S S >> AFTER ANOTHER SLOW START, NEBRASKA HAD TO PLAY FROM BEHIND AND COULDN'T CAPITALIZE IN KEY MOMENTS.

MINNESOTA WOULD WIN 30-23 AND IN ANOTHER ONE-SCORE LOSS DROP THAT DROPS THE HUSKERS TO 3-5 ON THE SEASON.

THE BYE WEEK AHEAD THEY CAN REST AND RECOVER, BUT WHERE DOES THE TEAM GO FROM HERE?

WE'LL BREAK DOWN THE GAME FROM SATURDAY AND LOOK AHEAD WITH OUR SPECIAL GUEST, FORMER HUSKER ZACH POTTER.

SEAN CALLAHAN WILL ALSO HAVE THE LATEST IN HUSKER 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.

YOU KNOW, ANOTHER GAME, ANOTHER RESULT, VERY SIMILAR -- ANOTHER ONE-SCORE LOSS FOR SCOTT FROST AND NEBRASKA.

JOINING US TO TALK MORE ABOUT IT, FORMER HUSKER, JAY MOORE, AND OF COURSE SEAN CALLAHAN, AS WELL.

IT ACTUALLY WASN'T THE SAME STORY BECAUSE NEBRASKA WON THE TURNOVER BATTLE, NEBRASKA DOMINATED IN A QUARTER -- REALLY DOMINATED IN THE HALF, BUT YET STILL LOSE THE GAME.

I MEAN, HOW DO YOU -- HOW DO YOU COME TO GRIPS WITH THIS?

>> I STILL HAVEN'T.

HAVE YOU?

I SURE HAVEN'T.

I DON'T KNOW - I'VE - YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT ME IN THE LOONEY BIN BEFORE I WOULD TRY TO FIGURE THIS THING OUT.

IT'S SO PERPLEXING TO ME THAT AS POOR AS THEY PLAYED IN THE FIRST HALF AND THEN THE DEFENSE TURNS IT AROUND, AND YOU GET THE BALL, WHAT, AT THE TWO-INCH LINE, THE NINE-YARD LINE, THE 27, AND YOU DON'T COME AWAY WITH POINTS IN THE SECOND HALF?

THAT'S JUST - IT'S CRAZY TO ME AND THIS HAS HAPPENED FOR SO LONG WITH THIS OFFENSE.

THEY'VE HAD SO MANY ISSUES SCORING IN THE RED ZONE.

YOU CAN GO BACK TO -- TO YEAR ONE.

I MEAN, IT'S BEEN -- IT'S BEEN A HUGE ISSUE.

I KNOW THE FIELD SHRINKS -- I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT THEN, YOU HAVE YOUR KICKING ISSUES AND YOU HAVE EVERYTHING ON TOP OF THAT, THAT WHEN TO SEIZE MOMENTUM, THIS TEAM JUST CANNOT GRASP IT.

THEY HAVE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES PRESENTED TO THEM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE, TO GRAB THAT MOMENTUM, BECAUSE THE MOMENTUM GAME IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS SO CRAZY.

I MEAN, THE HIGHS AND THE LOWS - I MEAN, NEBRASKA COMES OUT IN THE SECOND HALF AND GETS AN INTERCEPTION BY CAM TAYLOR-BRITT -- OKAY, HERE WE GO, BOOM.

THEN THEY OBVIOUSLY GO THREE AND OUT AND THEY DON'T CAPITALIZE.

BUT AGAIN, THE DEFENSE STEPS UP.

YOU GET THE DEONTAI WILLIAMS INTERCEPTION -- THREE AND OUT.

THREE AND OUT -- THREE/OUT -- SURE DOING SOME GOOD THINGS.

I MEAN, AUSTIN ALLEN HAS HIS BEST GAME OF HIS CAREER.

YOU KNOW, YOU GET THE RUN GAME GOING A LITTLE BIT AND YOU CAN'T PUNCH IT IN FROM, YOU KNOW, THE THREE-YARD LINE?

YOU KNOW, OR THE TWO-YARD LINE AFTER RAHMIR GETS DOWN THERE?

IT'S CRAZY.

IT'S CRAZY TO ME.

I WILL EVER -- I DON'T KNOW -- I MEAN, I'M AN OLD-SCHOOL FOOTBALL GUY.

YOU CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE, BUT CAN WE PLEASE GET UNDER CENTER WHEN IT'S AT THE ONE-YARD, ER, ONE-INCH LINE AND JUST SNEAK THAT THING?

YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST -- BUT, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS.

I MEAN, I HAVE ALL THIS STUFF RAMBLING THROUGH MY HEAD AND I COULD GO ON A TANGENT NOW FOR -- FOR 20 MINUTES BECAUSE I'M AS FRUSTRATED AS EVERYONE.

I WANT TO SEE THIS THING GO AND AS POOR AS THEY PLAYED IN THE FIRST HALF, NEBRASKA STILL SHOULD HAVE WON THAT FOOTBALL GAME.

THEY STILL SHOULD HAVE WON THAT FOOTBALL GAME AND -- BUT THEY DON'T.

AND, YOU CAN SAY THAT FOR ABOUT THREE OR FOUR LOSSES THIS YEAR, THE PREVIOUS YEAR, THE YEARS BEFORE THAT.

SO, IT'S -- IT'S VERY HEAD-SCRATCHING TO ME RIGHT NOW AND OBVIOUSLY VERY FRUSTRATING.

BUT, IT'S -- THERE A 3-5 FOOTBALL TEAM AND GOT FOUR MORE GAMES, AND CAN THEY GET THE 6-6 TO GET TO A BOWL GAME?

THAT'S KIND OF WHERE MY HEAD WOULD BE AT RIGHT NOW IF I'M SCOTT FROST AND THE STAFF.

>> WHERE DO YOU THINK THIS TEAM IS RIGHT NOW?

BECAUSE, WE LISTENED TO DEFENSIVE GUYS AFTER THE GAME.

I'M NOT SAYING THEY WE WERE POINTING FINGERS, BUT THEY DID MAKE SOME ALLEGATIONS ABOUT GUYS NOT BEING READY FOR THE GAME, OR NOT THINKING ABOUT IT ALL WEEK LONG.

IT KIND OF - IT FEELS LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF A DIVIDE TO ME BETWEEN THE OFFENSE AND DEFENSE.

>> YEAH, AND IT'S FUNNY.

THE TWO GAMES A YEAR AGO THAT DERAILED THE SEASON ARE BASICALLY THE SAME TWO GAMES THIS YEAR.

LAST YEAR, THE ILLINOIS AND THE MINNESOTA GAMES DERAILED THE PANDEMIC 2020 SEASON.

NEBRASKA WAS DOUBLE-DIGIT HOME FAVORITE IN BOTH THOSE GAMES.

THIS YEAR, SAME DEAL -- NEBRASKA'S CLOSE TO A DOUBLE-DIGIT FAVORITE AT ILLINOIS BUT IT FEFE LIKE THAT'S A GAME THEY SHOULD GET.

THIS FELT LIKE A GAME THAT THEY HAD TO GET, YOU KNOW, IN JAY'S GOLF WORLD, THESE WERE THE HOLES IN THE COURSE WERE THE HOLES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET BURNED WITH.

>> YEAH, YOU GET PAR FIVES.

YOU GET BURNED -- >> BIRDIES, YEP.

>> AND NEBRASKA NOT ONLY DIDN'T PAR IT, THEY BOGEYED THESE HOLES AND YOU CAN'T HAVE IT.

I LOOK AT JUST THIS TEAM IN THIS LOCKER ROOM - IT'S A VETERAN TEAM, A LOT OF LEADERSHIP, BUT GUYS ARE DOWN.

THEY PRACTICED JUST TWICE THIS WEEK.

THEY WENT TODAY, THEY'LL GO TOMORROW -- THEY HAVE TO LIMIT THEIR DAYS BECAUSE OF WEEK ZERO AND SOME OF THE DAYS OFF THAT THEY HAVE, BUT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF REPAIRING YOU CAN DO ON THIS BYE WEEK.

I THINK IT'S MORE ABOUT MENTALLY REPAIRING AND CAN YOU GET THIS TEAM MENTALLY RIGHT FOR DOWN THE STRETCH?

CAN THEY GET UP FOR THIS HOME GAME AGAINST PURDUE, WHO JUST BEAT IOWA NOW?

>> IF YOU DIDN'T SEE THAT GRAPHIC, IT WAS REMARKABLE WHEN YOU COMPARE ILLINOIS TO MINNESOTA.

YOU HAVE A SAFETY IN BOTH OF 'EM.

YOU HAVE NINE POINTS IN THE FIRST HALF.

YOU HAVE WHAT THE DEFENSE DOES AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, OF COURSE, THEY'RE BOTH LOSSES.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT IT, MISSED EXTRA POINTS, TWO FOR THE ILLINOIS GAME, ONE FOR MINNESOTA.

THEY'RE BASICALLY TWINS.

LIKE IT SAYS, "DOUBLE VISION," AND IN THE END THEY BOTH END UP LOSSES.

>> IT'S A GREAT GRAPHIC.

>> IT IS A VERY GOOD GRAPHIC.

IT'S A SAD GRAPHIC, BUT IT IS WELL DONE.

WHOEVER CAME UP WITH THE GRAPHIC, GOOD JOB.

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT.

IT WAS LIKE - I DIDN'T KNOW ALL OF IT TOGETHER.

WE HAVE A LOT TO DISCUSS TONIGHT, AS WE ALWAYS DO -- BUT CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.

CALL AND SHARE YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS WITH THE GUYS FROM PHI KAPPA THETA.

THEY'RE ENJOYING SOME VALENTINO'S PIZZA WHILE THEY WAIT FOR YOU TO GET THEM WORKING TONIGHT.

OUR SPORTS INTERN, ALEC, ALSO HERE TO LEAD THE CHARGE IN OUR CALL CENTER.

YOU CAN ALSO REACH US BY EMAILING OR TEXTING BIGRED@NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG WE'RE ALSO CHECKING OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS TO MAKE SURE YOU CONNECT WITH US, AS WELL.

LEAVE A POST ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE OR SEND US A TWEET.

WE'LL GET TO AS MANY AS WE CAN TONIGHT AS, OF COURSE, A BIG PART OF YOU -- YOU ARE THE SHOW.

HERE'S THE RESULT OF LAST WEEK'S "SIDELINE SURVEY."

WE ASKED YOU, "WHO'S THE DEFENSIVE MVP AFTER SEVEN GAMES?"

IT WAS A REALLY HARD QUESTION, BUT 62% OF YOU SAID JOJO DOMANN, 26% SAID LUKE REIMER, 9% SAID GARRETT NELSON, AND NICK HEINRICH, AS WELL, GOT 3%.

NOW, FOR A BRAND NEW "SIDELINE SURVEY: WHICH IS MORE CONCERNING ON THE OFFENSIVE SIDE OF THE BALL?

IS IT A LACK OF SCORING OFFENSE, THE PLAY OF THE OFFENSIVE LINE, THE OFFENSE'S SLOW STARTS, OR IS IT ALL OF THE ABOVE?"

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

IT REALLY, TRULY IS RED ZONE OFFENSE AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS OVER THE COURSE OF THESE FOUR YEARS.

IF YOU REMEMBER BACK TO THE NORTHWESTERN GAME LAST YEAR, NORTHWESTERN WAS INSIDE THE 20 THREE OR FOUR TIMES, HAD A COUPLE TURNOVERS, DIDN'T SCORE.

OBVIOUSLY, THIS GAME -- THREE TIMES -- YOU BROUGHT IT UP -- IN THE THIRD QUARTER.

DIDN'T GET ANY POINTS.

IT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU SEE AUSTIN ALLEN CATCH THAT TOUCHDOWN PASS AT THE END.

YOU KNOW, LIKE, "WELL, WHERE'S THAT?"

"WHERE'S THAT BEEN ALL SEASON LONG?"

>> AND MARTINEZ IS NOT A GREAT RED ZONE PASSING QUARTERBACK.

>> RIGHT.

WELL, HE HASN'T -- ONLY THROWN EIGHTEEN PASSES ALL SEASON LONG IN THE RED ZONE -- I BELIEVE ONLY THREE OF THEM ACTUALLY REACHED THE END ZONE.

SO, THEY'RE ALL SWING PASSES, OR SHORT PASSES.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY THROWING THE BALL IN THE END ZONE.

AND, IT'S MIND-BOGGLING THAT THEY DON'T HAVE, LIKE, QUICK-TIMING THROWS THAT HE CAN MAKE AND THROW.

I MEAN, LIKE --.

>> LIKE, BUNCHES, RIGHT?

LIKE YOU DO WHAT YOU SEE IN THE PROS?

ONE GUY'S PICKS ONE GUY THEY RUN ALL THE TIME.

>> AND, IS THAT JUST SOMETHING HE CAN'T EXECUTE?

IS THAT NOT PART OF THE -- THE ROUTE TREE -- THE OFFENSIVE THAT THEIR RUNNING?

I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWERS TO THAT, BUT YEAH, YOU LOOK AT HIS PASSING TOUCHDOWNS, THE MICHIGAN GAME WAS THE FIRST GAME HE HAD THREE PASSING TOUCHDOWNS IN A GAME IN HIS CAREER SINCE ILLINOIS 2019, THAT NIGHT GAME COMEBACK.

SO, HIS LACK OF RED ZONE PASSING TOUCHDOWNS - IT'S DEFINITELY AN EYE-POPPING STAT, AND THEN WHEN HE CAN'T RUN, LIKE THE OTHER NIGHT - HE HAD - THE STAT OF THE GAME TO ME, THOUGH, WAS INTERESTING ON MARTINEZ, HE HAD ZERO SCRAMBLE YARDS ON PASS PLAYS AND ONLY TWO DESIGN RUNNING YARDS.

>> WELL, WE KNOW NOW HE WAS HURT.

>> HE WAS HURT.

>> AND HIS ANKLE -- HE HAD THOSE PROBLEMS DURING THE WEEK -- DIDN'T PRACTICE A WHOLE LOT.

IT'S STUFF WE KNEW.

>> AND, YOU KEEP HIM LOCKED IN THERE WHERE HE CAN'T RUN, HE'S A DIFFERENT QUARTERBACK.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU'VE GOT A GAME PLAN, THOUGH, AROUND WHATEVER HIS LIABILITIES ARE AND IF HIS LIABILITIES WAS IN THAT GAME HE COULDN'T RUN, WHY ARE THEY STILL TRYING TO RUN?

FIRST PLAY OF THE GAME, THEY TRY TO RUN AN OPTION OUTSIDE WITH THE GUY WHO APPARENTLY WAS LIMITED ALL WEEK.

>> YEAH, VERY GOOD QUESTION.

THAT'S -- I DON'T KNOW.

THAT DOESN'T MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE TO ME.

YOU KNOW, YOU'D THINK THAT JUST HOW OTHER TEAMS GET CREATIVE AND PLAY NEBRASKA IN THIS OFFENSE AND -- OR, GOING AGAINST OUR DEFENSES, YOU KNOW, IT'S -- YOU'VE GOT TO SOMETIMES - I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S -- YOU'VE JUST GOT TO ACCEPT WHAT YOU HAVE.

>> RIGHT.

>> I MEAN, THAT'S -- YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO BRING UP MORE GOLF TALK -- SOMETIMES YOU DON'T GOT IT IN LIKE, YOU JUST SOMEHOW KEEP THE BALL IN FRONT OF YOU, KEEP IT IN PLAY, AND JUST DO WHAT YOU GOT AND DO IT YOUR BEST AND TRY TO GET OUT OF THERE WITH A RESPECTABLE SCORE -- TRY TO GET OUT WITH A WIN.

YOU KNOW - AND, THAT'S JUST -- GET OUT OF IT WHAT -- YOU KNOW, WIN UGLY, YOU KNOW.

INSTEAD OF ALL THESE, YOU KNOW, CLOSE - YOU KNOW, "WE ALMOST HAD 'EM"-TYPE WINS - CAN WE JUST WIN UGLY FOR ONCE?

>> JAY, IF YOU WANT TO MAKE AN EXAMPLE OF IT --.

>> RIGHT.

>> AFTER TWO INTERCEPTIONS BY MINNESOTA WHAT DID THEY DO?

THEY'RE, LIKE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO MESS AROUND ANYMORE -- WE'RE JUST GOING TO DO WHAT WE DO AND TRY TO GET OUT OF HERE WITH A WIN.

AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DID.

>> YOU GUYS REMEMBER 2009 WHEN NEBRASKA OBVIOUSLY HAD A REALLY GOOD DEFENSE AND OBVIOUSLY A VERY BELOW-AVERAGE OFFENSE, THERE WAS A POINT THAT YEAR WHERE SHAWN WATSON SAID IT WAS LIKE ARMAGEDDON.

WE JUST OUR PIECES ON THE TABLE AND, LIKE, WE HAVE THIS ELITE DEFENSE -- LET'S FIGURE OUT SOMETHING THAT WINS GAMES WITH THE OFFENSIVE PARTS THAT WE HAVE.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND, THEY DID AND THEY WENT ON THAT HUGE RUN AND THEY ALMOST WENT TO -- WON THE BIG 12 BY BASICALLY PLAYING REALLY SIMPLE FOOTBALL.

REMEMBER HOW THEY BEAT OKLAHOMA THAT YEAR?

THEY JUST LINED UP AND POUNDED THEM.

>> YEAH, 9-3.

YOU KNOW, WAS THAT THE FINAL SCORE OF THE GAME?

>> 9-6.

>> 9-6?

>> IT REALLY CAME DOWN TO A GOOD PUNT TO FLIP THE FIELD, TOO.

THAT WAS A BIG PART OF IT - THE SPECIAL TEAMS HELPED OUT.

>> AND THAT STUFF, IT'S LIKE, "YOU KNOW WHAT?

LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW TO WIN WITH THE PARTS WE HAVE AND LET OUR DEFENSE WIN ITS GAMES AND NOT SCREW IT UP WITH OUR OFFENSE."

>> YEAH, I JUST -- CONCERNING ME IS I JUST DON'T KNOW IF SCOTT CAN ACCEPT THAT.

CAN HE -- I THINK HE WANTS IT TO LOOK A CERTAIN WAY -- LIKE, A SEXINESS -- LIKE, I THINK THAT HE'S -- I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE -- HE CAN'T ACC --.

>> IS THIS A PRIDE THING?

ARE WE MARCELLUS WALLACE PULP FICTION NOW?

ARE WE INTO A PRIDE THING?

>> I THINK A LITTLE BIT.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, HE WANTS -- HE TECHNICALLY IS NOT -- YOU KNOW, HE'S A HEAD COACH -- NOT THE OC, BUT HE'S THE ONE CALLING THE PLAYS.

I THINK HE WANTS THIS THING TO LOOK A CERTAIN WAY, AND - I THINK THAT'S - I'VE KIND OF BEEN SAYING THIS FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS -- IT'S JUST -- SOMETIMES WE JUST OVER-COMPLICATE, I THINK, TOO MUCH WHERE IT'S LIKE, "YOU KNOW WHAT, LET'S JUST SEE WHO'S THE MOST PHYSICAL TEAM AND LET'S -- HEY, IF IT'S THREE OR FOUR YARDS A POP, GREAT.

IF YOU CAN -- YOU KNOW, LITTLE, SMART, HIGH-PERCENTAGE THROWS THAT THE QUARTERBACK -- GET ADRIAN IN A RHYTHM.

IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE WE TEND TO DO THAT.

OR, IT'S -- YOU KNOW, WE'VE COME OUT -- WHAT IS IT?

IS IT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER, OR I THINK IT WAS WITH THE SERIES WHERE WE GOT THE SAFETY, WE TRIED TO RUN A REVERSE.

>> YEAH, WE HAD THE BALL AT THE TEN-YARD LINE, BUT WHERE WAS THE PASS?

>> YEAH.

>> WHY WAS HE SSING TO OLIVER MARTIN?

>> IT'S LIKE - FROM RIGHT THERE?

THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO CALL RIGHT THERE?

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

>> SO, IT'S ALWAYS -- YOU TALK THROUGH THIS AND YOU GO THROUGH ALL THESE SITUATIONS AND YOU'RE LIKE, MAN -- YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT SURPRISED WHERE THIS TEAM IS SUCH A POOR SITUATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM.

POOR IN SHORT YARDAGE, POOR IN THE RED ZONE, POOR IN END-OF-GAME/ END-OF-HALF SITUATIONS.

POOR SPECIAL TEAMS.

SPECIAL TEAMS IS ALL SITUATIONAL FOOTBALL, SO IT'S JUST -- IT'S REALLY -- IT'S PERPLEXING.

I'VE SAID THIS ALREADY, BUT I JUST DON'T KNOW IF HE CAN ACCEPT THE UGLINESS OF IT.

I JUST DON'T KNOW.

IT SEEMS LIKE THEY TRY TO OVER-COMPLICATE IT AND I THINK THERE'S THE EGO-PRIDE THING MIGHT GET IN THE WAY AND WHETHER THAT'S A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING, I MEAN, WE TALK ABOUT THESE ONE-SCORE LOSSES, I MEAN, HEY, I GO BACK TO WHAT WAS IT?

TWO YEARS AGO AT THE PURDUE GAME, I MEAN, THEY HAVE - AT THE TWO-YARD LINE THEY TRIED TO RUN A LITTLE SHOVEL PASS DOWN THERE.

IT'S LIKE -- IF IT WORKS, GREAT, BUT IT'S JUST A HIGH-PERCENTAGE PLAY, ER, LOW-PERCENTAGE PLAY TO ME.

>> AND MARTINEZ WAS HURT.

>> RIGHT, SO IT'S LIKE I GO BACK AND IT'S JUST -- WHY CAN'T WE JUST EXECUTE AND MAKE THE SIMPLE PLAY SIMPLE?

>> RIGHT.

>> KEEP IT SIMPLE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, KEEP IT SIMPLE -- >> SIMPLE STUPID -- >> RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, WHY CAN'T WE DO THAT?

WE JUST SEEM TO OVER-COMPLICATE THINGS FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, SOMETIMES, AND THAT'S HOW YOU GET BEAT, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY.

>> TO BRING IT FULL CIRCLE WITH GOLF, YOU DRIVE FOR SHOW, YOU PUTT FOR THE DOUGH.

>> CORRECT.

CORRECT.

>> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT A PLAY OF THE GAME - ONE OF THE SEVERAL SECOND-HALF CHANCES THAT NEBRASKA'S OFFENSE HAD TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE GAME AND GET THE LEAD BUT DIDN'T.

THIS ONE, OF COURSE, IS FOURTH AND GOAL -- JAQUEZ YANT LINES UP.

THIS IS COMING OFF OF A STOPPAGE OF PLAY, TOO, BECAUSE THEY HAD TO REVIEW TO SEE IF ADRIAN MARTINEZ HAD SCORED.

SO, NEBRASKA HAD A WHILE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO RUN ON THIS.

OBVIOUSLY, IT'S KIND OF THE SAME PLAY THEY RAN TO RAHMIR JOHNSON, WHICH SCORED.

HE STUMBLES -- DOESN'T GET IN THE END ZONE.

>> WAS THAT - WAS THE SERIES WHERE RAHMIR GOT HURT?

>> YES.

>> WAS IT THE -- DURING THIS SERIES --?

>> HE GETS HURT ON SECOND DOWN.

>> HE GETS DINGED, RIGHT?

>> YEP, ON SECOND DOWN AND THEN IT'S THE TOUCHDOWN -- ALMOST TOUCHDOWN, BY ADRIAN MARTINEZ --.

>> RIGHT.

>> THEY HAD TO STOP THE PLAY TO REVIEW, AND THEN THAT'S THE PLAY THEY COME OUT WITH ON FOURTH DOWN.

>> HOW BENEFICIAL WOULD A LUKE MCCAFFREY HAVE BEEN, JUST TO HAVE FOR A GAME LIKE SATURDAY?

>> YOU WATCHED MATT MASKER, I'M ASSUMING PLAY IN HIGH SCHOOL.

>> RIGHT.

>> THAT'S A BIG, PHYSICAL KID, OR JUST SOMEBODY ELSE --.

>> WHY COULDN'T IT BE HIM?

>> LIKE, A RED ZONE -- AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU KNOW HE CAN'T RUN BECAUSE OF WHATEVER LEG OR ANKLE INJURY HE SUFFERED LAST WEEK.

IF HE'S -- IF THAT'S OFF THE TABLE, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE SOMEBODY.

PUT SMOTHERS IN FOR THAT PLAY.

>> YEAH, IF YOU WANT TO.

I MEAN, HE CERTAINLY CAN RUN BETTER WITH TWO HEALTHY ANKLES.

>> PUT HAARBERG IN.

>> YEAH, IS HE THERE?

WAS HE ON THE ROAD?

>> HE TRAVELED.

>> HE TRAVELED?

AS BIG AS HE IS, YEAH.

>> THAT WAS RED FLAG NUMBER ONE, SOMETHING WAS UP BECAUSE THAT WAS THE FIRST 74-MAN ROSTER GAME THAT THEY TRAVELED ALL FOUR QUARTERBACKS.

>> OH, OKAY.

>> YEAH.

>> YEAH, THAT MEANS RIGHT THERE --.

>> AND, I'D RATHER, IF IT'S ME - HONESTLY, I KNOW YOU WANT TO LINE UP AND YOU WANT TO RUN AT 'EM AND WE'RE TOUGH NEBRASKA - I'D RATHER GIVE HIM A RUN/PASS OPTION -- THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE.

>> HONESTLY, GETTING BACK TO -- I ALWAYS REMEMBER TEBOW RUNNING IT -- LIKE, THE POP-PASS -- KIND OF RUN IT, AND AUSTIN ALLEN IS A BIG TIGHT END, THIS BIG BODY, AND, YOU KNOW - AND MINNESOTA DID A SIMILAR PLAY TO US ON A FOURTH DOWN WHEN THEY SCORED EARLY IN THE GAME.

>> FIRST PASS HE'D THROWN ALL YEAR.

>> RIGHT.

THE PLAY-ACTION BOOM -- THAT YOU -- TO TIGHTEN THAT LEAK'S OUT THERE.

TRY THAT.

I MEAN, YOU GET ADRIAN AND YOU GET A LITTLE - THEIR POWER-FAKE RUN, BUT YOU GET THE GUYS THAT PULL BUT DON'T OBVIOUSLY GET DOWN FIELD AND, BOOM, YOU GOT AUSTIN ALLEN -- THE GUY'S 6'8", LIKE IT SHOULD BE PRETTY SIMPLE.

>> YANT SHOULD HAVE GOT IN, THOUGH.

>> THERE'S NO DOUBT --.

>> NO DOUBT ABOUT IT --.

>> ANYTIME YOU'RE IN FOOTBALL, IN MY OPINION, YOU HAVE TO LIMIT YOUR LIABILITIES, RIGHT?

AND, WE KNOW YANT IS NOT A POLISHED RUNNING BACK, THOUGH.

WE KNOW THAT AND THERE IS A CHANCE THAT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A TRUE FRESHMAN WHO WASN'T EVEN A SCHOLARSHIP GUY, WHO HASN'T BEEN IN THAT SITUATION EVER AT THIS LEVEL TO HAVE TO DO THAT, RIGHT?

SO, WHY IT'S NOT SEVION MORRISON, WHO HAS FOUR RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS ON THE YEAR, I BELIEVE - IF NOT MISTAKEN?

WHY IS NOT SEVION MORRISON - A GUY WHO HAS BEEN IN THIS SITUATION BEFORE AND HAS DONE THIS, AS OPPOSED TO A GUY -- THIS IS HIS FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

>> I DON'T - I --.

>> THAT'S NOT HINDSIGHT.

( OVERLAPPING TALK ) >> WHERE'S SEVION MORRISON?

>> WHAT'S HAPPENED TO MARKESE STEPP?

>> YOU KNOW - I MEAN, IT'S JUST --.

>> TALK ABOUT DOG HOUSE--.

>> BACK OF THE HOUSE --.

>> OF THE NEIGHBOR --.

>> BUT AGAIN, LIKE, CAN WE JUST PUT IT - CAN WE GET UNDER CENTER AND SNEAK THAT THING?

>> YEAH.

>> I DON'T THINK - I MEAN, YOU WANT TALK ABOUT A LOW, OR HIGH PERCENTAGE EXECUTION - I MEAN, YOU WANT TO DEVELOP -- I MEAN, TOM BRADY IS THE KING OF THIS --.

>> BUT, IF HE CAN'T PUSH OFF WITH AN ANKLE --.

>> DID THEY REP UNDER CENTER, THOUGH?

>> RIGHT, THAT'S WHAT HE SAID.

>> HOW MUCH DOES CAM JURGENS REP UNDER CENTER?

I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO REP THAT A LOT TO EXECUTE IT IN THAT SITUATION.

>> ADRIAN MARTINEZ BROUGHT THAT UP.

HE SAID THERE IS A PROBLEM SOMETIMES WITH THE EXCHANGE WHEN YOU'RE IN THAT SITUATION AND THEY DO PRACTICE IT.

>> BECAUSE JURGENS IS GOING TO BE A GUY THAT'S GOING TO FIRE OFF SO HARD THAT THERE COULD BE A MISTAKE THERE ON THAT EXCHANGE.

>> YEAH.

OKAY, YOU ELIMINATE LIABILITIES.

YOU LIMIT YOUR LIABILITIES AND THAT'S WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO.

IT'S TIME TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM MINNEAPOLIS.

I APOLOGIZE.

THEY MAKE ME DO THIS.

WE'LL START OFF WITH TANNER MORGAN, WHO CAME OUT.

I'VE HEARD COMPARISONS FROM JOE MONTANA TO JOHNNY UNITAS, THE WAY HE PLAYED EARLY IN THE GAME.

THIS WAS REALLY THE FIRST GAME, THOUGH, WHERE ALL FOUR OF THE BEST WIDE RECEIVERS FROM MINNESOTA WERE HEALTHY AND YOU SAW IT.

YOU SAW AUTMAN-BELL CATCHING PASSES, BROWN-STEPHENS - WHO'S REALLY THEIR DEEP THREAT, AND THEN THE PLAY YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT JUST NOW - YOU BRING IN YOUR RUNNING QUARTERBACK IN KRAMER AND THE FIRST PASS OF THE YEAR.

YOU KNOW NEBRASKA KNOWS HE NEVER PASSES AND THAT'S WHY YOU DO THAT.

>> TOTALLY.

YOU GET 'EM SUCKED IN, YOU KNOW -- AND, HEY, GOOD CALL.

IT WAS A GUTSY CALL TOO BY P.J.

FLECK.

>> AS SHANE SAID - ER, SHANE - AS SEAN SAID BEFORE THE SHOW - AUSTIN ALLEN IS AN NFL TIGHT END, AND YOU SAW IT TODAY -- HE HAD HIS BEST -- OR, YOU SAW ON SATURDAY HE HAD HIS BEST GAME.

I THOUGHT RAHMIR JOHNSON, OVERALL, HAD HIS BEST GAME.

THAT'S A 25-YARD RUN.

HE HAD 11 FOR 83, THE TWO TOUCHDOWNS.

HERE'S YOUR 50-YARD FIELD GOAL AND I'M THINKING TO MYSELF, "CONNOR CULP HAS GOT THIS FIXED," RIGHT?

HE'S - HE'S OVER THE YIPS, HE FEELS GOOD, HE JUST HIT A 50-YARDER.

>> SO, YOU JINXED IT.

>> I PROBABLY DID.

IT WAS PROBABLY MY FAULT.

>> NOT SO FAST, MY FRIEND.

>> I COMPLETELY APOLOGIZE FOR ALL OF THAT.

AGAIN, MORE OF TANNER MORGAN.

THIS IS ABOUT AS GOOD A PASS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE TANNER MORGAN THROW HIS WHOLE CAREER.

HE THREW THE BALL WITH THREE DEFENDERS --.

>> IN THE BUCKET.

>> IN THE BUCKET, ALLOWING HIM TO GET BOTH A FOOT AND A KNEE DOWN.

THAT IS AN INCREDIBLE THROW, BUT THAT'S WHO TANNER MORGAN WAS.

>> HERE'S ZAVIER BETTS.

I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE ON YOUR MESSAGE BOARD, SEAN, THAT WANT TO SEE ZAVIER BETTS TOUCH THE BALL MORE -- DIDN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF TARGETS, GOT THIS ONE CARRY AND WHENEVER HE DOES TOUCH THE BALL, IT SEEMS LIKE HE'S PRETTY SUCCESSFUL.

HERE'S A HUGE THROW TO AUSTIN ALLEN -- NOW, THIS IS WHY HE'S AN NFL PLAYER, RIGHT?

THAT'S WHAT NFL OLD GUYS DO.

>> YOU LOVE HIM IN THE RED ZONE.

>> NO DOUBT, AND HERE'S -- AND HERE'S RAHMIR JOHNSON WITH A TOUCHDOWN RUN, PERFECTLY RUN.

REMINDS ME OF THE MARYLAND PLAY.

REMEMBER WHEN HE SCORED AGAINST MARYLAND?

I BELIEVE IT WAS HIS FIRST TOUCHDOWN IN HIS CAREER -- IT LOOKED VERY SIMILAR TO THAT.

TANNER MORGAN MAKING ANOTHER GOOD THROW.

AUSTIN - YOU GET AUTMAN-BELL, THE BEST WIDE RECEIVER, ON ONE OF YOUR SAFETIES.

THAT'S A MISMATCH YOU'LL TAKE ANY DAY OF THE WEEK.

TANNER MORGAN CONTINUING SUCCESS -- ANOTHER PASS TO BROWN-STEPHENS - THAT ONE'S FOR A FIRST DOWN AND THEN THIS IS ANOTHER PERFECT PASS, ACTUALLY.

BUT AUTMAN-BELL MADE THAT PLAY.

>> YES, THAT WAS -- THAT WAS -- THIS IS -- THIS IS A 50-50 BALL.

MOST OF THE TIME, YOU KNOW, THAT'S - AND THAT'S JUST A GOOD PLAY.

THEY GOT SCHOLARSHIP PLAYERS TOO AND THEY EXECUTED.

>> THAT'S A HIGH-POINTING IS ANOTHER REASON WHY HE'LL GET DRAFTED.

EARLIER, WE HAD CAM TAYLOR-BRITT MAKE THE INTERCEPTION.

HERE'S HIS SECOND INTERCEPTION OF THE DAY.

D-WILL GOES DOWN WITH THE KNEE INJURY.

THEY'RE SAYING IT'S NOT SERIOUS BUT HE WILL MISS SOME TIME.

AND, HERE'S ADRIAN MARTINEZ, AGAIN TO AUSTIN ALLEN, MAKING A PLAY.

JUST A GREAT GAME OVERALL FOR AUSTIN ALLEN.

FIVE CATCHES FOR 121 YARDS AND THAT TOUCHDOWN.

THERE'S RAHMIR JOHNSON GETTING IN AGAIN - THINK A THAT WHEN NEBRASKA'S DOWN THERE THE NEXT TIME AND THEY DON'T HAVE RAHMIR JOHNSON.

I MENTIONED -- I THOUGHT IT WAS RAHMIR JOHNSON'S BEST DAY.

HIS 29-YARD RUN HERE, BUT OUTSIDE DOING GREAT BLOCKING BY BOOKER.

>> NICE LITTLE COUNTER PLAY -- NICE LITTLE ACTION.

>> GREAT JOB BY HIM.

AND THEN, HERE'S THE PLAY --.

>> YOU COULD ARGUE HE'S IN THERE.

>> I THINK HE WAS IN.

I THINK THIS ANGLE RIGHT HERE SHOWS --.

>> RIGHT THERE, YEP.

>> THAT HE WAS IN, BUT THE CAMERA --.

>> THEY DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE CAMERA ANGLES FOR THIS GAME THAT THEY WOULD HAVE FOR A BIGGER GAME.

>> EXACTLY.

AND THEN WE SHOWED THIS.

IT WAS OUR PLAY OF THE DAY.

YANT SLIPS, FALLS DOWN, DOESN'T GET IN, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW MAKE THIS TO START THE FOURTH QUARTER -- YOU'RE DOWN, YOU KNOW, TWO POINTS AND YOU'RE FEELING PRETTY GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF.

INSTEAD, YOU GET THE MISSED FIELD GOAL.

CONNOR CULP TALKED AFTER THE GAME.

LISTENING TO HIM TALK AS SOMEONE WHO'S A PARENT, I FELT MISERABLE LISTENING TO HIM TALK.

AND THEN, THIS IS A PLAY THAT ADRIAN MARTINEZ, AS A FOURTH-YEAR GUY, CAN'T --.

>> CAN'T DO IT.

>> HE CAN'T DO IT.

HE CAN'T DROP BACK -- HE'S GOT TO STEP UP.

HE CAN'T THROW IT AWAY.

HE KNOWS THAT'S JUST NOT HIS PLAY.

>> WHEN HE CAN'T RUN, HE'S REALLY TRAPPED THERE, RIGHT?

>> HE IS, HE IS.

HE CAN'T CLIMB THE POCKET AND THEN THIS KIND OF PUT THE NAIL IN THE COFFIN HERE.

THIS RUN, GETTING THE TOUCHDOWN, AND NOW NEBRASKA IS DOWN TWO SCORES OPPOSED TO JUST ONE SCORE.

THEY DID MOUNT A HECK OF A DRIVE, THOUGH.

THIS TWO-MINUTE DRIVE HERE IS ONE OF THE BEST DRIVES THAT YOU'LL SEE ALL YEAR - NEBRASKA - HERE'S OMAR MANNING, ANOTHER GUY THAT THE FOLKS ON THE MESSAGE BOARDS ARE ASKING TO SEE MORE OF -- MAKES A PLAY RIGHT THERE.

LEVI FALCK, WHO HAD THE MOST TARGETS OUT OF ANY WIDE RECEIVER FROM NEBRASKA IN THIS GAME, MAKES THE CATCH THERE AND THEN HERE'S THE TOUCHDOWN PASS TO THE 6'8", 6'9", HOWEVER TALL AUSTIN ALLEN IS - TOUCHDOWN.

DIDN'T EVEN NEED HIS HEIGHT - JUST MADE A GREAT CATCH THERE FOR THE TOUCHDOWN TO MAKE IT A SEVEN-POINT GAME.

AND, THIS IS THE DALLAS COWBOY ONSIDE KICK.

THAT LITTLE SIDEWINDER?

>> ONLY WENT ABOUT EIGHT YARDS, THOUGH, RIGHT?

>> YEAH, BUT IT HIT - BUT, IT HITS THE MINNESOTA PLAYER AND IT GETS LOOSE FOR A SECOND.

NEBRASKA HAD A CHANCE TO GET A RECOVERY THERE BUT --.

>> WAS THAT FRANKE ON THAT KICK?

>> I BELIEVE SO.

I BELIEVE SO.

AND, LAYING IT DOWN LIKE THAT, IT'S A GREAT WAY.

I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COWBOYS DID LAST YEAR.

HERE ARE THE FINAL STATS.

YOU SEE THAT NEBRASKA ACTUALLY MADE UP A LOT OF GROUND FROM WHERE THEY WERE IN THE FIRST HALF.

HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE SECOND HALF BUT THE PROBLEM IS THEY JUST COULD NOT GET IT IN IN THE RED ZONE.

AND, LOOK AT THE TIME OF POSSESSION: 38 MINUTES TO 22 MINUTES, A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

TIME TO GO NOW AND LOOK DEEPER INTO THE PLAYBOOK WITH JAY MOORE IN "THE HUDL."

( WHOOSH ) >> ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO BREAK DOWN A COUPLE OF DEFENSIVE PLAYS.

KIND OF SEE WHERE NEBRASKA ADJUSTED FROM FIRST HALF TO SECOND HALF, TRIED TO DEFINE IT -- TWO PLAYS ARE SOMEWHAT SIMILAR.

NOT THE EASIEST TO DO WHEN YOU JUST DON'T HAVE AN END ZONE SHOT, BUT WE'VE GOT TWO GOOD LOOKS HERE.

SO, THIS IS EARLY IN THE GAME.

NEBRASKA, YOU KNOW, 0-0, MINNESOTA DID A GOOD JOB OF DISTRESSING NEBRASKA'S DEFENSE, KIND OF PUT 'EM IN TOUGH SITUATIONS.

THEY DID A LOT OF "CHECK WITH ME," TO SEE WHAT NEBRASKA GOT INTO, LOOKED TO THE SIDELINES AND THEY AUDIBLED OUT OF IT AND THEY SNAPPED THE BALL LATE, WHICH DIDN'T REALLY ALLOW NEBRASKA A LOT OF TIME TO MAYBE MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS.

BUT, I LOOK HERE -- SO, I ALWAYS WANT TO SEE HOW OUR NUMBERS SITUATION IS.

NEBRASKA'S REALLY GOOD TO THIS SIDE, WE'VE GOT AN EDGE-SETTER, SO YOU LOOK DOWN HERE, SO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO HERE IS THEY'RE GOING TO RUN SEVEN AUTMAN-BELL DEEP AND THEY'RE JUST GOING TO RUN A SIMPLE, LITTLE 10-YARD OUT HERE.

BUT, YOU HAVE JOJO DOMANN COVERING THE SLOT HERE AND I'LL GET THIS THING GOING -- LET IT GET -- GET TO MY DRAWINGS.

WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE -- AND ME -- AND, I DON'T KNOW -- I'M NOT COACH CHIN -- I KNOW THEY'RE PROBABLY BEING TOLD SOMETHING DIFFERENT BUT, IN THIS SITUATION, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SEEN JOJO BE A LITTLE TIGHTER -- MAYBE A FOUR-BY-ONE, FOUR YARDS OFF, ONE YARD INSIDE.

TO GET A JAM ON HIM, SOME SORT OF -- TO FORCE HIM -- A SLOWDOWN OF HIS RELEASE, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS, NOW, YOU HAVE HIM JUST RUNNING FREE BECAUSE YOU HAVE THESE GUYS -- GOT TO RESPECT A LITTLE OF THE PLAY-ACTION.

NOW, YOU JUST HAVE THEM RUNNING -- I BELIEVE, DEONTAI WILLIAMS HERE, OR DISMUKE, AND HE HAS -- YOU HAVE NO HELP.

I MEAN, YOU'RE JUST BACKPEDALING AND YOU JUST HAVE -- A SIMPLE PITCH-AND-CATCH HERE, AND THEY DID THAT REPEATEDLY.

I'D LIKE TO SEE JOJO GET A JAM ON THERE TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING TO TRY TO RE-ROUTE AND GET THAT THING BACK TO -- TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO.

AND THE SECOND -- HERE WE GO -- THERE'S THE SECOND PLAY.

ALL RIGHT NOW, THIS IS THE SECOND HALF - THIS IS THE DEONTAI WILLIAMS INTERCEPTION.

SO, WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO HERE IS KIND OF A SIMILAR LOOK - I GOT JOJO DOMANN LINED UP IN THE SLOT - THEY'RE GOING AUTMAN - AUTMAN-BELL -- ON A KIND OF BEHIND CROSSING ROUTE HERE.

SO, NEBRASKA, INSTEAD HERE, IS GOING TO BRING JOJO DOMANN OFF THE EDGE AND WHAT KIND OF -- WHAT GETS HIM -- I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT NELSON.

LOVED HIS EFFORT GETTING AROUND THE TACKLE HERE, ALMOST GETS THERE -- COULD HAVE PROBABLY HAVE BEEN CALLED FOR HOLDING -- DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE INTERCEPTION'S GOING TO COME.

BUT, WHAT HAPPENS HERE IS YOU HAVE DOMANN COMING AND YOU HAVE DEONTAI WILLIAMS, WHO IS SINKING AND NOT REALLY RUNNING WITH HIS COVERAGE AND THEY ROLLED THAT COVERAGE AND, BOOM, HE DIDN'T THINK HE WAS GOING TO BE THERE.

HE PROBABLY THOUGHT HE WAS GOING WITH THE RECEIVER DOWN THERE - MAKES A GREAT PICK - WOULD HAVE LOVED TO SEE IF HE KEPT HIS FEET AND MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SCORE, BUT NEBRASKA MADE SOME REALLY GOOD SECOND-HALF ADJUSTMENTS TO -- TO KEEP NEBRASKA IN THAT FOOTBALL GAME.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE OFFENSE WASN'T ABLE TO SCORE ANY POINTS.

>> JAY, I'M GLAD YOU SHOWED THAT.

A COUPLE TIMES WHEN THEY WERE GOING TRIPS, THE WAY THEY COVERED THE SLOT RECEIVER WAS REALLY QUESTIONABLE IN THE FIRST HALF.

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE TANNER MORGAN LINED UP AND GO, "OKAY, I KNOW EXACTLY WHO MY NUMBER ONE IS - I'M GOING TO THROW IT TO HIM AND IT'S GOING TO BE EASY."

THEY DID MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IN THE SECOND HALF TO TAKE THAT AWAY.

>> A LITTLE BIT.

THEY DID.

INITIALLY, I THINK IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PLAYS AROUND THE GAME AND I BELIEVE IT WAS CALEB TANNOR WAS IN JOJO DOMANN'S SITUATION OF THAT - KIND OF THE FIRST PLAY THAT I JUST BROKE DOWN.

I'M LIKE, "UH-OH," THEY HAD THE TIGHT END DISPLACED OFF - I'M LIKE, "WE ARE IN THE NUMBERS" -- MINNESOTA IS THE NUMBERS ADVANTAGE HERE AND WE HAVE NO EDGE-SETTER.

THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WHEN I LOOK AT DEFENSE, WHO'S GOING TO BE SETTING THE EDGE TO KEEP EVERYTHING CONTAINED.

I'M LIKE, "OH, HOLY SMOKES!"

WHAT HAPPENS IS THEY RUN THE PLAY-ACTION, CALEB STEPS UP BECAUSE HE HAS TO BE THE EDGE-SETTER AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, BOOM, HE JUST HITS IT ON THE QUICK-OUT, LIKE RPO SITUATION, SO A LITTLE INTERESTING SITUATION.

NEBRASKA ADJUSTS.

THEY - I MEAN, THEY CAME OUT AND PLAYED REALLY WELL IN THE SECOND HALF BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE OFFENSE JUST CAN'T GET OUT OF THEIR OWN WAY.

>> NEXT UP ON "BIG RED WRAP-UP," WE'LL BE JOINED BY FORMER HUSKER, ZACH POTTER, BUT BEFORE WE GO TO BREAK, THOUGH, IMAGES FROM THE MINNESOTA GAME COURTESY OF "HAIL, VARSITY."

WE'RE BACK SOON.

S S ( WHOOSH ) >> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR PLAYERS OF THE GAME.

AUSTIN ALLEN -- WE BROUGHT THIS UP -- BE GAME OF HIS CAREER.

IT REALLY IS HIS HIGHLIGHT TAPE.

YOU'LL SEE THIS ON ABC, OR FOX, OR WHOEVER'S GOT THE DRAFT COVERAGE BUT YOU'LL SEE THESE HIGHLIGHTS.

FIVE RECEPTIONS, 121 YARDS, THAT BIG CATCH WITH A TOUCHDOWN LATER.

AND THEN, WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR CAM TAYLOR-BRITT TO KIND OF GET TO THE POINT WHERE HE IS THAT GUY WHO WAS A DRAFT PICK AT CORNER BACK AND NOW HE IS FINALLY PLAYING KIND OF LIKE WE EXPECTED -- KIND OF PLAYING A LITTLE FREER.

THE LAST THREE GAMES, VERY GOOD GAMES FOR CAM TAYLOR-BRITT - GET HIS INTERCEPTION TO KIND OF TURN THE GAME A LITTLE BIT IN THIS ONE, AS WELL.

CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OUR PLAYERS OF THE GAME.

WE'RE NOW JOINED BY A FORMER HUSKER, A MAN WHO PLAYED ON THE DEFENSIVE SIDE, WHO PLAYS ON THE OFFENSIVE SIDE -- THAT'S WHY I LIKE TO HAVE ZACH POTTER ON BECAUSE YOU CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS ON BOTH SIDES.

>> THANK YOU.

>> UNLIKE JAY MOORE, WHO JUST TALKS DEFENSE ALL THE TIME.

>> I CAN TALK GOLF.

>> YEAH, YOU KNOW -- >> GOLF ANALOGIES -- >> I CAN TALK GOLF AS WELL, BUT THE NICE THING IS BECAUSE I CAN TALK ON BOTH SIDES, OF OFFENSE AND DEFENSE, THOUGH I FEEL LIKE NOW, AS A FAN, AS THE ARMCHAIR, YOU KNOW, QUARTERBACK OR GUY AT HOME, I WATCH THE BALL MORE SO I DO WATCH OFFENSE A LOT MORE THAN I WATCH DEFENSE, SO -- BUT IT'S STILL A LOT OF FUN BEING ABLE TO WATCH BOTH SIDES.

>> YOU SAID A REALLY INTERESTING THING, AND I THINK YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT FEELS THIS WAY, YOU FEEL WORSE NOW ABOUT LOSSES THAN YOU DID WHEN YOU WERE PLAYING?

>> YEAH.

>> SITTING THERE AS A FAN?

>> ALWAYS.

BECAUSE, AS A FAN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE AT HOME AND YOU DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHY THEY'RE DOING CERTAIN THINGS, OR, YOU KNOW, AS A PLAYER, YOU KNEW WHY MAYBE THIS GUY WENT INSIDE OR THIS GUY WENT OUTSIDE, OR WHY WE CALLED THIS PLAY, OR, YOU KNOW, X-Y-Z, WHATEVER IT WAS.

BUT AS A FAN, YOU DON'T KNOW AND YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE COACHES ARE THINKING SOMETIMES, GOOD OR BAD - OR THE PLAYERS.

AND SO, AS A FAN, YOU'RE SITTING THERE.

YOU HAVE ALL THESE THOUGHTS IN YOUR HEAD AND YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT WHY THEY DID THIS OR WHY THEY DID THAT, BUT YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW UNTIL WHEN THEY MAKE THE MISTAKES OR THEY MAKE THE PLAY, OR - GOOD OR BAD, SOMETIMES - AND IT'S LIKE, "WHY DO WE DO THAT?"

YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST REALLY - IT'S KIND OF MIND-BOGGLING SOMETIMES, WHICH MAKES IT HARDER AS A FAN THAN IT DID AS A PLAYER.

>> YOU'RE IN CONTROL AS A PLAYER.

>> YEAH, THAT'S TRUE.

>> YEAH --.

>> IT'S LIKE DRIVING A CAR.

>> RIGHT.

>> IT'S HARD TO BE A PASSENGER IN A CAR.

>> OH, IT IS, YEAH.

AND, AS A PLAYER, YOU KNOW, A SATURDAY OR WHENEVER YOUR GAME IS, IT'S OVER, YOU SPENT SO MUCH EMOTION PLAYING AND ENERGY, AND IT'S LIKE OKAY, THEN YOU DIGEST IT - YOU HAVE YOUR FILM AND THEN IT'S LIKE, BOOM, YOU'VE GOT TO GET READY FOR YOUR NEXT OPPONENT.

>> YEP.

>> YOU KNOW, AND YOU CAN'T THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT A MINNESOTA, OR A TEXAS, OR AN OKLAHOMA STATE, OR WHOEVER THAT MIGHT BE THAT YOU JUST LOST TO.

YOU'RE NOW -OKAY, WE'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT MISSOURI, WE GOT TO THINK ABOUT PURDUE, WE'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT OHIO STATE, SO IT'S ALWAYS A CLASSIC LINE: YOU CAN'T LET ONE LOSS BEAT YOU TWICE, RIGHT?

SO, YOU'RE ALWAYS - IT WAS SUPER EASY FOR ME TO GET OVER LOSSES BECAUSE AS A PLAYER NOW, IT'S LIKE THEY EAT AT YOU FOR A WHOLE WEEK.

>> I ALWAYS CALL IT THE 24-HOUR.

YOU HAVE 24 HOURS TO CELEBRATE OR TO GET DOWN IN THE DUMPS AND, YOU KNOW, CRY, OR WHATEVER IT NEEDS TO BE, BUT YOU'VE GOT 24 HOURS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT IS.

AND THEN, YOU HAVE TO MOVE ON, AS A PLAYER, AND I'VE TRIED TO DO THAT NOW AS A FAN BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MY WIFE GETS MAD AT ME SOMETIMES WHEN I GET REALLY MAD AFTER THESE LOSSES, SHE GOES, "GO TAKE A WALK, OR GO MOW THE YARD.

GO DO SOMETHING TO GET YOUR MIND OFF OF THIS," OR, IT COULD BE IN THE FIRST HALF WHERE SOMETHING GOES BAD AND I SAY SOMETHING, AND SHE GOES, "DON'T START NOW, LIKE, KEEP GOING."

>> YEAH.

>> AND I FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES THAT'S HOW WE ARE AS FANS.

WE GET SO -- WE'RE SO INVESTED AS FANS, OR FORMER PLAYERS, BUT IT'S JUST WHEN, GOOD OR BAD, AND YOU'VE GOT 24 HOURS TO CELEBRATE OR SOAK YOUR SORROWS.

>> I JOKED AFTER THE GAME, LIKE, "WHY DO I CARE SO MUCH?"

THIS IS KILLING ME.

>> IT'S SO TRUE.

>> LIKE, I WISH I DIDN'T CARE AS MUCH, BUT I CARE SO MUCH AND I WANT TO SEE THEM SUCCEED IN THIS THAT YOU LIVE ON EVERY DIE -- YOU LIVE AND DIE ON EVERY PLAY, AND WE DON'T - YOU --.

>> WE CARE SO MUCH BECAUSE THAT'S -- THAT'S NEBRASKA.

WE CARE SO MUCH ABOUT THE PLAYERS, THE FANS, YOU KNOW, THE COACHING STAFF -- EVEN THAT ADMINISTRATION PIECE.

THAT'S WHAT MAKES NEBRASKA DIFFERENT.

>> I THINK WILL COMPTON CALLS IT, AFTER A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, IT'S JUST DIFFERENT.

>> YEAH, IT'S THE FRIC OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE ABOUT, AS NEBRASKANS.

I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE MENTAL SIDE OF IT AND HOW YOU GUYS HANDLE THAT.

I WATCHED CONNOR CULP AFTER THE GAME AND YOU COULD SEE THAT HE WAS SHOOK.

I THINK YOU COULD SEE THE DEFENSE PLAYERS, AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY PLAYED SO WELL IN THE SECOND HALF, AND WHAT HAPPENED IN THE THIRD QUARTER.

HOW DO YOU HANDLE THAT ASPECT OF IT?

BECAUSE, PHYSICALLY, YOU CAN LIFT AND YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING YOU NEEDED TO DO -- SETTING THE EDGE, OR CATCHING THE BALL, BUT HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THE MENTAL PART OF IT?

>> WELL, I THINK IF YOU'RE ON OFFENSE OR DEFENSE, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT CONNOR'S GOING THROUGH.

CONNOR'S - I MEAN, THAT'S A ONE-ON-ONE .

THAT'S JUST A "YOU" DEAL.

I MEAN, YOU CAN BLAME A SNAP OR A HOLD, OR SOMETHING, BUT THAT -- THAT'S -- HE'S ON AN ISLAND A LOT MORE THAN IF YOU'RE ON DEFENSE.

>> THAT'S SOME MAJOR DEMONS HE'S DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW.

>> YEAH, THAT'S TOUGH AND I'VE BEEN - I'VE SEEN IT AT ALL DIFFERENT LEVELS.

I MEAN, YOU COMPARE IT A LOT TO GOLFERS, YOU KNOW, YOU GET ON A TEE, IF YOU HAD IT BOUNCE FOUR TIMES, YOU'RE GOING TO THINK ABOUT THAT ON THE FIFTH ONE, AND HE'S DOING THE SAME THING RIGHT NOW.

BUT, AS A MENTAL SIDE, AT OFFENSE OR DEFENSE, YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO WATCH THE FILM AND TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHY YOU DID THIS OR WHY YOU DID THAT, WHAT WAS GOOD, WHAT WAS BAD, AND TAKE THAT GOOD, AND THE BAD, TO THE NEXT GAME.

BECAUSE IF YOU DWELL ON IT AND YOU CAN'T TAKE THAT TO THE NEXT GAME, THAT'S WHEN YOU REALLY START FIGURING IT OUT OF WHY IT'S GOING BAD.

BUT REALLY, YOU KNOW, AFTER THESE TOUGH LOSSES, IT'S HARD FOR THOSE GUYS TO GET BACK UP AND, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS A PERFECT TRAP GAME, IF YOU WILL, OF WHY THEY MIGHT, YOU KNOW, FAIL, OR HAVE THE RESULTS THAT WE DID.

>> I MEAN, COMING OFF OF THE NIGHT GAME, HAVING A GAME RIGHT BEFORE YOU KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TIME OFF?

>> NO, OR HAVEN'T - YOU KNOW, JUST THE TOUGH LOSSES AND THE NIGHT GAME.

YOU KNOW, THE BIG OPPONENTS, IF YOU WILL - YOU KNOW, 11:00 O'CLOCK ON THE ROAD, 50 DEGREES, STANDS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, 40, 50,000 PEOPLE.

IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE THAN WHAT THEY'VE BEEN USED TO AND SO, IT WAS THAT PERFECT TRAP GAME FOR THEM.

>> YEAH.

LET'S TALK ABOUT PLAYING - I THINK BOTH OF YOU, AT SOME POINT IN YOUR CAREER, HAD TO PLAY AN ENTIRE SEASON AND THEY HAD A BYE WEEK BEFORE THE FINAL GAME, WHETHER IT BE COLORADO, OR WHOMEVER ELSE.

HOW DO YOU MANAGE THAT?

BECAUSE, THIS IS -- THIS IS A LONG SEASON FOR THESE GUYS ALREADY AND YOU CAN TELL THEY'RE VERY TIRED.

HOW DO YOU MANAGE THAT?

>> I -- ME, PERSONALLY, I DID NOT LIKE BYE WEEKS IN COLLEGE.

I HATED THEM, BECAUSE I GOT RUSTY.

I JUST FELT LIKE BECAUSE I --.

>> YOU DIDN'T FEEL LIKE YOU NEEDED TO RECHARGE YOUR BODY?

>> NO.

I DIDN'T.

I NEVER FELT -- THERE'S -- I NEVER FELT TIRED, LIKE, I JUST NEVER DID.

I -- AND, THAT'S -- YOU KNOW, DAVE KENNEDY, WHO WAS OUR STRENGTH CONDITIONER -- I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A NOD TO HIM, OR WHATEVER, BUT YOU GET A FEW, YOU KNOW, DAYS OFF AND THEN YOU'D COME BACK TO TRY TO GET READY FOR COLORADO BECAUSE THAT'S WHO WE ALWAYS HAD A BYE WEEK FOR, AND I'M LIKE, MY EYES ARE BAD, MY HAND PLACEMENT WAS BAD -- I'M JUST LIKE I FELT SLOPPY.

I JUST FELT LIKE -- BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE PROBABLY PRACTICED LIKE TWO OR THREE DAYS IN THOSE BYE WEEKS, MAYBE, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU PROBABLY GET FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY.

YOU COME BACK MAYBE TUESDAY, OR MONDAY, AND I JUST FELT SLOPPY AND I DIDN'T LIKE THAT.

I HATED THAT.

I WAS A GUY THAT NEEDS REPS.

I NEED REPS.

I JUST CAN'T STEP OUT THERE AND BE, BOOM, HERE'S -- I CAN PASS RUSH, I CAN SET THE EDGE, I CAN GO AGAINST WHOEVER.

I NEED THE REPS TO STAY SHARP AND I FELT LIKE A BYE WEEK -- I DIDN'T - I FELT LIKE I WAS IN GOOD ENOUGH SHAPE AND HEALTHY - I MEAN, 21, 22 YEARS OLD, I MEAN --.

>> SURE, RIGHT?

>> I THINK, AS A STUDENT ATHLETE, IT'S NOT YOUR FULL-TIME JOB, IN A WAY.

THERE'S SO MANY MORE DISTRACTIONS THAT YOU HAVE AS A STUDENT ATHLETE DURING A BYE WEEK FROM -- YOU U OW, YOU -- IN THE NFL, YOU'RE GOING HOME AND GOING TO SEE YOUR TEAM, BUT THAT'S YOUR JOB AND YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR JOB IS EVERY SINGLE DAY.

YOU DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE DISTRACTIONS, BUT AS A STUDENT ATHLETE, YOU HAVE ALL SORTS OF DISTRACTIONS, SO WHEN YOU HAVE - ESPECIALLY AFTER A LOSS -- WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS GO PRACTICE AND GET READY TO GO PLAY ANOTHER GAME -- YOU DON'T WANT ANY -- YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO DWELL ON THAT AND KEEP WATCHING FILM AND, YOU KNOW, READ A PAPER, OR WATCH THE NEWS, OR WATCH A SHOW, OR WHATEVER IT IS TO KEEP HEARING ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE.

THERE'S JUST -- THERE'S TOO MANY DISTRACTIONS FOR THESE KIDS THAT ARE 18, 19, 20 YEARS OLD, AND THAT'S WHERE I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE BYE WEEK'S GREAT FOR YOUR BODY, AND STUFF, AND AS JAY MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE GUYS ARE TAKING GOOD CARE OF THEMSELVES.

I THINK THE ATHLETIC TRAINING PROGRAM'S DOING A GREAT JOB FOR A LOT OF THOSE GUYS BUT THERE'S, AS A STUDENT ATHLETE AT THAT AGE, YOU SHOULD ALMOST BE ABLE TO GO STRAIGHT THROUGH.

BUT NOW, THEY HAVE TWO OF 'EM IN THE NEXT -- >> YEAH -- >> FOUR OR FIVE WEEKS -- >> YEAH.

AND SO, LET'S TALK ABOUT AUSTIN ALLEN.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU PLAYED TIGHT END IN THE LEAGUE.

HOW HAVE YOU SEEN HIM DEVELOP?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HIM AT THE NEXT LEVEL?

>> WELL, I MEAN, ANYTIME YOU'VE GOT A GUY THAT'S 6'8", 6'9" THAT CAN ACTUALLY RUN AND BLOCK LIKE HE IS, I MEAN, IT'S PHENOMENAL FOR HIM.

HE'S GOT A GREAT UPSIDE -- SO MUCH POTENTIAL AND OBVIOUSLY THE NFL IS SO MUCH ON A POTENTIAL, A WORD THAT THEY LOVE TO USE, BUT THE THING IS THAT HE CAN -- HE'S SHOWN HIS ABILITY TO CATCH THE BALL, MAKE SOME PLAYS, BUT ALSO BLOCK, TOO, AND THAT'S BEEN THE KEY THING.

I WISH THEY WOULD'VE GOT HIM A LOT MORE INVOLVED EARLY ON IN THE SEASON, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

WE'VE STILL GOT, WHAT -- FOUR GAMES LEFT FOR SURE?

>> YEP.

>> AND CAN MAKE SOME GOOD PLAYS AND, YOU MENTIONED IT, I MEAN, THEY'RE GOING TO BE SHOWING SOME OF THESE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS GAME, YOU KNOW, DURING THE -- MEL KIPER'S GOING TO BE UP THERE TALKING ABOUT HIM, FOR SURE.

>> (HUSKILY) I TELL YOU, THIS AUSTIN ALLEN GUY -- WHAT ABOUT - SO, WE SAW A COUPLE MORE MISCUES, RIGHT?

WE SAW, OBVIOUSLY, A FALSE START, THIRD AND FIVE, THAT MAKES IT A THIRD AND TEN.

YOU GO AWAY THEN FROM BEING ABLE TO MAYBE RUN THE BALL ON THAT PLAY TO HAVING TO THROW THE BALL.

HAVE YOU FIGURED OUT AT ALL WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT?

IS IT -- IS THAT A MENTAL ISSUE?

>> IT'S A DIFFERENT GUY EVERY TIME.

THIS TIME IT WAS NOUILI.

>> YEAH -- >> WHO'S OBVIOUSLY A FULL-SNAP KIND OF AHEAD OF EVERYBODY ELSE.

(LAUGHTER) >> WHAT'S WORSE, YOU KNOW?

YOU GET A FALSE START, YOU KNOW, PASS SETTING, OR A GUY THAT'S PULLING - LIKE -- >> SO, EVERYONE'S GOOD.

>> RIGHT.

IT'S JUST CRAZY.

I JUST LOOK AT THIS TEAM HAS STRUGGLED SO MUCH IN SITUATIONAL FOOTBALL WHEN IT NEEDS TO MAKE A PLAY - THEY JUST CAN'T.

OR, MAKE A SIMPLE PLAY.

THEY CAN'T.

YOU KNOW, AND I ALWAYS LOOK BACK AT -- YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK -- YOU'RE IN A SITUATION -- I STILL WATCH FOOTBALL AND I'LL USE, ZACH, LIKE WHEN, I THINK MINNESOTA GOT THE BALL - I THINK WE PINNED THEM DEEP OR THEY HAD A BALL, LIKE, INSIDE THEIR OWN FIVE-YARD LINE, I'M LIKE, "SHOT, HARD COUNT."

THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE A SHOT, OR THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET YOU --.

>> AND THEY TOOK A SHOT TRYING TO GET A --.

>> AND SO, I'M LIKE THAT'S - LIKE, I JUST GO THROUGH THESE THINGS, THIRD AND LONG, SCREEN DRAW, FIRST PLAY OF A TWO-MINUTE DRILL "SCREEN, DRAW."

BUT, I JUST - AND, I JUST WONDER OF THESE GUYS ARE SAYING THESE SAME THINGS TO THEMSELVES.

I KNOW THE FALSE START -- THOSE ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.

I UNDERSTAND THAT.

NOUILI'S YOUNG, BUT YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE SITUATIONAL STUFF - ARE THEY - ARE THEY SAYING THESE THINGS THROUGH THEIR HEAD - YOU KNOW, "HEY, I CAN'T ALLOW A TURNOVER HERE.

HEY, IT'S TWO-MINUTE DRILL, ADRIAN, YOU CAN'T TAKE A SACK HERE," YOU KNOW?

"YOU HAVE NO TIMEOUTS."

YOU KNOW, "I GOT TO HIT A GUY ON THE SIDELINE - I CAN'T RISK THROWING A GUY OVER THE MIDDLE BECAUSE WE HAVE NO TIMEOUTS."

ALL THESE CERTAIN THINGS.

I JUST KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THEIR HEADS.

I THINK THEY'RE ALL COACHED ON THIS STUFF, BUT ARE THEY - IN THE MOMENT CAN THEY SLOW DOWN ENOUGH AND THINK PROPERLY THROUGH ALL THESE -- THROUGH THOSE SITUATIONS?

IT'S HARD.

YOU'RE HARD - YOU'RE BREATHING - YOU'VE PLAYED 60-70 SNAPS, BUT I THINK THE GOOD ONES, THE GOOD TEAMS, HAVE THE ABILITY TO JUST KEEP SLOWING IT DOWN AND GO THROUGH YOUR PROCESS.

I THINK EVERY PLAYER HAS A PROCESS, WHETHER, IF I'M A LINEBACKER AND I GOT MY DROP, OR I'M BLITZING, OR WHATEVER IT IS, I JUST -- IT SEEMED TO ME THEY STRUGGLE TO -- THINGS JUST SPEED UP FOR 'EM AND THEY JUST CAN'T THINK PROPERLY THROUGH THESE - THROUGH THESE TOUGH SITUATIONS AND YOU GET THE FALSE STARTS, YOU GET THE FUMBLES, YOU GET THE PENALTIES, YOU GET THE INTERCEPTIONS, YOU GET THE MISSED KICKS.

IT'S BANANAS ALL THE STUFF THEY'VE GONE THROUGH IN ALL THESE CLOSE LOSSES, AND I JUST THINK THEY DON'T - THEY JUST GET TOO AHEAD OF THEMSELVES.

>> I THINK THEY'RE TRYING TOO HARD ALMOST, TOO.

>> YEAH, YEAH.

>> THEY'RE -- THEY'RE SO SET UP TO FAIL, WHETHER IT'S TAKING A SACK IN AN END ZONE, OR THROWING IT TO NOBODY, OR A FALSE START, YOU'RE THINKING SO MUCH ABOUT YOUR JOB, BUT ALSO, HEY, LAST WEEK I FALSE STARTED.

I CAN'T DO THAT AGAIN.

AND SO, THEN YOU FORGET A SNAP COUNT OR YOU'RE UP THERE AND YOU HEAR THE "HUT" AND, BOOM, YOU'RE PULLING LIKE HE WAS.

THAT'S THE TOUGH PART ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE IN THERE NOW.

I THINK THEY'RE ALL TRYING SO HARD TO OVERCOME THE OBSTACLES THAT THEY'VE ALREADY SET THEMSELVES, AND HAPPENED THIS SEASON, THAT THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE REALLY STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW AND THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE SEEING SOME OF THESE JUST MENTAL MISTAKES.

THAT'S ALL IT IS.

IT'S A MENTAL MISTAKE.

THEIR COACH AND ALL -- THESE GUYS KNOW IT.

IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE TRYING TO FALSE START OR THEY'RE TRYING TO FUMBLE BALLS, OR THROW IT OUT OF BOUND - I MEAN, THEY KNOW THE RULES, THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO HARD BECAUSE THEY WANT TO WIN SO BAD.

>> YOU PLAYED FOR - YOU GUYS PLAYED FOR AN OFFENSIVE GENIUS.

IS THERE A FEELING WHEN YOU'RE ON THE DEFENSIVE SIDE OF THE BALL - I DON'T WANT TO SAY SECOND-CLASS CITIZENS, BUT YOUR HEAD COACH IS AN OFFENSIVE GUY -- THAT'S KIND OF THE IDENTITY OF YOUR TEAM.

WHAT DOES IT FEELING LIKE BEING THE DEFENSIVE GUY ON A TEAM LIKE THAT?

>> OH, I MEAN -- I THINK OUR DEFENSE, YOU KNOW, OUTPLAYED, YOU KNOW, THE TWO YEARS WITH -- OR THE THREE -- I CAN'T REALLY SAY -- THAT FIRST YEAR WITH CALLAHAN WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT MY JUNIOR/SENIOR YEAR, THE OFFENSE STRUGGLED.

YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ZACH TAYLOR'S COMING IN AS A JUCO GUY, AND I THINK ZACH STRUGGLED EARLY IN HIS CAREER, KIND OF - THEY GOT BETTER, BUT I THINK THE OFFENSE KIND OF STRUGGLED A LITTLE BIT AND WE PLAYED REALLY GOOD DEFENSE.

WE HAD SOME -- A LOT OF NFL GUYS ON THERE, SO THERE WOULD BE GAMES WHERE JUST LIKE, "MAN," I MEAN, I THINK BACK TO, LIKE, THE USC GAME.

YOU KNOW -- THERE -- I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, I THINK WE WERE MORE IN THE "LET'S NOT TRY TO SCREW THIS THING UP -- LET'S MUCK IT UP A LITTLE BIT," BUT, MAN, WE KIND OF GOT SOME STOPS, YOU KNOW, AND THEY JUST COULDN'T GET THE THING GOING, BUT MANY GAMES LIKE THAT.

A BIG 12 GAME - OKLAHOMA.

>> OH, YEAH.

>> YEAH.

>> WE PLAYED REALLY WELL DEFENSIVELY AND IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE HOW MANY TIMES IN PRACTICE, THE DEFENSE ALWAYS DOES SO WELL IF YOU'RE GOING ONES ON ONES, AND THERE'S CALLAHAN, YOU KNOW, "HEY, LET'S KEEP GOING.

WE'RE GOING.

I'M GOING TO WIN."

>> HE'S GOT HIS OFFENSE IN STEP, RIGHT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT, HE'S GOING TO KEEP GOING.

HE'S GOT TO WIN, SO I'VE BEEN THROUGH IT.

IT'S TERRIBLE.

IT'S NOT FUN, I MEAN, BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO HELP THIS TEAM WIN BUT THEY'RE NOT DOING -- WHETHER IT'S A COACHING THING, OR WHETHER IT'S A PLAYER EXECUTION THING, OR WHETHER IT'S A MENTAL THING, IT'S EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING.

>> THE OTHER TOUGH THING, YOU KNOW, IS SOMETIMES FOR THE OFFENSE - OR THE DEFENSE, REALLY, IS THE OFFENSE GOES THREE AND OUT REAL QUICK, OR TURNOVER QUICK -- DEFENSE, YOU'RE BACK ON THE FIELD PRETTY QUICKLY AND YOU'VE GOT TO -- IT'S COMPLEMENTARY FOOTBALL -- YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A DRIVE, YOU KNOW - THE FIRST SERIES OF THE GAME YOU CAN'T JUST GO THREE PLAYS AND OUT.

>> 45 SECONDS --.

>> BASICALLY, MINNESOTA GOT THE BALL THE FIRST HALF AND THE SECOND HALF AND CAPITALIZED.

>> YEAH.

>> YOUR DEFENSE CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH IN THAT AND I THINK IN A WAY THIS WAS THEIR -- YOU KNOW, THEY BROKE.

I MEAN, BEND, DON'T BREAK, BUT THEY BROKE THIS GAME.

THEY PLAYED SO WELL THE LAST FEW GAMES -- THIS WAS THE GAME THAT THEY NEEDED OFFENSE TO PICK UP SOME OF THE SLACK THAT THEY HAD FROM THE PREVIOUS GAMES AND UNFORTUNATELY IT JUST COULDN'T HAPPEN.

>> I APOLOGIZE, THIS NOT AN EASY QUESTION BUT HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK THESE FOUR GAMES DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT SCOTT FROST IS BACK NEXT YEAR?

>> I'D SAY ZERO.

I THINK HE'S BACK FOR SURE.

I THINK THERE COULD BE SOME OTHER CHANGES WHETHER IT'S ROSTER OR COACHES, ASSISTANT COACHES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT I THINK IF YOU WERE TO GET RID OF SCOTT FROST RIGHT NOW IT CHANGES THE CULTURE AND IT SETS US BACK EVEN MORE THAN WHERE WE WERE.

WHEN NEBRASKA HAS TO GET OUT OF THE NEBRASKA HIRE/FIRE CYCLE THAT WE'VE BEEN IN OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS.

IT JUST - YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CONSISTENT VOICE AT THE TOP.

YOU CACAHAVE DIFFERENT VOICES, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT -- LEVEL DOWN AS FAR AS ASSISTANT COACHES, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO KEEP THE SAME MESSAGE GOING IN THERE TO THE PLAYERS, YOU KNOW -- THE RECRUITING -- I MEAN, IF YOU GO -- IF YOU WERE TO GET RID OF SCOTT FROST THIS YEAR, YOU LOSE SO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT HE HAS DONE OVER THIS TIME AND SOME OF THE PIECES THAT YOU HAD TO PICK UP FROM OTHER COACHES, SO I DON'T THINK - I DON'T THINK -- I THINK IF WE'RE HAVING THE SAME CONVERSATION NEXT YEAR, IT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE DIFFERENT STORY.

>> WELL SAID.

THANKS, ZACH, WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> ANY TIME.

>> KEEP HITTIN' 'EM STRAIGHT.

TIME TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE BEST FROM SOCIAL MEDIA OVER THE LAST WEEK.

FIRST, FROM BARSTOOL SKERS, A LETTER OBTAINED FROM ORD HIGH SCHOOL.

THE LETTER READS IN FULL, "THIS IS A FORMAL REPRIMAND FOR INAPPROPRIATE ATTIRE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.

SCHOOLS IN NEBRASKA SUPPORT A FOOTBALL TEAM AND ONE FOOTBALL TEAM ONLY.

THAT'S THE NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS.

ALSO, YOU STATE WHILE YOU ARE IN CLASS, 'ROW THE BOAT'?

P.J.

FLECK PROPAGANDA WILL NOT BE TOLERATED AT ORD HIGH SCHOOL.

I HOPE TO SEE YOU WEARING RED FROM HEREON OUT, ESPECIALLY ON GAME DAYS AND AFTER NEBRASKA PLAYS AND BEATS MINNESOTA.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

G.B.R."

OBVIOUSLY, THIS PERSON WHO RECEIVED THIS, GOT THE LAST LAUGH, BUT THE LETTER WAS STILL A GOOD ONE.

NEXT IS THE TIMELINE CLEANSER, WE GOT THIS SWEET PHOTO VIA EMAIL FROM JANELLE -- "SIX DAYS OLD ON SATURDAY, CHEERING ON THE HUSKERS AND THE BLACK SHIRTS.

SORRY YOUR FIRST GAME DIDN'T GO SO WELL, BUT YOU'LL HAVE PLENTY GAMES TO CATCH UP ON."

UP NEXT, IN THE "WRAP-UP," SEAN CALLAHAN IS BACK TO HELP US LOOK AT THE CHANGING STRUCTURE OF NEBRASKA'S 2022 RECRUITING CLASS, BUT FIRST ANOTHER LOOK FROM MINNEAPOLIS, COURTESY OF "HAIL, VARSITY."

STAY WITH US.

S S S S >> WELCOME BACK.

THANKS FOR JOINING US ON THE "WRAP-UP."

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

THE CHANGING LOOK OF THE 2022 CLASS -- WHERE ARE WE NOW?

>> YEAH, NEBRASKA ADDED A COMMIT, LOST A COMMIT.

HAYDEN SCHWARTZ, LAST NIGHT, ANNOUNCED HIS DE-COMMITMENT FROM NEBRASKA -- A JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, HYBRID PLAYER.

I WOULDN'T SAY, MIKE'L, HE WAS A TRUE 3-4 DEFENSIVE END.

HE KIND OF FIT MORE OF THE GARRETT NELSON TYPE, MAYBE EVEN A PHELDARIUS PAYNE.

VISITED FOR THE MICHIGAN GAME -- WAS HERE AS AN UNOFFICIAL.

TOLD THE STAFF ESSENTIALLY THIS WEEK, "YOU KNOW, I'M PROBABLY - I WOULD LIKE TO MAYBE TAKE SOME OTHER TRIPS, LOOK AROUND," AND NEBRASKA'S RESPONSE WAS, YOU KNOW WHAT?

LET'S OPEN IT BACK UP AND CERTAINLY YOU GO - NEBRASKA HAS ONE SPOT FOR A DEFENSIVE LINEMAN AND HE WAS IN THAT SPOT, SO THEY WILL NOW NEED TO GO OUT AND FIND ANOTHER DEFENSIVE LINE BODY.

>> AND YOU MENTIONED THE COACHES ARE OUT ON THE ROAD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER 600 DAYS.

>> YEAH, OVER 620 DAYS IT'S BEEN SINCE NEBRASKA HAS BEEN OUT IN HIGH SCHOOLS.

JANUARY OF 2020.

I STILL REMEMBER THAT MONTH.

I WAS -- THERE WAS CENTRAL -- I WAS AT CENTRAL, OMAHA CENTRAL - BURKE, AND YOU KNOW, THESE GUYS ARE LONG GONE, OR YOU KNOW, OR IN THEIR SENIOR YEAR RIGHT NOW, AND SO YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN LOST.

THAT'S A LOT OF DAYS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO GO TO GAMES, GO TO SCHOOLS.

YOU WILL SEE SCOTT FROST, BARRETT RUUD, ALL OVER THE STATE.

YOU'LL SEE COACHES AT THE LINCOLN SOUTHEAST/ELKHORN SOUTH GAME THIS WEEKEND AS WELL AS, I BELIEVE, THE COLUMBUS/NORTH PLATTE GAME, AND SOME OTHER LOCAL GAMES, AS WELL.

>> ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLAYERS TO WATCH IN THE METRO INTERESTED IN JOINING US, YOU MENTION A NEW COMMIT ADDED TO THE LIST OF 2022.

GAGE, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TAKING THE TIME -- WHAT'S THIS WEEK BEEN LIKE FOR YOU?

>> IT'S JUST BEEN A REGULAR WEEK -- JUST PREPARING FOR THE GAME ON FRIDAY.

>> GAGE, HOW DID IT ALL GO ABOUT.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, KANSAS STATE CAME IN AND MADE A MOVE ON YOU EARLY ON IN JUNE WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE STILL TRYING TO LEARN THE LAY OF THE LAND ON THE RECRUITING SCENE.

YOU JUMPED ON THAT OFFER.

YOU WORKED OUT FOR NEBRASKA - HOW DID THINGS KIND OF TURN FOR NEBRASKA TO KIND OF CIRCLE BACK IN AND -- AND START RECRUITING YOU A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO?

>> I THINK WITH MY -- HOW I WAS PLAYING MY SENIOR YEAR, THEY STARTED WATCHING MY FILM AGAIN AND SAID, LIKE, WATCHING ME EVEN MORE, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO EVALUATE ME EVEN MORE.

>> GAGE, WE'VE SEEN YOU COMP TO A LOT OF GUYS, OBVIOUSLY PLAYING SOME QUARTERBACK, ALSO IN THE SECONDARY, JOJO DOMANN YOU HEAR MENTIONED, YOU HEAR LUKE REIMER MENTIONED.

HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF AT THE NEXT LEVEL?

>> KIND OF IN THAT JOJO-TYPE ROLE.

I KNOW I'M COMING IN AROUND THE SAME SIZE HE WAS.

>> HOW DID NEBRASKA, LIKE, START THE DIALOGUE - I MEAN, WAS IT FAIRLY DIRECT?

WE KNOW YOU'RE COMMITTED TO KANSAS STATE AND, LIKE, LOOK, IF YOU WANT TO COME, YOU HAVE AN OFFER BUT IT -- I MEAN, DID THEY KIND OF GIVE YOU A TIMELINE OF HOW IT HAD TO PLAY OUT?

BECAUSE, I KNOW IT WAS PROBABLY A VERY STRESSFUL DEAL FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THAT QUIETLY THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

>> WELL, IT STARTED WITH SEAN DILLON SAID TO ME, LIKE, AFTER THE BELLEVUE WEST GAME AND THEN JUST SLOWLY MORE COACHES TEXTING ME, AND THEN THEY TALKED TO MY COACH -- COACH MEANS, AND THEN AFTER THAT THEY ASKED ME, LIKE, IF I WOULD BE INTERESTED AND I SAID, "YEAH, I WOULD BE INTERESTED," AND THEN, THAT'S KIND OF HOW IT ALL WENT DOWN, LIKE A WEEK AFTER THAT.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS SEASON, GAGE.

YOU GUYS CAME CLOSE LAST YEAR, REPLACING SOME GUYS.

WHAT'S YOUR FEELING - YOU THINK YOU'VE GOT THE KIND OF TEAM TO WIN STATE?

>> I THINK WE DO.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF GUYS STEP UP LATELY.

OUR LINE'S PLAYED REALLY WELL THIS YEAR AND THEN ESPECIALLY WITH CHRISTIAN NASH PLAYING LIKE THE FULL TIME RUNNING BACK INSTEAD OF ROTATING LIKE LAST YEAR - HE'S BEEN ABLE TO HAVE SOME BIG GAMES THIS YEAR.

>> IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO GET THE NUMBER ONE SEED IN THE PLAYOFFS.

YOU GUYS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AS A TEAM TO LOCK THAT UP.

HOW BIG IS IT TO TRY TO GET THAT ONE SEED TO KIND OF SECURE A CLEAN PATH TO LINCOLN?

>> WELL, PLAYING ONE OR TWO SEED WOULD BE BIG FOR US JUST -- BURKE'S A GOOD TEAM, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME READY TO PLAY THIS GAME.

>> GAGE, WE APPRECIATE IT AND CONGRATULATIONS!

>> YEAH, THANK YOU.

>> HE IS ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT WHENEVER HE'S ON THE FIELD -- IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE HE IS, HE JUST MAKES A DIFFERENCE -- WHETHER IT WAS WIDE RECEIVER AND SECONDARY LAST YEAR, QUARTERBACK THIS YEAR, HE'S A DIFFERENCE-MAKER.

>> HE'S THIS YEAR'S COLE PAYTON IN A LOT OF RESPECTS --.

>> YES.

>> I MEAN, KIND OF THE "IT" FACTOR GUY THAT BRINGS HIS TEAM UP A NOTCH.

AND, HE HAD TO WAIT HIS TURN, YOU KNOW - A YEAR AGO, HE WAS THE BACKUP QUARTERBACK AND PLAYED OTHER POSITIONS FOR MILLARD SOUTH AND THEN HE MOVED INTO THAT ROLE, SO ANY MEANS, THEY'VE GOT A GREAT PROGRAM THERE AND A LOT OF TALENT, STANGER IS JUST HAVING ONE OF THOSE REMARKABLE YEARS AT MILLARD SOUTH.

>> COULD WIN IT ALL.

AND THEN YOU MENTIONED THE "IT" GUY - VINCE GENATONE OUT THERE AT NORTH PLATTE IS CERTAINLY A GUY WHO IS AN "IT" GUY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO BEING AN ATHLETE.

>> YEAH, YOU LOOK AT GENATONE -- I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A GUY THAT HAS THE THREE-SPORT RESUME AS VINCE GENATONE.

A YEAR AGO, HE HAD OVER 100 TACKLES.

I BELIEVE HE PLAYED SEVEN DIFFERENT POSITIONS.

THIS YEAR, HE'S AVERAGING AROUND 100 RUSHING YARDS PER GAME AND LEADS THE STATE IN TACKLES.

HE WAS 52-3 AS A STATE CHAMPION WRESTLER IN THE 215 WEIGHT CLASS, AND HE RAN A 10.8 ELECTRONIC IN TRACK --.

>> WOW.

>> SO, HE'S GOT EVERYTHING.

HIS BROAD JUMP, I BELIEVE IS 10.6-PLUS.

YOU KNOW, HE HAS ELITE MEASUREMENT OR TESTING SKILLS.

I THINK THE ONE HOLDBACK CONTINUES TO BE SIZE.

I KNOW WE HAVE HIM AT 6'1" - HE'S PROBABLY CLOSER TO 5'11.5" TO 6' RANGE, AND WHEN YOU START TO PROJECT -- THAT'S SMALL FOR A LINEBACKER IN THE BIG TEN.

>> SURE.

YEAH.

>> SO, IN THE BIG TEN, IS HE LIKE A NATE GEARY, STRONG SAFETY TYPE, AND THAT'S WHERE A GUY LIKE TRAVIS FISHER ONLY HAS A COUPLE SPOTS.

IS HE GOING TO BURN A SPOT ON VINCE GENATONE?

I THINK HE'S GOT OTHER GUYS HE'S LOOKING AT, BUT I THINK NEBRASKA DOES WANT TO MAKE IT WORK WITH GENATONE - YOU KNOW, WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE A LUKE REIMER-TYPE DEALER WHERE HE HAD TO COME FOR A YEAR AND THEN HE'D GO ON FAIRLY QUICKLY BUT THEY'VE HAD HIM AT EVERY GAME.

HE'S BEEN TO EVERY GAME, SO HE'S A GREAT, GREAT ATHLETE AND YOU HOPE FOR HIM AND NEBRASKA CAN WORK OUT.

>> YOU HAVE TO BRING AS MANY ATHLETES AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN.

THANKS, SEAN, WE APPRECIATE IT.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK NOW AT OUR "SIDELINE SURVEY": "WHICH IS MORE CONCERNING ON THE OFFENSIVE SIDE OF THE BALL: LACK OF SCORING OFFENSE AT 10%, 63% FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE."

THAT'S THE EASY WAY OUT, PEOPLE - JUST TAKING "ALL OF THE ABOVE."

22% FOR OFFENSIVE LINE PLAY, AND SLOW STARTS IS 5%.

MAKE SURE YOU VISIT THE "WRAP-UP" WEBSITE AND CAST YOUR VOTE.

NOW FOR A TRIP AROUND THE BIG TEN.

PURDUE STUNS NUMBER TWO IOWA.

ACTUALLY, THEY'VE BEATEN THEM LIKE THREE OF THE LAST FOUR YEARS, 24-7.

MICHIGAN STATE STAYS UNBEATEN AS THEY HOLD ON, 20-15, OVER INDIANA, AND NORTHWESTERN GETS THEIR FIRST CONFERENCE WIN, DEFEATING RUTGERS, 21-7.

FOR YOU, WHAT'S THE BIGGEST ISSUE FOR THE OFFENSE?

>> EITHER OUT OF THOSE FOUR OR THREE, AND ALL OF THE ABOVE.

>> MIKE'L, I'M SORRY, I JUST WANTED -- IT'S NOT ABOUT YARDS, IT'S ALL ABOUT POINTS, YOU'VE SAID THAT, YEAH.

>> ALL RIGHT, BO PELINI I HEAR YOU OVER THERE, >> I POINT THE THUMB UP FIGURE -- >> ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

>> YEAH, IT'S JUST -- IT'S -- I'M NOT GOING TO SAY PERPLEXING -- IT'S MIND-BOGGLING THAT THIS -- THEY CAN DO ALL THESE THINGS UP AND DOWN THE FIELD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY GET INSIDE THE 20, IT'S LIKE SKIRT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL - IT'S LIKE THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING AND WHEN THEY DO SCORE, YOU'RE KIND OF SURPRISED BUT THEN IT DOESN'T HELP WHEN YOU HAVE -- YOU HAVE CULP'S HAVING HIS ISSUES KICKING, BUT YEAH -- THIS -- THE LACK OF POINTS AND SCORING IN THE RED ZONE, THEY GET DOWN THERE, THAT'S BEEN THEY'RE -- THAT'S BEEN -- I THINK THIS OFFENSE'S ACHILLES HEELS FOR, SINCE HE'S BEEN HERE.

THAT'S -- THIS IS NOT A -- THIS IS NOT AN ANOMALY FOR THIS YEAR -- THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE DAY ONE AND GOING BACK TO 2018.

>> SEAN, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT SURPRISED ABOUT THERE'S BEEN SOME RECRUITING QUESTIONS.

THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT WANT TO KNOW WHY DOES THE CLASS HAVE TO BE SO SMALL?

WHY IS NEBRASKA IN THE SITUATION WITH THIS LOWLY-RANKED CLASS?

WHY DO YOU THINK THEY'RE IN THE SITUATION?

>> THEY'RE BOTTOM-HEAVY.

I MEAN, I KNOW THEIR NUMBERS RIGHT NOW -- YOU GO BACK TO 2019, WHICH OBVIOUSLY WE DIDN'T KNOW A FEW MONTHS LATER COVID WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AND CHANGE THINGS FOREVER.

NEBRASKA ESSENTIALLY RED-SHIRTED EVERYBODY IN '19 OTHER THAN WAN'DALE ROBINSON AND SO ALL OF THOSE PLAYERS ARE STILL FRESHMEN RIGHT NOW.

YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT WAS AGES AGO AND TY ROBINSON AND NICK HEINRICH ARE STILL FRESHMAN ON THIS ROSTER FROM THAT 2019 YEAR, SO THEN EVERYONE IN 2020 DIDN'T LOSE THE YEAR AND THEN YOU'VE GOT NOW THE NEW FRESHMEN, AS WELL, SO YOU HAVE THREE FRESHMEN CLASSES ON THIS ROSTER THAT ADD UP TO 49 PLAYERS, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S SOME UNCERTAINTY WITH SOME JUNIORS, SO THEY'VE BEEN TRUE TO THIS SINCE EARLY JUNE -- THE NUMBER WAS GOING TO BE 12, 13-ISH ON THE HIGH SCHOOL.

THEY'RE AT EIGHT AND THEY'VE STUCK TO THAT THE WHOLE TIME AND I KNOW IT'S FRUSTRATING BECAUSE WE'RE USED TO SEEING CLASSES OF 20.

I BELIEVE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A HEAVY PORTAL INFLUENCE, THOUGH, AS WELL.

YOU'LL SEE FIVE, SIX PORTAL GUYS BECAUSE THEY, HONESTLY MIKE'L, THEY DON'T NEED FRESHMEN RIGHT NOW.

>> YEAH.

>> THEY NEED OLDER GUYS THAT CAN BE PLUGGED IN TO HELP SUPPORT THE OTHER POSITIONS OF STRENGTH ON THIS TEAM FOR IMMEDIATE WINNING.

THEY CAN'T WORRY ABOUT FRESHMEN WHEN YOUR JOB'S ON THE LINE.

>> ONE COULD BE A QUARTERBACK, TOO.

>> QUARTERBACK - THERE'S A LOT - A RECEIVER - THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON HERE.

>> VAN GIBBS FROM OMAHA ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT THE OFFENSIVE LINE.

"I THINK IT'S A PLAY CALL."

HE SAYS, "MARTINEZ GETS IT FROM THE SIDELINE, HE TELLS THE RUNNING BACK, THE O-LINE DOES THE SAME THING - HOW DOES HE GIVE THE PLAY TO THE O-LINE?"

>> WELL, IT JUST DEPENDS ON HOW IT'S CALLED.

I MEAN, A LOT OF TIMES -- I DON'T -- GOSH --.

>> THEY SIGNAL.

>> THEY ALL LOOK OVER.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE OFFENSIVE LINE IS LOOKING FOR PROTECTION.

IF IT'S A PASS PLAY, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A CERTAIN -- FOR A PROTECTION.

IF IT'S A RUN PLAY, OKAY, IS IT -- YOU KNOW, IS IT A ZONE, IS IT A MAN, IS IT A POWER IS IT A COUNTER - ALL THESE?

SO, THEY KNOW -- THEY JUST -- AND THEN, I DON'T KNOW IF - IF - YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES THE CENTER WILL I.D.

THE MIKE.

A LOT OF TIMES YOU'LL BE ABLE TO LISTEN TO FOOTBALL AND LIKE 56 IS MIKE, 47 IS MIKE, SO THAT KIND OF SETS THEIR PROTECTIONS, OR WHERE THE SCHEME WILL GO, SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW NEBRASKA -- BUT, THEY ALL LOOK TO THE SIDELINE AND - AND, YOU'VE SEEN IT A LOT, YOU KNOW, "CHECK WITH ME" SITUATIONS - THEY'LL ALL LOOK OVER THERE TO SEE IF -- THEY DON'T DO THE BIG BOARDS -- NO -- YEAH --.

>> THOSE ARE ALL LIKE DECOYS.

>> IT'S DECOYS.

>> YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

IT'S ALL -- IT'S ALL THE THREE QUARTERBACKS OVER THERE GIVING SIGNALS.

>> AND MICHIGAN ACTUALLY HAD THOSE PICTURES AND BOARDS.

>> THOSE BOARDS I ALWAYS THOUGHT WERE MORE A DECOY TO, LIKE, THROW YOU OFF FROM THE ACTUAL PERSON SIGNALLING.

>> RIGHT.

>> I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ACTUALLY USED THE BOARDS FOR PLAY BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF A DUMMY CALL.

>> RIGHT.

>> JAKE HAS AN ULTIMATE NEBRASKA QUESTION.

HE SAYS, "WHY HAVE THEY NOT STARTED A FULLBACK AND PLAYED HIM IN THESE SITUATIONS ON THE GOAL LINE?"

THEY ACTUALLY HAD LINED UP WITH YANT AT FULLBACK AND THEY'VE USED AN H-BACK, BUT THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THAT ON THEIR ROSTER, A TRUE FULLBACK.

>> YEAH, THEY HAD TWO BROTHERS ON THE ROSTER THIS SPRING THAT WERE THE NEPHEWS OF THE MAKOVICKAS BOTH FROM SEWARD AND THEY BOTH TRANSFERRED.

I MEAN, THAT WAS KIND OF LIKE THE FINAL RIDE TO THE FULLBACK POSITION AT NEBRASKA.

YOU KNOW, THE LAST CONNECTION TO FULLBACKS, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A TRUE FULLBACK ANYMORE ON THE ROSTER.

>> ANN WANTS, FROM OMAHA, WANTS TO KNOW, KIND OF, WITH CONNOR CULP STRUGGLING, WHY NOT PLAY OUR FRESHMAN KICKER, WHO HAS KICKED A 60-YARD -- KELEN MEYER, WHO MISSED THE EXTRA POINT OR THE EXTRA POINT BLOCK?

>> SO, I ASKED ABOUT THAT THIS WEEK, ABOUT KICKER, I MEAN, OPENING IT UP.

THEY'RE ONLY PRACTICING TWICE, AND YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE COMPETITION EVERY WEEK IN PRACTICE.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND, CONNOR CULP WINS THE COMPETITION IN PRACTICE, SO LIKE WHAT DO YOU DO?

LIKE, YOU'RE LIKE, "OH, BY THE WAY, YOU WIN IT BUT WE STILL AREN'T GOING TO TRUST YOU IN THE GAME AND WE'RE GOING TO START THE OTHER GUY THAT YOU JUST BEAT IN THE COMPETITION," I MEAN, THAT'S ALL YOU CAN DO, RIGHT?

I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, LIKE WHATEVER HE'S GOT GOING ON UP HERE IS OBVIOUSLY CHANGING ON SATURDAY, SO WHAT DO YOU DO OTHER THAN SAY, "WE'RE JUSUSGOING TO BENCH CONNOR CULP AND GO WITH THE OTHER GUY?"

>> YOU MIGHT HAVE TO.

YOU MIGHT HAVE TO DO IT.

I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE PROVES -- I MEAN, IT'S -- NO OTHER GREAT COMPARISON IS THAN GOLF - MEETS ESSENTIALLY THE GUY THAT CAN STAND ON THE DRIVING RANGE AND JUST STRIPE IT ON THE HIT - GOOD SHOT AFTER GOOD SHOT AFTER GOOD SHOT, BUT ALSO WHEN HE STEPS FOOT ON THE GOLF COURSE WHERE IT MATTERS, AND HE CAN'T DO IT.

HE CAN'T KEEP IT ON THE GOLF COURSE, OR HE CAN HIT -- HE CAN MAKE THREE-FOOTERS AFTER THREE-FOOTERS ON THE PRACTICE GREEN, BUT ALSO WHEN IT MATTERS FOR A BIRDIE, A PAR, HE CAN'T DO IT WHEN IT MATTERS.

>> ZACH ASKS A QUESTION ABOUT ENERGY.

"CAN YOU THINK OF A GAME WHERE YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE JUICE, STARTING THE GAME?"

>> THE ONLY ONE TIME I FELT LIKE MY ENERGY WAS NEVER, WAS LOW, WAS GOING IN - MY SENIOR YEAR, WE HAD TO PLAY NICHOLLS STATE - I REMEMBER THAT TEAM -.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND WE HAD TO PLAY USC THE NEXT WEEK.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND, I WAS LIKE, "DANG, I JUST WANT TO GET THIS GAME OVER WITH SO I CAN JUST GO IN--.

>> AND NICHOLLS STATE WAS GOING TO RUN A BUNCH OF OPTION AT YOU, TOO --.

>> YEAH, WISHBONE, WING-T, ALL THE STUFF, SO --.

>> YEAH, YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO BE GETTING IN.

>> YEAH, AND LUCKILY, WE'RE DONE PLAYING BY THE THIRD QUARTER IN THAT GAME, BUT YEAH, THAT'S ONE GAME WHERE LI "GOSH, I'M JUST KIND OF LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THIS THING OVER SO WE CAN GET PREPARED FOR USC."

BUT, NO, I NEVER HAD -- I WAS NERVOUS, I WAS THROWING UP, YOU NAME IT -- I WAS TEED UP EVERY WEEK.

THAT WAS NEVER A PROBLEM.

>> YOU EVER GO INTO A PRESS CONFERENCE AND NOT HAVE THE JUICE?

( LAUGHTER ) >> TELL YOU WHAT, THESE GAMES HAVE TAKEN A LOT OUT OF YOU.

>> OH YEAH, SURE.

>> I'VE BEEN TO EVERY ONE OF THESE ROAD GAMES, HOME GAMES, AND IT -- IT GRINDS ON YA.

I MEAN, JUST -- BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHEN I GET BACK HOME HOW MUCH THESE LOSSES ARE GOING TO GRIND ON EVERYONE YOU DEAL WITH.

>> NO DOUBT.

TIME FOR BURNING QUESTIONS, YOU GO FIRST, SEAN.

>> WHAT CAN NEBRASKA REALLY GET OUT OF THIS BYE WEEK?

TO ME, THE BYE WEEK IS MORE ABOUT MENTAL RECOVERY AS MUCH AS PHYSICAL RECOVERY.

>> YEAH.

YOU HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW, SCOTT FROST WANTED TO KIND OF RESTART THE SEASON, YOU KNOW, HEADING INTO NORTHWESTERN GAME.

>> RIGHT.

>> WE'VE HAD ONE WIN, TWO LOSSES.

CAN YOU RESTART THIS THING AGAIN AND SAY WE HAVE A FOUR-GAME SEASON?

LET'S TRY TO GO 3-1, TWO AND - WHATEVER IT IS TO GET THE 6-6.

IS THAT -- IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?

>> ARE YOU WILLING TO DO ANYTHING TO WIN GAMES?

AND, THAT MIGHT MEAN BENCHING PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE HAD AS STARTERS FOR A LONG TIME?

ARE YOU WILLING TO GIVE SOMEBODY ELSE A CHANCE?

ARE YOU WILLING TO DO ANYTHING YOU CAN TO WIN AS MANY OF THESE LAST FOUR GAMES IS MY BURNING QUESTION?

NEBRASKA MIGHT BE OFF THIS WEEKEND, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE TAKING A BYE WEEK.

WE'RE BACK WITH A NEW SHOW NEXT WEEK LOOKING AT NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS WITH OUR FRIEND, BLAKE LAWRENCE, THE FORMER HUSKER AND CEO OF OPENDORSE.

WE'RE EXCITED TO DIVE INTO N.I.L.

WITH BLAKE AND ALL OF YOU NEXT WEEK.

OUR THANKS TO ZACH POTTER, GAGE STENGER FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

FOR JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN, 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