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Nebraska Football
Fall Camp Press Conference
Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018
Memorial Stadium (Lincoln, Neb.)
Offensive Lineman Tanner Farmer
On if he has been working at center this offseason
“I’ve been working a lot of center, about 50/50 right now. They told me to be ready to play it if they need me to so I’m ready. They also told me don’t forget how to play guard.”
On if he is okay with just having the best five linemen play
“I really like that. I feel as an offensive lineman, you need to be able to play any other position on the offensive line. So, even if I’m a guard I should know how to play tackle or know how to play center and everybody on our offensive line knows how to play every position, so I think that’s great. I think that’s how it should be, and I think it just makes our line more versatile.”
On the offensive line depth
“I feel like we’re going to have more depth than we have had in years past. We have a lot of good guys coming up, Boe Wilson, John Raridon and Christian Gaylord just to name a few. These guys that have been fighting for a playing position for a few years now, and in my opinion have earned at least the right to be up there and get some time. (Offensive Line) Coach (Greg) Austin has mentioned maybe rotating some guys in. Having these guys rotate in will not only make our team better as in if somebody goes down, somebody can pick it up, but making sure that we can perform at 100 percent all the time.”
On the benefits of a new strength, conditioning and nutrition program
“It’s been great. We trimmed a lot of extra fat off of guys, put on a lot of muscle. Trimmed the fat so that’s great. We’re all getting a lot stronger, I know I’ve gotten a lot stronger personally, and I see all the other guys, Brenden Jaimes who is a young guy that started this last year, had a little bit of a weakness as far as it goes with strength as a true freshman, which is understandable, but he has put on a lot of muscle this off season, he’s put on a lot of strength, and I expect him to put on some pretty spectacular performances out there.”
On what’s different heading into this year’s fall camp compared to previous years
“Well my first offseason with Bo (Pelini) and his staff, I guess you could say I didn’t get to experience like a veteran would. A guy who has had playing time. So it was a little bit different but this year has been something that’s truly special for me. Being able to experience this, having guys come in who really truly care about the guys, wants what’s best for us as well as them, push us to be the best we can be, and really make it seem like a family. That’s what football is about just coming together and achieving a goal as a family, and I really appreciate that.”
On the biggest change among the offensive line
“I feel like we’re going to have improvements across the board. We’re going to be able to push guys back, get some space for running the ball. We’re going to be able to give the quarterback more time to throw the ball. I just feel like we’re going to be overall improved. I can’t give you one area. These guys aren’t worried about just improving one thing, ‘oh we struggled in pass protection last year so we just need to work on this’. No, we need to work on being a better offensive line as a whole, in every area and not settle for mediocrity.”
On how conditioning relates to confidence
“That helps a lot. Getting defensive lines on their heels. I appreciate that, me just being more conditioned. I like it, I feel great. This is the best I’ve felt in my entire life. I feel like I can go out there and match up with anybody and do well. I feel like the rest of our offensive line can, too. I don’t feel like there’s going to be any defensive line that we go against that is going to just steam roll us, that we’re not going to be able to match up with. I don’t think that’s going to be a problem this year. Having the extra conditioning, the strength, the work that we put in, it’s made us a better overall unit. I’m ready to show our fans that this year.”
On what he could squat last offseason compared to this
“Last year we didn’t do a lot of back squatting, we did a lot of front squatting so I only front squatted around 500 pounds with the last staff. So coming in and back squatting, it’s a little different, you’re able to do different weights. I’ve been able to back squat 765 for three (resps). I really appreciate that, them putting me in the position to succeed like that. Whenever I first came to Nebraska I had the goal to squat 700 lbs. one day. That’s a goal that I could achieve but I’d really have to put in a whole bunch of hard work to get there. Now I’m squatting close to 800 pounds so I need to set a new goal. I’m thinking maybe 1,000 lbs.”
On if squatting 1,000 lbs. is a realistic goal
“I don’t set realistic goals because what’s the point of setting goals if it’s too realistic.”
On how important it is to have a supportive, family atmosphere
“I love having the support of my teammates. Me personally, I don’t like whenever guys are in my face trying to pump me up. I can get myself pumped up, but having the guys there supporting me, being there to help me if I need it, it’s amazing. We really are a family. We want what’s best for our brothers. I would do anything to help my brothers if they needed it.”
On feedback from the Twitter video of his squatting
“Yeah I’ve gotten a little bit of Twitter feedback, some good, some bad, you’re always going to have your trolls out there, ‘oh you didn’t go deep enough.’ So that irks me a little bit but it is what it is. My strength coach says it was deep enough, that’s all that matters. I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from Twitter and Facebook and Instagram so you know that’s nice. It makes me feel a little good, you know you read those ‘way to go’, ‘keep going’, and ‘keep working hard.’ I feel like our fans see this, not only me but other players like Mike Williams who is the strongest pound for pound guy on our team. They see this and they’re excited to see what we can do. They know that we‘re putting in the work like we never have before, they know that we’re coming together as a family and going in one direction. They’re excited to see what we can do with that because whenever that starts happening you’re going to become an unstoppable force.”
On what the team needed this offseason
“We did have a great relationship and sometimes that was put under stress in the past. I feel like the thing we needed was direction. We just needed direction on which way to go. We were eager to work hard. One thing this staff told us was that they didn’t have to coach us on how to work hard, all the guys are working hard. We just needed the proper direction. Just point me where I need to go, I’ll give you my all, and I’ll be there. I don’t even know what games we have, what time they are, just bring me to the game and tell me who I need to hit, I’m going to hit him. I just need direction. That’s what I needed. I knew how to work hard, I knew football, now I just needed to bring it together and this was the staff that was able to do it. They were able to bring us together for the common cause. We had too many guys shooting off in different directions, doing different things and that causes chaos, and we can’t have chaos on a football team. Now we’re all in harmony right now, and it’s awesome.”
On what he has learned about himself as a person during his time at Nebraska
“I’ve learned to kind of be in a leadership role. I’ve never really been the leader of a team. In high school I wasn’t voted captain my senior year, and I wasn’t voted a captain last year on this team, and I’ve had to learn how to be a leader. What it truly means, not only on the field, not only in the weight room but the extra stuff. Taking freshmen to the film room and teaching them plays, putting in that extra time, being there and encourage a guy, helping a guy move if he needs help. Always being there for your teammates. That’s what it means to be a leader, and I’ve had to learn that and I’ve really appreciated the opportunity to get to learn that. Hopefully I can continue to be a leadership figure on this team, and I can help us to a wonderful season because I don’t just want to win the Big Ten Championship I want to win the championship. That’s my goal. You said is that a realistic goal? Aa lot of people (say) winning the national championship isn’t a realistic goal, well I’m not about realistic, I want it all. Go big or go home.”