DeJon Gomes

Nebraska Football
Weekly Press Conference
Monday, Nov. 22, 2010
Pre-Colorado

Senior Defensive Back DeJon Gomes
On having two years with the team and what he wanted to get done

“I came here with the mentality of doing what it takes to get to the next level.”

On how the team bounces back from Saturday’s game
“We definitely bounce back strong. All of our goals that we set are still intact. It comes down to the last game against Colorado and we have to go out there and take care of business to get to where we want to be. We just have to go out there on a short week and prepare hard and get ready.”

On if the team is angry
“I don’t think we are angry. We just have to be in control and get to work.”

On how Coach Bo Pelini’s behavior impacts the players
“If it has any impact, it is a positive one. It is easy to see the passion and desire to win that is in his eyes. You understand and almost want it that much more. There are folks who cant get on the field and play for you that have that much desire to win. It means that much more to us and we will play to the highest level”

On how important it is to have the coach’s back
“It is really important for a team. Anytime you have a coach that will do that for you on any instance is a great feeling and you want to play for them that much more. He’s not only a coach that respects you but you have a relationship opposed to someone that is just strictly a coach. It almost makes you not...I mean you want to play your game but if you have a coach’s coach per-say, maybe you aren’t going out there and giving it your all like you would for Coach Pelini.”

On if Pelini has ever yelled at Gomes personally
“Yeah during the first playing time I had last year against Missouri. I ran a play wrong and went for a blitz and that was really my first experience with it. I mean you’re a football player and obviously you’re going to make mistakes, and I’m sure he understands. He just wants to make sure that you are up on the level of play that you are capable of. He is just looking out for our best interests.”

On what goes through a player’s head while he is getting yelled at
“You just have to go out there and compete. He isn’t going to be out there in your face for no reason. If you don’t have the physical ability to make a play or do something wrong, he won't get in your face. But he knows the potential we all have and what we can do. He isn’t yelling for just no reason.”

On what his favorite part about football is under Pelini
“The desire and the passion. It's an overall team sport and the coming together as one. It's an us against the world mentality when we are out there playing the game. He has taught me so much.”

On how a team focuses after so much media attention
“Coming to this school, we knew we would have a lot of media attention. Especially our team since there is no professional team. It is almost expected but I guess there has been a little more of it this week. You just have to throw it out and get ready and practice and put your heart into it.”

On if Gomes had ever seen Pelini as frustrated as he was at the Texas A&M game
“I didn’t really see it to much. I can’t really comment on that. I’m sure he was just being himself.”

On how dangerous a team Colorado is
“There a great team but we have everything at stake for us. I’m pretty sure they are going to want to play the spoiler and of course it’s a rivalry game. You can throw everything at us like our last Big 12 game or our last time we will play them the day after Thanksgiving. There are a lot of things you could do there but at the end of the day we have to go out there and play our game and execute right and everything will fall into place.”

On what he was thinking when all of the rumors were running rampant
“I wasn’t paying too much attention. It was facebook and hundreds of people had commented and were asking me questions. I didn’t want to get involved personally. I just wanted to stay focused.”

On if he and other players warn young players coming in that it is just a matter of time before they get yelled at by Pelini
“I don’t know if it is so much that we tell them that or they have experience with it themselves. After that, you just go up to them and make sure they know that it isn’t a personal thing. It shouldn’t hurt their ego, he just is out there and trying to get you in the right body and make sure that what he tells them doesn’t get them off of their game and at the same time they have to stay focused.”

On how players take it differently
“Everyone does take it different. You could tell by a person’s body language how they took it and the ones that don’t take it as well are the ones you have to give a bit of extra encouragement. We like to make sure they are going to be fine."

On the bond that has been created by this team and its defense
“With the great tradition at this school, it is almost hard to have one single thing that I leave behind. The passion and fire that we went out on Saturday and played with, I think this is one of the most tight-knit football teams I have been around in a long time and just the chemistry we have and the friendships that we have acquired over the years maybe will be around 20 or 30 years down the road.”

On if he feels like they brought the Blackshirts back
“I don’t know for sure if we brought them back. But I know we took a step in the right direction. The season before I got here there were a lot of points given up. But I know once Coach Bo got here, the program changed for the better. Not just the defense but the offense. The program as a whole. We have been doing some pretty good things on defense but there is always room for improvement, and I hope next year is even better.”