Nebraska Football
Minnesota
Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020
Press Conference Video
On Nebraska’s performance
“We’ve just got to find ways to win. You know, when your back’s against the wall and things don't go your way, you’ve got to find ways to win. That's part of creating a winning culture and just being accustomed to winning and finding ways to win so that’s what I would say to that.”
On Minnesota’s final drive of the first half
“It definitely influenced the game. I mean we were trying to get off the field, get our offense the ball, and then they bust one on the first play. Then with Cam (Taylor-Britt), losing a great player like Cam, and missing out on that interception, it's just this is a tale of the game, right? Just missed opportunities. We’ve got to find ways to win in every aspect of the game at every point in the game.”
On Minnesota’s final drive to end the game
“It was on us. We set the front the wrong way on the big run. You know, we're just trying to make a play, trying to get the ball back. High intensity. They're calling their best plays. We're trying to play sound in every facet. All three levels. It’s tough.”
On the emotions of Senior Day after the game
“We're disappointed in the result today, but our time here at Nebraska hasn't been about winning and losing. The adversity that we faced on this senior class and the guys that were able to make it through it to be here today. That's why I'm proud of and the brotherhood that we formed and the men we’ve become in the process. That's what it's about, and we were just sharing that moment, last time in Memorial. Special.”
On his pass breakup late in the game
“I'm basically, I'm in zero coverage on that post. I was playing catch technique. I was playing the sticks, so I did get beat with speed. I did see the ball thrown out of the corner of my eye, and I just, I mean those three seconds were just bliss. It was just, you know, find a way to knock this ball out. Thank the good Lord that he didn't catch it.”
On the unique situation of this Senior Day
“You just try to capitalize on every time you get to step out on the field, and the fact that it could potentially be the last one. It didn't really hit me before the game, but definitely after the game started and then especially at the end of the game, it really started to sit in. You know guys have decisions to make. They’ve got to do what's best for their future. But, you know, for all intents and purposes that was our last game and it stinks.”
On Minnesota controlling time of possession
“We have to get off on third down, so we have to hold up our end of the bargain and get off the field, create three-and-outs, create turnovers, which we didn’t do today. Then just obviously our offense, just sustaining longer drives and moving the chains. It's just the game of football, but when you're stuck out there on defense, we like that chip on our shoulder. We understood as the game went on that we dictate the result of this game, because things weren't really going our way on the other side of the ball. We had to create a turnover and we had to get off the field and we didn't do either of those.”
On remembering this Senior Day
“It really just emphasizes who has been in our corner the whole time, right? We love playing for Big Red Nation and we love playing in front of 90,000 but at the end of the day, our families and our close friends are what help us get to where we're at today and who we really play for. I think it's a little ironic, but you know, it is what it is. It's a game and we played the game and it's a beautiful game so it's nice to have our family in the stands, even though we are missing out on the energy and the rest of the fan base that we cherish and that we enjoy.”
NU Athletic Communications