Nebraska Player Quotes

Nebraska Football
Weekly Press Conference
Memorial Stadium (Lincoln, Neb.)
Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2007
Pre-Wake Forest

Steve Octavien
Senior, Linebacker

 

On making it through the first game injury free
“I’m very relieved. I didn’t really even think about it going into the game, but looking back I’m relieved and I’m ready for WakeForest.”

On how he would rank the defense against Nevada
“I’d give us a B+. I think we did really good, but we have a lot more that we can do. I wouldn’t give it an A, but we only gave up three points total, so I thought that was good.”

On the differences between Nevada’s and WakeForest’s offenses
“I haven’t watched too much of it, but it’s really different. Nevada ran the pistol. Wake runs a little bit of the option too. I haven’t watched too much of it, but I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a lot different. They run a lot of different formations, the power I and things like that that I enjoy, so I’m sure it’s going to be fun.”

On the strengths of the defense
“We blitz a lot, so I would say that’s one of the best things we do. We do a good job of pressuring the quarterback a lot.”

On WakeForest starting quarterback Riley Skinner possibly not playing on Saturday
“It makes me happy that we’ll have the upper hand. I’m sorry it went that way, but it makes us happy that we’re not facing their starter. But at the same time, the second string came in and he threw 19 for 23, so their backup is very good, too. I really want to face every team at their best so it’s disappointing when their missing people. When we faced Nevada, they were missing like nine players, including one of their All-American linebackers, so the game probably would have been a little tighter on their half. Coming into Wake hopefully their quarterback gets better, if not, their second string quarterback is very good too.”

On Nebraska facing its first road test
“We’re prepared. Our goal is to win a national championship. We know playing on the road is going to be difficult. Wake is a tough place to play. It’s 12 p.m., so it’s a little earlier and we’ll have to wake up earlier so our bodies are going to have to adjust. This road one is going to be big for us.”

On whether he prefers getting sacks or tackles for loss
“I could care less now. Now they’ve got me blitzing. If they throw a lot I like sacks, if they run a lot I like tackles for loss. It doesn’t matter.”

On if working against Husker offensive tackle Carl Nicks in practice has improved Octavien’s play
“Definitely. Coming off the edge and facing Carl Nicks, I don’t think I’ll face many tackles like that in the country. But coming off the edge, not many tackles will be able to handle me and handle my speed off that edge.”