Darrion Daniels Quotes - 9/16

Nebraska Football
Weekly Press Conference
Memorial Stadium (Lincoln, Neb.)
Monday, Sept. 16, 2019
Pre-Illinois

On defense's progress
"We've increased our performance in every game. From what I've seen on film, little details have been corrected. There's still little details that we need to polish up, but every game I've seen corrections, little holes get patched up and I think that's huge going into conference play."
 
On going into Big Ten play
"I feel like the intensity is going to kick up another notch. Every game, we've seen more and more of our potential increase. Going into conference is just adding fuel to the fire. It's going to intensify our play. Of course, the competition is going to get better, but that's what we want. We want to play the best of the best so we're eager and anxious to play."
 
On allowing just 2.8 rushing yards per game
"That's too much for us. We don't want teams to run the ball at all. The challenge for us is this upcoming game because they've got some great guys in the backfield and shifty guys that are pretty fast, so it's really going to be a challenge for us to get our hands on them and get them down. But we take a lot of pride in that number, and we expect to keep it low for the rest of the year."
 
On keeping rushing yards down this year compared to last year
"Coach T (Tuioti) has been on our butts about little things. My hand placement isn't where he wants it to be at, getting our blocks, our feet in, keeping a good base, not getting knocked back, the little things. Athleticism is there. Everyone on the defensive line is athletic, that's not the hard part. Effort is there. Effort was there last year. We fly around, that's just the nature of being a Blackshirt. But Coach T really focuses on our technicals and makes sure everything is fundamentally sound, and that plays a huge role in why we're able to do what we do now."
 
On the offense's time of possession
"We're not tripping at all. That's what the offense does. Either they're going to get out three and out or they're going to get out fast with a touchdown. That's just the art and beauty of our offense, they're a fast tempo team. Teams won't be able to hang on going into conference, we're going to kick it up a notch and our offense is going to be moving fast. Our depth is phenomenal. Coach Duval did a great job with us in the summer, and in the winter getting us ready for this type of conditioning. Coach T does a good job with us as well. He really pushes us during practice. I feel like as a defensive line, we run more than receivers, that's what he has us doing. He has us running from drill to drill from one side of the field to the other. I feel like from depth-wise, we have a good rotation, but going into conference, we have to like guys who are going to see the field and get some snaps, so that's going to be pretty huge for us."
 
On defensive line Coach Tuioti's approach
"Coach T has experience in teaching. He takes pride in that because he's able to break it down for us. For him to break it down and bring it to a level where it's black and white is huge. He has a lot of history with NFL guys and shows us a lot of their cutups, and that we make a lot of the same mistakes they make. It really gives us confidence that we're doing the same thing that the pros are doing."
 
On sophomore linebacker Damion Daniels' goal-line stop
"That's my brother. It's going to sound messed up, but that's the kind of stuff he's supposed to do. I've seen him do that my whole entire life. Everyone was like [excited] and I was just like 'Bro, that's a Tuesday for him.' I'm used to my brother doing that kind of stuff. I was really excited. He made the play and I think it was huge for him. It's just one of those things that puts a vision in his head and puts a vision in our head of what he can do. What it does for the team is make us hold him to that standard every single day."
 
On how to win on the road
"Preparation. Being able to do everything full speed with our eyes closed. That's the best way to go into a hostile territory and bring the same energy that we bring to practice and home games. That's the only way I feel like is the approach to playing in hostile territory. We have to have tunnel vision when we're on the road. We have to be able to blackout the fans. My first experience with traveling Nebraska fans - I don't think that's going to be an issue for us. It's really just us getting out of our own way and playing the ball that we know how to play."
 
On how it feels to win on the road
"It's a fun feeling. Going into someone else's territory and ruining their day is actually kind of fun. Your back is against the wall, so the only thing you can do is swing forward. Going into a hostile territory and ruining their day makes me personally feel like I did myself an honor with my back against the wall coming out victorious."
 
On senior defensive linemen Carlos and Khalil Davis
"[They're playing] crazy. It makes it tough on me to keep up. They're, of course, competing with one another and I'm the man in the middle. There are plays where I get a good move and feel like I get open and then there's one of the twins there, they're already on the play. The level of intensity that they play with isn't just encouraging for the defensive line, but it's encouraging for everyone on the team. They have their own different approach on how they approach our opponents, but both of them just get us hyped. It's what we need and it's what the Blackshirts are about."
 

NU Athletic Communications