S S >> THE HUSKERS WRAP UP A BIG TOUGH BYE WEEK AFTER OFFENSIVE COACHING CHANGES SHOOK THE TEAM.

HOW DID THEY USE THE BYE WEEK AND WHAT WILL BE THEIR RESPONSE FOR THE FINAL TWO GAMES, STARTING WITH WISCONSIN?

WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT TONIGHT AND MORE.

OUR SPECIAL GUEST, FORMER HUSKER, JORDAN WESTERKAMP.

SEAN CALLAHAN WILL JOIN US WITH THE VERY LATEST ON BIG RED RECRUITING.

IT'S ALL COMING UP NEXT ON "BIG RED WRAP-UP."

S S >> HI, EVERYONE.

I'M MIKE'L SEVERE AND WELCOME TO "BIG RED WRAP-UP" ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

THE GOOD NEWS IS, WE HAD AN EVENTFUL BYE WEEK, SO THERE WAS STUFF TO TALK ABOUT.

THE BAD NEWS IS, TALKING ABOUT WISCONSIN, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE NEBRASKA BEAT THEM, OR IOWA COMING UP - JAY MOORE JOINING US AND, OF COURSE, DAMON BENNING, AS WELL.

SO, WHAT WAS YOUR BYE WEEK LIKE?

DID YOU HAVE A GOOD TIME?

DID YOU ENJOY YOUR BYE?

>> OH, YEAH, IT WAS VERY RELAXING.

WATCHED SOME FOOTBALL, YOU KNOW.

BUT, I DIDN'T PLAY ANY GOLF, SO I JUST - I WENT TO A NICE THREE-YEAR-OLD BIRTHDAY PARTY - YOU KNOW, IT WAS - BUT, WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, KUDOS TO THEM FOR SCHEDULING THE BIRTHDAY PARTY ON A BYE WEEK --.

>> VERY SMART.

>> VERY, VERY SMART OF THEM.

>> YEAH.

>> SO, YEAH, IT WAS VERY LOW-KEY, RELAXED.

>> DID YOU NOT ADVANCE TO THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IN YOUR BYE WEEK?

>> I DID NOT.

>> I THINK DAMON MIGHT HAVE.

>> HE MIGHT HAVE.

>> (LAUGHS).

>> HE HAD A MORE EVENTFUL BYE WEEK --.

>> YEAH, THAT WAS MY BYE WEEK AND WE'RE GETTING READY FOR GRETNA.

GOT THROUGH ONE WITH BELLEVUE WEST, SO IT'S ALWAYS FOOTBALL, IT SEEMS.

>> YES -- >> AND, I LIKE THIS WHOLE PLAYING INTO NOVEMBER THING.

I COULD GET USED TO THAT.

>> I BET YOU COULD.

YOU DID IT A LOT WHEN YOU WERE PLAYING AT NEBRASKA.

WE'VE GOT A LOT TO GET TO TONIGHT.

OF COURSE, WE NEED YOUR HELP WITH OUR CONVERSATIONS TO KEEP THOSE GOING.

OUR SPORTS INTERN, ALEX, IS ALSO HERE.

HE'S BY HIMSELF, ENJOYING VALENTINO'S PIZZA, AND READY TO ANSWER YOUR CALLS.

GIVE HIM THE WORK TONIGHT.

YOU CAN ALSO REACH US BY EMAILING OR TEXTING AT BIGRED@NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

I'LL GET TO YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS AS MUCH AS WE CAN TONIGHT.

HERE'S THIS WEEK'S ALL NEW "SIDELINE SURVEY."

"HOW ARE YOU LOOKING AT THE FINAL TWO GAMES?

ARE THEY TWO MORE CHANCES FOR A WIN, DO YOU JUST WANT TO SEE THE TEAM FIGHT, OR IS YOUR SEASON OVER AND YOU'RE JUST READY FOR 2022?"

HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE NOW TO VOTE AND HEAD BACK EACH WEEK FOR A BRAND NEW SURVEY.

THAT'S THE QUESTION, REALLY, RIGHT?

YOU MAKE THE MOVES, YOU SAY THAT COACH IS COMING BACK, AND NOW YOU HAVE TO SAY, "OKAY, WHAT DO WE DO WITH THESE LAST TWO GAMES?

HOW DO YOU GET UP FOR WISCONSIN AND IOWA, TWO TEAMS THAT COMBINED TO BEAT YOU 13 TIMES?"

>> WELL, IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE.

IF - IF YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING INSIDE OF YOU -- IF YOU HAVE ANY, YOU KNOW, GUTS - SOME COURAGE - I ALWAYS - YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN IN PART OF SOME BAD LOSSES AND IT'S HARD TO GO OUT THERE AND KEEP FIGHTING.

AND, I ALWAYS TELL MYSELF, "YOU KNOW, THE FILM IS STILL ON.

THE FILM IS STILL ON."

THERE'S NOTHING WORSE WHEN YOU SIT DOWN AND IN THAT FILM ON THE NEXT DAY, OR A COUPLE DAYS LATER WHEN YOU'RE WATCHING, YOU KNOW, WITH THE OTHER GUYS ON THE TEAM AND YOU DIDN'T PERFORM WELL AND I THINK -- I MEAN, THAT'S-- YOU KIND OF GOT TO DIG DEEP.

YOU'VE GOT TO FIND - YOU HAVE TO DITCH YOUR EGO AND REALLY, YOU KNOW WHAT -- "YEAH, I'M GOING TO FIGHT FOR MYSELF.

I'M GOING TO FIGHT FOR" -- MAYBE IT IS FOR COACH AUSTIN IF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DIDN'T AGREE WITH THE MOVE, OR FOR COACH HELD, OR YOU KNOW - "I'M GOING TO FIGHT FOR COACH FROST.

I'M GOING TO FIGHT FOR - HELL, I'M GOING TO FIGHT FOR THIS 'N' ON THE SIDE OF MY HELMET BECAUSE THAT'S WHY I CAME HERE TO PL - THAT'S WHO I WANTED TO COME HERE TO PLAY FOR."

SO, YOU DO HAVE TO DIG DEEP IN THIS - IN THIS WHOLE SITUATION BECAUSE YOU HAVE TWO TEAMS WHO ARE REALLY GOOD, BUT I THINK NEBRASKA STILL MATCHES UP VERY WELL FOR BOTH TEAMS BUT YOU HAVE TWO TEAMS YOU HAVEN'T BEATEN IN A LONG TIME AND YOU'RE - YOU JUST WENT THROUGH A - AN OVERHAUL OF YOUR OFFENSIVE STAFF.

SO, IT'S A VERY INTERESTING SITUATION.

YOU KNOW, I CAN'T REMEMBER -- YOU KNOW, TIMES WE'VE BEEN ON THIS SHOW, WE'VE NEVER HAD TO TALK ABOUT ALL THESE TYPE OF CHANGES IN THE SEASON BUT IT'S GOING TO BE -- IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE THE FIGHT, THE ATTITUDE, AND JUST TO SEE THE MENTALITY OF THIS TEAM, ESPECIALLY IF IT DOES TEND TO GET, YOU KNOW -- BOOM, THEY GET DOWN 13-0, 14-0, YOU KNOW, 17-3 PRETTY EARLY ON, TO SEE HOW MUCH -- HOW MUCH THEY GOT, YOU KNOW, IN THE TANK TO KEEP FIGHTING AND TO KEEP BATTLING.

>> ABOUT PRIDE?

>> YEAH, FOR ME, IT'S EASY.

IT'S "WE GREATER THAN ME" AND JUST THE WAY THAT -- IT'S A CULTURE GAME.

IT SOUNDS A LITTLE CLICHÉ, BUT WHATEVER IT IS AND THE REASONS THAT YOU'RE AT THAT SCHOOL AND YOU'RE PLAYING FOOTBALL WILL MANIFEST THEMSELVES ON SATURDAY.

SO, IT'S ABOUT "WE GREATER THAN ME."

HE SAID SOMETHING I REALLY LIKED AT THE TAIL END OF THAT: THE "N" ON THE SIDE OF THE HELMET - I JUST TOLD PEOPLE, AND I'M SURE YOU WERE THE SAME WAY - IT WASN'T - IT'S NOT THE UNIVERSITY OF BOB DEVANEY, IT'S NOT THE UNIVERSITY OF TOM OSBORNE, IT'S NOT THE UNIVERSITY OF SCOTT FROST, IT'S THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AND EVERY TIME YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STRAP IT UP, IT'S ANOTHER CHANCE YOU GET TO BE COMPETITIVE AND FOR - THERE'S NOT ONE GUY ON THAT CAMPUS THAT'S PLAYED IN THIS GAME THAT HAS A WIN AGAINST WISCONSIN OR IOWA, SO --.

>> RIGHT --.

>> IF NOTHING ELSE, YOU JUST WANT TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH YOURSELF.

AM I THE BEST VERSION OF MYSELF, AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO LAY THAT ON THE LINE AND, IF YOU CAN'T DO THAT, IT WILL MANIFEST ITSELF EARLY BECAUSE THIS ONE WON'T BE FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.

THEY PLAY IN A THREE-D STYLE AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME PENNY, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME PULLING, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME TRAPS, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME KICK-OUTS, AND IT'S IN YOUR KITCHEN.

AND SO, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO BE THERE, IT WILL MANIFEST ITSELF REAL EARLY BECAUSE THERE WON'T BE A LOT OF GAME PLAYING WITH WISCONSIN.

>> I THOUGHT LUKE REIMER'S QUOTE WAS GREAT.

HE SAID IT'S ABOUT VIOLENCE.

IT'S ABOUT BEING VIOLENT, GETTING INTO THE BALL - THEY'RE GOING TO BE VIOLENT AGAINST YOU, SO WHY NOT GO OUT THERE AND BE VIOLENT AGAINST THEM?

>> TOTALLY.

YEAH, WITHOUT A DOUBT.

YOU FIGHT.

YOU KNOW WHAT?

DEFENSE.

I HAVE -- I DON'T THINK IT'S AN ISSUE WITH THE DEFENSE, I THINK -- THEY'VE FOUGHT ALL YEAR.

THEY'VE PLAYED THEIR TAILS OFF FOR 10 STRAIGHT GAMES.

IT'S JUST THIS OFFENSE, WHAT THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH.

YOU KNOW, WE CAN -- WAS ADRIAN ABLE TO HEAL UP A LITTLE BIT OVER THIS BYE WEEK?

THEY THROW A FEW WRINKLES IN THERE.

I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, THIS TEAM HAS NOTHING TO LOSE THESE LAST TWO GAMES OF THE YEAR.

WHAT KIND OF WRINKLES AND -- I MEAN, MAYBE JUST THROW THE WHOLE KITCHEN SINK AT 'EM, YOU KNOW, AGAINST ONE OF THE BEST DEFENSES IN THE NATION HERE, WITH A COUPLE WEEKS TO PREPARE.

SO, IT'S GOING TO BE FUN TO SEE JUST HOW THAT SIDE OF THE BALL IS GOING TO OPERATE WITH FOUR OF THEIR COACHES GONE.

>> JOJO HAD TO END HIS SEASON BECAUSE OF THE HAND.

HOW DOES NEBRASKA RALLY AND WHAT DID HE MEAN TO THIS UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA?

>> YEAH, HE JUST MADE PLAYS, RIGHT?

HE WAS KIND OF -- HE WAS HIS OWN ERASER.

YOU COULD SINGLE HIM UP, YOU COULD FREE HIM UP, YOU COULD SCHEME HIM TO MAKE PLAYS, AND HE HAD A LOT OF VERSATILITY.

THERE WERE TIMES WHERE HE WAS IN COVERAGE, HE WAS FANTASTIC.

YOU COULD PLAY HIM TO THE OPEN SIDE AND HE COULD HANDLE A NUMBER TWO RECEIVER, OR NUMBER THREE RECEIVER, AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY.

YOU COULD GAME PLAN ELSEWHERE.

SO, HIS SPLASH PLAYS AND HIS ENERGY WILL DEFINITELY BE MISSED, BUT HE WAS A CONCEPT GUY.

HE WAS A GUY THAT CAME BACK FOR HIS SUPER SENIOR YEAR BECAUSE HE FELT LIKE HE HAD MORE IN THE TANK AND MORE TO PROVE AS A PART OF THIS DEFENSE.

SO, THE DEFENSE WILL HAVE TO RALLY AROUND THAT.

FOR ME, THE KEY -- JOJO DOMANN WILL BE HUGE, BUT FOR ME IT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BALL, YOU GUYS.

GREG AUSTIN HANDLED A LOT OF THAT RUN GAME, AS THE RUN GAME COORDINATOR, SO BLOCKING SCHEMES, AND HOW NEBRASKA WILL ATTACK, AND THEN ADJUST TO WHAT WISCONSIN DOES, I THINK FOR ME WILL BE AS INTERESTING TO WATCH.

THERE'S A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT WALKED OUT OF THOSE DOORS.

>> NOT A LOT OF SPACE AGAINST WISCONSIN'S RUN DEFENSE, BUT NEBRASKA'S GOT TO STICK WITH IT, RIGHT?

THAT'S -- IF YOU'RE GOING TO BEAT WISCONSIN, YOU'VE GOT TO STAY WITH THAT BECAUSE IF YOU GET AWAY FROM IT, ALL OF SUDDEN THEIR PASS RUSH IS GOING TO WEAR OUT - WEAR YOU OUT IN THE PASSING GAME.

>> WELL, WITHOUT A DOUBT, YOU'VE GOT TO COMMIT TO IT AND, JUST TWO YEARS AGO, BECAUSE THEY OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T PLAY WISCONSIN LAST YEAR, BUT THEY ALMOST WENT FOR 200 AGAINST THEM, RIGHT, SO, I MEAN, THEY'RE ABLE TO -- THAT'S SOME DIFFERENT GUYS IN THERE, BUT LEONARD WAS STILL SAME SCHEME.

NEBRASKA'S - THE OFFENSE HAS MOVED THE BALL FAIRLY SUCCESSFUL.

YOU KNOW, JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, IN MADISON, ADRIAN ALMOST THREW FOR 400 - OR MAYBE IT'S A LITTLE OVER 400, SO THEY HAVE AN ABILITY TO ATTACK AND THEY'VE SHOWN THAT TO ATTACK THIS DEFENSE IN THIS DIFFERENT, THIS ODD-LOOKING 3-4 THAT LEONARD AND COMPANY RUN UP IN MADISON AND SO I THINK YOU'VE GOT TO COMMIT TO IT, AND SEE WHERE IT IS, AND I MEAN, WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE A MARKESE STEPP, IT'S GOING TO BE A RAHMIR JOHNSON - WE ALSO KNOW SEVION MORRISON'S ENTERED THE TRANSFER PORTAL, SO HE'S NOT GOING TO BE PART OF THE GAME PLAN, AND JAQUEZ YANT - SO WHATEVER IT, HEY MAN, WE'RE GETTING -- HEY, WE'RE 22 PERSONNEL, OR 12, OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE, LET'S GET DOWNHILL AND WHAT WE CAN DO AND MAKE SOME HAY THAT WAY, BUT IF NOT, THEN, HEY, YOU MIGHT BE IN FOR A LONG GAME IF YOU CAN'T GET THE RUN GOING.

>> PROBABLY HAVE A HEALTHY ADRIAN MARTINEZ, HAVING THAT WEEK OFF.

THEY HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN THIS KIND OF QUARTERBACK MUCH-- WISCONSIN HASN'T.

>> YEAH, PLAYING 11 ON 11 IS ALWAYS THE GREAT EQUALIZER WHEN YOU PLAY AGAINST A TEAM THAT CAN GAP YOU OUT.

WITH NEBRASKA, IT'S GOING TO BE EARLY AND OFTEN, I THINK, HOW IT SHOWS UP WITH LOCATING WHERE WISCONSIN'S GUYS ARE.

THEY DON'T BRING A LOT OF PLUS PRESSURE, BUT WHEN THEY GET TO THE TOTAL OF FIVE, THEY CAN COME FROM ANYWHERE, SO NEBRASKA WILL HAVE TO COMMUNICATE REALLY, REALLY WELL AND IT REALLY INVOLVES THE SAFETY PLAY OF WISCONSIN.

THERE'S NO LONGER A FREE SAFETY OF TWO GUYS THAT HAVE TO GET DOWN INTO THE BOX WHEN YOU HAVE A QUARTERBACK THAT CAN EXTEND AND MAKE PLAYS WITH HIS FEET.

HE REALLY KEEPS YOU HONEST ON THE BACK END.

YOU HAVE TO BE SOUND AND YOU HAVE TO BE DISCIPLINED AND FOR WISCONSIN, CAN THEY CONTINUE TO TACKLE IN THE OPEN FIELD?

MARTINEZ WILL EXTEND SOME PLAYS.

CAN YOU GET THOSE GUYS DOWN TO THE GROUND AND MAKE THEM SNAP IT AGAIN?

>> I KNOW A BIG PART OF THIS, AND SCOTT FROST MENTIONED IT - IT'S A LOT GOING ON, LIKE, GAME-PLANNING FOR THIS TEAM, HIS RECRUITING COMING UP, WITH SIGNING DAY, THERE'S TRANSFER PORTAL, PLUS, HE'S GOT TO HIRE SOME COACHES.

WHEN DO YOU THINK THIS HAPPENS?

YOU THINK IT HAPPENS QUICKLY?

TAKES A WHILE?

>> YOU'VE GOT TO -- YOU'VE GOT TO PROBABLY MAKE SOME MOVES.

I THINK JUST WITH THEIR EARLY SIGNING-DAY PERIOD, I THINK THAT JUST EXPEDITES EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW.

YOU'VE GOT TO -- YOU'D BETTER HAVE SOME COACHES IN PLAY, YOU KNOW - I'M SURE THE BYE WEEK, HE'S -- I BELIEVE HE WAS DOWN IN TEXAS, YOU KNOW, WATCHING DON'S SON, SO HOPEFULLY MAYBE HE'S MEETING WITH PEOPLE - WHO KNOWS?

THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF HAVING TO BE ABLE TO GET UP AND GO ANYWHERE WITH ACCESS TO A PRIVATE JET, SO, YOU'VE GOT TO MOVE QUICK.

THIS HAS - THAT EARLY SIGNING DAY IS --IT'S EXPEDITED THE WHOLE PROCESS.

IF IT WASN'T AND IT WAS STILL FEBRUARY 1ST OR FEBRUARY 2ND, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE SOME TIME, BUT THAT JUST - THAT FORCES THEIR HAND AND HE'D BETTER, YOU KNOW -- WHEN YOU MAKE MOVES LIKE THAT -- I'M SURE HE HAS SOME SORT OF A LIST IN HIS BACK POCKET TO KIND OF SAY, "HEY, IF I EVER NEEDED TO SOMETHING."

SO, I WOULD THINK THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN FAIRLY QUICKLY.

>> IT'S A LOT ON HIS PLATE, RIGHT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF HAVING TO WORK SMARTER, AND NOT HARDER.

THERE'S ONLY 24 HOURS IN THE DAY AND HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE REALLY, REALLY DISCIPLINED.

YOU HAVE TWO GAMES TO GET READY FOR, YOU HAVE A CERTAIN ALLOTMENT OF TIME FOR THIS ONE ON SATURDAY IN TERMS OF GAME PREPARATION, BUT IN TERMS OF HOW YOU GO ABOUT THE HIRES, WHAT YOU WANT TO DO FOR SIGNING DAY AND, LET'S NOT FORGET, AS GUYS ENTER THE PORTAL, YOU HAVE TO MANIPULATE YOUR ROSTER AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE TRANSFER PORTAL, AS WELL.

YOU COULD A LITTLE BIT OF AN EXODUS, SO UNDERSTANDING WHERE YOU ARE IN TERMS OF NUMBERS, UNDERSTANDING WHERE YOU ARE IN TERMS OF STAFF HIRES AND OH, BY THE WAY, YOU HAVE TWO TEAMS THAT LOVE TO DEAL YOU FITS LEFT AT THE END OF YOUR SCHEDULE, HE WILL DEFINITELY HAVE TO WORK VERY, VERY SMART WITH ONLY 24 HOURS IN THE DAY.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JAY WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER WHEN WE WERE DOING "THE PREDICTION," THE PRESSURE, IN A WAY, IS REALLY ON WISCONSIN, RIGHT?

THEY KNOW THEY HAVE TO WIN IF THEY WANT TO GET TO INDY.

NEBRASKA CAN PLAY PRETTY FREE, DON'T YOU THINK?

>> YEAH, I'M -- SEE, I ALWAYS GO BACK AND FORTH WITH THAT.

I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF - OF THE TERM "PLAYING WITH HOUSE MONEY" OR ANYTHING -- "NOTHING TO LOSE," RIGHT?

YOU ALWAYS HAVE YOUR PRIDE TO LOSE AND THAT'S JUST KIND OF HOW I AM AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE ODDS ARE OR HOW INSURMOUNTABLE THEY APPEAR TO BE, THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT SPORTS IS YOU ALWAYS GET TO LINE IT UP AND PLAY IT.

SO, NEBRASKA HAS TO BE CAREFUL WITH THAT MANTRA.

I UNDERSTAND NOT BEING TENSE, BUT YOU HAVE PLENTY ON THE LINE.

>> BUT LIKE TRICK PLAYS, AND THAT KIND OF THING --.

>> YEAH, I MEAN I THINK YOU COULD - I THINK COULD THROW OUT THE WHOLE TENDENCY THING GOING INTO THIS ONE BECAUSE YOU HAVE SUCH -- YOU HAVE NEW MINDS AND THE KEY IS, WHILE I THINK THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE OFFENSE WILL STAY SIMILAR, YOU GET A FRESH SET OF EYES, YOU MAY SEE GUYS THAT YOU'RE NOT USED TO SEEING BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A BLANK SLATE.

A NEW SET OF EYES, YOU WANT TO START NEW, NEW PERSPECTIVE, KIND OF A NEW LEASE ON LIFE.

PERSONNEL COULD BE INTERESTING FOR NEBRASKA HEADING INTO THIS ONE.

>> IF I'M SCOTT FROST, THOUGH, LOOKING AT THIS ONE, I'M TALKING ONSIDE KICKOFFS, I'M TALKING FAKE PUNTS.

IF IT'S --.

>> NO FIELD GOALS!

>> NO FIELD GOALS - IF IT'S FOURTH AND TWO FROM THE 25 --.

>> LET'S GO.

>> GO!

>> YEAH.

>> BECAUSE - CLEAR, THERE'S NO GUARANTEES -- I MEAN, THAT'S NOT EVEN 50/50 -- IT'S LIKE 30/70 WITH THE FIELD GOALS THAT WE MADE AFTER THIS YEAR, SO I'M - HEY, MAN, THIS IS -- IF -- IT'S -- IT'S GAS PEDAL - IT IS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR IF YOU CAN.

>> YEAH, YOU'RE A BIG FAN OF RUNNING BACKS AND THE WAY THEY DO THINGS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT WISCONSIN'S DOING?

I MEAN, THEY'VE GOT A KID WHO'S 17 YEARS OLD AND HE'S AS BIG AS DERRICK HENRY WAS WHEN HE WAS 20.

>> YEAH, THE PATIENCE TO ALLOW HIM TO GET HIS LEGS UNDERNEATH HIM AND GET ACCLIMATED TO THE HIGH SCHOOL LIFE - HE'S A YOUNG, INCOMING FRESHMAN, TOO, THAT'S 17 YEARS OF AGE, SO WISCONSIN'S BEEN PATIENT.

THEY TRIED A COUPLE GUYS - MELLUSI IS NOW HURT, SO IT'S KIND OF FORCED THEIR HAND IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF CARRIES THAT HE'S GOING TO GET, BUT HE'S RELATIVELY FRESH - KIND OF BROKE ONTO THE SCENE 2-1/2 GAMES AGO FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON, AND HE IS A HANDFUL.

HE IS A BIG, STRONG BACK THAT KEEPS HIS SHOULDERS PARALLEL TO THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.

HE'S ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT I LIKE TO SAY RUNS BEHIND HIS PADS.

VERY GOOD WITH ONE-STEP CUTS.

HE RUNS AS THOUGH HIS FEET ARE HOT, YOU KNOW?

HE'S NEVER ON THE GROUND TOO LONG WITH BOTH FEET.

HE'S GOING TO BE A GOOD ONE.

HE'S A TALENT.

>> AVERAGES 130 A GAME OVER THE LAST SIX GAMES, BUT IF YOU CAN SLOW HIM DOWN, DO YOU THINK THE PASSING GAME OF WISCONSIN CAN BEAT NEBRASKA?

>> I DON'T -- I MEAN, I WOULD RIGHT NOW -- I MEAN, AGAIN, I WOULD SAY "NO," BUT AGAIN, PURDUE KIND OF RAN THE BALL ON THE DEFENSE A LITTLE BIT, AND WE PLAYED THEM AND YOU KNOW, PURDUE WAS NOT ABLE TO RUN THE FOOTBALL IN THE WEEK PRIOR.

ANYTHING THIS TIME OF YEAR WOULDN'T SHOCK ME WITH WHAT NEBRASKA'S DEALT WITH.

BUT, IT DON'T THINK --- I MEAN, IT WAS -- HELP ME OUT WITH THAT GAME -- I MEAN, THEY PASSED -- MERTZ PASSED FOR WHAT, 52 YARDS ABOUT SIX ATTEMPTS JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.

>> TWO GAMES AGO, HE ONLY --.

>> FIVE OF EIGHT --.

>> YEAH, THERE YOU GO.

>> AND NOTHING REALLY IN THE SECOND HALF.

>> RIGHT, SO I DON'T THINK SO.

I MEAN, THEY GOT TO -- I MEAN, THIS IS A EIGHT IN THE BOX-TYPE OF-TYPE OF GAME AND YOU SAY, "HEY," -- I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF SIMILAR TO WHAT NEBRASKA'S OFFENSE HAS FACED SOMETIMES.

"HEY," YOU KNOW, "COME ON ADRIAN, LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN BEAT US WITH YOUR ARM."

BUT, I'D BE SURPRISED IF MERTZ WAS ABLE TO - IF WE SHUT DOWN THE RUN, I'D BE VERY SURPRISED IF HE WAS ABLE TO KIND OF TAKE THE TOP OFF OF THE DEFENSE.

>> YEAH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IOWA ALWAYS DID WELL AGAINST WISCONSIN IS THE EDGES.

THEY HAD A LOT OF SWING PASSES AND THEN, THEY USED THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD.

AUSTIN ALLEN, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD, MAYBE GETTING THE BALL TO THE RUNNING BACKS OUT OF THE OUTFIELD A LITTLE BIT ON THE EDGE.

>> YEAH, A TON TO THAT, RIGHT?

WITH COVER-TWO PRINCIPLES, YOU GET A MIKE THAT'S GETTING DEEP HOLE.

HE IS STRAIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THAT FIELD - THOSE SAFETIES SPLIT TO GET TO THE HASHES AGAINST THOSE NUMBER ONE WIDE RECEIVERS, AND SO THE MIDDLE OF THE FILED IS OPEN, AS ARE YOUR BACKS.

THE KEY TO HAVING A SUCCESSFUL COVER-TWO TEAM, IN TERMS OF PHILOSOPHY, IS YOU LIKE PRESSURE WITH YOUR FOUR, MAYBE FIVE.

YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO BRING MORE THAN THAT.

AS LONG AS THAT CAN HAPPEN SCHEMATICALLY, WISCONSIN CAN DEAL YOU FITS BECAUSE WHERE THEY'RE VULNERABLE ARE DEEP MIDDLE AND DEEP OUTSIDE THE NUMBERS WITH THOSE HOLE THROWS.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT NEBRASKA LIKES TO PLAY OFFENSE, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY PLAYING TO THEIR STRENGTHS, SO I THINK THAT'S WHY NEBRASKA STRUGGLED A LITTLE IN THE RED ZONE AGAINST WISCONSIN BUT HAS BEEN ABLE TO MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF HAY FROM THE 30 TO THE 30, IN TERMS OF GENERATING YARDS.

THE REAL CAT-AND-MOUSE IN THIS ONE ARE TWO THINGS: NUMBER ONE, CAN NEBRASKA NEUTRALIZE WISCONSIN'S TIGHT ENDS?

THEY GOT A COUPLE GOOD ONES.

AND THE OTHER THING IS, WHAT NEW WRINKLES ARE THERE IN THE RED ZONE?

ASSUME YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE THE FOOTBALL, YOU'VE HAD GOOD SUCCESS AGAINST WISCONSIN SCHEMATICALLY, AND YOU'VE SHOWN THE PROPENSITY TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THE BALL - HOW DO YOU CONVERT THAT INTO POINTS?

IS IT TWO BACKS IN THE BACKFIELD?

IS IT RUN/ACTION?

IS IT NEW WAYS TO RUN THE QUARTERBACK?

YOU HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO BE BETTER FROM THE 25-YARD LINE, AND THAT'S THE REAL KEY.

>> JUST THROW THE BALL INTO THE END ZONE.

I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT.

>> THAT'S VERY -- IT'S VERY STRANGE HOW THESE TIMES THAT THEY'RE IN THE RED ZONE, THE BALL DOESN'T GET TO THE END ZONE.

THEY THROW IT SHORT AND LIKE TO RUN AFTER THE CATCHER.

THEY JUST DON'T THROW IT TO THE END ZONE, PERIOD.

GETTING IT IN THE END ZONE ONCE YOU GET IN THE RED ZONE WILL BE SOMETHING I THINK NEBRASKA'S GOT TO TAKE A LOOK AT.

>> WITHOUT JOJO, WHO WASN'T GETTING A LOT OF PASS RUSH BUT WHO'S THE KEY, IN YOUR OPINION THAT DEFENSE, IN THE FRONT, GETTING SOME PASS RUSH.

>> MAN, I TELL -- I THINK CALEB TANNOR IS -.

>> HE'S PLAYED WELL.

>> HE'S PLAYED WELL.

JUST LIKE TO SEE HIM STEP UP.

YOU KNOW, GARRETT NELSON, HE'S A CONSTANT.

HE GOES SO HARD SOMETIMES HE ALMOST TAKES HIMSELF OUT OF PLAYS.

I'D LIKE TO SEE HIM STEP UP - AND, I'VE BEEN REALLY CRITICAL OF HIM, BUT HE'S MADE -- I THINK HE'S IMPROVED VERY MUCH THIS YEAR.

I'D LOOK AT THOSE TWO GUYS AND THEN IF YOU - YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GET A LITTLE MORE EXOTIC, YOU KNOW, WITH SOME PRESSURES YOU WANT TO BRING.

WISCONSIN, YOU KNOW, IS KNOWN FOR THEIR GOOD OFFENSIVE LINE PLAY.

YOU MIGHT HAVE TO DO SOMETHING YOU HAVEN'T SEEN AND, WITH THE ABILITY OF TWO WEEKS OFF, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ABLE TO SCHEME UP SOME STUFF AND, YOU KNOW, BREAK SOME TENDENCIES AND GIVE SOME WRINKLES THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SHOWN AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GET OVER HERE, THEN BOOM -- YOU KNOW, YOU HIDE IT AND A GUY KIND OF SNEAKS UP FROM BEHIND, YOU KNOW, OR YOU'RE BRINGING SOME DIFFERENT CORNER BLITZES WITH NEWSOM OR CAM TAYLOR-BRITT, SO I THINK YOU'RE APT TO GET -- YOU HAVE TO MANUFACTURE IT, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET HOME WITH, YOU KNOW, THE FOUR GUYS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FIVE GUYS AS THEY REALLY HAVEN'T DONE ALL YEAR.

>> BIG GAME FOR DAMION DANIELS, DEONTRE THOMAS, TY ROBINSON --.

>> I LIKE THE TWO GUYS THAT SURROUND HIM.

PUT ON CASEY ROGERS --.

>> I LOVE CASEY.

>> AND BEN STILLE.

THE BIG FELLA IN THE MIDDLE, DAMION DANIELS, HAS BEEN A HANDFUL.

I THINK HE'S A SUNDAY GUY.

CASEY ROGERS' ABILITY TO PLAY ACROSS GUYS' FACE -- HE'S A GAP GUY -- HE CAN GET VERTICAL IN A HURRY.

HE'S VERY GOOD OFF THE BALL.

AND STILLE'S GOT GOOD SAVVY TO HIS GAME, SO THOSE ARE SOME GUYS THAT I THINK CAN GET SOME SINGULAR MATCHUPS - ESPECIALLY WHEN NEBRASKA GOES TO KIND OF THAT BUBBLE LOOK, WHERE THEY'LL WALK A NICK HEINRICH INTO THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE BUT HE PLAYS OVER A GUARD AND KIND OF GIVES YOU THAT FULL LOOK AS THOUGH HE'S COMING.

GET THOSE GUYS TALKING AND SEE IF YOU CAN'T FREE UP ONE OF THOSE D-TACKS ON THE OUTSIDE TO DO WORK.

>> CASEY ROGERS IS A REALLY GOOD ATHLETE -- A REALLY GOOD LACROSSE PLAYER -- HAS REALLY GOOD FEET.

>> I LIKE HIS FIRST STEP.

>> YEAH, NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

NEXT COMING UP ON THE "BIG RED WRAP-UP," WE'LL BE JOINED BY FORMER HUSKER, JORDAN WESTERKAMP, SEE HOW HE'S REACTED TO THE 2021 SEASON, AS WELL AS TO HEAR THE STORY OF TWO BOUNDARY-BREAKING HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS.

BEFORE WE GO TO BREAK, THOUGH, IMAGES FROM THROUGHOUT THIS 2021 SEASON, COURTESY OF "HAIL, VARSITY."

WE'LL BE BACK SOON.

S S S S >> WELCOME BACK TO "BIG RED WRAP-UP."

TIME TO DIVE INTO THE BEST FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.

THIS IS PRETTY FUNNY.

HUSKGUYS SAID THE ENTIRE STATE IS CURSED, BASED OFF OF SOMETHING THAT CALEB HENRY TWEETED, "FRED HOIBERG IS 1-7 IN ONE-SCORE GAMES (THREE POINTS OR LESS) AT NEBRASKA," AND THEN HUSKGUYS SAID "THE ENTIRE STATE IS CURSED."

IT CERTAINLY FEELS THAT WAY SOMETIMES.

NEXT UP, FRIEND OF THE SHOW, FORMER HUSKER ZACH POTTER, AS KANSAS UPSET TEXAS, ZACH SAID, "TEXAS FIRING TOM HERMAN FOR STEVE SARKISIAN FOR THE RESULTS THIS YEAR IS EXACTLY WHY YOU STAND BEHIND SCOTT FROST - GRASS IS NOT ALWAYS GREENER," #GBR#HUSKERS.

WE'RE PLEASE NOW TO BE JOINED BY STANDOUT RECEIVER, JORDAN WESTERKAMP.

WESTY, HOW YOU DOIN'?

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> YEAH, HEY, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON, MAN.

I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS FOR TO TALK SOME FOOTBALL, LIKE I SAID, I MISS YOU GUYS SO MUCH.

I KNOW YOU'VE ONLY GOT TWO MORE GAMES LEFT AND I KNOW I'LL BE BACK TO LINCOLN SOON AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN ALL CATCH UP IN PERSON.

>> WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF BIG PLAYS THIS YEAR -- SAMORI TOURE GETTING A BUNCH OF BIG ONES.

WHEN YOU WATCH THAT KIND OF THING AS A FORMER WIDE RECEIVER, IT MUST MAKE YOU FEEL PRETTY GOOD.. >> OH, YEAH, IT'S EXCITING.

NEBRASKA'S GOT A PRETTY DARNED GOOD OFFENSE.

THEY'RE FUN TO WATCH AND I KNOW THEIR OFFENSE IS RANKED PRETTY HIGH IN THE BIG 10, BUT THEY'RE DOING WELL.

IT'S BEEN A TOUGH UP-AND-DOWN YEAR, OBVIOUSLY, AS WE ALL KNOW.

BUT, MAN, THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF EXPLOSIVE PLAYS AND THAT'S FUN TO WATCH.

>> WESTY, IT'S INTERESTING, WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW GOOD A DEFENSE WISCONSIN PLAYS AND, YOU KNOW YOU'VE SEEN IT.

THEY GIVE YOU MULTIPLE LOOKS OUT OF THAT 3-4, AND THEY KIND OF SIT IN THAT BASE COVER, TOO.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT WHAT THEY DO THAT MAKES THEM SO EFFECTIVE, IN TERMS OF PLAYING GOOD TEAM DEFENSE?

>> YOU KNOW, THEY REMIND ME A LOT OF IOWA, SO THESE NEXT TWO GAMES SHOULD BE REAL SIMILAR.

THERE IS A SUPER, SUPER DISCIPLINED DEFENSE.

THEY DO -- THEY DO ALL THE LITTLE THINGS RIGHT AND YOU FIND A TEAM LIKE THAT, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF SUCCESS, SO I KNOW WISCONSIN, THEY'VE HAD AN UP AND DOWN YEAR, AS WELL AND THIS'LL BE A REAL INTERESTING GAME AND I'M FEELING GOOD ABOUT IT.

IT'S GOING TO BE A REAL BIG TWO LAST GAMES FOR HUSKERS, TAKING THIS THING INTO THE OFF-SEASON.

>> JORDAN, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP WITH A QUARTERBACK.

YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR ADRIAN DIDN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF GUYS TO THROW TO.

A LOT OF YOUNG GUYS, BUT THIS YEAR, TOURE, ZAVIER BETTS, OMAR MANNING, THEY STEPPED IN THERE.

DO YOU SEE TOURE STEP IN THERE RIGHT AWAY, BUT WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP -- HOW ARE -- I MEAN, YOU WERE A GUY THAT CAME IN EARLY WITH TOMMY ARMSTRONG, YOU GUYS DEVELOPED A HECK OF A RELATIONSHIP OVER YOUR TIME IN NEBRASKA, BUT HAVING A NEW GUY STEP IN THERE REALLY QUICKLY AND DEVELOP THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE QUARTERBACK, AS TOURE HAS DONE, AS MANNING HAS DONE, AS ZAVIER BETTS -- KIND OF SURPRISING TO YOU?

OR, IS THIS - THAT'S JUST KIND OF JUST THE NAME OF THE GAME?

>> YOU KNOW, IT -- SOMETIMES THROUGHOUT THE SEASON YOU'LL SEE LITTLE HICCUPS HERE AND I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE ON OTHER PODCASTS, AND WHATNOT, AND SHOWS - SOMETIMES - SOMETIMES YOU CAN SEE THAT THE CHEMISTRY ISN'T 100% THERE AND IT'S TOUGH.

I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT ADRIAN WHO'S BEEN A FOUR, FIVE-YEAR STARTER NOW, AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE HE'S GETTING A NEW SLATE OF RECEIVERS EVERY YEAR, SO IT'S TOUGH TO BUILD CHEMISTRY WITH GUYS LIKE THAT.

I THINK THESE GUYS HAVE STEPPED UP AND DONE AS BEST THEY CAN, BUT THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME TIMES YOU'LL SEE, YOU KNOW, THE LITTLE HICCUPS HERE AND THERE AND THAT JUST COMES ON AT THE REPETITION AND CONSISTENCY, AND BUILDING THAT CHEMISTRY.

BUT, I APPLAUD THOSE GUYS.

THEY'VE DONE -- OBVIOUSLY, YOU'VE SEEN IT, BIG PLAY AFTER BIG PLAY SO IT'S BEEN FUN TO WATCH.

>> SO MANY CLOSE GAMES, WES, AND NEBRASKA'S BEEN ON THE WRONG SIDE OF SO MANY OF 'EM.

HOW DO YOU KEEP GOING AS A PLAYER?

HOW DO YOU JUST KEEP GOING OUT THERE AND TRYING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, KNOWING THAT YOU'VE LOST BASICALLY EVERY GAME BY NINE POINTS OR LESS?

>> YEAH, SO, MY JUNIOR YEAR, 2015, WE HAD A VERY SIMILAR SEASON WHERE I MEAN, IT WAS THE CRAZIEST SEASON -- WE LOSE TO BYU ON A HAIL MARY, WE LOSE TO WISCONSIN ON A FIELD GOAL, JUST SUPER -- MIAMI AT MIAMI IN OVERTIME.

IT WAS JUST SUPER CLOSE GAMES AND THAT'S TOUGH, MAN, IT CAN REALLY WEAR ON YOU BUT THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS JUST BLOCK THE OUTSIDE NOISE OUT, RIGHT?

ONLY WORRY ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE LOCKER ROOM, WITHIN THE STADIUM, AND JUST TRY TO FOCUS ON THAT AND - AND, DO THE BEST YOU CAN.

THERE'S ALWAYS THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, SO AS LONG AS THEY JUST KEEP WORKING, KEEP WORKING, KEEP WORKING, IT'LL PAY OFF.

>> WESTY, YOU GUYS - LISTEN, YOU ALWAYS - YOU HAD A KNACK FOR FINDING THE END ZONE, ESPECIALLY IN CRUNCH TIME.

NEBRASKA REALLY GOOD WITH TOTAL YARDAGE, NOT VERY GOOD IN THE RED ZONE.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE NUANCES, WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE EFFICIENT IN THE RED ZONE?

WHAT DO YOU KNOW THAT WORKS IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU COULD GO TO THAT -- TO GIVE YOU SOME -- A LITTLE BIT BETTER RED ZONE EFFECTIVENESS?

>> RIGHT, YEAH.

SO, AGAIN, I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO THE CHEMISTRY THING HERE, I MEAN, RED ZONE, I MEAN THAT'S THE - THAT'S THE - WE'RE GETTING POINTS, MAKING POINTS, AND EVERYTHING'S KIND OF TIGHTENED DOWN DOWN THERE IN THE RED ZONE, SO IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO LITTLE DETAILS AND BEING PERFECT ON YOUR ROUTES AND YOUR ROUTE DEPTH, AND LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT, AND ACCURACY, AND JUST -- ALL THOSE LITTLE THINGS.

AND, LIKE I SAID, IT'S HARD, YOU KNOW, FOR A GUY LIKE ADRIAN, WHO'S HAVING A NEW SLATE OF GUYS IN THERE EVERY YEAR.

LIKE I SAID, I HAD TOM, AND ME AND HIM, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS TOGETHER, WE ARE - WE WERE 100% LOCKED IN TO HOW TO I WOULD RUN A ROUTE, OR HOW HE WOULD PUT A TOUCH ON A BALL, OR NOT PUT A TOUCH ON A BALL -- ALL THOSE LITTLE THINGS, AND WHEN YOU'RE IN THE RED ZONE IT JUST AMPLIFIED AND THOSE THINGS BECOME SO MUCH MORE IMPORTANT.

SO, AGAIN, I THINK WE'RE SEEING LITTLE STRUGGLES BECAUSE OF THAT -- THAT CHEMISTRY ISSUE THERE.

BUT, LIKE I SAID, THEY'VE BEEN DOING THE BEST THEY CAN AND THEY'VE STILL BEEN FUN TO WATCH AND THEY'RE STILL BEEN PUTTING UP TONS OF POINTS.

>> JORDAN, DO YOU THINK -- SO IS RED ZONE MORE ABOUT PLAY-ERS, OR THE PLAY-CALLING?

YOU MENTION THE CONDENSED SPACE AND THE LITTLE NUANCES.

IS IT ABOUT THE CONCEPTS, OR JUST BEING ABLE TO RUN 50/50 BALLS?

>> A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.

A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.

I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THOSE PLAYMAKERS THAT CAN MAKE THAT TOUGH CATCH BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE GOING AGAINST GUYS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, DIVISION ONE PLAYERS AND KNOW HOW TO PLAY FOOTBALL.

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THOSE TYPES OF GUYS BUT ALSO THE PLAY-CALLING THAT DEFINITELY PLAYS - I MEAN, IF YOU'RE -- IF YOUR PLAY IS PRETTY MUCH SET UP FOR DEFEAT, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE MUCH SUCCESS, SO I WOULD SAY A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.

>> JORDAN, I WENT THROUGH A COACHING CHANGE AT NEBRASKA.

YOU WENT THROUGH ONE AT NEBRASKA, AS WELL.

>> RIGHT.

>> NEBRASKA'S -- THEIR OFFENSIVE STAFF JUST WENT THROUGH A COMPLETE OVERHAUL IN THE -- THEY HAVE, WHAT, TWO GAMES YET TO PLAY.

YOU PUT YOURSELF IN THIS SITUATION IF YOU'RE AT NEBRASKA, AND I TRIED TO DO THIS MYSELF.

YOU KNOW, MY POSITION COACH GETS FIRED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR WITH A FEW GAMES LEFT TO PLAY, HOW DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD HANDLED THAT MINDSET JUST KNOWING, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A YOUNG KID AND WHETHER YOU COMMITTED TO PLAY AT NEBRASKA, OR YOU COMMITTED TO PLAY FOR THIS CERTAIN COACH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, BOOM, HE'S GONE WITH A FEW GAMES LEFT TO PLAY?

>> YEAH, IT'S TOUGH.

IT'S TOUGH.

AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, YOU WENT THROUGH IT, I WENT THROUGH IT A LITTLE BIT, JUST FROM CIRCUMSTANCE FOR ME, WE HAD COACH BO WHO UNFORTUNATELY WAS FIRED AND OUR STAFF ACTUALLY WAS ABLE TO FINISH OUT THE SEASON TO THAT BOWL GAME, SO WE HAD OUR POSITION COACHES STILL AROUND WITH COACH COTTON TAKING OVER THE HEAD COACHING SPOT.

BUT, IT WAS -- I MEAN, IT WAS AWFUL WHEN I HAD TO SAY "GOODBYE" TO MY POSITION COACH, COACH RICH FISHER BECAUSE I HAD BUILT THAT RELATIONSHIP.

HE WAS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS I WENT TO NEBRASKA, SO YOU KNOW, FOR THESE GUYS ON OFFENSE TO LOSE THOSE GUYS, I KNOW IT'S TOUGH.

I KNOW THEY'RE GOING THROUGH IT RIGHT NOW AND IT'S BEEN A TOUGH SEASON BUT, LIKE I SAID, YOU'VE GOT TO JUST TRY TO DO YOUR BEST TO BLOCK OUT THE NOISE AND JUST FIND THAT LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL AND FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE STUFF, AND, JUST FOCUS ON THESE LAST TWO GAMES AND MAKE THE MOST OUT OF 'EM BECAUSE, I MEAN, THEY HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO FINISH YOUR SEASON STRONG HERE WITH TWO WINS AND TAKE THAT IN THE OFF-SEASON, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE HUGE FOR THOSE GUYS.

BUT YEAH, IT'S TOUGH.

I MEAN, ANYTIME YOU'RE GOING THROUGH A COACHING CHANGE, WHETHER IT'S HEAD COACH POSITION, LINE COACH, IT'S TOUGH, AND I FEEL FOR THOSE GUYS AND I HOPE THEY'RE DOING WELL.

>> WESTY, WHAT'S IT LIKE TO BEAT WISCONSIN AND IOWA?

WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT IN A LONG TIME.

YOU WERE THERE FOR A COUPLE OF THEM.

( LAUGHTER ) >> I WAS.

IT FEELS GOOD.

BUT HERE'S ONE THING, YEAH, SO WE -- WE GO TO IOWA, WE BEAT THEM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT DAY WE FIND OUT THAT OUR -- AND WE BEAT 'EM IN OVERTIME -- THE NEXT DAY WE FIND OUT THAT OUR HEAD COACH IS GETTING LET GO, SO THAT WASN'T VERY FUN.

BUT, BEATING IOWA IN OVERTIME, IN IOWA, THAT WAS GREAT AND SOME GREAT GAMES AGAINST WISCONSIN.

I'M A LITTLE SOUR WHEN I THINK ABOUT WISCONSIN BECAUSE I REMEMBER A DEFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED, THAT WASN'T CALLED, ON MYSELF, IN OVERTIME, WHEN J.J. WATT BASICALLY RAN THROUGH ME AND THE BALL WAS THROWN TO ME, SO I'M A LITTLE SOUR.

I'M REALLY HOPING MAYBE WE CAN PULL IT OUT THIS WEEKEND AND BEAT THESE GUYS.

>> YOU'RE NOT HOLDING ONTO THAT AT ALL.

( LAUGHTER ) >> YEAH, YEAH.

>> IT'LL BE SEVEN YEARS AGO, EIGHT YEARS AGO?

>> I DON'T KNOW, IT FEELS LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY AND IT'S SO FUNNY BECAUSE WISCONSIN PEOPLE COME AROUND AND MY BROTHER AND MY DAD WILL JUST SHOOT ME A PICTURE OF, LIKE, HIM LIKE TACKLING, AND I THINK LIKE, "WHY?

WHY THEY GOT TO DO THAT?"

( LAUGHTER ) >> YOU OBVIOUSLY WEREN'T THE BIGGEST GUY -- TOOK A LOT OF BIG SHOTS.

HOW MUCH DID A BYE WEEK HELP YOU DURING A SEASON TO BE ABLE TO FINISH OFF STRONG?

>> OH, MY GOSH, IT'S HUGE.

IT'S HUGE.

I HOPE THOSE GUYS TAKE THOSE BYE WEEKS AND THEY LIVE IN THE TRAINING ROOM, AND THAT'S WHAT I DID.

PLAYING IN THE BIG TEN, IT'S A REAL PHYSICAL CONFERENCE AND WE ALL KNOW THAT, YOU'RE GETTING BANGED AROUND.

IT'S TOUGH, AND IT'S A LONG SEASON -- IT'S A REALLY LONG SEASON.

NICE TO HAVE TWO BYES THIS SEASON AND I'M GOING TO HOPE THOSE GUYS WERE JUST LIVING IN THAT TRAINING ROOM, I KNOW, BECAUSE THEY DON'T PRACTICE AS MUCH, THEY'LL HAVE A COUPLE OF PRACTICES MAYBE, BUT FOR THE MOST PART IT'S ABOUT TAKING CARE OF YOUR BODY, SO IT'S HUGE.

IT'S HUGE FOR THE LONGEVITY OF THE SEASON.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT A LOT, WEST, AND I TALKED ABOUT IT WITH DAMON BEFORE, WHAT WAS IT LIKE HAVING TO GIVE UP THE GAME?

YOU PLAY IT FOR SO LONG -- I'M SURE YOU STARTED PLAYING WHEN YOU WERE SIX OR SEVEN YEARS OLD - WHAT WAS THAT ENDING LIKE FOR YOU WHEN YOU KNEW THAT THERE WAS NO MORE TACKLE FOOTBALL?

>> RIGHT, YEAH, IT'S TOUGH.

IT'S TOUGH AND I WAS DOING THE XFL, AND OBVIOUSLY, COVID HIT AND THEN THE LEAGUE WAS SUSPENDED AND EVERYBODY WAS AFFECTED BY THAT, AND IT'S JUST BEEN A TOUGH DEAL WITH THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SO USED TO BEING ON A CERTAIN SCHEDULE AND HAVING THE DISCIPLINE OF HAVING A SEASON GAME, GAMES, A CERTAIN OFF-SEASON -- EVERYTHING'S SO STRUCTURED AND SCHEDULED, IT'S DOING THAT AND THEN GETTING SO USED TO THAT, IT'S TOUGH.

I MEAN, TO -- TO WALK AWAY OR HAVE TO SAY "GOOD-BYE" TO IT, I MEAN, EVERYBODY GOES THROUGH IT.

EVERY EX-PLAYER GOES THROUGH IT AND THERE COMES A TIME IN EVERYBODY'S CAREER WHEN IT'S TIME, AND IT'S A TOUGH DEAL.

BUT, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE HAD THE CAREER I'VE HAD AND -- AND MEET THE PEOPLE I'VE MET AND HAVE THE COACHES I'VE HAD.

I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY POSITIVES THAT CAME FROM MY -- EXCUSE ME -- MY CAREER FROM START TO FINISH AND I'M SO LUCKY AND I'M SO HAPPY FOR THE CAREER THAT I HAD.

>> FOUR YEARS, NO BOWL GAME, TREV ALBERTS DECIDES TO KEEP SCOTT FROST.

WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT THE DECISION OF KEEPING THE HEAD MAN AND MAKING THE CHANGES OF THE ASSISTANTS?

>> I LIKE IT.

I LIKE IT.

I THINK YOU'VE SEEN SOME IMPROVEMENT FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR AND, I HAVE TO SAY AGAIN, IT'S JUST BEEN KIND OF A -- I'M NOT GOING TO CALL IT A -- I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A FLUKE SEASON, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THESE ONE-SCORE GAMES WHERE THERE'S TOP TEAMS AND THEY'RE IN THE GAME AND THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WIN THE GAME SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT IMPROVEMENT.

I THINK THEY DID WHAT THEY HAD TO DO.

OBVIOUSLY, I'M NOT THERE.

I'M NOT WITHIN THE WALLS, SO I DON'T KNOW THE WHOLE STORY, BUT I THINK ALBERTS, HE'S GOT A TOUGH JOB THERE, BUT THEY HAD TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS AND I THINK THEY MADE THE RIGHT ONES.

>> I KNOW YOU'VE TOLD THE STORY MANY TIMES, BUT TAKE US BACK TO THAT HAIL MARY, EVEN THE PLAY BEFORE BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHEN AHMIR SOMEHOW GETS THAT FOURTH DOWN CONVERSION TO SET UP THE CHANCE FOR A HAIL MARY, CAN YOU KIND OF JUST WALK US THROUGH THOSE LAST COUPLE PLAYS OF THAT GAME AGAINST NORTHWESTERN?

>> OH, YEAH.

OBVIOUSLY, THAT LAST PLAY KIND OF OVERSHADOWS SOME THINGS AND I HATE IT BECAUSE WITHOUT AHMIR'S RUN OR, YOU KNOW, SAM BURCH HAD A GREAT CATCH WHERE HE GOT THE BALL OUT OF BOUNDS -- I MEAN, THERE'S MANY PLAYS LEADING UP TO THAT.

OUR LINE BLOCKED THEIR TAILS OFF -- MANY, MANY THINGS THAT LED UP TO THAT MOMENT TO GET THERE AND OBVIOUSLY EVERYBODY ALWAYS SEES THAT, SO I WISH THEY WOULD, WHENEVER THEY SHOW THAT, THEY WOULD SHOW THE WHOLE DRIVE.

THAT WOULD MAKE ME FEEL BETTER.

BUT, I MEAN, I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT.

I MEAN, ONE OF THE GREATEST MOMENTS OF MY LIFE.

MY FIRST CAREER COLLEGE TOUCHDOWN AGAINST A TEAM THAT I WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH.

I HAD EX-HIGH SCHOOL TEAMMATES ON THE TEAM AND COACH FITZGERALD AND I HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP -- HE'D BEEN COMING TO MY HIGH SCHOOL TO RECRUIT ME EVERY OTHER WEEK TRYING TO KEEP THE IN-STATE GUYS, SO THAT WAS JUST A SUPER SPECIAL MOMENT AND I'LL NEVER FORGET IT.

>> JORDAN, IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU WERE GUYS WERE SO CLOSE.

I KNOW SO MANY OF YOU GUYS AND I STILL TALK TO BRANDON RILEY AND OCCASIONALLY GET A CHANCE TO TALK TO TOMMY AND SOME OF THESE GUYS.

YOU GUYS REALLY HUNKERED DOWN TOGETHER.

YOU WOULD GET YOUR FAIR SHARE OF CRITICISMS AND, YOU KNOW, THE MEDIA'S GOING TO DO THE MEDIA THING, BUT YOU GUYS, MAN, YOU REALLY FOUND A WAY TO RALLY FROM A CHEMISTRY STANDPOINT TO STAY ON TASK.

>> RIGHT.

>> WHAT WOULD YOUR RECOMMENDATION BE TO THIS CURRENT TEAM, RIGHT?

IT'S OBVIOUSLY DIFFICULT, STORIES SWIRL, YOU KNOW HOW THE MEDIA -- THERE'S A LOT OF PRESSURE TO PLAY HERE SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE NOT PLAYING THE WAY THAT FOLKS ARE ACCUSTOMED TO PLAYING.

HOW DID YOU HANDLE IT?

>> JUST AS BEST WE COULD -- JUST TRY TO BLOCK OFF THE NOISE.

YOU KNOW, HERE'S ANOTHER THING AND - AND, I HATE TO MENTION THIS BUT AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT TOMMY, MYSELF, BRANDON, ALL THESE GUYS -- WE WERE THERE FOR FROM START OF CAREER TO END OF CAREER -- YOU KNOW, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS TOGETHER.

OUR WHOLE OFFENSE WAS.

THE TRANSFERRING THAT YOU SEE INTO THIS GAME HAPPENS SO MUCH MORE, IT'S A LOT EASIER, SO GUYS ARE KIND OF GOING IN AND OUT NOW ALL THE TIME.

AND, I THINK I JUST SAW SOMEONE ANNOUNCE THEY'RE TRANSFERRING LAST NIGHT, OR SOMETHING.

>> YEP.

>> I HATE TO SAY I GUESS THAT'S, TO ME, LIKE THAT'S JUST SO CRAZY.

I JUST THINK AS A TEAM WE WERE A LOT CLOSER BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT MUCH - THAT MANY DISTRACTIONS, SO TO SPEAK.

I MEAN, WE WERE ALL IN, ALL TOGETHER AND, YEAH, YOU HAD A TRANSFER HERE AND THERE, BUT IT WAS MORE SO TO DO WITH POTENTIALLY LIKE GETTING IN TROUBLE, OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

IT WASN'T - "I'M NOT PLAYING, I WANT TO LEAVE," FOR THE MOST PART.

BUT, SO -- I MEAN, IT'S TOUGH, BUT I KNOW THAT THESE GUYS, FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS, THEY'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH IT AND THESE ARE TOUGH GUYS AND THERE ARE SO MANY LITTLE THINGS THAT AFFECT THAT PRESSURE AND GOES INTO IT, SO THE ADVICE I'D GIVE THOSE MEN?

JUST, "HEY, BLOCK OUT THE NOISE AS BEST YOU CAN, STAY OFF THE SOCIAL MEDIA AS MUCH AS YOU CAN."

SOCIAL MEDIA IS AWFUL.

( LAUGHTER ) >> YEAH, I'D FALL INTO THE BAD HABITS OF IT, TOO.

AFTER A GAME, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST GO ON TWITTER, SEARCH YOUR NAME, AND YOU READ SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IS NOT SO NICE.

THAT'S JUST -- I KNOW THESE GUYS DO IT, I MEAN, IT'S JUST WHAT PEOPLE DO - IT'S THE DAY AND AGE WE LIVE IN, BUT AS BEST YOU CAN, JUST STAY OUT OF THAT, STAY OFF OF IT.

YOU HAVE SO MANY MORE PEOPLE THAT SUPPORT YOU THAN DON'T.

IGNORE THE HATERS AND FINISH THE SEASON STRONG, AND KEEP YOUR HEADS UP.

>> WESTY, LAST THING, THEY ALWAYS TELL YOU NOT TO ASSUME, BUT I ASSUME YOU'RE A BEARS FAN, IS THAT RIGHT?

>> I AM MORE OF A PLAYER FAN THAN I AM A TEAM FAN.

DOLPHINS, BECAUSE I WAS JUST THERE FOR A LITTLE BIT, SO I LIKE THE DOLPHINS, BUT EVERYTHING -- I MEAN, THEIR WHOLE COACHING STAFF HAS CHANGED NOW AND THE PLAYERS ARE OBVIOUSLY DIFFERENT.

BUT, I'M A BIG BUCS FAN AS OF LAST YEAR.

( LAUGHTER ) >> OH, YEAH!

>> OUR NEBRASKA PLAYERS.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

I LIKE - I LIKE NEBRASKA PLAYERS, BUT I LIKE TOM BRADY.

HE'S FUN TO WATCH AND I LOVE WATCHING THEIR OFFENSE.

THEY'RE SO EFFICIENT AND THEY'RE FUN TO WATCH, BUT I'M MORE OF A PLAYER FAN THAN I AM A TEAM FAN.

I HAVE A LOT OF FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE BEARS FANS, OBVIOUSLY, FROM THE SEASONS, SO I HAVE ONE UNCLE WHO -- I MEAN, WE'RE GOING THROUGH IT TOGETHER, RIGHT, BECAUSE NEBRASKA'S KIND OF UP AND DOWN -- THE BEARS ARE UP AND DOWN, SO WE'RE KIND OF ALWAYS TALKING, LIKE, "MAN, IS IT GOING TO GET ANY BETTER ANYTIME SOON?"

BUT, YEAH, I'M MORE OF A PLAYER FAN.

>> I UNDERSTAND.

WESTY, WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT, MAN.

WE DO HAVE SOMEONE WHO SAYS THEY WANT YOU AS THE WIDE RECEIVER COACH, SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A GIG APPARENTLY IT'S OPEN AT NEBRASKA.

( LAUGHTER ) >> HEY, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T COUNT IT OUT.

>> THANKS, WESTY, WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> ALWAYS GOOD TO CATCH UP WITH YOU.

>> GOOD TALKING TO YOU.

>> ALL RIGHT, GUYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> TIME TO MEET A PAIR OF BARRIER-BREAKING FOOTBALL PLAYERS AT OMAHA WESTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL.

S S >> THERE'S A CHANGE HAPPENING IN FOOTBALL.

ONE THAT'S SLOWLY BEEN DEVELOPING FOR A CENTURY.

QUIETLY, IT'S STRETCHING ACROSS NEBRASKA AND AT OMAHA WESTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL, THAT CHANGE IS EVIDENT IN TWO PLAYERS IN THEIR FOOTBALL PROGRAM.

MEET ERIN MARDI AND PIPER ZATECHKA.

>> I PLAY RECEIVER BECAUSE I'M A LOT SMALLER AND I CAN USE MY SIZE TO MY ADVANTAGE MORE.

>> RIGHT NOW, I'M A LINEBACKER AND FULLBACK.

FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS I'VE BEEN PLAYING, I WAS A LINEMAN OFTEN ON DEFENSE.

>> IT'S A LOT OF PRESSURE KNOWING THAT I HAVE PEOPLE WATCHING ME AND THAT I HAVE EXPECTATIONS THAT I'M SUPPOSED TO LIVE UP TO, BUT I THINK PRESSURE'S ALWAYS A GOOD THING AND IT ALWAYS HELPS ME TO BE THE BEST ME.

S S >> AS A FRESHMAN, PIPER'S EXPERIENCE IS RAW BUT HER FOOTBALL PEDIGREE HAS HELPED HER MAKE AN IMPACT.

HER FATHER IS FORMER NEBRASKA LINEMAN, ROB ZATECHKA.

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK GROWING UP, SHE'D ALWAYS EXPRESSED AN INTEREST GOING TO NEBRASKA FOOTBALL GAMES, WATCHING HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS PLAY.

I THINK A LOT OF IT IS WELL AS JUST THE FACT THAT SHE'S ALWAYS HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A STRONG PERSONALITY, A VERY DETERMINED PERSONALITY.

>> SOME TREPIDATION ON MY PART BECAUSE SHE HAD NOT EVER PLAYED FOOTBALL BEFORE -- NOT FLAG, NOT TACKLE, NOT ANYTHING.

THE ADVICE THAT ROB GAVE HER WAS, "DON'T WORRY ABOUT THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T CONTROL.

AS SOON AS YOU TAKE A FIRST HIT AND GIVE A FIRST HIT, YOU'LL PROBABLY HAVE ALL THE CREDIBILITY THAT YOU NEED."

>> COMING INTO HIGH SCHOOL, PIPER HAD A SOUNDING BOARD IN ERIN, A JUNIOR WHO'D GONE THROUGH THE SAME THINGS AS HER.

>> SHE'S BEEN SO GREAT.

IT'S LIKE HAVING A ROLE MODEL ON THE TEAM.

IT'S LIKE HAVING AN OLDER SISTER.

>> IT'S A LITTLE CHALLENGING BECAUSE I AM A GIRL AND, LIKE, BIOLOGICALLY, BOYS, THEY'RE BIGGER, SO I HAVE TO WORK HARDER TO - TO KEEP UP AND EXCEL.

>> SITUATIONS LIKE ERIN AND PIPER ARE NOT UNCOMMON.

IN THE PREVIOUS DECADE, THE NUMBER OF GIRLS PLAYING HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL NATIONALLY, DOUBLED.

>> WELL, I GUESS WE'RE JUST LUCKY WE HAVE ERIN AND PIPER, RIGHT?

IT'S NOT LIKE WE WENT OUT AND RECRUITED ANYBODY TO TRY TO SET THAT TREND, OR, BREAK THAT BARRIER AT ALL, BUT WE HAVE TWO YOUNG LADIES THAT WANT TO EXCEED, YOU KNOW, WHAT OTHER PEOPLE EXPECT AND COME OUT AND TRY A SPORT THAT MOST HAVEN'T AND SO WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE THEM.

S S >> THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO OVERCOME SOME OBSTACLES THEMSELVES AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH THEM AND PERCEPTIONS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY COME OUT EVERY DAY AND THEY'RE PART OF THE FOOTBALL TEAM.

>> I THINK A LOT OF THEM ARE UNSURE OF HOW TO DEAL WITH A FEMALE PRESENCE ON THE TEAM BECAUSE MOST OF THEM HAVE NEVER PLAYED WITH A GIRL BEFORE, BUT I THINK THEY GET USED TO IT AND I THINK I'VE EARNED MOST OF THEIR RESPECT AND WE GET ALONG.

THEY JUST TREAT ME LIKE I'M ONE OF THE GUYS.

S S >> DESPITE THE CHALLENGES, THESE TWO HAVE BECOME ROLE MODELS TO THE NEXT CLASS OF FEMALE FOOTBALL PLAYERS.

>> I'M NOT REALLY USED TO IT.

I'M JUST USED TO BEING ANOTHER ONE OF THE GUYS AND IT'S A LOT TO THINK OF -- LIKE, I'VE NEVER REALLY TOOK A STEP BACK AND LOOKED AT EVERYTHING AND WENT, "PEOPLE ARE LOOKING UP TO ME AND THEY'RE SEEING ME AS AN INSPIRATION."

>> I WORK WITH OTHER ATHLETES BEYOND JUST THE FOOTBALL TEAM, AND THERE'S ATHLETES THAT SAY, "YOU KNOW, I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT ERIN IS DOING, OR WHAT PIPER IS DOING - THAT THEY'RE BLAZING THAT TRAIL THAT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I CAN BE MORE EMPOWERED, TOO."

>> WITH ALL THEY'VE GONE THROUGH FROM PLAYING IN A SPORT THAT MOST DON'T ASSOCIATE WITH FEMALES, TO EARNING A COVETED VARSITY JERSEY, ON-THE-FIELD ACCOMPLISHMENTS AREN'T THE ONLY THINGS THAT ERIN AND PIPER ARE TAKING AWAY FROM THIS EXPERIENCE.

>> I'M A LOT MORE CONFIDENT WITH MYSELF AND AS A LEADER, I'M JUST MORE - LIKE JUST CENTERED AND I FEEL A LOT JUST - IT'S JUST CONFIDENCE.

IT'S A LOT BETTER WITH EVERYTHING THAT I DO.

>> IT'S DEFINITELY HELPED ME FEEL STRONGER MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY, AND IT'S HELPED ME GAIN A LOT OF BODY POSITIVITY ABOUT MYSELF.

I THINK HAVING MUSCLES IS A REALLY COOL THING FOR GIRLS TO HAVE AND I THINK THAT FOOTBALL HAS DEFINITELY REALLY HELPED ME LEARN THAT.

YOU JUST HAVE TO GO FOR IT.

YOU CAN'T LET YOURSELF BE SCARED OF IT OR OVERTHINK IT TOO MUCH, AND THE MORE GIRLS WHO GO OUT, THE MORE GIRLS ARE GOING TO WANT TO GO OUT AND FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH IT, SO YOU JUST HAVE TO BE A LEADER IN THAT ASPECT AND MAKE YOURSELF DO IT.

S S >> WHAT A COOL STORY.

UP NEXT ON THE "WRAP-UP," SEAN CALLAHAN JOINS US TO TALK MORE BIG RED RECRUITING.

BUT FIRST, ANOTHER LOOK AT 2021 SO FAR, COURTESY OF "HAIL, VARSITY."

STAY WITH US.

S S S S >> BE SURE TO VOTE ON THIS WEEK'S "SIDELINE SURVEY" QUESTION.

"HOW ARE YOU LOOKING AT THE FINAL TWO GAMES?"

64% OF THE FOLKS SAY, "TWO MORE CHANCES FOR A WIN."

24% SAY, "JUST WANT TO SEE THEM FIGHT," AND, 12%, "PRETTY MUCH DONE WITH THE SEASON."

THEY SAY THE SEASON'S OVER, ON TO 2022.

MAKE SURE TO VISIT OUR "WRAP-UP WEBSITE AND CAST YOUR VOTE.

WELCOME BACK AND THANKS FOR JOINING US ON THE "WRAP-UP."

I'M MIKE'L SEVERE, JOINED BY SEAN CALLAHAN.

ANY TIME THERE'S COACHING CHANGES, YOU WORRY ABOUT THE CLASS.

IS IT HOLDING TOGETHER?

>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, WITH ONLY NINE COMMITS, MIKE'L, YOU KNOW, NOT A LOT OF MOVEMENT AT THIS POINT.

I THINK WITH THE OFFENSIVE GUYS, THERE WERE NO OFFENSIVE LINEMEN.

THEY GOT THEIR TIGHT ENDS COACH, SO THE TIGHT END POSITION'S FINE.

ASHTON PAGE, WE'VE TALKED TO HIM, HE IS SOLID.

RICHARD TORRES, THE QUARTERBACK RECRUIT WILL BE IN LINCOLN FOR THE IOWA GAME, SO THE CORE OF THAT CLASS, AND OBVIOUSLY THE RECEIVERS, YOU KNOW, BOTH THOSE GUYS AT THIS POINT REMAIN SOLID, AS WELL.

>> LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT VICTOR JONES AND WHAT HE BRINGS TO THE TABLE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HIM?

>> YOU KNOW, A SPEED GUY.

HE WAS THE FIRST COMMITMENT OF THIS RECRUITING CLASS FOR NEBRASKA -- KIND OF ONE OF THOSE OUT-OF-LEFT FIELD GUYS, BUT HAS PREMIER SPEED, GREAT ROUTE-RUNNER, HAS PUT UP SOME HUGE NUMBERS THIS YEAR AND, YEAH, I THINK HE'S GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN AND YOU KNOW, RECEIVER'S ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS I THINK WHERE YOU CAN GET ON THE FIELD RIGHT AWAY AND WE'VE SEEN GUYS DO IT -- WE'RE SEEING IT AT IOWA RIGHT NOW, KEAGAN JOHNSON, A LOCAL GUY FROM OMAHA --.

>> YEP.

>> IS PLAYING RIGHT AWAY FOR THE HAWKS SO, IF YOU'RE A GOOD ENOUGH PLAYER, THEY FIND A WAY TO GET YOU ON THE FIELD AS A TRUE FRESHMAN RECEIVER.

>> SPEAKING OF YOUNG GUYS, DAE'VONN HALL STILL FAIRLY YOUNG.

TALK ABOUT HIM AS A WIDE RECEIVER AND WHERE YOU SEE HIM ENDING UP.

>> YEAH, DAE'VONN HALL, FROM BELLEVUE WEST, YOU LOOK AT HIM - 6'1", 180.

HE IS UNOFFICIALLY THE YOUNGEST FOOTBALL PLAYER IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA TO RECEIVE A NEBRASKA FOOTBALL OFFER.

>> WOW, OKAY.

>> GOT IT HIS FRESHMAN YEAR.

IOWA ACTUALLY OFFERED HIM FIRST.

>> RIGHT.

>> YOU KNOW, CAM JURGENS HAD THE THRONE FOR A WHILE ON THAT, GETTING THAT FIRST EARLY OFFER.

HE GOT IT AFTER HIS FRESHMAN YEAR.

THIS KID GOT HIS OFFER AFTER ONE GAME AS A FRESHMAN AT BELLEVUE WEST.

YOU KNOW, ELECTRIC PLAYMAKER -- A FOUR-STAR-TYPE TALENT -- YOU KNOW, HE CAME TO NEBRASKA'S CAMP, WAS REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

ACTUALLY WORKED OUT WITH DYLAN RAIOLA.

DYLAN RAIOLA WAS THROWING BALLS TO HIM THAT DAY, YOU KNOW, AMONG A NUMBER OF OTHER RECEIVERS THERE.

BELLEVUE WEST WILL GET A CHANCE -- UNFORTUNATELY WE WON'T GET TO SEE THESE GUYS.

AS I SAY --.

>> WELL, FORTUNATELY, ACCORDING TO --.

>> YEAH, ACCORDING TO THE GUY BEHIND US, DAMON BENNING, WE WON'T GET TO SEE DAE'VONN IN THE N.E.T., IN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME NEXT WEEK, BUT A SPECIAL TALENT.

>> REAL QUICK, THIS 2024 CLASS IS GOOD.

>> YEAH, YOU LOOK ACROSS, YOU KNOW, IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA, SO MANY GUYS ARE READY -- 2023 AND 2024.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE SEVEN 2023S THAT GET NEBRASKA OFFERS.

I THINK THERE'S FIVE ALREADY.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO, IT REALLY IS SHAPING UP TO BE SOME GOOD YEARS AND I THINK NEBRASKA, FOR 2023, IS IN GREAT SHAPE WITH ALMOST ALL THE GUYS.

>> THANKS, SEAN, WE APPRECIATE IT.

NOW ON TO THE LATEST, AND WISCONSIN, AND OUR BIG RED REPORT.

( WHOOSH ) >> I MEAN, THIS IS A HIGH CHARACTER TEAM.

IF IT WASN'T, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE FOUGHT AS HARD AS THEY'VE FOUGHT ALL YEAR LONG, SO I DON'T EXPECT ANYTHING DIFFERENT.

WE'RE GOING TO BE A SHORT A COUPLE PIECES AND WE'RE SHORT SOME COACHES, BUT THE GUYS WILL RALLY TOGETHER.

( WHOOSH ) >> IN THE EXTERNAL ISSUES THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PAST, I DON'T THINK OUR GUYS LET IT AFFECT THEM.

YOU KNOW, I TALKED TO THE DEFENSIVE GUYS LAST WEEK.

THEY'RE FIRED UP TO PLAY THIS GAME.

THEY'RE GETTING READY TO GO.

YOU KNOW, WE GOT SOME DIFFERENT GUYS PROBABLY SEEING SOME ACTION THIS WEEK, SO THOSE GUYS ARE EXCITED TO PLAY AND THE OTHER GUYS ARE EXCITED FOR 'EM, BUT THESE GUYS ARE READY TO PLAY A FOOTBALL GAME AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE EXCITED FOR THIS ONE.

( WHOOSH ) >> A BIT OF A TOUGH TRANSITION FOR THE TEAM, FOR THE OFFENSE.

I THINK THERE'S NO HIDING THAT.

COACHES, WE'VE OBVIOUSLY DEVELOPED STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH, SO IT'S TOUGH, BUT LIKE YOU SORT OF SAID, AS LEADERS ON THE TEAM IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP PRESSING ON AND WE TAKE THESE NEXT TWO GAMES, ESPECIALLY THIS WEEK, THIS GAME AGAINST WISCONSIN, SERIOUS AND GIVE IT EVERYTHING WE HAVE.

( WHOOSH ) >> I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF GUYS THAT ARE STILL HUNGRY TO GET SOME THINGS DONE THIS YEAR.

THEY'RE STILL OUT TO PLAY - THERE'S STILL TWO TROPHIES WE NEED TO BRING HOME AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS STATE WOULD BE REALLY HAPPY IF WE GOT THESE NEXT TWO DONE.

( WHOOSH ) >> WE GOT TO RALLY TOGETHER AND DO THE ABSOLUTE BEST JOB WE CAN IN THESE LAST TWO GAMES, TRY TO GIVE OURSELVES A CHANCE TO WIN AND ANY FREE TIME I HAVE, I'M GOING TO JUMP-START ON -- ON LATER, BUT RIGHT NOW OUR FOCUS IS ON THE HERE AND NOW, AND THAT'S PLAYING A REALLY GOOD TEAM ON SATURDAY.

>> LET'S TAKE A QUICK LOOK AROUND THE BIG TEN AND THE MICHIGAN WOLVERINES SURVIVED PENN STATE, WINNING 21-17.

IOWA STOPPED MINNESOTA AT HOME, 27-22, AND THE WISCONSIN BADGERS BLASTED NORTHWESTERN TO THE TUNE OF 35-7.

A LOT OF QUESTIONS COMING IN, OF COURSE -- FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

A COUPLE OF THEM ARE THE SAME: HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS O-LINE HIRE?

AS MUCH AS WE TALK ABOUT THE O.C, GALEN WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE O-LINE HIRE.

>> TO ME, I THINK IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT.

I'VE SAID MY PIECE WITH THAT.

I THINK THIS OFFENSE IS GOING TO GO AS LONG AS THIS O-LINE GOES.

THIS OFFENSE HAS STRUGGLED BECAUSE THE O-LINE HAS STRUGGLED.

UNTIL THIS GAME -- AS LONG AS THIS FOOTBALL IS PLAYED, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD DEFENSE, YOU HAVE A GOOD DEFENSIVE LINE.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD OFFENSE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD OFFENSIVE LINE, AND NEBRASKA HASN'T HAD A GOOD OFFENSIVE LINE.

THEY'VE HAD DECENT PIECES HERE AND THERE BUT THEY DON'T PLAY WELL AS FIVE UP FRONT, SO I THINK THE O-LINE COACH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT HIRE.

THE O-LINE HAS TO GET MORE PHYSICAL, THEY'VE GOT TO GET TOUGHER, THEY'VE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO PASS BLOCK -- THEY'VE GOT TO DO A LOT OF THINGS BETTER AND WHOEVER THIS MAY BE, YOU KNOW, HE NEEDS - HE'S GOT SOME GOOD TALENT TO WORK WITH BUT HE'S GOT TO GET AFTER THESE GUYS A LITTLE BIT.

>> YEAH, FOR ME, I JUST THINK OUTSIDE OF YOUR DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR, YOUR OFFENSIVE LINE COACH HAS TO BE THE NEXT BEST COACH.

AND, THERE'LL BE SOME THAT CAN MAKE THE CASE THAT HE'S GOT TO BE YOUR BEST COACH AND I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THAT.

CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT A FUNCTIONAL OFFENSIVE LINE AND IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW GOOD YOUR DEFENSE IS, I THINK THE HIRE IS ABSOLUTELY THE MOST IMPORTANT.

>> JAMES FROM OMAHA HAS CALLED IN THREE WEEKS IN A ROW, SAYING THE SAME THING: "I BELIEVE SCOTT NEEDS TO HIRE A SPECIAL TEAMS COACH -- SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR."

DO THEY NEED A SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR?

>> YEAH, I GO BACK AND FORTH.

I'VE SEEN SOME TEAMS FUNCTION WITH IT, SOME TEAMS FUNCTION WITHOUT IT.

I THINK A LOT OF IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE STRENGTHS ARE OF THE NEW ADDITIONS TO HIS STAFF, RIGHT, BECAUSE THERE'S MORE THAN A COUPLE WAYS TO SKIN A CAT.

IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE TECHNICAL STUFF THAT NEBRASKA'S DOING VERSUS THE TACTICAL, YOU KNOW, THE TACTICAL IS THE EXECUTION.

THAT'S A SPECIAL LIST.

IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE CONCEPTS, THAT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT, RIGHT, SO IF I'M NEBRASKA, YOU HAVE TO SEE WHERE THE STRENGTHS LIE OF THE OTHER COACHES THAT YOU HIRE, AND THEN YOU CAN DECIDE IF THE MONEY'S RIGHT FOR A COORDINATOR.

>> THE TACTICAL'S BEEN PRETTY GOOD THIS YEAR.

THE COVER TEAMS HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER --.

>> EXACTLY.

>> THE PUNT COVERAGES, THE KICKOFF -- IT'S JUST BEEN THE PUNTER STILL IS THE ONE -- IT'S THE FEW ISSUES WITH THE PUNTER -- I MEAN, THE BIGGEST ONE, MICHIGAN STATE.

THE FIELD GOAL KICKING, AND THEN IT'S THE PUNT RETURNING.

>> THEY HAVEN'T HAD THAT MUCH KICK RETURN, EITHER.

>> YEAH.

WELL, I MEAN, MAJORITY OF TEAMS, YOU KNOW, THEIR FAIR CATCH AND EVERYTHING LETS -- YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST TAKE IT AT THE 25 ON THE KICK RETURN, BUT IT WOULD BE NICE TO GET A PLAYMAKER.

WE HAVEN'T REALLY HAD A GUY BACK THERE SINCE D.P.E.

--.

>> MM-HMM.

>> THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, YOU KNOW, TO GET YOU TO FLIP THE FIELD.

OLIVER MARTIN'S DONE A FINE JOB OF FAIR-CATCHING THE BALL, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NICE TO ABLE TO RIP ONE OFF EVERY NOW AND THEN.

BUT YEAH, IT'S JUST -- IT'S JUST FUNNY HOW YOU GO EARLY IN THE YEAR AND THEN CAM TAYLOR-BRITT MAKES A MISTAKE -- IT'S THE SAFETY ON THE PUNT RETURN, AND THEN CULP WITH THE EARLY MISSES IN THE SEASON AGAINST ILLINOIS AND JUST KIND OF FILTERS ITS WAY DOWN THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE YEAR.

>> ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS AND BAD THINGS ABOUT HAVING A DEFENSIVE STAFF THAT'S COACHING THESE GUYS UP, THEY COULD ALSO -- PEOPLE CAN COME IN AND OFFER THEM JOBS.

YOU THINK -- ARE YOU CONCERNED AT ALL ABOUT LOSING ANY OF THE DEFENSIVE COACHES WHEN THE SEASON ENDS?

>> OH, THAT'S -- I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS AN ISSUE WHEN YOU HAVE A DEFENSE THAT HAS PLAYED AS WELL AS NEBRASKA'S HAS, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, RIGHT?

I MEAN, THEIR DEFENSIVE EFFICIENCY, IN TERMS OF NOT ALLOWING POINTS AGAINST OHIO STATE, GIVEN THE NUMBER OF SNAPS AND NOT CONVERTING A THIRD DOWN UNTIL THE THIRD QUARTER, WAS NOTHING SHORT OF ASTOUNDING.

THERE'S A REASON COACH CHINANDER'S UP FOR THE BROYLES AWARD WHICH IS THE ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR AND, YOU KNOW, COACH FISHER, COACH TUIOTI, THOSE GUYS WILL ALWAYS HAVE JOB OFFERS ALMOST EVERY SEASON --.

>> YEAH.

>> COACH FISHER GETS AN OFFER, SO I DON'T THINK THAT WHY THIS ONE WOULD BE ANY DIFFERENT.

I THINK NEBRASKA WILL DEFINITELY BE PUT TO THE TEST.

>> GREG, ON FACEBOOK: "DO YOU THINK NEBRASKA WINS EITHER WISCONSIN OR IOWA'S GAMES."

>> IF I'M A BETTIN' MAN --.

>> OKAY --.

>> NO, I DON'T.

BUT LIKE I SAID, CRAZIER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED.

YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE LINES FROM ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES, "CHRISTMAS VACATION," YOU KNOW, HE TELLS COUSIN EDDIE, "I WOULD BE MORE SURPRISED IF I WOKE UP WITH MY HAIR -- MY HEAD STAPLED TO THE CARPET," YOU KNOW, SO (LAUGHS) NOTHING WOULD SURPRISE ME ANY MORE THAN NEBRASKA, YOU KNOW, PULLING OUT A COUPLE WINS AND THIS IS HOW THIS SEASON'S GONE, YOU KNOW?

YOU'RE GOT A HALF OFFENSIVE STAFF, BUT JUST -- THESE TEAMS -- IOWA AND WISCONSIN KNOW WHO THEY ARE.

THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

I CANNOT SAY THAT ABOUT NEBRASKA.

>> YEAH --.

>> THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR SOMETHING TO PLAY FOR.

NEBRASKA IS ALMOST FIGHTING FOR PRIDE.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S A BAD THING, IT'S -- AND JUST - WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT IT, THIS, EARLIER.

IT'S AN INTERESTING THING JUST TO SEE WHERE THE MINDSET IS, THE TOUGHNESS, BUT AGAIN, IT'S -- YOU KNOW, YOU'RE -- IT'S AN INTERESTING SITUATION RIGHT NOW AND I -- NEBRASKA DOES IT OFFENSIVELY - THEY JUST DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE.

I MEAN, THEY ONLY HAVE FOUR COACHES, >> SCOTT FROST SITS DOWN WITH THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR CANDIDATE.

HOW QUICKLY DO YOU THINK THE QUESTION COMES UP, "WHAT DO YOU THINK'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH YOUR QUARTERBACK POSITION?"

>> WELL, I THINK THAT'S GOT TO BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION THAT'S FLUID.

THEY GO HAND-IN-HAND, AND I THINK FOR ANY OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR, HE'S GOING TO KIND OF WANT TO KNOW AT LEAST SOME SEMBLANCE OF THE PIECES THAT HE'S GOT.

SOME OFFENSIVE COORDINATORS WILL LOOK AND SAY, "HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT, I LIKE KIND OF THE EXPERIENCE.

I LIKE SOME OF THE TOOLS.

WE CAN REFINE SOME OF THE MECHANICS."

SOMEBODY ELSE MAY WANT THEIR OWN GUY, DEPENDING --.

>> TO START OVER --.

>> ON WHO THE OFFENSE IS, SO I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY PART OF THE INITIAL DISCUSSION IN TERMS OF WHO YOU'RE EVEN BRINGING IN TO BEGIN WITH.

>> YEAH, SO YOU FEEL LIKE MAYBE NEBRASKA COULD LOOK AT THE PORTAL AS A POSSIBILITY AT THE QUARTERBACK SPOT?

AT THE MOST IMPORTANT PLACE IN THE PORTAL FOR NEBRASKA?

>> WELL, I THINK YOU GOT TO LOOK AT THE OFFENSIVE LINE, TOO.

YOUR TACKLE SPOT NEEDS SOME DEPTH.

YOU NEED A LOT MORE COMPETITION THERE.

I THINK YOU COULD ALWAYS USE A PASS RUSHER.

>> SURE.

>> YOU MAY NEED A RUNNING BACK AND YOU FOR SURE WILL NEED TO UP THE QUARTERBACK COMPETITION, AS WELL, WITH ONLY THREE SCHOLARSHIP QUARTERBACKS REMAINING ON THE ROSTER, PROBABLY, BUT BY THE TIME IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE.

>> GOT TO REPLACE TWO VETERAN SAFETIES, AS WELL.

>> YEAH.

>> I LIKE NEBRASKA'S YOUTH MOVEMENT IN THE SECONDARY, WHETHER IT'S BUFORD, A CLARK, A --.

>> FARMER'S --.

>> NOA POLA-GATES.

I LIKE MYLES FARMER.

THE SECONDARY HAS SOME CAPABLE BODIES, EVEN THE LINEBACKING CORE WITH A RANDOLPH KPAI, AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN KEEP MAUGA-CLEMENTS IN THE FRAY.

HE'S SHOWING SOME PROMISE.

YOU'VE STILL GOT NICK HEINRICH THAT'S DEVELOPING.

I KIND OF LIKE SOME OF THE YOUNG PIECES THEY HAVE IN PLACE.

>> YOU LIKE THE 3-4 SCHEME, AND MARK'S EMAIL QUESTIONING WHETHER OR NOT THAT SCHEME MAKES IT WORK.

GETTING READY TO PLAY, WISCONSIN'S BEEN PLAYING 3-4 FOR AS LONG AS I --.

>> I LOVE IT.

I MEAN, AGAIN, WHAT I PLAYED IN THE NFL IS VASTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE JIM LEONARD/WISCONSIN-TYPE OF SCHEME, BUT I --.

>> DID YOU GUYS TWO-GAP?

>> NO, IT WAS TWO - WELL, IT WAS A TWO-GAP SCHEME --.

>> DID YOU PLAY WITH FIVES?

>> BUT - BUT, WE PLAYED WITH -- WE PLAYED WITH A NOSE, UP TWO FOURS AND TWO EDGE GUYS, SO IT WAS A FIVE-MAN FRONT - IT'S JUST YOU HAVE SAM AND YOUR WILL ARE YOUR EDGE GUYS AND YOU'RE JUST ONE GUY WOULD RUSH AND ONE GUY WOULD DROP, SO IT ENDED UP BEING A FOUR-MAN FRONT.

BUT, THE NICE THING WHEN YOU HAVE THE BEAUTY OF THAT WAS WHEN YOU COULD HIDE THINGS.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY THE RUSH -- WHERE THE RUSH WAS COMING FROM AND THEN, WHEN YOU LEARN THE SYSTEM, YOUR EDGE GUYS, YOU COULD TELL BY FRONTS AND ALIGNMENTS, AND PERSONNEL - YOU COULD ADJUST THOSE DEFENSIVE ENDS AS DEFENSIVE TACKLES TO LINE UP A CERTAIN - HEY, YOU'RE IN A FOUR-A, HEY, THEY'RE COMING OUT THIS WAY, OKAY, LET'S BUMP YOU TO A FIVE, TO A TECHNIQUE SO YOU CAN SET THE EDGE A LITTLE BETTER AND I'LL TAKE THIS TIGHT END HEAD-ON.

SO, I LOVE IT.

I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD DEFENSE.

IT'D JUST BE -- IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THEY JUST GOT A LITTLE BETTER EDGE PRESSURE.

YOU KNOW, THEY RUN A LOT OF T.E.

GAMES --.

>> SURE.

>> YOU KNOW, STUNTS, BUT IT WOULD BE NICE TO SAY, "HEY, MAN, THIS GUY IS" -- YOU'VE GOT TO BE ON FULL AWARE OF A CALEB TANNOR OR GARRETT NELSON, SO YOU DO HAVE THE SLIDE PROTECTIONS -- ALL OF A SUDDEN, BOOM, YOU GET ANOTHER GUY ONE-ON-ONE ON THE BACK END AGAINST A TIGHT END RUNNING BACK.

YOU SHOULD WIN THOSE GAMES ALL DAY.

>> IDEALLY, YOU GET A JUSTIN SMITH, RIGHT, THAT CAN RUSH THE PASSER FROM THE DT SPOT.

>> MM-HMM.

>> BOTH TEAMS THAT ARE PLAYING IN THE CLASS A FINALS BOTH PLAY A 3-4 AND BOTH THEIR DEFENSIVE TACKLES --.

>> LET'S GO TO BURNING QUESTIONS.

JUSTIN PICK COULD BE A HALL OF FAMER.

>> BURNING QUESTION.

>> MY BURNING QUESTION IS, WHERE IS NEBRASKA UP FRONT RUNNING THE FOOTBALL, RIGHT?

THE SCHEMATICS ARE DIFFERENT WITHOUT YOUR RUNNING GAME COORDINATOR, YOUR OFFENSIVE LINE COACH IS NO LONGER THERE.

CAN NEBRASKA FIND A WAY TO GET THE INTRICACIES OF THE RUN GAME DOWN?

>> BURNING QUESTION --.

>> HOW CRAZY IS THIS GAME PLAN GOING TO LOOK?

YOU KNOW, THE -- ONSIDE KICKS, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S -- YOU'RE GOING TO THROW EVERYTHING AT 'EM.

WHAT HAPPENED THE BYE WEEKEND, YOU KNOW, NOT MUCH TO PLAY FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.

>> MINE IS SIMPLE.

PROTECT THE FOOTBALL.

WISCONSIN FORCES TURNOVERS.

DON'T TURN IT OVER.

DON'T FORGET TO HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE AND CLICK ON "THE PREDICTION."

JAY AND I WILL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT THIS SATURDAY.

THE HUSKERS COMING OFF A BYE WEEK, LOOKING AHEAD TO A FACE-OFF AGAINST A SURGING WISCONSIN BADGERS TEAM.

KICKOFF IS SCHEDULED AT 2:30 ON ABC.

WE RETURN WITH A SPECIAL, NOVEMBER 24TH, TO BREAK DOWN THE WISCONSIN GAME WITH OUR GUEST, PARKER GABRIEL, FROM THE "LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR."

LOTS OF SPORTS COMING YOUR WAY ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

FIRST UP, SATURDAY NIGHT, RUTGERS COMES TO THE BOB DEVANEY CENTER TO TAKE ON NEBRASKA'S VOLLEYBALL TEAM.

CATCH THE BIG TEN BATTLE BEGINNING AT 7:00 P.M. CENTRAL.

THE NEXT MONDAY AND TUESDAY, WE'VE GOT TWO FULL DAYS OF HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL, LIVE FROM MEMORIAL STADIUM, 2021 NSAA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP BEGINS AT 10:00 EACH DAY, AND WE'LL CROWN SIX CHAMPIONS THROUGHOUT OUR COVERAGE.

THANKS TO JORDAN WESTERKAMP AND SEAN CALLAHAN, AND ALSO FOR JAY MOORE AND DAMON BENNING - I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA'S "BIG RED WRAP-UP."

S S CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY CAPTION SOLUTIONS, LLC WWW.CAPTIONSOLUTIONS.COM