Coach Bo Pelini Press Conference Quotes

Nebraska Football
Weekly Press Conference
Memorial Stadium (Lincoln, Neb.)
Monday, Oct. 13, 2014
Pre-Northwestern

Opening Statement “Well it seems like the bye week lasted about two months. We’re looking forward to getting back on the field. We had a pretty good session yesterday. I gave them a couple days off at the end of the week last week. But good session yesterday. Today will be their normal day off, and we’ll get back to work tomorrow. Getting ready for Northwestern. Looking forward to it. I’ll open up for any questions.”

On how the Northwestern game will pose challenges given the close games the last few seasons
“I don’t know. There were kind of some strange games to say the least. We’ve turned the football over a number of times in a couple of those games. I don’t know. We shot ourselves in the foot some. They’ve made some plays. They’re a well-coached football team that plays hard, is very sound in what they do. They make you earn everything you get. That’s kind of their style. I have great respect for how Coach (Pat) Fitzgerald does it and how they play. I told our guys, we’ve got to be ready to play. Go up there and give them a challenge.”

On the status of junior linebacker David Santos
“I think there’s a good chance he’ll be available.”

On the status of junior cornerback Daniel Davie and senior wide receiver Kenny Bell
“They’re on track.”

On the status of sophomore IB Terrell Newby and sophomore wide receiver Brandon Reilly
“They’re back. As far as that’s concerned, I think the bye week came at a good time for us. We got some guys back healthy.”

On the biggest changes made in the punt return game compared to last year
“Well I think you just said it. It was a philosophical change, and I said this before the year started. You know, with all the shield punt that happens, there are things that go on. Not that we’re not sound, but we’ve got to be really sound. So at times I found myself a year ago as to not wanting to give up possession on a fake. And we still have that philosophy. We don’t want to give up possession and have them get something on us. But I studied it a little harder in the offseason. I’ve said this, but I believe I handcuffed the way we did things a year ago. And studied it in the offseason. Found some different ways to accomplish the same thing that we were trying to get done. But being more aggressive as far as one, going after blocks, and two, being able to get looks. Be sound as far as being able to defend fakes, but also getting bodies on bodies and get a chance to get really good holdups on the back end of things. Like I said, we put some time into it. We really studied it, thought about what the best route to go was, and it’s worked out for us. Obviously having a guy back there the way De’Mornay (Pierson-El) does it, as aggressive as he is and confident in the way he can make people miss. I’m glad we did. It’s been really good for us. Like I said, at times you can be your own worst enemy, and I think I was a year ago. And it was me. It wasn’t the guys who were coaching that unit. I’ll say to myself, are we going to be able to defend this or defend that? Let’s face it, in the shield it’s a different deal. If you’re not aggressive up front, then it’s like having a bunch of gunners on the field. That’s a situation where we found ourselves. Plus at times, we put the ball on the ground. We dropped kicks and stuff like that. No matter how you look at it, that’s going to make you look bad. We kind of rotated guys through there. I thought Jordan (Westerkamp) did a good job of fieldling the ball last year and doing some good things, but we didn’t block really well for him at times. And like I said, that was more me than anything else. It was philosophy. I was way too conservative in my approach last year, and it hurt us.”

On if there are guys on special teams who deserve recognition other freshman punt returner De’Mornay Pierson-El
“I think they’ve all done well. I think there are some things that we’ve been working on fundamentally that we can keep getting better at. I think guys are growing into it.I think technique-wise, we’re better. We’re getting guys hands on. We’re getting bodies on bodies, which at the end of the day, it’s hard to tackle a guy like De’Mornay if you have somebody on you. It’s not about knocking somebody out when you’re blocking somebody, it’s about getting your hands on him, staying with him and covering people up to give the returner something to run behind. You have to kind of feel where things are. Kind of shield some guys off. And also I think our gunners for the most part, or our jammers on the outside, those are the ones who usually have it. And that can be a number of different guys depending on how we’ve schemed it. But the guys that have the one-on-one on the outside, when they’re free to release guys, those are the guys that have got to win to give you a chance at the start. And our guys have done a pretty good job at that.”

On who he has rotated in that jammer spot this season
“It’s been Chris Jones, (Joshua) Kalu. Those have been the main guys. You’ll see Jonathan Rose in there some. There have been a number of different guys. But those guys have done a pretty good job. And at times, we’ve been able to scheme it. With different schemes we’ve put pressure on different guys. Certain guys have helped in certain schemes, and in other schemes they’re one-on-one. I think we’ve done a pretty good job of scheming it, changing it up where people don’t know where we’re coming from and how we’re going to do it from week to week.”

On what they address the most during a bye week
“A lot of fundamental work. A lot of things getting back to the basics, the fundamentals. Really getting back to the basics. We did a lot of good on good. Which in your game plan, you don’t get a lot of opportunity to do. You throw that in here and there, but we did a lot of good on good last week. A little bit of game planning for Northwestern. We gave them an introduction, which I think has helped us. Especially helped us as coaches as far as where we want to go with the game plan. We did a lot of individual work. A lot of the basics. At the end of the day, you look at the things that hurt you. And it’s usually because your fundamentals suffer for one reason or another. Your steps, your footwork, your hand placement. You can get so scheme-oriented that sometimes your fundamentals suffer. I think that was really the case in what hurt us in the offensive line, or really in a lot of different areas in the Michigan State game. We didn’t execute very well, and I’m not taking anything away from what your opponents do. A lot of time you have to take care of yourself. If somebody just beat you, that’s good for them. But you can’t do it to yourself. And that’s who you have to keep guarding against and keep working to get better at to be more consistent.”

On if he liked the way the offense has looked to improve the little things
“Yeah. But believe me, it wasn’t just the offensive line in the Michigan State game. And in the same way, it wasn’t just the defensive line or the secondary. It’s a team game.It’s about consistency. There were big plays to be had in the game. We didn’t execute well in a lot of areas. I know that everyone wants to focus on the offensive line, but that’s just a small part of it. To play great, you need 11 guys executing at a certain level on every down. When you’re inconsistent about that, or when you have a guy lose focus here or a guy make a bust here, it makes everybody look bad. It makes everybody look like they’re not executing. But that’s really the case.”

On after watching the film, if he thought the offensive line was as bad as he thought during the game
“No. No. It’s never as bad as you think and it’s never as good as you think. You watch it. And that’s why it’s the ultimate team game. You’ve got to have 11 guys working every play. That’s the way it’s always been. Let me tell you, as well as we played in the Miami game. We talked about Miami and Illinois, there were plays where you get away with things. But there are nights when you don’t. You just have to keep working. That’s why our approach, whether you win a game or lose a game, whether you win by 40 or win by one, you get beat by a lot or you just barely get beat, your approach can’t really change. You’re never really the finished product. You’re working to get better and more consistent on a weekly basis.”

On what he remembers about the number of fans at the Northwestern game two years ago
“It’s what you always kind of expect from our fans. They’re going to travel well, they’re going to be loud and they’re going to be into it. I thought that was pretty special out there a couple years ago. And I think if the tickets were available for every away game, I think you’d see that every week. That’s what our fans are.”

On what he has seen in the improvement of certain second-year offensive guys this season
“Well I mean those guys are playing at a higher level than they did a year ago. They’re playing better. Like you said, they’re another year into it. They’ve been through it before. They’re not totally green going into it for the first time. Obviously they’re playing at a higher level. They understand what it required of them. Now that we’re getting Kevin Williams back, we’re getting a little healthier up front. So I think you’ll see more of a rotation as the season goes on. Every game is a little bit different as far as how many snaps you’re getting and how quick the tempo is. Those types of things. What the weather is like. But I think they are able to handle more snaps just by the sheer fact that they’ve been through it before. And they’re playing at a higher level than they were a year ago.”

On if he was surprised to see the defense play at a high level for all four quarters against Michigan State
“They didn’t have a lot of long-sustained drives. Fortunately in some cases and unfortunately in other cases. But we weren’t out there for a long time. They weren’t really gassed at any point during the game. That’s a testament, too. They’re in pretty good shape. But take a guy like Kevin Williams, for example, who normally would have played. Coming off of an ankle and the turf was wet. It’s probably not the time to put him back out there to give him a chance to reinjure himself. So every week is a little bit different. I think we’re getting healthier. I think we’re getting a little more confident as far as being able to sub more readily when we need to.”

On how well sophomore Greg McMullen has played so far
“I think Greg has played well. At times I think he has to be more consistent. I think he’d be the first one to tell you that. I think he’s done a lot of good things, but he’s a work in progress like everybody else.”

On how the linebacker play is progressing
“Coming. Obviously I thought David (Santos) was playing really well before he got hurt. (Trevor) Roach did some good things the other day. Zaire (Anderson) is getting better as time goes on. Courtney Love is really starting to get better. We’ve started mixing him into some different personnel groupings and getting him ready to play. I think Bando (Josh Banderas) is getting better. He’s getting more confident as the season goes on. I’d say it’s a group that’s a work in progress. I’ve seen a lot of different styles of offenses. Haven’t played a ton of base, so we’ve been playing a lot of two linebacker sets and that type of thing. I think that it’s a group that has to keep improving as the season goes on.”

On what he remembers about the Hail Mary pass from last year’s game
“What did I remember about the Hail Mary? I remember thinking that we shouldn’t be in this situation, but we are. We were very fortunate to come out of it with a win.”

On if they start to address things differently now that they are in the halfway point of the season
“Yeah, I’ve addressed it. I’ve talked to them about it. The reality of it is, it’s all out there in front of us. I don’t talk a lot about long range goals or long-term goals. That speaks for itself. I address it at times during the year and then move on. Like I told our guys, it’s all out there in front of us and we’re going to get what we earn over the last six weeks. And it’s got to be about bringing it every single day. There’s going to be days they’re tired, physically and mentally tired. The teams that last and the teams that finish best are the teams that are mentally tough. You have to be mentally tough in this game because you’re not always going to feel like doing it. You’re not always going to feel good. Because you’re going to play as you prepare. And if you prepare well, and if you’re able to be mentally tough every single day, you’re going to give yourself the best chance to stand up to the challenge and be there. Because we’re going to get challenged. And if we aren’t mentally tough enough and we give in, we’re not going to like the result. It’s as simple as that. The teams that are able to be more mentally tough, are able to prepare the way they need to prepare are the teams who are going to be standing at the end. It’s as simple as that.”

On how sophomore quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. handles success and setbacks
“Tommy, let me tell you, is a competitor. He comes to work every day. He’s not perfect. He’s a work in progress, which every quarterback that plays the game at this stage in his second year as a sophomore is. They’re all a work in progress. But you’ve got to work to get better each day and learn from your mistakes and not get down on yourself. Because there has never been someone who’s played the quarterback position who ever played perfectly. It’s not going to happen. You’re going to have to learn how to grow. You’re going to have to learn how to be resilient. You’re going to have to have a short memory at times as far as being able to move on from a mistake. But also strong enough to accept responsibility for that mistake and understand why it happens to get better the next time. There’s a lot to it. A lot of things where you get taxed mentally is being able to apply in the physical part and making sure you stay within your fundamentals. Because that’s ultimately what’s going to lead to getting better. Not only do you experience it on the mental side of things and the reps of learning, both good and bad, but being able to apply and stay within your technique every step of the way. There’s a lot to it. That’s why it’s such a difficult position to play.”

On the source of struggle for the defense in letting some big plays happen
“Technique. Discipline in playing your technique the right way the way you’ve been coached to do it. There were a couple of plays where kids just missed it. That play with Josh Mitchell a few weeks ago. He was right there and the kid made a great play. You know, you tip your cap to them. But the times you don’t play with the right leverage or you don’t use your help or you don’t play within your game plan, those are the types of things that hurt you. I think that kid from Michigan State was 11 for 29. One time we got beat on a double move when we should have stayed on top. But you know there’s a technique error there. There were a couple of them that shouldn’t have even been close if they would have done it the way they’ve been coached to do it in that game plan. So it could have been a lot better. As good as it was, it could have been a lot better.”

On how to evaluate the defense
“It’s growing. I think we’re growing. You know, we’re pretty young back there. We’ve got some young guys playing, and let’s face it, what I don’t like is the explosive gains. They’re going to catch some balls here and there. You’re not going to shut people down completely to where they’re not going to catch any footballs. We need to keep getting better at staying with our fundamentals and our technique. We’re best when we’re getting our hands on guys and doing it the way we’ve been coached. That comes down to footwork, to hand placement, patience and trusting what we’re asking them to do. Trusting the scheme. When you’re out there and the bullets are flying, staying with the way you’re being coached to do it. If you’re asked to play with a certain kind of leverage or to play a certain way, play it that way. Don’t let mental fatigue or physical fatigue or anything else come into play. You’ve got to do it the way you’re being coached to do it. And trust the scheme. Some of that comes with experience. Some of it is just about being mentally tough and communication. There’s a lot of things that come into play as far as allowing that to happen.”

On how freshman defensive back Joshua Kalu responded in the game after Daniel  Davie’s injury
“Josh is a competitor. I wish it wouldn’t have come to that because he didn’t practice a lot of corner during the week. But it came to that because we didn’t practice very well. The guys who could have gone in didn’t put it on film during the week in practice. That was a message to them. That was my message to them. If you don’t put it on film during the week of practice, I’m not going to put you out there. At the end of the day, the responsibility comes during the week to prepare a certain way. And that’s why it doesn’t matter if you’re a starter, a backup or where you are in the depth chart. You have to get yourself ready to play. That means being able to put it on film during the week, so that when we watch it Tuesday night, Wednesday night, Thursday night. We have confidence in you that you’re going to be able to go out there and execute our game plan. Our responsibility goes up and down the roster. And it’s up to us as coaches to make sure we get guys ready to play.”

On what “not trusting the scheme” entails
“Not recognizing a formation, or maybe not recognizing a communication. Just getting out there and try to survive rather than trusting the preparation. Sounds easier than it is. When you get out there, and you’re out there on an island, you put yourself on an island when you don’t necessarily need to be. You have help. Like I said, some of that time comes with experience. And it comes with confidence. To me, what breeds confidence is great preparation. You have to earn the right to play on Saturday. By how you prepare, not only physically, but mentally during the week. In this day and age of football, in my opinion, you can’t just go to meetings, go to practice and forget about it. There has to be some time where you have to put your PlayStation down, put your phone down, turn the TV off and go through your notes at night. That’s how you earn it on Saturday. It doesn’t just magically happen, it comes from hard work and dedication. I’m not saying our guys aren’t working hard and dedicated, but there is an extra level that you need to go to where you’re totally prepared and you’re confident to play freely and confidently and be at the level you need to execute.”

On the execution of sophomore wide receiver Jordan Westerkamp in his plays
“He played in a great program. I mean the kid has been dedicated to becoming a great receiver for a long time. And trust me, when he’s at home during the summertime or he goes and spends some time at home, I guarantee he spends some time running routes and working on his trade with his dad, who was a receiver coach. He does the extra. He always has. He’s a kid who uses every ounce out of his ability. He understand the little things. He catches the football well. He runs good routes. He’s not perfect, but he’s really into the details that allows him to get the most out of his ability.”