Butler Discusses Defensive Play Following Fall Camp

Nebraska defensive coordinator John Butler met with members of the media following fall camp. Butler talked about the defensive play during the two team scrimmages.

“I think the scrimmages have been highly contested,” he said. “I think we have a very good offense that is challenging us in many ways. There have been some positives in each scrimmage. In the scrimmage a week or so ago, we gave up too many explosive plays. That can be corrected by playing fundamentally. I think the scrimmages have been great because it’s iron on iron. I think we have two good units. I think we have a good offense and we have a good defense. When you're going ones-on-ones, obviously it gets highly competitive. What also happens in these situations is we practice against our offense fifteen times in the spring and sixteen times in the fall. So what happens is it becomes a high level of familiarity out there. Not only with scheme, but also with personnel. So it’s good to be able to move away from that and into putting ourselves into some fresh eyes with how we are approaching these next three-to-four days.”

He discussed how the depth of his defense has improved since the beginning of camp.

“I’m encouraged by it. I think we have quite a bit of depth in the secondary. I feel good about linebacker,” he said. “I really felt good about all levels but obviously we will know in about ten days when the real stuff starts.”

Butler also spoke on the leadership shown by Javin Wright and Vincent Shavers Jr., as they were both voted for single-digit jerseys.

“Obviously the single-digit thing here is a tremendous honor for everybody, 0-9, because we as coaches have nothing to do with it,” he said. “It is one-hundred percent based on the opinion and the respect that your fellow players have for you. Which ultimately, in football, we are trying to get these guys to play as hard as they can as physical as they can and execute at a high level, and do it for each other. That ultimately is the bonding formula, the fact that you are doing it for your teammates. You are not out there playing for yourself. So if you then get voted as one of the ten players to wear a single digit, I think that is just a testament of what the players think of them. And with Vincent, obviously he went from one to nine which meant he was revoted into that capacity as opposed to just keeping that number one. So I really believe that any of those players that have been voted into that position. That then accepted that number, they should feel great about how their teammates think of them. It is a tremendous responsibility to then uphold that. Because now we are looking to you to be the ones to lead our defense or lead our team so to speak. I know that if I was voted to get a single-digit, I would wear it. I would wear it with pride, knowing that every single day I showed up in this building I have got to lead and play with a level of effort and physicality and execution that is uncommon.”

Fans can purchase single-game or 3-game mini plan tickets at huskers.com/tickets. The 3-game mini plan includes the USC game, a choice between the Michigan State, Northwestern and Iowa matchups and a choice between the games against Akron and Houston Christian.

NU will open its season against the Cincinnati Bearcats on Thursday, August 28 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The game, which starts at 8 p.m. (CT), will be televised on ESPN and can be heard across the Huskers Radio Network. The Huskers’ first home game is set for Saturday, Sept. 6 against the Akron Zips. That contest will kick off at 6:30 p.m. (CT) and can be seen on the Big Ten Network and heard across the Huskers Radio Network.