%20--%3e%3csvg%20version='1.1'%20id='Nebraska_N'%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns:xlink='http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20x='0px'%20y='0px'%20viewBox='0%200%20163%20152'%20style='enable-background:new%200%200%20163%20152;'%20xml:space='preserve'%3e%3cstyle%20type='text/css'%3e%20.st0{fill:%23FFFFFF;}%20%3c/style%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M159.1,144c-2.3,0-4.1,1.8-4.1,4s1.8,4,4,4s4-1.8,4-4S161.2,144,159.1,144z%20M159,151.2c-1.8,0-3.2-1.4-3.2-3.2%20s1.4-3.2,3.2-3.2c1.7,0,3.2,1.5,3.2,3.2C162.2,149.8,160.8,151.2,159,151.2z'/%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M157.4,145.6h1.4c0.6,0,0.8,0,1.1,0.2c0.4,0.2,0.6,0.6,0.6,1.1c0,0.4-0.1,0.7-0.3,1c-0.1,0.2-0.3,0.2-0.6,0.4%20h-0.1l1.1,2.1h-0.8l-1-2h-0.6v2h-0.8L157.4,145.6L157.4,145.6z%20M158.6,147.7c0,0,0.3,0,0.4,0c0.4-0.1,0.6-0.3,0.6-0.8%20c0-0.3-0.1-0.5-0.4-0.6c-0.1,0-0.1,0-0.6,0h-0.4v1.4L158.6,147.7L158.6,147.7z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M147,0H93h-5v5v35v5h5h5v24.8L55.2,2.3L53.7,0H51H5H0v5v35v5h5h5v62H5H0v5v35v5h5h54h5v-5v-35v-5h-5h-5V82.2%20l42.8,67.5l1.5,2.3h2.7h46h5v-5v-35v-5h-5h-5V45h5h5v-5V5V0H147z%20M150,5v35v3h-3h-7v66h7h3v3v35v3h-3h-46h-1.6l-0.9-1.4L52,75.3%20V109h7h3v3v35v3h-3H5H2v-3v-35v-3h3h7V43H5H2v-3V5V2h3h46h1.7l0.9,1.4L100,76.7V43h-7h-3v-3V5V2h3h54h3V5z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M103,87L103,87L51,5H5v35c0,0,7.8,0,10,0c0,3.3,0,68.7,0,72l0,0c-2.2,0-10,0-10,0v35h54v-35c0,0-7.8,0-10,0l0,0%20c0-2.6,0-47,0-47l52,82h46v-35c0,0-7.8,0-10,0l0,0c0-3.3,0-68.7,0-72c2.2,0,10,0,10,0V5H93v35c0,0,7.8,0,10,0%20C103,42.6,103,87,103,87z'/%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Nebraska Football
Weekly Press Conference
Monday, Oct. 26, 2020
Pre Wisconsin
Press Conference Video
How much have you closed the gap with Wisconsin?
“Over the years they've obviously been very well coached, very disciplined, and, obviously in my career we haven't beat them. I think we've closed the gap quite a bit. I think the past couple of years, you know our run game has been very efficient, so I think that's probably going be the plan going forward, but we just need to stick to what we know how to do and focus on ourselves.”
Ethan Piper got a healthy dose of snaps in the first game. What did you see from him next to you and what does he need to work on going forward?
“I saw a younger inexperienced guy who just wanted to play football. You know, I think that's his mindset. I don't think he cares where the coaches put him as long as he's a on the field. Making things happen. Obviously with inexperience there's things you need to work on that all young guys need to work on even some of the older guys. Just like footwork and different types of technique and stuff. But overall I think he played really well.”
Why do you think you were able to run the ball well against Wisconsin last year?
“Having that attack mindset just going out there and you know, hitting them first and just staying on our blocks and finishing blocks and things like that. As long as we're man-on-man, I think Coach Frost and Coach Austin have a great scheme that they put in the last couple of years and that they're going to put in this year. As long as we stick to that, I think we'll be fine.”
How did you create your own energy in Columbus with no crowd how different was everything?
“For the O-Line, I don't think we have to do anything differently. I think the energy comes from, you know, within our group, within the person to the right, to the left, we didn't really have to hype ourselves up too much. I mean, we're playing Ohio State. If that doesn't get you hyped up enough, then you know I really shouldn't be playing. But, we didn't really do anything different, just trying to focus on ourselves and the game plan and focus on what we needed to do. And I think we did that pretty well last Saturday. We just eliminate some turnovers and dumb penalties and I think we were right with them.”
Do you feel like you're close to having some of those things cleaned up?
“Like I said before, I think everyone just needs to focus on doing their job and doing it 100%. I think if everyone has that mindset, our offense will work. I think it's when people start to overthink and just don't do their job 100% is when this offense doesn't work. You just need 11 guys doing 11 jobs to the best of their ability and everything will work itself out, but going forward with Wisconsin obviously they're a very well coached team, very disciplined, just like Ohio State and you can’t make the silly mistakes you made last week against them. Otherwise same outcome.”
What were you most happy with Saturday?
“I’m most happy with is the way we came out, especially in the first and second quarter. From all the messed up things that we've had this offseason to playing football, to not playing football, to playing football again. I think through that adversity I think that first half was very impressive. Not only to the coaches, but ourselves obviously we need to learn how to finish and come out the second half with that same fire energy. I think if we do that, we're right there with them.“
Did the way the game started prove something?
“It’s what we preach in the O-Line room, come up fast, come out hot and to stay hot. And obviously that wasn't the case. So that's something that we need to work on, and I think we'll get it right this week.”
How do you gauge the growth on the offensive line going back to the Wisconsin game a year ago?
“We have an offensive line that a lot of people played on last year and we got a lot of those guys back this year, so the inexperience excuse should no longer be a thing. It shouldn't be an excuse that we need to fall back on because all of us do have experience. We do have games under our belt. Not only that, but we also have young guys who don't have any experience wanting to play and wanting to start and get on the field to get that experience so that they can’t use that as an excuse either so I think the growth and development that we've had in the offensive line room has been the best since I've been here. From Ethan Piper to Turner Corcoran, those guys are always fighting to get on the field and not letting up so I'm really happy for them. Really proud of them and I hope they continue that even after we're gone.”
NU Athletic Communications