Nebraska Player Quotes

Nebraska 38, Idaho 17
Sept. 11, 2010
Nebraska Player Post-Game Quotes

Senior receiver Mike McNeill
On if the sloppiness of the game frustrated McNeill as a senior
“Some of the mistakes were mine too and so part of that is on me. There were mistakes from the seniors all the way down to the freshmen so it’s definitely frustrating.”

On if there was a lack of focus
“It was a combination of things. Guys were missing assignments and not knowing where to be. And also ball security. They were little things that we need to fix and that we will fix.”

Senior Defensive Back DeJon Gomes
On the interception he returned for a touchdown
“It was one of the main coverages that we looked at this week in practice. Their backs just took me to my coverage, and we knew their quarterback would throw it into tight coverage and I took advantage of that.”

On if the defense had something to prove
“Oh yeah, definitely. Coach Bo said that he felt embarrassed (last week) and then we knew as a defense that we had to pick it up. Anytime your head coach feels that way you do have a chip on your shoulder. We just had to go out there and execute and forget about last week. I think we did that.”

On how the secondary’s job is easier when the line is rattling the quarterback
“It is definitely easier. If the quarterback only has one or two seconds to throw, then he is going to throw it up for grabs and that is going to help us out in coverage.”

Sophomore Linebacker Eric Martin
On what it felt like to get more playing time
“It felt good. I had been studying all week trying to stay defensively focused and it all paid off. We did really well on the defensive side of the ball. Just being out there, it was fun.”

On if there were any communication issues
“It went very good, actually. The communication was good and our turnover margin was no better than theirs, and like I said, it went great today.”

Sophomore Safety P.J. Smith
On Coach Pelini’s reaction to the game
"He was really disappointed. He wanted us to play four quarters and we didn’t play four quarters at all. We played two and a half, three if that. We've got to have a big week this week, because Washington is a tough place to play.

On whether it’s fun to face a more pass-heavy offense
"Oh, it was really fun. A couple of us on the sideline were saying, "They [are] throwing out presents, he’s throwing presents to us. It’s gifts, we just got to get it and go. It’s Christmas."

On if there is competition in the secondary to get the most interceptions
"No, not at all. We just want to do whatever we can to help the team out. So whoever gets the pick, we’re happy for them and we move on."

Redshirt Freshman Quarterback Taylor Martinez
On whether the defensive momentum changed the offense’s pace
"It changed the game a lot, just because the defense was out there [and] they did such a great job. It kind of rested our offense. Maybe it was bad, maybe it wasn’t, because in the second half we came out pretty sloppy."

On Idaho’s defense pursuing him in the backfield
"Yeah they did, they came after me pretty good. I took pretty good hits, but I don’t care. It’s football."

On accountability for offensive turnovers
"It falls on us, of course. It doesn’t fall on the coaches?that pick, that was totally my fault. But the fumbles, we just have to hold it tight."

Junior Defensive Tackle Jared Crick
On how it feels to have his first "big game" this season
"It was a good feeling. It’s always a good feeling to play well, and I thought we all played pretty well as far as a defense. Still got a lot of things to correct, but overall I thought we played pretty well."

On following Defensive Coordinator Carl Pelini’s advice to play angry
"Definitely, that’s just who we are. Last week we didn’t go out with that attitude, and we just wanted to re-emphasize who we really are and what we’re about. All through the week, we just gotta go out and prove that we’re the best defense in the nation."

On if it feels good to see teammate Rickey Thenarse on the field
"Definitely. I mean, it’s not just the pick-six, it’s just seeing Rickey out there flying around. It’s just great to see him out there with the squad again. It’s definitely a great feeling for everybody."

Senior I-back Roy Helu Jr.
On the reasons for offensive inconsistency today
"Not executing, not focusing?it wasn’t good ball."

On differences between the offense last year and this year
"Scheme-wise, it’s really different. (The) reads are a little bit different?anything to move the ball down the field, (so) right now, it’s running."