Junior Safety Larry Asante

Nebraska Football
Preseason Press Conference

Monday, Aug. 4, 2008

Memorial Stadium

 

Larry Asante
Junior, Safety

On learning the defense through 7-on-7 drills

“I think it’s helped us out a lot.  The 7-on-7 drills have helped us learn the basic principles of the defense.”

 

On the excitement to start fall camp

“We all have a bitter taste in our mouth from what happened last year.  I think everyone on the team has that, but especially the defensive players.  We can’t wait to go to work, get it corrected on the field and get the ball rolling.”

 

On the changing roles of the safety in Coach Pelini’s defense

“We play a big role (in Coach Pelini’s defense).  You’re like a quarterback out there, directing traffic.”

 

On having a new head coach

“I think it’s a fresh start for everyone.”

 

On the value of summer conditioning in building team unity

“I feel like everything since we’ve done in the summer is collective as a team.  When the freshmen came in for conditioning and we saw them struggling, we picked them up.  If a freshman messed up during 7-on-7 and we saw them on the sideline, we explained it to them.  We came together as a team and helped each other out a lot in that aspect.  We tried to help each other out and bring guys along.”

 

On building accountability on defense

“There’s (Zach) Potter and Barry Turner.  Those guys are kind of the head linemen.  Cody (Glenn) and Tyler (Wortman), those guys are kind of the head linebackers.  Armando Murillo and me are kind of in charge of the back end.  I think there’s a core group of guys that was kind of in charge of summer conditioning. 

 

On how many defensive players were involved in summer conditioning

“I think it was 100 percent attendance.  Everyone showed up.”

 

On playing eight home games this season

“I’m very excited about that.  I can’t wait.”

 

On the tone of the team during preseason camp

“It will be high intensity in everything we do.  You play bad, you practice bad.  The game slows down if you do things at high speed and with high intensity in everything.”

 

On the grueling nature of early season practice

“I don’t think it’s going to be tough.  We have to look at it that those practices will make us better and give us that edge of performance.  I don’t look at it as tough.  I look at it as a chance to get better, every chance you get on the practice field.”

 

On looking back at last season for motivation

“I see the stats.  That motivates me to work hard at practice every day.”

 

On comparing the 2008 team to the 2003 squad

“Last night, we were talking to someone about 2003 and he said we have more talent this year than we did in 2003.  It’s our job to go to work and put it all together.  We need to get better day-by-day, week-by-week.”

 

On Coach Pelini’s message to the team entering the camp

“He said the sky’s the limit.  He said the championship’s out there to go and grab.  He said that it wasn’t going to be easy to win the championship, but that if we put in the hard work, we can get it accomplished.”