Nebraska Cornhuskers College Football Pregame Quote, 11/01/2021

On the energy at practice Monday morning:

Like I have said before, the guys prepare really well. Preparation is not the issue. They came out and did it again. Really good leadership to get it there, I thought today and really good energy, so these guys are resilient.

On getting the most out of this team:

We are getting the most out of a lot of guys. When you turn the tape on and watch Luke Reimer getting 19 tackles and JoJo Domann play as tough as he did and Cam Jurgens play really well, and I can go down the list. We are getting a lot out of a lot of guys. There are a couple details, a couple of spots I think we can continue to improve. Those things are obvious when you put on the tape too, the things that need to get better. Saturday it was turnovers, obviously. We are getting better Sip despite as frustrated as I am, I want this so bad for Nebraska and Nebraska fans. Our receivers are young and they are starting to play really well. When you watch the tape, Omar (Manning) and Samori (Toure) and Zavier (Betts) and some of those guys, we are separating, we are getting open. There is a lot of position groups that are continuing to improve, and obviously things we need to work on, but a lot of guys getting better, too.

On getting guys to have more grit:

I do not know how tough I was when I came back to Nebraska in 1995. It was a locker room culture that you had to be, and I think you get tougher when you are doing tough things every day, and it does not happen overnight. A lot better chance of being tough and gritty when you are 22 than when you are 18, and that just takes time, and we have a lot of guys that are near the top of where we want them to be, and a lot of guys still climbing that hill. But as a team, it is definitely a lot better than it has been in the past.

On turnovers in Purdue game:

Going into the game he had three interceptions and one was on a fourth down at Oklahoma where he just tried to take a chance. The first one you just have to see the guy. We are really throwing an in-and-out route off that same linebacker, and the same kind of play to him, and he did not play that guy and that was a key play. The holding on the play before, and we had first and 10 at the 34. I think their 34. Instead it was second and 15, and we threw a pick-six that is catastrophic. He had one that was not his fault and got knocked out of Austin (Allen)’s arms. Just plain and simple sailed one, probably came out of his hand wrong and he threw it too high and now I take a little bit of blame for the other one. I got after him pretty good on the sideline. I thought he could have gotten a first down on a third down when he scrambled out of the pocket, and he went out of bounds yard short, and I got after him pretty good. Maybe that led him to press them a little too much on the next drive and try to make something happen. But I look up at the screen before the game and see him second in the league in offense. He is doing so many good things. I really want him to have the experience where he comes through and wins us a big game and kind of gets redemption at the end of the ups and downs that he has been through. Waiting on that to happen for the whole team and for Adrian, too.

On the team captains talk after the Purdue game:

I do not think it ebbs and flows what my leadership needs to be. My leadership needs to be steadfast and consistent. Unfortunately when you have lost a bunch of close games you feel yourself kind of saying the same thing over and over to the guys. Cannot make those mistakes. You have to make the play when it matters. We did a ton of good things in that game, and Purdue had five turnovers against Wisconsin and lost and we had four turnovers against Purdue and lost. That is how football works. So I go in the locker room and say the same thing, and I addressed the guys. Said what I thought was important and I turned it over to captains, and I think in that moment that was probably a little more powerful because of where we are, and that is probably the impetus for the motivation that needs to happen here at the end of the season, is the guys deciding ‚ÄòHell yeah we are going to buckle down and get some of these games done at the end of the year’ and that is the team I saw at practice today.

On the advantage of Ohio State getting all of Nebraska’s attention:

I suppose that is a good way to look at it. We get people’s best shots. We try to give people our best shots. I think this is a really talented team that is hitting its stride. Other than last week, they had not really had a close game for a long time, but our guys are excited. They love these games. I think we have probably played our best football against the best teams that we have played this year. This team is probably the best or close to it that we have played all year. I am sure the rest of the season will reveal all that, but they are going to come in ready and our guys are excited to play.

On self-critique of staff:

That happens after every practice, after every game. We watch film on everything we do. There is always two or three calls every game whether you win or lose that you wish you had back. This play did not work, that play did. The way we approach practice drills, we are doing in practice all those things chance-based on what the team needs. We had a long time to look at that during the bye week. We did a lot of really good things in the bye week that led to better play in certain areas. That honestly was enough to win without the turnovers, and we will keep doing that as long as we are coaching.

On Ohio State having an edge on opponents because of reputation:

The biggest obstacle you have to overcome against them is they have a bunch of future NFL guys and good coaches, and so you are going to have to execute really well and take advantage of opportunities you get. They have been putting up a lot of points, so you have to do a good job on defense, and you have to score when you get a chance to on offense. I would not say psychological is the biggest issue, it is how talented of a team they have.

On the talent gap between Ohio State and Nebraska compared to past years:

We will find out on Saturday. It is a different team every year with them. It is a different team every year with us. There is no question we are infinitely more talented than we were year one and year two here. I have not seen them other than on tape yet, but I know they are always going to have a ton of talent and really good players, so we have to see how we match up.

On the difference in the offensive lines over the years:

Probably just because of experience, if I’m being honest. We had a lot of guys in year one that had played a lot of Big Ten football. I think that we have a lot of talented guys right now. They’re young. Turner (Corcoran) is young, Bryce (Benhart) is young. Cam (Jurgens) is still young at the position. Those guys continue to get better. We’re actually yards per rush and in some statistics doing a really good job up there. It seems to show up with a penalty now and again that honestly happens when you have young, inexperienced guys and we have to be better in protection. Those guys will continue to develop, but that year one line was at least very veteran and did a good job fighting.

On missing pieces because of injuries, etc.:

When you have this many close games, I think that it’s really easy to say if we had a few more pieces here and there that it could all be different. We scratch our heads and try to address the thing that when we’re this close, the thing that gets us beat in this or that game. At the end of the day, you have a little more talent and some of those games aren’t close and guys make plays when you need them to. I’m excited about trying to find those pieces and plug them in with the young guys that we have. I’ve had a lot of confidence in the young talent that we have on the team.

On differences in Ohio State’s defense:

Not a lot of scheme differences, kind of how they’re calling it and how often they run certain things. They’ve been a little bit different in every game. They’re playing some young guys on defense, too. A linebacker and a corner especially and a defensive end that are all developing into really good players with good experience.

On outside noise from media:

I don’t pay any attention to it. It’s kind of hard to ignore talk in any situation. There was an article written about me six games into my first year, and we came off undefeated and lost our first six here, and they were already writing stuff. You learn as a coach not to pay any attention to that. I owe it to the kids to give them my everything, and so do the coaches, and we are and the kids are giving us everything they have right back because of our relationship with those guys. Everything else doesn’t matter, we can only control what we can control.

On quarterback Logan Smothers:

There aren’t any plans to redshirt him. He’s number two, so if we need him he has to be ready to go. He’s been doing a good job of getting better every week.

On Smothers’ progress as a player:

Smothers can really run, and really understands the offense and makes good decisions. He’s throwing better and better every day that we’re out there. I think that he lacks a little bit of experience right now, but he’s done a great job when he goes in. I’m excited about him. If he gets an opportunity, I expect him to be ready.

On how much time is needed to get the team where they want to be:

We’re close. I don’t want to overstep here. I’m really excited about the rest of this year and about next year. I hope we get it. I think that we should. With the young guys that we have coming back and the opportunity to go out and get a few more pieces to add to that. I think that this thing could be really good. I really thought that this year it would pop, and we’ve been so close. When you’re so close and you don’t get it done, unfortunately you have a mindset, when we got here that we’ve been beat a lot. Winning is a habit and losing is a habit. Trying to break that cycle just takes a few wins in a row and some momentum and a little more belief. The kids believe, but you really believe when it happens. We’ve been so close, I just want to see it happen for these guys.

On Director of Athletics Trev Alberts:

Trev was at his son’s wedding. That’s more important than a football game. Trev and I talked on Sunday. Those are questions for Trev. He watched the games. I watch everything. There’s no doubt we’re better. We just haven’t gotten over the hump yet. But we’ll keep working to get that done.

On defensive performance against Oklahoma and Michigan State:

Well Ohio State is a little different of an animal than Michigan State. Our defense has played well against some really good teams. Oklahoma has a good offense as well as Michigan and Michigan State. The defense has kept us in it, and at times been dominant. I’d like to see them a little more dominant, which is a little bit that the defense can get better at. Again, honestly, we are dealing with a lot of young guys like linebackers and outside linebackers. Secondary is kind of the only place where we’re veterans, but I’ve been really pleased with Coach Chinander and his group and how tough they’re playing and the progress that they’re making.

On the importance of winning games

Wins need to happen. We have to win. The wins take care of everything and despite all the improvement that I’ve seen that part hasn’t improved. We’ve had a tough schedule and played some really good teams, but we’ve got to get them done. We’ve got to get them done. That’s the nature of the business. I understand that because I understand that and we’ll keep fighting every day to make that happen.

On Frost’s ranking between Michigan State versus Oklahoma:

I’m not getting into that. Good try. They’re both really good teams. So is Michigan State and so is Minnesota, they’re 6-2. Purdue has a pretty good record. We played some really good teams and I’m happy with how we fought and how tough we played. We have to stop making mistakes that get us beat and make a play when it matters.