Bo Knows the Importance of Freedom Trophy

Freedom Trophy Fitting for Huskers, Badgers

Randy York's N-Sider

Bo knows a lot of things. He knows how to recruit and how to coach. Just look at his record. He knows why the word student always comes before athlete at Nebraska. That sense of priority relates back to his days as an Academic All-Big Ten safety at Ohio State, his alma mater.  Bo also knows how to connect his family and livelihood to the service and dedication of American military men and women, plus all the veterans who protected this country before them. Even though Pelini wasn’t privy to the planning that went into Monday’s joint announcement of a Freedom Trophy to commemorate Saturday’s first-ever West Big Ten Division showdown between the Huskers and Badgers, Bo was, in a word, bullish on the idea. That’s why we begin The N-Sider’s Five Favorite Bo Pelini Quotes with one that reflects his thoughts on the Freedom Trophy and how that new piece of hardware can elevate Veterans Day on Tuesday, not to mention a respected rivalry for years to come.  Here are my five favorite Bo quotes from Monday’s presser:

5) On Bo’s thoughts about the Freedom Trophy: “I actually haven’t seen the design of it. I know (Director of Athletics) Shawn (Eichorst) and Coach Alvarez and the universities came up with the idea,” Pelini said before volunteering his own ringing endorsement. “I think that anything we can do to honor the veterans is a good idea,” Bo said. “I don’t think you can do enough to honor the men and women who serve our country. I don’t think you can EVER do enough. It’s a great idea.”

4) On whether Pelini saw Maliek Collins wrestle in high school in Kansas City, so he could see the sophomore defensive tackle’s toughness and tenacity: “Absolutely. I think you have to have a certain mentality to be a wrestler,” Pelini said. “Just look at (Mark) Manning. You’ve got to be a little screwed up to be a wrestler.” Bo’s punchline drew a quick chuckle from the sixth-floor Memorial Stadium press box before he finished his comments. “You’ve got to have some explosion and great feet,” he said. “You have to be a pretty good athlete to do the things you have to do and wrestle at a high level. I thought that Maliek certainly did. Obviously, the competitive nature he brings to the table…just the total package…he’s a pretty talented guy.”

3) On Bo’s analysis of sophomore defensive back Nate Gerry (No. 25 above), an up-and-coming sophomore superstar safety after spending his freshman season at linebacker: “Nate’s playing well. I think he gets better each week,” Pelini said. “He gets more comfortable every week. He gets a better understanding of what we’re doing. I think he plays well next to Coop (Corey Cooper) and I think they communicate really well. I think they’re on the same page.” Pelini believes Gerry developed “really good ball skills” while “playing up” at linebacker – a move that changed the game and the overall effect he has on it. Some of the natural things Gerry performs deep relates directly to the discomfort he experienced playing up. Pelini didn’t see certain ball skills emerging earlier with Gerry. “He was thinking too much,” Bo said. “Maybe he was a little bit out of place, out of position.” Gerry’s emergence and improved ball skills have developed new strengths that were not featured in his high school recruiting film. “He was kind of a run-it guy (that) came downhill and made a ton of tackles,” Pelini said. “He’s really developed well. He’s going to be a great player before he’s out of here.”

2) On how Bo sees Wisconsin since Nebraska’s lopsided loss to the Badgers in the 2012 Big Ten Conference Championship Game in Indianapolis: “It’s interesting because this is a new staff, but it’s very similar in what they’re doing. It’s really the same offense. There are a few wrinkles here and there, but they do a good job. They know what they want to do. They’re physical and well-coached, and they execute very well. It hasn’t changed a whole lot. And you know what? It was probably a smart move on their part. You come in; you have a defensive guy taking over. Why mess with a good thing? And they haven’t. They’ve done a good job of sticking with what they’re doing. I actually spent a lot of time learning, trying to figure out why they were doing things and how they did it. They’ve put a good product on the field.”

1) On if playing Wisconsin Saturday rekindles any bad memories from the 2012 Big Ten Championship Game: “No, it doesn’t really rekindle for me…personally, I’ll never flesh that out,” Pelini said matter-of-factually. “That’s something that will always be there. It’s hard to flesh that one away. But there’s nothing you can do about it. That was one of the most unusual games I’ve ever been a part of. And frustrating at the same time.”  Give Pelini credit for his honesty and built-in humility. Thankfully, he’s looked at all sides of that equation and has moved on while preparing a young team to compete for a championship next month in Indianapolis.  

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