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Nebraska Football
Pre-Rutgers
Monday, Dec. 14, 2020
Press Conference Video
On senior players coming back next year:
“Obviously it'd be nice to get them back because we're so close to turning this program into a winning program but at the end of the day they got to make what's the best decision for themselves. So we got to respect that decision. I've been talking to a few guys and just based on what they think could happen. I just want what's best for them.”
On his progress:
“I feel like I've grown tremendously. Last year it was just crazy to get in against Wisconsin for my first college game with the fans all around. I really was just trying to survive. But now the game slowed down for me. I'm able to understand the offense and the defense. I'm just able to do a lot more than I could last year. I'm able to hold my ground and be a playmaker for the defense.”
On the team’s progress:
“At least from a defense perspective I mean just the way the culture the way we've been practicing lately. Compared to last year we're told that would be in the top 10 on 3rd down conversions which has changed tremendously from the first half of the season. We've been holding guys to 23 percent 25 just this last week with him to 30 percent on third down conversions. I see it as a big win and I just see that as us getting better and better. I see that going on in the next few years and it's just a big culture thing too. I feel like the guys are finally getting enough experience to kind of shift where Nebraska needs to go.”
On the team’s physical and mental strength:
“It’s a wacky year with COVID and stuff but we knew going into it that we wanted to play football. Everybody's still bought in. We're still playing to the best we can preparing the best we can and just going from there. I mean yeah our bodies are hurt but it's more of a mental thing and you just got to be mentally strong to get past that. If you truly love the game then playing football shouldn't be that bad.”
On his physical and mental strength:
“Luckily I've been blessed this season not get any serious injuries. I've had a few knicks and bruises here and there but I mean big things just recovery. I hardly leave the stadium every day just getting recovered and in the tubs or getting treatment on whatever. And then mentally I love the game of football. I love to be here. I love to play it so it doesn't really take that big of effect on me. I'm always watching film and a couple other guys are with me as well. Watching film doing the same routine.”
On building the defensive line:
“I feel like since the start of the season to now we've been on a pretty good path of doing what we've been doing the way coach Tuioti has been preparing us and making us practice. I feel like that's the best way and that's the best thing for us. I feel like we've grown like I said from the beginning of the season to now.”
On Coach Tuioti:
“Coach Tuioti recruited me when he was at Cal so I kind of had a pretty good relationship with him already coming over here. It was awesome because I didn't have to get to know a new coach. And then just the way he coaches the way he approaches he really takes time and effort for the little things and little details whether it's looking at what their offense does or what their offensive line does and just the way he coaches us. You can truly tell that he cares about each and every one of us with the little things in practice. If one guy messes up he'll make him redo it multiple times until he gets it right. That one rep. He's just really focused and dialed in.”
On Nash Hutmacher:
“He’s been doing great. Nash came in big and strong. I think the big thing was just to get him more athletic and he's really progressed with that. He's beating guys one on one in our pass rush everyday beating the centers pretty well. He's able to move his hips pretty well now so I see a bright future for him here.”
On this week:
“We kind of figured that we were going to play this week. We just didn't know when and who. We found out yesterday it was going to be Rutgers at Rutgers. So we had team meetings and position meetings last night and then today we had just a normal Tuesday practice. They kind of took it lighter on us which was really nice.
First half of practice was normal and then second half they kind of pushed the brakes a little bit and I kind of had more like a Thursday kind of flow where it's not really a walkthrough but it’s still going through your technique and being mentally focused.”
NU Athletic Communications