(BAND MUSIC) >> ANOTHER DEFENSIVE LETDOWN SHOWS JOHN BUTLER THE DOOR.

MANY QUESTIONS STILL LINGER, AND WE'LL TRY TO ANSWER THOSE AND LOOK AHEAD TO SIGNING DAY TOMORROW.

NEXT ON BIG RED WRAP-UP.

(BAND MUSIC) HI EVERYONE, I'M MIKE'L SEVERE AND WELCOME TO BIG RED WRAP-UP ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

THE HUSKERS STRUGGLED TO THE FINISH LINE AND FIRED A COORDINATOR.

AND WE WANT YOUR OPINION.

YOU CAN CONNECT WITH US IN MANY WAYS.

FACEBOOK, X, ON OUR BIG RED WRAP-UP PAGE.

GET YOUR QUESTIONS TO US.

YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL OR TEXT US AT NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG.

OF COURSE, OUR PHONES ARE ALSO STANDING BY READY TO TAKE YOUR CALLS AT THE END OF THE SHOW.

WE'LL ANSWER AS MANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS AS TIME PERMITS.

NOW FOR THE SIDELINE SURVEY.

LAST WEEK ON THE SIDELINE SURVEY, WE ASKED YOU, WHAT'S YOUR MOOD WITH THE HUSKERS SITTING AT 7-4 GOING INTO THE IOWA GAME?

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE MAJORITY WAS UNHAPPY AT 45%, ANGRY 21% AND DON'T CARE.

THEY'RE GOING TO GO WATCH NEBRASKA WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL OR BASKETBALL AT 18%.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION DO YOU EXPECT THERE TO BE MORE COACHING CHANGES FOR THE HUSKERS THIS OFFSEASON?

PRETTY EASY.

YES.

NO.

OR MAYBE 81% OF PEOPLE SAY YES.

NOW TO CHAT MORE ABOUT ALL OF THIS FORMER HUSKER JAY MOORE AND DAMON BENNING.

WE START OFF, OF COURSE, WITH THE OPENING AT DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR.

COACH RHULE RELEASED A STATEMENT.

HERE'S THE STATEMENT "I INFORMED JOHN BUTLER EARLIER TODAY THAT WE WILL NOT BE RETAINED EFFECTIVELY IMMEDIATELY.

WE THANK JOHN FOR ALL HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR FOOTBALL PROGRAM OVER THE PAST TWO SEASONS, AND WISHING HIM THE BEST MOVING FORWARD."

PHIL SNOW WILL SERVE AS INTERIM DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR FOR UPCOMING BOWL WEEK, AND WILL WORK TOWARDS NAMING A NEW DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR FOR THE 2026 SEASON IN THE UPCOMING WEEKS.

SO THOUGHTS ON MAKING THIS MOVE AFTER THOSE LAST TWO GAMES?

>> YEAH, I TELL YOU WHAT, I WASN'T EXPECTING IT INITIALLY, BUT YOU KNOW, THE LAST THREE GAMES YOU GIVE UP 77 POINTS AND ALMOST 800 TOTAL YARDS OFFENSE IN THOSE TWO GAMES.

YOU CAN KIND OF WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND A LITTLE MORE AND UNDERSTAND IT.

I THOUGHT HIS COMMENTS AFTER THE PENN STATE GAME, OR RATHER TELLING.

I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS IN, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE GAME OR WAS IN HIS MONDAY PRESSER BUT COACH RHULE SAYING, YEAH, WE BUSTED ON THE FIRST EIGHT PLAYS OF THE GAME DEFENSIVELY, AND THAT NORMALLY DOESN'T HAPPEN IN THE 11TH GAME OF THE SEASON.

SO OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME DISCONNECT, COMMUNICATION ISSUES.

THE GUYS WEREN'T ABLE TO TAKE WHAT THEY'RE BEING TAUGHT DURING PRACTICE AND TRANSFER TO, TO THE GAME FIELD.

AND LET'S BE HONEST, THE INABILITY TO STOP THE RUN IS, WAS RATHER ALARMING THIS YEAR, TOO.

I KNOW THEY'RE A HECK OF A DEFENSE AGAINST THE PASS, BUT, YOU GOT TO BE ABLE TO STOP THE RUN IN THIS LEAGUE AND IN FOOTBALL IN GENERAL.

SO, SEEING HOW THE LAST TWO GAMES ENDED, AND JUST A TRAJECTORY OF THE TEAM AND HOW THIS DEFENSE PERFORMED.

IT'S HARD TO ARGUE THE CHANGES.

AND, MATT RHULE'S RATIONALE FOR MAKING THESE MOVES.

>> DO YOU AGREE THAT CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE?

>> YEAH, IT'S ALWAYS TOUGH, RIGHT?

I COULD YOU KNOW, I WATCHED THIS THING AND OBVIOUSLY CLOSE TO IT, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEY WANT TO DO SCHEMATICALLY AND PHILOSOPHICALLY.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM THAT EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT IS CLEARLY THE RUN DEFENSE, BUT I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN THAT.

I THINK WHEN YOU HAVE A CERTAIN PHILOSOPHY AND IT'S CHUNK YARDAGE, BUT NOT GIVING UP LONG RUNS AND WHATEVER THE PHILOSOPHY WAS ABOUT THE EXPLOSIVE MOVEMENT FRONT.

YOU CAN'T GIVE UP THE PASSING YARDS YOU DID IN PASADENA.

YOU CAN'T GIVE UP 11 OF 12 AND, 181 AT PENN STATE.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND YOU CERTAINLY CAN'T GIVE UP 166 TO IOWA.

SO YOU CAN RECONCILE THE CHANGE.

AND YOU HEARD IT AFTER THE PENN STATE GAME.

I WOULDN'T HAVE SAID IT.

I DIDN'T LOVE IT WITH THE MIXED MESSAGE THAT IT SENT ABOUT INTIMATING GOING PORTALING.

I THINK HE WAS ASKING SAM MCKEWON'S QUESTION.

GETTING BIGGER GUYS AND, YOU KNOW, PHILOSOPHICALLY, THAT'S NOT IT, RIGHT?

YOU'RE LETTING YOURSELF OFF THE HOOK WITH, WITH WHEN YOU SAY THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND I THINK A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH JUST BEING VIOLENT, RIGHT?

YOU WANT TO STOP THE RUN, YOU NEED TO YOU NEED TO CONDENSE GAPS.

YOU NEED TO PLAY WITH VIOLENT HANDS AND YOU NEED TO TRUST.

SO I DON'T CARE WHAT BODY TYPES YOU USE.

I JUST WATCHED IOWA FINISHED 12TH IN THE COUNTRY, STOPPING THE RUN WITHOUT A 300 POUNDER, SO I NEVER LOVED THE BIG RUN STOPPING TALK.

I THINK IT'S A LAZY TAKE.

AND I THINK IT LET'S YOU OFF THE HOOK FOR HOW YOU HAVE TO STOP THE RUN.

YOU STOP THAT.

YOU STOP THE RUN WITH EFFORT AND TOUGHNESS.

RIGHT.

SIZE IS A LUXURY.

SO, I THINK ULTIMATELY, WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO SELL A VISION ON HOW YOU WANT TO PLAY, BUT THEN ON THE BACK END, YOU'RE NOT GETTING THAT END OF IT DONE EITHER.

WITH THE DEFICIENCIES IN THE PASSING GAME.

I MEAN, TEAMS WERE CLEARLY GETTING A BEAD ON THE OVER ROUTES.

THEN THE LITTLE BENDER, AND THE CONCEPTS WERE REALLY STARTING TO PUT NEBRASKA IN CONFLICT.

YOU LINE UP IN A THREE MAN FRONT, YOU'RE PLAYING BASE ON THE GOAL LINE, LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT.

I THINK ULTIMATELY LET ME LET YOU LET OTHER PEOPLE KNOW YOU'RE JUST YOU'RE A LITTLE OFF AND YOU'RE NOT QUITE AS DIALED AS YOU NEED TO BE.

>> TRUE DICHOTOMY OF DEFENSE, ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY AND NOT LETTING PEOPLE IN THE RED ZONE THE WORST IN THE COUNTRY IN ALLOWING THEM TO GET TOUCHDOWNS ONCE THEY GET THERE.

IT'S A VERY STRANGE ECONOMY THAT, HOW THEY PLAY FROM 30 TO 30, I MEAN, HOW THEY PLAY GOING IN.

>> YOU HEAR THAT, I MEAN, I'VE BEEN PART OF DEFENSES WHERE WHAT YOU DO BETWEEN THE YOU, THE 30S OF THE 20S IS RIGHT.

IT'S LIKE, THAT'S FINE.

WE GET DOWN, LET'S HOLD THE THREE POINTS.

THAT'S ONE FOR THE DEFENSE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A WIN.

I'VE PLAYED, I MEAN, YOU PLAY SOME ELITE OFFENSES, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, BIG 12 MY TIME.

BUT, YOU KNOW, MISSOURI AND TEXAS TECH AND THOSE TYPE OF TEAMS WHERE IT'S LIKE, HEY, HOLD ON A THREE IS THAT'S A WIN.

THAT'S YOU CAN WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND THAT AND FEEL CONFIDENT WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

BUT YEAH, IT'S ONE THING TO TO LIMIT THERE BUT THEN THEY GET DOWN THERE AND YOU'RE YOU'RE JUST NOT SOUND.

YOU'RE NOT SOLID THERE EITHER.

SO THIS WHOLE SITUATION WITH STOPPING THE RUN.

AND BY BEING REALLY GOOD AGAINST THE PASS, IT'S LIKE I MADE THIS ANALOGY THE OTHER DAY WITH SOMEBODY.

IT'S LIKE A GOLFER ABLE TO DRIVE A BALL 350 YARDS, BUT THEY CAN HIT THE GREEN FROM 75 YARDS OUT.

JUST TO ME IT DOESN'T ADD UP.

DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

YOU'RE YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING THE RIGHT WAY.

YOU'RE SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR FAILURE.

IT'S GREAT.

YOU'RE REALLY GOOD AS UP IN THE PAST.

BUT GUESS WHAT?

YOU DON'T KNOW THIS TEAM CAN CONTROL THE CLOCK CONTROL.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PUT IN TOUGH SITUATIONS.

YOU'RE AGAINST THE CHAINS.

SO, YEAH, IT'S JUST THE RELATIONSHIP OF EVERYTHING.

THIS YEAR, JUST NEVER SEEM TO QUITE FIT.

THE SOME WEEKS IT WAS GOOD, SOME WEEKS IT WAS BAD.

VERY INCONSISTENT.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THIS AND YOU JUST DISSECT IT ALL MENTALLY, YOU'RE LIKE, OH, DANG IT.

IT CAN KIND OF SEE WHY THIS IS DECISION NEED TO BE MADE BECAUSE, JUST FRANKLY JUST WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH.

>> WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, BUT AT NO POINT TO SOMEONE LOOK AS BAD AS THEY DO WHEN THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.

AND AT TIMES IT LOOK LIKE THE GUYS MAYBE WEREN'T PREPARED.

WHAT IS THE TRANSLATION TO SOMEONE WHO FOLLOWS THIS?

WERE THEY NOT PREPARED?

WAS IT NOT?

WAS IT A TALENT ISSUE?

A COMBINATION OF BOTH?

WHY DID AT TIMES IT LOOK LIKE GUYS DIDN'T QUITE KNOW WHERE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE?

>> YEAH, I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION OF BOTH.

BUT I YOU KNOW, AS AN EXAMPLE, THERE'S TWO THINGS THERE.

NUMBER ONE, YOU KNOW, IF I, IF I'M READING OUTSIDE ZONE OR I'M READING A SCOOP BLOCK, THERE'S A WAY THAT I NEED TO PLAY THAT 45 VIOLENT GET A SHOULDER TURN.

SO THAT'S NOT SCHEME THAT'S I MEAN THAT'S BASE FUNDAMENTALS.

THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO BE COACHING UP IN PRACTICE.

YOU HAVE TO DEMAND IT.

SO THERE'S THAT ASPECT OF IT.

BUT ALSO IF I HAVE A DEFENSE AND I'M DESIGNED TO FREE UP A RUNNER-HITTER AND I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M PLUS ONE AND I HAVE A FREE RUNNER-HITTER, I EXPECT HIM TO MAKE THAT PLAY TOO.

SO, I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, NEBRASKA NEEDED TO FIGURE OUT AND HAS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS THAT ALLOWS THEM TO GET SO DISJOINTED EARLY.

>> YEAH.

>> RIGHT.

LIKE THAT'S A THING.

AND SO I THINK YOU HAVE TO START THERE.

MAYBE IT'S FALLING BACK ON ON WHO YOU WANT TO BE, WHO YOU ACTUALLY ARE.

SO WHEN IT GETS TO BE CRUNCH TIME LIKE THAT, IT'S LIKE, OKAY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

SO YOU NEED TO ALL BE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH WHATEVER THAT IS.

SO WHEN IT GETS HECTIC AROUND YOU, YOU CAN CONTROL SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

>> LEADING SACKER NWANERI HAD TWO AND A HALF LEADING THE TWO GUYS HAD SEVEN AND A HALF TFLS.

JUST NO HAVOC.

>> ZERO.

>> IT'S REALLY HARD TO BE ABLE TO BE IN THIS LEAGUE AND NOT PUT SOME SORT OF PRESSURE ON THAT QUARTERBACK TO FORCE THEM TO DO SOMETHING.

>> YEAH.

AND I AGREE, YOU JUST DIDN'T SEE.

I MEAN GUYS WERE COMING FREE BUT GUYS STILL WEREN'T MAKING PLAYS.

AND I HAVE TO AND I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO TALK OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF MY MOUTH BECAUSE I WAS A PROPONENT OF THEM.

THEY WERE DOING SOME UNIQUE THINGS DEFENSIVELY ON THE LIONS TRYING TO DO STUNTS AND GET GUYS FREE.

THAT WAS CAUSING ISSUES ON SOME OF THE BIGGER RUNS.

AND I WAS SAYING, HEY, MAYBE YOU GOT TO SIMPLIFY IT SO I DON'T WANT TO SIT HERE.

IT'S LIKE, OH YEAH, BECAUSE THEY SIMPLIFIED IT AND THEY WEREN'T DOING AS MANY STUNTS.

THEY WEREN'T DO YOU KNOW, TRY TO GET GUYS FREE.

LIKE I THINK AT TIMES THEY NEEDED TO DO THAT.

THEY PUT THEMSELVES IN BETTER POSITION TO MAKE THESE PLAYS AND KEEP IT MANAGEABLE OR NOT HAVE A RUNNING BACKS HIT YOUR HEAD ON THE GOALPOST.

EARLY ON IN GAMES, LIKE DAMON SAID, GETTING SO DISJOINTED SO EARLY, BUT YEAH, YOU'D LIKE TO THINK YOU'D HAVE GUYS BE ABLE TO GET OFF BLOCKS.

YOU KNOW, YOU GET A, YOU GET A ONE ON ONE BLOCK AS A THREE TECHNIQUE OR TWO TECHNIQUE AND YOU'RE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, BUTTON PRESS THIS, YOU KNOW, THROW THEM OFF THE SIDE AND MAKE A, YOU KNOW, A HALF YARD LOSS.

YOU SEE GUYS MAYBE BE ABLE TO CREATE PRESSURE BETTER ON THE EDGE ON A THIRD AND THIRD AND LONG.

RIGHT.

AND, IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THAT WAS THE CASE, YOU KNOW, WITH A LOT OF SIMULATED PRESSURES WERE BROUGHT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

GUYS WERE GETTING HOME.

AND WHEN GUYS WOULD GET FREE, THEY STILL WOULD.

THEY'D HAVE TROUBLES MAKING A PLAY.

SO IT JUST NEVER, JUST NEVER WAS ABLE TO GET OVER THAT LEVEL.

AT TIMES, YOU KNOW, LIKE, OH, THAT'S A DARN GOOD DEFENSE.

BUT THEN THEY COME BACK THE NEXT SERIES AND, JUST DISCOMBOBULATED, DISJOINTED AND, JUST LOOKED LIKE AS A WHOLE DIFFERENT DEFENSE OUT THERE.

SO THE INCONSISTENCIES OF IT ALL TOGETHER WITH THE HAVOC PLAYS, GIVING UP BIG CHUNK PLAYS IN THE RUN GAME.

JUST IS NOT WHAT THIS TEAM NEEDS IN THE BIG TEN AND GOING FORWARD TO GET OVER THE HUMP TO GET THEMSELVES INTO THAT TOP 4 OR 5, SIX TEAMS ECHELON.

AND WITHIN THIS CONFERENCE.

>> I THINK WHEN YOU'RE A SITE BASED DEFENSE AND YOU ADJUST AND YOU WANT TO PLAY ON THE FLY, IT ALLOWS YOU TO BE MULTIPLE, BUT YOU ALL BETTER BE ON THE SAME PAGE, RIGHT?

IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE WRONG, BE WRONG TOGETHER.

AND I THINK YOU KNOW IT SOUNDS IT'S EASY TO SAY NOW, BUT THERE WERE TIMES, YOU KNOW, EVEN DURING A BROADCAST WHERE I THINK TO MYSELF, WOW, THEY HAVE SO MANY AUTOMATICS WHERE IF IT'S THIRD AND SIX, YOU'D SEE DIME, RIGHT?

OR, YOU KNOW, THERE WOULD BE A PERSONNEL CHANGE.

AND SOMETIMES I'M JUST THINKING TO MYSELF TO STAY BASE HERE AND PLAY BALL.

>> YOU SAID THAT ON THE GOAL LINE BEFORE THE.

YEAH.

>> YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

LIKE I JUST THERE ARE JUST SOME THINGS WHERE I WOULD SEE PERSONNEL CHANGING AND LISTEN, I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING.

I'M JUST TELLING YOU WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PHILOSOPHY AND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SELL.

RIGHT?

BECAUSE ULTIMATELY COORDINATORS ARE.

LISTEN.

HEAD COACHES, COACH COORDINATORS, COORDINATORS COACH POSITION COACHES, POSITION COACHES, COACH PLAYERS.

I SAY THAT ALL THE TIME.

SO IF I'M COACH BUTLER OR IF I'M COACH HOLGORSEN OR ANYBODY, I WANT TO TAKE THE BLUEPRINT TO THE HEAD COACH, SAY THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD, RIGHT?

AND THEN SOMEBODY'S GOING TO LOOK AT THAT BLUEPRINT AND THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, OKAY, SHAKY STRUCTURE, I LIKE IT.

I DON'T OKAY, I CAN SEE THE DESIRED OUTCOME.

WHEN YOU START LOSING THE ABILITY TO SEE WHAT THE FINISHED PICTURE IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE, YOU GOT TO KIND OF ROLL THAT THING UP, PUT A RUBBER BAND ON IT AND GET THAT THING IN THE RECYCLING BIN.

SO I THINK THAT'S KIND OF WHERE NEBRASKA IS IN TERMS OF TRYING TO EXPLAIN WHAT THEY WANT THE PICTURE TO LOOK LIKE.

>> I WANT TO ASK BOTH OF YOU GUYS THIS BECAUSE I THINK DURING YOUR CAREERS, BOTH OF YOU AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER EXPERIENCED THIS.

THEY LOST A LOT OF VETERAN LEADERSHIP LAST YEAR, AND IT'S STILL A CULTURE BUILDING.

RIGHT.

AND WHEN YOU GET TO A POINT WHERE YOU GIVE UP A SAFETY OR A BAD THING HAPPENS, IT'S HARD TO BOUNCE BACK.

ARIZONA STATE FOR YOU BACK IN '96.

OBVIOUSLY IT HAPPENED A FEW TIMES.

WITH YOU GUYS.

HOW DO YOU GET OVER THAT?

>> EVEN TEXAS.

>> OR EVEN, YEAH.

HOW DO YOU GET OVER THE WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THIS PRESSURE TO BECOME DIAMONDS AS OPPOSED TO THE OTHER SIDE?

>> I TELL YOU WHAT.

>> BURST PIPES.

>> YEAH.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY MUD, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT.

>> IT'S CRAZY.

I LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, I DID START PLAYING UNTIL MY SOPHOMORE YEAR.

I WAS 0-4.

AND OBVIOUSLY WE STRUGGLED WITH CALLAHAN AND THAT NEW STAFF.

AND FIRST TIME WE TO MAKE A BOWL GAME IN 30 SOME YEARS.

BUT I REMEMBER GOING INTO THAT NEXT YEAR AND WE GOT BETTER, I GOT BETTER, WE GOT BETTER AS A DEFENSE.

WE WENT FROM AN OVER FRONT TO AN UNDER FRONT TO BETTER SUIT OUR TALENT, IN KIND OF FACE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO FACE FOR THE REST OF TIME IN THE BIG 12.

BUT I'LL NEVER FORGET IT WAS, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE TEXAS TECH GAME THAT YEAR WHERE THEY GOT UP BIG.

BUT I REMEMBER SAYING, YOU JUST HAVE TO FORGET THE SCOREBOARD.

HAVE YOU GOT TO FORGET WHAT?

HOW MUCH YOU'RE DOWN.

HOW MUCH YOU'RE UP.

JUST EVERY PLAY.

AND I THINK NEBRASKA'S DONE A GOOD JOB OF THAT NEXT PLAY MENTALITY AT TIMES.

BUT THAT'S TO ME THAT'S WHAT I FELT LIKE US FAIRLY OLDER TEAM, BUT STILL, WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE GET I THINK WE'RE DOWN 21-3 AGAINST TEXAS TECH IN '05.

AND ALSO WE BOUNCED BACK AND I TOOK THE LEAD IN THE SECOND HALF.

AND I'M LIKE, OKAY.

YEAH, NO THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN HANG YOUR HAT ON.

SO YOU HAVE TO YOU HAVE TO TRUST IT, RIGHT.

AND I JUST NOT SURE IF THE TRUST IS QUITE THERE.

BECAUSE THIS TEAM IS STILL VERY, VERY YOUNG.

A LOT OF FRESHMEN, A LOT OF SOPHOMORES ON THIS TEAM.

AND THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO LEARN, RIGHT?

SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO STUB YOUR TOE, AND GET BANGED UP AND TAKE ONE ON THE CHIN TO LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES.

AND YOU GOT TO GET OVER THESE HURDLES AND KIND OF GET THROWN IN THE MIX TO LEARN THAT, HEY, NEXT PLAY, NEXT MAN UP.

IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE, LEARN FROM IT.

GO GET BETTER.

BUT, IT TO ME, EXPERIENCE MATTERS.

AND YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THOSE TO KNOW THAT WHEN YOU DO MAKE MISTAKES, THERE'S THAT NEXT PLAY THAT YOU CAN MAKE UP FOR IT.

AND IN A HEARTBEAT.

>> TALK ABOUT IOWA A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE YOUR FANS MAY HATE THEM, BUT THEY'RE EFFICIENT AS HECK AND THEY WILL NOT LET YOU MAKE A MISTAKE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

THERE WERE TIMES WHERE NEBRASKA'S IN THAT GAME.

I MEAN, IT'S 17-16 LAST DRIVE IN THE SECOND OF THE SECOND QUARTER.

YOU GET A STOP THERE.

IT'S 17-16 AT HALFTIME.

>> YEAH, WORSE THAN THAT OR TO DOUBLE DOWN TO JUST TO ACCENTUATE YOUR POINT, YOU GET A ONE YARD GAIN ON FIRST DOWN WITH IOWA POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT A TWO MINUTE RIGHT.

SO IT'S SECOND AND NINE.

>> YEP.

>> IOWA GOES TEMPO.

THEY RIP OFF THE 34 YARD RUN.

NEXT PLAY YOU GET THE ILLEGAL HANDS TO THE FACE AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'RE BACKS AGAINST THE WALL.

>> YEAH.

>> SO AT THAT POINT WHEN THAT DRIVE STARTED, THEY'D GIVEN UP 123 YARDS OF TOTAL OFFENSE.

THE HANDOFF RUN GAME WAS NONEXISTENT.

SO WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR IN THE PUBLIC LIKE THE FAN BASE IS, HEY, WE'RE CLOSE.

WE'RE CLOSE.

WE HAVE THIS PLAY.

WE HAD THIS PLAY BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS THOSE CRITICAL JUNCTURES IN THE GAME WHERE STUFF LIKE THAT HAPPENS, WHERE YOU'RE OFF THE FIELD IN MINNESOTA WITHOUT THE P.I.. >> YEP.

>> THEN YOU'RE OFF THE FIELD THE NEXT SERIES WITHOUT THE P.I.. SO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS YOU WANT TO CULMINATE.

YOU GO FROM MACRO TO THE FAN BASE THEN TO THE MEDIA.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET INTO THE MINUTIA WITH YOUR TEAM WHEN YOU WANT TO WALK THEM THROUGH GETTING OVER THE HUMP IN CRITICAL SITUATIONS, YOU CLUMP THEM ALL TOGETHER.

HEY, IN THIS SITUATION, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS SITUATION.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED.

THERE ARE THESE CRITICAL JUNCTURES THAT HAPPEN IN THE GAME.

THERE'S A HANDFUL OF THEM.

THERE'S 6 OR 7 PLAYS AND THESE FOUR GAMES WHERE WE FEEL LIKE WE JUST WE LAID AN EGG, FELLAS, LET'S PROCESS THROUGH.

THIS IS IN TERMS OF EITHER WE'RE NOT TEACHING A CULTURE THAT WE CAN FALL BACK ON IN TERMS OF OUR TRAINING, OR THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT OUR MENTAL MAKEUP IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE EVALUATING THAT DOESN'T ALLOW US TO FUNCTION UNDER DURESS.

IS IT US AS A STAFF?

ARE WE TOO EMOTIONAL?

IS IT NOT?

ARE WE NOT STRESSED ENOUGH?

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY IN TERMS OF CRITICAL SITUATIONS?

WE'RE REAL PRACTICE IN GAME TECHNIQUES.

SO LIKE YOU'LL LOOK THROUGH ALL OF THAT.

SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO US STAY BIG PICTURE.

BECAUSE THIS NEEDS TO BE A QUIET OFFSEASON.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO A YOUNG TEAM THAT YOU WANT TO GROW, THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT IT'S NOT INSURMOUNTABLE.

YOU'RE IN CONTROL OF THESE SITUATIONS, SO WALK THEM BACK THROUGH WHERE IT STARTED TO CRUMBLE.

>> LET'S GET THE HIGHLIGHTS AND WE'LL KIND OF GO OVER THAT.

AS BAD AS IT ENDED UP FOR MOST OF THE GAME, IT DIDN'T NECESSARILY FEEL LIKE THAT.

IT GOT OUT OF HAND AT ONE POINT.

KIRK FERENTZ, OF COURSE, WAS LOOKING FOR HIS 10TH OUT OF 11 GAME WINS AGAINST NEBRASKA AND OF COURSE, THE SEVENTH IN A ROW THERE IN MEMORIAL STADIUM.

EMMETT JOHNSON CAME OUT PLAYING WITH HIS WITH HIS HAIR ON FIRE.

IN MANY WAYS, HE LOOKED GREAT.

YOU LOOK AT THIS DRIVE AND THE WAY HE WAS BREAKING TACKLES AND THE WAY HE WAS PLAYING THIS REALLY, I MEAN, HIS MIND, HE'S THINKING THIS MIGHT BE MY LAST CHANCE TO PLAY HERE AT MEMORIAL STADIUM.

I'M GOING TO PLAY LIKE THAT.

>> YEAH.

HE WAS, HE WAS HE WAS ELECTRIC.

>> LOOK AT ALL THOSE BLOCKS.

>> IT WAS THE WIDE RECEIVER I'LL BREAK THE PLAY DOWN.

BUT LOVE THE INFLUENCE BLOCKS BY EVANS, LUTOVSKY.

CORCORAN DOES A GREAT JOB OF GETTING THE END GUY DOWN AND THE WIDE RECEIVERS TO THE FIELD SIDE DO AN AWESOME JOB OF BLOCKING AND CREATING THAT EDGE.

AND GOSH DANG, I WISH HE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IN THERE.

>> SECOND SIX INCH LINE THERE.

HE WAS ALMOST IN.

THEY REPLAY IT YOU KNOW, TEN YEARS AGO.

THEY LET THAT GO.

NOW THE SUPER SLOW-MO EVERYTHING.

BUT HE STILL GETS THE TOUCHDOWN.

THIS IS A WEIRD PLAY BECAUSE HE GETS PUSHED IN.

HE'S LAYING A YARD AND A HALF IN THE END ZONE.

AND THEY'RE STILL LOOKING AROUND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HE HAS A YARD AND A HALF IN THE END ZONE.

AND THEY'RE LIKE WELL WHERE IS HE.

LET'S SEE.

>> THIS DROVE ME CRAZY.

THE MICHIGAN OHIO STATE GAME TOO, RIGHT.

WHEN THE WHISTLE BLOWS SPOT THE BALL.

THEY COME IN FROM THE SIDE AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO SPOT IT.

IT'S JUST ANARCHY.

>> FINALLY IT'S A TOUCHDOWN.

>> SPOTTING THE BALL HAS BECOME REALLY DIFFICULT.

>> I REALLY THINK I'D LOVE TO SEE THEM PUT SOME SORT OF THING IN THAT.

YOU CAN'T KICK THE CADEN.

HE WAS A 2024 JET AWARD WINNER.

IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE THE FIRST BACK TO BACK JET AWARD WINNER.

AND THEN ON TOP OF IT, THERE IS A FACEMASK WHICH PUT ANOTHER 15 YARDS ON IT.

BUT NEBRASKA'S DEFENSE COMES OUT AND GETS A STOP.

NOW THEY COULDN'T GET GRONOWSKI BECAUSE HE WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO CATCH.

BUT THEY STILL GET A STOP.

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

AND I WILL SAY THIS I DIDN'T LIKE THE FACT THEY KICKED IT TO WETJEN NEITHER.

BUT IT WAS THE TENDENCY BREAKER.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY TRIED TO SQUARE UP THAT THEY WENT THROUGH WERE RETURNED AWAY FROM THE LITTLE GUYS.

YOU COULD SEE ON FILM WHAT THEY HAD BEEN DOING AT IOWA.

THEY BROKE TENDENCY THERE.

THEY GOT A MARKER AND DRY ERASE BOARD TOO.

>> GREAT JOB THEY'RE GETTING THE PASS TO THEIR BIG TIGHT END.

TOUCHDOWN.

NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN IT IS 10-7.

AFTER THAT ONE BACK COMES NEBRASKA.

THAT WAS A THIRD DOWN PLAY TO LINDENMEYER GETTING IT.

AND AS WE MENTIONED EMMETT JOHNSON JUST INCREDIBLE THE WAY HE RAN THE BALL AND HOW PHYSICAL HE RAN THE BALL AND THE AMOUNT OF TACKLES HE BROKE.

>> LOOK AT THIS CAVING DOWN THE BACKSIDE.

THAT ALLOWS THE CUTBACK.

ANY TIME YOU GET A CHANCE TO CUT ACROSS THE DEFENDERS FACE AND MAKE YARDS, YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB UP FRONT.

>> AND I APOLOGIZE TO THE OFFENSIVE LINE BECAUSE THEY PLAYED VERY WELL IN THIS GAME AND A LOT OF TIMES THROUGHOUT THE SEASON, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GETTING ON THEM, BUT IN THIS GAME THEY PUSHED AROUND A DEFENSIVE FRONT THAT WAS ONE OF THE TOP TEN AGAINST RUN DEFENSES OVERALL IN THE COUNTRY AND TOP THREE IN THE BIG TEN.

>> YOU CAN MAKE THE CASE.

CORCORAN GOT BETTER.

HE WAS LEFT FOR DEAD.

ELIJAH PRITCHETT GOT MUCH BETTER.

HE WAS LEFT FOR DEAD.

AND GUARD CENTER GUARD.

HE HAD THREE ALL CALIBER GUYS THAT ARE REALLY GOOD.

>> POOCH KICK OFF RIGHT HERE.

AND THE WIND CAUSING THAT.

ALLOWING NEBRASKA TO GET THE BALL.

YOU TO BE GREAT TO GET A TOUCHDOWN QUINN CLARK JUMPED A LITTLE TOO EARLY.

HE PROBABLY GETS UP WITH BETTER TIMING.

GETS MAYBE MORE REPS.

HE CATCHES THAT BALL BUT HE DOESN'T GET IT.

13-10 NEBRASKA STILL GOT THE LEAD HERE AT THIS POINT IN THE GAME.

>> IT WAS INTERESTING.

I TALKED A LOT ABOUT SOME KEYS TO THIS GAME, AND I THOUGHT THE TEAM THAT MADE THE MOST EXPLOSIVE PLAYS IN THE PASSING GAME WOULD ULTIMATELY WIN OUTSIDE OF TURNOVERS, AND I BELIEVE THAT TO BE THE CASE.

IOWA WON THEIR 50-50 IS OUTSIDE THE NUMBERS.

>> HERE'S THE BIG RUN BY GRONOWSKI.

HE DID THIS MOST OF THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON ONCE HE GOT HIMSELF KIND OF UNDER CONTROL.

BIG WIN THERE FOR HIM.

I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE CONTESTED CATCHES WITH WIDE RECEIVERS IN FOUR OUT OF FIVE IN THE FIRST HALF NEBRASKA DIDN'T MAKE.

IOWA MADE THEIRS LATER.

IOWA GOES UP 17-3 ON THE TOUCHDOWN.

NEBRASKA STILL VERY MUCH IN THIS GAME.

EMMETT JOHNSON MAKING PLAYS AGAIN ON THAT SECOND AND THREE ON THAT PLAY.

HE CONVERTED A COUPLE OF THIRD DOWNS HIMSELF.

HERE'S THIRD AND ONE GETTING THE FIRST DOWN MAKING GUYS MISS.

I LIKE FOR HIM TO KEEP RUNNING THERE.

PULLS THAT LITTLE.

>> YEAH ONE TOO MANY MOVES THERE.

>> A LOT OF CUTS THERE.

NOW THEY GET STOPPED.

THIRD AND FOUR NEBRASKA DECIDES TO GO FOR THE FIELD GOAL I COMPLETELY AGREE.

BUT AT THE TIME DIDN'T KNOW THIS WOULD BE THE LAST TIME THEY'D SCORE IN THE GAME.

BUT IT'S 17.

WE MENTIONED 17-16, ABOUT 231 LEFT, AND THIS IS WHERE YOU HAVE TO STOP THEM GOING INTO HALFTIME BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING THE BALL AFTER HALF.

>> YEAH.

JUST DIDN'T GET LINED UP, RIGHT.

IOWA WENT A LITTLE TEMPO AND SELF-INFLICTED HERE.

>> MOULTON'S BIG RUN THERE FOR 34 YARDS.

AND THEN ANOTHER RUN WHERE GRONOWSKI ESCAPES.

THEY END UP CALLING A PENALTY THERE.

ANOTHER ADVANCEMENT.

THE YOU KNOW, GRONOWSKI IS ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT HE'S GOING TO THROW A 2 OR 3 BALL STRAIGHT INTO THE TURF, BUT HE'S ALSO GONNA MAKE A COUPLE PLAYS AND HE'S GOING TO RUN ON YOU AND CONVERT THIRD DOWNS.

HERE'S THE TUSH PUSH INTO THE END ZONE.

ALL OF A SUDDEN FROM WHERE THEY WERE THEY'RE DOWN NOW EIGHT HEADING INTO HALFTIME.

AND YOU DON'T FEEL BAD.

AND I THINK THIS REALLY HURT THEM EMOTIONALLY.

YOU'VE BEEN MAKING SO MANY PLAYS ON SPECIAL TEAMS.

BARNEY MUFFS IT.

IT GOES IN THE END ZONE.

LUCKILY IT'S ONLY A SAFETY.

IT'S NOT A TOUCHDOWN, BUT STILL YOU KIND OF FELT THE ENERGY IN THE STADIUM.

>> WHERE YOU'D GOTTEN THE TWO STOPS TOO.

>> YEAH, YOU GOT TO.

>> SO YOU HAD DONE WHAT YOU NEEDED TO DO DEFENSIVELY AT THE TIME.

>> YEAH.

YOU WERE IN PROCESS TO TO AT LEAST BREAK EVEN ON THE THE MIDDLE THIRD.

YOU CERTAINLY WERE THERE.

HERE'S BARNEY SHOWING THE SKILL THAT HE HAS.

THAT'S A GREAT BOUNCE-BACK FROM HIM AFTER HAVING THAT FUMBLE.

>> YEAH REALLY AN ULTIMATE COMPETITOR.

>> ANOTHER PENALTY THOUGH AT THE END OF THIS.

MUSHED IT 15 YARDS BACK.

SO NEBRASKA A LONGER FIELD TO GO LOOKING FOR THE OPENING THERE I DON'T THINK I THINK THIS IS THE POINT WHERE THE LEG REALLY STARTED BOTHERING TJ LATEEF.

>> YEAH.

>> THERE'S A COUPLE OF PLAYS HERE WHERE YOU CAN SEE HE DOESN'T THROW THE BALL WITH THE SAME STEP THAT HE HAD BEEN DOING.

>> WHICH WHERE YOU GOT TO RUN THE BALL.

>> YEAH.

>> SEQUENTIAL PLAY CALLING GOT AWAY FROM NEBRASKA.

YOU GOT TO GO BACK TO RUNNING THE BALL.

>> YOU'RE GOING TO BREAK DOWN THAT PLAY.

>> YEAH.

JUST GOT SUCKED UP IN THE PLAY ACTION THERE.

AND THEY GOT THE TIGHT END THAT CAME FROM UNDERNEATH THERE.

AND JUST WIDE OPEN.

>> MAN MY HEART HURT FOR CEYAIR AFTER THAT GAME.

TAKING CREDIT OR BLAME FOR EVERYTHING THAT WENT WRONG.

YOU WEREN'T THE ONLY PERSON THAT MADE MISTAKES IN THE GAME.

BUT AS A SENIOR AND AT A VETERAN LEADER, HE TOOK CREDIT FOR A LOT OF THAT.

EMMETT JOHNSON CONTINUING TO PUT UP YARDS.

THAT'S A FACEMASK RIGHT THERE.

I KNOW IF YOU SAW THAT, THAT'S A FACEMASK.

BUT THEN HE CAN'T RUN.

SO HE HAS TO THROW IT ON THIRD DOWN.

INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO GET THE FIRST DOWN.

BACK COMES IOWA AGAIN A THIRD AND THREE.

THEY CONVERT.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEBRASKA COULDN'T DO IN THE SECOND HALF.

AND THEN MORE OF GRONOWSKI AND MAKING PLAYS.

AND THIS IS JUST GREAT 50-50 CATCH.

>> YEAH I MEAN.

>> I DON'T KNOW HOW EVEN DID IT.

>> EXPLOSIVES IN THE PASSING GAME.

THE ONE THING THAT YOU DIDN'T THINK WOULD BE A FACTOR TURNED OUT TO BE A FACTOR.

>> YEP AND THEN OF COURSE TOUCHDOWN MAKING IT 40-16 IOWA GETTING OVER 35 POINTS.

I DON'T THINK MANY PEOPLE EXPECTED THAT.

BUT TO GET THE 40 POINTS OR 40 BERGER SURPRISED A LOT.

THERE WAS STILL A WHOLE QUARTER LEFT, THOUGH.

EMMETT JOHNSON STILL GRINDING AWAY HIS BEST GAME, RUSHING AS A HUSKER HE THREE WEEKS IN A ROW.

HE HAD HIS LONGEST RUN OF HIS CAREER AND BETTERED HIS NUMBERS, THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON FOR EMMETT JOHNSON JUST BEEN INCREDIBLE.

AND AS A FORMER NEBRASKA I-BACK, YOU'VE GOTTA LOVE TO SEE IT.

>> I DO.

ESPECIALLY THAT HE WEARS 21.

HE WEARS IT A LOT BETTER THAN I DID.

IT'S JUST A HECK OF A PLAYER.

>> GETTING DOWN TO THE ONE YARD LINE HERE.

AND YOU GIVE A CHANCE TO HAARBERG TO RUN IT BECAUSE LATEEF'S GOT THE HAMSTRING ISSUE AND HE'S GOT TO GO TO THE CORNER.

JUST GO TO THE CORNER.

>> THIS IS A.

>> BE AN ATHLETE.

>> MICROCOSM OF OF WHAT WENT ON.

JUST GO SCORE.

>> YEAH, HE'S TOO GOOD AN ATHLETE FOR THAT.

HE'S GOT TO RUN THE CORNER.

LET'S GO TO STATS AND LOOK HOW THAT ADDED IT UP.

AGAIN WE MENTIONED IT WASN'T THAT BIG OF A DIFFERENCE GAME WISE.

YOU LOOK AT THE RUSHING YARDS.

YOU LOOK AT THE PASSING YARDS.

THAT'S THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE RIGHT THERE.

LOOK AT THE CONVERSIONS ON THIRD DOWN.

TIME OF POSSESSION.

NEBRASKA'S IN THE GAME FOR A LONG WAY BEFORE IT GETS TO WHERE IT GETS AWAY FROM THEM.

PLAYERS OF THE GAME NOT SURPRISED EMMETT JOHNSON ACCOUNTED FOR JUST UNDER 80% OF THE HUSKERS OFFENSE ON FRIDAY, AND ON DEFENSE DONOVAN JONES FINISHED THE DAY WITH NINE TACKLES AND A PBU.

LET'S CHECK IN WITH JAY FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT THE X'S AND O'S WITH JAY'S PLAYS.

(SWOOSH) >> WELCOME INTO JAY'S PLACE TONIGHT.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT A COUPLE PLAYS.

ONE GOOD, ONE BAD.

LET'S LOOK AT THIS.

GREAT EMMETT JOHNSON RUN WE HAD EARLY IN THE FIRST QUARTER TO SET NEBRASKA UP FOR A QUICK TOUCHDOWN.

NEBRASKA'S DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB.

YOU GET SOME INFLUENCE BLOCKS.

YOU GET JUSTIN EVANS.

AND I BELIEVE LUTOVSKY PULLING UP HERE TO KIND OF GET THE NEBRASKA OR THE IOWA LINEBACKERS TO FALSE STEP RIGHT.

BUT REALLY WHAT SETS US UP IS TURNER CORCORAN DOES A GREAT JOB OF CUTTING THIS DEFENSIVE END DOWN INITIALLY.

SO THEY HAVE AN EDGE.

BUT AS I WATCH AS I HIT PLAY THESE WIDE RECEIVERS DOWN HERE I THINK GOT BARNEY, HUNTER, THEY DO AN AWESOME JOB.

JUST HAVE THEY DONE ALL YEAR IN BLOCKING AND GETTING ON A GUY STICKING ON THEM AND REALLY SEALING THIS EDGE FOR EMMETT TO GO, AS WELL, THIS TAPE HERE, YOU CAN SEE, THEY'RE ON, THEY'RE LOCKED.

LOOK AT THIS DANE KEY RIGHT THERE.

HUNTER SEALING THE EDGES.

I MEAN THAT IS HIGH LEVEL EXECUTION EARLY ON.

NEBRASKA'S TEAM IN GENERAL NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT, BUT SETS UP BALL TO ONE INCH YARD LINE FOR NEBRASKA'S FIRST TOUCHDOWN.

NOW THIS WAS A LOT HAPPENING NEBRASKA DEFENSE GUYS IN POSITION NOT MAKE A PLAY.

THEY'RE GOING TO BRING PRESSURE FROM THE FIELD SIDE.

KADE PIETRZAK RIGHT HERE IS GOING TO BE ON THEIR ON THE EDGE.

WE'RE GOING TO BRING CEYAIR WRIGHT OFF THE CORNER BLITZ.

THIS IS A REALLY HARD SPOT.

I DON'T CARE HOW ATHLETIC YOU ARE.

REALLY TOUGH TO SEE UNBLOCKED.

RIGHT?

BUT HE NEEDS TO DO THIS.

YOU NEED TO SOMEHOW SLOW HIM UP.

SO PIETRZAK CAN COME OFF.

NEBRASKA GETS LOST HERE.

TIGHT END RIGHT HERE GETS LOST.

I'M PRETTY SURE THIS IS, BOWERS GUY OVER HERE GETS LOST IN THE SHUFFLE.

HE GETS OPEN, HE'S ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE POCKET AND CEYAIR WRIGHT'S ON IT.

NOT TO SLOW HIM UP ENOUGH.

PIETRZAK CAN GET OVER THERE.

81.

WE SAW HIM ALL DAY, BEAT US UP.

HAD A HECK OF A DAY AS TIGHT END, AS IOWA TIGHT ENDS LIKE TO DO.

WE CAN SEE HIM TRY TO CATCH UP BAUER LATE HERE TO MAKE THIS TACKLE A LOT OF THE SAME ISSUES.

NEBRASKA DEFENSIVELY.

LET'S SEND IT BACK TO MIKE'L.

>> NEXT UP WE'LL BE JOINED BY FORMER NEBRASKA COACH BILL BUSH BUT FIRST LET'S CHECK IN WITH IAN VOSBURG.

>> THANKS, MIKE'L.

IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE HUSKER FOOTBALL TEAM AND BREAKING DOWN ALL THE PLAYS TO SEE HOW THE OUTCOME OF THE GAME HAPPENED.

RIGHT NOW IT IS OUR MEMBERSHIP DRIVE, SO WE'RE HERE TO ASK FOR YOU TO MAKE A FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TO NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING A LOYAL VIEWER AND SUPPORTER OF BIG RED WRAP-UP.

BUT RIGHT NOW, YOUR DONATIONS MAKE THIS AND OUR OTHER PROGRAMS POSSIBLE.

MAKE YOUR DONATION RIGHT NOW BY GIVING US A CALL AT 800-989-8236, OR GO ON TO OUR WEBSITE, NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE, AND WE'LL THANK YOU WITH ONE OF THESE SPORTS GIFTS.

WHEN YOU MAKE A DONATION OF $15 A MONTH, WELL, THANK YOU.

WITH THE NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS FLEECE JACKET, YOU CAN SEE THAT I'VE BEEN WEARING IT HERE IN THE STUDIO.

AND I CAN ATTEST IT IS A VERY WARM JACKET.

IT SAYS IT'S LIGHTWEIGHT, BUT IT'S RED.

IT HAS A NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS LOGO, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO WEAR IT AT ANY HUSKER SPORTING EVENT AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA, WHERE YOU CAN MAKE A DONATION OF $5 A MONTH AS A SUSTAINING STAR MEMBER.

THAT'S A $60, ONE TIME GIFT, AND WE'LL THANK YOU WITH A THREE MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO BIG TEN PLUS.

LAST YEAR, BIG TEN PLUS HAD OVER 2700 GAMES THAT COULD NOT BE WATCHED ANYWHERE ELSE, INCLUDING 86 NEBRASKA EVENTS THAT CAN ONLY BE STREAMED WITH BIG TEN PLUS.

THE NUMBER TO CALL IS 800-989-8236 OR GO ONLINE, NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE.

THERE'S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO GIVE TO SUSTAIN WHAT MATTERS, BECAUSE YOUR DONATION OF ANY AMOUNT RIGHT NOW DURING BIG RED WRAP-UP IS TRIPLED.

$10 A MONTH BECOMES $30 A MONTH, $100 BECOMES $300.

THAT'S THANKS TO A GENEROUS MATCHING GIFT FROM MARGARET HORNADY-DAVID OF GRAND ISLAND, WHO IS MATCHING DONATED FUNDS UP TO $100,000.

SO GO AHEAD AND MAKE YOUR DONATION RIGHT NOW.

AND WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR DONATION, WE HAVE SOME THANK YOU GIFTS AVAILABLE.

YOU CAN MAKE YOUR DONATION OF $15 A MONTH, AND WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU WITH THE NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS FLEECE JACKET THAT I'M WEARING RIGHT NOW.

IT'S A RED FLEECE JACKET.

IT SAYS NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS ON IT.

AND YOU SHOW THAT, YES, YOU ARE INDEED A SUPPORTER OF NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

WHEN YOU MAKE A DONATION OF $5 A MONTH, WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU WITH A THREE MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO BIG TEN PLUS, YOUR DONATION RIGHT NOW IS TRIPLED WHEN YOU GIVE TO SUSTAIN WHAT MATTERS.

THIS IS THE BIGGEST MATCH WE'VE EVER HAD, THANKS TO MARGARET HORNANDY-DAVID OF GRAND ISLAND.

WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AS WELL.

WE'LL BE BACK ONE MORE TIME BEFORE BIG RED WRAP-UP IS OVER, BUT PLEASE DO MAKE YOUR DONATION BY GIVING US A CALL AT 800-989-8236 OR YOU CAN ALWAYS GO TO OUR SECURE WEBSITE NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE.

NOW BACK TO BIG RED WRAP-UP.

>> THANKS IAN.

YOUR DONATIONS HELP US TO KEEP LOOKING BACK AT GREAT HIGHLIGHTS LIKE THIS ONE FROM HUSKER HISTORY.

IT'S THE GAME OF THE CENTURY 1971 SECOND RANKED OKLAHOMA IN MEMORIAL STADIUM AGAINST THE TOP RANKED HUSKERS.

YOU'VE PROBABLY NEVER SEEN THIS HIGHLIGHT BEFORE.

JOHNNY ROGERS GETTING IT ALL STARTED WITH A 72 YARD PUNT RETURN FOR A TD MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD TEARING THEM LOOSE FROM THEIR SHOES.

AND THEN MIDWAY THROUGH THE FOURTH QUARTER, JACK MILDREN HIT JOHN HARRISON FOR HIS SECOND TOUCHDOWN CATCH OF THE DAY FOR BOOMER SOONER, UP 31-28, BUT NEBRASKA CAME BACK AND ANSWERED IT.

THE FIVE MINUTE PLUS DRIVE, CAPPED BY JEFF KINNEY'S FOURTH TOUCHDOWN OF THE GAME, ON TOP OF THE 174 YARDS TO TAKE THE GAME, 35-31.

ON TO BOB DEVANEY'S SECOND STRAIGHT NATIONAL TITLE.

HOW MANY TOTAL TOUCHDOWNS DID JOHNNY ROGERS SCORE IN THE 1971 SEASON?

THAT'S YOUR TRIVIA QUESTION OUT THERE AS WELL.

JUST CONTACT WITH YOUR ANSWER, AND YOU COULD WIN A COPY OF SEAN CALLAHAN'S NEW BOOK ABOUT THE HUSKERS, THE PROGRAM NEBRASKA'S CURATED HISTORY OF THE CORNHUSKERS.

THIS WEEK'S WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON NEXT WEEK'S SHOW.

BY THE WAY, LAST WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION, HOW MANY STRAIGHT OVERTIME GAMES HAVE THE HUSKERS LOST?

THE ANSWER IS SEVEN, AND THE WINNER IS ROD YANAGIDA.

THAT'S HOW IT'S PRONOUNCED.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S CORRECT OR NOT, BUT LET'S BE JOINED NOW BY FORMER HUSKER COACH BILL BUSCH JOINING US HERE ON THE RED WRAP-UP.

COACH, HOW ARE YOU DOING?

>> GREAT.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME AGAIN.

APPRECIATE THAT.

>> WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME.

NEVER EASY OBVIOUSLY FOR A COACH TO GET LET GO.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU SAW FROM THIS DEFENSE, ESPECIALLY THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS THAT LED TO THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR HAVING TO BE LET GO?

>> IT IS.

IT'S A FIRST OF ALL AT THAT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, THIS PROFESSION.

I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT WE CHOOSE IT.

AND SO LONG HOURS LONG TIMES HARD LIFE.

YEAH WE DID CHOOSE IT.

AND SO THAT'S PART OF THE GAME.

SO I'VE NEVER BEEN PART OF LIKE, MAN, YOU REALLY GOT TO FEEL SORRY FOR US ON THESE CASES.

BUT IT'S ALWAYS TOUGH FOR ANY TIME THAT SOMEONE IS LET GO BECAUSE THAT IS A THAT'S A PARENT.

THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON WITH THAT.

DEFENSIVELY, OBVIOUSLY, THE THINGS THAT PROBABLY STOOD OUT THE MOST, WAS THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH I USE THE TERM KNOCK-BACK.

AND SO UPFRONT ENOUGH DISRUPTION SOMETIMES WHEN YOU HAVE TO BE SO PERFECT AND CALL EVERYTHING SO GOOD AND EVERYTHING'S, WE GOT TO FIT THIS EXACTLY RIGHT WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE GREAT LINEBACKERS PLAY.

BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES IF YOU'RE A THREE TECHNIQUE OR A ZERO NOSE AND YOU GET REACHED, BUT YOU GET GREAT KNOCK-BACK, THE LINEBACKER OVERLAPS IT AND HE RUNS IT DOWN.

BUT THE DISRUPTION UP FRONT AND THE DISRUPTION AT DEFENSIVE END ON THOSE SPOTS ALSO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

AND SO PROBABLY THE LACK OF DISRUPTION WAS THE THING THAT STOOD OUT THE MOST.

THAT ALLOWS, LINEBACKERS TO RUN.

THAT ALLOWS DIFFERENT THINGS TO HAPPEN IN THE BACK END.

SO THAT WAS PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE MISSING ELEMENT THAT I SAW FROM THE DEFENSE.

>> YOU BRING UP A GOOD POINT BECAUSE I'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY, FORMER TEAMMATES AS LIKE NEBRASKA HAS GOT TO GET MORE ATHLETIC.

I AGREE THAT THERE'S SOME SPOTS THEY NEED TO GET MORE, MORE SPEED, BUT I FELT LIKE AT TIMES AS DEFENSE, THEY WEREN'T ALLOWED TO PLAY FAST.

SO IT KIND OF SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE A HALF STEP SLOW BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO BE SO PERFECT.

HOW IS A COORDINATOR IF YOU'RE TRYING TO GET YOUR GUYS OVER THE HUMP, HOW CAN YOU LET THEM PLAY A LITTLE MORE FREE KNOWING BECAUSE YOU YOU TRY, YOU TEACH PERFECT RIGHT AS YOU ALWAYS.

OH, YOU KNOW, THE MISS AIM OR SMALL MISS SMALL TYPE OF THING.

BUT TO ME, AT TIMES THEY SEEM TO BE TOO PERFECT, WHICH ALLOWED THEM TO PLAY A LITTLE TOO SLOW, WHICH GAVE THEM THAT CREASE BECAUSE NOT ENOUGH KNOCK-BACK.

BUT HOW DO YOU LET YOUR GET YOUR PLAYERS JUST TO LET LOOSE AND PLAY FREE?

WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO BE SO PERFECT?

>> USUALLY IT'S LESS, USUALLY IT'S LESS.

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE A BIG ROLODEX IN YOUR CALL SHEET, BUT ALSO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THERE.

THREE TECHNIQUE GOT REACH.

WHAT HAPPENED ON THIS?

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED.

ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS COME UP.

EASY A SMALLER ROLODEX TO LET THEM PLAY AND THEN REALLY HAVE A FEEL FOR THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR IN IN THE BIG PICTURE AND THIRD DOWN DEFENSE.

THEY SHOULD ALREADY KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SIGNAL IN.

LIKE WE KNOW WHAT BLITZ IS COMING FIRST.

WE KNOW WHAT BLUFF WE'RE GOING TO SHOW.

WE HAVE THESE LOOKS.

SAME THING ON CONTROL DOWNS WHICH IS YOU KNOW IS INTENSE.

FIRST AND TEN THOSE DRIVES THAT YOU'RE CONTROLLING THE PLAY.

WHAT CAN MAKE ME PLAY THE FASTEST.

AND WHAT CALLS ARE THE ONES THAT WE KNOW WE CAN EXECUTE THE BEST.

AND SO IT'S WHAT DO THEY FEEL THE MOST COMFORTABLE WITH.

THAT'S ALWAYS A PROBLEM.

LIKE I SAID, WE DROP THINGS ON THURSDAYS OR FRIDAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO HANDLE BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT THEM IN THOSE SPOTS.

AND SO THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT GUYS CAN JUST DO AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE GUYS ARE IN THAT SPOT.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE TOUCHES IN OFFENSE.

IN A WAY LIKE THAT.

MAKE SURE WE GET TOUCHES TO THIS CERTAIN PLAYER.

LIKE OFFENSE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB.

EMMETT WAS THEIR BEST PLAYER.

SO WE GOT THE BALL A LOT.

DEFENSE IS THE SAME TYPE OF MENTALITY OF WHAT CAN I CALL THAT?

ALL 11 FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT THE CALL TO MAKE THEM, HEY, LET'S GO PLAY FAST AND LET'S GO.

>> YOU'VE DONE IT, ON ALL ANGLES.

BUT IN PARTICULAR THE SECONDARY.

WE FOCUS A LOT AND I LIKE THE WHOLE KNOCK BACK THING TO JUST THE LACK OF VIOLENCE AND CONSTRICTING HOLES.

I THINK IS, WAS A BIG DEAL.

BUT MARRYING SECONDARY COVERAGE IN RUN FITS WITH HOW YOUR FRONT WANTS TO PLAY IS CRITICAL.

HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT TAKES FOR THE TRUST TO HAPPEN?

OR WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN FOR THE TRUST TO HAPPEN?

SO SECOND LEVEL KNOWS, OKAY, HE'S A WEAK SIDE A-GAP RUN FITTER.

YOU KNOW, I'M WEAKSIDE B AND THEN SAFETIES AND ALLEY RUNNERS CAN FIT OFF OF THAT.

LIKE THEY JUST SEEM TO BE A LITTLE DISJOINTED.

WHETHER THEY WANTED TO FIT OUT OF QUARTERS, WHETHER THEY WANTED TO FIT OUT OF TWO OR CORNERS WERE ALWAYS IN LIKE RUN CONFLICT.

WHAT'S THAT PROGRESSION LOOK LIKE FOR YOU TO TRUST TO FIT OUT OF AT OF THE THIRD LEVEL?

>> YEAH, IT'S A BIG PART OF IT.

EVERY CALL YOU WOULD MAKE HAS TO MATCH UP WITH IMMEDIATELY WITH, AND THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF COMMUNICATION WHICH JAY WOULD KNOW.

THERE'S A LOT OF AT LEAST TO USE THE TERM "I'M HERE" CALLS, DIFFERENT CALLS ALLOW.

BACKERS KNOW THAT I'VE GOT A SAFETY COMING DOWN.

YOU KNOW, THE ONE THING THAT, YOU KNOW, A FEW YEARS AGO, BACK WHEN I WAS IN A UNIQUE SITUATION AND TAKING OVER LATE, THERE WAS A LOT OF DROP DOWN SAFETIES, AND, AND SO THE CHANGE I MADE WAS JUST TO.

WE DIDN'T DROP DOWN ANYMORE.

WE LINED UP DOWN.

AND SO THAT WAY YOU.

>> YOU JUST PLAYED WITH EIGHT.

>> JUST PLAY.

JUST DID.

YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE JUST GOING TO PUT EIGHT DOWN HERE INSTEAD OF TRYING TO BE HAVING THEM WORRIED ON THE OTHER SIDE WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS THAT A TWO HIGH LOOK BECAUSE THEY'RE THEY'RE GETTING QUARTERS.

BUT NOW IT'S GOING TO BE A ONE HIGH LOOK.

I GO, HOW ABOUT IF WE JUST LINE UP IN A ONE, I LOOK AND GET DOWN AND LET HIM PLAY FAST?

AND THAT USUALLY WHEN YOU HAVE THE FEEL OF A LINEBACKER SO YOU CAN FEEL THE SAFETY RIGHT NEXT, OR YOU CAN FEEL THE OTHER PERSON NEXT TO YOU, THAT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

SO THAT'S A WAY TO SIMPLIFY THINGS ALSO IS TO SAY, LET'S JUST GET LINED UP ON OUR BEST EXACT SPOT WITH WHAT WE CAN DO.

>> HOW HARD IS THAT, THOUGH?

AS A COORDINATOR TO SET YOUR EGO ASIDE BECAUSE AS YOU GUYS ARE SO SMART, YOU KNOW SO MUCH AND YOU WANT TO DO YOU'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DO COMPLICATED THINGS.

YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY, I KNOW A LOT.

I'M ABLE TO TEACH AND COACH A LOT, BUT TO KIND OF SET THAT ASIDE AND SAY, HEY, I GOT TO PUT MY GUYS IN THE BEST POSITION TO WIN ON EVERY DOWN.

JUST THE DIFFICULTIES OF KIND OF PUTTING YOUR EGO AND WHAT YOU KNOW, ASIDE TO SET YOUR PLAYERS UP TO WIN ON EVERY DOWN.

>> YOU DO HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO.

AND THAT HAPPENED THE MOST, JAY, PROBABLY IN THE IN THE GOOD TEAMS I WAS ON OR WAS THERE ON DEFENSIVE STAFFS THAT WERE GREAT, WAS THE FIGURED OUT IN THE MEETING ROOM BECAUSE SOMETIMES THERE WOULD BE THINGS LIKE TOO.

YOU JUST SEEM SO SIMPLE AND SO AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU WOULD SEE IN THEIR EYES AND ALSO YOU SEE THEM ASKING QUESTIONS.

IF YOU HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP AND THEY'LL AND THOSE GUYS ARE YOU HAVE TO ASK QUESTIONS.

AFTER A WHILE, THAT'S WHEN IT HITS YOU.

THIS IS NOT LAID UP FOR THEM THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.

HOW IT SHOULD BE TO HAVE IT SET.

AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE A LOT OF SIMPLE THINGS.

AND AN IDEA WOULD BE A LOT OF BLITZES WILL HAPPEN.

YOU'LL SEE BTF BLITZ THE FORMATION OR BLITZ THE BACK, WHICH MEANS YOU'RE GOING TO ATTACK THE THE FORMATION FOR PROTECTION.

WE'RE GOING TO ATTACK THE BACK.

AND THEN WE'D ALWAYS BE IF THEY MOVE THE BACK, WHICH WE USE THE TERM XEROX, IF THEY MOVE THE BACK, WE WOULD SWITCH THE BLITZ.

THAT BIT CREATED A LOT OF CONFLICT.

SO THEN WE GOT TO THE POINT.

IF THEY FLIP THE BACK, JUST KEEP THE SAME BLITZ BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO MAKE ALL OF A. SO WE'RE RUNNING INTO EACH.

AND THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE JUST YOU'RE AS A COACH YOU WERE LIKE NO JUST FLIP IT NOW IT'S A LULULU CALL.

AND EVERYONE'S THE OPPOSITE WAY.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN TWO GUYS RUN INTO EACH OTHER.

THAT'S AS A COACH, YOU GOT TO BE ABLE TO PUT THAT ASIDE AND SAY, OKAY, THIS HAPPENED.

HOW DO WE ATTACK AT THE BEST AND HOW CAN WE LEAVE IT ON?

BECAUSE IF YOU EXECUTE A BAD PLAN, WELL, YOU'LL STILL SUCCEED.

>> YOU TALKED A LOT ABOUT YOUR OWN.

TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SPECIAL TEAMS, SOMETHING YOU KNOW A LOT ABOUT AS WELL.

WHAT DID MIKE EKELER DO?

I KNOW YOU HAD THE BARNEY BUMBLE AND MAYBE THE PUNTING WASN'T GREAT, BUT THE COVERAGE TEAMS WERE MUCH BETTER THAN THEY HAVE BEEN THE LAST FEW YEARS.

WHAT DID HE DO AS A SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR TO GET THAT TURNED AROUND?

>> NOT BEING IN THE BUILDING, NOT SURE, BUT I WOULD JUST IMAGINE THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A LOT MORE INDIVIDUAL.

I KNOW I WAS A HUGE INDIVIDUAL, A WHOLE PART WHOLE, OF YOU HAVE TO DO INDIVIDUAL WORK IN YOUR SPECIAL TEAM SECTION.

EVERY SINGLE TIME.

THAT WAS A WAS A BIG PART OF IT.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS ESPECIALLY IN COORDINATOR HERE, MY MIDDLE TIME HERE, YOU KNOW, JAY WAS THERE WITH ME DURING THAT TIME AND THAT WAS INDIVIDUAL WAS PART OF IT.

SO I WOULD IMAGINE HE DID A GREAT JOB THERE.

THE NEXT THING YOU HAVE TO DO IN SPECIAL TEAMS IS, IS THAT SO YOU BRING KIDS ON A RECRUITING TRIP AND THEY HAVE ALL THESE THINGS LAID OUT FOR HIM.

WE'RE GOING TO WE HAVE A CHANCE.

YOU CAN PLAY.

HERE'S OUR PLAN.

WE'RE GOING TO DO IT FOR YOU ON DEFENSE.

HERE'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP YOU.

HERE'S WHERE YOU DO ACADEMICALLY.

WE'RE PREPARING YOU FOR THE NFL.

WHAT A GREAT DEAL.

AND THEN YOU ASK HIM ABOUT THAT.

ALSO YOU'RE EXCITED ABOUT BEING THE LEFT GUARD ON THE PUNT TEAM RIGHT.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND THAT'S NOT THERE.

AND SO YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR YOU HAVE TO GET GUYS CONVINCED TO BE ABLE TO BUILD TO BE EXCITED ABOUT BEING THE LEFT GUARD ON THE PUNT TEAM.

YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GET A BUNCH OF WIDE RECEIVERS THAT WANT TOUCHES TO COVER PUNTS.

YOU WANT TO GET THEM ON KICKOFF.

ALL THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS HAVE HAD TO ENGAGE YOUR UNIT, BUT YOU CAN'T JUST BE.

YOU HAVE TO BE TIED INTO THOSE AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT A BIG DEAL.

AND SO THAT WAS I WOULD IMAGINE THAT'S WHAT HE DID WELL, WAS HE WAS ABLE TO GET THE FOOTBALL COMMUNITY FROM WITHIN ON HIS SIDE.

AND HE HAD, LIKE I SAID, YOU HAVE TO FOR YOUR TO HAVE CULTURE, YOUR BEST PLAYERS HAVE TO BE YOUR HARDEST WORKERS.

AND SO I'D IMAGINE THAT'S WHAT HE DID IS HE GOT GOOD, GREAT PLAYERS IN GOOD SPOTS AND HE GOT THE CULTURE FOR THAT.

IT WAS A BIG DEAL.

I MEAN, I KNOW BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE EMBARRASSING IF YOU'RE NOT ON THE STARTED ON THE PUNT TEAM, THAT'S ALL.

THAT'S WHAT URBAN MEYER TAUGHT ME RIGHT AWAY IS INVITE ONLY.

AND THEN WE CHANGED THAT WHEN MICKEY TOOK OVER HERE AND THE PUNT TEAM ATE FIRST AT DINNER.

AND SO YOU WANT TO BE ON THE ELITE.

YOU BETTER BE ON THE PUNT TEAM.

IF YOU'RE NOT, DON'T COME TALK TO ME.

>> HOW WOULD.

>> GO AHEAD DB.

>> HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE RIGOR, RIGHT.

WITH TODAY'S COLLEGE GAME, IT'S A LOT OF SPACE, A LOT OF PACE.

THE GAME IS EVOLVED.

HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE RIGOR TO BE AS PHYSICAL AS YOU THINK WE NEED TO BE TO PLAY IN THIS CONFERENCE.

>> WELL, OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A CERTAIN THING WITH IT.

CHARLIE MCBRIDE TAUGHT ME, OBVIOUSLY, JUST HIS BIRTHDAY THE OTHER DAY.

I HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO HIM, BUT CHARLIE TAUGHT ME YOU ONLY HAVE SO MANY TRAIN WRECKS IN YOU, AND SO YOU CAN'T JUST BEAT PEOPLE UP EITHER.

YOU GOT TO HAVE GUYS READY TO GO TO PLAY ON SATURDAY.

AND SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR REPS COUNT.

SO DURING THE WEEK, IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT THE QUALITY OF GREAT REPS AND THAT ARE FULL SPEED REPS, ESPECIALLY O-LINE, D-LINE, I TRIED TO HAVE ENOUGH CONTACT AND ENOUGH TO HAVE THAT FEEL FOR WHAT IT'S LIKE TO PUT HANDS ON PEOPLE BECAUSE THOSE O-LINE, D-LINEMEN THEY'RE DIFFERENT.

THEY'RE PUTTING HANDS ON PEOPLE EVERY PLAY AND THAT'S HARD.

AND SO YOU WANT TO BUILD AND SAY, HOW CAN WE GET THESE GUYS SET UP WITH ENOUGH QUALITY REPS?

AND I KNOW AT LSU, WITH ED ORGERON, IT WAS REAL SIMPLE.

IT WAS WHEN HE CALLED INSIDE RUN, IT WAS LIKE HORNS WENT OFF AND YOUR HEAD EXPLODED AND THERE WAS GOING TO BE 16 PLAYS OF INSIDE RUN.

GOOD ON GOOD.

AND THAT'S WHAT WAS GOING TO BE.

AND HE WOULD YELL OUT EVERY TIME, LIKE, OFFENSE FIVE DEFENSE FOUR WHATEVER THE NUMBER WAS, AND AWAY WE GO.

SO THAT'S HOW YOU GOT YOUR QUALITY REPS DURING THAT TIME.

>> COACH WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS FOR COMING IN.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THANKS, GUYS.

>> AWESOME.

HEY, WHEN WE COME BACK WE'RE GOING TO TALK SOME RECRUITING SIGNING DAYS TOMORROW WITH SEAN CALLAHAN.

LET'S FIRST SEND IT OVER TO IAN.

>> FANS OF NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING US IN MAKING PROGRAMS JUST LIKE BIG RED WRAP-UP POSSIBLE FOR DECADES.

BUT THAT'S ONLY WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR DONATION CALL NOW AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT.

THE NUMBER TO CALL IS 800-989-8236 OR GO TO OUR WEBSITE, NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE.

WHEN YOU DONATE $15 A MONTH, WE'D LOVE TO THANK YOU WITH THE NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS FLEECE JACKET.

YOU CAN SEE THAT I'VE BEEN WEARING IT TONIGHT.

IT'S RED.

IT'S A MIDWAY MID-WEIGHT FLEECE JACKET THAT HAS ZIPPERED POCKETS, AND THE NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS LOGO EMBROIDERED ON THE FRONT SO THAT YOU CAN SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA AT EVERY SPORTING EVENT THAT YOU GO TO.

WHEN YOU MAKE A DONATION OF $5 A MONTH AS A SUSTAINING STAR MEMBER, WE CAN THANK YOU.

WITH A THREE MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO BIG TEN PLUS.

LAST YEAR, BIG TEN PLUS STREAMED OVER 2700 NON-TELEVISED GAMES AND EVENTS, INCLUDING NEBRASKA EVENTS THAT YOU CAN'T WATCH ANYWHERE ELSE.

ALSO, YOU CAN WATCH BIG TEN GAMES ON DEMAND FOLLOWING THEIR CONCLUSION OF EACH EVENT, AND WE HAVE A TRIPLE MATCH ALERT GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

WE HAVE A GENEROUS GIFT THANKS TO MARGARET HORNADY-DAVID OF GRAND ISLAND.

THAT MEANS YOUR GIFT GOES THREE TIMES AS FAR, SO YOU MAKE A DONATION OF $20 A MONTH.

WELL, THAT'S GOING TO BECOME $60 A MONTH.

$200 BECOMES $600.

NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU GIVE, THAT'S TRIPLED BECAUSE OF THAT GENEROUS MATCH FROM MARGARET HORNADY-DAVID.

DON'T MISS THIS CHANCE TO HELP SUSTAIN WHAT MATTERS FOR NEBRASKA.

THE NUMBER TO CALL IS 800-989-8236 OR GO TO OUR WEBSITE, NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE EVERY SINGLE YEAR NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

WE HAVE OVER 200 HOURS OF LIVE SPORTS COVERAGE.

FOR PUBLIC MEDIA STATIONS THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN HARDLY ANYWHERE ELSE.

THERE'S ONLY A HANDFUL OF STATIONS ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY WHO ARE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO IT BECAUSE OF YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

WE HAVE THE NEBRASKA HIGH SCHOOL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS.

WE JUST HAD VOLLEYBALL AND FOOTBALL, BUT WE ALSO HAVE BASKETBALL, WRESTLING, BOWLING, BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL.

WHILE YOU HELP BROADCAST ALL OF THESE, INCLUDING HUSKER VOLLEYBALL, CREIGHTON VOLLEYBALL, SOCCER, BASEBALL, WOMEN'S BASKETBALL, THIS IS ALL POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF YOUR SUPPORT.

AND IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET, CHECK OUT BEHIND THE SCENES OF NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS.

IT'S OUR NEW DOCUMENTARY THAT SHOWS THE DEDICATION OF OUR SPORTS CREW, AND IT'S ONLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF YOUR SUPPORT.

GO AHEAD AND MAKE THAT DONATION RIGHT NOW.

800-989-8236 OR GO TO OUR WEBSITE NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE.

WE'D LOVE TO THANK YOU WITH THAT NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS FLEECE JACKET AT $15 A MONTH, OR IF YOU MAKE A DONATION OUT $5 A MONTH, WE CAN THANK YOU WITH A THREE MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO BIG TEN PLUS.

AGAIN, THAT NUMBER TO CALL TO HAVE YOUR DONATION TRIPLED IS 800-989-8236 OR YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE, NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE AND THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE DONATED.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.

>> THANKS IAN.

TOP GIVERS TO THE FRIDAYS TOP PLAYS.

STARTING OFF WITH THE POOCH KICK THAT HAD KADEN WETJEN REALLY NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS GOING ON, NEBRASKA RECOVERS THAT IT'S A BIG PLAY IN THE GAME ONLY LEADS TO A FIELD GOAL, BUT STILL USING THE WIND.

KNOWING THE WIND IN YOUR STADIUM TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

AND OF COURSE THE BIG PLAY OF THE DAY EMMETT'S 71 YARD.

IT'S 70 REALLY, BECAUSE THAT SIX INCHES THEY DIDN'T GIVE IT TO HIM BECAUSE OF THE TOUCHDOWN.

BUT ALL THE BLOCKING JAY BROKE IT DOWN EARLIER.

WIDE RECEIVERS DOING THEIR JOB.

TURNER CORCORAN GETTING THE CUT BLOCK.

AND THEN EMMETT ALMOST GETTING IN.

GREAT REPLAY HERE IN SLOW MO JUST SEEING THE KNEE AND THEN THE ELBOW AS HE DIVES FOR THE END ZONE.

IT'S VERY DRAMATIC.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE NFL FILMS.

BUT OF COURSE THEY GET IN THERE.

NEXT.

LET'S TALK TO SEAN CALLAHAN.

TOMORROW OF COURSE IS RECRUITING DAY.

SIGNING DAY.

IT'S NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE BUT STILL TEN NEW.

AT LEAST TEN NEW.

>> YEAH, WE'RE EXPECTING TEN NOW.

THEY ADDED ONE MORE TODAY.

MICHAEL SARIKIZIS, A KICKER OUT OF AUSTRALIA.

A PLACEKICKER.

>> PLACE KICKER, NOT A PUNTER.

AND THAT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE USUALLY WHEN YOU THINK PRO KICKOFF AUSTRALIA YOU THINK PUNTERS.

BUT, AND THIS IS NOT ANY INDICTMENT ON WHAT THEY CURRENTLY HAVE.

THEY JUST WANT MORE DEPTH.

KYLE CUNANAN, JOHN HOHL, THEY, THEY LIKE BOTH THOSE GUYS, BUT THEY WANT TO HAVE ANOTHER GUY AS WELL, TO COME IN.

SO, MIKE EKELER GOES TO AUSTRALIA.

THAT'LL BE THE 10TH EDITION.

AND YOU MENTIONED SIGNING DAY.

NOT WHAT IT IS.

I MEAN, COACHES NOT ON THE ROAD RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FEEL.

BUT IT WILL BE THE SMALLEST CLASS, THAT WE'VE SEEN IN NEBRASKA, REALLY, IN THE MODERN DAY HISTORY OF RECRUITING AS, I THINK NALIN SCOTT IS PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, A GOOD RECEIVER.

MILES, COUPLE RECEIVERS.

DANNY ODEM, ULTIMATELY, PROBABLY YOUR HIGHEST PROFILE RECRUIT IN THIS CLASS.

>> RULED THE RUNNING BACK IS THE ONE.

HE REALLY INTRIGUES ME.

>> YEAH.

JAMAL RULE.

YOU KNOW, I THINK HE WITH THE SITUATION AT RUNNING BACK AS A GUY TO WATCH FOR NEXT YEAR.

I ALSO LIKE LUKE SORENSEN, THE TIGHT END.

>> GOT SPACE FOR HIM.

>> AND YOU KNOW HE THEY WERE VERY HIGH ON HIM.

YOU KNOW GOOD TIGHT ENDS IN THE STATE THIS YEAR.

A COUPLE OF MILLARD SOUTH, OBVIOUSLY, BUT SORENSEN WAS THEIR GUY THAT THEY WANTED FROM THE GET GO THAT THEY RECRUITED.

AND YOU KNOW I THINK THEY'RE REALLY PLEASED WITH WHAT HE'S GOING TO BRING TO THE TABLE.

>> HE'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO CONTRIBUTE HIS FRESHMAN YEAR.

NEXT WEEK ON BIGGER WRAP-UP.

WE WILL GO THROUGH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE NEW HUSKERS THAT WILL BE JOINING NEBRASKA AT OUR NORMAL TIME, 7 P.M.

CENTRAL, RIGHT HERE ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA, FACEBOOK LIVE, AND YOUTUBE LIVE.

WE'LL ALSO LOOK AHEAD TO WHAT NEBRASKA COULD BE LOOKING FORWARD IN THE PORTAL.

A BIG PART NOW OF WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT IS NOW ONLY YOU HAVE THIS SIGNING DAY, BUT YOU'RE RECRUITING YOUR OWN PLAYERS TOO.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT TO BE TALKING TO THESE GUYS TO MAKE SURE THEY KNOW YOU WANT THEM AND SO THEY DON'T GO OUT IN THE PORTAL?

>> YEAH, I THINK IT'S HUGE, BUT I THINK ONE THING AS A COACH AND COACH RHULE HAS TALKED ABOUT IT, AND I THINK TO HAVE AS A STAFF, YOU KIND OF KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.

YOU KNOW, GUYS ARE BEING CONTACT.

A LOT OF THESE GUYS WILL TELL AND SHOW YOU AND AND SOMETIMES IT'S FOR LEVERAGE.

SOMETIMES IT'S BECAUSE THEY JUST WANT TO KNOW AND THEY'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A SENIOR CLASS WITH ONLY WHATEVER IT WAS, SATURDAY'S EIGHT FRIDAY 19 GUYS, RIGHT?

YOU KNEW THAT THIS CLASS WASN'T GOING TO BE BIG.

IT'S IN HOPES TO RETAIN A LOT OF WHAT THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW, ONLY TO SUPPLEMENT THROUGH THE PORTAL.

SO, KEEPING YOUR ESPECIALLY YOUR YOUNG NUCLEUS, YOU GOT A LOT OF YOUNG GUYS THAT YOU LIKE.

I THINK KEEPING THOSE GUYS AROUND AND ENCOURAGED WOULD BE HUGE.

>> HOW BIG IS IT?

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO KEEP DYLAN RAILOLA?

>> YOU KNOW, LIKE I JUST SAID, YOU GOT TO LET THINGS CONTINUE TO PLAY OUT.

I THINK WE'VE GOT A GOOD MONTH OF THIS STILL.

BUT HE'S WITH THE TEAM RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, GOING TO REHAB EVERYTHING.

BUT IT'S TJ LATEEF FOR THE BALL GAME.

BUT YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE DONE THERE YET.

I'LL SAY THAT.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT THAT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT WITH THIS QUARTERBACK ROOM.

THE FUTURE AND WHAT DIRECTION THEY ULTIMATELY GO.

BECAUSE IT IS HARD TO PAY TWO QUARTERBACKS A LOT OF MONEY.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO GO HAVE TO BE A DECISION HOW THIS PLAYS OUT.

BECAUSE DYLAN RAIOLA IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST PAID PLAYERS IN COLLEGE.

FOOTBALL, RIGHT NOW.

>> YEAH.

WE MOVE TO THOSE YOUNG DEFENSIVE LINEMEN.

HOW BIG OF AN OFF-SEASON?

WELL, FIRST WE GOT TO KEEP THEM,BUT KEONA DAVIS.

YOU KNOW THAT WILLIAMS NWANERI, THOSE GUYS EVEN VAN POPPEL.

GUYS THAT ARE VERY YOUNG DEVELOP THEM.

>> 100%.

YOU GOT TO TAKE WHAT YOU'VE DONE WELL THIS YEAR AND LEARN FROM THAT AND SAY, OKAY, HOW CAN I IMPROVE?

BUT ALSO WHAT DO I BIGGEST THING IS WHAT DO I NEED TO IMPROVE?

AND I THINK OBVIOUSLY THINGS COULD CHANGE.

I DON'T SAY DRASTICALLY.

I THINK COACH RHULE WILL STILL GOING TO IMPLEMENT THE 3-3-5 DEFENSE WITH A NEW COORDINATOR COMING IN NEXT YEAR POTENTIALLY.

BUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU DID, WELL, WHERE CAN YOU IMPROVE AND KADE PIETRZAK AS WELL?

I MEAN, THAT'S THAT WAS THAT'S REALLY, REALLY GOOD PLAY AS A TRUE FRESHMAN.

SO THERE'S A LOT YOU CAN HANG YOUR HAT ON.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S JUST THE APPROACH OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT TO ACCOMPLISH IT ALL IN ONE DAY, JUST THAT 1% EACH DAY AND GETTING BETTER.

UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'VE DONE WELL.

BUT ULTIMATELY, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO IMPROVE ON THE MOST?

>> YOU SAW HIM A LOT.

WHAT ABOUT TYSON TERRY?

IT'S A GUY THAT OBVIOUSLY COULDN'T PLAY THIS YEAR.

COMING OFF THAT HOW IMPORTANT IS IT'S HIM IS HIS SIZE AND HIS ATHLETICISM BEING ON THAT D-LINE NEXT YEAR.

>> YEAH, I THINK NUMBER ONE, IT'S HIS TOUGHNESS, RIGHT?

HIS WILLINGNESS TO DO WHAT HE'S TOLD.

AND HE'S ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT CAN DO HARD THINGS EVERY DAY.

HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH RIGOR AND HE DOESN'T NEED A BABYSITTER.

SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU START IN TERMS OF MODEL BEHAVIOR, NOT DO YOU WANT TO REDSHIRT FRESHMAN, KIND OF LEADING THE WAY?

PROBABLY NOT IN THIS CONFERENCE.

BUT IF ANYBODY IS CAPABLE OF HANDLING RIGOR AND A DAY TO DAY GRIND IS T-N-T.

>> NOW LET'S TALK BOWL GAME LOOKING LIKE ONE OF THE TWO VEGAS IS EITHER VEGAS OR NASH VEGAS ONE OF THOSE TWO PLACES.

>> YEAH I WOULD SAY IT'S STILL IT'S LAS VEGAS.

BUT I THINK INTERNALLY THAT'S EVERYTHING IS BEING PREPARED.

I THINK THERE'S EVEN SOME MAYBE ADVANCED LOOKING AT UTAH RIGHT NOW.

SO I LAS VEGAS PICKS FOR NASHVILLE.

THEY'RE VERY INTERESTED IN NEBRASKA.

>> MAKES SENSE.

>> IN UTAH THIS COULD BE KYLE WHITTINGHAM'S LAST GAME.

WELL, NO I THINK THIS WEEK KIND OF WHAT HIS PLAN IS GOING TO BE.

BUT THAT WILL GET A GOOD CROWD THERE TOO.

BETWEEN THE NEBRASKA FANS ON THE WEST COAST.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY UTAH CAN DRIVE THERE.

SO YOU WILL HAVE A, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT BOWL GAME.

THEY'VE GENERALLY ONLY DRAWN 30,000 PEOPLE.

YOU COULD HAVE OVER 50,000.

I WOULD THINK FOR A GAME WITH NEBRASKA AND UTAH THERE.

>> MAYBE NOT THE MOST APPEALING TO BE NEW YEAR'S EVE IN VEGAS, BUT IT IS A PLACE THAT I'M SURE NEBRASKA FANS WOULD WANT TO GO.

>> I MEAN, IT'S STILL NEW YEAR'S EVE IN VEGAS.

>> IT IS NEW YEAR'S EVE.

>> I'M NOT COMPLAINING >> DB'S NOT EITHER.

>> THERE'S A LOT.

>> I DON'T KNOW, ACTUALLY.

>> OH, ACTUALLY I KIND OF AM.

>> I'M 56 YEARS OLD.

I'M GOING TO BED, >> I'M OLD.

>> AT THE MANDALAY BAY FOR YOU DB.

>> BEEN THERE.

DONE THAT.

>> I'VE HAD MY BACHELOR PARTY THERE.

>> I WAS JUST THERE FOR BIG TEN MEDIA DAYS.

I'M OVER VEGAS.

>> A LOT OF ACTION.

YOU CAN, FIND YOURSELF GETTING INTO.

I LISTEN, I THINK NEBRASKA FANS CAN TRAVEL NO MATTER WHAT NASHVILLE OR TO LAS VEGAS.

IT'S LIKE, HEY, DO YOU WANT TO GET IN TROUBLE AT BROADWAY?

OR DO YOU GET YOURSELF IN TROUBLE WITH CRAPS TABLE OR THE BLACKJACK TABLE?

SO, PICK YOUR POISON.

>> YEAH.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AROUND THE BIG TEN, 6:00 SATURDAY NIGHT, FOX.

BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, PUTTING ONE VERSUS TWO.

AND IT ABSOLUTELY MEANS NOTHING.

THAT'S THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS GAME.

IT REALLY MEANS NOTHING.

BASED OFF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AHEAD, WHERE EVERYBODY'S GOING TO GO, ALSO, UCLA HIRES BOB CHESNEY FROM JAMES MADISON TO BE THEIR NEW HEAD COACH.

AND THIS IS INTERESTING.

MICHIGAN STATE GETS RID OF JONATHAN SMITH AFTER TWO YEARS.

AND THEY REPLACE HIM WITH NORTHWESTERN'S HEAD COACH THAT WAS THERE FOREVER.

PAT FITZGERALD TAKING THAT JOB, VERY SOON.

AND OF COURSE ON TOP OF THE CONFERENCE YOU CAN SEE THAT INDIANA AND OHIO STATE FIRST TIME HAVING ONE VERSUS TWO IN THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME OREGON, MICHIGAN, USC, IOWA.

WE HAVE A BUNCH OF TEAMS SITTING AT FIVE AND FOUR ON THE SECOND PAGE.

NEBRASKA, RIGHT AT THE TOP AT FOUR AND FIVE, SEVEN AND FIVE OVERALL.

AND YOU SEE NOW NORTHWESTERN, ONE OF THE TWO TEAMS THAT HAD A TIE OR WINNING RECORD THAT NEBRASKA BEAT.

THIS YEAR GOING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO PURDUE NOT WINNING A GAME.

THE CONFERENCE ENDED UP WITH 11 BOWL ELIGIBLE TEAMS THIS YEAR.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE RANKINGS AND BRACKETS.

OHIO STATE ONE.

INDIANA TWO.

OREGON FIVE.

USC SITTING THERE AT 15, MICHIGAN AT 19, AND IOWA AT 25.

WHEREAS AT 23.

I'M SORRY IF IT'S 23.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS, DAMON, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WAY IT'S SET UP RIGHT NOW, WHO ARE THE ONES THAT THE BEST CHANCE TO DROP OUT AFTER NEXT WEEK?

>> I DON'T KNOW, I THINK IF, I'M A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS, IF I'M VIRGINIA, I'M CERTAINLY NERVOUS.

IF I'M ALABAMA AND I DON'T HANDLE BUSINESS AGAINST GEORGIA.

I KNOW EVERYBODY THINKS BAMA'S IN.

I DON'T KNOW, THERE'RE JUST PLAYING WELL.

>> YES.

>> AND, YOU KNOW, BYU'S IN A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE.

TEXAS TECH SAFE AS A KID, WE SAY THAT THE INDIANA OHIO STATE GAME IS FOR NOTHING.

SEEDING MAY BE CRITICAL HERE AT THE, BEFORE THIS IS ALL DONE.

>> YEAH.

YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW.

LIKE, DO YOU WANT TO HAVE A BYE?

DO YOU NOT WANT TO HAVE A BYE?

WHAT DO YOU WANT.

YOU KNOW YOU HOW YOU DO.

ONLY THE SECOND YEAR.

>> I THINK NOW THE BYE IS BETTER.

>> IS BETTER NOW.

>> IF THEY RESTRUCTURED THEM.

>> YEAH.

RIGHT.

YEAH.

WE'LL WE'LL SEE HOW THAT WORKS OUT.

>> OHIO STATE'S BEEN PLAYING WITH BYES.

THOSE GUYS ARE PRETTY FRESH WITH JEREMIAH SMITH AND TAPE BEFORE THE MICHIGAN GAME.

THOSE GUYS DON'T BARELY PLAY FOUR QUARTERS.

>> BEFORE WE GET TO THE VIEWER QUESTIONS, LET'S SEE WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THE FUTURE COACHING CHANGES FOR THE HUSKERS.

82% SAY WE SHOULD SEE SOME MORE CHANGES.

ONLY 4% NO, AND 14% TOOK THE MAYBE EASY WAY OUT.

LET'S TAKE SOME QUESTIONS FROM OUR VIEWERS.

TOM WANTS TO KNOW, DO YOU THINK WE'LL BE RUNNING A 4-3 DEFENSE GOING FORWARD?

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK HE'S PRETTY.

I MEAN, I'VE BEEN WRONG PLENTY OF TIMES BEFORE.

I THINK RHULE'S COMMITTED TO 3-3-5.

I THINK HE LIKES THAT.

>> I THINK YOU COULD SAY I THINK HE COULD SEE HIM PLAYING SOME EVEN FRONT.

RIGHT?

WHETHER THEY PLAY WITH FOUR DOWN OR NOT, IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT HAPPENS AT THE LINEBACKER SPOT.

THAT'S PROBABLY MORE THE PRECARIOUS SPOT THAN IT IS THE 3-3-5.

I THINK YOU LINEBACKERS HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PLAY A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, PLAYING BY ON A TRUE FOUR DOWN THAN YOU DO WITH A THREE FRONT MAN HAVING FIVE DBS FIT BEHIND YOU.

>> WE TALKED ABOUT IT.

YOU KNOW, HAVING THEY REALLY WEREN'T THREE LINEBACKERS THEY FELT COMFORTABLE HAVING ON THE FIELD AT THE SAME TIME.

>> THAT'S THE THING.

>> THEY'VE GOT TO GET BETTER THERE.

OF COURSE.

RON SAYS WHY DOES NO ONE EVER DISCUSS THE DC TAKING RESOURCES FROM THE FRONT D-LINE IN LB?

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE MEANS BY THAT, BUT I KNOW YOU DID HAVE VERY YOUNG COACHES AT THOSE POSITIONS.

THOUGHTS ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH TERRY BRADDEN GOING FORWARD?

>> I THINK ALL BETS ARE OFF.

I MEAN, THE NEW COORDINATOR IS GOING TO COME IN AND HE'S GOING TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS.

MEAN I THINK ADDISON WILLIAMS IS PROBABLY THE ONE GUY THAT, YOU KNOW, IS KIND OF THE MAIN MAN, THE GUY THAT THEY'RE REALLY HIGH ON WITH WHAT HE BRINGS AS A RECRUITER OR WHAT HE BRINGS AS A COACH.

I THINK AFTER THAT.

>> YEAH.

>> THE NEW GUY IS GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF AUTONOMY TO FIGURE THIS OUT, WHOEVER THAT IS.

AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO KNOW THAT NEW GUY BEFORE THE BOWL GAME.

AND, YOU KNOW, THIS THING WILL MOVE PROBABLY IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO.

>> ANOTHER PHONE CALLER, DB.

AND I WONDER ABOUT THIS TOO.

WE EXPECTED HAARBERG TO HAVE SOME UNIQUE PLAYS IN IT, BE ABLE TO SEE THE FEEL MORE, USE HIS ATHLETICISM.

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT DIDN'T END UP HAPPENING?

>> YEAH I DON'T KNOW.

IT'S INTERESTING.

I THOUGHT THE LAST TWO GAMES IN PARTICULAR WOULD BE TIED IN GAMES, MAYBE THE PLAY CALLING AND HOW YOU WANTED TO DESIGN THE OFFENSE WITHOUT, DYLAN PLAYING QUARTERBACK.

MAYBE IMPACTED THAT.

BUT I LOOKED AT KIND OF THE ATHLETICISM AND THE EVOLUTION OF HIS PLAY, AND I WASN'T AS ENAMORED WITH WHEN HE STARTED.

HE'S TWO, BUT I WAS JUST GETTING READY TO SAY, I THINK HE'S TOO BIG AND HE'S JUST TOO MUSCLE BOUND.

TRYING TO PREPARE FOR THE RIGOR OF BEING AN INLINE BLOCKER, WHERE I THINK HE LOST A LITTLE BIT OF HIS ATHLETICISM AND EXPLOSIVENESS.

>> I'M SURE THEY TALKED A LOT ABOUT THAT WITH HIM MAKING THAT TRANSITION TO BEING A BLOCKER.

THIS IS A FUNNY PHONE CALL BECAUSE THIS IS WHY DOES THE O-LINE NOT CUT BLOCK.

AND WE JUST SAW IT ON THE HIGHLIGHT.

>> TRUST ME THERE'S PLENTY OF CUT BLOCK ESPECIALLY GOING BACK SIDE.

THOSE GUYS ARE DEFINITELY IN ON THOSE SCREEN PASSES.

WELL YOU SEE QUITE OFTEN.

>> YOU HAVE A FAVORITE FOR DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR.

A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ASK THAT QUESTION.

>> I MEAN, IT'S EARLY.

I MEAN, I, I CAN TELL YOU COACH RHULE'S PHONE IS RUNNING A LOT.

I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST AROUND THE COUNTRY.

POWER FOUR SEC.

I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I THINK ARE THEIR NAMES ARE IN THIS AND IT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT.

I THINK THAT WE'VE SEEN MATT RHULE.

HE DOESN'T WAIT.

I MEAN, THIS THING, I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED BY NEXT WEEK ON THIS SHOW.

WE KNOW WHO THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR.

I MEAN THAT'S HOW QUICK RHULE MOVES.

>> YOU KNOW ME, YOU'VE WORKED WITH ME FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.

I'M PROBABLY THE ONLY GUY IN NEBRASKA THAT HONKS FOR JUSTIN WILCOX.

>> OH, I'M WITH YOU.

>> UNNECESSARILY SO.

JUSTIN WILCOX IS THE GUY THAT I LIKE.

GIVEN MY DRUTHERS.

>> YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES THAT MAN WON MONEYLINE BET FOR ME?

I GO, I LOVE >> HOW MANY?

WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR 15 YEARS.

>> I LOVE THE GUY.

LET'S.

SO DO WE BELIEVE THAT DANA SHOULD GET SOME CONSIDERATION IN TERMS OF THE CRITICISM FOR THE LOW POINTS PER GAME ON OFFENSE?

>> I DO ABSOLUTELY.

>> YEAH.

>> I JUST THINK, FOR AS ACCOMPLISHED AND AS GOOD AS HE IS, IT'S THERE'S YOU HAVE TO KIND OF DIAL IT BACK.

RIGHT.

THIS IS CAN YOU TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS?

I THINK THERE'S A FEW.

RIGHT.

THERE'S JUST SOME SERIES, SOME PLAY CALLING WHERE I THINK THE GROUND GAME AND THE COMMITMENT TO IT GOT AWAY FROM NEBRASKA AND IN PARTICULAR IN THE THIRD QUARTER.

>> REAL QUICK, SEAN, SHOULD IT BE CONCERN THAT THE CLASS IS SO SMALL OR IS THAT JUST A PART OF ROSTER MANAGEMENT?

>> IT'S PART OF ROSTER MANAGEMENT AND THE MONEY I MEAN, YOU CAN'T THEY'RE HOLDING THEIR MONEY FOR THE PORTAL.

AND YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO SEE NEBRASKA ADD ABOUT TEN PORTAL PLAYERS.

AND THAT'S GOING TO NOT BE CHEAP.

SO AT THIS POINT YOU WANT A GOOD MIX OF HIGH SCHOOL WITH PORTAL.

THAT'S THE PLAN RIGHT NOW.

>> MAKES SENSE.

LET'S GO TO THE BURNING QUESTION.

>> YEAH.

BURNING QUESTION.

WHAT WILL JANUARY 2ND BRING WHEN THE PORTAL OPENS.

A WITH THIS ROSTER AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WHAT ADDITIONS I THINK HAVE I THINK NEBRASKA'S GONNA LOOK HEAVY ON BOTH THE O-LINE IN THE DEFENSIVE LINE.

>> CAN YOU ESTABLISH AN IDENTITY?

SAY IT OUT LOUD AND BE COMMITTED TO IT IN 2026?

WHAT DO YOU WANT THIS TEAM TO LOOK LIKE WITH REGARDS TO HOW YOU WANT THEM TO PLAY.

>> NEBRASKA'S GOT BACK-TO-BACK BOWL PREPARATIONS?

WE'VE HAD HOW THIS LONG TIME CAN THIS TEAM TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE ADDITIONAL PRACTICES, GET BETTER AND GO AND FIGHT AND WIN A BOWL GAME?

>> YEAH.

WHO PLAYS IN THE BOWL GAME.

WILL TJ LATEEF BE COMPLETELY HEALTHY FROM HIS HAMSTRING.

WILL EMMETT JOHNSON PLAY IN THE BOWL GAME.

THOSE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS WE HAVE OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

FOR IDEAS ON THE BOWL LOCATION, CHECK OUT THE PREDICTION ON FACEBOOK, X, AND THE BIG RED WRAP-UP WEBPAGE.

AND NEXT WEEK BIG RED WRAP-UP WILL BE RIGHT BACK HERE TO RECAP ALL THE HAPPENINGS FROM SIGNING DAY AT 7 P.M.

ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

YOU CAN ALSO TUNE IN ON FACEBOOK LIVE, YOUTUBE LIVE, AND OUR WEBSITE, NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG.

SPECIAL THANKS TO BILL BUSCH, JAY MOORE, DAMON BENNING, AND SEAN CALLAHAN AND MY UNCLE GENE TOO.

I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.

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

(BAND MUSIC) (UPBEAT MUSIC)