Wide Receiver Maurice Purify

Nebraska Weekly Press Conference
Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2006
Memorial Stadium - Lincoln, Neb.
Pre-Big 12 Championship Game

Maurice Purify
Junior, Wide Receiver
On accomplishing his personal goals this season
“I accomplished what I wanted to accomplish by being a starter and playing a lot, getting a chance to make big plays under pressure and being in the big games. But I don’t think I accomplished my goals stats-wise or where I think I need to be as a player.”<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

On learning the <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska playbook
“I’ve got a lot of ability and I know that. Learning the playbook is the hardest part anywhere. That’s just what it is.”

On Nebraska’s confidence in the red zone
“We’ve got a lot of confidence. Coach Callahan brought it to our attention that we’re 24 of 25 in the red zone. Last game was the only time we didn’t score in the red zone. We’ve got a lot of confidence down there. Cody Glenn is a good short-yardage runner and Brandon Jackson does the same.”

On playing in the Big 12 Championship Game
“It’s going to be great. We feel like we had a chance against USC. We felt like we had the game won against Texas and it just slipped out of our hands and it would be a big win over Oklahoma.”

On splitting plays with Nebraska’s other wide receivers
“We’ve got so many players that can make plays at any time. We’ve got Terrence Nunn, Nate Swift, Frantz Hardy. We all have our games. Our games are going to come, and there are times different guys are going to be called upon.”

On the magnitude of this game
“It’s a little bit more special, but you’ve got to think about it like just another game. You don’t want to psych yourself up too much. Like in my case, I still have to concentrate and catch the ball. It’s not like I’m playing linebacker and tackling someone.”

On playing in the cold
“You have to stay warmed up and stay loose. You have to keep your hamstrings from tightening up. Catching the ball is easy. That comes natural. You just have to get your hands on it and catch it.”

On Nebraska’s arsenal of trick plays
“We used all of them for Colorado, so hopefully Coach Callahan and his staff make up about three or four more we can use for Oklahoma.”