Pre-Season Special | Big Red Wrap Up | Nebraska Public Media

>>> THIS >>> I THINK THIS WAS A REALLY, REALLY HARD SUMMER. I ASKED CORY, I SAID, I DON'T CARE, JUST GIVE ME A TOUGH TEAM. THAT'S ALL I CARE ABOUT. >> COMPETITION IS EVERYTHING IN OUR PROGRAM. SO I MEAN, YOU COULD GO OUT THERE THIS WEEK AND BE A ONE, AND LOOK UP NEXT WEEK AND BE A THREE IF YOU ARE NOT PERFORMING AT THE RIGHT -- AT THE STANDARD. >> WE'LL HAVE A REALLY COMPETITIVE CAMP. I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE MOST COMPETITIVE CAMP I'VE EVER HAD. AND -- WE'LL SEE WHO'S STANDING AT THE END. >> WE BELIEVE IN PLAYING HARD, PLAYING TOUGH AND ATTACKING THE FOOTBALL. AND SO YOU'RE CONSTANTLY REEMPHASIZING THAT IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. >> SOME COME DOWN TO WINNING TWO MINUTE, AND AGAIN IT'S JUST THE SCENARIOS THAT COACH RHULE KEEP'S PUTTING US IN IS MAKING US -- GONNA MAKE US REALLY ELITE BY THE END OF THE YEAR. >> WE'RE HELPING EACH OTHER. WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE TEAM BETTER BEFORE WE PUT OURSELVES FIRST. SO THAT'S JUST PART OF BEING A QUARTERBACK YOU NEED TO PUT YOUR TEAM BEFORE YOURSELF. >> THIS GROUP IS A SPECIAL. THIS GROUP IS NOT ONLY SPECIAL BECAUSE OF THE GUYS THAT CAME IN, BUT HOW WE'RE COMING TOGETHER AND HOW WE ARE DEVELOPING A CULTURE OF EXECUTION. IT'S WHAT IS GOING TO WIN US GAME. I MEAN LIKE, WE ARE ALL BOUGHT IN. >> I JUST WANT TO WIN GAMES. HOWEVER THEY COME. BUT I KNOW WE ARE GOING TO BE VERY SOLID. AND WE AIN'T FLINCHING, WE AIN'T SKIPPING NOBODY. >> IT'S THIS MINDSET OF WE ARE GOING TO DOMINATE THE THINGS WE CAN CONTROL. AND WE HAVE GUYS WHO WORK. I THINK THIS TEAM HAS ALL THE INTANGIBLES. INTANGIBLES. * >>> HI EVERYONE, I'M MIKE'L SEVERE. WELCOME TO "BIG RED WRAP-UP" ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA. YEAR TWO OF THE MATT RHULE ERA BEGINS ON SATURDAY AND WE ARE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT IN THIS BRAND-NEW SET WITH A COUPLE OF GUYS YOU KNOW VERY WELL. FORMER HUSKERS JAY MOORE AND DAMON BENNING. WELCOME, WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE SET? >> BEAUTIFUL. I LIKE THE NEW DIGS. >> IT LOOKS REALLY COOL. LOOK AT THIS. ISN'T THAT FANCY. >> IS THAT CALLED PANORAMIC -- >> THIS IS A CRANE CAMERA. >> IS THAT WHAT THAT IS? >> A LITTLE CRANE CAMERA SHOT. >> FIRST TIME BEING HERE, SEEING IT. WE'RE BREAKING IT IN NICELY. FANTASTIC. >> WE NEED IT TOO, BECAUSE THIS IS A NEW YEAR. THIS IS A NEW ERA, EVEN THOUGH IT'S THE SECOND YEAR OF MATT RHULE IT'S A NEW ERA BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT. HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO GO ANYWHERE AND NOT HAVE SOMEONE ASK YOU WHAT YOU THINK THE RECORD'S GONNA BE OR HOW EXCITED YOU ARE? >> UM, NO. I HAVEN'T. AND IT'S DIFFERENT. I FEEL LIKE EVERY YEAR, I'VE ALWQAYS BEEN THE ETERNAL OPTIMIST ANYWAYS. BUT THIS YEAR JUST FEELS DIFFERENT. BECAUSE, THERE'S SO MANY FACTORS. I MEAN, WHETHER YOU CAN LOOK AT MATT RHULE'S SUCCESS GOING FROM YEAR ONE, TO YEAR TWO AT TEMPLE, BAYLOR -- THE TALENT THEY'VE BROUGHT IN, AND THE TALENT THEY'VE KEPT. THE GUYS WHO'VE COME BACK. BOUGHT INTO THE PROCCESS. THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO GET TO WHERE YOU NEED TO GO. I WAS ALWAYS REMINDED. IF YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH THE PROCESS, THE PROCESS WILL LOVE YOU BACK. SO I THINK THEY'RE KIND OF GETTING THAT, AND HOPEFULLY THEY'RE GONNA KIND OF REAP THE REWARDS HERE IN JUST A FEW DAYS, AND THE KICKOFF AGAINST UTEP. >> YOU ARE "3-D DAMON." NOT OLY YOU ARE A FORMER HUSKER, YOU'RE THE COLOR-VOICE ON RADIO, AND NOW YOUR SUN PLAYS FOR THE TEAM. YOU ARE AS COMMITTED AS POSSIBLE YOU KNOW, LISTEN. I'M EXCITED, I THINK ONE OF THE EASY THINGS TO GRAVITATE TOWARDS COACH RHULE, AND WHY PEOPLE DO IS -- YOU LISTEN TO HIM TALK FOOTBALL, YOU LISTEN TO HIM TALK ABOUT PRACTICE OR HOW HE ATTACKS THE DAY. AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE HE'S TELLING YOU HOW TO BE A BETTER FATHER. HOW TO BE A BETTER EMPLOYEE. HOW TO BE A BETTER SON. HE'S ALL ABOUT MAXIMIZING AND MASTERING IN LIFE. HE JUST APPLIES IT TO THE GAME OF FOOTBALL. HE IS THE CONSUMMATE TEACHER AND DEFINITELY SOMEBODY THAT I OBVIOUSLY TRUST TO HAVE MY KIDDO WITH. SO, I'M PUMPED. READY TO GO. >> AND WITH ALL THAT, THERE'S ALSO A FIVE STAR QUARTERBACK THAT MANY THOUGHT WAS THE BEST IN THE 2024 CLASS, DYLAN RAIOLA. AS THE QUARTERBACK -- I KNOW IT'S NOT A SURPRISE TO PEOPLE BUT IT SEEMS LIKE HE EARNED IT. >> NO, HE DID. LISTEN, I FULLY EXPECTED WHEN HE STEPPED FOOT ON CAMPUS LAST SPRING THAT HE WAS GOING TO WORK HIMSELF INTO THE NUMBER ONE GUY. OBVIOULSY THE QUARTERBACK SITUATION WAS NOT VERY SUCCESSFUL LAST YEAR WITH SIMS AND HARBOR GETTING BANGED UP. AND THEN WITH PURDY. SO YOU KNEW IT WAS GOING TO LOOK VASTLY DIFFERENT BUT YOU JUST DIDN'T KNOW HOW IT WAS GOING TO SHAKE OUT. DOING ONE THING IN HIGH SCHOOL, COMING IN, BIG FISH, SMALL POND KIND OF SITUATION. ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT'S DIFFERENT WHEN YOU STEP FOOT ON COLLEGE. I DON'T CARE IF YOUR DAD WAS AN ALL-AMERICAN HERE AND YOUR UNCLE IS THE O-LINE COACH. AND YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME RELATIONSHIPS WITH SOME OTHER NFL QUARTERBACKS. IT'S JUST DIFFERENT. BUT HE'S HANDLED IT REALLY, REALLY WELL. I'M VERRY IMPRESSED. LIKE I SAID, I'VE BEEN TO A COUPLE PRACTICES THIS YEAR. HE DOESN'T ACT LIKE HE'S 18. HE DOES NOT ACT LIKE HE'S 18. HE HAS THE MATURITY OF A GUY WHO'S BEEN HERE FOR A COUPLE YEARS. HE CARRIES HIMSELF VERY WELL. HE CARRIES HIMSELF AS A LEADER. AND THE ABILITY'S THERE. THE ABILITY TO THROW THE FOOTBALL, DIFFERENT ARM ANGLES. WHATEVER IT IS, FEELING THE POCKET. AGAIN, IT'S JUST PRACTICE SO FAR. BUT HE'S EARNED IT, AND HE'S LEGIT. I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE HIM PLAY ON SATURDAY. >> THE CONFIDENCE OF ANOTHER 15? >> YEAH, HE DOES. A LITTLE BRAVADO. AND HE GIVES YOU THE SENSE THAT HE'S ALWAYS GOT IT UNDER CONTROL. SOME CALL IT POISE, HE'S JUST GOT THAT KIND OF 'PIED PIPER' TO HIM. WHERE, WHEREVER HE IS, YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY. AND THERE IS SOMETHING TO THAT. AND I'M PRETTY IMPRESSED ACROSS THE BOARD. I THINK THEY GOT THE QUARTERBACK ROOM RIGHT. I LIKE THE MENTALITY IN THERE. IT'S INCREDIBLY COMPETITIVE. YET, THEY CAN CHEER FOR OTHER PEOPLE, RIGHT? WHEN YOU GET THE TEMPERAMENT IN THAT ROOM RIGHT, YOU REALLY GIVE YOURSELF A CHANCE TO HAVE SOME SUCCESS. >> YOU SAID SOMETHING INTERESTING, WE WERE DOING A THING ON FRIDAY. AND SO -- IF THERE WAS AN INJURY DURING A GAME I'M ASSUIMNG HAARBERG COMES IN. IF IT WAS LONG-TERM, COULD YOU SEE IT BEING KAELIN? >> I COULD, I COULD. HE'S GOT -- HE'S STARTING TO REALLY GROW INTO HIS FOOTBALL IQ. PHYSICALLY HE'S GETTING THERE. HE SPENDS IT REALLY WELL. HE'S REALLY GOOD IN THE RPO GAME. YOU KNOW, HE'S USED TO IT IN HIGHSCHOOL. AND I THINK HE GIVES THEM AN ARM THAT YOU'RE NOT NERVOUS WHEN HE GOES IN THE GAME AND HE HAS TO EXECUTE THIS OFFENSE. AND IT ALLOWS YOU TO DO SOME DIFFERENT THINGS WITH HAARBERG TOO. >> DIFFERENT THINGS WITH HAARBERG, YOU'VE GOT TO GET HIM THERE, RIGHT? I MEAN, ALL THE BIG PLAYS. I THINK HE HAD AT LEAST, SEVEN PLAYS OVER 30 YARDS LAST YEAR. YOU GOTTA GET THAT GUY ON THE FIELD. >> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. WHETHER IT'S FROM THE TIGHT END ASPECT, LIKE YOU SAW IN THE MINNESOTA GAME LAST YEAR OR HIS ABILITY IN A RUN PASS SITUATION OR SHORT YARDAGE, GOAL-LINE SITUATIONS, WHERE YOU BRING HIM IN. IT'S LIKE HEY, WE'RE RUNNING QB-POWER RIGHT HERE. AND IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO STOP 'CAUSE HE'S A BIG BODY. SO YOU CAN DO, SO MANY MULTIPLE THINGS OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN IMPLEMENT THE OPTION GAME, LIKE THEY DID A LITTLE BIT TOO. JUST TO KEEP DEFENSES, JUST A LITTLE WRINKLE. JUST WHERE THEY HAVE TO TAKE ANOTHER 10 MINUTES 15 MINUTES, TO PREPARE FOR IT WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT. SO YOU GOTTA UTILIZE ALL HIS TALENT. 'CAUSE HIS ATHLETIC ABILITY IS OFF THE CHARTS. >> KIND OF LIKE WHAT MINNESOTA DOES, RIGHT? MINNESOTA, THE WHOLE TIME THEY'VE HAD THIS STAFF, THEY'VE ALWAYS HAD THAT QUARTERBACK THAT CAN COME IN AND RUN DOWN THE GOAL LINE. >> YEAH, I THINK JAY'S RIGHT 15 MINUTES DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A HUGE NUMBER BUT DAILY WHEN YOU ARE DOING INSTALL AND PREPARATION AND THEY MAY SHOW A GOAL LINE PACKAGE AND THAT IS ANOTHER 15 MINUTES. IT ADDS UP. AND ONCE YOU GET STUFF LIKE THAT ON TAPE, QUARTERBACK RUN GAME CHANGES THE WAY YOU CAN DEFEND. THE MINUTE THAT IS ON TAPE, YOU KNOW YOU BETTER GET IN ON THE DRY ERASE BOARD AND FIGURE IT OUT. >> WE HAVE A LOT TO GET TO TONIGHT. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU OF COURSE. OUR PHONES ARE STANDING BY READY FOR YOUR CALLS. YOU CAN TEXT OR EMAIL YOUR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS TO BIGRED@NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG. WE ARE ALSO MONITORING OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS. SEND US YOUR THOUGHTS ON OUR BIG RED WRAP-UP OR X ACCOUNT AND WE WILL ANSWER AS MANY OF THE QUESTIONS WE CAN TONIGHT. ALSO, DON'T FORGET TO HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE AND DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY OF THE 2024 NEBRASKA FOOTBALL SCHEDULE POSTER. YOU PRINTED OFF FOR YOUR HOME, WORK, THE OFFICE OR WHEREVER YOU ARE. TO KEEP UP TO DATE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON, ALL THE HUSKER FOOTBALL SCORES, HOPEFULLY WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF W'S ON THAT POSTER. OUR SIDELINE SURVEY IS BACK AND READY FOR YOUR VOTE TONIGHT AS WELL. WILL NEBRASKA MAKE IT TO A BOWL GAME? EASY QUESTION. YES, THE DROUGHT IS OVER. NO, THE NIGHTMARE CONTINUES. ASK ME AFTER A GAME 1. THAT IS THE REAL PESSIMISTIC PERSON. AH JUST ASK I DON'T KNOW YET. MAKE SURE YOU COME BACK EACH WEEK, GO TO THE WEBSITE FOR EACH BRAND-NEW SURVEY. IT TRULY IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE THE BOWL GAME IS THE MINIMUM. DAMON HAS SAID A COUPLE TIMES , EIGHT REALLY FEELS LIKE FLOUR. COME ON, THE SCHEDULE APPEARED. >> THE SCHEDULE LINES UP PERFECTLY. AND IT HASN'T IN A FEW YEARS. WHETHER YOU ARE STARTING IN IRELAND, ON THE ROAD AT MINNESOTA ON A THURSDAY NIGHT, ON THE ROAD AT ILLINOIS, YOU CAN'T EASE YOUR WAY INTO IT. SO MANY YEARS IN THE PAST, THERE IS NO PRESEASON GAME IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL. BACK WHEN I WAS PLAYING, YOU WERE PLAYING, A PACIFIC. YOU OPEN UP THERE OR LOUISIANA TECH OR NICHOLS ESTATE, SOMEPLACE TO GET YOUR FEET WET, GET THE COBWEBS OUT, GET SOME YOUNG PLAYERS SOME REPS. AND THEY HAVEN'T HAD THAT. THE ABILITY TO GAIN CONFIDENCE AND GET MOMENTUM, WHETHER IT HAS BEEN A GAME CANCELED. THE FIRST YEAR, THE YEARS HAVEN'T GOTTEN STARTED OFF RIGHT. THIS FINALLY FEELS LIKE A TIME WHERE THEY CAN FINALLY GRASP MOMENTUM, GAIN CONFIDENCE AND LEARN HOW TO WIN FINALLY. BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T LEARNED HOW TO WIN IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. >> THE OPPONENT TALENT ASIDE, I LIKE THIS STYLE. UTEP, SPREAD, SPACE, PACE. 3 X 1, 2 X 2 FORMATIONS. COLORADO MUCH OF THE SAME, ONE BACK OFFENSE. 3 X 1, 2 X 2. NORTHERN IOWA, THEY WILL SPREAD YOU OUT AS WELL BECAUSE THE STRENGTH OF THEIR TEAM IS THEIR WIDE RECEIVING CORE ON OFFENSE. SO, I LIKE THE FACT THAT THE SCHEDULE LINES UP STYLISTICALLY MORE THAN ANYTHING BECAUSE IT ALLOWS YOUR PREPARATION TO KIND OF SETTLED IN. WE HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE. LET'S BUILD ON IT. ESPECIALLY IN YEAR TWO DEFENSIVELY, WHEN YOUR GONNA START TO ADD YOUR WRINKLES, YOUR LITTLE NUANCES. CAUSE YOU KNOW YOUR OPPONENTS HAVE GAME TAPE TOO. ITS HOW YOU NEXT LEVEL. SO, I LIKE THE FACT THAT THEY ARE GOING TO SEE SOME SIMILAR STYLE OFFENSES >> THEY WOULD SEE ANYONE GO AS FAST AS UTEP. THEY WANT TO HAVE IT SNAPPED IN 16 SECONDS. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE OFFENSE BESIDES THE QUARTERBACK. WIDE RECEIVERS, WITH THE TRANSFERS THE WAY IT'S SET UP. THE WAY THE FRESHMAN PLAYED LAST YEAR WITH LLOYD, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD POSITION. >> YEAH AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT WITH BANKS AND NEYOR COMING ONTO THE SCENE, THOSE GUYS ARE, IM TELLING YOU. KEITH WILLIAMS, A FORMER TEAMMATE OF MINE HE WORKS DOWN THERE. IM JUST LIKE "KEITH, WHO IS THAT?" THAT'S NEYOR MAN. >> HE'S A SUNDAY GUY. HE'S BUILT LIKE JULIO JONES. LIKE THEY ARE BIG BODIED RECEIVERS. WIDE RADIUSES. MALACHI COLEMAN IS THE EXACT SAME WAY AS YOU CAN SEE HE'S COMING BACK. LLOYD IS NOT THE BIGGER GUY BUT HE CAN TAKE THE TOP OFF A DEFENSE AND YOU HAVE TO RESPECT THE SPEED. SO THE STABLE IS A VERY DEEP. AND OBVIOUSLY IT GOT DEPLETED EARLY LAST YEAR AND OF THE YOUNG GUYS HAD TO COME IN AND MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN. GETTING ISAIAH NEYOR AND BANKS IN AND YOU THROW IN THE TIGHT END AS WELL, THERE'S ALL SORTS OF WEAPONS TO THROW TO. >> I WANNA SEE BONNER TAKE SOME SNAPS HE'S PLAYED EVERY OTHER POSITION, NOW HE'S IN THE SLOT. >> THERES SO MANY GUYS THAT WE FORGET ABOUT AND BONNER IS ONE OF THEM. I MEAN "STEADY EDDY." AND YOU KNOW THE DEPTH CHART HAS COME OUT AND THEY LIST THREE GUYS DEEP AT A POSITION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THAT IS NOT REALLY WHAT IT IS ABOUT. YOU WANT TO BE IN THE TOP SIX OR SEVEN IN TERMS OF PASS CATCHERS. CAUSE THEY HAVE VERSATILITY WHETHER ITS FINDONE AND BONNER AND NEYOR AND BANKS. THEY HAVE FELLAS. JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE THREE DEEP HERE DOESN'T MEAN YOU ARE THIRD IN THE GAME AT THAT POSITION. THEY WILL PLAY THE TOP SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE PASS CATCHERS. >> THEN YOU THROW CARTER NELSON IN THE MIX. >> CARTER NELSON AS A WIDE RECEIVER AS WELL. LET'S GO TO RUNNING BACK BECAUSE. YOU KNOW DAMON, YOU WERE IN A STABLE AT NEBRASKA. ALL THE YEARS YOU WERE THERE, WE COULD GO FOUR DEEP, GUYS COMING OFF THE BENCH AND RUNNING FOR A BUNCH OF YARDS. HOW DIFFICULT IS IT AS A RUNNING BACK? >> IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW PRACTICE GOES. IF THE CARET IS A DANGLED AND IT IS SET, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH. IF IT IS COMPETITIVE DAILY AND YOU ARE REWARDED FOR YOUR WORK OUTPUT, IT IS EASIER TO STAY DIALED IN. WHEN THERE IS LACK OF COMMUNICATION OR YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY HAS A TON OF MERIT ALL THE TIME IN TERMS OF HOW SATURDAY PLAYS OUT, IT CAN GET AWAY FROM YOU. THE TWO THINGS ARE COMMUNICATION AND UNDERSTANDING THAT EVERY REP COUNTS. IT SEEMS LIKE THEY ARE WAITING FOR A GUY TO SEPARATE. AND NOW THEY GET TO GAME EXPERIENCE TO ACTUALLY COMPETE. USUALLY IT HAPPENS IN PRACTICE. IT SEEMS LIKE THEY ARE WILLING TO LET THIS PLAY OUT THROUGH GAMES. THAT'S GONNA KEEP PEOPLE ENGAGED. IT TAKES A DIFFERENT MENTALITY TO BE READY ON THE SPOT. SOME GUYS ARE RHYTHM GUYS, SOME GUYS ARE FEEL GUYS. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO BE READY ON COMMAND. >> AS A DEFENDER, TO HAVE THAT MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF BACKS, THAT ARE ALL REALLY DIFFERENT. IS THAT HARDER? YOU HAVE TO SEE WHO'S BACK THERE SHIFTY GUYS, BIG GUYS. >> YEAH I THINK IF ANYTHING IT'S JUST PERSONNEL RECOGNITION DEPENDING ON WHO'S IN THERE. WHAT BACK LIKES TO DO CERTAIN THINGS IN CERTAIN INSTANCES IN A GAME. I'M GUESSING RAHMIR , HE IS COMING THREE DOWN BACK. FIRST DOWN, SECOND DOWN, HE CAN STEP UP. BUT, OBVIOUSLY RAHMIR JOHNSON IS GOOD OUT OF THE BACKFIELD. EMMETT SHOWED SOME ABILITY COULD CATCH IN THE BACKFIELD LAST YEAR. DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT DOWDELL YET. AND GABE IS YOUR FIRST OR SECOND DOWN GUY, AND MAYBE YOUR SHORT BACK IF HE COULD STAY HEALTHY. BUT IDEALLY FOR DEFENSIVE MINDED GUY, THOSE BACKS GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO OFFENSIVELY FROM THE PLAY, FROM A PLAY CALLED STANDPOINT. IF THEY ARE GOING TO MIX IT UP, WHO KNOWS. THEY ARE PROBABLY GOING TO KEEP THE DEFENSE ON THEIR TOES. >> AND A FEW THINGS ABOUT THE OFFENSIVE LINE. THEY HAVE A LOT OF BODIES. >> THEY DO, THEY HAVE SOME VERSATILITY. SO I WILL BE INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT SCHEME THEY SETTLE IN I THINK THEY CAN COMFORTABLY PLAY SEVEN RIGHT NOW AND THAT GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF MARGIN FOR ERROR. OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE TO PROTECT YOUR QUARTERBACK, BUT WITH THE RPO GAME AND THE STABLE OF RUNNING BACKS, YOU COULD PLAY THE OFFENSIVE LINES STRENGTHS. >> YOU'VE GOT PROBABLY SEVEN GUYS AT LEAST HAD COULD BE IN THE FRONT FIVE. WHO DO YOU LIKE? YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY TY AND NASH ARE BACK BUT JIMARI BUTLER. WHO DO YOU LIKE IN THAT GROUP? >> I THINK CAMERON LENHARDT IS REALLY GOOD. YOU HAVE RILEY VAN POPPEL WHO >> JIMARI BUTLER DID LEAVE, THEN DECIDED NOT TO GO AND STAY. >> HIS PERSONALITY MAY BE MY >> HE HAS ADDED SOME WEIGHT. HIS BODY STYLE CHANGED FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR. HE IS GOING TO BE TOUGH TO DEAL WITH. THOSE THREE GUYS UP FRONT ARE GOING TO CAUSE SOME CHAOS THIS YEAR. I COULDN'T IMAGINE THESE YOUNGER LINEBACKERS TRYING TO CLEAN UP ALL THE MESSES THEY CAUSE. >> WHAT ABOUT A SECONDARY >> I LIKE IT THEY GOT SOME VERSATILITY. THEY CROSS TRAIN QUITE A BIT SO I AM OBVIOUSLY PRETTY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS. YOU HAVE SOME GUYS THAT IF THEY STAY HEALTHY HAVE A CHANCE TO HAVE SOME REALLY BIG YEARS. MALCOLM GETS TO SETTLE IN AT THAT FIELD SAFETY SPOT. DESHON SINGLETON IS A SUNDAY GUY. >> HE'S A BEAST. >> LISTEN, HE'S ELECTRIC. >> YEAH. >> AND IF HE STAYS HEALTHY, HE HAS THE ABILITY TO IMPACT GAMES FROM THAT THIRD LEVEL. THE GUY I'M KINDA INTERESTED IN SEEING, IS HE PREPARED TO HANDLE THE EMOTIONAL LOAD OF BEING THE GUY? >> TOMMI HILL? >> IT'S TOMMI HILL. RIGHT--A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SAID GOOD THINGS ABOUT YOU. CAN YOU HANG IN THERE AND PAY ATTENTION TO DETAIL WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT AND LEAD THAT GROUP ON THE BACK END. >> WITH THE SEASON OPENER JUST DAYS AWAY, THE TEAM AT THE PODIUM. LET'S HEAR WHAT THE PLAYERS AND COACHES HAVE TO SAY IN THIS WEEKS BIG RED REPORT. >> YEAH, DYLAN IS GOING TO PLAY. HE PLAY THE PLAYS, WHEN WE CALLED DROP BACK, HE'S GOING TO GO BACK AND TAKE HIS DROP AND DO HIS PROGRESSION. JUST HOW WE WANT THEM TO PLAY WHEN HE'S A JUNIOR, WE START DAY ONE THAT AWAY WE ARE NOT EASING INTO ANYTHING. >> HE HAS ATTACKED EVERYTHING SINCE HE STARTED LEARNING THE OFFENSE. HE ATTACKS AND WORKS REALLY HARD. HE WORKS INTO THE NIGHT. HE MEETS WITH GLEN EXTRA ON CERTAIN FACETS OF THE GAME. HE IS A YOUNG PRO. HE'S ALWAYS GOING TO GET THE BETTER, BETTER, BETTER. HE'S STILL MATURING. HE ATTACKS IT LIKE A PRO. >> IT WAS EMOTIONAL, HONESTLY. THE FIRST THING I DID WAS CALL MY MOM, CALL MY DAD. VERY THANKFUL FOR THEM. I WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT TO THEM. >> BUCKLE UP, IT WILL BE A FUN RIDE. >> IT WILL BE A CHALLENGE BUT I FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHERE WE ARE. I WOULDN'T PUT ORS ON THE RUNNING BACKS IF I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE WE HAD GUYS WHO COULD MAKE PLAYS. YEAH, IF YOU GET A GUY THAT GETS HOT I WOULD LOVE TO LET THAT GUY GO. ALL FOUR OF THOSE GUYS ARE TALENTED. >> THEY ARE ALL DOING REALLY GOOD THINGS. THAT IS ONE POSITION WE ARE STILL UNSETTLED ON THAT AND KICKER. >> WE WON FOUR GAMES IN OVERTIME OR ON THE LAST POSSESSION. THAT IS THE SECRET SAUCE OF WHERE WE HAVE TO GET TO WITH THIS TEAM. SO, THAT IS WHY I AM NOT EASING INTO IT. WE HAVE TO GO LIKE THIS EVERY SINGLE GAME TO GET BETTER AND THAT IS WHY WE WILL START OFF PLAYING THE WAY WE WANT TO PLAY AT THE END OF THE OF THE YEAR, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. IF IT DOESN'T LOOK PERFECT EARLY ON, WE ARE NOT GOING TO FLINCH. WE ARE NOT GOING TO FLINCH. WE ARE GOING TO DO WHAT WE DO AND TRY TO GET BETTER EVERY GAME SO WHEN WE END THE SEASON, WE WILL HAVE PLAYED OUR BEST GAME ON THE LAST GAME. >> THE BIG 18. WHO JUMPS OUT THE MOST TO YOU? >> I LIKE OREGON, OBVIOUSLY. BUT I'M TELLING YOU, BECAUSE THEY SELDOM GET THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT BECAUSE THEY ARE ALWAYS ON THE LIPS OF MANY, KEEP AN EYE ON USC. >> WELL D'ANTON LYNN IS THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR. >> I REALLY LIKE A BRANCH. HE'S AS ELECTRIC AS ANYBODY IN THE COUNTRY. QUIETLY, UCLA HAS RAN THE BALL HAS REALLY DOWN FOLKS TO BROACH THE LAST THREE YEARS. FOSTER WILL RUN THE FOOTBALL. AND WASHINGTON, GIVEN THE NEW COACHING FOR YOUR, THEY HAVE THE BEST AVAILABLE CANDIDATE. GOOD PEDIGREE THERE. BUT I THINK YOU START WITH OREGON, LOOK AT USC AND PROBABLY UCLA AND WASHINGTON. >> IT REALLY IS PRETTY CLOSE TO WHAT THE SEC PUTS OUT WHEN YOU ADD THESE FOUR TEAMS. >> WITHOUT A DOUBT. AND I THINK COACH RHULE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD, ABOUT SAYING THAT THIS IS AS INTENSE AS THE NFL RIGHT? EAST COAST, WEST COAST, SOUTH TEAMS. >> MANAGING TRAVEL, REST. >> MANAGING TRAVEL. YOU ARE TRAVELING THREE TIME ZONES NOW. >> UCLA IS TRAVELING 23,000 MILES. >> YOU ARE LEAVING THE DAY BEFORE THE GAME OR TWO DAYS BEFORE THE GAME. THAT IS WHAT NFL TEAMS DO WHEN THEY ARE DOING THAT KIND OF THING. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE ANY, IF THEY ARE STAYING OUT WEST YOU POTENTIALLY FOR BACK-TO-BACK GAMES OR STAYING OUT EAST. THEY MIGHT HAVE TO STAY OUT THERE FOR THE WEEK, WHO KNOWS. IT IS CRAZY. BUT I AM EXCITED TO SEE IT. IT WILL BE FUN AND I THINK OREGON WILL BE AN EXCELLENT ADDITION AS WELL. >>> NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT, NEXT UP ON THE SHOW, AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE HEAD BALL COACH, MATT RHULE. BUT FIRST, SIGHTS AND SOUNDS FROM HUSKER FALL PRACTICE COURTESY OF HAIL VARSITY. STAY WITH US, WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK. * * >>> ALL RIGHT, WELCOME BACK TO BIG RED WRAP-UP ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA. WE ARE JOINED BY THE HEAD FOOTBALL COACH OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA IN HIS SECOND YEAR, MATT RHULE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, COACH. >> THANKS FOR HAVING ME. >> I WANT TO TELL YOU A QUICK STORY. WE ARE OUT AT DINNER MY WIFE'S BIRTHDAY, AND ONE OF THE WAITERS COMES UP AND SAYS I AM SO EXCITED MICHAEL I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE SEASON. I HAVE TAKEN OF ALL THE SATURDAYS AND THE FRIDAY NIGHT. I SAID THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY YOU ARE LOSING. HE SAID I JUST HAVE TO SEE MY HUSKERS. DO YOU EVER GET SURPRISED BY THE PASSION OF THIS FANBASE? >> YES, ALL THE TIME. AND IN A GOOD WAY-IN A GREAT WAY. I THINK YOU GET HUMBLED WHEN YOU HEAR HOW MUCH THIS MEANS TO SO MANY PEOPLE. IT IS A GREAT REMINDER YOU MIGHT BE OUT HAVING DINNER BUT YOU SAY HEY HAVE TO GET BACK TO WORK TOMORROW BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PRODUCE A WINNER FOR ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO CARE SO MUCH. >> I AM SURE YOU DIDN'T DO IT ON PURPOSE. I TALKED TO A LOT OF FORMER PLAYERS AND THAT SPEECH YOU GAVE THAT WENT VIRAL, TALKING ABOUT THIS IS WHY WE LOSE. INCREDIBLY POPULAR WITH FORMER PLAYERS. LOVE TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT STUFF. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT WAS GOING ON YOUR MIND WHEN YOU WERE GIVEN THAT SPEECH AND HOW THE PRACTICE WENT THE REST OF THE WAY? >> THE PRACTICE WAS GREAT AFTER THAT. THAT IS WHAT COACHING IS. I THINK COACHING IS JUST BEING A MIRROR. WHEN THINGS ARE GREAT, TELLING THEM TO KEEP GOING. WHEN THINGS ARE NOT GOOD, PUTTING IT IN THE FOREFRONT SO GUYS HAVE A CHANCE TO CORRECT IT. AND -- TO ME, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO LOSE. WE DON'T HAVE TO LOSE. AND SO, WHAT ARE THE THINGS CAUSING US TO LOSE? AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S -- SOMETIMES THERE MIGHT BE THINGS THAT ARE PHYSICAL. BUT SO OFTEN FOR US, IT'S BEEN GETTING TO BIG MOMENTS AND TRYING TO DO THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT TRAINED TO DO. YOU KNOW, TRYING TO DO THINGS OUTSIDE OF REALLY WHO WE ARE. AND THAT'S TRUST. AND THE GREAT HUSKER TEAMS, THEY TRUSTED THEMSELVES, THEY TRUSTED THEIR TEAMMATES, THEY TRUSTED THE PROCESS. AND THEY'RE GONNA WEAR YOU DOWN AND FIND A WAY TO WIN. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT DAY, WE WERE DOING THINGS THAT AREN'T US. AND SO, BROUGHT 'EM BACK, AND THEY'VE BEEN REALLY GOOD EVER SINCE. >> IT IS EASIER TO DO BECAUSE YOU HAVE SUCH AN AMOUNT OF VETERANS ALONG WITH THE YOUNG GROUP AS WELL? IS IT EASIER TO DO BECAUSE YOU HAVE THOSE GUYS WHO I'M SURE ARE WILLING TALK FOR YOU? >> YEAH, WELL I THINK AS THE OLDER PLAYERS, THEY'RE USED TO THOSE MOMENTS. THEY ALSO, YOU KNOW, THEY ALSO HAVE ALL THE FUN MOMENTS WITH ME. AND, SO WHEN I DO ALL OF A SUDDEN SNAP INTO THAT MOMENT, THEY LISTEN. THEY HEAR IT, THEY CORRECT IT, AND THEY MOVE ON. 'CAUSE THERE IS NOTHING -- THERE'S NOTHING PERSONAL ABOUT IT. AND IT'S NEVER DIRECTED AT ANYBODY. IT'S JUST -- THERE'S A STANDARD THAT WE WANNA UPHOLD. THAT WAS STARTED WAY BEFORE US AND WILL CONTINUE WAY AFTER US. AND WHEN WE'RE NOT ADHERING TO THAT STANDARD, WHETHER IT IS ME, STAFF MEMBERS OR OUR PLAYERS, WE'RE GONNA CORRECT IT. AND THE GREAT THING IS WHEN YOU HAVE THAT MINDSET, YOU BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING'S WITHIN YOUR CONTROL. THERE'S NO CURSE. THERE'S NOTHING LIKE, "HEY, WHAT'S WRONG?" WE HAVE TO DO THINGS JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT OUR GUYS EMBRACE THAT. >> YEAH. ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALK ABOUT A LOT ABOUT OVER THESE YEARS HAS BEEN CONVINCING THEM THEY CAN WIN. WITH ALL THE CLOSE LOSSES OVER THESE YEARS. HOW DO YOU DO THAT? HOW DO YOU TAKE GUYS WHO HAVE LOST A BUNCH OF GAMES AND THEN SAY TO YOU, "HEY, YOU ARE A WINNER, YOU'RE GONNA WIN THESE GAMES?" >> WELL I THINK IT'S MAKING SURE THAT WHEN THINGS DON'T GO RIGHT, LIKE THAT TODAY, OR WHEN THINGS DO GO RIGHT, ALWAYS BRINGING IT BACK TO WHY. LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHY DID THESE THINGS HAPPEN? YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T JUST FUMBLE THE BALL. WE FUMBLED THE BALL BECAUSE WE WEREN'T HOLDING IT PROPERLY. AND WHEN YOU FEEL NOT POWERLESS, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU RECOGNIZE THAT YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CONTROL YOUR DESTINY, YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DETERMINE IF WE WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE, THE POWER TO DETERMINE IF WE HIT ALL OF OUR ASSIGNMENTS. I DON'T KNOW, MAN, I THINK YOU FEEL CONTROL. AND YOU CAN'T EVER CONTROL EVERYTHING IN FOOTBALL, BUT YOU CERTAINLY CAN CONTROL THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN. AND WHETHER THAT'S YOUR EFFORT OR THAT'S YOUR PREPARATION, YOUR TECHNIQUE. AND SO, JUST GETTING OUR GUYS TO COMPLETELY BUY INTO THAT. BUYING INTO THE FACT THAT, HEY, WE CAN HELP OURSELVES WIN. THAT'S THE KEY, AND ONCE WE START WINNING, I TELL THEM ALL THE TIME WE ARE NOT GOING TO WIN ON 8/31. WE'VE WON ALL OFF-SEASON, WE'VE WON ALL CAMP. NOW, ON GAME DAY, IT'S JUST A CELEBRATION OF ALL THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE. >> ONE OF THE BIG CHANGES FOR YOU OBVIOUSLY IS TROY DANNEN COMING IN AS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR. HOW HAS THAT BEEN? AND HAS HE GOTTEN ALL 17 OF THOSE THINGS DONE THAT YOU WANTED EARLY ON? >> FIRST OF ALL, ABOUT THOSE 17 THINGS, YOU KNOW, TREV -- I WAS WORKING WITH TREV, AND HE WAS ALWAYS LIKE, "HEY, LET ME KNOW," KINDA. SO WE KINDA HAD A WORKING LIST OF THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM MY EXPERIENCE, FROM OUR EXPERIENCE, OTHER PLACES THAT WE COULD MAYBE UPDATE OR WE COULD REDO, OR JUST THINGS WE WERE WORKING ON. WHEN TROY CAME IN, WHEN HE ASKED ME, I SAID, "WELL, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON A LIST." SO I DON'T WANT -- I DON'T WANT EVERYONE TO THINK THAT I JUST WALKED IN, LIKE, "GET THESE DONE." YOU KNOW? BUT TROY IS A TREMENDOUS -- HE'S A TREMENDOUS LEADER AND I'M EXCITED TO FOLLOW HIM. AND HE IS A TREMENDOUS FRIEND. I MEAN, HE'S -- IT'S ALWAYS GREAT WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE IN THAT POSITION THAT YOU KNOW IS GONNA BE THERE WITH YOU IN THE GOOD TIMES AND THE BAD. YOU KNOW, AND THAT YOU'RE GONNA RIDE THE HIGHS AND LOWS WITH TOGETHER. AND HE'S GOT GREAT EXPERIENCE AND HE HAS GREAT VISION. HE'S NOT AFRAID TO DO HARD THINGS AND TAKE CHANCES. AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED. FOR US TO GET NEBRASKA ATHLETICS AND NEBRASKA FOOTBALL TO WHERE WE WANT IT TO BE, WE HAVE TO BE ON THE FOREFRONT LIKE COACH OSBORNE WENT. LIKE COACH DEVANEY WAS. THEY WERE DOING THINGS THAT NO ONE ELSE WAS DOING AT THE TIME. AND TROY'S NOT AFRAID TO DO THAT. >> YOU WERE THE SAME WAY. LAST YEAR COMMUTED THE HELMET COMMUNICATION KNOWING IT'S PROBABLY COMING. LANE KIFFIN CALLED IT A TRUE GAME CHANGER IN THE SPORT. DO YOU FEEL THE SAME WAY? >> NO DOUBT. 100%. I THINK IT'S GONNA HELP YOU COACH QUARTERBACKS. I THINK IT'S GONNA HELP YOU DEVELOP THEM AS, YOU KNOW, YOU GIVE THEM MORE OPTIONS WITHIN THE PLAY CALLS. IT'S WHAT THEY'RE GONNA BE DOING ON SUNDAYS, SO WHY NOT DO IT ON SATURDAYS? AND WE LOVE IT. WE WERE PREPARED FOR IT. AND I THINK IT'LL REALLY HELP DYLAN AND THE REST OF OUR QUARTERBACKS. >> YOU'VE DONE THE SINGLE DIGITS AT OTHER SCHOOLS AS WELL. HAVE YOU EVER HAD AN IMBALANCE IN TERMS OF ONLY ONE ON OFFENSE WITH NINE ON DEFENSE? >> YEAH, A LOT OF TIMES. >> REALLY? >> IT'S USUALLY MORE OF A DEFENSIVE THING. AND, YOU KNOW, TO BE FAIR, YOU KNOW, RAHMIR JOHNSON, YOU KNOW COULD'VE PROBABLY HAD ONE. HE WAS RIGHT THERE IN THE MIX. AND, YOU KNOW, BUT -- WE JUST HAVE A SPECIAL GROUP ON DEFENSE. AND YOU LOOK AT ON OFFENSE. YOU KNOW, JAMAL'S COME AND DONE A GREAT JOB. BUT, WE HAVE A LOT OF YOUNGER PLAYERS ON OFFENSE. GUYS WITH A YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY LEFT. SO, I'M SURE YOU'LL LOOK UP IN A COUPLE YEARS AND WE'LL HAVE FOUR OR FIVE OF THOSE GUYS. YOU KNOW, THE JACORY BARNEY'S AND ALL THOSE YOUNG KIDS COMING UP. THEY'LL BE SINGLE-DIGIT TYPE YOU GUYS. THE GREAT NEWS FOR ME IS THAT THERE'S ABOUT 20 GUYS WE COULD HAVE PUT IN THAT POSITION I FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S SCARY THAT OF THOSE 10 GUYS, NINE OF THEM, THIS IS THIR LAST SEASON OF FOOTBALL. ONLY MALCOLM COMES BACK. SO WE'LL HAVE TO DO A GREAT JOB OF DEVELOPING THE REST OF OUR TEAM IN THAT MENTALITY AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THIS SEASON TO PREPARE FOR NEXT SEASON AS WELL. >> IN MANY WAYS, THE OFFENSIVE LINE IMPROVED LAST YEAR FROM WHAT IT WAS BEFORE. NOW HAVOC ALLOWED WAS TOUGH FOR YOU STAT WISE BECAUSE OF THE FUMBLES AND THE SACKS AND THAT KIND OF THING. HOW MUCH WAS THAT ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE WHEN YOU LOOK? AND HOW MUCH WAS THAT ON THE PROBLEMS YOU HAD AT QUARTERBACK? >> YOU KNOW, I THINK ON OFFENSE, YOU KNOW, ANYTIME ANYTHING -- ANYTIME THINGS AREN'T WHAT YOU WANT, IT'S JUST KIND OF A MIXTURE OF EVERYTHING. YOU KNOW, IT REALLY IS. I THOUGHT OUR OFFENSIVE LINE PLAYED WELL ENOUGH TO WIN MOST OF LAST YEAR. WHEN YOU'RE STRUGGLING TO THROW THE BALL, YOU REALLY PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE NOW ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE BECAUSE YOU'RE REALLY ONLY THROWING IT WHEN YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO AND THEY'RE COMING. AND THEN WHEN YOU GO TO RUN THE FOOTBALL, PEOPLE ARE BRINGING PRESSURE. AND SO, WITH HEINRICH'S DEVELOPMENT, WITH DYLAN AND DANNY COMING IN, WITH THE WEAPONS WE'VE ADDED ON THE OUTSIDE, YOU CAN CALL A RUN PLAY AND IF THEY COME PRESSURE, YOU CAN THROW A HITCH OUT THERE AND THAT GUY MIGHT TAKE IT, YOU KNOW, 60. IT'S REALLY A MODERN-DAY OPTION FOOTBALL. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST RUN-PASS OPTION. AND SO WE CAN DO ALL THOSE THINGS NOW. AND I THINK THAT ALLOWS OUR OFFENSIVE LINE TO BE AGGRESSIVE. I LIKE WHAT THEY'VE DONE WITH THEIR BODIES THIS YEAR. I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A REALLY GOOD GROUP. >> HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE TACKLE SPOT WITH TEDDY GOING DOWN, OBVIOUSLY. DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE GOOD DEPTH THERE? >> YEAH, I MEAN, ANYTIME YOU LOSE A STARTING LEFT TACKLE, IT'S DEVASTATING. AND WE'RE BLESSED TO HAVE ANOTHER STARTING LEFT TACKLE ON THE ROSTER JUST COMING BACK FROM INJURY. BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A BLOW. WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME YOUNGER PLAYERS WE REALLY TRUST. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GUNNAR GOTTULA, GRANT SEAGREN. JACOB HOOD'S REALLY STARTING TO COME ON NOW AS A TRANSFER. AND THEN YOU HAVE GUYS LIKE LUTOVSKY AND MICAH MAZZCCUA WHO CAN GO OUT INTO THOSE IF YOU EVER NEEDED TO. BUT, WE TRUST TURNER, WE TRUST THE GUYS BEHIND HIM AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL JUST HAVE TO DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF GETTING THEM COMFORTABLE AND LETTING THEM PLAY. >> YOU'VE KNOWN MICAH FOR YEARS. WHEN HE CAME INTO THE PROGRAM, MAYBE HE WASN'T COMPLETELY DIALED IN. HOW HAS HE GONE AND WHAT ARE YOU SEEING FROM HIM HEADING INTO THE SEASON? >> WELL, YOU KNOW, WE WANT THE SAME THING FROM MICAH THAT WE GET FROM EVERYBODY ELSE AND THAT'S JUST GROWTH. SO, EVEN, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY, WHEN IT MIGHT NOT BE EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT, IF IT'S BETTER THAN IT WAS, THEN YOU'RE MAKING PROGRESS. AND I'M PROUD OF MICAH. HE'S DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB. IT'S A CHANGE. YOU KNOW, HE PLAYED -- HE PLAYED FOUR YEARS AT ANOTHER PLACE, OTHER PLACES WHERE THEY HAD DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS. AND OUR EXPECTATION LEVEL HERE IS, YOU KNOW, WE TREAT THE FIELD THE SAME AS WE TREAT THE LOCKER ROOM, AS THE SAME WAY AS WE TREAT THE CLASSROOM. AND I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT THOSE PLACES BUT THERE'S HIGH EXPECTATIONS HERE. AND HE'S MEETING THEM. AND HE'S DOING A GOOD JOB AND HE LOVES FOOTBALL, HE LOVES PLAYING PHYSICAL FOOTBALL. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL RIDE THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF THE SEASON TOGETHER. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, HE'S A GOOD PERSON. I BELIEVE IT. >> IT'S THE ONE OF THE FEW TIMES YOU CAN SAY SOMEBODY'S NASTY AND IT'S A TRUE COMPLIMENT. >> THERE'S NO DOUBT HE IS. >> HE CERTAINLY IS. WE CAN GET INTO THE SECONDARY COACH JOHN BUTLER COMING ON. HOW WHEN YOU HAVE A STAFF THAT'S BEEN TOGETHER, NEW GUY COMES IN, HOW HAS HE KIND OF GOTTEN IN WITH EVERYBODY ELSE? >> WELL, YOU KNOW, JOHN, BECAUSE JOHN IS A VETERAN, HE APPROACHED I THINK THINGS THE RIGHT WAY. YOU KNOW, HE HAS SO MUCH EXPERIENCE, YET HE CAME IN AND HE JUST LEARNED. YOU KNOW, HE JUST LEARNED THE WHAT. YOU KNOW, "HEY, WHAT DO YOU GUYS DO?" HE LEARNED THE HOW. AND THEN HE REALLY TRIED TO APPLY IT TO HOW DO I TEACH THIS? AND THEN WHAT YOU SEE, BECAUSE HE CAME IN SO HUMBLY, AS YOU GET INTO WEEK TWO, WEEK THREE, YOU KNOW, HE AND TONY WORKING TOGETHER. TONY IS SO GREAT AT THIS. LIKE ADDING IN TWEAKS AND THINGS THAT MAYBE HE DID IN BUFFALO, OR HOUSTON, OR AT PENN STATE, AND REALLY ELEVATING WHAT WE DO, YOU KNOW, SCHEMATICALLY. AND, HE'S GETTING THE BEST OUT OF HIS PLAYERS, WHICH IS TO ME WHAT ALL GREAT COACHES DO. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A GREAT SECONDARY COACH BEFORE. WE ADDED A GREAT SECONDARY COACH. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GOOD PLAYERS BACK THERE THAT'LL BENEFIT FROM JOHN'S KNOWLEDGE. >> HOW MUCH PRACTICE CHANGED? HOW MUCH HAS THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG GUYS CHANGED BECAUSE ANALYSTS, OR EXTRA COACHES CAN WORK ON THE FIELD WITH THEM? >> AH, IT IS NIGHT AND DAY. I MEAN, YOU CAN GO OVER ON THE SCOUT TEAM NOW AND CAN HAVE SOMEONE THAT COACHES YOUR POSITION OUT THERE. 'CAUSE WHAT YOU WANT IS YOU WANT GUYS TO GO OVER THERE AND BE DELIBERATE, BE INTENTIONAL. AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH I'M BEING THE UTEP CORNER, I'M GONNA UTILIZE GREAT TECHNIQUE. YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA JUST COME OUT HERE AND MAIL IT IN. AND SO WE HAVE REALLY GOOD PLAYERS OVER THERE. AND THEY ARE PLAYING AND THEY'RE DEVELOPING BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY GUYS THAT ARE WATCHING THE TAPE WITH THEM AND COACHING THEM. SO I THINK IT'S A GAME CHANGING, GAME CHANGING DECISION IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL THAT ALLOWS US TO COACH GUYS BETTER. >> JAYLEN LLOYD OBVIOUSLY HAD A BREAKOUT YEAR AS A TRUE FRESHMAN. LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT JACORY BARNEY CAN BE, BOTH AS A WIDE RECIEVER AND HOPEFULLY AS A RETURNER. THAT'S ME PERSONALLY SAYING THAT. >> YEAH, I THINK -- I THINK JACORY, THE SKY'S THE LIMIT FOR HIM. I MEAN, HE'S DYNAMIC, HE'S EXPLOSIVE. HE'S COURAGEOUS. HE'S JUST GOTTA GO DO IT IN COLLEGE. BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S GONNA BE ANY MOVEMENT THAT'S TOO BIG FOR HIM. I THINK HE'S GONNA GO OUT THERE AND PLAY AND, YOU KNOW, HE'LL HAVE AN IMPACT HOPEFULLY ON SPECIAL TEAMS, HE'LL CERTAINLY HAVE AN IMPACT ON OFFENSE. AND I THINK IT'S ALWAYS GREAT WHEN YOU CAN BRING A YOUNG PLAYER IN WHO LOVES TO PRACTICE. NOT EVERYONE HAS THAT. LIKE THEY MIGHT BE A REALLY GOOD TALENT YOUNG PLAYER, BUT THEY DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT PRACTICE MEANS AT THIS LEVEL. BUT JACORY, I MEAN, I HAVE TO SLOW HIM DOWN IN WALKTHROUGH. I MEAN, HE JUST LOVES THE GAME AND IT SHOWS WITH THE WAY HE PLAYS. >> WHAT'S YOUR PHILOSOPHY AND I GUESS, E.J.'S PHILOSOPHY AS WELL IN TERMS OF ARE YOU GOING WITH THE HOT HAND? DO YOU LIKE HAVING THE WORKHORSE BACK? DO YOU WANNA HAVE SOMEBODY TO COME FILL IN? HOW -- IF IT WAS GONNA GO PERFECT FOR YOU, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR RUNNING BACKS DISTRIBUTED? >> YEAH, I THINK YOU'D LOVE TO HAVE THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL-PURPOSE, WORKHORSE BACK THAT, YOU KNOW, KINDA TOTES THE ROCK. AND THEN PROBABLY A THIRD DOWN BACK OR A SCAT BACK OR SOMEONE WHO CAN HAVE SOME JOBS. WE'RE BLESSED I THINK TO HAVE A BUNCH OF GUYS THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE FIGHTING FOR THAT ROLE. AND, SO, MAYBE EARLY IN THE SEASON, WE PLAY, YOU KNOW, MORE GUYS THAN MAYBE WE'RE NORMALLY USED TO. MAYBE WE DON'T. WE STILL HAVE SOME TIME HERE TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS. BUT EVERY TIME WE SORT OF TRY TO CLASSIFY THEM, THOSE GUYS BATTLE BACK AND THEY ALL WANT TO PLAY, RAHMIR'S A GREAT OUTSIDE ZONE RUNNER. HE'S LIKE A GREAT SUB THIRD DOWN BACK. EMMETT JOHNSON THE SAME THING CAN RUN BETWEEN THE TACKLES OUTSIDE CAN ALSO PROTECT AND CATCH THE BALL. GABE'S A DOWNHILL BACK. SLASHING WITH GREAT SPEED. DANTE IS JUST A POWERFUL MAN THAT NO ONE WANTS TO TACKLE. KWINTEN IVES HAS LONG SPEED AND AND MAURICE MAZZUCUA IS REALLY A COMPACT BACK THAT CAN FIND HOLES AND MAKE YARDS. SO, WE LEARNED LAST YEAR YOU NEED DEPTH. SO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA COMPLAIN ABOUT IT. BUT WHO IS THAT GUY RIGHT NOW? WE STILL DON'T KNOW. >> PEOPLE TALK A LOT ABOUT CALIFORNIA GUYS, TEXAS GUYS. GIVE ME A PHILLY GUY. YOU KNOW A PHILLY GUYS' GONNA FIGHT FOR YOU. >> OH, THERE'S NO DOUBT. GIVE ME A PHILLY GUY ANY DAY. >> NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. HOW MUCH IMPACT DO YOU THINK YOU'LL HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO THE $22 MILLION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW, HOW MUCH GOING TO FOOTBALL AND HOW MUCH YOU ASK FOR, HOW MUCH IMPACT DO YOU THINK THE HEAD COACH WILL HAVE IN THAT? >> NONE, YEAH, NONE. I THINK A LOT OF THAT, THAT'LL BE DECIDED, YOU KNOW, REALLY BETWEEN THE SCHOOL, BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT BUT PROBABLY BETWEEN THE ATTORNEYS ON CAMPUS, BETWEEN TROY AND HIS VISION. IT'S SO MUCH FURTHER AHEAD THAN US. FOR ME, I'M JUST KINDA WAITING TO SEE HOW IT ALL FALLS OUT. AND TO ME, ALL THAT I EVER CARE ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS LIKE THIS, IS, "HEY, WHAT ARE OUR COMPETITORS IN THE BIG TEN GETTING? ARE WE GETTING THE SAME?" I DON'T WANT A DOLLAR MORE, BUT I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT A DOLLAR LESS. SO, YOU KNOW, KEEP THE PLAYING FIELD AS EQUAL AS POSSIBLE. YOU KNOW, GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO RECRUIT AND RETAIN TALENT AND LET US TRY TO COACH IT. SO, BUT YEAH. I THINK TROY DOES A -- THAT'S ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS. I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE THINGS. I KNOW HE'S ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF THAT. AND HE'S ALWAYS IN THE KNOW. >> WAS THERE ONE OR TWO THINGS THAT WON DYLAN THE JOB OR WAS IT JUST HIS OVERALL PERFORMANCE? >> I THOUGHT DYLAN JSUT HAD A GREAT CAMP. I THINK THE BIGGEST THING, YOU KNOW, THAT KINDA FINALLY SOLIDIFIED IT FOR HIM WAS AS HE CONTINUED TO WORK ON HIS FEET AND HIS DROPS INTO THE POCKET, YOU KNOW, THINGS COMES SO NATURALLY TO HIM. BUT YOU HAVE TO REGIMENT YOURSELF AND YOU HAVE TO THROW ON TIME. AND WHEN YOU HAVE A GUY WHO'S AS TALENTED AS HE IS, WHO ALSO IS WILLING TO WORK ON THESE THINGS THAT MIGHT EVEN SEEM LIKE INNOCUOUS TO HIM, LIKE, WHY ARE WE WORRIED ABOUT THIS? BUT HE WORKS AT IT. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A CHANCE TO HAVE A SPECIAL PLAYER. >> THERE WAS CONCERN IN BASKETBALL ABOUT THE WAY STEPH CURRY SHOT THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE IMITATING HIM. NOW YOU HAVE A PATRICK MAHOMES THAT'S THROWING OFF BALANCE AND -- IS THAT A CONCERN AT ALL WHEN YOU SEE GUYS COME IN WHO ARE TRYING TO BE PATRICK MAHOMES? >> OH, DEFINITELY. LET ME SAY THIS. IF I COULD HAVE PAT MAHOMES -- YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET GUYS TO DO IS YOU WANT THEM TO HAVE ALL THOSE THINGS IN THEIR TOOL BAG, SO WHEN THEY NEED THEM, THEY CAN PULL THEM OUT. UT YOU CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA DO THAT ALL THE TIME. YOU KNOW, SO, DYLAN'S FOUND A GREAT BALANCE AND NOW HE'S GOTTA TO PLAY. I MEAN, THERE MIGHT BE SOME GAMES IT'S TOO FAR -- THIS IS A JOURNEY. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, WALKING THAT JOURNEY WITH HIM. BUT, YEAH, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST -- IT'S JUST A GUY THAT'S REALLY BLESSED AND HAS A LOT OF TALENT, BUT IS ALSO LEARNING HOW TO DISCIPLINE THAT TALENT, WHICH HE DOES REALLY WELL. >> WE ALL KNOW HOW TOUGH THIS CONFERENCE IS AND IS GONNA BE. WHEN YOU LOOK AHEAD TO SCHEDULING, DO YOU THINK THAT OLD MODEL OF HAVING ONE POWER FOUR OR FIVE TEAM AND A COUPLE OF G5'S IS GONNA BE THE STANDARD OR WOULD YOU RATHER JUST HAVE THREE G5'S? 'CAUSE YOU KNOW YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A TOUGH SCHEDULE IN THE BIG TEN? >> YEAH, I THINK IF -- I THINK WHEN THEY ADDED IN USC, UCLA, OREGON AND WASHINGTON, AND WE'RE PLAYING NINE CONFERENCE GAMES AND THE ACC AND SEC ARE PLAYING EIGHT, YOU BETTER NOT PLAY A NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE. YOU KNOW, THAT MAKES THINGS REALLY HARD FOR YOU TO BE SUCCESSFUL. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR TO ME IS, HEY, IF EVERYONE IN THE BIG TEN IS DOING IT, THEN WE'LL DO IT. BUT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE NOT DOING IT, THEN WHY WOULD WE DO IT? AND SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THAT'S HARD TO HEAR OUT THERE, BUT THAT'S THE TRUTH. AND I OWE IT TO EVERYONE TO TELL THEM THE TRUTH. LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO GO DOWN THE GAUNTLET OF THE BIG TEN. AND THERE'S GONNA BE YEARS WHERE YOU KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE TO GO TO PENN STATE ONE WEEK AND MAYBE TO MICHIGAN THE NEXT WEEK. IT'S GONNA GET A LOT HARDER HERE SCHEDULING IN THE BIG TEN. WHAT USED TO BE A GREAT SEASON IS GONNA BE A DIFFERENT NUMBER NOWADAYS. YOU KNOW, I THINK THE OLD 11-1, 10-2 IS NOW GONNA BE 8-4, 9-3. AND THAT'S -- I THINK EVERYONE IN THE BIG TEN AS WE GO TO THOSE MEETINGS, THEY RECOGNIZE THAT AND TALK ON IT. SO, I THINK NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULING IS SOMETHING THAT EVERY TEAM IN THE BIG TEN IS LOOKING AT AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE DO THIS RIGHT. >> WE'RE GONNA LEARN A LOT RIGHT WHEN THEY PICK THESE 12 TEAMS OR 11 OUTSIDE THE G5 TEAM. WE'RE GONNA KNOW HOW MUCH THEY VALUE THAT NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE. >> THERE'S NO DOUBT. AND THEN, IN A COUPLE OF YEARS, IF THEY GO TO 14 TEAMS, I THINK THAT'LL CHANGE THINGS AS WELL. SO, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF THINGS TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF MODELS THAT COULD HAPPEN. SO, AGAIN, I GIVE MY OPINION, BUT I ALSO STAND BACK AND, YOU KNOW, KNOWING THAT'S WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT HAVING TROY IS THAT HE'S IN ALL THOSE MEETINGS. HE'S KNOWS WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE AND HE'LL MAKE GREAT DECISIONS. >> SOME RAPID FIRE ONES. BIGGEST ADVANTAGE NOW BEING ON THE WEST SIDE DO YOU THINK IS GONNA BE FOR YOU GUYS? >> WELL, I THINK EARLY IN THE YEAR, IT'LL BE THE -- IT'LL BE THE SUN. YOU KNOW, THE SUN IN OTHER PEOPLE'S FACES AND, YOU KNOW, US >> IF YOU WERE IN CHARGE AND COULD SET THE NUMBER OF HOW MANY ON A ROSTER, IN 2024 GOING FORWARD, WHAT WOULD THE BEST NUMBER, OPTIMAL NUMBER DO YOU THINK WOULD BE? >> I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE 105, BUT THEN ALSO HAVE LIKE A TAXI SQUAD. I THINK A J.V. TEAM THAT COULD GO PLAY. I MEAN, HOW GREAT WOULD IT BE IF WE HAVE NEBRASKA J.V. PLAYING, YOU KNOW, IOWA STATE J.V. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WOULD BE SO GOOD FOR YOUNG PLAYERS' DEVELOPMENT. KEEP THE WALK ON PROGRAM AND GIVE GUYS A CHANCE TO EARN THEIR WAY UP. >> LIKE GO BACK TO WHEN WE HAD THE FRESHMAN TEAM BEFORE, RIGHT? >> NO DOUBT, ABSOLUTELY. >> GO BACK TO THAT? >> I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT. >> THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. IS THERE ONE ITEM AMONG THE WHOLE GROUP OF THE FAMILY THAT IS AGREED ON FOR DINNER? IS THERE ONE SPECIFIC ONE? LIKE SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS, EVERYBODY LOVES THAT AT MY HOUSE. IS THERE ONE THING SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU GUYS? >> YEAH. YOU KNOW, MY WHOLE FAMILY'S GLUTEN-FREE, SO -- >> OH REALLY? >> OH YEAH, THE WHOLE FAMILY. JULIE, BRYANT, VIVIAN, LEONA'S ALL GLUTEN-FREE. SO, JULIE MAKES THIS DISH, CHICKEN DIVAN. HER MOM MADE IT, SHE MAKES IT, AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. IT'S LIKE CREAMY CHICKEN. I MEAN -- >> NICE. >> SO I'D SAY -- I'D SAY THAT. AND INDIAN FOOD AS WELL. IF I WANT TO MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY, THE OVEN DOWNTOWN, I'LL BRING INDIAN FOOD HOME AND NO ONE COMPLAINS. >> THERE'S SO MUCH GOOD INDIAN FOOD IN NEBRASKA. WHICH SURPRISES PEOPLE, I'M SURE. IF YOU'RE GONNA PICK ONE TO PLAY, EA, COLLEGE FOOTBALL 2025, OR BILL WALSH '94? >> BILL WALSH '94, MAN. >> I KNOW. WASN'T IT A GREAT GAME? >> OH, GIVE ME AUBURN '83 AND LET ME HAVE BO JACKSON RUN FOR TOUCHDOWNS. 100%. >> MINE WAS '79 USC. THAT SECONDARY, I'LL SEND CHARLES WHITE. I HAD MARCUS AS A FRESMAN. IT WAS SUCH A GOOD TEAM. BEST ADVICE COACH PATERNO GAVE YOU THAT YOU'VE USED AS A COACH? >> THAT TO HOLD THE BEST PLAYERS THE MOST ACCOUNTABLE. THAT WAS HIS GIFT. HE WASN'T A SHEEP KILLER. YOU KNOW, HE WASN'T A LAMB KILLER. HE DIDN'T COME IN AND, YOU KNOW TREAT THE WALKONS TERRIBLE AND LET THE BEST PLAYERS DO THE -- I MEAN, HE HELD THE BEST PLAYERS THE MOST ACCOUNTABLE. WHEN YOU HAVE THAT TYPE OF AN ORGANIZATION, EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY SAYS, HEY, NO ONE'S UNTOUHCHABLE. I LEARNED THAT FROM JOE AND NOT MANY COACHES ARE WILLING TO DO THAT. >> THIS IS A TOUGH QUESTION HERE, BUT IF YOU GUYS WOULD HAVE KEPT YOUR FOOT DOWN IN '94 IN THE INDIANA GAME, AND SOME OTHER GAMES, DO YOU THINK YOU WIN A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP? I MAKE THE ARGUMENT EVERY DAY. >> YEAH, I THINK THAT REALLY HURT US, RIGHT? YOU KNOW -- THAT'S JUST SUCH A CREDIT TO WHO JOE IS RIGHT, THAT HE WAS GOING TO PLAY THOSE TWO, HE'S GOING TO PUT THE MATT RHULE'S IN THE GAME. BUT, YEAH. THE INDIANA GAME, ESPECIALLY. THAT WAS LIKE 36 TO SOMETHING. AND THEN THEY CAME BACK. >> TWO HAIL MARYS BASICALLY. >> YEAH, YEAH. SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF MERIT TO THAT. >> YOU OFTEN HAVE A REALLY FRESH CUT. WHO'S YOUR BARBER? WHERE'D YOU FIND YOUR BARBER AND HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO GET THE FRESH CUT GOING INTO A GAME? >> HEY I GOT TWO BARBERS HERE IN LINCOLN. I GOT MY MAN KB. SO, HE'S ALL RAZOR CUTS AND HE TAKES CARE OF ME. BUT AS I GET OLDER AND GO BALD ON TOP, I HAVE ANOTHER GUY NAMED MITCHELL THAT CUTS MY HAIR SCISSOR CUT. SO, YOU KNOW, I MIGHT GET SHAPED UP BY KB, AND A LONGER CUT BY MITCHELL. >> SECOND TO LAST ONE. I'VE BEEN WATCHING CALEB BENNING PLAY SINCE HE WAS FOUR OR FIVE YEARS OLD. AT THIS POINT AS A FRESHMAN HERE ON CAMPUS, BETTER THAN HIS DAD WAS? >> YEAH, SO I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THAT. I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. I'VE TALKED TO RON BROWN. I THINK WITHIN THE BUILDING, IT'S -- THERE'S REALLY NO DOUBT THAT CALEB'S PROBABLY THE BETTER ATHLETE. JUST TOO VERSATILE. YOU KNOW? NOT A ONE TRICK PONY. SO, I MEAN DAMON OBVIOUSLY WAS PROBABLY GREAT, BUT I THINK CALEB'S JUST SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER. >> LAST THING. YOU LOOK AHEAD AT THE SEASON, WHAT IS A SUCCESSFUL SEASON? I KNOW YOU'RE ASKED THIS A LOT. BUT WHAT WOULD YOU SAY, WHEN IT'S ALL OVER AND YOU LOOK BACK, WHAT'S SUCCESSFUL IN 2024? >> WELL I THINK WE HAVE TO GO TO A BOWL GAME. I THINK WE HAVE TO PLAY WELL AT HOME IN FRONT OF THE FANS. I THINK WE HAVE TO TURN AROUND THE TURNOVER BATTLE AND WIN THAT. I THINK WE HAVE TO GET INTO SOME CLOSE GAMES AND WIN THEM TO GET THAT KIND OF OFF OF THE CONVERSATION. AND YOU JUST LOVE TO COME INTO LIKE NOVEMBER RELEVANT. YOU KNOW? LAST YEAR, EVEN IN THE DIVISIONS, PEOPLE MIGHT NOT REMEMBER, BUT LIKE, COMING DOWN THE STRETCH, LIKE, HEY, WE WIN THIS GAME, WE'RE GONNA PLAY IOWA FOR THE WEST. AND SO, WHILE IT DIDN'T WORK OUT GREAT, WE WERE AT LEAST KIND OF RELEVANT-ISH. I WANNA BE RELEVANT. I WANT TO COME DOWN THE STRETCH WHERE WE'RE FIGHTING TO GO TO THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME OR WE'RE FIGHTING TO GET INTO THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF. THAT, TO ME, IS WHAT A GREAT SEASON IS, IS WHERE YOU'RE NOT JUST COMING EARLY IN THE SEASON, RIGHT? YOU'RE COMING IN OCTOBER AND YOU'RE COMING IN NOVEMBER BECAUSE YOU KNOW THOSE GAMES, YOU KNOW THEY MATTER FOR SOMETHING GREATER. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING FOR. >> COACH, WE APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING THIS. WE WILL BE BACK WITH MORE "BIG RED WRAPUP" NEXT. >>> WELCOME BACK TO BIG RED WE ARE WORKING FOR. >> COACH, WE APPRECIATE IT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING THIS. WE WILL BE BACK WITH MORE BIG RED WRAP-UP, NEXT. >>> WELCOME BACK TO BIG RED WRAP-UP. WE ARE JOINED TO TALK SOME RECRUITING BY SEAN CALLAHAN. JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT NEBRASKA WAS FILLED UP, THEY ADD SOMEONE ELSE. >> YEAH, THE RECRUITING CALENDAR AND CLOCK NEVER STOPS. AND TODAY NEBRASKA ADDS A SURPRISE ADDITION. MACK MARKWAY A TIGHT END OUT OF LSU. ORIGINALLY FROM ST. LOUIS, DE SMET HIGH SCHOOL. DE SMET ACTUALLY PLAYS CREIGHTON PREP IN A GAME THIS WEEKEND COMING UP. BUT MARKWAY PLAYED AT LSU AS A TRUE FRESHMEN. WAS A RESERVE TIGHT END BUT PLAYED IN EVERY GAME THIS PAST SEASON. HIS HIGHSCHOOL PATH WAS INTERESTING, BECAUSE HE WAS HURT AS BOTH A JUNIOR AND A SENIOR. SO, LIMITED EVALUATION, BUT HE EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS AS A FRESHMAN. DIDN'T LIKE, I THINK, WHERE THINGS WERE AT. >> YEAH. >> WENT IN THE PORTAL -- DIDN'T GO IN THE PORTAL. THE PORTAL'S NOT OPEN. BUT LEFT LSU, AND ENROLLED IN CLASSES AT NEBRASKA THIS WEEK. IT'S UNKNOWN THOUGH, ABOUT ELLIGABILITY AND IF THERE'S A WAY HE COULD PLAY THIS YEAR. IF NOT, OBVIOUSLY HE'S GOT A RED-SHIRT YEAR. AND WE'LL HEAR MORE FROM MATT RHULE ON THIS. >> AND HIS DAD SAID, BECAUSE NEBRASKA IS NOW A TIGHT END DRIVEN OFFENSE, THEY WANTED HIM HERE. >> NO DOUBT. AND WE'VE SEEN THAT. AND WITH THESE, "POSITIONLESS FOOTBALL PLAYERS," AS MATT RHULE LIKE'S TO SAY. >> YEAH. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE 2025 CLASS. WHO JUMPS OUT AT YOU WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LIST? >> WELL, YOU GO DOWN THE LIST, AND YOU KNOW, SEVERAL GUYS. BUT PIETRZAK, FROM NORTH DAKOTA IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE NAMES RIGHT NOW. WHEN YOU LOOK AT HIM, HE'S JUST A DOMINANT, DOMINANT PLAYER ON FILM. OBVIOUSLY MOZEE OUT OF KANSAS CITY, GETTING HIM OUT OF LEE'S SUMMIT NORTH. SOMEBODY AT NEBRASKA HAD BEEN RECRUITING SINCE THE FROST STAFF. HE HAD BEEN KNOWN AS A PROSPECT FOR A WHILE. SO, YOU GO DOWN THE LINE, THEY'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB. JAMARION PARKER OUT OF ST. LOUIS. I THINK WE'VE SEEN NEBRASKA REALLY MAKE A RESURGENCE BOTH IN THE KANSAS CITY AND ST. LOUIS. AND WITH MOZEE ON THE STAFF, WITH NOW, KEITH WILLIAMS HEADING UP THE ST. LOUIS EFFORTS -- I THINK NEBRASKA IS AS POSITIONED THEMSELVES AS WELL AS THEY HAVE BEEN IN A NUMBER OF YEARS IN THOSE TWO MARKETS. >> LET'S GO TO TJ LATEEF. JUST OVERALL, 'CAUSE HE'S THE QUARTERBACK. YOU'VE GOTTA BRING A QUARTERBACK RECRUIT IN, EVERY YEAR I THINK WE'RE LEARNING. >> YEAH, TJ LATEEF -- IT WAS HARD, I MEAN IT'S AN EXTREMELY TOUGH SELL IN RECRUITING, WHEN YOU HAVE A GUY LIKE DYLAN RAIOLA, WHO YOU KNOW HAS THE JOB PROBABLY FOR AT LEAST THREE YEARS. AND SO AT THAT POINT, THEY HAD NAMES ON THE RADAR THEY WERE RECRUITING, ONCE RAIOLA COMMITTED -- TJ LATEEF BECAME THEIR TOP PROSPECT. THE GOT HIM ON CAMPUS EARLY. HE PLAYS FOR ONE OF THE TOP HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS ON THE WEST COAST. SO HE SEES GREAT COMPETITION. HE IS A DEVELOPMENTAL GUY WITH A STRONG ARM. >> LOOK AT HIS FORM THOUGH. HIS FORM IS AS GOOD AS ANY HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORE -- I WATCHED HIS SOPHOMORE TAPE, HE'S GOT INCREDIBLE FORM. >> AND THIS IS THE KIND OF GUY YOU WANT. SOMEBODY THAT YOU CAN DEVELOP AND TEACH, THAT HAS THE TOOLS. THAT CAN BE A BETTER PLAYER. AND HE'S SEEING ELITE COMPETITION EACH AND EVERY WEEK. >> LET'S TALK IN-STATE, CHRISTIAN JONES, OMAHA WEST SIDE. MIAMI. YOU NEVER KNOW WHO ELSE COULD GET INVOLVED IN THE PICTURE. HE DID TAKE AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO AUBURN EARLIER AS WELL. BUT 6'2", 215. HAS PLAYED A LOT ON THE ON THE PERIMETER AND THE EDGE BUT PROBABLY PROJECTS MORE AS A TRUE INSIDE LINEBACKER. AND FOR NEBRASKA, HE'S A PRIORITY. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT IS A POSITION OF NEED IN THIS RECRUITING CLASS. YOU LOOK AT JOHN BULLOCK MOVING ON, JAELYN WRIGHT MOVING ON. AT THIS POINT THEY NEED A QUALITY GUY. AND CHRISTIAN JONES HAS TO BE ONE OF THE TOP 20, 25 NAMES LEFT FOR NEBRASKA. THEY'RE TRYING TO WRAP UP ON. > THANKS, SEAN, WE APPRECIATE IT. >> THANKS. >> BE SURE TO VOTE IN THIS WEEK'S SIDELINE SURVEY. WILL NEBRASKA MAKE A BOWL GAME THE SEASON? CURRENTLY, 84% SAY YES. THERE YOU GO. 11% WANT TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER GAME ONE. 5% SAY NO, NIGHTMARE CONTINUES. OUR GAME DAY PHOTO CONTEST IS BACK THIS YEAR. WE WANT TO SEE HOW YOU SPEND YOUR GAMEDAYS. SEND OURS, BEST GAME DAY PIC, FOR CHANCES TO WIN GREAT PRIZES THROUGHOUT THE SEASON, AND TO SEE YOUR PHOTO ON THAT WEEK'S SHOW. LOTS OF PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES. WITH THE SEASON KICKING OFF ON SATURDAY IN LINCOLN, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN YOUR GAME DAY BEST. * >> I'M LORI PUTNEY, THIS IS NEBRASKA HIGH SCHOOL CLASSICS. * >> GET READY TO RELIVE ICONIC SCHO CLASSICS. >> GET READY TO RELIVE ICONIC GAMES, NAILBITING FINISHES AND UNFORGETTABLE STORIES FROM NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA'S NSAA CHAMPIONSHIP ARCHIVE. FROM LATE GAME COMEBACKS AND HEROICS TO NOBABLE MILESTONES AND RECORDS. EACH GAME IS PRESENTED IN CONDENSED FORMAT HIGHLIGHTING THE GAMEPLAY ACROSS THE CONTEST. NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA TEAMED WITH THE NEBRASKA SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION, SPORTSWRITERS AND DIRECTORS, TO CURATE AN EXTENSIVE LIST REPRESENTING THE RICH TAPESTRY OF NEBRASKA HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS. FROM THAT LIST, THIS WORK GROUP USED A SERIES OF METRICS TO SCORE EACH MATCHUP THAT WOULD HELP SET THE STAGE FOR WHAT IS PRESENT IN THIS NEW SERIES WITH AN EMPHASIS ON DIVERSITY AND REPRESENTATION FROM ACROSS THE STATE. THE GAMES AREN'T ALL THAT IS FEATURED IN THE NEW SERIES. WE HAVE BEEN CONTEMPORARY INTERVIEWS THAT GIVE ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS AND PERSPECTIVES TO THE TITLE GAMES FEATURED ACROSS OUR FIRST SEASON. >> SO WAIT, YOU HAD NEVER IN YOUR CAREER HAD EVEN AN OPPORTUNITY AT A GAME-WINNER? >> NO. >> THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME? >> THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME. COULDN'T COME AT A BETTER TIME THOUGH. >> YOU'RE NOT KIDDING. >> ALVANO, GOT IT! WOW! WHAT A FINISH! >> JOIN US IN OUR LOVE LETTER TO NEBRASKA SPORTS HISTORY ON YOUTUBE EACH SUNDAY THIS FALL. THESE ARE NEBRASKA HIGH SCHOOL CLASSICS. >> EACH SUNDAY STARTING SEPTEMBER 1ST ON YOUTUBE. THAT;S GONNA BE A FUN THING TO WATCH. I KNOW PEOPLE ARE GOING TO ENJOY THAT A LOT. LET'S GET TO UTEP. REMINDS ME A LITTLE BIT OF LOUISIANA TECH LAST YEAR, BECAUSE YOU ONLY HAD ONE GUY TO STOP. AND THAT WAS SMOKE HARRIS. THIS TIME IT'S CAM THOMAS WHO PLAYS THE MONOR-BACK. THEYW ILL SPREAD YOU OUT AND THEY WILL GO FAST. >> YEAH. THE PACE IS SOMETHING I THINK NEBRASKA IS GOING TO HAVE TO NEGOTIATE. BUT YOU GOTTA GET GUYS TO THE GROUND, RIGHT? THAT'S ALWAYS THE THING THAT YOU TAKE A LOOK AT, IUN THE OPENER ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE AN EXPERIENCED DEFENSE. GET LINED UP AND GET GUYS TO THE GROUND. THAT'S WHERE A VETERAN DEFENSE CAN REALLY HELP. BECAUE I DON'T THINK UTEP CAN LINE UP IN FORMATIONS THAT NEBRASKA WON'T BE FAMILIAR WITH. >> LET'S NOT BEAT AROUND, THEY ARE 147th RANKED IN SAGARIN. THEY'RE NOT A GOOD TEAM. A LOT OF GUYS COMING BACK, BUT IT'S THE FIRST GAME YOU CAN MAKE MISTAKES. >> YEAH, WITHOUT A DOUBT. THERE'S ALWAYS, NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU PLAYED LAST YEAR, THE DEFENSE IS OLD. A LOT OF GUYS PLAYED A LOT OF SNAPS. -- NOT OLD IN A BAD WAY BY ANY MEANS. BUT YOU KNOW, BETWEEN GIFFORD, NASH, TYE, BULLOCK. GO THROUGH THE LIST. GUYS THAT PLAYED A TON OF GOOD -- REALLY QUALITY FOOTBALL. BUT IT IS, YOU HAVEN'T PLAYED A GAME IN SOME TIME, AND SPRING BALL IS ONE THING. SPRING GAME IS ONE THING. CAMP'S ONE THING. UNTIL YOU START PLAYING A TEAM IN A DIFFERENT COLOR UNIFORM, YOUR THINKING GOES A LITTLE QUICKER, YOU GET A LITTLE TIRED. YOUR CONDITIONING'S NOT QUITE WHERE YOU THINK IT NEEDS TO BE IN THE FIRST GAME. YOU JUST GOTTA LEARN AND ADJUST. AND I THINK THEY'LL DO THAT AND I THINK THE DEFESNSE LIKE DB SAID, YOU GOTTA GET THOSE GUYS ON THE GROUND. THE TACKLING'S GONNA, THEY WANT TO GET YOU IN SPACE. THEY WANT TO GET YOU HURRYING UP. YOU'VE GOTTA GET YOUR CALLS IN QUICK. YOU GOTTA GET YOUR COMMUNICATIONS OUT. GET GUYS ON THE GROUND QUICK AS POSSIBLE AND RINSE AND REPEAT. >> I REMEMBER THE MINNESOTA GAME LAST YEAR, THEY PLAYED SO MANY GUYS ON DEFENSE. DO YOU EXPECT THE SAME THING FOR NEBRASKA? >> I THINK NEBRASKA HAS A LOT OF DEPTH TO PLAY A LOT OF GUYS. BUT MAN THAT STARTING 11, AND REALLY THE 12th GUY WITH CAM LENHARDT. IT'S ABOUT AS ESTABLISHED OF A STARTING GROUP ON THE DEFENSE AS WE'VE SEEN IN NEBRASKA IN TERMS OF THE VETERANS ND WHAT THEY RETURNED. 11 TRANSFERS FOLLOWING SCOTTY WALDON FROM AUSTIN PEAY. FOUR OF THEM AT WIDE RECIEVER, ONE OF THEM RUNNING BACK AND ONE AT QUARTERBACK. THERE WILL BE A LOT OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE PLAYERS THAT CAME OVER WITH WALDEN ON THE OFFENSIVE SIDE OF THE FOOTBALL. >> YEAH, SKYLER LOCKLEAR IS THE QUARTERBACK FROM AUSTIN PEAY, WHO HAD A GREAT HIGH SCHOOL CAREER. HE HAD 108 TOUCHDOWNS. >> AND THEYRRE STILL GOING TO BE GOOD. HE DID NOT LEAVE THE CUPBOARD BARE AT AUSTIN PEAY. KEEP AN EYE ON THEM. >> I WANT TO GO TO A FACEBOOK QUESTION FROM MATT. WHO IS THE BREAKOUT PLAYER THIS YEAR FROM NEBRASKA? >> FOR ME, DEFENSIVELY IT'S EASY. JOHN BULLOCK. >> THE MAN HAS NO NECK. >> HE IS OVERLOOKED. HE'S A TREMENDOUS ATHLETE. YEAR TWO, ONE OF THE GREATEST TEACHERS ON STAFF IN ROB DVORACEK. IF BULLOCK STAYS HEALTHY, HE WILL HAVE AN INCREDIBLE YEAR. >> A DAMIEN SAYS, AND WE'LL HAVE, "THE PREDICTION" LATER. BUT DO YOU FEEL IT'S GONNA BE A BLOWOUT, COULD IT BE CLOSER? WHAT DO YOU FEEL? I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE EARLY. I THINK, OFFENSIVELY JUST THE YOUNG QUARTERBACK YOU GOTTA FEEL, IT'S THE TIMING. IT'S JUST THE FIRST GAME. YOU'VE GOTTA FEEL SOME THING'S OUT. I THINK DEFENSE GETS, YOU KNOW. THEY GOTTA ADJUST TO THE TEMPO OF THE OFFENSE AND JUST THE ADJUSTMENTS WITHIN THE GAME. I THINK AS IT GETS A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE EARLY, BUT I THINK THE SECOND HALF. THEY, LISTEN, NEBRASKA'S A BETTER FOOTBALL TEAM. I THINK THEY'LL FLEX THEIR MUSCLE AND THEY'LL BE MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE. BUT THE LINE WILL BE VERY CLOSE. I'LL SAY THAT. >> SEAN, YOU KNOW, NEBRASKA HAS NEVER HAD A THING ON THE SIDELINE LIKE A LOT OF OTHER TEAMS. DAN IN LINCOLN WANTS TO KNOW, DO YOU THINK THE NEBRASKAN PLAYERS WILL USE THE BLACK SHIRT SHIELD AFTER THEY GET A TURNOVER? >> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT. WE'LL SEE. I SAW -- WAS THAT A FAN PROP? >> IT WAS A FAN PROP. YEAH, THEY MADE IT. YEAH. >> I MEAN, IT WOULDN'T BE SURPRISING. THEY ARE GOING TO BE ON THAT NEW WEST SIDELINE. THERE'S GOING TO BE ENOUGH GOING ON DOWN THERE WITH THE IPADS AND ALL THE OTHER TECHNOLOGY. BUT THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO UP THE TURNOVERS. THIS 14 FORCED TURNOVERS AS A DEFENSE LAST YEAR, THAT HAS TO BE AN AREA OF EMPHASIS FOR NEBRASKA. >> HOW BIG IS FLIPPING THE FIELD? ESPECIALLY AT A 2:30 GAME WHEN THAT SUN'S GONNA BE ON THE EAST SIDE. >> IT WOULD BE NICE IF THEY DID IT WITH A PUNT RETURN, NOT A TURNOVER. 'CAUSE I WANT TO SEE THE PUNT RETURN GAME GET GOING. BUT I THINK IT'S HUGE. IT'S BEEN OFT TALKED ABOUT AND NEVER DONE, COMING OVER TO THIS PART OF THE SIDELINE. SO, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. >> DO YOU THINK THE SECURITY, BALL SECURITY, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TURNOVERS, NOT TURNING THE BALL OVER, DO YOU THINK THAT IS GOING TO BE CURED? >> WE'LL SEE. IT NEEDS TO GET FIXED. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY. 31 TURNOVERS BY THIS OFFENSE LAST YEAR LED THE NATION AND THAT HAS TO GET FIXED. THAT STARTS FROM THE TOP. FOR THE YOUNG QUARTERBACK, RUNNING BACKS, WIDE RECEIVERS. OFFENSIVE LINE. EVERYONE HAS GOT TO BE ON POINT. IT HAS TO GET CLEANED UP. YOU JUST LOOK AT LAST YEAR, IF THEY HAD TEN LESS TURNOVERS LAST YEAR HOW DIFFERENT THAT SEASON WOULD HAVE BEEN. >> YEAH. >> BUT IT HAS TO GET FIXED. ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. JUST A COUPLE OF PRACTICES I'VE BEEN AT, I MEAN, THE EMPHASIS IS OFF THE CHARTS ON IT. ON BOTH SIDES AS WELL. >> SURE. >> I MEAN, DEFENSIVELY. >> YEAH, GET ON THE BALLS THAT ARE ON THE GROUND AND CATCH BALLS THAT HIT YOUR HANDS. >> SO, THEY'RE ON IT. I MEAN THEY ARE ON IT. IT IS -- THE HORSE IS DEAD ON IT BUT IT NEEDS TO BE EMPHASIZED BECAUSE IT'S -- IT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR SUCH A LONG TIME WITHIN THIS PROGRAM. >> WHO IS THE MOST VALUABLE ASSISTANT? >> OH, THAT'S TOUGH. >> HE'S PUT IN A TOUGH POSITION. >> THAT IS TOUGH. I THINK COACH BUTLER IS CLOSE TO BRILLIANT. I AM A HUGE DVORACEK FAN. I'M GOING TO GO WITH GLENN THOMAS UNDER THE GUN. >> NICE. >> IF I HAD SOME TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK THOMAS HAS BEEN HUGE. HE'S FREED SAT UP TO BE KIND OF WHO HE IS AND BE THAT CREATIVE MIND. I'LL GO WITH COACH THOMAS RIGHT NOW. >> STILL WITH OUR BURNING QUESTIONS. GO AHEAD, SEAN. >> MY BURNING QUESTION IS, CAN NEBRASKA RUN THE FOOTBALL SITUATIONALLY. CAN THEY GET FOUR OR FIVE YARDS ON FIRST DOWN? CAN THEY CONVERT THE THIRD AND ONES, THE FOURTH AND ONES AND OBVIOUSLY BE EFFICIENT IN THE RED ZONE AS A RUNNING OFFENSE? >> CAN NEBRASKA DO SIMPLE WELL? BLOCK, TACKLE, TAKE CARE OF THE FOOTBALL? IN THE FIRST GAME, DO SIMPLE WELL. >> I AM INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT RHULE SAID THE REINS ARE OFF OF RAIOLA. I WANT TO SEE, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE. ARE THEY GOING TO EXPAND THE FIELD OR IS IT EASE HIM INTO THINGS? I'M INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THEY HANDLE THE YOUNG QUARTERBACK EARLY ON. >> CAN NEBRASKA BE CLEAN? WE HAD FOUR GAMES THIS PAST WEEKEND. VERY FEW TURNOVERS, VERY FEW PENALTIES. CAN NEBRASKA AVOID TURNOVERS AND PENALTIES AND BE CLEAN ON SATURDAY? DON'T FORGET TO HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE, OR FACEBOOK PAGE, AND CLICK ON THE PREDICTION. JAY, DAMON, AND I WILL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT ON SATURDAY AS NEBRASKA KICKS OFF THE 2024 SEASON AT HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FIVE YEARS AGAINST THE UTEP MINERS. YOU CATCH THE GAME ON BIG FOX. KICKOFF SCHEDULED AT 2:30 P.M. CENTRAL. NEXT TUESDAY, WE WILL BE BACK IN BREAKDOWN MODE RECAPPING THE GAME WITH OUR SPECIAL GUEST, MATT DAVISON OF 1890 INITIATIVE. ON FRIDAY NIGHT, COLLEGE FOOTBALL RETURNS TO NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA AS THE NUMBER TWO RANKED NEBRASKA VOLLEYBALL TEAM TAKES ON TEXAS A&M CORPUS CHRISTI IN THE BOB DEVANEY SPORTS CENTER. YOU CAN SEE THE HUSKERS FIRST HOME GAME AT 7:00 P.M. CENTRAL, RIGHT HERE ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA. OUR THANKS TO SEAN CALLAHAN FOR JOINING US. OF COURSE, COACH MATT RHULE, AS WELL, FOR TAKING HIS TIME TO CHAT. FOR JAY MOORE AND DAMON BENNING, I'M MIKE'L SEVERE. WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK ON BIG RED WRAP-UP. * * *