(SILENT) (BAND MUSIC) >> A DEVASTATED FOOTBALL TEAM.

THAT'S HOW MATT RHULE REFERRED TO HIS PLAYERS AFTER THE HUSKERS WENT OUT WEST AND ALLOWED A SECOND STRAIGHT FOURTH QUARTER COMEBACK.

TONIGHT WE BREAK DOWN THE TAPE AND DISCUSS WHAT WENT WRONG VERSUS THE DUCKS.

AVARIE HOWARD OF HURRDAT SPORTS STOPS BY TO TALK US THROUGH A MUCH NEEDED BYE WEEK, AND SEAN CALLAHAN IS HERE WITH THE LATEST ON BIG RED RECRUITING.

THAT AND MORE 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 WITH ME TONIGHT, FORMER HUSKERS JAY MOORE AND JAY FOREMAN.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT TO SAY.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS TO CONNECT WITH US.

CALL AND LEAVE A VOICEMAIL.

TEXT OR EMAIL US AT BIGRED@NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG.

COMMENT ON.

FOLLOW, COMMENT, AND FOLLOW ON NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA SPORTS FACEBOOK PAGE OR BIG RED WRAP-UP X ACCOUNT.

LAST WEEK, WE ASKED YOU THE LOUDEST STATE, LOUDEST GAME AT MEMORIAL STADIUM PRIOR TO THE INDIANA MATCHUP.

61% SAID IT WAS COLORADO IN 2024.

16% SAID OREGON IN 2016, 9% SAID 2014 MIAMI.

THAT WAS MY VOTE AND 14%.

I ONLY WATCHED THE GAMES ON TV THIS WEEK.

WE WANT TO KNOW, WOULD YOU HAVE BEEN HAPPY WITH FIVE AND TWO RECORD AFTER WEEK SEVEN OF THE PRE IN THE PRESEASON?

YES.

WIN THE GAME YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO WIN, IS YOUR A CHOICE.

B YES, BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT HOW YOU WIN OR LOSE.

I WON'T BE HAPPY UNTIL WE BEAT A RANKED TEAM, AND I'M HAPPY THEY'VE COVERED THE SPREAD IN EVERY GAME, WHICH IS NOT TRUE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T COVER THE NORTH DAKOTA GAME.

TRUST ME, I KNOW.

DON'T FORGET WE ALSO HAVE A NEW HOME ON YOUTUBE NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS.

IT'S YOUR HOME FOR CATCHING LIVE SPORTS STREAMS, STATE OF VOLLEYBALL, BIG RED WRAP-UP EPISODES, AND MORE.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE.COM/ NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIASPORTS.

ALL RIGHT, WE GET WITH THE JAY'S.

ANSWER THAT QUESTION, GUYS.

WE'LL START WITH YOU, MOORE, AND WE'LL COME TO FOREMAN AFTERWARDS.

IF I TOLD YOU THAT THEY WERE 5-2 AFTER PLAYING THIS GAME AGAINST OREGON, WHAT DO YOU THOUGHT IN THE PRESEASON.

>> IN KNOWING THAT THEY ONLY LOST BY THREE POINTS?

>> TO LEAVE THAT OUT?

>> OKAY, OKAY.

JUST TRYING TO HOLD MY OWN.

>> A LITTLE BIT IN THERE.

>> YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE I THOUGHT NEBRASKA WOULD BE THIS YEAR.

I THINK WHEN WE WERE CHATTING BEFORE WE GOT ON SET THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOKED AT I LOOKED AT THE SCHEDULE.

THERE WAS THREE FOR SURE LOSSES FOR ME, LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE, THAT WAS INDIANA, THAT WAS OREGON, AND THAT WAS OHIO STATE.

SO YOU COME OUT AND THAT'S THAT'S WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW AND I. LISTEN, I IT'S HARD BECAUSE WE CONSTANTLY MOVE THE FIELD GOAL POSTS AND THE JUDGMENT OF ALL THIS, BUT OVERALL, I IT IS WHERE NEBRASKA IS.

AND I THINK NOT KNOWING THE SCORES, I THINK THAT'S I'M OKAY WITH THAT RIGHT NOW.

OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT.

BUT LIKE, BUT LIKE I'M KNOWING 5-2.

OKAY.

THEY THEY HANDLED THEY GOT SOME TWO CONFERENCE WINS EARLY ON.

THEY BEAT THE TEAMS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BEAT.

AND YOU LOST TO DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPION OREGON ON THE ROAD.

I THAT'S I FROM A THAT'S ABOUT EXPECTED YEAH.

>> IS THAT WHAT YOU EXPECTED, JAY.

>> YEAH 5-2 RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S WHAT I MEAN.

I GUESS YOU KNOW THAT'S WHERE I PROJECT THEM TO BE 5-2.

I THINK IT CHANGES A LITTLE BIT WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF OREGON.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE I THINK THIS LAST LOSS PROBABLY STINGS A LITTLE BIT MORE.

YEAH.

BUT THEY'RE RIGHT ON SCHEDULE I GUESS.

YOU KNOW FROM WHERE I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, COMING INTO THE SEASON I HAD HIM AT EIGHT, NINE WIN, YOU KNOW TEAM YOU KNOW THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE SEASON.

SO THEY'RE RIGHT ON TARGET.

IT'S JUST THAT LAST GAME WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF WHERE OREGON'S AT AS A PROGRAM.

AND IT'S NO DIFFERENT IF WE WERE AT A DIFFERENT STATE THAT YOU KNOW TEAMS WOULD LOOK AT US A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AS WELL.

>> YEAH, YOU LOOK AT THE SITUATION ON SATURDAY NIGHT, SUNDAY MORNING, YOU LOSE TO DYLAN RAIOLA, OBVIOUSLY TO A LOT OF THE FANS, THAT WAS DEVASTATING.

IT'S ANOTHER FOURTH QUARTER LOSS AND AGAIN REALLY GOOD DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE.

AND YOU KNOW IT DOESN'T PAY OFF FOR WHICH FOR YOU.

WHICH ONE OF THOSE THREE DO YOU THINK WAS KIND OF THE MOST DEVASTATING PART OF THE WHOLE THING.

>> I THINK IT'S JUST A YOU'VE HAD TWO BACK TO BACK, GREAT DEFENSIVE DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCES, AND YOU JUST DON'T GET ENOUGH OUT OF YOUR OFFENSE WHEN YOU YOU KNOW, IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HOLD A TEAM TO LESS THAN 17 POINTS, YOU KNOW YOU HOLD 14 POINTS ON THE ROAD.

YOU THINK YOU GOT A PRETTY DARN GOOD CHANCE TO WIN THAT FOOTBALL GAME OR EXCUSE ME, 17 POINTS ON THE ROAD.

YOU THINK THAT'S YOU HAVE A GREAT CHANCE.

AND OBVIOUSLY YOU HOLD THE DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPION TO 20 POINTS.

YOU THINK WE SHOULD WIN THAT FOOTBALL GAME.

SO I THINK THAT'S THE HARDEST PART IS THE FACT THAT NEBRASKA'S DEFENSE HAS PLAYED SO WELL THROUGH THOSE FIRST TWO GAMES.

I KNOW SITUATIONALLY RIGHT.

THEY GIVE UP SOME BIG PLAYS AND THAT LAST DRIVE, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT THE HARD PART IS IT TAKES ALL THREE PHASES.

AND ALL THREE PHASES DIDN'T CLICK.

AND THAT'S JUST THIS OFFENSE.

I KNOW THEY WEREN'T GETTING TWO REALLY GOOD DEFENSES, BUT YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD AT LEAST GET 21 POINTS, 24 WHATEVER IT IS TO WIN THAT TYPE OF FOOTBALL GAME.

AND THEY JUST DIDN'T PROVIDE ENOUGH HELP TO THE DEFENSE.

IN THESE LAST TWO GAMES.

>> YOU PLAYED, YOU HAD A LONG CAREER.

SO I'M SURE YOU'VE BEEN ON TEAMS WHERE THE OFFENSE DIDN'T PICK IT UP OR MAYBE THE DEFENSE DIDN'T.

WHAT'S THE FEELING LIKE IN THE LOCKER ROOM WHEN YOU HAVE TWO GAMES LIKE YOU PLAY THAT WELL ON DEFENSE AND YOU DON'T SCORE POINTS?

>> I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH.

WE ALWAYS KIND OF HELD OUR OWN DEFENSIVELY, BUT I REMEMBER PLAYING WITH DAVID CARR AT HOUSTON, TEXAS OFFENSE.

IT'S A RECORD IN THE NFL WITH THE WAY THAT THEY PLAYED OFFENSIVELY, WE WERE ABLE TO BEAT PITTSBURGH.

YOU KNOW IT'S A TEAM GAME.

LOOK THERE'S TIMES WHERE YOU GET LIT UP.

YOU KNOW LOOK I PLAYED AGAINST PEYTON MANNING.

AND SOMETIMES IT'S JUST NOT YOUR DAY.

BUT I THINK YOU KNOW JAY'S RIGHT.

I THINK IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL IF YOU'RE MAYBE 22 POINTS OR YOU KNOW, OR LESS, YOU'RE PROBABLY GET ON THE BUS FEEL LIKE YOU DID YOUR JOB, YOU KNOW, AND ALSO COMING INTO THE SEASON, I FELT LIKE WHEN YOU WERE HEARING THAT, OKAY, WE MIGHT HAVE TO OUTSCORE PEOPLE.

SO THE ASSUMPTION WAS, WE WERE GOING TO REALLY JUST BE UP IN THE 40-50 RANGE, DIDN'T MATTER WHO WE PLAYED.

AND SO I THINK THE EXPECTATIONS MAYBE WERE A LITTLE BIT TOO HIGH.

AND, YOU KNOW, LOOK, IT'S ALL FIXABLE, BUT THEY GOT TO REALLY WORK AT IT TO, TO FIX IT.

>> SO JAY YOU THINK ABOUT IT THIS WAY, YOU'RE SITTING AT 5-2.

THEY'RE GOING TO PLAY A BUNCH OF TEAMS THAT HAVE BACKUP QUARTERBACKS, EITHER BECAUSE OF INJURY OR GUYS GETTING BENCHED.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE THEY'RE IN A GOOD PLACE RIGHT NOW, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE COMING OFF OF OBVIOUSLY BACK TO BACK LOSSES?

>> YEAH, I THINK NEBRASKA IS STILL IN A GREAT SPOT.

I I'M NOT LISTEN I'M JUST AS FRUSTRATED AS THE PLAYERS, AS THE COACHES, AS THIS FAN BASE IS THAT WE SHOULD WE SHOULD HAVE GOT ONE OF THESE LAST TWO WINS, LIKE ONE OF THESE LAST TWO GAMES.

THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A WIN.

I THINK THE OREGON GAME ULTIMATELY SHOULD HAVE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A WIN.

BUT NO, I'M NOT PANICKING.

I'M I'M STILL ENCOURAGED.

I THINK THE DEFENSE IS PLAYING NOW.

WE GOT SOME INJURIES WE GOT TO WORK THROUGH.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE THING.

EVERYONE'S GOING THROUGH INJURIES.

I THINK THIS BYE WEEK COMES AT A PERFECT TIME TO DO A GREAT SELF-SCOUT AND JUST SEE WHAT ARE THE ISSUES RIGHT NOW.

WHY CAN'T WHY ARE WE STRUGGLING TO RUN THE BALL TRADITIONALLY IN BETWEEN THE TACKLES?

WHAT HAVE WE GOT TO WORK ON TO MAKE SURE THAT GETS OFF, YOU KNOW, BECOMES MORE EFFICIENT TO HELP THIS OFFENSE TO CLOSE OUT THESE GAMES IN THE FOURTH QUARTER, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE A RUN GAME WHEN YOU HAVE A LEAD IN THE FOURTH QUARTER.

NO I'M NOT.

I THINK YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT THREE GAMES ALL VERY, VERY WINNABLE.

ILLINOIS HAS GOT A BACK UP QUARTERBACK.

YOU KNOW RUTGERS HAS THEIR ISSUES.

WASHINGTON HAS A QUARTERBACK ISSUES.

OHIO STATE'S GOT QUARTERBACK ISSUES.

SO LIKE IOWA'S GOT YOU KNOW THEY'RE UP AND DOWN WITH THEIR.

SO LIKE NEBRASKA IS A MUCH IMPROVED TEAM.

OKAY.

I KNOW THESE LAST TWO GAMES HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATING.

I LIKE THE MATURITY OF THIS TEAM.

I DON'T THINK THE NEGATIVITY I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GOING TO GET DOWN ON THEMSELVES.

I JUST THINK THEY'LL COME OUT AND WORK, AND I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE TIED TO A LOT OF THOSE EXTERNAL FACTORS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

I THINK THIS TEAM IS STILL GOING TO BE VERY PROCESS ORIENTED, AND THERE'S STILL A LOT TO ACHIEVE AND ACCOMPLISH THIS YEAR.

SO I'M NOT HITTING THE PANIC BUTTON AT ALL YET.

>> WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM MATT REYNOLDS LONG PRESS CONFERENCE ON TUESDAY.

ON MONDAY, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR A LOT OF THAT.

BUT DO YOU THINK DID IT FEEL LIKE HE WAS SENDING A MESSAGE TO ANYONE, WHETHER IT BE THE PLAYERS, THE COACHING STAFF, MAYBE THE FANS?

DID YOU FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHAT MONDAY WAS ABOUT?

>> YEAH, I MEAN, YEAH, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, COACHES ARE KNOWN FOR THAT.

THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, SPARK YOUR ATTENTION THROUGH THE MEDIA AS A PLAYER IN THEIR LOCKER ROOM TO COACHES AS WELL.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, LOOK, WE'RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER, LIKE YOU SAID.

AND SO SURE HE'S PUTTING EVERYBODY ON NOTICE AND THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FIRST AS A HEAD COACH.

BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, YOU'RE ALWAYS BLAMED FOR EVERYTHING.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK REALLY WHERE NEBRASKA'S AT, YOU KNOW, WITH THEIR SCHEDULE, I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE IN, IN YOUR FOOTBALL CAREER, YOU DON'T GET A CHANCE TO GET YOUR GET BACK SOMETIMES ONCE.

WELL, THEY WERE ABLE TO GET IT, YOU KNOW, AGAINST OREGON.

OKAY.

YOU FAILED.

OKAY.

SO THIS IS THIS THREE GAME STRETCH.

IS THERE A TIME TO GET IT BACK?

AND SO THIS IS GOING TO SHOW YOU SHOW YOU A LOT ABOUT OKAY, IS THIS GOING TO VALIDATE THE INDIANA PERFORMANCE?

BECAUSE AFTER THE OREGON PERFORMANCE YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW.

SO YOU GOT THREE GAMES THAT ARE WINNABLE.

YOU SHOULD BE FAVORED IN ALL THOSE GAMES, NO MATTER WHERE YOU PLAY.

SITUATIONS SET UP FOR YOU TO DO SOME THINGS WITH OHIO STATE'S INJURY, AND OBVIOUSLY IOWA'S KIND OF IT'S GOING TO BE A CLOSE GAME ANYWAYS.

AND SO EVERYTHING THAT YOU SET OUT BEFORE THE SEASON IS RIGHT THERE ON THE TABLE.

SO YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY CONFIDENCE, BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF REALITY THAT WE'VE GOT TO GET BETTER AT WHAT WE NEED TO GET BETTER AT, AND IT'S A PERFECT WEEK TO DO SO.

>> YEAH, HE'D BE FAVORED BY DOUBLE DIGITS IN ALL THOSE GAMES, TOO.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM SATURDAY NIGHT.

THERE WERE PLENTY OF HUSKER FANS IN ATTENDANCE.

NOT A SURPRISE.

HUSKER FANS ARE GOING TO ALWAYS TRAVEL.

WE START WITH THE SECOND QUARTER.

BY THE WAY.

NOTHING HAPPENED IN THE FIRST QUARTER.

IN CASE YOU'RE WORRIED.

HERE'S THE INTERCEPTION THROW.

IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS A MISCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE WIDE RECEIVER AND THE QUARTERBACK.

>> YEAH, WITHOUT A DOUBT.

LOOK, HE JUST THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO SETTLE DOWN THERE.

OBVIOUSLY HE COULD HAVE SEEN HIM CUT UP THE FIELD THAT WAS THERE AS WELL.

BUT JUST TOTAL MISCOMMUNICATION.

>> AND THEN THIS WAS YOU GUYS LOVE I KNOW DEFENDERS.

YOU GOT A QUICK STOP.

YOU GET TO FORCE THE FUMBLE.

CALEB BENNING GETS IN THERE AND YOU GET THE STOP AFTER A TURNOVER.

>> REALLY GOOD JOB.

IT'S SUDDEN CHANGE.

AND YOU KNOW JAY WILL TELL YOU SUDDEN CHANGE.

WE'RE TRYING TO HOLD YOU TO A FIELD GOAL.

YOU GET A TURNOVER.

THAT IS A BONUS RIGHT THERE.

AND THAT'S WHEN YOU THOUGHT LIKE, OKAY, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO EXPLODE BECAUSE WE GOT A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO TURN THE GAME TO INTO OUR HANDS.

>> YEAH, WE FAST FORWARD TO LATER IN THE SECOND QUARTER BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PUNTING GOING BACK AND FORTH, BUT IT'S ONLY ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT.

AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BREAK DOWN THIS PLAY, JAY.

BUT GILMER GETS OPEN A LITTLE KIND OF A STUTTER GO.

>> YEAH.

JUST QUARTERS COVERS UP TOP THERE.

HE HAD A LITTLE GREAT PROTECTION BY THE OFFENSIVE LINE ON THE PLAY ACTION, AND JUST SETTLES DOWN ON THAT LITTLE THAT THAT ZONE AREA BETWEEN THE THE UNDERNEATH COVERAGE AND THE IN THE TOP CORNER.

>> AND THEN BACK TO BACK 17 YARD PLAYS.

FIRST COLANDREA GETS 17 YARDS ON THAT RUN.

AND THEN THIS IS A NICE THROW HERE TO THE END ZONE.

I KNOW IT'S DISPUTED, BUT I THINK THE REPLAY REALLY SHOWS HIS FOOT SCRAPE THAT THE RUBBER STUFF.

>> THERE WAS ABOUT FOUR RUBBER PELLETS THAT CAME UP WHEN THAT LEFT FOOT SCRAPED.

AND ULTIMATELY THAT'S A CALL THAT WAS RULED A TOUCHDOWN ON THE FIELD.

BUT THERE WAS ENOUGH THERE WITH THAT RIGHT FOOT JUST TO SCRAPE ENOUGH TO GET THOSE PELLETS IN THE AIR.

>> YEAH.

GREAT JOB BY GILMER.

THAT'S GREAT BODY CONTROL.

I KNOW A LOT OF THE OREGON FANS ARE PRETTY UPSET ABOUT IT, BUT IT LOOKS PRETTY OBVIOUS TO MOST OF US.

AND THEN YOU HAVE A PLAY THAT YOU DON'T SEE VERY OFTEN LOW SNAP.

YOU HAVE A NEW GUY TO FOOTBALL, PUTS HIS KNEE DOWN, BASICALLY GIVE A FIELD GOAL.

>> YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S AN HONEST MISTAKE.

BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.

>> SURE.

>> AGAIN.

RIGHT.

AND SO AGAIN NEBRASKA IS ABLE TO COME OUT THERE.

I CALL IT SUDDEN CHANGE.

HOLD THEM TO A FIELD GOAL.

SO THE DEFENSE IS STILL ROLLING RIGHT HERE.

AND THEN YOU LIKE THE OFFENSE TO PICK IT UP.

>> YEAH THAT WAS A FIELD GOAL THERE 36 YARDER MAKING IT 7-3.

AND THEN HERE'S NEBRASKA AGAIN COMING UP WITH A BIG PLAY.

THAT'S THE ONE SACK IN THE GAME.

JAHSEAR WHITTINGTON IN A THREE MAN FRONT.

GETS HIS DANCE ON ANOTHER FIELD GOAL TO MAKE IT 7-6.

THAT'S ANOTHER 36 YARD FIELD GOAL.

BUT AS JAY JUST MENTIONED THERE, THAT STOPS WHEN YOU'RE FORCING THE FIELD GOALS INSTEAD OF THE TOUCHDOWNS.

STILL STICKING WITH BROCK THOMAS.

SURPRISING TO MOST OF US, I THINK THIS IS WHAT CHANGES THEIR MIND.

THAT INTERCEPTION MCDOUGLE BRINGS IT BACK.

THEY END UP CALLING A PENALTY ON JAHSEAR WHITTINGTON.

I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY CALLED THE BLIND SIDE.

>> HE LOOKED.

HE LOOKED AT HIM TWICE.

>> HE SAW HIM TWICE.

>> YEAH.

>> HE'S THE TACKLER.

HE'S THE ONE GUY THERE.

THIS IS KIND OF A REACTION OFF THE PLAY YOU'RE GOING TO SHOW LATER.

THEY ACTUALLY DO THE GIVE ON THIRD AND LONG.

YOU GET THE FIRST DOWN FROM MOZEE THERE WHICH SETS UP THE SECOND TOUCHDOWN.

AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT COLANDREA CAN DO RIGHT.

HE CAN GET OUT OF THE POCKET.

HE CAN MAKE A PLAY HAPPEN LIKE THIS.

>> YEAH.

HE'S LOOKING THEY LIKE TO GET LINDENMEYER IN THE FLAT AGAIN.

OREGON DID A GREAT JOB OF DEFENDING THIS ALL DAY.

BUT THIS HAS ATHLETICISM JUST WHEREWITHAL TO REACH THAT BALL OVER AND JUST I MEAN HE FUMBLES IT.

BUT HE YOU KNOW THE RIGHT OVER ON THE TOP OF THE PYLON.

SO THAT WAS 100% A TOUCHDOWN.

>> YEAH BELICHICK WOULD BE VERY MAD ABOUT THIS.

DO NOT STRETCH THE BALL OUT IS WHAT HE ALWAYS SAYS.

BUT YOU GET THE TOUCHDOWN THERE.

AND THEN OF COURSE AT THIS POINT NOW THEY'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

BROCK THOMAS HASN'T HELPED.

SO IT MAKES SENSE.

THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO DYLAN RAIOLA.

HERE TO START THE FOURTH QUARTER.

AND HE COMES IN.

BUT THEY WERE KIND OF GETTING HIM WARMED UP A LOT RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

HE WAS ALWAYS ON THE SIDE.

WE WERE TRYING TO LOOK OUT FOR THAT IN THE BOOTH UP IN EUGENE, AND HE WAS ALWAYS THERE TAKING SNAPS.

BUT ULTIMATELY WHEN THEY WOULD GO TO BREAK OUT, HE WOULD ALWAYS GO TO THE SIDELINES AND BROCK THOMAS WOULD ALWAYS GO TO THE HUDDLE.

>> FOUR MAN RUSH THERE, THEY FORCED THE STOP AFTER A LONG 16 PLAY DRIVE AGAIN FORCED THE FIELD GOAL, AND NOW YOU'RE SITTING AT 14-9.

THIS IS A TOUGH PLAY.

THE BALL GETS TIPPED, MOZEE GETS HURT ON IT.

I THINK IF THEY GET THE BALL TO HIM QUICKLY, MAYBE HE MAKES A RUN ON THE SCREEN.

BUT YOU KNOW THE BALL GETS TIPPED SO THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

AND THEN THIS IS ONE OF THE LONGER DRIVES YOU'RE EVER GOING TO WATCH.

THAT'S THE FOURTH AND THREE WHERE THEY ONLY SENT FOUR GUYS.

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT.

THEY CALLED A TIMEOUT BEFORE IT.

AND THEN HERE'S THE SITUATION AGAIN.

THIRD AND ONE.

THEY GET THE LONG THEY GET A NICE RUN AGAIN.

AND THEN IT'S THE BIG ONE.

FOURTH AND ONE GET THE FIRST DOWN.

AND NOW THEY'RE SITTING THERE WITH ABOUT 20-35 SECONDS TO GO TO HAVE A CHANCE TO GET THIS TOUCHDOWN.

THEY MAKE A THROW TO THE END ZONE.

THEY CALL IT A TOUCHDOWN.

AND THIS IS A TOUGH ONE.

ANTHONY JONES WAS ALMOST THERE.

>> YEAH THIS IS THE HARDEST PLAY FOR AN INSIDE PLAYER TO DEFEND.

DREW BREES AND PEYTON MANNING MADE A LOT OF MONEY OFF OF THIS.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU HAVE TO ALMOST GO STRAIGHT BACK.

BUT YOU TRY TO GO MUG HIM.

AND HE'S A BIG TALL TIGHT END HERE GOING AGAINST TWO SMALLER DEFENSIVE BACKS.

REALLY GOOD THROW BY DYLAN.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU KNOW I TALKED ABOUT YOU KNOW COMING INTO THE GAME THE ONLY WAY NEBRASKA COULD LOSE IS IF DYLAN PLAYS.

AND HE DIDN'T PLAY FOR THREE QUARTERS.

>> YEP.

NICE THROW HERE TO BARNEY GET YOU ALL THE WAY TO THE 48 YARD LINE.

YOU'RE STARTING TO FEEL LIKE YOU GET ONE MORE COMPLETION.

MAYBE YOU HAVE A CHANCE ON A FIELD GOAL.

>> YEP, THAT WAS THE ONE.

BUT ULTIMATELY NOT HAVING THE TIMEOUTS.

THE SCENARIO YOU CAN'T JUST YOU'D LIKE TO ALMOST SEE HIM DROP THAT PASS.

IN THAT SCENARIO.

BUT AS A COMPETITOR, THERE'S A LOW THROW AND YOU WANT TO TRY TO CATCH IT.

BUT JUST A TOUGH WAY TO END IT.

>> YEAH, IF HE CAN KEEP HIS FEET GETS OUT OF BOUNDS A LONG FIELD GOAL.

YOU KNOW THEY HAVEN'T MADE THOSE THIS YEAR.

YOU LOOK AT THE FINAL STATS.

NEBRASKA ONLY RUSHES FOR 78 YARDS.

OF COURSE YOU HAD SOME LOST YARDAGE AS WELL BECAUSE OF THE TACKLES FOR LOSS AND SACKS.

BUT OVERALL IT WAS A TIGHT GAME AND IT CAME DOWN TO NOT BEING ABLE TO GET SOME STOPS.

ON THIRD AND FOURTH DOWN.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE TIMEOUTS, RIGHT.

BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY IF YOU HEAR FROM FANS, I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT AS WELL.

ONE OF THE TIMEOUTS IS CALLED BECAUSE 13 PLAYS HAVE BEEN RUN, THE GUYS ARE KIND OF WINDED.

WHAT DID YOU THINK AT THE TIME ON THAT TIMEOUT?

ON THAT FIRST DRIVE AFTER THEY HAD RUN THE 13 PLAYS, THEY GOT A FIRST DOWN, A RUN CALLING A TIMEOUT THERE.

>> WELL, I KNOW THE ONE TIMEOUT I DID NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IS NEBRASKA LOOKED CONFUSED DEFENSIVELY ON THEIR SETUP.

>> SECOND DRIVE.

SO THAT ONE I WAS OKAY WITH BECAUSE THAT WAS A SIMILAR SITUATION TO THE INDIANA GAME.

RUNNING GUYS OUT THERE LATE.

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN BOOM.

YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP A BIG PLAY.

SO THAT WAS REACTIONARY.

I WAS OKAY WITH THAT.

THE OTHER ONES LISTEN, I.

>> THE FIRST ONE THEY'RE TIRED.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU GUYS BOTH PLAY DEFENSE.

YOU BOTH PLAYED A LOT OF SNAPS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT CALLING IT BECAUSE YOU THINK YOUR TEAM IS WINDED.

>> I DON'T THINK WE GOT TO FIGURE IT OUT.

YEAH WE GOT TO FIGURE IT OUT.

AND YOU KNOW THE THING IS OREGON WASN'T RUNNING LIKE HURRY UP.

>> IT WASN'T TEMPO.

>> YEAH, TEMPO.

SO YOU GET A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR SECOND WIND.

NOW YOU GOT TO REALLY START TO THINK CLEARLY.

AND MAYBE HE FELT LIKE MENTALLY THEY WERE BREAKING DOWN MAYBE TO SPARK THEM BACK INTO, YOU KNOW, INTO REALITY.

YEAH.

BUT YOU KNOW, I DEFINITELY WOULDN'T HAVE WANTED A TIMEOUT BECAUSE WE WERE A LITTLE WINDED.

>> YEAH.

SO YOU LOOK AT IT AND WHEN THEY DID, LIKE I MENTIONED, THEY HAD DONE 13 PLAYS.

AND THE PLAY BEFORE HE CALLS A TIMEOUT WAS THE LONGEST OF THE PLAY, WAS A 14 YARD RUN.

I'M THINKING THERE ON THE SIDELINE GOING, OH WE'RE GETTING GASHED.

WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING.

AND IF ANY OF THEM WERE PRODUCTIVE, IT'D BE THIS ONE BECAUSE THE NEXT TWO PLAYS, THEY ACTUALLY STOPPED THEM AND THEY FORCED THE FIELD GOAL.

>> YEAH.

LISTEN I HINDSIGHT'S ALWAYS 20/20 IN THESE IN THESE SITUATIONS.

I KNOW LOOKING AT IT I WASN'T I DIDN'T I WASN'T TOO OVERWHELMED WITH THE TIMEOUTS.

I KNOW IT'D BE NICE IF END GAME SCENARIO TO HAVE IT.

BUT LISTEN I FELT IN THAT SITUATION EVEN THAT DRIVE IN THE LAST ONE LIKE NEBRASKA GETS A STOP.

THIS GAME'S OVER.

THIS GAME'S OVER.

AND YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MOVE THE FOOTBALL ALL DAY ON THAT OFFENSE.

SO IF THEY DO SCORE AND YOU EVEN IF YOU DO HAVE A TIMEOUT LEFT, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO ANYTHING.

SO I JUST THINK THAT WAS A PART OF THE MOMENT.

AND AS A COACH, YOU GOT TO HAVE THE FEEL FOR THE GAME.

AND I JUST IN MY OPINION, YOU GOT TO GO WITH YOUR GUT SCENARIO.

AND I JUST FELT LIKE THIS IS OUR CHANCE TO WIN THE FOOTBALL GAME.

IF WE GET THESE STOPS HERE AND HOLD THEM TO NO POINTS, IT'S OVER.

SO THAT'S MY GUESS IS WHAT HE WAS THINKING.

AND I GOT I MEAN, IF THAT'S WHAT HE'S THINKING, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.

BUT OBVIOUSLY HINDSIGHT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE AN EXTRA TIME OUT THERE.

BUT EVEN AGAIN WITH THE TIMEOUT 30 SOME SECONDS LEFT, THAT'S A LONG YOU KNOW THE KICKER THE KICKING GAME IS A MESS.

LIKE IT JUST IT'S NOT IT'S WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN EASY ANYWAYS.

>> FOR THE THIRD TIME OUT WAS THAT IT WAS FOURTH AND THREE.

AND I THINK I KNOW WHAT THEY'RE THINKING.

WE STOP IT HERE.

THIS GAME IS OVER.

EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE THREE TIMEOUTS STILL.

>> IT'S OVER.

>> IT'S OVER AT THAT POINT.

SO YOU CALL A TIMEOUT TO GET SET UP.

MY PROBLEM WITH AND I TOLD YOU THIS BEFORE THEY STAYED IN THE SAME DEFENSE.

THEY RUN ORBIT MOTION.

IT BRINGS SHAVERS OUT OF THE MIDDLE, WHICH I DON'T THINK YOU THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO PLAY THAT.

>> YEAH, YOU NEVER RUN WITH ORBIT MOTION.

ORBIT MOTION IS LIKE THE WORST WINDOW DRESSING IN MY OPINION EVER, BECAUSE HE'S WAY BEHIND THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.

YOU CAN RALLY TO THAT BECAUSE IN THE RED ZONE THEY WILL MOTION ONE WAY TO GET YOU TO MOVE AND RUN OPPOSITE.

THAT'S JUST BEEN OVER THE TEST OF TIME AND REALLY BACK TO THE TIMEOUTS.

YOU KNOW, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I THINK COLANDREA TO HIS SKILL SET IN MY ASSESSMENT.

HE ACTUALLY WORKS BETTER THAT WAY.

YOU JUST LET HIM GO, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

IN 30S, IF HE CAN GET GOING, GET A COUPLE EXPLOSIVE PLAYS.

SO THAT'S WHERE I THINK YOU COULD BE MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH YOUR TIMEOUTS.

NOW AS FAR AS BACK TO THE ORBIT MOTION THERE THAT WAS YOU GOT TO I FEEL LIKE YOU SHOULD STAY IN THE BOX.

OR IF YOU REMOVE YOURSELF FROM THE BOX, I ALWAYS KEEP MY EYE ON THE BALL BECAUSE YOU DON'T LEVERAGE ANY BLOCK OR ANY MOTION.

YOU ALWAYS LEVERAGE THE BALL.

>> YEAH.

BECAUSE RIGHT AFTER THAT, HE LEAVES THE BOX.

THEY BRING THE CROSSING ROUTE OVER AND THERE'S NOBODY THERE TO MAKE THE PLAY.

>> A LOT COMES BEHIND THEIR NUMBER TEN AND MAKES THAT PICKUP.

YEAH.

IT'S HARD.

I TELL YOU WHAT WOULD WHAT HAD HELPED THAT SITUATION IS GETTING SOME MORE POINTS FROM THE OFFENSE.

I MEAN THAT'S WE CAN WE CAN NITPICK THE DEFENSE ALL YOU WANT.

AND IT'S I KNOW A LOT OF THE BLAME GOES TO THE OFFENSE OR THE DEFENSE IN THIS GAME.

>> ALWAYS.

>> YEAH.

YOU KNOW THAT ALWAYS DOES.

>> YOU GUYS A LITTLE BIASED.

>> I KNOW BUT IT'S LIKE YOU GOT TO GET MORE THAN 14 POINTS SOMEHOW SOME WAY.

IF THAT WAS IF THEY HAD DONE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A BALLGAME HAD BEEN OVER.

>> HERE'S A BIG QUESTION A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING TWO FOREMAN.

SO TWO FOURTH QUARTERS WHERE YOUR DEFENSE DOES GIVE IT UP, IS THAT A PROCESS OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH DEPTH.

NOT HAVE ENOUGH GUYS TO COME IN?

>> YOU COULD SAY THAT.

I MEAN, AGAIN, IT'S LIKE YOU COULD LOOK AT IT LIKE, I MEAN, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DEPTH, WHAT DO YOU THINK GOING TO BRING AN ALL CONFERENCE PLAYER THAT'S OFF THE BENCH.

YOU'RE NOT SURE YOU'D LIKE TO MAYBE ROTATE YOU.

BUT WE WERE ROLLING.

WE WERE STOPPING HIM.

I THINK HE GOT MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OUT OF YOUR THOUGHTS AND YOU JUST GOT TO FINISH.

AND THAT'S JUST PART OF YOU KNOW, THE WAY YOU HAVE A DEFENSE DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF CONTINUITY.

BUT YEAH, WE OBVIOUSLY WOULD LIKE MORE DEPTH.

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WAS THE REASON I THINK MAYBE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO BE IN SHAPE AS MUCH PHYSICALLY AS MENTALLY WHEN YOU GET IN THE FOURTH QUARTER, THE FOURTH QUARTER OR LATE THIRD QUARTER, FOURTH QUARTER IN RED ZONE, IT'S ALL MENTAL.

IT'S NOT PHYSICAL.

SO IF YOU GOT TO GET IN BETTER SHAPE PHYSICALLY TO BE BETTER MENTALLY, THEN YOU KNOW, YOU START THERE.

>> YEAH, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT DANCING A LITTLE BIT BETWEEN THE THIRD AND FOURTH QUARTER AS WELL.

>> LET'S GET TO THE PLAYERS OF THE GAME.

NOT A SURPRISE TO ANY.

ANTHONY COLANDREA CONTINUED TO IMPRESS WITH HIS HIGH LEVEL OF PLAY, LEADING THE TEAM IN RUSHING AGAIN, PASSING FOR 164 YARDS AND ACCOUNTING FOR BOTH OF NEBRASKA'S TOUCHDOWNS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BALL, DWAYNE MCDOUGLE.

THE THIRD TOTALED 13 TACKLES, ONE INTERCEPTION.

HE WAS EVERYWHERE IN THE SECONDARY.

I'M GOING TO ALSO THROW IN THAT MAYBE YOU COULD HAVE HAD A CO-DEFENSIVE WITH A GUY NAMED CALEB BENNING.

CERTAINLY THAT TOO.

HERE'S JAY'S, JAY WITH MORE ON THE POSITIVES FROM SATURDAY.

>> THANKS, MIKE'L.

WELCOME IN TO JAY'S PLAYS AND I GOT TWO GOOD PLAYS FROM THIS GAME ON LATE SATURDAY NIGHT.

FIRST ONES ON OFFENSE.

ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS THE HOLE SHOT THAT COLANDREA FINDS GILMER UP TOP HERE.

SO BALLS INTO THE BOUNDARY RIGHT HERE.

ORGAN'S GOING TO PLAY COVER FOUR QUARTERS COVERAGE OVER HERE.

SO THIS CORNER IS GOING TO BAIL.

THIS GUY THAT WAS IN THE SLOT RIGHT HERE IS GOING TO COME RIGHT TO PLAY THE UNDERNEATH COVERAGE.

SO THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS NOW CLAY DID NOT HAVE A CLEAN POCKET TO THROW TO ALL NIGHT.

BUT RIGHT HERE AS I RUN THIS HE'S GOING TO HAVE A NICE POCKET TO OPERATE IN.

HE'S GOING TO PLAY FLECK HERE TO MEKHI TO KIND OF HOLD THE BACKERS, HOLD THE D LINE JUST FOR A SECOND, JUST TO BUY HIM ENOUGH TIME.

AS WE GO AHEAD AND RUN THIS, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE GILMER UP TOP.

THERE'S A LITTLE STUTTER GO, BUT JUST GOOD JUST SITTING DOWN IN THE ZONE.

KWAZI DOES THAT REALLY, REALLY WELL.

THAT WAS A NICE COMPLETION, NICE FIND.

ULTIMATELY GREAT POCKET FOR HIM TO THROW IN.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO GET A LITTLE SPEED OPTION FROM OREGON HERE INTO THE INTO THE BOUNDARY.

ALL RIGHT.

NEBRASKA SAW THIS A FEW TIMES.

BUT I WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THE GREAT JOB OF GETTING OFF BLOCKS.

AND THIS ONE SET UP BY DONOVAN JONES.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO GET NWANERI HE'S GOING TO COME OFF HERE.

HE'S GOING TO IS GOING TO FORCE THE PITCH SHAVERS INTO A REALLY REALLY GOOD JOB OF RUNNING THE BALL.

WE CAN'T SEE DONOVAN JONES OVER TO THE LEFT.

HE DOES A GREAT JOB OF BEATING THE WIDE RECEIVER JUST TO BUY ENOUGH TIME FOR VINCENT SHAVERS TO COME MAKE THIS TACKLE.

SO AS WE RUN THIS HERE, BOOM, SPEED OPTION FORCES THE PITCH FROM NWANERI.

HE'S BEATEN THE WIDE RECEIVER.

BOOM JUST GETS ENOUGH THERE.

GREAT JOB BY VINCENT SHAVERS BEING ABLE TO RUN TO THE FOOTBALL.

NEBRASKA PLAYED ON THE EDGES REALLY, REALLY WELL.

NEBRASKA DEFENSIVELY PLAYED A FANTASTIC FOOTBALL GAME.

BUT IN THE END JUST WASN'T ENOUGH.

>> THANKS, JAY.

PLENTY OF HOT TAKES.

YOU'RE NOT SURPRISED RIGHT?

SIFT THROUGH AFTER THE WAY THE FOURTH QUARTER WENT.

THIS FIRST ONE TAKES US TO HUSKER FAN.

IT'S WAY DOWN IN TAMPA, FLORIDA, HE SAYS.

WE RUSHED FOUR.

ESPECIALLY ON EARLY DOWNS.

WE GIFTED THEM.

THANK YOU COACHES.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MORE PRESSURE ON THOSE LAST TWO DRIVES?

>> OH YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO, CONSIDERING THAT WE HAVE A GOOD PLAYBOOK ON DYLAN AND ALSO THEY'RE THROWING SHORT, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO COME UP AND MAKE TACKLES A LITTLE BIT FASTER.

>> AND OF COURSE, A LOT OF FANS HAD ONLINE EMOTIONAL REACTION.

ONE PERSON SAID, I'M DONE WITH THE STAFF.

OKAY.

YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T JUST CONTINUALLY CONTINUE TO CHANGE STAFFS.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE WAY THE COACHING HAS BEEN BASED OFF OF WHAT YOU KNOW, THE FANS ARE SAYING?

>> I MEAN, LOOK, YOU CAN BE MAD AT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE LOST.

BUT I THINK THEY'VE MADE IMPROVEMENTS.

AND YOU KNOW, ONE THING YOU CAN LOOK AT IS THE DEFENSE.

LAST YEAR IT WAS A BIG PROBLEM RIGHT.

IT'S OBVIOUSLY BEEN A BIG IMPROVEMENT THIS YEAR.

SO YOU CAN'T DO, YOU CAN'T SAY TWO THINGS.

YOU GOT TO RECOGNIZE WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

WELL THEN OBVIOUSLY HOPE THEY DO SOME OTHER THINGS BETTER.

>> NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

KEEP SENDING US YOUR TAKES.

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA, VIA EMAIL OR ON THE PHONE, AND SHARE YOUR HOTTEST TAKE.

WE'LL SHOWCASE THE BEST RIGHT HERE ON THE SHOW.

AND THAT FEATURED TAKE WILL ALSO WIN A COPY OF SEAN'S BOOK, THE PROGRAM.

WHEN WE RETURN, WE'LL HEAR FROM MATT RHULE AND DISCUSS ONE OF THE MORE INTERESTING PRESS CONFERENCES IN RECENT MEMORY WITH AVARIE HOWARD FROM HURRDAT SPORTS.

AS ALWAYS, PHOTOS COURTESY OF HURRDAT SPORTS.

>> BECAUSE I BELIEVE TWO THINGS CAN BE TRUE.

FIRST OF ALL, YOU CAN BE REALLY, REALLY DISAPPOINTED RIGHT NOW AS A PLAYER, AS A COACH, AS THE HEAD COACH, AS A FAN, AND ALSO BE REALLY, REALLY ENCOURAGED AND PUSHED FORWARD.

I MEAN, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE DEFENSIVE STAFF HAS DONE IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, AGAIN, WHEN I SAY TWO THINGS CAN BE TRUE.

WE HAVE HELD INDIANA AND WE'VE HELD OREGON TO.

EACH TWO FIELD GOALS IN THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS.

THERE'S NOT MANY DEFENSES THAT CAN DO THAT AND HAVE DONE THAT.

WE WON'T WIN THE GAMES.

WE WANT TO WIN UNTIL WE WIN THE FOURTH QUARTER.

WE WON'T WIN THE GAMES THAT WE WANT TO WIN UNTIL WE CONTROL THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE ON OFFENSE, UNTIL WE WIN THIRD DOWN, YOU KNOW, AND THOSE THINGS HAVE NOT HAPPENED.

THAT YOU DON'T GET TO HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.

YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T GET TO YOU DON'T GET TO SAY, I'M GOING TO GO PLAY IN THE PROS AND THEN PLAY ANOTHER PRO PLAYER AND NOT BLOCK THEM.

RIGHT?

YOU DON'T GET TO SAY LIKE, HEY, WE'RE A DOMINANT DEFENSE AND THEN KNOCK.

AND IT'S NOT ANY ONE THING.

IT'S NOT ANY ONE PLAYER.

THAT'S, THAT'S THE REAL CRUCIAL THING.

OUR TEAM'S A TEAM THAT CANNOT COME IN AND START SAYING IT'S THIS, IT'S THAT LIKE ON THAT LAST DRIVE, SOMETIMES WE GOT TO WE GOT TO PLAY IN TOO LATE.

AND GUYS WERE GETTING LINED UP AS WE GOT TO PLAY.

SOMETIMES WE GOT TO PLAY AND WE LINED UP WRONG.

AND GUYS ARE TRYING TO GET THE GUY LINED UP AND PLAY MAN SOMETIMES.

YOU KNOW, WE DID CALL YOU SAM.

WE CALLED PRESSURES AND THE GUY DIDN'T GO AND WE ENDED UP WITH A THREE MAN RUSH WITH BLITZ COVERAGE.

SO IT'S NOT ANY ONE THING.

IT'S ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

OUR PLAYERS, WHAT I'VE OBSERVED HERE IS OUR PLAYERS HERE, A LOT OF THE OUTSIDE STUFF, AND THEY START TO FEEL PRESSURE AND THE OUTSIDE STUFF IS GREAT.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT I'M NOT.

AND THEY START BEING LIKE, OH, IT'S COACH.

COACH SHOULD HAVE CALLED TIME OUT.

OH NO, IT'S EVERY FREAKING PERSON.

IT'S EVERYBODY.

LIKE I DIDN'T CALL THE TIME OUT LAST WEEK BECAUSE NO ONE SAID, HEY, CALL TIME OUT.

THAT'S THE REALITY OF IT.

RIGHT?

THEN NO ONE SAID, OH MY GOSH, WE MADE A BET.

AND THE PERSON THAT SAID THE WRONG PERSONNEL DOESN'T WALK UP HERE, BUT I DON'T MIND TAKING THE I'LL TAKE THE BULLETS FOR MY GUYS ALL DAY LONG.

I JUST WANT EVERYBODY IN THE BUILDING TO BE LIKE, COACH.

I CALLED THE WRONG PERSONNEL.

WE GAVE UP A TOUCHDOWN BECAUSE OF IT, AND I WANT SOMEONE ELSE TO BE LIKE, I'M RUNNING OUT OF BOUNDS WHEN I SHOULD BE CUTTING BACK AND I WANT SOMEONE ELSE TO BE LIKE, LIKE I'M NOT BLOCKING A DEFENSIVE END IN PASS PRO THAT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO BLOCK.

I WANT EVERYONE DOING THAT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

SO NOTHING HAPPENED TO US AND THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY VICTIMS LIKE, LIKE, LIKE I LET THE GUYS DANCE AT THE FOURTH QUARTER.

I WILL NEVER DO THAT AGAIN.

RIGHT?

THAT'S LIKE I SAT OUT AND I PULLED THEM ALL UP AND THEY STARTED RUNNING.

I WAS KIND OF LIKE, AND I WAS LIKE, GET BACK IN.

AND PART OF OUR THING WAS LIKE, UCLA DID IT.

AND I WANTED, YOU KNOW, COMING OFF INDIANA, I WAS LIKE, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO PLAY OUR TAIL OFF.

I MEAN, IT GOES BACK TO WHAT COACH OSBORNE SAID WHEN HE FIRST GOT HERE.

LIKE, HEY, YOU PLAY PHYSICAL FOR THREE QUARTERS TO WIN THE FOURTH QUARTER.

AND I WAS LIKE, WE'RE GOING TO BE SO PHYSICAL IN THE THIRD QUARTER.

FIRST QUARTER.

SECOND QUARTER.

THIRD QUARTER.

FOURTH QUARTER COMES.

THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO INTIMIDATE YOU WITH THAT SONG.

HAVE FUN.

ENJOY IT.

LOCK BACK IN.

AND OUR GUYS GOT BACK IN.

WE DIDN'T WIN THE FOURTH QUARTER.

AND THAT'S NOT MY DNA.

AND SO LIKE I HAVE TO OWN THAT.

LIKE I WAS SITTING OUT THERE, I WAS LIKE, GET IN HERE, LET'S GO PLAY.

AND THEN WE GET THREE PLAYS ON OFFENSE IN THE FOURTH QUARTER.

WE GIVE UP A 16 YARD DRIVE AND A SEVEN.

WE GIVE UP FOURTH AND THREE ON A SHALLOW CROSS WE KNOW IS COMING.

WE GIVE UP.

YOU KNOW WE'RE TACKLING YOU KNOW LIKE THE DEFENSE CAN SAY AND I PROBABLY WAS WRONG EVEN A LITTLE BIT.

SAM AT THE END OF THE GAME YOU ASKED ME LIKE I SAID, HEY, WE GOT TIRED.

THEY ONLY PLAYED 43, 46 PLAYS IN THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS.

WE DIDN'T GET TIRED BECAUSE THE OFFENSE WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH.

AND GUYS ON DEFENSE EARLY IN THE GAME, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE TRYING TO BE POSITIVE.

THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, OFFENSE IS STRUGGLING.

WE HAVE TO GO WIN IT OURSELVES.

YOU HAD A CHANCE TO WIN IT YOURSELF AND YOU DIDN'T.

AND SO THAT'S THE MENTALITY I'M GOING TO HAVE WITH OUR TEAM.

I EXPECT US TO HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN EVERY GAME MOVING FORWARD, AND I EXPECT EVERY GAME MOVING FORWARD IS GOING TO COME DOWN TO A WINNING MOMENT.

I THINK WE ARE A REALLY, REALLY, REALLY GOOD TEAM.

WE GOT TO BE GREAT IN THE IN THE IMPORTANT MOMENTS AND I DON'T CARE IF WE'RE PLAYING THIS TEAM OR THAT TEAM, IT'S NOT THAT.

SO I'M NOT GOING TO ALLOW IN THAT BUILDING THE NARRATIVE OF OH COACH AURICH SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS, OR COACH RHULE SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS, OR THE QUARTERBACK SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS, OR IT'S THE O LINE'S FAULT.

IT'S THE O LINE'S FAULT, IT'S RHULE'S FAULT.

IT'S AURICH'S FAULT, IT'S DANA'S FAULT, IT'S GEEP'S FAULT.

IT'S THE QUARTERBACK'S FAULT.

IT'S THE RECEIVER'S FAULT.

ALL OF US.

WE ALL HAVE 1000 PLAYS.

WE COULD LOOK BACK.

AND SO, YEAH, THE BYE WEEK CAME AT A GOOD TIME.

CAME AT A GOOD TIME PHYSICALLY.

BUT IT CAME AT A GOOD TIME TO RESET AND NOT, OH, POOR US, POOR OLD NEBRASKA.

LIKE LIKE LSU IS SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW AT 5-2.

THEY LOST ON THE LAST PLAY OF THE GAME AGAINST OLE MISS AND THEY LOST ON A TWO POINT CONVERSION.

THEY GET THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND THEY'RE PROBABLY I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE.

TEN, 15, 20 WE DON'T GET THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T EARNED IT YET AND WE HAVEN'T TAKEN IT, AND WE'RE FINE WITH THAT.

>> COACH CANNOT SAY WE TOOK HIM OUT OF CONTEXT.

WE PLAYED ALL OF THAT.

WE ARE HAPPY TO BE JOINED BY HURRDAT SPORTS REPORTER AVARIE HOWARD.

AVARIE, WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO COME ON THE SHOW.

AS A FORMER SOCCER PLAYER, YOU PROBABLY DON'T EVEN CARE ABOUT TIMEOUTS, RIGHT?

DO YOU GUYS EVER TAKE A TIMEOUT?

>> WE DIDN'T GET ANY OF THOSE.

>> NO TIMEOUTS.

RIGHT.

JUST GO.

WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT THE 40 MINUTES PRESS CONFERENCE?

ALMOST LIKE A THERAPY SESSION FOR HIMSELF.

>> YEAH, I THINK THAT'S KIND OF A GOOD POINT.

I THINK HE MADE THAT CLEAR AT SOME POINT TOO.

HE SAID, I'M SAYING THIS FOR MY PLAYERS AND MY COACHES, BUT I'M ALSO SAYING IT FOR MYSELF.

AND MAYBE THAT'S A MOMENT OF HIM HOLDING HIMSELF ACCOUNTABLE FOR.

I'M MAKING SURE I SAY THESE THINGS OUT LOUD TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS WHERE WE'RE AT.

I KNOW SOME PEOPLE, I THINK, AND HE SAID IT FROM THE TOP, ARE GOING TO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE WITH IT BECAUSE HE HAD A LOT TO SAY.

AND WE HAVEN'T GOT THAT VERSION OF COACH RHULE THIS OFF SEASON AND THIS SEASON.

AND SO TO ME, I FELT LIKE WE KIND OF GOT AN OLD VERSION OF COACH RHULE IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS, SO MAYBE I WASN'T AS CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY SOME OF IT.

BUT GRANTED, I'M AT THESE PRESS CONFERENCES.

I AM LISTENING TO HIM A COUPLE OF TIMES TO MAKE SURE I GET ALL OF IT.

I KNOW NOT ALL OF IT MADE ITS WAY TO EVERYONE, SO IF PEOPLE HEARD PARTS OF IT, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE FELT A CERTAIN WAY ABOUT CERTAIN PARTS OF IT, BUT I THINK THERE'S A 24 HOUR RULE FOR A REASON AFTER GAMES, AND WE WERE PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT 24 HOUR RULE.

SO I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S A PRETTY, I MEAN, UNDERSTANDABLE WHY HE WAS STILL PRETTY PASSIONATE AND EMOTIONAL ABOUT IT.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN YOU HEAR HIM SPEAK TO HIS PLAYERS AND HIS COACHES, HE DOESN'T WANT A GAME TO BEAT THEM TWICE.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.

BUT IN A WEIRD WAY, I THINK THERE'S THAT GUT PUNCH OF YOU LET THE GAME GO IN THE FOURTH QUARTER AGAINST INDIANA, AND THEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN.

SO MAYBE NOT THAT GAME LEADING TO THE OREGON LOSS, BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF SIMILAR ISSUES.

SO I THINK THAT PART IS WHAT ALSO BRINGS UP A LOT OF THAT FRUSTRATION.

>> AVARIE I WANT TO HAVE YOU PUT YOUR YOUR FORMER, YOU KNOW, COLLEGE ATHLETE HAT ON FOR A SECOND.

WHEN YOU HAVE A COACH KIND OF SPEAK TO YOU THROUGH THE MEDIA AND JUST HAVING THAT MATURITY TO LIKE, HE'S PROBABLY TALKING ABOUT ME RIGHT NOW.

>> JUST LIKE.

>> LIKE BEING ABLE TO TAKE THAT WITH LIKE THE RIGHT WAY AND THE RIGHT APPROACH AND NOT HAVE THAT AFFECT YOU BECAUSE A LOT OF COACHES DO THAT.

BUT YOU KNOW, MATT RHULE DID THAT ON JUST YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.

>> YEAH.

AND I THINK FOR ONE THING, IF I'VE LEARNED THROUGH THESE MATT RHULE PRESS CONFERENCES IS WHAT HE TELLS US, THAT USUALLY DOES MAKE ITS WAY TO THE PLAYERS TOO.

IT'S EITHER WE'RE NOT HEARING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME OR THEY'RE NOT HEARING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME, I SHOULD SAY.

AND WHATEVER THEIR SCHEDULE LOOKS LIKE THIS WEEK WITH THEM OUT OF THE BUILDING, I CAN IMAGINE THIS MESSAGE WILL BE PRETTY SIMILAR, IF NOT STRONGER.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE THAT KIND OF MEDIA AT OMAHA WHERE I WAS HAVING TO LISTEN THE PRESS CONFERENCE, WE JUST KIND OF GOT IT TO OUR FACE.

AND I KNOW THESE PLAYERS HAVE THAT SITUATION TOO.

I THINK THE BIGGEST THING IN THIS IS IF THERE'S SOMETHING I FEEL LIKE I KNOW ABOUT COACH RHULE IS HE'S VERY PERSONABLE WITH HIS PLAYERS AND SO BASED ON THE RELATIONSHIP HE HAS WITH THEM, HE CAN COACH THEM THIS WAY AND TELL THEM HOW IT IS.

BUT YEAH, IF THEY'RE IN A BYE WEEK THIS WEEK, THIS THIS ONE STINGS.

AND THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO DO FOR SITTING ON IT FOR TWO WEEKS, AND ESPECIALLY IF MAYBE THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN THAT FULL MESSAGE FROM COACH RHULE YET IN THE LOCKER ROOM TO START THE WEEK OR WHATEVER IT IS, WEIGHTS AND CONDITIONING THIS WEEK.

YEAH, I'M SURE THAT ONE STINGS A LITTLE BIT.

LIKE YEAH, HE'S TALKING ABOUT A THIRD AND SIXTH PLAY NOT MAKING A BLOCK.

YEAH THAT WAS MAYBE ME OR YOU TALK ABOUT WANTING TO, YOU KNOW, BE IN THE PROS AND PLAY AGAINST THE PROS, BUT NOT PLAYING AT A PRO LEVEL.

IS THAT ME?

SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONING THAT GOES INTO THIS WEEK, ESPECIALLY WHEN TO SIT ON IT WHEN WE KNOW THAT LAST WEEK THEY WERE ANXIOUS TO GO OUT THERE AND PLAY AGAIN, AND THEN THEY DIDN'T GET THAT MOMENT THAT THEY WANTED BACK.

SO YOU GOT TO SIT ON THAT ONE.

AND YEAH, THERE'S PROBABLY SOME QUESTIONING OF WHO'S HE TALKING ABOUT.

>> AVARIE, EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT THE MATURITY OF THIS TEAM VERSUS LAST YEAR.

AND OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF COVERING THE TEAM.

OBVIOUSLY YOU DO AS WELL.

WHAT ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT YOU'VE NOTICED FROM THIS TEAM COMPARED TO LAST YEAR?

TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE TWO WEEKS OF LETTING YOURSELF DOWN, GOING INTO A BYE WEEK IN A BIG GAME COMING UP NEXT SATURDAY AGAINST WASHINGTON.

>> I THINK THE THINGS THAT HAVE STOOD OUT TO ME THROUGHOUT THIS POINT IS HOW THEY'VE MANAGED.

THEY HAVEN'T HAD THE HIGHS AND LOWS NECESSARILY, BECAUSE I THINK YOU HAVE GUYS IN THE BUILDING, WHETHER IT IS IN ANTHONY JONES JUNIOR OR JAHSEAR WHITTINGTON OR EVEN SOME OF THE GUYS ON OFFENSE, MAYBE IT IS KWAZI WHO'VE BEEN IN DIFFERENT LOCKER ROOMS OR DIFFERENT PROGRAMS WHERE THEY'VE PLAYED IN THESE BIG GAMES BEFORE, WHERE I THINK AT TIMES PREVIOUSLY IN ON THESE NEBRASKA ROSTERS, WE WOULD HAVE THIS HEARING AFTER THE GAME OF THE OH, HERE WE GO.

OR PLAYERS, YOU COULD SENSE THE BODY LANGUAGE CHANGING.

AND I THINK WE'VE SEEN SOME OF THOSE GUYS THAT HAVE COME INTO THE PROGRAM THAT ARE VETERANS.

IT KIND OF TAKES THAT AWAY FROM WHAT I'VE NOTICED.

SO I DO THINK IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE, YOU KNOW, FROM A MATURITY STANDPOINT, I SAW PEOPLE QUESTIONING THAT BECAUSE OF THE WHOLE FOURTH QUARTER ANTICS THING.

I DO THINK THIS IS WHERE THAT SHOWS UP.

YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THIS TEAM NOW RESPOND?

OF COURSE, EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE FINE WHEN YOU'RE 5-0.

BUT YOU KNOW, WHERE DOES THE VETERAN LEADERSHIP STEP IN FROM?

THE GUYS THAT HAVE BEEN IN TOUGH SITUATIONS OR HAVE BEEN PLAYED FOR BIG PROGRAMS, WHETHER ANTHONY JONES JUNIOR IS, YOU KNOW, FULLY PRESENT WITH THE INJURY HE'S PLAYED AT INDIANA AND OREGON AND BEEN IN THOSE LOCKER ROOMS AND KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO, I THINK, BE IN A LOCKER ROOM OR COACHES THAT HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS.

SO HOW DO THEY CARRY THESE GUYS WITH THEM?

AND I THINK THE WAY THEY GO THROUGH THIS BYE WEEK KIND OF SETS THE TONE.

>> YEAH.

INDIANA, UCLA.

MICHIGAN STATE.

>> YEAH, YEAH.

>> KEEP GOING WITH THAT.

I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE DANCING AT HALFTIME.

I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE I'M FROM NEW ORLEANS.

WE DANCE AND CELEBRATE EVERYTHING.

YEAH.

SO DID YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WHEN YOU WERE WATCHING IT FROM I'M ASSUMING YOU WERE UP IN THE PRESS BOX AT THE TIME.

DID YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WATCHING IT WHEN YOU WERE SEEING THEM OUT THERE DANCING?

>> SO I SHARED IT IN THE MOMENT BECAUSE I WAS DURING THE BREAK AND IN THE MOMENT, IT WAS KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD 40S OF FUN AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, LIKE, THIS IS A FUN GAME, RIGHT?

THERE ARE KIDS THAT ARE IN COLLEGE AND WATCHING IT LIVE.

I WAS WOW, I WAS LIKE, WOW, OKAY.

FROM THE GET GO.

LIKE THERE WAS NO SECOND GUESSING.

THEY DECIDED THEY WERE GOING TO DO THAT.

AND AT THE SAME POINT, WE HEARD COACH RHULE TALK ABOUT IT EARLIER IN THE WEEK.

LIKE IF THEY WANT TO DO IT, DO IT RIGHT.

I EXPECT MY PLAYERS TO GO MAKE PLAYS AND IT'S GOING TO COME DOWN TO THE FOURTH QUARTER.

AND AS WE HEARD FROM THEM POSTGAME AND AS WE ALL SAW, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN AND NONE OF THEM WERE HAPPY WITH IT, NONE OF THEM WERE PLEASED WITH IT.

WE ALL HEARD THEM TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY AFTER THE GAME.

CALEB BENNING EVEN SAID, LIKE THIS WEEK, IT'S NOT ABOUT MAKING EXCUSES FOR HERSELF OR MAKING FOR OTHERS.

LIKE WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT HEAD ON.

AND I THINK THE PART THAT FRUSTRATES PEOPLE IS BECAUSE THE RESULT CHANGES WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT MOMENT, RIGHT?

SO IN THE MOMENT, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A FUN LOVED THAT THEY ARE FEELING LOOSE AND EXCITED IF THEY WIN NOW THAT THEY LOST.

OF COURSE, THAT'S WHEN THE VIDEO GETS A LOT MORE.

YEAH, IT GETS A LOT MORE RUN.

DO I THINK THAT THE GUYS LOST THAT GAME BECAUSE OF THAT MOMENT?

NO I DON'T.

IS THERE GOING TO BE MOMENTS THAT NOW PEOPLE ARE QUESTIONING?

WERE THEY NOT LOCKED IN ENOUGH?

WERE THEY NOT FOCUSED ENOUGH?

WHO WERE THE LEADERS IN THAT MOMENT WHO HAVE SAID ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, BUT BEING THERE IN PERSON AFTER THE 40S OF WHATEVER IT WAS, SOME OF THE COACHES AND PLAYERS, I THINK, OBVIOUSLY REALIZED, HEY, IT IS TIME TO HUDDLE UP LIKE YOU HAD YOUR COUPLE SECONDS.

NOT EVERYONE WAS INVOLVED, AND I THINK COACH RHULE PROBABLY WENT BACK ON HIS COMMENTS YESTERDAY IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE, JUST BECAUSE OF PROBABLY HOW MUCH IT DID STING, SAYING THINGS LIKE THAT AFTER A LOSS GOING THE WAY IT DID, ESPECIALLY HOW THE FOURTH QUARTER WENT.

>> AVARIE, THIS TIME THEY'VE GOT THE THE BYE WEEK NOW, IT'S AN ABILITY TO SELF-SCOUT LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE REALLY WELL.

LOOK AT THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVEN'T DONE WELL.

WHAT AREAS OF THIS TEAM DO YOU THINK THAT THEY NEED TO TAKE A DEEP DIVE AT AND REALLY IMPROVE ON IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON?

>> I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT TALKED ABOUT THE DEFENSE JUST BECAUSE OF HOW THE GAME ENDED, BUT I THINK IT'S THE LULLS IN THE OFFENSE.

AND YOU KNOW, YOU SAW NEBRASKA EXECUTE AT A REALLY HIGH LEVEL FOR MULTIPLE DRIVES AGAINST INDIANA.

AND YEAH, THAT'S A REALLY STRONG PHYSICAL ATHLETIC TEAM.

AND THEN NONE OF THAT SEEMED TO SHOW UP AGAINST OREGON.

AND THEN EVEN WHEN THEY DID HAVE REALLY STRONG DRIVES AGAINST OTHER TEAMS OR EVEN AGAINST MICHIGAN STATE, IT WAS LIKE, OKAY, NOW WHAT'S HAPPENING?

OR WHERE DID THAT GO?

SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A PANIC AT TIMES OR NOT BEING PATIENT OR WHAT IT IS OF MAYBE SCRAPPING, YOU KNOW, THE PLAYBOOK AT TIMES OR JUST WHAT THE PLAN WAS COMING IN.

SO I THINK ANTHONY IS DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB MAKING UP FOR SOME OF THOSE LOSSES.

BUT I'M INTERESTED TO SEE, YOU KNOW, AS COACH RHULE SAID YESTERDAY, THIS IS THE TIME WHERE WE GET IN THE SEASON TO FULLY TAKE A STEP BACK.

WE DON'T ALWAYS GET TIME TO DO THAT.

AND I THINK HE MADE AN INTERESTING POINT YESTERDAY TALKING ABOUT HOW WHEN HIS STAFF IS WATCHING DEFENSES PLAY, THERE MIGHT NOT ALWAYS ACCOUNTING FOR WHAT ANTHONY BRINGS AS CHALLENGES TO THE DEFENSE.

HE WANTS TO SEE THEM ADJUST DIFFERENTLY ON THE FLY TO WHAT'S BEING GIVEN TO THEM.

SO I'M INTERESTED TO SEE IF THOSE KIND OF THINGS CHANGE GOING FORWARD.

BUT IT'S BEEN EXCITING AT TIMES TO WATCH THIS OFFENSE AND THE WAY THEY'VE UTILIZED THE WEAPONS.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION RIGHT NOW BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT IS JAMAL RULE STATUS?

NO MOZEE RIGHT NOW?

HOW DOES MEKHI STEP UP AND SOUNDS LIKE KWINTEN IVES AND CONOR BOOTH ARE, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT GUYS UP?

AND WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE DEPTH OF OFFENSIVE LINE OR HOW STRONG THIS WIDE RECEIVER ROOM HAS BEEN.

SO HOW DO THEY BRING THOSE GUYS INTO THE FOLD?

AND IF THIS IS THE WEEK, THEY'RE ABLE TO STEP BACK AND SAY THESE GUYS AREN'T EXECUTING AT A HIGH ENOUGH LEVEL, THEN, YOU KNOW, HOW DO THEY BRING THOSE GUYS INTO IT MOVING FORWARD?

AS WE HEARD COACH RHULE SAY, HE THINKS ALL THESE GAMES MOVING FORWARD ARE WINNABLE.

>> YEAH.

>> AVARIE, I WANTED TO ASK YOU THE NEXT THREE GAMES, NEBRASKA PROBABLY BE FAVORED OR WILL PROBABLY BE FAVORED IN ALL OF THEM, MAYBE CLOSE TO DOUBLE DIGITS.

HOW IMPORTANT ARE THESE NEXT THREE GAMES, NOT ONLY TO THIS SEASON BUT FOR SEASONS TO COME?

>> MASSIVE AND I THINK THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE ROAD GAMES, THESE ARE THE ONES THAT YOU SAY ABSOLUTELY THEY SHOULD BE ILLINOIS.

THEY ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE RUTGERS.

NOW, ARE THEY TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS?

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE WANTED TO SAY THAT TO START THE SEASON, IT WAS LIKE, OH, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO WIN THESE GAMES.

YEAH, BUT WE'VE SEEN NEBRASKA TEAMS WHO HAVEN'T WON THOSE GAMES.

SO I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GOING TO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HOST A WASHINGTON TEAM THAT HAS PLENTY OF QUESTION MARKS.

YOU GET THE GAME UNDER THE LIGHTS, YOU GET THE WHOLE JERSEY THING.

IT'S GOING TO BE HOPEFULLY GREAT ENERGY LIKE IT WAS LAST YEAR.

THAT HAS TO BE A WIN AT HOME, OBVIOUSLY, TO PROPEL YOU INTO THOSE TWO ROAD GAMES.

THAT SETS YOU UP FOR HOSTING OHIO STATE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW IF JULIAN SAYIN IS GOING TO BE PLAYING RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT?

SO THERE'S A LOT OF THESE GAMES THAT ARE RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU.

AND SO I THINK THE ROAD GAMES ARE THE TRUE TEST OF GROWTH TRULY, BECAUSE YEAH, THEY SHOULD WIN THE ONE AT HOME.

BUT ARE THEY TRULY TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS ON THE ROAD AGAINST TWO TEAMS.

THEY SHOULD BEAT.

>> THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE ON THE PLANET, SOCCER PLAYERS THAT HAVE BETTER CONDITIONING.

THE QUESTION COMES FROM BILL.

DO YOU THINK IT'S A LACK OF CONDITIONING BECAUSE HAVE YOU SEEN THIS NUMBER SINCE 2018, THEY'RE 0-18 AND HAD LEADS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER.

DO YOU FEEL IT'S COMING DOWN THE CONDITIONING?

>> I THINK WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER, THE MENTALITY PART IS THE MOST IMPORTANT.

I THINK MOST ATHLETES WILL TELL YOU, I MEAN, WE USED TO RUN OUR FITNESS TESTS AND THEN WE WOULD SCRIMMAGE AFTERWARDS BECAUSE OUR COACH WOULD EVALUATE HOW WE SCRIMMAGED AFTER THE FITNESS TEST, BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT THE MENTAL PART AFTERWARDS.

SO I THINK WHAT YOU DO IN THOSE CLOSING MOMENTS IS THE MENTALITY PART OF IT.

AND I THINK HONESTLY, WE DIDN'T GET TO HEAR LUKE LINDENMEYER IN THE FULL PRESS CONFERENCE, BUT I CAUGHT HIM IN THE HALLWAY IN CLIPS.

HE'S LIKE, THIS IS THE PART THAT FRUSTRATES YOU THE MOST IS BECAUSE THE MENTALITY PART OF IT IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRAINING FOR THE MOST IN THE OFF SEASON.

WE'VE BEEN TRAINING THIS WHOLE GRIT PART, RIGHT?

AND SO MAYBE THE OFFENSE FELT A CERTAIN TYPE OF WAY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO GET ON THE FIELD AS MUCH AS THEY WANTED TO.

AND THEN IT PUT IT ON THE DEFENSE, OR THEY'RE HOPING THEY WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK ON THE FIELD.

BUT I REALLY DO THINK AS MUCH AS THE CONDITIONING, OF COURSE, IS IMPORTANT WITH HOW MUCH THE DEFENSE WAS ON THE FIELD, IT REALLY DOES COME DOWN TO, I THINK, YOUR MENTALITY AT THE END, AND IT REALLY CAME DOWN TO MAKING ONE PLAY MULTIPLE TIMES ON ON THE FINAL COUPLE DRIVES.

>> LAST THING, HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT TO GET THAT 7:00 TIME ZONE, A TIME SLOT FOR A HALLOWEEN NIGHT GAME BLACKOUT OPPOSED TO PLAYING AT 11 A.M.

LIKE THE RUMOR WAS?

>> YEAH.

OF COURSE.

WELL, I THINK THAT'S KIND OF WHY NEBRASKA SHOWED THOSE BLACK UNIFORMS WHEN THEY DID.

LIKE TRYING TO FORCE THE HAND A LITTLE BIT, LIKE.

SO I THINK IT'S I MEAN, IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE BENEFICIAL WITH, OF COURSE, HAVING THE BYE WEEK A LITTLE MORE EXTRA TIME, ESPECIALLY WITH SOME OF THE QUESTION MARKS WITH THE INJURIES.

BUT I THINK EVERYONE CAN SAY, FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM THE FANS I'VE TALKED TO, THEY REALLY ENJOYED THE BLACKOUT AND IT WAS A FUN SWITCH OF ENERGY.

AND OF COURSE, AS WE'VE HEARD FROM COACH RHULE, IT'S KIND OF A RECRUITING THING TOO.

AND SO WHEN YOU GET A NIGHT GAME AT MEMORIAL, IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

AND OF COURSE, ON HALLOWEEN, I REALLY KIND OF HAD TO.

>> NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

BY THE WAY, 17-2 LIFETIME ON HALLOWEEN NEBRASKA IS.

NOT A BAD NUMBER.

AVARIE, WE APPRECIATE IT.

HURRDAT DON'T LET HER GO IN THE PORTAL.

>> THANKS A LOT.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

SO MUCH OF COURSE, BRUTAL WEEKEND OF TRAVEL FOR SO MANY PEOPLE.

BUT SEAN CALLAHAN IS HERE TO TALK RECRUITING WITH US.

WE LEAVE YOU WITH SIGHTS AND SOUNDS FROM AUSTIN.

COURTESY OF HURRDAT SPORTS.

(UPBEAT MUSIC) >> WELCOME BACK TO BIG RED WRAP-UP.

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

YOU MENTIONED ON YOUR SHOW SEAN RECRUITING IS STARTING TO WIND DOWN RIGHT.

THIS IS THE ONE TIME THE HEAD COACH CAN GO OUT.

AND THEN YOU ONLY GOT TWO HOME GAMES LEFT AND THEN YOU'RE MOVING INTO JANUARY.

SO THIS IS AN IMPORTANT WEEKEND.

>> YEAH.

YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS WEEK IS.

YOU GET 33 TOTAL DAYS FOR YOUR WHOLE STAFF.

SO IF FIVE COACHES GO OUT ON ONE DAY, THAT'S FIVE DAYS.

AND THIS IS THE PRIME WEEK.

SO MATT RHULE THIS WILL BE THE ONLY WEEK HE'S ON THE ROAD UNTIL JANUARY.

AND SO ALL YOUR RECRUITS THAT SIGN IN DECEMBER FOR THE KEY PEOPLE THAT YOU MAYBE ARE STILL TRYING TO GO AFTER.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S THE THAT'S BIG.

SO TODAY, MATT RHULE WAS IN SOUTH CAROLINA, CHECKED OUT A YOUNG DEFENSIVE END, BUT TOMORROW HE'S GOING TO BE IN LOUISIANA TO CHECK IN ON 2026 FIVE STAR TIGHT END.

AHMAD HUDSON, WHICH AS WE KNOW IS A KEY, KEY TARGET.

TRAE TAYLOR HAS WORKED THAT WELL.

HE WAS IN TOWN FOR THE FOR THE MARYLAND GAME AND YOU KNOW, HAVING MATT RHULE THERE TOMORROW COULD BE PRETTY BIG.

AS YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT THAT TIGHT END POSITION FOR NEBRASKA, IT'S PRETTY OPEN AFTER LUKE LINDENMEYER MOVES ON.

>> YEAH.

TALK ABOUT OUR FUTURE RECRUIT JAILEN HILL.

HE'S OUT OF FLORIDA.

>> YEAH JAILEN HILL IS A TRANSPLANT.

HE CAME FROM CALIFORNIA.

>> OH WOW.

>> AND MOVED TO GO PLAY AT CAROL CITY.

SO HE PLAYED AT SAINT JOHN BOSCO AND THEN MOVED ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO PLAY IN FLORIDA.

BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING DONE WITH HIS TRANSFER PAPERWORK.

>> PAPERWORK PROBLEMS.

>> WHERE HE HAD TO SIT OUT.

HE IS NOW PLAYING, THOUGH, FOR CAROL CITY, WHICH IS A PERENNIAL POWER, YOU KNOW, HAD A CONNECTION THERE THROUGH SEVEN ON SEVEN, PLAYED SOME SEVEN ON SEVEN WITH SOME GUYS FROM THERE.

AND THAT'S HOW HE ENDED UP PLAYING DOWN THERE.

BUT HE WAS IN TOWN A COUPLE WEEKS AGO FOR ONE OF THE HOME GAMES.

BIG LONG CORNER, GREAT KID, GREAT PERSONALITY.

EXCITED ABOUT JAILEN AND KIND OF WHAT HE BRINGS TO THAT CORNER POSITION.

>> SAME AREA.

WARREN SAPP CAME OUT OF FLORIDA OUT OF THAT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR IN-STATE RECRUIT ZACH WOLFE.

>> YEAH.

THEN ZACH WOLFE A LONG RANGY DEFENSIVE END TIGHT END BODY OUT OF ELKHORN NORTH GOING TO FRESNO STATE.

AND WE'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, FRESNO STATE HAS THAT FORMER NORTH DAKOTA STATE STAFF THERE.

SO THERE'S QUITE A FLAVOR OF GUYS FROM THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE ENDED UP GOING TO NORTH DAKOTA.

I'M SORRY, FRESNO STATE, BECAUSE OF JUST THE CONNECTIONS OF THE STAFF.

SO ZACH WOLFE KIND OF FITS THAT.

THEY TOOK A FEW MILLER SOUTH GUYS.

YOU KNOW, THAT ROSTER THAT'S WHERE MAVERICK NOONAN IS AT RIGHT NOW.

SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF GUYS FROM NEBRASKA THERE.

AND ZACH WOLFE WILL BE ANOTHER ONE THAT WILL JOIN THEM.

>> YEAH.

AND OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE IN THE PAC 12 NOW.

SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT HIGHER PRESTIGE EVEN THOUGH IT'S STILL A G6.

SEAN.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER A DECADE, HUSKER MEN'S BASKETBALL IS BACK ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA'S AIRWAVES.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 26TH AT 6:30 AS THE HUSKERS TUNE UP FOR THE SEASON AGAINST KANSAS STATE ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

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

LET'S UPDATE THE RESULTS.

CURRENTLY, 57% OF THE PEOPLE SAY YES WON THE GAMES.

WE'RE SUPPOSED TO WIN.

OF COURSE, THE QUESTION IS, IF WE'RE AT 5-2 IN THE PRESEASON, IF THAT WAS SOMEBODY ASKED YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU THINK ABOUT IT?

YES, BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT HOW YOU WIN OR LOSE AND THEN WON'T BE HAPPY UNTIL WE BEAT A RANKED TEAM IS AT 14, AND THEN THEY JUST GO RIGHT DOWN TO 13%.

I'M HAPPY THAT THEY'VE COVERED ALL THE GAMES AND THEY'VE NOT COVERED ALL THE GAMES.

THEY DIDN'T COVER THE NORTH DAKOTA GAME.

IT WAS A LATE LINE MOVE.

ALWAYS GO TO OUR WEBSITE SO YOU CAN CAST YOUR VOTE AS WELL.

NOW LET'S TAKE A LOOK AROUND THE BIG TEN.

UCLA JUMPS UP TO THE AP TOP TEN AFTER A CONVINCING WIN VERSUS AN IMPROVED WISCONSIN TEAM, NORTHWESTERN CONTINUES THEIR HOT START, NARROWLY ESCAPING A MICHIGAN STATE TEAM WHO ATTEMPTED A FAKE PUNT AT A REALLY BAD TIME.

ONE SCORE VICTORY THERE.

AND IN THE GAME OF THE WEEK, OHIO STATE GETS THEIR REVENGE AND HALTS INDIANA'S 22 GAME WINNING STREAK BY ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW, FOUR INCHES OF A FOOT BEING OUT OF BOUNDS.

OKAY, SO BYE WEEK.

YOU ASKED THE QUESTION EARLIER.

JAY YOU GUYS WERE TALKING ABOUT IT.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS BYE WEEK, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE INJURIES?

>> YEAH IT'S BIG.

IT'S TIME TO GET HEALTHY.

YOU KNOW, AS A PLAYER I DIDN'T LIKE BYE WEEKS BECAUSE I WAS VERY ROUTINE ORIENTED.

I FELT LIKE MY TECHNIQUES AND MY EYES AND STUFF JUST GOT SLOPPY HAVING A FEW DAYS OFF.

BUT NO, I THINK IT'S JUST TO GET SOME GUYS GET IN THE TRAINING ROOM, GETTING THOSE COLD TUBS, GETTING SOME THERAPY AND ALL THAT STUFF, AND IT'S JUST A GOOD CHANCE TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PLAYERS AND YOUR STAFF JUST TO SAY WHERE WE'RE AT, WHERE CAN WE MAKE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE?

AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM TO IMPROVE.

BUT THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING TO ME IS LIKE, DON'T OVERREACT TO THESE LAST TWO GAMES BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS STILL A REALLY GOOD FOOTBALL TEAM, BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU GOT TO MAKE SOME SUBTLE TWEAKS HERE TO FINISH OUT THE SEASON THE RIGHT WAY.

BUT THIS JUST GETTING HEALTHY IS REALLY IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW.

>> CHANCE TO GET YOUR BODY.

BUT YOU MENTIONED TRY TO GET YOUR MIND RIGHT TOO.

RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

I MEAN BECAUSE THE SEASON'S OUT OVER.

I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WITH MUCH MONEY THEY GOT NOW, THEY SOMETIMES YOU CAN THINK LIKE IT'S VACATION TIME, IT'S REST TIME, RIGHT?

AND IT'S THE REST OF RECOVERY AND REJUVENATE.

BUT THEN ALSO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GOT YOUNG GUYS OR GUYS COMING BACK FROM INJURY THROUGHOUT THESE FIRST, YOU KNOW, 6 OR 7 WEEKS THAT HAVE BEEN MAKING PROGRESS, NOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IN THE LINEUP, THEY GOT TO MAKE SOME BIG IMPROVEMENTS.

AND THEN ALSO, I THINK YOU NEED TO GET TOGETHER WITH YOUR TEAMMATES AND FIGURE OUT HOW YOU WANT TO FINISH THE SEASON, BECAUSE EVERYTHING'S STILL ON THE TABLE.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD DO SOME BIG THINGS IF YOU IF YOU USE THE BYE WEEK CORRECTLY.

>> SEAN, JAY MENTIONED THE MONEY.

WE GOT A QUESTION HERE.

ANY CHANCE NEBRASKA CAN GET ABOVE WHERE THEY ARE THE 30 MILLION A YEAR.

HE'S QUOTING 28 RANKING, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IT GOES BACK AND FORTH.

NOBODY REALLY KNOWS.

BUT DO YOU FEEL LIKE THEY CAN GET ABOVE THAT NUMBER?

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, THEY'RE AT THE 30 TO 32 RANGE IS THE NUMBER I'VE GOTTEN FROM PRETTY GOOD SOURCES AT NEBRASKA.

AND LOOK, IT COMES DOWN TO WINNING.

I MEAN, AND A LOT OF IT IS THE FUTURE OF THE COLLEGE SPORTS ACT.

YOU KNOW, IF THAT GOES THROUGH THE TOTAL CAP THE SCHOOL CAN PAY FOR ALL ATHLETICS IS 48.8 MILLION, 5 MILLION OF THAT'S FOR WOMEN'S ATHLETICS.

BUT THE OTHER PART COVERS BASICALLY FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL.

SO THEY'LL BE IN A PRETTY GOOD SPOT.

BUT YEAH, IT'S THAT ADDITIONAL OVER THE CAP MONEY, THAT MULTIMEDIA MARKETING MONEY WHERE YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY MOVING MONEY TO CREATE DEALS.

I MEAN, THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE THAT YOU SEE THE BIG TIME ATHLETES, THE BIG TIME SCHOOLS COME UP WITH.

BUT NEBRASKA IS VERY COMPETITIVE WITH WHERE THEY'RE AT.

I MEAN, I'M SURE THEY WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ANOTHER $5 OR $8 MILLION.

>> WOULDN'T WE ALL?

>> BECAUSE THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO SHORE UP MAYBE SOME DEPTH THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW.

>> I APOLOGIZE JAY MOORE YOU GET THE HARD QUESTION.

JOHN IN LINCOLN, WHAT ARE THE QUALITIES THAT MAKE YOU BELIEVE THAT COACH RHULE IS THE GUY TO FINALLY TURN THIS PROGRAM AROUND?

>> A LOT OF THINGS.

I MEAN, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT I LOVE HIS ENERGY.

I LIKE HIS ATTENTION TO DETAIL.

I KNOW PEOPLE WOULD ARGUE WITH ME ON SOME OF THOSE AREAS, BUT I THINK HIS FOCUS THAT HE HAS ON THIS TEAM, I THINK HE HAS TOUGH CONVERSATIONS WITH PLAYERS AND STAFF.

I THINK HE'S MADE A LOT OF TOUGH CHANGES WITH FORMER STAFF THAT HE'S HAD AT OTHER PLACES.

I JUST I THINK HE HAS THE ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH HIS PLAYERS AND I'VE BEEN AT PRACTICES AND HE'S HE'S HARD ON HIM, BUT HE KNOWS HOW TO LOVE HIM AT THE SAME TIME.

I MEAN, THERE'S THERE'S A LOT OF THERE'S A LOT OF ATTRIBUTES THAT I THINK HE HAS THAT I THINK HE'S HE'S THE RIGHT GUY.

AND IT'S JUST HE DIDN'T TAKE OVER A VERY EASY SPOT.

HE DIDN'T HE WASN'T ABLE TO BRING HIS OWN PLAYERS FROM A DIFFERENT SCHOOL.

LIKE A LOT OF THESE COACHES ARE.

SO HE'S WORKING THROUGH THIS.

HE'S WORKING OUT OF IT.

AND I TRULY BELIEVE IN COACH RHULE.

>> YEAH.

THIS QUESTION COMES FROM MICHAEL SITTING IN HIS CHAIR.

JAY WHEN YOU WATCH THE OFFENSE, YOU DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THERE WAS A LOT OF CREATIVITY.

DO YOU THINK THAT WAS MORE OF A RESPECT OF HOW GOOD THE OREGON DEFENSE WAS, OR JUST WHY DO YOU THINK THAT YOU DIDN'T?

WE DIDN'T SEE ANY TRICK PLAYS.

WE DIDN'T SEE ANY NEW STUFF.

IT REALLY JUST DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THEY TRIED TO DO A WHOLE LOT.

>> YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK WHEN YOU'RE NOT RUNNING THE BALL CONVENTIONALLY, IT REALLY STYMIES ANYTHING.

YOU'RE TRYING TO DO TRICK PLAYS BECAUSE A LOT OF TRICK PLAYS GENERALLY COME OFF PLAY ACTION OR SOMETHING FROM THE, YOU KNOW, GOING HORIZONTALLY.

SO THAT KIND OF WAS NULLIFIED BY NOT BEING ABLE TO STRETCH ON THE OUTSIDE ZONE.

AND, YOU KNOW, LOOK, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THEY NEED TO DO IS TRY TO REALLY, REALLY FOCUS ON THE TYPE OF RUNS THAT THEY'RE RUNNING.

I'M MORE FOCUSED ON BIG TEN RUNS, MAYBE DIFFERENT PERSONNEL PACKAGES.

I MEAN, IF YOU GOT TO BRING SEVEN OFFENSIVE LINEMEN IN THERE, THEN YOU KNOW WHAT?

WE'VE GOT TO START MOVING SOME PEOPLE.

AND THEN THAT WILL ALLOW COLANDREA TO BE MORE FREELY.

I THINK YOU NEED.

I LIKE COLANDREA WHEN I CALL IT A LA CARTE, RIGHT?

WHERE YOU'RE REALLY WEARING DOWN A DEFENSE CONVENTIONALLY.

AND THEN COLANDREA IS THE KILL SHOT VERSUS IT'S ALL THE TIME YOU CAN GET MORE PREPARED FOR IT.

BECAUSE I THINK IF HE CAN CATCH HIM BY SURPRISE, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE BIGGER AND MORE EFFICIENT PLAYS FROM COLANDREA IN THE OFFENSE.

>> JAY UHLIR FROM OMAHA WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THE PENALTIES.

SEAN IT WAS ONLY SIX, BUT I COUNTED IT UP.

FOUR OF THOSE PLAYS.

THEY LOST YARDAGE BECAUSE OF THE PENALTIES.

ANOTHER 30 YARDS OF LOST YARDAGE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY CAN DO TO FINALLY CLEAN UP THESE NOT COMING OUT OF THE BYE WEEK.

>> YEAH.

I MEAN SOME OF IT'S JUST SMALL DETAIL.

WE SAW THE RUN OF SPECIAL TEAMS PENALTIES WHERE THEY'RE AGGRESSIVE ON A RETURN OR SOMEONE JUMPS.

BUT AGAIN I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S LIKE A MAGIC WAY TO DO IT.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD SEE SOME OF LIKE THE, WHEN YOU GET AGGRESSIVE ON THE PERIMETER WITH THOSE, THOSE SCREENS AND THOSE THINGS.

YEAH, IT JUST MAKES EVERYBODY GET MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH THEIR BLOCKING.

AND WHEN YOU'RE ON AN ISLAND, ONE ON ONE, I THINK THEY NAILED QUINN CLARK FOR ONE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

THE REFEREES REALLY WATCHING THAT AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY CAN'T SEE ALL THE HOLDINGS.

SO THAT'S SITUATIONS WHERE, HEY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WATCHING YOU BECAUSE IT'S BASICALLY YOU AND A GUY AND SOMEONE THAT'S GOING TO RUN BY THE REFEREE AND THEY'RE GOING TO THEY'RE GOING TO ZONE IN ON THAT STUFF.

AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PRESSURE ON GUYS TO MAKE THOSE BLOCKS.

>> YOU'RE THE GUNNER HOLDER.

>> KNOW, THE ONE THAT MADE ME MAD WAS BEAR ALEXANDER FLOPPED.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT THEY DO WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING.

AND HE JUST THROWS HIS HANDS UP IN THE AIR AND THEN BOOM, THAT ONE, THAT ONE.

I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE PLAY RESULT WAS, BUT THAT ONE, THAT ONE TICKED ME OFF A LOT.

YOU SEE THAT CALLED QUITE A BIT NOW.

>> YEAH.

THAT WAS WHEN HE LOST EIGHT YARDS ON THAT ONE.

JOHN FROM ELKHORN ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT UTILIZING THE TIGHT END MORE OUT IN THE FLAT.

WE SAW IT AGAINST INDIANA.

SEVEN TARGETS.

ONLY A FEW TARGETS FOR LINDENMEYER THIS WEEK.

>> YEAH THAT'S THEY GOT TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO UTILIZE THEM BETTER.

HE'S SUCH A BIG BODY AND A BIG TARGET TO THROW TO.

THEY LIKE TO USE HIM ON THE TIGHT END.

DELAYS WHERE YOU COUNT 1000, 1002, YOU BOOT A LOT OF STUFF TO THE FLAT.

RARELY THIS YEAR WE'VE KIND OF SEEN SEEN HIM IN THE SEAM.

I THINK LIKE THE NORTH DAKOTA GAME HE HAD A GREAT CATCH UP THE SEAM.

BUT YOU DON'T SEE HIM LIKE A LOT OF SEVEN ROUTES.

I THINK THEY GOT TO GET HIM INVOLVED A LOT MORE IN THIS PASSING GAME.

HE'S SUCH A GOOD BLOCKER.

I KNOW THEY WANT TO HELP HIM.

YOU KNOW UTILIZE HIM, YOU KNOW IN THE SPLIT ZONES AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS.

BUT YOU GOT TO JUST THAT BIG BODY TARGET.

YOU GOT TO YOU GOT TO FIND HIM WAYS TO GET HIM THE FOOTBALL MOORE.

>> MAKE SURE YOU GET HIM VERTICAL RIGHT.

THAT LATERAL STUFF NEEDS TO GO AWAY.

THIS IS AN IF QUESTION FROM MARK.

BUT IF THEY DON'T GET IT TURNED AROUND THESE THREE WINNABLE GAMES, IS THERE A IS THERE AN EARLY HOT SEAT?

ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THAT AT THIS POINT BECAUSE IT'S YEAR FOUR.

IF THINGS DON'T GO WELL THESE NEXT THREE GAMES AGAINST TEAMS, AS WE'VE SAID, GOING TO BE FAVORED AGAINST.

>> I DON'T THINK NECESSARILY THE HOT SEAT.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S STILL TWO MORE GAMES AFTER THAT, BUT IT'D BE A LOT OF DISAPPOINTMENT.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, CROSS HAIRS INTO THE NEXT YEAR, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE OUT OF NOWHERE.

YOU KNOW COACH RHULE IS GOING TO BE FIRED.

I THINK ALSO, YOU KNOW, FOR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, FOR NEBRASKA TO GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GET TO, YOU GOT TO, YOU KNOW, LET THE PROCESS RUN, YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH PRESSURE.

BUT IT ALSO DOESN'T MEAN THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT DOING, YOU KNOW, YOU LOSE A GAME OR SOMETHING, YOU LOSE OHIO STATE OR IOWA, THEN YOU LIKE, YOU GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE.

WE CAN'T DO THAT.

>> I WANT TO ADD THIS REALLY QUICK, THOUGH.

I MEAN, THE BUYOUT FOR MATT RHULE IS OVER $60 MILLION.

>> SO THE ANSWER IN NO.

>> AND YOU'VE GOT STAFF.

YOU'VE GOT A STADIUM.

YOU'VE GOT A ROSTER.

YOU MAKE A COACHING CHANGE.

YOU COULD LOSE 60 PLUS GUYS.

I MEAN THERE'S SO MUCH YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT.

NOT JUST HIS BIG CONTRACT BUT EVERYTHING ELSE.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A DECISION LIKE THAT.

>> FANS NEVER THINK ABOUT THAT KIND OF THING.

OVERALL REAL QUICK FOR YOU FROM YOU GUYS.

IT'S ONLY SEVEN GAMES, BUT WAS IT A MISTAKE FOR COACH RHULE NOT TO GO FROM NOT IN HOUSE, GO OUT OF HOUSE AND HIRE A SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR?

ANYBODY TAKE IT?

>> LISTEN, I THINK THE COMMUNICATION.

I'M OKAY.

I WAS OKAY WITH BRINGING ON KEEPING BRET AGAIN.

HE'S HE'S NOT IN CHARGE OF HIS GUYS LONG STOP IN THE FOOTBALL.

THEY GOT TO SNAP THE BALL BETTER.

I THINK WHERE THEY GOT TO GET BETTER AT IS THE COMMUNICATION ON THE KICKOFF RETURNS.

AND THAT HAS TO IMPROVE.

THERE HAS TO BE CLEAR IF THAT BALL IS ONE 1000, TWO 1000, THREE 1000, FOUR YOU GOT A FAIR CATCH IT.

YOU CAN'T SET YOURSELF UP WITH THE BALL ON THE 15 AND 18 YARD LINE.

YOU'RE GIVING YOURSELF UP A FIRST DOWN.

THEY GOT TO BE SMART ABOUT THAT.

THAT JUST HAS TO BE ON THE COMMUNICATION SIDE.

>> YOU LOSE THAT.

HE OFFERED HIM A CONTRACT.

HE LEFT ANYWAY.

SO THEY'VE GONE OUT OF HOUSE TO GET SOMEBODY.

>> NO.

I MEAN, I THINK BRET CAN DO THE JOB.

I MEAN, I THINK ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE SPECIAL TEAMS HAD SOME ISSUES LAST YEAR.

I MEAN, I THINK YOU LOOK AT THE THREE GAME RUN WHERE IT WAS LIKE, WAS IT MICHIGAN STATE, NORTHWESTERN MARYLAND, THE END OF THE SEASON?

IT WAS DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT.

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK SOME OF THEY LOST A LOT OF CORE SPECIAL TEAMS GUYS AS WELL IN THE RETURNS.

RIGHT.

AND SO THAT ALSO, I THINK HURT HIM AS MUCH AS A COACH COMING IN FROM THE OUTSIDE.

>> SEAN, DID YOU HEAR ANYTHING BEFORE THE HIRING OF BRET ABOUT MAYBE LOOKING OUTSIDE?

>> NO, I MEAN, I THINK THEY WERE PRETTY SET ON KEEPING A LOT OF EKELER'S STUFF.

AND, YOU KNOW, NICK HUMPHREY CAME WITH HIM FROM TENNESSEE.

AND THEN MAHER.

WHO BETTER TO COACH KICKERS, PUNTERS IN THAT SIDE OF IT WITH HIS BACKGROUND, OBVIOUSLY.

SO, NO, I MEAN, AGAIN, IT'S JUST LITTLE STUFF.

LIKE I THINK GUYS LIKE NYZIAH HUNTER WANT TO MAKE A PLAY SO BAD THAT THEY DO IT AT THE DETRIMENT OF THE TEAM ON A KICK RETURN, LIKE, HEY MAN, YOU CAN'T RUN IT OUT.

LIKE YOU CAN'T GET TACKLED IN THE 15 YARD LINE.

WE SAW IT IN THE BOWL GAME AND IT KILLED TJ LATEEF FOR LIKE THREE DRIVES WHERE THEY STARTED ON LIKE THE 15 YARD LINE.

>> THEY GOT BEAT NINE YARDS IN TERMS OF STARTING FIELD POSITION, MAINLY BECAUSE OF THAT.

SEAN YOUR BURNING QUESTION.

>> BURNING QUESTION IS, CAN NEBRASKA FIGURE OUT HOW TO RUN THE BALL IN THE BIG TEN HERE?

DOWN THE STRETCH THEY'VE PLAYED FOUR BIG TEN GAMES.

AND YOU COULD ARGUE THEY HAVEN'T REALLY EFFECTIVELY RUN THE BALL WITH THE TAILBACKS AND ANY OF THOSE FOUR GAMES, MAYBE OTHER THAN A LITTLE PERIOD OF THAT INDIANA GAME.

>> BURNING QUESTION.

>> CAN NEBRASKA GO 3-0 AND THEN BEAT THE TEAM THAT NOBODY THINKS THAT THEY CAN BEAT WILL BE OHIO STATE NO MATTER WHO IS PLAYING QUARTERBACK?

>> BURNING QUESTION, AND I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT ABOUT THIS, BUT KADE PIETRZAK STEPPING UP AND REPLACING ANTHONY JONES.

I THINK THAT'S LOSING ANTHONY JONES IN THE RUN GAME IN RUSHING THE PASSER IS IS NOT GOOD FOR THIS DEFENSE.

BUT CAN KADE STEP UP AND REPLACE HIS ROLE IN THESE TO FINISH OUT THE SEASON.

>> CAN MEKHI NELSON GET WHAT HE WANTS 20 CARRIES.

AND CAN HE PRODUCE WITH THOSE 20 CARRIES THAT HE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE THE ONLY HEALTHY.

STARTING I-BACK NEXT WEEK.

WE'LL RECAP THE BYE AND LOOK AHEAD TO NEBRASKA'S HALLOWEEN MATCHUP VERSUS WASHINGTON.

WE'LL ALSO TALK HUSKER HOOPS WITH NICK BAHE AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE NEW COACHES OF NEBRASKA'S INAUGURAL FLAG FOOTBALL TEAM, LIZ AND KATIE SOWERS.

OUR THANKS TO SEAN CALLAHAN AND AVARIE HOWARD FOR JOINING US TONIGHT FOR JAY MOORE AND JAY FOREMAN.

I'M MIKEL SEVERE.

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

(BAND MUSIC) BIG RED WRAP-UP.

(UPBEAT MUSIC)