Will Compton

Nebraska Football
Weekly Press Conference
Pre-Southern Miss
Monday, Aug. 27, 2012

Will Compton, Sr., LB
On preparing for a team that has a new coach and new quarterback
"We have several different films we are going off of. I'm sure we won't know everything, so we just have to rely on our coaches to help us out. I'm sure we will be put in situations that we will just have to play with a vanilla-type defense, and we will just have to make plays."

On the senior depth on defense and how it helps with adjustments
"It helps with all the experience and knowledge, as well as what we have learned since winter. We will just have to rely on communication to make adjustments."

On the offense Southern Mississippi might use
"I think it will be more of spread based."

On how good the defense looks
"W look really good, especially when we are clicking and communicating. We could be a very good defense,and we are striving to be the best defense in the Big Ten. But we are just trying to get better every day."

On the new guys at linebacker
"The brand new guys like (Michael) Rose, Thomas (Brown), and Zaire (Anderson) have all been doing good things. The competition can change every day, and the young guys could be redshirting one day, and then need to be ready to play the next if there is an injury, but the progress have been really good. (David) Santos has had a really good camp, as well as (Trevor) Roach. Everyone needs to be prepared to play."

On the difference between last year's and this year's defense
"Again I am not really sure, with the two preparation days we have had it has been pretty basic, so we will know more throughout the week."

On a tough opening game against Southern Miss
"We'll be challenged right out of the gate, and that is one thing that is different. We are playing a quality football team and we will need a sense of urgency right away. I think we will be ready to go. I know we will be ready to go."

On if the defense has something to prove
"I think so. We weren't that great last year. We let ourselves down and the fans down. We have high expectations and it is on us to get it done this year, and we plan on doing that."

On defense expectations
"Like I said before, I think we can be the best. We have great depth and knowledge, and the coaches we have. We can do it. It is out there for us to get it. We just need to stay focused and driven and keep that same even keel mentality throughout the season. It can be really hard to do that when you get into the grind of the season. We approach each game like it is its own season. Take it one week at a time. The sky is the limit for us."

On the struggles that have occurred against scrambling quarterbacks and how to fix it
"We have done a few different things, but I'm not going into that."

On creating turnovers
"We need to get up to the quarterback more. We have to get the ball out more and stop missing interceptions. Also we need to get off the field on third down -- that is probably what we have worked on the most."

On being focused for the first game
"I'll stay up some nights just thinking about every single thing that can happen in the game. I'm real anxious to get out there and play, but I'm trying to keep the same mentality every day -- not get too high on some things and get too low on other things."

On how to get better on third downs
"When it is a third-down situation, we need to communicate with each other on the down and distances and how it is time to get off the field, and get the ball to the offense. We need a sense of urgency and need to execute on third down. I think we have done that well in fall camp, and it has been a big focal point. Another thing was finishing up the series, like if they did get a third down, we need to reset and keep the three-and-out mentality. Once third down hits it is time to get off the field. We need to win every down."

On a season opener he will remember
"I think this one will be the one. I kinda remember stuff every year, but I will remember this one forever."