Junior Safety P.J. Smith

Nebraska Football
Weekly Press Conference
Monday, Oct. 3, 2011
Memorial Stadium (Lincoln, Neb.)
Pre-Ohio State

Junior Safety P.J. Smith
On why he thinks Ohio State's offense has struggled so far this year
"I haven't seen anything yet. I just got done with class, so I'm about to go do that right now."

On how guys have responded following the defeat
"We knew that nothing that happened in the game was because of them. It was because of the things that we did. We just need to move forward and get back to the basics. Start today with practice, be physical and play hard and like Coach says, 'play hard every day.' How you practice is how you are going to play."

On how much the team's confidence is shaken
"Our confidence is not shaken because, like I said, we know everything that happened is because of us and nothing special that they did, and we know what we have to do. So we just need to keep moving forward."

On if there is a sense of urgency among the defensive backs
"Yeah, we know we need to step it up. We had a talk and we let the team down the first five weeks of the season. It was all us. We take all of the blame for that. And like I said, we need to get back today and look at the small things and that's what killed us - small, little things. We have to get back to the fundamentals and the basics of being a secondary and we will go from there."

On what the small, little things have been during the first five games
"Eyes in the right places, communication, being physical - small stuff like that. And then getting into the playbook a lot more and understanding the things that coaches ask us to do."

On what the team needs to do to force more turnovers
"Just be more physical and get your hands on the ball. Every opportunity you get to tackle somebody and strip, tackle and try to strip them. Every time the ball is in the air, compete. That's one of the main things that coach talked about is competing. We haven't been competing the way we should be, and that's what is killing us as a secondary and as a defense together. Competing more and being aggressive. When you see the ball, go get it. There are times when we go for the ball and miss it, and they catch it and get the first down."

On whom they look to as a leader in adversity
"Lavonte David for one on the defensive side of the ball. Alfonzo Dennard, Will Compton. Offensive side of the ball, Ben Cotton, Rex Burkhead. Those guys step up in the locker room and say something to the team."

On what David said to the team following Saturday's game
"He said something at halftime. Lavonte is really a quiet guy and never really talks. He stepped up and said something. We just didn't step up to the challenge. After the game he said something also."

On what it means when a guy who doesn't talk much steps up to talk
"It means a lot because he's a leader for one. He knows the things that we have to do. He's out there giving his all. We let him down. So that means a lot."

On if Dennard's words about not putting up a fight when the going got tough were accurate
"Yeah, 100 percent."

On how they can fix that
"Just competing and don't give up. We've been in games like that when we went down. But against Missouri a couple years ago, when we were down, we just kept fighting. The other night, it was just like, I can't tell you. But just keep pushing, keep going. We need to learn from our mistakes. That was a wake-up call and it won't happen again."

On why the team has not been as good at the little things
"Lack of concentration. Lack of focus. Like on the play when the quarterback booted and I was right there, we practiced that play all week. It was just a lack of concentration and a lack of focus and trying to make a play when I wasn't supposed to. I bit too hard and he got outside and they scored a touchdown. Small things like that kill us."

On if the team is overthinking it
"Overthinking and trying to play too aggressive. Trying to make the play when it is not your play to make. You get beat by doing that and it kills the team."

On if it's harder to not play too aggressive in a game like Wisconsin
"It's a tough game. Like coach told us, control your emotions. That's something that we didn't do. Everyone wanted to make the extra play and that's why we had eight penalties for 80 yards or something like that compared to their two for 14. Stupid stuff like that. Offside penalties. Just trying to play a little bit too hard. We just have to settle down and let the game come."