Nebraska Player Quotes

Nebraska Weekly Press Conference
Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2007
Memorial Stadium
Pre-Nevada

 

Larry Asante
Sophomore, Safety

 

On earning a Blackshirt for his first game

“It’s been a great honor coming to Nebraska to play football here. I watched Nebraska as a kid growing up. I didn’t really understand the Blackshirt tradition, but I do understand it now. I’m happy to be a Blackshirt.”

 

On the stability of the secondary

“Cortney (Grixby) and Tierre (Green) have a lot of knowledge when it comes to the game. When you’re out there on the field, you know your assignment, but they’re constantly reminding you of what to do. You’re never on an island. Tierre and Cortney help me out a lot on the field.”

 

On learning the tradition of the Blackshirts

“It’s a job. From Saturday to Saturday, you have to go out there and perform, being a Blackshirt. I watched Nebraska (in 2002) in the national championship game when (Eric) Crouch was the quarterback playing against Miami. I just watched the game, and they talked about the unique tradition of the Blackshirt defense. I was like, ?This is really unique.’ I think at that time I was 14 years old and in eighth grade. It was just a unique tradition. Watching that game, it was something that I really wanted to be a part of. Luckily I’m here now, so it’s good to be here.”

 

On dreaming of playing at Nebraska

“Nebraska has always been on my mind. When I was in junior college and Coach (Shawn) Watson started recruiting me, I pretty much knew where I wanted to go. He knew that, but I couldn’t come out and publicly say it. It’s the school I’ve been wanting to go to for the longest time.”

 

On his reputation as a big hitter

“I can’t wait. I can’t wait until Saturday. You can’t go out there trying to make plays; you have to play your assignments. If the hit comes, the hit comes. I’m not going to go out there on the field to go for a big hit every single time, then miss a tackle and have a guy score. You have to protect the integrity of the team and put the team first.”

 

On what makes a ?big hitter’

“When you’re supposed to make the hit, you make the hit. When you’re supposed to catch the pick, you catch the pick. You can’t go out there on the field and force anything; you just have to let it all come to you.”

 

On Nevada’s offense

“They have a good offensive scheme. From studying film, they had a real good quarterback, but he left. The guy coming in, he’s a real good quarterback too. He played some snaps in the bowl game when they played against Miami, so he’s an experienced guy. They run a unique offense with the semi-gun, but it doesn’t really change any assignments.”

 

On Nevada’s quarterback entering his first start in a hostile environment

“I think from the start we just have to go out there and get after him. His first start, he’s going to be tense. If we go out there and play our parts, know our assignments and make plays, we’ll rattle him the first quarter.”

 

On junior cornerback Armando Murrillo

“He’s a great guy, a real hard-working guy. I got a chance to be close to him because we stayed in the same dorms together. He’s a hard-working guy. He never stops working.”

 

 

On the atmosphere at Memorial Stadium

“I think it’s going to be very emotional. It took three years to get here. My first year of junior college, I had to sit out, and that was hard for me. I grew up, and I learned a lot. I think Saturday is going to be very emotional.”

 

On Nebraska’s No. 20 national ranking

“I think the strength of our schedule plays a key role in where we’re ranked right now. They don’t know the kind of team we have. We know the kind of team we have, and we know we’re better than that. We’re just going to take it game by game and take care of all the games. Slowly but gradually, we’ll move up to the top of the nation.”