>> THE HUSKERS MAY HAVE HAD THE WEEK OFF.

WE'VE GOT A PACKED SHOW FOR YOU THIS EVENING.

COMING UP WE PREVIEW THE NEBRASKA MEN'S HOOPS SEASON.

FOX SPORTS ANALYST NICK BOB MEET THE HEAD COACH OF THE INAUGURAL NEBRASKA FLAG FOOTBALL TEAM.

AND WE LOOK AHEAD TO THE GAME AGAINST WASHINGTON ON SATURDAY NIGHT.

THAT AND MUCH MORE.

COMING UP NEXT ON BIGGER WRAP-UP.

[MUSIC] HI EVERYONE.

I'M MIKE'L SEVERE AND WELCOME TO BIG RED WRAP-UP ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA WITH ME, THE USUALS HUSKER, FORMER HUSKER JAY MOORE, AND OF COURSE, SEAN CALLAHAN.

AND A VERY SPECIAL GUEST, FORMER KANSAS JAYHAWK, FORMER CREIGHTON BLUE JAY PODCASTER ANALYST FOR FOX SPORTS.

NICHOLAS ALLEN BOB ON THE SET TO TALK BASKETBALL ON BIG RED WRAP UP.

>> IT'S SO GOOD.

THIS IS GREAT.

>> I NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD HAPPEN.

>> THIS IS GREAT.

THIS IS GREAT.

I REFUSE TO TALK FOOTBALL.

IT'S ONLY HOOPS.

OKAY.

>> I WILL POINT OUT THAT NICK'S DAD PLAYED FOR THE NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS.

>> HE DID?

FREMONT FLIER, BABY.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT LAST NIGHT.

HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT TO WIN AN EXHIBITION GAME IN YOUR OPINION?

>> I THINK IT WAS IT WAS IMPORTANT.

>> THESE EXHIBITION GAMES ARE TRICKY AND FRED HOIBERG EVEN TALKED TO ME AT SHOOTAROUND SAYING, YOU KNOW, IN THE FIRST TWO GAMES IT'S HARD BECAUSE HE NEEDS TO FIGURE OUT THE BACK END OF HIS ROTATION, WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO AT THE FIVE SPOT, WORKING IN KEVIN LENHARDT AT THAT POINT GUARD SPOT.

HE'S GOT TWO NEW GUARDS ON THE WING, SO YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE THOSE GUYS REAL GAME ACTION.

AND SO THERE'S A BALANCE OF WHENEVER THEY'RE KEEPING SCORE, IT MATTERS TRYING TO WIN THE GAME.

BUT THERE'S ALSO THE BIG PICTURE OF THIS THING OF MAKING SURE YOU'RE SHORING UP ROTATION AND FIGURING OUT WHO YOU HAVE.

AND SO IT, IT IS, IT'S A, IT'S A TOUGH THING TO WALK AS A COACH, BUT I DO THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT TO, TO GET A WIN UNDER YOUR BELT.

YOU KNOW, EVEN YOU THINK BACK TO THE BYU GAME WITH 4 OR 5 MINUTES LEFT IN THE GAME, NEBRASKA HAD ALMOST PULLED ALL OF THEIR STARTERS.

BRUCE BRANCH IS ON THE FLOOR FOR FOR BYU.

ROB RIGHT.

COLLIN CHANDLER ALL THEIR STARTERS ON THE FLOOR.

SO BYU IS TRYING TO WIN.

NEBRASKA IS TRYING TO GET THEIR THEIR BENCH GUYS A LITTLE MORE OPPORTUNITIES.

SO IT CAN BE TRICKY.

I DO THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT TO WIN LAST NIGHT.

I THOUGHT YOU COULD TELL EVEN IN THE ROTATION THAT LOOKED MORE LIKE WHAT A ROTATION WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR FOR A REAL GAME.

>> NICK YOU LOOK AT, OBVIOUSLY THEY GET BACK FRAGER AND THEY GET BACK STANFORD, BUT YOU LOSE THREE KEY PIECES THAT CONTRIBUTED LAST YEAR WITH HOIBERG AND MAST AND JAMARCUS LAWRENCE.

OF THOSE THREE, WHICH ONE DO YOU FROM THEIR PRODUCTION STANDPOINT, ARE YOU MOST CONCERNED ABOUT THIS TEAM IN 2627 THAT KIND OF REPLACING THAT PRODUCTION AND JUST HOW FRED HOIBERG WANTS TO OFFENSIVELY, DEFENSIVELY, YEAH, JUST MAKING THAT THING.

IF THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, FLOW AND YOU KNOW, DO WHAT THEY DID LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE BEST OR THE BEST.

YEAH.

SEASON IN NEBRASKA HISTORY.

>> I THINK IF YOU WOULD HAVE ASKED ME THAT QUESTION IN THE SUMMER, I WOULD HAVE SAID SAM HOIBERG.

BUT AS THESE GAMES HAVE STARTED TO UNFOLD, I THINK MY ANSWER RIGHT NOW IS RIENK.

MAST.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT FRED HOIBERG TEAMS, EVEN BACK TO IOWA STATE, EVERY ONE OF HIS TEAMS THAT HAVE REALLY POPPED.

THERE'S BEEN ONE COMMON DENOMINATOR.

AND IT'S A IT'S A VERSATILE FIVE MAN THAT CAN DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

AND IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE NEBRASKA SIDE OF THINGS, DEREK WALKER POSED A LOT OF ISSUES FOR TEAMS AT THAT FIVE SPOT.

[MUSIC] HE COULD BEAT GUYS OFF THE BOUNCE.

HE WAS A GOOD PLAYMAKER.

AND THEN RIENK MAST WHAT HE DID WAS INCREDIBLY VALUABLE.

HE WAS BASICALLY A POINT CENTER.

HE COULD INITIATE OFFENSE, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING HE COULD DO WAS HE COULD SHOOT.

AND SO YOU HAD TO HONOR HIM AND STRETCH OUT TO THE THREE POINT LINE WHEN HE HAD THE BALL AT THE TOP OF THE KEY, OR ANY SORT OF PICK AND POPS THAT WOULD OPEN UP CUTS TO THE BASKET, DIFFERENT THINGS FOR FOR THE GROUP.

SO I THINK RIGHT NOW, AS I'VE WATCHED THIS TEAM, I THINK RIENK MAST IS, IS A THERE'S A BIG VOID THERE.

BUT IN GENERAL, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ALL THOSE GUYS, NEBRASKA'S SUPER POWER A YEAR AGO WAS THEIR CHEMISTRY AND THEIR CONTINUITY.

I'D EVEN THROW IN THERE HE WAS TWO YEARS IN THE SYSTEM.

SAM HOIBERG MULTIPLE YEARS.

DEMARCUS LAWRENCE HAD A BOOMERANG TRANSFER WAS USED TO THINGS.

RIENK.

MAST A HANDFUL OF YEARS IN THE SYSTEM.

NEBRASKA'S DEFENSIVE SCHEME IS IS NOT AS SIMPLE AS YOU MATCH UP HERE.

YOU MATCH UP HERE, GO GUARD YOUR GUY.

IT'S PRETTY INTRICATE.

THERE'S A LOT OF ROTATIONS AND IT TAKES TIME TO FIGURE IT OUT.

THAT TEAM KNEW EXACTLY WHAT A GOOD POSSESSION LOOKED LIKE DEFENSIVELY AND OFFENSIVELY, AND SO IT'S HARD NECESSARILY TO PINPOINT ONE GUY BECAUSE THEY WERE TRULY A FIVE AS ONE UNIT.

AND SO YOU CAN FEEL THAT SOME OF THAT CHEMISTRY IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS.

AND SO I THINK I THINK THIS TEAM IS GOING TO LOOK DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT IN JANUARY THAN THEY DO RIGHT NOW, JUST BECAUSE THERE'S A NON-NEGOTIABLE LEVEL OF TIME THAT HAS TO TAKE PLACE TO FORGE THE ROLES IN THE CHEMISTRY.

>> NICK WHEN YOU LOOK HOW FRED HAS DONE THIS, HOW CHALLENGING IS IT TO BUILD A ROSTER WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY OF SOME OF THE TEAMS IN YOUR OWN LEAGUE THAT YOU'RE COMPETING AGAINST, BUT STILL HAVING THE SUCCESS?

I MEAN, NEBRASKA IS SUCH A RARITY IN THIS VERSION OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL THAT WE'RE IN.

>> NOW, NO DOUBT.

I MEAN, THERE'S THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT FRED HOIBERG IS NOT NECESSARILY WORKING WITH JUST A BLANK CHECK FOR, FOR EVERYBODY WHEN HE GOES INTO THE PORTAL.

SO YOU'VE GOT TO BE YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY.

AND HE HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB, I THINK, WITH HAVING AN IDENTITY DEFENSIVELY THAT IS UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT.

AND THAT'S WHERE NATE LOENSER, I THINK, HAS JUST BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN KIND OF THIS RESURGENCE FOR FOR FRED HOIBERG AT NEBRASKA NOW IS IN HIS EIGHTH YEAR.

AND SO THEY'RE NOT BLESSED WITH A BUNCH OF GREAT INDIVIDUAL DEFENDERS.

THEY DON'T NECESSARILY CREATE TURNOVERS BY HEATING UP THE BALL.

THEY CREATE TURNOVERS FROM THEIR SCHEME.

AND SO I THINK DEFENSIVELY, SEAN YOU'RE ABLE TO NOT NECESSARILY WORRY ABOUT GOT TO GO GET A SEVEN FOOTER THAT CAN GO PIN SHOTS AGAINST THE GLASS AND PLAY ABOVE THE RIM.

THOSE GUYS ARE EXPENSIVE.

AND I THINK YOU CAN FIND SOME OF THOSE MID-MAJOR BIGS.

RIENK MAST DAMON WILKINSON, BEAUDOIN, CAPC SAM ORME.

SOME OF THESE GUYS THAT MAYBE FIT HOW YOU WANT TO PLAY DEFENSIVELY AND THEY'RE THEY'RE SKILLED.

AND SO I IT IS INCREDIBLY IMPRESSIVE THAT HE'S BEEN ABLE TO DO IT IN THIS DAY AND AGE WHERE OFTENTIMES WHOEVER'S GOT THE MOST AMOUNT OF MONEY, THERE'S PRETTY EASY DOTS TO CONNECT WITH WHO'S IN THE ELITE EIGHT IN THE FINAL FOUR IN THE SWEET 16.

BUT FRED HOIBERG HAS BEEN THE OUTLIER.

AND IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN PRETTY SPECIAL TO WATCH.

>> A LOT OF THOSE GUYS THAT NEBRASKA LOST FIT IN CERTAIN GROUPS.

YOU MENTIONED BERKE A ENERGY GUY, DID SOME OF THAT STUFF, MAYBE GOT A BLOCKED SHOT.

WHO'S THE GUY THAT'S GOING TO BRING THAT KIND OF ENERGY, THAT BURKHART?

>> I THINK THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO FIND THAT A LITTLE BIT.

AND AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE GROUP LAST YEAR, EVERYBODY PLAYED WITH A CERTAIN LEVEL OF OF GRIT AND TOUGHNESS THAT WAS THAT WAS NECESSARY.

AGAIN, WHEN YOU'RE NOT BLESSED WITH A TON OF, OF FREAK ATHLETES ACROSS YOUR ROSTER, YOU GOT TO MAKE UP FOR THAT WITH, WITH EFFORT AND SCHEME.

AND COACHES CAN HANDLE THE SCHEME, BUT YOU GOT TO GO OUT THERE AND FLY AROUND.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO DOWN THE ROSTER, THERE'S GUYS I THINK.

I THINK LANIER, THE FRESHMAN, HAS SHOWN THAT HE COMES IN AND HE CAN CHANGE THE COMPLEXION OF A GAME, MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY WITH ENERGY, BUT JUST WITH OFFENSIVE SPARK AND HIS SCORING GUYS IN LIMITED MINUTES OFF THE BENCH IS HAS BEEN REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

AND IT'S ONE THING LIKE IN HIGH SCHOOL, HE'S GOT THE BALL IN HIS HANDS THE WHOLE GAME.

HE'S GOING TO TAKE 20 SHOTS.

HE'S PLAYING THE WHOLE GAME.

YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE TIME TO WORK YOURSELF IN A FLOW.

I'VE BEEN IMPRESSED WITH HOW HE'S BEEN ABLE TO GET INTO A FLOW RIGHT AWAY WITH JUST A SHORT AMOUNT OF MINUTES, AND SO I THINK HE'S CHANGED COMPLEXIONS OF GAMES.

I ALSO WOULD THROW TAJ DE GOREVILLE IN THERE AS WELL.

HE'S GOT THE BEST LENGTH.

HE WAS ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT WAS BIGGER IN PERSON TO ME THAN WHAT HE LOOKED LIKE IN FILM.

COMES FROM SAN DIEGO STATE.

THEY PLAY DEFENSE, THEY PLAY WITH TOUGHNESS.

SO I LOOK AT THOSE TWO GUYS AS AS THE CANDIDATES IN DIFFERENT WAYS TO MAYBE JUST CHANGE THE COMPLEXION OF A GAME WHEN THEY'RE IN THEIR.

>> NICK YOU AND I WAS TALKING BEFORE I SAID, NEBRASKA SEEMS DEEPER THAN THEY DID LAST YEAR, BUT YOU SAID YOU MADE A GOOD POINT.

THEIR ROTATION WAS SO CLEAR CUT LAST YEAR WHERE THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

WHAT IS LIKE A REALISTIC EXPECTATION FOR NEBRASKA TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHO THOSE SEVEN GUYS THAT THEY KNOW THEY CAN LEAN ON ONCE YOU START GETTING INTO CONFERENCE PLAY?

>> WELL, I THINK THE REALITY IS THERE COULD BE A SCENARIO AND THIS IS THIS IS CHALLENGING FOR A COACH.

IT COULD KIND OF BE A DIFFERENT GUY EACH NIGHT AND THAT'S TOUGH TO DO.

CONNOR ESSEGIAN.

NOT TOO MANY GUYS ARE BUILT TO TO GO IN AND HIT 6 OR 7 THREES IN A GAME.

AND HE'S PROVEN HE CAN DO THAT.

I MEAN, HE HAD 21 POINTS IN THE COLLEGE BASKETBALL CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.

HE WAS HIM AND BRYCE WILLIAMS WERE THE LEADING SCORERS.

I MEAN THINK ABOUT THAT.

THAT'S A GUY THAT THAT IS HE'S BATTLING JUST TO BE IN THE ROTATION RIGHT NOW.

AND SO I THINK ONE OF THE HARD THINGS AS A COACH IS WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE ON LETTING IT SORT ITSELF OUT IN PRACTICES AND IN GAMES AND GAME TO GAME VERSUS MAYBE GOING, OKAY, I'VE, I'VE MADE MY ASSESSMENT BASED ON PRACTICES OF, OF WHAT GUYS DO.

AND THIS IS GOING TO BE THE ROTATION.

INTERESTING BALANCE FOR, FOR THAT.

NOT TO MENTION THAT SAM ORME, THE BELMONT TRANSFER BIG MAN, HAS NOT PLAYED YET.

HE'S GOT A BAD HAMSTRING.

I THINK THEY WERE THINKING HE COULD FACTOR IN AND POTENTIALLY BEING A STARTER.

SO THERE'S A GUY THAT IT WAS GOING TO POTENTIALLY BE A STARTER THAT HASN'T EVEN BEEN IN THE EQUATION YET, BUT THEY GOT SOME DECISIONS TO MAKE FOR FOR THAT, THAT ROTATION THAT THAT IS GOING TO BE CHALLENGING.

>> NICK WHEN YOU LOOK AT NEBRASKA'S SCHEDULE, ITS UNIQUE THAT THEY CAN'T GET A NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENT TO REALLY COME TO LINCOLN.

THEY'RE GOING TO PLAY PROVIDENCE IN CONNECTICUT.

THEY'RE GOING TO PLAY BUTLER IN CHICAGO.

I MEAN, DO YOU THINK NEBRASKA CAN GET TO A POINT WHERE THEY CAN START TO GET TO SOME OF THESE GAMES, OR IS IT GOING TO HAVE TO BE A NEUTRAL SITE?

THEY HAVE MISSOURI ELLIS IN KANSAS CITY, TOO, BUT WILL HAVE TO BE A NEUTRAL SITE DEAL LIKE THIS ALL THE TIME.

>> SCHEDULING IS IN A WEIRD PLACE, GUYS.

IT REALLY IS EVEN AND I KNOW NEBRASKA'S NOT IN THAT PLAYERS ERA LAS VEGAS TOURNAMENT, BUT OFTENTIMES IF THERE'S A CHECK INVOLVED WITH A GAME, YOU'LL FOLLOW THE MONEY IN THAT REGARD.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE SANFORD PENTAGON HAS KIND OF BEEN A NICE REOCCURRING THING FOR NEBRASKA.

CLEARLY, THE FANS HAVE REALLY ENJOYED SHOWING OUT THERE.

I THOUGHT YOU COULD ARGUE THAT WAS MAYBE THE TURNING POINT IN THE SEASON A YEAR AGO WHEN THEY CAME BACK AND HAD THAT INCREDIBLE WIN OVER OKLAHOMA WITH A ROCKET ENVIRONMENT.

BUT SEAN, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, LIKE I THINK NEBRASKA HAS HAS SUSTAINED IT NOW LONG ENOUGH WHERE YOU COULD MAYBE GET SOME HOME AND HOMES WITH SOME TEAMS.

BUT I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING AT A LOT OF THESE SCHOOLS ARE ARE MORE INTERESTED IN TERMS OF NON CONS, WHERE'S THE MONEY?

SOME OF THESE NEUTRAL SITE EVENTS THAT CAN GET TIED TO NIL GET TIED TO GETTING A PAYCHECK.

THAT'S PROBABLY THE SMART THING TO DO, AT LEAST IN IN THIS DAY AND AGE WE'RE LIVING IN TO TRY AND MAKE SURE YOU GOT ENOUGH MONEY IN THAT WAR CHEST.

>> WATCHING THE FIRST TWO EXHIBITION GAMES, LOOKING AT THE BOX SCORE, TURN THE BALL OVER A LOT.

YEAH, DIDN'T DO THAT LAST NIGHT.

LOOKING AHEAD, DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE BACK COURT AND THE BALL HANDLING.

YOU KNOW WITH A GUY LIKE SAM WHO NEVER TURNS IT OVER.

HOW DO YOU FEEL THIS SEASON WILL BE.

>> YEAH, I'M WORRIED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.

YOU KNOW SAM HOIBERG WAS TOPS IN THE COUNTRY IN ASSIST TO TURNOVER RATIO.

JAMARCUS LAWRENCE COULD SLIDE OVER AND PLAY THE POINT GUARD.

AND THEN AGAIN RIENK MASS WAS A PRESSURE RELEASE.

YOU COULD JUST THROW IT TO HIM.

HE COULD BRING THE BALL UP THE FLOOR AND INITIATE SOME OFFENSE.

YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW.

SO THE GUY WHO'S HAD TO BE THE MOST STEADY BALL HANDLER HAS BEEN CALE JACOBSON, AND HE'S GOT THE STRENGTH TO DO IT, BUT HE DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE SPEED AND QUICKNESS TO KEEP SOME OF THESE GUYS OFF OF HIM.

THE ONE THING I WILL SAY IS BYU AND SAINT LOUIS ARE UNIQUELY BUILT, AND THEY HAVE THE ATHLETES AND THEY HAVE THE SCHEME.

THEY JUST THEY WANT TO PRESSURE THE BALL.

THEY WANT TO GET IN PASSING LANES.

THEY WANT TO FORCE YOU INTO BEING A ONE ON ONE DRIVING TEAM.

AND NEBRASKA'S A SET PLAY, KICK, PENETRATE AND KICK TYPE OF TEAM.

AND SO I THINK FROM A MATCHUP STANDPOINT, THOSE THINGS, THOSE TEAMS WERE BUILT TO MAYBE EXPLOIT SOME WEAKNESSES IN NEBRASKA'S ROSTER.

WHEREAS KANSAS STATE'S NOT REALLY BUILT LIKE THAT.

THEY ONLY HAD, I THINK, FIVE TURNOVERS IN THAT EXHIBITION GAME.

BUT YEAH, I THINK THAT'S CERTAINLY AN AREA THAT THAT I HAVE MY EYE ON BECAUSE NEBRASKA'S A TEAM.

THEY'RE ONE OF THE TOPS IN THE COUNTRY IN THREE POINT ATTEMPTS PER GAME AND THREE POINT FIELD GOALS MAKE A GAME AND THEY'RE BUILT THE SAME WAY.

SO IT'S UNDERSTOOD YOU NEED TO RUN THIS TEAM OFF THE THREE POINT LINE.

YOU NEED TO MAKE THEM PUT THE BALL ON THE DECK.

THAT GOES HAND IN HAND WITH PRESSURING OUT TO THE THREE POINT LINE.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PROVE YOU CAN HANDLE THE BALL A LITTLE BIT.

SO A LOT.

ON KEVIN LENHARDT SLATE, WHO DID A NICE JOB HANDLING THE BALL AT UTAH VALLEY, AND CERTAINLY CALE JACOBSON CAN CAN SLIDE OVER AND HANDLE IT A LITTLE BIT AS WELL.

>> NICK DEALING WITH EXPECTATIONS IS IS KEY NOW FOR THIS TEAM.

WHAT THEY DID LAST YEAR.

PEOPLE WANT TO SEE THAT RECREATED.

THEY WANT TO SEE, OKAY, YOU ALMOST MADE THE SWEET 16.

HOW CAN WE GET TO THAT LEVEL?

YOU PLAYED AT KANSAS, YOU PLAYED AT CREIGHTON BASKETBALL SCHOOLS.

YOU HAD THOSE HIGH EXPECTATIONS.

AS PLAYERS DEAL WITH THAT EXTRA PRESSURE, HOW CAN THEY HANDLE THAT NOW HEADING JUST TO TRY TO RECREATE WHAT THEY DID LAST YEAR?

>> YEAH, IT'S IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE ON ONE HAND, I COULD FLIP IT AND SAY THEY DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE MONKEY ON THEIR BACK OF HAVING NEBRASKA COMMA, THE ONLY TEAM TO NOT WIN A TOURNAMENT GAME.

LIKE THAT'S GONE.

AND THERE'S A REAL EXHALE, I THINK, AROUND THE PROGRAM THAT EVERYBODY CAN CAN TANGIBLY FEEL.

SO IN SOME WAYS, I THINK THE PRESSURE IS RELIEVED IN THAT REGARD.

BUT THE PRESSURE IS ALSO ADDED IN THAT IT'S ONE THING TO DO SOMETHING WHEN NO ONE EXPECTS YOU TO DO IT.

IT'S ANOTHER THING TO DO SOMETHING WHEN EVERYBODY EXPECTS YOU TO DO IT.

AND YOU'RE ALSO A TEAM THAT TEAMS ARE GOING TO CIRCLE ON ON THEIR ON THEIR SCHEDULE.

NOW, WHEN YOU COME TO TOWN, YOU'RE GOING TO GET THEIR BEST EFFORT.

AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHEN YOU COME TO LINCOLN, IT'S NO LONGER FOR A WHILE.

IT'S KIND OF BEEN THIS THING OF, HEY, LET ME TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE YOU WOULDN'T THINK THIS, BUT ONE OF THE TOUGHEST PLACES TO PLAY IS PINNACLE BANK ARENA.

I THINK THE SECRET'S OUT NOW.

THIS IS A REALLY TOUGH PLACE TO PLAY.

THEY WENT UNDEFEATED IN BIG TEN PLAY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND SO IT'S GOING TO BE CHALLENGING FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THOSE EXPECTATIONS.

BUT I THINK I THINK HAVING GUYS LIKE PRICE, SANFORD BRADEN FRAGER WHEN YOU KNOW, YOU CAN BASICALLY PENCIL IN LIKE 35 TO 40 POINTS EVERY GAME, AND YOU CAN ALSO PENCIL IN AND UNDERSTAND THEY ARE GOING TO ATTRACT SO MUCH ATTENTION EVERY GAME.

LIKE THERE'S A, THERE'S THAT MAKES EVERYBODY'S LIFE EASIER IN TERMS OF, OF COACHES AND ROLE PLAYERS.

I WAS A ROLE PLAYER IN, IN COLLEGE.

AND WHEN YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE GUYS THAT ARE GOING TO GO GET THEIR OWN POINTS, YOU CAN KIND OF SETTLE IN AND KNOW YOU CAN PLAY OFF OF THEM.

YOU JUST GET YOU GOT TO LET BRADEN FRAGER AND PRICE SANFORD HUNT AND BE AGGRESSIVE.

AND I THINK THAT'LL TAKE PRESSURE OFF EVERYBODY ELSE.

>> NICK I WANT TO ASK YOU, YOU TOLD US OFF THE AIR THAT YOU'RE GOING TO WORK 47 GAMES OR YOU'RE AT LEAST SCHEDULED ALREADY.

YEAH.

I MEAN, HOW MUCH FUN ARE YOU HAVING?

AND YOU KNOW, AS A PLAYER, IT'S ONE THING, BUT THE PREPARATION THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO GO CALL MULTIPLE GAMES A WEEK.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE VENUES YOU GO TO?

JUST TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR, YOUR CLIMB TO GET WHERE YOU'RE AT?

>> YEAH, GUYS, I STILL, EVERY TIME I GET AN ASSIGNMENT, I'M, I LIKE CELEBRATE, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS MY 13TH YEAR DOING THIS NATIONALLY.

I TELL PEOPLE THAT I COULD HIT I THINK THE POWERBALL IS LIKE 700 MILLION RIGHT NOW.

I COULD HIT THAT TONIGHT.

AND I STILL WANT TO GO DO THESE GAMES LIKE, THIS IS MY DREAM JOB.

AND WHEN IT'S YOUR DREAM JOB, IT YOU SAY IT AND YOU'RE LIKE, MAN, 47 GAMES, ALL THE TRAVEL THAT THAT ELICITS, LIKE, MAN, IT'S GOING TO BE A GRIND.

IT DOESN'T FEEL QUITE LIKE A GRIND.

I LOVE THE WHOLE PROCESS OF PREPARING FOR THESE TEAMS, AND IT IS SO MUCH FUN.

AT NO.

NO VENUE IS ALIKE.

EVERY PLACE HAS ITS OWN LITTLE SPECIAL THING.

EVEN LIKE A PLACE LIKE UTAH STATE IN LOGAN, UTAH.

YEAH, MAN.

GUYS, YOU GO OUT THERE, THERE ARE PEOPLE CAMPING OUT AROUND THE ARENA.

THERE'S SNOW ON THE GROUND.

THE DOORS OPEN 90 MINUTES BEFORE THE GAME.

THEY RUN IN THERE AND THEY'RE HANDING ME A SCOUTING REPORT WITH ALL THIS GUY'S GIRLFRIEND.

WE'RE GOING TO JOKE ON HIM WITH THIS AND ALL THAT.

SO EVERY PLACE IS UNIQUE IN THAT, IN BUT CERTAINLY A ALLEN FIELDHOUSE INCREDIBLE IS IS MAYBE THE BEST RIGHT NOW.

THAT PLACE IS WHERE PURDUE IS IS FANTASTIC.

THE PIT NEW MEXICO, IT'S GREAT IS IS A BUCKET LIST.

5270 BABY.

IT IS IT IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD.

BUT NO, IT'S A IT'S A DREAM.

IT'S A DREAM JOB FOR ME.

IT'S A DREAM COME TRUE.

AND I'M JUST, I'M SO THANKFUL THAT I GET TO DO IT.

>> YEAH, WE'RE OUT OF TIME.

I'M JUST I WANTED TO GET LINDENMEYER IN THE CLUB, BUT I CAN'T I CAN'T GET THAT HAPPEN.

SO NICK, WE APPRECIATE IT MAN.

THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANKS, GUYS.

>> WE APPRECIATE IT.

NICK.

BOB.

CONNOR.

BEFORE WE GET TO THE FOOTBALL DISCUSSION, WE WANT TO REMIND YOU HOW TO CONNECT WITH US.

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NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS.

ANOTHER WEEK, ANOTHER SIDELINE SURVEY.

THIS WEEK WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S SCARING HUSKER FANS THE MOST THIS HALLOWEEN I SAW THESE.

A IOWA FANS ALWAYS BE A RANKED TEAM.

THAT'S COLE C COLANDREA GETTING RECRUITED BY SEC TEAMS OR D SCOTT FROST BEATING BYU.

AND CURRENTLY IT IS COLANDREA GETTING SEC CALLS AT 46%.

NOW TAKE A LISTEN TO WHAT THE COACHING STAFF HAD TO SAY ABOUT THEIR ONLY BYE WEEK OF THE YEAR.

>> HEAD COACH WAS MOZEE BACK OUT THERE FULL GO THEN TOO.

>> HE WAS.

YEAH, HE LOOKED GOOD LAST NIGHT.

SO HE'LL BE.

THEY'LL ALL BE FINE.

THEY'RE ALL OBVIOUSLY GENATONE DONE FOR THE YEAR, BUT THE REST OF THOSE GUYS WILL BE FINE.

>> I THINK THE FINAL FIVE MINUTES OF OF THE LAST TWO GAMES HAVE PROBABLY BEEN THE AREA WHERE I THINK THERE'S THE MOST GROWTH, AND YOU PRACTICE THOSE SITUATIONS A TON.

WE'RE ADDRESSING THEM IN PRACTICE, BUT THE WAY WE GO ABOUT THE PLAN WE PUT TOGETHER I THINK IS I THINK THERE'S A CONCISENESS THAT NEEDS TO BE TO BE ATTACKED.

FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, JUST, HEY, WHAT ARE GUYS REALLY COMFORTABLE WITH AND REALLY WANT TO EXECUTE RATHER THAN NECESSARILY TRYING TO BE IN THE PERFECT CALL.

>> WE HAVE TO BE BETTER AT BLOCKING.

AND WE GOT BETTER AT BLOCKING.

AND I CONSIDER LAST YEAR'S RECEIVING CORPS PROBABLY EITHER US OR MIAMI, THE BEST BLOCKING RECEIVERS THAT EXIST IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL.

WHERE DID IT GO?

BECAUSE WE'RE NOT USING GREAT TECHNIQUE ON THE PERIMETER.

GOT, YOU KNOW, EXPLOSIVE RUN CALLED BACK AGAINST OREGON BECAUSE OF A HOLDING CALL ON THE PERIMETER.

TREE GOT ONE ON THE PERIMETER THAT I THOUGHT WAS A REALLY BAD CALL.

SO IT'S PENALTIES ARE GOING TO HAPPEN PERIODICALLY.

THE TECHNIQUE ASPECT OF IT IS WHAT'S FRUSTRATING TO ME.

>> I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, COACH FISCH RUNS A FANTASTIC SYSTEM FOR GUYS WHO'VE BEEN IN THE NFL OR GUYS WHO STUDY NFL TAPE LIKE YOU CAN SEE.

I MEAN, HE'S HE RUNS A TRUE WEST COAST OFFENSE AND IT'S A REALLY, REALLY, REALLY WELL CONSTRUCTED.

AND YOU CAN TELL, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I'VE KNOWN COACH A LONG TIME.

HE'S HE'S A GREAT FOOTBALL COACH.

AND SO BOTH WHOEVER THE QUARTERBACK IS FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON IS GOING TO BE ASKED TO USE THEIR HEAD, THEIR ARM AND THEIR FEET.

THEY'RE A VERTICAL PASSING OFFENSE.

I THINK THEY'RE THIRD IN THE BIG TEN RIGHT NOW IN PASSING OFFENSE.

I THINK I THINK IT'S 18TH IN THE COUNTRY IN PASSING OFFENSE.

SO THEY PUSHED THE BALL DOWN THE FIELD.

THIS IS NOT LIKE A DINK AND DUNK.

ONLY THIS IS A TRUE PLAY ACTION.

PUSH THE BALL DOWN THE FIELD OFFENSE AS WELL.

AND SO THEY HAVE THE GUYS TO DO IT.

SO THEY HAVE TO BE ELITE WITH THEIR ARM.

AND THEN THEY BOTH USE THEIR LEGS TO GET IN AND OUT OF TROUBLE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WELCOME BACK.

SO BY WEEK WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT REST.

GET THE MENTAL PART OF IT AS WELL.

YOUR FEEL OF COMING OFF OF A BYE WEEK WHEN YOU HAD ONE, YOU HAD THAT EXTRA PEP IN YOUR STEP.

EXTRA ENERGY.

>> I TELL YOU, I DIDN'T LIKE BYE WEEKS AS MUCH AS A AS A PLAYER BECAUSE I WAS AGAIN, I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE ON THE SHOW.

I WAS SUCH A ROUTINE GUY.

>> A CREATURE OF HABIT.

>> YEAH, WITHOUT A DOUBT.

BUT I ALSO FELT LIKE TECHNIQUE JUST GOT A LITTLE OFF.

I MEAN, YOU GET A COUPLE PRACTICES IN A WEEK, BUT YOU JUST IT'S AMAZING.

AFTER NOT GOING AGAINST BLOCKS AND JUST YOUR EYE DISCIPLINE AND JUST WHAT YOUR EYES KEYED IN ON, I GOT SLOPPY AND IT FELT LIKE IT TOOK ME A COUPLE DAYS TO GET BACK AND IT COMES BACK QUICKLY.

BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS A, IT'S A NICE TIME FOR IF YOU CAN GET HOME, SEE FAMILY, YOU GET SOME REST.

JUST GET AWAY.

LIKE I SAID, JUST KIND OF TAKE AN EXHALE.

I'M JUST GET REFOCUSED FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR.

WE KNOW WHAT THESE NEXT FIVE GAMES MEAN TO THIS PROGRAM, OBVIOUSLY MOST IMPORTANTLY WASHINGTON ON SATURDAY NIGHT.

BUT YEAH, IT'S JUST NICE TO JUST RELAX AND AND JUST GET RECALIBRATED BECAUSE THESE THIS, THESE NEXT FIVE GAMES ARE ULTRA IMPORTANT.

>> AND APPARENTLY ALL THE PRAYERS FROM HUSKER FANS PAID OFF.

LOOKS LIKE MOZEE WILL BE ABLE TO PLAY.

ACCORDING TO COACH HOLGORSEN.

EVERYBODY.

ALL THE RUNNING BACKS ARE HEALTHY, OBVIOUSLY, EXCEPT FOR THE ONES THAT ARE OUT FOR THE SEASON.

KIND OF A SURPRISE TO YOU.

>> YEAH, POST OREGON, IT FELT LIKE MEKHI NELSON WAS THEIR ONLY AVAILABLE GUY, BUT HE WAS STILL DINGED UP WITH AN ANKLE.

AND THEN JAMAL RULE LEFT THAT GAME IN THE SECOND QUARTER.

I THINK THE WEEK OFF IS GOING TO DO GOOD FOR HIM.

AND THE MOZEE INJURY WHEN IT HAPPENED LOOKED PRETTY BAD.

BUT HE PRACTICED THIS WEEK.

SO YEAH, I THINK THE RUNNING BACK POSITION THAT'S BEEN PROMISING.

ANTHONY JONES I LIKE TO HEAR THAT HE'S GOING TO BE BACK.

MAYBE HE'S BACK BY OHIO STATE OR IOWA.

I DON'T KNOW THE EXTENT OF THAT FOOT INJURY AND HOW MANY WEEKS THAT WILL BE.

BUT ANTHONY WAS PLAYING REALLY GOOD FOOTBALL ON THE DEFENSIVE END SPOT, AND THEY'RE GOING TO NEED KADE PIETRZAK NOW TO REALLY UP HIS SNAP TOTAL MAYBE 20 MORE SNAPS A GAME THAN PROBABLY WHAT HE HAD BEEN PLAYING.

>> YEAH.

>> COACH HOLGORSEN SAID.

YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO GROW UP NOW.

YOU KNOW YOU MAKE HIM BE HURT.

YOU'RE PLAYING IN THE BIG TEN.

YOU'RE GOING TO BE BANGED UP.

BRYN BLACK GOING OUT THERE WITH WITH A BAD HAND.

HE'S GOT THE CLUB ON.

I KNOW YOU SAID YOU PLAYED BEFORE WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

>> YEAH.

FOR THE DEFENSIVE LINEMAN HAVING A CLUB I'VE HAD ON BOTH HANDS, IT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF NICE.

>> YOU GOT A WEAPON.

>> YOU GOT A WEAPON.

YOU CAN USE IT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE AS OFFENSIVE LINEMAN.

IT'S HARD BECAUSE THEY HOLD, THEY GRAB AND THEY AND IT SETS.

YOU JUST CAN'T DO THAT.

AND IT'S JUST IT GETS IT'S JUST DIFFICULT.

AND YOU GOT TO GET USED TO IT.

YOU GOT TO LEARN TO PUNCH A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY AND IT JUST THROWS YOU OFF.

IT'S AGAIN, IT'S NOT IDEAL DEFENSIVE LINEMAN NOT A HUGE DEAL.

WE'VE SEEN JAHSEAR WHITTINGTON PLAYING WITH A CAST ON HIS HAND, VASTLY DIFFERENT JUST FROM THE FACT THAT, I MEAN, LISTEN, THERE'S HOLDING ON EVERY PLAY.

THERE'S LEGAL HOLDING AND THERE'S ILLEGAL HOLDING.

YOU GET YOUR HANDS INSIDE THE LINEMEN, YOU KIND OF GET THEM IN THOSE WHERE THE CHEST PLATE IS, THE SHOULDER PADS ARE, YOU CAN HOLD THEM THERE.

BUT JUST NOT HAVING THAT, THAT ABILITY TO GRAB THAT'S, THAT'S HARD.

AND HE'S GOT TO LEARN WITH IT.

AND JUST HONESTLY, WHO'S EVER TO HIS SIDE OF THAT CLUB, HE'S JUST GOT TO BE A LITTLE STRONGER WITH THAT INSIDE PRESENCE OF THAT HAND JUST TO HELP HIM OUT ANY WAY POSSIBLE.

BUT YEAH, YOU CAN USE IT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE.

BUT I THINK DEFINITELY AS AN OFFENSIVE LINEMAN, IT'S A DETRIMENT.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS.

>> THAT COACH AURICH TALKED ABOUT WAS THAT LAST FIVE MINUTES OF THE GAME, AND HOW THEY'VE GOT TO LEARN TO WIN THAT LAST FIVE MINUTES OF THE GAME.

YOU LISTEN TO BOTH AURICH AND HOLGORSEN TALK TODAY.

WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT THE OVERALL FEEL OF WHAT THEY WERE SAYING?

OBVIOUSLY THEY WERE VERY ANGRY ABOUT LOSING THOSE THAT GAME TO OREGON.

>> YEAH, ORANGE HAD AN INTERESTING COMMENT JUST LIKE, HEY, I'M NOT GOING TO JUST TRY TO MAKE THE PERFECT CALL EVERY MOMENT DOWN THE STRETCH.

I WANT TO CALL THE PLAYS THAT MY GUYS EXECUTE AND WE WORK ON A LOT.

I'M NOT GOING TO PUT IT IN JUST EXOTIC CALLS TO CLOSE OUT GAMES THAT MAYBE WE HAVEN'T WORKED ON AS MUCH.

SO YEAH, I THINK SIMPLIFYING HOW THEY FINISH AND IS STICKING TO WHAT THEY'RE GOOD AT DOING.

BUT YOU KNOW OFFENSIVELY YEAH THEY'RE YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO SCORE MORE POINTS.

DANA HOLGORSEN JOKED THAT IT'S KIND OF BEEN A RACE TO 21 TO WIN A BIG TEN GAME.

AND NEBRASKA OBVIOUSLY HAS COME SHORT OF THAT NUMBER AGAINST INDIANA AND OREGON.

IF THEY HAVE 21 IN THOSE TWO GAMES, THEY WIN BOTH GAMES.

>> YEAH.

>> THIS IS REALLY SIMPLE, I KNOW, BUT YOU GOT TO GET THE BALL IN THE HANDS OF YOUR PLAYMAKERS RIGHT TWO TOO MANY TIMES.

GUYS LIKE HUNTER AREN'T TOUCHING THE BALL.

MOZEE IS TOUCHING THE BALL.

YOU'RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH TO.

>> YOUR YEAH.

>> I MEAN I MEAN NICK SABAN SAID IT.

HE SAYS I DON'T I DON'T CALL PLAYS.

I CALL PLAYS FOR CERTAIN PLAYERS.

RIGHT, RIGHT.

AND AND NEBRASKA HAS A WEALTH OF TALENT ON THE OFFENSE.

YOU LOOK AT GILMER.

LINDENMEYER HUNTER RIGHT.

I MEAN THE RUNNING BACK SITUATION THERE'S.

BARNEY.

SO IT'S HARD TO GET THE BALL IMPLEMENTED INTO ALL THESE DIFFERENT PLAYERS.

AND OBVIOUSLY GILMER HAS BEEN THE FAVORITE OF THAT.

BUT YEAH, YOU GOT TO CALL PLAYS TO GET AND THEY TRIED TO DO THAT.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE SEEN HUNTER BE INVOLVED IN MORE OF THE POP PASSES AND REVERSES AND EVEN GETTING HANDOFFS OUT OF THE BACKFIELD.

THEY'RE JUST THEY'RE TRYING TO JUST DISPERSE THAT FOOTBALL TO ALL THEIR PLAYMAKERS AND IT'S HARD.

BUT I THINK MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR NEBRASKA THIS WEEK IS JUST GETTING THAT TRADITIONAL RUN GAME GOING.

WE JUST THAT'S BEEN NONEXISTENT HONESTLY, SINCE WE GOT INTO BIG TEN PLAY.

AND THIS IS THIS BYE WEEK.

HOPEFULLY WE'RE ABLE TO DO SOME SELF-SCOUT JUST SEEING WHAT BLOCKING SCHEME WORK THE BEST AND WHOEVER IT IS BACK THERE, IT'S JUST WE GOT TO RUN SUCCESSFULLY IN BETWEEN THE TACKLES AND THESE NEXT THREE OPPONENTS.

YEAH, THERE'S GOING TO BE PROVIDE SOME OPPORTUNITY TO GET THAT RUN GAME GOING.

>> NO DOUBT THE GUARDS HAVE TO CERTAINLY.

>> PLAY BETTER.

WE'LL TAKE A SHORT BREAK.

WHEN WE COME BACK WE'RE GOING TO CHAT WITH NEBRASKA FLAG FOOTBALL HEAD COACH LIZ SOWERS ABOUT THE FIRST FBS FLAG FOOTBALL TEAM IN THE COUNTRY.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] WELCOME BACK TO BIG RED WRAP-UP.

I'M MIKE'L SEVERE ALONGSIDE JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN.

WE ARE NOW JOINED BY NEBRASKA FLAG FOOTBALL HEAD COACH LIZ SOWERS.

COACH, WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME AND COMING ON WITH US.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

I GOT EXCITED WATCHING ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS OF FLAG FOOTBALL.

SO I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE.

>> SO YOU PLAYED OBVIOUSLY YOU PLAYED TACKLE FOOTBALL AND OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE COACHING FLAG NOW.

YOU PLAYED FLAG.

BIGGEST DIFFERENCE OBVIOUSLY THE NUMBERS AND YOU'RE NOT HITTING PEOPLE.

BUT IN TERMS OF PUTTING TOGETHER PLAYS AND AND GETTING PEOPLE READY FOR A GAME, WHAT'S THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE YOU'D SAY?

>> I THINK THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TACKLE AND FLAG.

THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION I THINK, IS THAT FLAG IS A SIMPLIFIED VERSION OF TACKLE, AND IT'S NOT ITS OWN GAME IN ITSELF.

IT'S A UNIQUE ART.

NOT ALL FIRST DOWNS ARE CREATED EQUAL.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SEVEN PEOPLE ON THE FIELD.

ONE OF YOUR MOST DOMINANT RECEIVERS IS YOUR CENTER, WHICH CHANGES THE GAME.

YOU HAVE A PLAYER THAT'S MIDDLE OF THE FIELD THAT CAN GO ANY DIRECTION.

IT'S A FAST PACED VERSION, OUR OUR LINES, OUR SIDELINE TO SIDELINE OUTSIDE, BOTTOM OF THE NUMBERS ON YOUR TRADITIONAL TACKLE FOOTBALL FIELD, RIGHT.

>> IT'S LIKE SIX.

>> MAN A LITTLE BIT.

IT IS A LITTLE BIT.

>> YEAH.

THOUGHT IT OUT.

I'M JUST INTERESTED LIKE FROM A RECRUITING STANDPOINT RIGHT.

I MEAN FLAG FOOTBALL IS GROWING.

ARE THERE CERTAIN STATES THAT YOU RECRUIT HEAVILY MOORE TO BECAUSE THEY'RE THEY'RE PLAYING THIS AT A HIGHER LEVEL?

WHAT HOW DO YOU GUYS ARE JUST EYEING IN AND KEYING ON WHAT KIND OF AREAS YOU'RE RECRUITING FOR PLAYERS TO COME PLAY FOR YOU?

>> OUR CURRENT ROSTER HAS ABOUT TEN STATES.

I THINK IT IS THE BIGGEST ONE BEING FLORIDA.

WE HAVE SEVEN PLAYERS FROM FLORIDA AND.

>> FEED IS ALWAYS IN FLORIDA.

>> AND THEY'VE BEEN PLAYING FLAG FOOTBALL FOR I THINK 20 SOME YEARS.

SO YOU HAVE YOUNG GIRLS THAT ARE GROWING UP WITH THE FOOTBALL THAT ARE PLAYING FROM AN EARLY AGE, AND IT JUST SHOWS WHAT OPPORTUNITIES CAN EXIST TO THOSE PLAYERS IF THEY'RE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY EARLY ON.

>> WHAT KIND OF ADVANTAGE DOES NEBRASKA HAVE?

JUST BEING THE FIRST REAL MAJOR CONFERENCE SCHOOL TO OFFER THIS SPORT?

JUST WHEN YOU CAN OFFER THE AMENITIES, THE FACILITIES, THE TRAINING TABLE AND EVERYTHING THAT COMES WITH IT, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF YOUR COMPETITION RIGHT NOW DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING CLOSE TO NEBRASKA.

>> OH, YEAH.

I THINK WE'RE ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL IN TERMS OF THE COMPETITION RIGHT NOW.

AND COMING FROM THE NAIA LEVEL, WE, YOU KNOW, COACHES WEAR A LOT OF HATS, AND I THINK ONE OF THE GREATEST RESOURCES THAT NEBRASKA HAS IS THE PEOPLE, WHETHER IT'S THE ATHLETIC TRAINING, SPORTS SCIENCE, NUTRITION, PSYCHOLOGY, LITERALLY EVERYTHING THAT'S ALLOWING THESE PLAYERS TO BE THE BEST.

AND IT ALLOWS ME AS A COACH TO FOCUS MORE SO ON THE PLAYER DEVELOPMENT AND THE CULTURE.

>> ONE OF THE BIG THINGS, WHENEVER A SPORT LIKE NEBRASKA WAS RUNNING THE OPTION, ALL THE HIGH SCHOOLS ARE RUN THE OPTION WHEN THEY STARTED RUNNING SOME WEST COAST.

IN TERMS OF FLAG FOOTBALL, IS THIS DEVELOPING?

DO YOU GO AND TALK TO THE HIGH SCHOOLS?

HOW COULD HOW COULD THEY HELP YOU WHEN THEY START PLAYING MORE TO BE ABLE TO GET PEOPLE READY FOR YOUR TEAM?

>> I THINK THE BIGGEST THING IS JUST BEING ABLE TO SEE OUR TEAM.

AND THE VISIBILITY ALONE, I THINK, ALLOWS YOUNG GIRLS TO GROW UP AND ACTUALLY HAVE SOMETHING THEY CAN STRIVE FOR.

I THINK ESPECIALLY IN THE WOMEN'S GAME, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT TO TO DO IT.

YOU KNOW, PARENTS AREN'T GOING TO PUT THEIR KIDS INTO SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T SHOW A FUTURE.

NOW, NEBRASKA IS SETTING THE STANDARD.

YOU CAN BE A POWER FOUR COLLEGIATE FLAG FOOTBALL PLAYER, AND IT STARTS EARLY ON.

>> THAT'S AWESOME.

>> WE WERE TALKING BEFORE, AND SEAN'S ALREADY ALLUDED TO THIS A LITTLE BIT.

JUST HAVING THE FACILITIES THAT NEBRASKA HAS JUST TALK ABOUT.

I MEAN, YOU GOT MEMORIAL STADIUM, YOU HAVE THE HAWKS, YOU HAVE ALL THE THE WEIGHT ROOMS.

YOU GUYS ARE, YOU'RE YOU'RE OVER AT THE DEVANEY CENTER, JUST HAVING THOSE FACILITIES AVAILABLE TO YOU TO UTILIZE AND OBVIOUSLY RECRUIT TO.

>> YEAH.

IT'S HUGE.

I MEAN, LIKE YOU SAID BEFORE, THERE'S NO ONE THAT HAS THAT.

LIKE WE HAVE IT HERE AT NEBRASKA AND THE, THE MEMORIAL STADIUM.

WHEN WE FIRST WENT OUT TO PRACTICE, OUR PLAYERS HAD THEIR PHONES OUT AND THEY WERE VIDEOING.

AND IT'S JUST AN EXPERIENCE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD DREAM OF, AND THEY GET TO LIVE THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY.

>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT LOCAL TALENT, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY NOT LOCAL PLAYERS REALLY, BUT YOU WERE ABLE TO FIND TWO I KNOW THAT ARE ON YOUR ROSTER NOW, ONE BEING MADISON GENATONE, THE SISTER OF VINCE GENATONE OUT OF NORTH PLATTE.

HOW DID YOU GUYS FIND HER AND LIKE PROJECT THAT SHE COULD BECOME A PLAYER ON YOUR ROSTER?

>> YEAH.

MADISON'S AWESOME.

SHE I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMEDAY THEY COULD WRITE A MOVIE ABOUT HER AND HER STORY BECAUSE SHE IS WHAT EQUALS THAT NEBRASKA GIRL THAT'S BEEN WATCHING HER BROTHER PLAY, WATCHING HER DAD COACH AND HAS ALWAYS WANTED TO PLAY.

AND NO ONE'S EVER REALLY THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SHE'LL BE A POWER FOUR FLAG FOOTBALL PLAYER, BUT BUT SHE'S JUST HAS THE PASSION FOR IT AND SHE'S WATCHING.

I THINK SHE'S THE HIGHEST IN TERMS OF WATCHING FILM.

EVERY SINGLE TIME I CHECK SHE'S SHE'S UP THERE AND SHE'S LEARNING AND JUST CONTINUING TO GROW EVERY SINGLE DAY.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SCHEDULE.

WHEN YOU GUYS FIRST PLAY, HOW IS THAT ALL SET UP, WHO YOU'LL BE PLAYING?

>> YEAH.

SO OUR FIRST GAME IS IN JANUARY IN VEGAS AT THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS.

SO WE'LL BE AT THE VENUE WITH THE FAN FESTIVITIES GOING ON.

FAN EXPERIENCE.

YEAH.

SO IT'LL BE EXCITING.

I THINK EVERYONE IN THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL WORLD WILL BE THERE.

IT'LL BE FUN TO WATCH AND IT'LL PUT FLAG FOOTBALL ON, ON THE STAGE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE.

>> HAVE YOU GUYS JUST STARTED TO LIKE HAVE FORESIGHT AND KIND OF PROJECT WHAT THIS COULD BE, COULD BECOME?

YOU HAVE THE FLAG FOOTBALL NOW IN THE OLYMPICS IN 2028.

BUT JUST HAVING LIKE WHAT COULD POTENTIALLY EVOLVE FROM NEBRASKA DOING THIS AND JUST WHAT EVENTUALLY THIS, THIS SPORT LOOKS LIKE FOR YOUR TEAM AND FOR THE REST OF THIS COUNTRY 2 OR 3 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.

>> YEAH, I THINK NEBRASKA REALLY LEGITIMIZES THE SPORT.

I THINK THAT THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A DESIRE TO PLAY.

THERE'S NEVER BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY AND NEBRASKA SETTING THAT STANDARD.

SO EVERYTHING THAT NEBRASKA DOES NOW WILL BE WHAT PEOPLE TRY TO REPLICATE AND FOLLOW.

AND, AND IT SHOWS THAT YOU CAN GO TO SCHOOL AND GET SCHOOL PAID FOR PLAYING A SPORT THAT YOU LOVE, WHICH UNTIL THIS YEAR HAS NOT BEEN DONE.

AND IT CHANGES EVERYTHING.

>> COACH, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA ON THE HOME SCHEDULE?

LIKE WHAT, WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE, HOW MANY GAMES YOU'LL HOST?

AND I ASSUME THEY WOULD ALL BE AT HIBNER STADIUM HERE?

>> YEP.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE ABOUT 5 OR 6 HOME GAMES.

AND THE THE SCHEDULE IS SLOWLY TAKING SHAPE, BUT WE'RE WE'RE FINALIZING THAT VERY QUICKLY.

>> IS IT ALL D1'S OR CAN YOU DO SOME GAMES AGAINST LOWER DIVISION TEAMS?

>> YEAH, I THINK THAT YOU'LL SEE AS THE SPORT CONTINUES TO GROW, YOU'RE GOING TO STILL SEE A LOT OF NAIA PROGRAMS, SOME THAT ARE MORE TALENTED AND SOME THAT ARE NOT AS TALENTED, BUT THAT WILL SLOWLY CHANGE AS PLAYERS AND AND YOUNG RECRUITS START TO REALIZE WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS IN THOSE SPORTS.

YOU KNOW, YOU STILL HAVE CLUB TEAMS THAT PEOPLE MIGHT GET CONFUSED AND THINK THEY'RE A VARSITY PROGRAM AND THEY'RE NOT.

AND I THINK THAT'LL SLOWLY SEPARATE.

BUT RIGHT NOW WE'LL PLAY A MIX.

>> GIVE US SOME NAMES, SOME PLAYERS TO LOOK OUT FOR.

I KNOW YOU MENTIONED MADISON, BUT WHAT ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER PLAYERS WE LOOK OUT FOR?

>> YOU GOT TO START WITH THE QUARTERBACK ARIANA AKEY.

SHE'S A DYNAMIC QUARTERBACK.

SHE'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO THINK OF WHEN YOU THINK OF A TRADITIONAL QUARTERBACK.

BUT I THINK ESPECIALLY IN THE WOMEN'S GAME, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A TRADITIONAL QUARTERBACK THAT JUST SITS IN THE POCKET.

IN OUR GAME, IN FLAG FOOTBALL, YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, A TRADITIONAL TACKLE.

YOU MAY HAVE 2.5 SECONDS ON A TYPICAL PASS PLAY IN FLAG FOOTBALL.

THAT'S A VERY LONG EXTENDED PLAY.

SO THE GAME IS QUICK AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MOBILE QUARTERBACK TO CREATE TIME THAT'S NOT CREATED BY LINEMEN.

INTERESTING.

>> YEAH.

>> TALK ME A LITTLE BIT THROUGH JUST THROUGH.

I GUESS RIGHT NOW YOU GUYS ARE ESSENTIALLY IN SPRING BALL RIGHT.

BECAUSE YOU DON'T START.

I'M JUST EQUATING THAT TO HOW IT'S FLIP FLOPPED FOR OBVIOUSLY WHAT NEBRASKA'S FOOTBALL SEASON.

BUT JUST THE HOURS YOU GUYS ARE ALLOWED TO DO RIGHT NOW COMPARED TO WHAT YOU'RE ABLE TO DO IN SEASON.

>> YEAH.

SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN EIGHT HOURS.

SO WE'RE ONLY ALLOWED TO, TO HAVE THE TEAM PRACTICING AND LIFTING EIGHT HOURS.

WE JUST FINISHED UP A 20 HOUR SEGMENT.

SO WE WERE GOING EVERY SINGLE DAY.

AND WE GOT A REALLY GOOD FEEL FOR WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE.

OUR STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING AND OUR SPORTS SCIENCE.

THEY DO AN AWESOME JOB OF, YOU KNOW, REALLY TRYING TO GET THE PLAYERS READY AND TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE WITH WHATEVER LOAD THEY'RE THEY'RE DOING ON A PARTICULAR DAY.

BUT IT'S BEEN FUN.

AND THEN WHEN WE GET INTO SEASON, WE'LL BE DOING THAT TYPICAL 20 HOUR.

>> HOW MUCH MORE ROSTER SPACE DO YOU HAVE?

ARE YOU PRETTY MUCH FULL OR COULD YOU ADD SOME MORE PLAYERS IN JANUARY?

AND I'M GUESSING YOU GET A LOT OF INQUIRIES NOW BEING THE ONLY POWER FOUR SCHOOL THAT HAS FLAG FOOTBALL FROM JUST PLAYERS EVERYWHERE THAT WANT TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES NEBRASKA MIGHT HAVE.

>> YEAH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT ABOUT 21 ON OUR ROSTER.

IDEALLY, THE MAX ROSTER WILL BE 25 NEXT YEAR.

WE'LL GET FIVE MORE SCHOLARSHIPS.

SO IT'S A TRICKY SITUATION BEING WHERE EVERYONE WILL COME BACK NEXT YEAR.

AND SO WE HAVE THAT THAT SPACE FOR MORE.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO SAVE ROOM FOR FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR AND YEARS TO COME.

SO WE'RE GOING TO MAYBE GET A FEW MORE.

BUT WE, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY LIMITED COACH.

>> WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

HAPPY BELATED MOVING TO NEBRASKA.

THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME.

>> WE APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

GO GO BIG RED.

>> THERE YOU GO.

>> DON'T GO ANYWHERE BECAUSE WE RETURN.

WE'LL PREVIEW THE WASHINGTON GAME AND TAKE A LOOK AT TWO POWER FORWARD COMMITS DOING BATTLE LAST FRIDAY NIGHT.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] NEARLY 10,000 PEOPLE PACKED INTO STADIUM AS THE OMAHA WESTSIDE VERSUS MILLARD SOUTH SEAN.

I KNOW YOU HAD A CHANCE TO WATCH IT ON THE YOUTUBE FEED.

DID IT SURPRISE YOU?

WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING?

>> NO, I THINK WESTSIDE IS THE MORE COMPLETE TEAM.

THEY'RE BUILT BETTER ON THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.

MILLARD SOUTH OBVIOUSLY HAS SOME REALLY STRONG AREAS, BUT I JUST THINK WESTSIDE IS A TEAM THAT'S BUILT TOP TO BOTTOM BETTER.

AND LOOK, MILLARD SOUTH'S STILL A CHANCE.

THEY'RE DRIVING TO TAKE THE LEAD AT 1717 LATE THIRD QUARTER.

AND YOU SAW THE PICK THERE FROM MICAH BENNING THAT REALLY TURNED THE GAME.

AND THEN THE MOMENTUM WENT ON.

AND YOU SAW TREY TAYLOR REALLY PRESSING AT JUST TRYING TO MAKE PLAYS.

AND HE THREW THE LATE PICKS.

BUT I HOPE SELFISHLY THAT WE CAN SEE THAT GAME AGAIN ON THIS CHANNEL ON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

BUT MILLER NORTH CAN BE A TOUGH OUT.

I MEAN IT'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH ROAD FOR MILLARD SOUTH.

AND I THINK WESTSIDE'S GOT A REALLY FAVORABLE DRAW NOW TO GET HERE TO MEMORIAL STADIUM.

>> SO WE'VE HAD GOOD OBVIOUSLY HIGH SCHOOL QUARTERBACKS IN THE PAST IN THE STATE, WITH TREY TAYLOR BEING WHO HE IS WITH THE NUMBER ONE QUARTERBACK IN THE COUNTRY AND BRAYLEN WARREN CONTINUING TO GET BETTER AND GOING TO MISSOURI.

IS THIS MAYBE THE BEST COMBINATION WE'VE HAD?

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, LAST YEAR WE HAD JET TAMALA OBVIOUSLY.

AND BUT I JUST THINK THIS IS THIS IS LIKE THE GOLDEN ERA.

THIS IS LIKE THE, THE BACK WHEN OMAHA HAD THESE GREAT ATHLETES IN THE 50S AND THE 60S, I MEAN, THIS IS THAT VERSION OF THAT IN OUR ON OUR TIME TO SEE TWO POTENTIAL NFL LEVEL TALENTED KIDS, ELITE 11 LIKE FINALISTS.

I MEAN, THAT'S VERY FEW STATES HAVE TWO ELITE 11 FINALISTS, IF ANY.

AND NEBRASKA'S GOT TWO AND OBVIOUSLY ONE'S AN IMPORT.

AND TREY WHEN HE TRANSFERRED HERE.

BUT IT IS SPECIAL.

AND YOU KNOW, I CAN'T RECALL A GAME ON A HIGH SCHOOL REGULAR SEASON WEEK NINE THAT WAS THAT ANTICIPATED TO SEE AND TO DRAW ALMOST 10,000 PEOPLE TWICE AT BILL STADIUM NOW.

REMARKABLE.

>> WE HOPE WE GET A THIRD BECAUSE YOU HAD THE SEVEN ON SEVEN FINAL WITH THOSE TWO AND YOU HAD THEM PLAYING AGAIN.

WE HOPE WE GET IT AGAIN.

YEAH.

>> ROUND THREE.

AND LOOK WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME GREAT GAMES THIS YEAR.

I THINK DEFINITELY THE FIRST COUPLE ROUNDS ARE GOING TO BE PROBABLY MORE LOPSIDED.

BUT I THINK ONCE WE GET TO THOSE SEMIFINAL ROUNDS, IT'S GOING TO BE SOME GREAT HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

>> MILLARD, NORTH OMAHA, NORTH BENNINGTON, THOSE ARE GOOD PROGRAMS THEY'RE GOING TO PRODUCE.

>> OH NO DOUBT.

I MEAN, I THINK CLASS A, THE DEPTH EVEN AT THE TOP TWO.

I MEAN, LOOK, TEAMS LIKE CREIGHTON PREP STILL HAVE GOOD PLAY.

THERE'S GOOD DEPTH ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 8 TO 10.

YEAH.

BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.

I MEAN FOUR AND FIVE ARE ABOUT AS GOOD OF A FOUR AND FIVE AS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR RECRUITS FEATURED BAKER KITTRELL OUT OF ASHLAND.

>> YEAH.

BARRETT KITTRELL YOU KNOW SON OF BARRY COTTRELL, FORMER HUSKER.

AND HE HAD MULTIPLE BROTHERS THAT HAVE PLAYED AT MULTIPLE DIFFERENT DIVISION, ONE.

>> OF TRACK AND FIELD STARS.

>> FOR.

>> NEBRASKA, OHIO.

YEAH.

YOU KNOW, YOU NAME IT, THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES THEY'VE PLAYED.

BUT YOU KNOW, HE'S NASTY.

HE'S, YOU KNOW, BUILT KIND OF LIKE AN OLD SCHOOL THROWBACK.

THE BIGGEST TWO OF ALL THE KIDS.

I MEAN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SIZE OF HIM AND THE WAY HE PLAYS HAS THAT MOTOR.

IT WAS IOWA AND NEBRASKA.

THOSE WERE THE TWO FINALISTS.

AND IT WENT DOWN TO THE WIRE.

HE VISITED BOTH SCHOOLS AND FOR A WHILE, YOU KNOW, IT FELT LIKE IOWA COULD HAVE HAD THE UPPER HAND THERE, BUT GIVE NEBRASKA A LOT OF CREDIT.

THEY WERE ABLE TO CLOSE ON HIM AND GET HIM TO STAY HOME NOW.

>> AND OUR IN-STATE RECRUIT, ONE OF MY FAVORITE TOWNS IN NEBRASKA IN CENTRAL CITY, TURNER HENRY.

>> YEAH, ONE OF THE BETTER 2027 IN THE STATE.

DAN JACKSON LOCKED HIM UP EARLY.

TURNER HENRY GOT THE EARLY OFFERS AS A SOPHOMORE FROM NORTH DAKOTA STATE, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE.

[MUSIC] AND YOU KNOW, HE JUMPED ON IT.

AND THIS IS A GUY I THINK YOU GOT TO WATCH BECAUSE YOU KNOW KIDS LIKE THIS, IF THEY DO WELL, IF THEY GO TO SOUTH DAKOTA STATE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ON THE TRANSFER PORTAL RADAR FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, DAN'S NOT GOING TO LET THESE GUYS LEAVE EITHER.

HE'S.

BUT YEAH, I THINK HE'S ONE OF THE BETTER PLAYERS IN CLASS C AND HAS BEEN DECORATED AND RECOGNIZED RIGHT AWAY.

SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE SHOWED HIM TONIGHT BECAUSE HE SHUT HIS RECRUITING DOWN BEFORE HIS JUNIOR YEAR EVEN STARTED.

>> YEAH, IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.

YOU GO TO A SMALL MARKET, YOU BECOME GOOD, THEN THE DODGERS PAY YOU A TON OF MONEY.

HEY.

>> IT'S RUFF RUFF.

BEING A DODGERS.

>> FAN, BEING A DODGER FAN, NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

HEY, SEAN, WE APPRECIATE IT.

WE TALKED ABOUT MEN'S HOOP EARLIER, BUT DON'T FORGET YOU CAN CATCH NEBRASKA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SEASON OPENER RIGHT HERE ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND AT NOON CENTRAL TIME AS THE HUSKERS TAKE ON SAN JOSE STATE.

ALSO, DON'T FORGET ABOUT THIS WEEK'S SIDELINE SURVEY.

LET'S UPDATE THE RESULTS.

WHAT'S SCARING HUSKER FANS THE MOST THIS HALLOWEEN?

AND STILL AT 47% COLANDREA GETTING SEC CALLS, 21% A RANKED TEAM.

AND THEN YOU GOT IOWA FANS AND SCOTT FROST BEATING BYU.

LET'S GO AROUND THE BIG TEN NOW AND CHECK IN ON HOW EVERYBODY DID.

LUKE FICKELL GOT OFF THE HOT SEAT PRETTY QUICKLY, GETTING HIS SIGNATURE WIN VERSUS USC IN PRIMETIME.

MINNESOTA STORMS THE FIELD FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS SEASON, BEATING IOWA 1310 IN ILLINOIS.

DOES WHAT NEBRASKA COULDN'T.

HOLDER DYLAN RAIOLA OREGON TEAM TO JUST TEN POINTS ON SATURDAY.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S TALK WASHINGTON.

GOING BACK AND WATCHING THREE OF THEIR GAMES.

THE THING THAT STOOD OUT THE MOST TO ME IS, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT THIS A TON.

I DISCIPLINE RIGHT.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF JET MOTIONS.

THEY BRING THEIR WIDE RECEIVERS IN MOTION.

THEY LINE THEIR WIDE RECEIVERS UP AS RUNNING BACKS.

CAN YOU TALK TO US AS A DEFENDER HOW OBVIOUSLY YOU TAPE YOU SCOUT AND TAPE.

BUT TO BE ABLE TO WATCH FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING.

>> YEAH, I THINK IT'S STILL IT'S YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SEE TEAMS LIKE THIS, YOU DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT.

YOU'RE STILL YOUR KEYS ARE YOUR KEYS.

AND IF I'M A DEFENSIVE END AND I'M IN A FIVE TECHNIQUE, AND I'M JUST ON THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THAT TACKLE AND HE DOWN BLOCKS, IF I KNOW I DON'T HAVE ANY OUTSIDE, I HAVE NO ONE COMING ON THE OUTSIDE OF MY TO HELP.

I GOTTA KEEP MY SHOULDERS PARALLEL TO THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE JUST SO I KNOW WHERE THE MESH POINT IS, BECAUSE THAT'S.

YOU ALWAYS HAVE THAT TRIANGLE BOOTLEG CUT BACK REVERSE, RIGHT?

RIGHT.

SO YOU GOT TO DO THAT.

BUT IF I KNOW I HAVE SOMEONE OUTSIDE OF ME, I CAN GO DOWN AND GET MY SHOULDERS TURN.

I CAN GO DOWN TO TRY TO MAKE THAT TACKLE FOR LOSS.

YOU JUST GOT TO PLAY WITHIN THEIR SYSTEM.

AND JUST KNOWING THOSE KEYS, UNDERSTANDING THE SPLITS, RIGHT, IS, IS YOU GOT WIDE SPLITS BETWEEN A TACKLE AND TIGHT END.

WHAT'S THE GUARD AND TACKLE SPLITS.

AND FROM A LINEBACKER PERSPECTIVE, AGAIN IT'S JUST SEEING THE PULLERS RIGHT.

AND IDENTIFYING THOSE GUYS THOSE THOSE PLAYERS.

IT'S JUST NOTHING'S REALLY CHANGED.

IT'S JUST YOU CAN'T GET CAUGHT UP IN THAT EYE CANDY RIGHT IN THOSE MOTIONS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO DO.

SO WHAT YOUR KEYS IS YOUR PLAYSIDE GUARD OPPOSITE GUARD.

WHAT'S YOUR WHAT'S THAT TACKLE DOING?

SO IT'S JUST AGAIN, JUST YOUR KEYS ARE STILL YOUR KEYS.

IT'S JUST YOU CAN'T GET CAUGHT UP IN ALL THOSE, THOSE, YOU KNOW, YOU LIKE, YOU KNOW, VINCENT SHAVERS KIND OF GOT CAUGHT UP IN A LITTLE WHEEL ROUTE MOTION, THE ORBIT MOTION AND THE OREGON GAME, SOME OF THOSE LITTLE THINGS YOU JUST CAN'T ALLOW YOURSELF TO DO, ESPECIALLY IN THE GAME.

YOU GET TIRED AND YOU GET MENTALLY TIRED TOO.

SO JUST HAVE THAT GOOD EYE DISCIPLINE AND NOTHING'S REALLY CHANGED.

YOUR KEYS HAVE BEEN THE SAME THING FOR THE FIRST SEVEN GAMES.

JUST JUST KEEP DOING THAT.

>> YOU'RE SITTING AT FOUR AND THREE.

BUT REMEMBER, THIS WAS A TEAM THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD AS A TOP 25 TEAM.

THEY HAVE A LOT OF SKILL PLAYERS.

THEY LOST THEIR STARTING CENTER, A VETERAN CENTER, BUT WHOEVER THEY PICK AT QUARTERBACK IS GOING TO HAVE SOME PEOPLE TO THROW TO AND GIVE THE BALL TO.

>> YEAH, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, MIKE'L.

THIS IS A TEAM THOUGH.

I THINK FROM THE GET GO YOU COULD SEE THEY WERE SHAKY EVEN IN THEIR WASHINGTON STATE WIN ON WEEK ONE.

IT JUST DIDN'T LOOK GOOD.

I MEAN THEY WON BUT IT JUST DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD FEEL WITH WITH THEIR OFFENSE.

AND A LOT OF IT WAS DAMON WILLIAMS.

I MEAN I THINK YOU KNOW HE'S HIGHLY PAID WELL DOCUMENTED THAT LANE KIFFIN TRIED TO COME INTO SEATTLE TAKE HIM AND THE BIG TEN WAS GOING TO GET INVOLVED TO HOLD HIM TO HIS CONTRACT THAT HE SIGNED.

AND THEY DID.

HE STAYED AT WASHINGTON AS A 4 TO $5 MILLION A YEAR QUARTERBACK.

BUT IT HASN'T LOOKED GOOD.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN ELIJAH BROWN COMES IN AND HE'S POPULAR.

THE TEAM RALLIES AROUND THIS GUY, THE VETERAN.

HE'S THROWING SOME PICKS.

[MUSIC] HE'S HAD SOME MISTAKES.

BUT WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS FOR NEBRASKA IS THERE'S PLENTY OF FILM ON ELIJAH BROWN.

NOW.

THERE'S NO YEAH YOU KNOW BACKUP QUARTERBACK SURPRISE HERE.

YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET.

AND THIS IS A BIG GAME.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT DIRECTION JEDD FISCH WILL GO.

BUT IT FEELS LIKE THEY'LL STICK WITH BROWN.

>> YEAH IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE HE DID HAVE THREE PICKS AGAINST PURDUE.

BUT TWO OF THEM ONE WAS ON HIS RUNNING BACK FOR STOPPING ON A ROUTE.

THE OTHER ONE WAS A TIGHT END.

WHEN YOU HAVEN'T WORKED WITH THOSE GUYS ALL OFF SEASON AND MOST OF THE SEASON, YOU COULD HAVE MISCOMMUNICATION WITH NEW QUARTERBACK.

>> OH WITHOUT A DOUBT.

AND THAT'S THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING IS IS THE TIMING THE TIMING ASPECT AND THE FEEL.

AND IT'S JUST WHEN YOU HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR WIDE RECEIVERS AND TIGHT ENDS, YOU JUST KNOW WHEN YOU'RE IN, YOU KNOW THOSE ROUTE TREE CONCEPTS AGAINST CERTAIN COVERAGES OR ZONES WHERE YOU KNOW, HE'S GOING TO SIT DOWN BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE THAT REP SO MANY TIMES OVER THE SUMMER AND OVER THROUGH SPRING BALL AND THEN THROUGH FALL CAMP, WE JUST HAVEN'T GOTTEN THOSE REPS AND THAT RELATIONSHIP ESTABLISHED WITH THOSE KEY PLAYERS IN THE TIGHT ENDS AND THE RUNNING BACKS AND THE JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'RE WHEN THE GAMES MATTER, IT'S JUST THOSE THOSE TINY LITTLE MISTAKES.

I MEAN, A HALF A SECOND IS A LOT IN THE TIMING.

AND WHEN YOU'RE STARTING TO PLAY IN THE BIG TEN IN THOSE TYPE OF FOOTBALL GAMES.

SO I EXPECT THEM TO HAVE A BYE WEEK.

I WAS, YOU KNOW, I SAW FISHER'S COMMENTS.

IT'S LIKE, HEY, THIS IS TRAINING CAMP 2.0.

YEAH.

SO THEY GOT AFTER IT THIS WEEK IN PRACTICE.

SO I'M.

>> THE OPPOSITE OF NEBRASKA.

>> YEAH.

NEBRASKA GOT SOME REST, GOT SOME RECOVERY LIFTED AND RAN, TRIED TO GET HEALTHY.

THAT WASN'T WASHINGTON.

THEY GOT AFTER IT FOR THREE DAYS AT PRACTICE.

SO I'M EXPECTING THIS TEAM TO COME IN AND PUT UP A STRONG FIGHT ON SATURDAY NIGHT.

>> I THINK IT WORKED FOR THEM GETTING READY FOR THE PURDUE GAME.

THEY HAD LOST THREE IN A ROW, SO HE'S TRYING TO RECREATE THAT.

SEAN GOT AN EMAIL ASKING NOW, WITH THE WAY THE SEASON IS AND WHAT'S LEFT OVER, WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, A GOOD FINAL RESULT IN TERMS OF HOW THEY FINISH IN TERMS OF WINS, LOSSES.

>> I MEAN, YOU'D LOVE TO SEE THEM AT LEAST GET TO EIGHT WITH A SHOT AT NINE.

I MEAN, AGAIN, THEY'RE GOING TO BE FAVORED THE NEXT THREE WEEKS.

LIKE I'M NOT TALKING OUT OF BOUNDS HERE.

I'M NOT DRINKING KOOL-AID AND SAYING THIS.

>> NO, NO.

>> THEY WILL.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE FAVORED THIS WEEK AS WE KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE FAVORED AGAINST ILLINOIS BY A SLIGHT MARGIN.

THAT'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH GAME IN CHAMPAIGN.

AND THEY'RE GONNA BE FAVORED AT RUTGERS.

SO CAN YOU CAN YOU DO WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO THREE WEEKS IN A ROW, WHICH AS WE KNOW, IT'S NOT EASY TO DO THAT IN THE BIG TEN.

WE'VE SEEN IT EVERY WEEK.

AND, YOU KNOW, VERY FEW TEAMS CAN WIN THREE CONFERENCE GAMES IN A ROW, NO MATTER WHO THE OPPONENT IS.

I THINK THAT'S THE CHALLENGE FOR THIS PROGRAM.

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU GET OHIO STATE WITH A BACKUP QUARTERBACK.

YEAH, YOU GET IOWA WITH QUARTERBACK ISSUES AND THEIR BEST PLAYER MOLTEN OR RUNNING BACK OUT FOR THE SEASON.

[MUSIC] I MEAN IT THE SCHEDULE, WHICH AT ONE POINT LOOKED EXTREMELY DAUNTING, HAS TAKEN A TURN TO REALLY BE FAVORABLE IF NEBRASKA CAN DO THEIR PART.

>> WE KEPT TRYING TO TELL PEOPLE, YOU NEVER KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN THIS ERA WHEN YOU'RE REPLACING 30, 40 GUYS EACH WEEK.

THIS IS SOMETHING I DIDN'T WRITE THIS EMAIL, BUT THIS SOUNDS LIKE ME IN THE LAST 3 OR 4 WEEKS, PERHAPS LONGER.

I'VE HEARD NFL ANNOUNCERS AND COLLEGE ANNOUNCERS TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE INTERFERENCE P.I.

CALLS.

DID IT FEEL LIKE TO YOU SOMETIMES THAT ONE ONE CREW CALLS IT DIFFERENTLY THAN ANOTHER CREW?

IT JUST DOESN'T FEEL VERY CONSISTENT.

>> I FEEL LIKE THIS IS WHAT I'VE WATCHED PROBABLY.

I'VE WATCHED A LOT OF FOOTBALL, BUT THE INCONSISTENCIES IN HOW GAMES ARE CALLED FROM NFL TO COLLEGE HAS BEEN I MEAN, I DON'T THIS YEAR.

THIS YEAR HAS BEEN CRAZY TO ME.

I THINK YOU WATCH, FOR INSTANCE, THE LIONS PACKERS GAME, THE ROUGHING THE PASSER CALLS.

I MEAN LIKE THOSE ARE THOSE ARE TEXTBOOK CALL HITS ON QUARTERBACKS.

BUT THEY'RE CALLED ROUGHING THE PASSER PASS INTERFERENCE.

RIGHT.

A LOT A LOT OF REFEREES WANT TO SEE YOUR HEAD GET TURNED AROUND.

BUT SOMETIMES YOU FACE GUARD AND SOMETIMES YOU SEE IT CALLED AND SOMETIMES IT'S NOT.

I THINK IT'S HARD RIGHT?

I MEAN YOU HAVE ALL DIFFERENT CREWS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL.

IT'S I DON'T KNOW HOW IT GETS CLEANED UP.

I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT.

BUT IT JUST THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THOSE YEARS WHERE IT JUST SEEMS THE INCONSISTENCIES OF THE COMMUNICATION TO PLAYERS, THE TARGETING, THE JUST THE PASS INTERFERENCE CALLS HOLDINGS, WHAT'S WHAT'S A HOLDING, WHAT'S NOT A HOLDING?

WHAT'S A ROUGHING THE PASSER?

I MEAN, I'LL BE HONEST, BE HONEST.

NEBRASKA'S GOT SOME BENEFIT OF SOME CALLS THAT USUALLY THEY DON'T GET THIS YEAR THEY HAVE.

AND THAT'S BEEN RATHER UNIQUE THIS YEAR THAT THEY GOT THE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.

SO IT'S BEEN A WEIRD YEAR.

AND JUST IN ALL LEVELS OF FOOTBALL.

NFL TO COLLEGE.

>> RANDOM QUESTION.

SEAN WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE IDEA OF HAVING AN EYE IN THE SKY?

KIND OF LIKE WHAT BASEBALL IS.

THEY'VE GONE TO THE COMPUTER, BUT WHAT ABOUT HAVING SOMEBODY IN THE EYE OF THE SKY BECAUSE IT'S SO FAST NOW THAT WE WATCHING ON TV, PROBABLY SEE THE GAME BETTER THAN THE REFEREES DO ON THE FIELD.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HAVING A GUY UP THERE OR A COUPLE REFEREES.

>> MAYBE EVEN A CHALLENGE ON A CALL OR NO CALL WHERE YOU GET LIKE ONE OFFICIATING CHALLENGE, WHERE THE PLAY CAN BE RE-INITIATED AND.

>> NO MATTER.

>> WHAT, NO MATTER WHAT.

AND, AND IT CAN BE RE-INITIATED, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL EVER GO THERE, BUT IT WOULD BE POPULAR.

I THINK IF YOU IF YOU GOT A MULLIGAN, BUT MAYBE YOU ONLY CAN USE IT ONE TIME.

IT'S NOT LIKE YOU GOT TO KEEP USING IT IF IT'S RIGHT, BECAUSE ODDS ARE THE REFS ARE GOING TO BE WRONG ON A LOT OF THOSE.

>> NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

YOU GET ONE AND A HALF OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

>> LIKE THE LUKE LINDENMEYER ONE AGAINST INDIANA.

YOU WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAYBE CHALLENGE THAT FOR A PASS INTERFERENCE, AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN A TOUCHDOWN FOR NEBRASKA.

>> NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

JAY THEY WANT YOU TO COMMENT ABOUT YOU MENTIONED PETERING OUT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER IN TERMS OF IS THAT IS THAT A MENTAL THING?

IS THAT A PHYSICAL THING?

IS THAT A PREP THING?

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU GOT TO FIGURE OUT IN JANUARY THROUGH AUGUST?

I MEAN, HOW DO YOU AVOID THAT?

>> YEAH, IT'S IT'S HARD.

I MEAN, BECAUSE THE HARD THEY DIDN'T CLOSE OUT THE GAMES AGAINST INDIANA AND OBVIOUSLY OREGON THE FOURTH QUARTER, BUT NEBRASKA HAD PLAYED REALLY, REALLY WELL IN THE FOURTH QUARTER LEADING UP TO THOSE GAMES.

OBVIOUSLY, COMPETITION GOT BUMPED UP.

YOU'RE PLAYING REALLY, REALLY GOOD DEFENSES.

I DON'T I'M NOT SOLELY BY IT INTO.

IT'S A CONDITIONING THING.

I THINK THAT'S I'M I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE ISSUE.

IT'S JUST I THINK SOMEONE'S GOT TO COME UP IN THESE IN THESE TIMES OF THESE GAMES.

GOOD PLAYERS MAKE BIG TIME PLAYERS MAKE BIG TIME PLAYS IN BIG TIME SCENARIOS.

I DON'T THINK NEBRASKA HAS DONE THAT ENOUGH IN THE FOURTH QUARTER WHEN IT'S COME DOWN TO IT.

LISTEN, OFFENSE NEEDS TO MAKE HAS TO SCORE MORE POINTS.

I MEAN YOU YOUR DEFENSE HAS ALLOWED WHAT 20 AND WHAT 37 POINTS IN TWO GAMES.

AND YOU'VE ONLY GOT 31.

SO LIKE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SCORE MORE POINTS.

I THINK IT'S JUST IT'S ALL SITUATIONAL.

BUT THESE PLAYERS GOT TO STEP UP AND MAKE SOME PLAYS.

AND THEY'VE HAD THEY'VE BEEN CLOSE TO IT.

BUT IT'S JUST HASN'T HASN'T BEEN ENOUGH.

SO SOMEONE'S JUST GOT TO STEP UP AND MAKE PLAYS WHEN IT MATTERS THE MOST.

>> AS A FINANCE GUY DOING MATH ON THE FLY RIGHT THERE.

SEAN AND I GET THIS QUESTION IN A COUPLE DIFFERENT TIMES.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CONFIDENCE LEVEL IS IN CUNANAN HAVING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A BIG FIELD GOAL?

>> WELL, HE HASN'T HAD A KICK.

I MEAN, HE DIDN'T HE MISSED THE ONE AGAINST INDIANA.

HE DIDN'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY AT OREGON.

RIGHT.

>> NO.

YEAH.

THEY ONLY HAD TWO SUCCESSFUL DRIVES.

>> SO I THINK THAT'S AN UNKNOWN.

YEAH IT'S A AND YOU'RE GOING TO NEED FIELD GOALS.

LIKE AS WE'VE LEARNED IN THE BIG TEN, ESPECIALLY IN NOVEMBER, TOUCHDOWNS ARE A PREMIUM.

AND THREE POINT IS A SUCCESSFUL DRIVE AND A LOT OF BIG TEN GAMES.

SO LOOK I THINK INSIDE 45 HE'S FINE.

BUT I'M MOORE THE OPERATION THE SNAP THE HOLD.

BUT YEAH THE LONG LONG 50 TYPE YARDERS.

YOU JUST WONDER WHAT THEIR CONFIDENCE IS TO TRY THOSE BECAUSE MOST ALL BUT ONE OF THE MISSES HAVE BEEN FROM THAT LENGTH.

>> I THINK WE LEARNED, ESPECIALLY THIS WEEKEND, THAT ANY DRIVE THAT ENDS IN A KICK, WHETHER IT BE A PUNT OR A FIELD GOAL, IS A GOOD DRIVE.

DON'T TURN THE BALL OVER.

YOU KNOW, DON'T MAKE A MISTAKE LIKE THAT.

IF YOU CAN JUST PUNT THE BALL AND PIN THEM OR KICK A FIELD GOAL, YOU CAN WIN GAMES IN THE BIG TEN.

>> YEAH, YOU JUST LOOK AT THE IOWA GAME AGAINST MINNESOTA.

I MEAN, THAT WAS SOME OF THE SLOPPY SLOPPINESS I'VE EVER SEEN FROM IOWA TEAM ON SPECIAL TEAMS.

GET A GET A PUNT BLOCK.

THEY HAVE THE TURNOVERS INTERCEPTIONS, FUMBLES.

SO JUST TAKING CARE OF THE FOOTBALL AND OWNING THE TIME OF POSSESSION.

WILL WINNING A LOT OF FOOTBALL GAMES, ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR IN THE BIG TEN.

>> ESPECIALLY AGAINST A WASHINGTON TEAM.

NEBRASKA IS THE NUMBER ONE THIRD DOWN DEFENSE IN THE BIG TEN, MAYBE IN THE COUNTRY, AND WASHINGTON IS SECOND TO LAST IN THIRD DOWN OFFENSE.

SO THAT'S A BIG KEY TO THE GAME.

>> YEAH.

GET OFF THE FIELD AND CONVERT.

KEEP CONVERTING.

NEBRASKA'S RIGHT UP 50% ON THIRD DOWN OFFENSIVELY.

DEFENSIVELY THEY'RE DOING GREAT RIGHT.

JUST GET OFF THE FIELD AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.

GET THE GET THE BALL BACK INTO THE OFFENSE'S HANDS AND FINALLY GET SOME POINTS AND GET SOME MOMENTUM GOING WITH THIS OFFENSE.

IT'S BEEN A RATHER CLUNKY THE LAST TWO WEEKS.

>> YEAH.

YOU FEEL THAT THIS OFF WEEK SEAN BASED OFF OF, YOU KNOW THE MESSAGE BOARDS AND STUFF.

YOU FEEL LIKE PEOPLE FEEL CONFIDENT GOING FORWARD THESE NEXT THREE GAMES, OR HOW DO THEY FEEL.

>> JUST UNEASY.

YEAH.

BECAUSE COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS UNEASY.

THAT'S RIGHT.

LIKE YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND PREDICT THE SATURDAY AND YOU CAN'T DO IT RIGHT NOW.

AND I THINK EVEN FOR NEBRASKA TO PLAY OREGON AND INDIANA AS TOUGH AND TIGHT AS THEY DID, THAT WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND YOU LOST THE GAMES.

BUT IT'S ALSO CHANGED THE EXPECTATION LEVEL, LIKE WHAT THIS TEAM CAN BE.

WELL, THEN YOU GO SEE SCOTT FROST, FORMER COACH BEAT BYU, AND THAT WAS KIND OF SALT IN THE WOUND.

A LOT OF HUSKER FANS, WISCONSIN WITH FICKELL BEING ON THE HOT SEAT GETS A BIG WIN.

I MEAN, I JUST THINK THE UNPREDICTABILITY JUST MAKES ALL FAN BASES.

I MEAN, IMAGINE BEING IN THE SEC RIGHT NOW.

LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW WHO THE PLAYOFF TEAMS ARE GOING TO BE.

>> NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

DO YOUR YOUR BURNING QUESTION.

>> BURNING QUESTION.

WILL WE SEE A MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY REFRESHED FOOTBALL TEAM HERE COMING OFF THE BYE.

>> KEVIN A NEBRASKA RUNNING BACK, GET OVER 100 YARDS RUSHING IN THIS GAME.

SO I THINK THAT'S A TRADITIONAL RUN GAME.

NEEDS TO GET GOING IN THIS BYE WEEK.

PROVIDED SOME OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME SELF SCOUT TO TO IDENTIFY WHERE THEY CAN CLEAN UP SOME OF THAT STUFF AT.

>> NARRATOR MOST LIKELY NOT.

MY BURNING QUESTION IS THOSE LAST FIVE MINUTES THAT COACH TALKED ABOUT, CAN NEBRASKA PLAY THOSE LAST FIVE MINUTES LIKE THEY PLAYED THE REST OF THE GAME AND GET A WIN ON SATURDAY?

THIS SATURDAY, HUSKERS FACE OFF AGAINST WASHINGTON IN THE BIG TEN NETWORK'S PRIME TIME SLOT.

IT'LL BE SURE TO BE A GREAT ATMOSPHERE, AND WE'LL BE BACK NEXT TUESDAY TO BREAK THE GAME DOWN WITH FORMER HUSKER JEREMIAH SIRLES.

OUR THANKS TO NICK AND LIZ SOWERS FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

OUR PHOTOS, AS ALWAYS, COME COURTESY OF HURRDAT SPORTS.

FOR JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN, I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK ON BIG RED WRAP-UP.