wasn’t impacting my play too much, but when I got the high and the medium, it’s really annoying.  It’s like you have to cover up everything now.  You can’t just say that this little thing is bothering me.  It’s the whole thing, so you have to make sure the whole thing is covered in tape.  There’s a brace that I wear that prohibits it from moving too much.  I’m a step behind what I usually am, but I’m still doing the things I have to do to make plays and the other guys are making plays, so it doesn’t really matter.  As long as I get the job done, I get the job done.”

On the Nebraska training staff
“Doak (Ostergard), Derek Clark and Jerry Weber, our head trainers, do a wonderful job.  They’re behind-the-scenes guys that do a great job of getting guys back.  Steve Octavien had a bad hamstring, but he came back and played hard, and he was playing in pain.  The job they do getting guys back and ready to play is phenomenal.  To have the degree of sprain I had and being ready to play on it the way I did was magnificent and it was due to them.  I can’t say enough about them.”

On the message sent by playing through an injury
“It means a lot to me that people look at it (playing through the injury) and see it.  I know they’d do it for the rest of the team, just like I am.  But to know that your players look at you and expect you to play, no matter what, that’s a large compliment.  They know that I’m going to play, regardless.”

On the energy added to the other members of the defense by Octavien’s return
“He’s a big, fast guy, running around, making big plays. The way he celebrates, it gets everyone excited.  It’s great.  It’s great for the crowd.  He gets them into the game.  They love to see Steve out there.  I love to see him out there.  It’s a lot of fun.”

On his surprise at Octavien’s performance
“It didn’t surprise me at all.  You know the capability Steve has.  He’s been saying since his sophomore year of high school that he’s going to skip college and go to the pros, that’s just how Steve is.  He’s a funny guy, and it didn’t surprise me at all.  He has that capability and all you have to do is put him on the field.”

On playing on the road
“I think we’ve matured since last year.  We take the mentality that you’re going to play a football game, regardless of where you’re going to play it.  The only thing that should change is the color jerseys we’re wearing.  That’s what everyone has taken on, the fact that, no matter where you play the game, you still have to play your game, and it’s nice to see that we’ve matured into that.”

On the resiliency of the team
“I think it’s just the maturity level of the team.  I think we’ve all bought into the system and what we’re doing.  It speaks volumes, the way we’ve been able to perform after maturing like that.”