Dicaprio Bootle Quotes - March 9, 2020

Dicaprio Bootle
SENIOR | DEFENSIVE BACK
 
On the competition between the defensive backs
"There's always been competition. Everyone is always scratching for the next spot, always trying to move up the ranks. Guys leave every year. New guys come in and bring the same fire in their eyes to compete. Our room prides [itself] off of competition. I've been saying that for years. That's the way it is. We compete in it, and it ultimately makes us better."
 
On what expectations the defensive backs have for themselves and the rest of the defense this year
"Overall, we just want to be a great group of guys that the team can depend on. We know that football games can be easily won or easily lost based on our play. Everyday, we've got to come, we've got to bring it. There's no time for slacking. Everyday we come with the same intensity as the day before or even more. We have no regrets. We have to continue to take the steps forward to be the best that we can be. We have to be the root that the team leans on."
 
On who he thinks can be a leader on the defense this year
"I look at players like Will Honas, Collin Miller, Ben Stille. On the offensive side, guys like Adrian [Martinez], Wan'Dale [Robinson], Matt Farniok and Brenden Jaimes to just name a couple. I know I'm missing some of the guys but just to pull out some names. We're going to have to be a team that is leaning on each other. We have to be a tight-knit unit in order to do what we say we want to do and get better day after day. We have to trust each other, listen to each other and be as tight as we can."
 
On if this is the deepest the secondary has been since he's been here
"We've got some guys that can play. There's some guys that left here that can play, too. Right now, I feel like we have a lot of guys in the room that can make contributions early. Even from the youngest to the oldest guy or the new guys coming, I feel like we have a lot of guys that understand what we're doing."
 
On how much as a Florida native he mentors the new guys that have come from Florida
"I try to help them out where they can be helped and give them as much advice as I can, as much advice as they solicit from me. There comes a point where you have to let go and let those guys fly on their own. Right now, I feel like they're at that point where they are learning to maneuver on their own and making out their own opinions. I've seen it in the last couple of weeks that they've really been progressing and taking those next steps, not from just being a freshman coming in from Florida but also guys that will be here for a while."
 
On what he think attracted the newcomers from Florida to Nebraska
"Those are guys that come to compete. They want to try to be a part of something great. Those are guys that want to come in and make something better than what it was. They obviously see the vision. I think those guys were really attracted to that."
 
On how players grow within a program
"Everybody has their own journey. Some guys might come in and coaches feel like they're a knucklehead. Another guy might come in and they feel like he does everything right and that one day he'll be a leader. They might have a different opinion on the other guy, but it's all about growth. It's all about being depended on by your coaches and teammates and just being a good person and getting better everyday. People start to take notice of that. You start getting more reps on the field then guys start turning to you off the field as well when you're accountable off the field. It's just all an element of growth."
 
On if he uses past seasons as motivators or if he just focuses on the present
"I think there's a fine line between both. You have to end up forgetting about the past. If you're so caught up in the past, that's what's going to be repeated. At the same time, you have to use the past as a tool for learning moving forward and to get better. You want to use the past, but at the same time, you want to use what you have now and build upon it."
 
On if he has an idea if he is going to play cornerback or safety this season
"I couldn't really tell you. I'm going to play wherever they tell me to play. If they want me to play defensive line, I'll go and give my best. Obviously that's unrealistic, but wherever they want me to play, I'll play."
NU Athletic Communications