Nebraska Coach Bo Pelini

Nebraska Football Weekly Press Conference
Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009
Memorial Stadium - Lincoln, Neb.
Pre-Big 12 Championship Game vs. Texas

On if it is going to take Nebraska's absolute-best effort to win this game

“It takes your absolute best effort to win any game. We know we’re playing a good football team. We’re going to have to play well in all phases. They’re well-coached in all phases. They’re a very talented football team. It will be a great challenge for our football team.”

 

On Texas quarterback Colt McCoy

“He’s real good. He has all the tools. He’s a very smart player, first of all. He’s well-coached. He can make all the throws. Obviously, as he showed last week and throughout the year, but especially last week, he can hurt you with his feet. He can do it all. He’s a good football player. He just runs their system really well.”

 

On four Huskers earning All-Big 12 defensive honors, and how far the defense has come this season

“I’m proud of how far we have come on defense. We’ve come a long way in a relatively short period of time. It’s nice to see that our guys were recognized for it. It’s been a lot of hard work and perseverance by that group, by the whole group; I’m talking about everybody on defense, not just the guys that got recognized with first-team honors. We’ve come a long way.”

 

On the strides senior safety Larry Asante has made since last season

“Well, he’s more disciplined now. I think he understands the defense better. He’s playing more instinctively because of it, and faster and more decisively. Like the rest of the group, he has come a long way through a lot of hard work. He’s played good football for us.”

 

On how much more fire power the offense has with I-back Rex Burkhead available

“Well, it’s nice to have. You have multiple options now. Obviously, you have Roy (Helu Jr.) and Burkhead and what he brings to the table. Dontrayevous (Robinson) is obviously available to us. You play in these highly emotional, physical football games, you need guys to come in and relieve guys so people don’t get tired out. It’s an extra set of legs and we’ve developed some depth there. Obviously, getting Rex back really helps that.”

 

On if Burkhead’s recovery from a broken foot came faster than expected

“It was probably a couple days shorter, which allowed him to play in the Kansas State game. That was a bonus. The doctors thought he would be back for Colorado, but we kind of started him that week of the K-State game kind of backing his rehab, getting him back on the field. When he got on the field he did so good and he felt so good that the timeline sped up. He didn’t practice a lot that week, but him being available for us helped us. It was a nice bonus for us.”

 

On if the last drive against Colorado was Burkhead's best effort as a Husker

“No, he’s been pretty good since he’s been here. He does what he does. He’s a good back. He can run inside, outside. He has good vision. He’s a pretty physical guy. He kind of got hot on that drive and you keep going with the guy who has the hot hand. If you’re burying 3’s, you let him keep doing it. It was a big drive for us.”

 

On if Burkhead's demeanor helps him in late-game situations

“I think that’s just who he is. He’s a pretty special young man and we knew that when we recruited him. You just look at his history and what he’s done, what he did as a high school athlete. Obviously, he played in a tough conference, as good of football as you’re going to see throughout a conference, and he did it for four years in high school. He’s been doing it for a long time. He’s just a football player. He’s tough. He’s a leader. He exemplifies all the characteristics that I want in football players that come into this program.”

On Burkhead's excitement level about playing for the Big 12 Championship in Texas

“You ask Rex and he would tell you they’re all important to him. That’s just who he is. That’s the kind of makeup he has.”

 

On preparing for an undefeated opponent

“Trust me we’re not playing this game to lose. You can ask our guys in the locker room. That’s up to you guys to say what you’re going to say, and build it up how you want to build it up. We just want to take the challenge, line up and play, and let it all hang out. Let the chips fall where they may.”

 

On if Pelini considers Nebraska an underdog

“I don’t pay attention. I don’t even know what that means. That’s for the bookies in Vegas.”

 

On if he has seen many quarterbacks with the run and pass combination that Colt McCoy has

“Well, you’re seeing them more and more these days. Obviously, you’re talking about a young man who’s being talked about for the Heisman Trophy and national awards. He’s been doing it for a long time down there at Texas. He’s obviously a special football player. Guys like him are pretty rare. He’s done it for a long time and that’s why he’s been recognized the way he has been. Not only that, you can talk about his football skills and all the things he brings to the table, but I don’t know the young man, but I know when I see him he represents that program the right way. He represents college football the right way. He’s a tremendous character. He has it all. He is a poster boy kind of guy and like I said, those guys are rare. I don’t see any holes in him and he’s to be commended for his career.”

 

On what is left to do to get the program to where he wants it

“There’s a lot left to do. I came here to win a national championship. That’s out of the question this year, but we have a long way to go. I won’t be happy till we win them all, and I don’t think the young men who came into this program will be happy till they win them all. That’s what we came here to do. That’s not in the cards this year, but we still have other goals out there for us to go get.”

 

On how important this game is to the program

“It’s the next one so it’s pretty important.”

 

On if picking Burkhead to be the first to carry the football at fall camp was random, or if Pelini chose him for a reason

“Well, I believe when I did that it was the rookie ball. Who better to take it than him? There were a number of people I could have chosen. Was it at random? Yeah, but there is always a thought process behind everything you do.”

 

On if Nebraska can take away from the way Texas A&M was able to run the ball against Texas

“Yeah, there are things you can take away from anybody that has some success doing some things, but trust me, I know that they are a well-coached football team. Just like anybody else, people find something or they’re able to exploit something. They’re a well-coached football team. They are going to make adjustments and be ready for the things that hurt them. Can you learn some things from those? Yeah, any film you watch you better learn some things from it.”

 

On if he thinks the team plays better against tougher opponents

“I would hope so. I think for the year we have been fairly consistent. You hope that when the challenge is great, you face a tough opponent that it brings out the best in you. I think our kids still have an edge to them, which they very well should. They still feel like they have things to prove. This just gives you the next opportunity. It’s a tremendous challenge and one that I’ll look forward to.”

 

On the challenge the defensive backs face against Texas wide receiver Jordan Shipley

“He’s a heck of a player. They have a lot of talent at the wide receiver position. Their skill people can play, but I like our defensive backs. Once again, they’re looking forward to the challenge.”

 

On how rewarding it has been to coach Ndamukong Suh this season

“Well, I give him a lot of credit. He came back for a reason and I think he’s done it. There were a lot of reasons why he wanted to come back. I’m not going to talk about all of them, but it’s good to see when it works out for the young man. He walked away from a lot of money. He walked away from quote-unquote, other opportunities, and came back here with a purpose and he played that way. It shows a lot about who he is and the type of character he has.”

 

On if he is looking for Zac Lee to make more plays this week

“Depends on how the game goes. I think one thing we have done well as a football team, for the most part, within any different game and circumstances; you have to find a way to win the football game. What those circumstances are going to be on Saturday night, you don’t know. It’s always ever-changing. We have to be ready to respond no matter what happens. If that means managing the game, great. If that means we need him to throw four touchdown passes, let's go. Who knows?  Being a game manager means doing what it takes to win a football game and have more points at the end.”

 

On the Huskers' approach after losing two games early in the Big 12 season

“Well, I think the approach we took is we put ourselves in this situation. You can point the finger, we pointed the thumb and we got better because of it. We came together. We stuck together. We didn’t let any outside influences divide us and we stayed strong. That’s not easy to do in this day in age when you talk about the internet. People here, they have high, high standards, and they should, but we kind of weathered the storm, stuck together and persevered. Like I said, it shows a lot of character.”

 

On if he is concern that punter Alex Henery might hit the large scoreboard at Cowboys Stadium

“I haven’t been there. It hasn’t seemed like it’s been an issue. I don’t know. It will be interesting. I’m kind of looking forward to seeing that scoreboard. I haven’t been in there yet. Obviously, they deal with it on Sunday’s. There have been a lot of games played there and it hasn’t seemed to be an issue. How many times has the ball hit it? I don’t even know. Just once? I’m sure the guy was trying to do it just to give you guys something to talk about.”

 

On how you guard against the "wow" factor

“I don’t know about all that. It’s great to play in that type of atmosphere. I hear it’s a great place. They obviously did a great job with it because a lot of people have talked about it. I’ve been in a lot of situations, a lot of stadiums. You give them a chance to see it before the game and then it’s time to get your focus on and play football.”

 

On his expectations coming into this season regarding the Big 12 title game or beyond

“You know, that stuff really doesn’t enter my mind going into the season. It honestly does not. All I care about is the next day. I always feel like if you take care of your business and you stay with the process and the things you need to do day to day, that in the end things are going to work out for you and you’re going to get what you earned. You can’t look ahead. I’ve just never approached it that way. I believe I’ve learned the right way from some good people that isn’t how championships are won. It’s through a lot of hard work and staying on the tasks needed to get there. I don’t even think about it. I don’t make predictions. It’s not something that really enters my mind. It kind of keeps me on tasks and therefore keeps the football team on task.”

 

On how he limited distraction as the LSU defensive coordinator to beat Tennessee in the SEC Championship

“Kind of the same way I just talked about. To be honest with you guys somebody had to tell me afterwards that a press conference happened. I was sitting in the locker room reading a book. Kind of what I do before every game. Our defense was ready to play that day. There are certain things you have to do to keep your team on task. There’s a certain approach we take, a pretty consistent approach. If you do that and you stay with it, and they feel you staying with it, then they stay with. They are going to follow the lead. There are certain ways you direct their mindset and you direct their focus. That’s one of the keys I believe to coaching to keep your guys heading in the right direction. Like I said, I think I’ve been fortunate because I’ve learned that from a lot of good people and having a consistent approach.”