♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >>> THIS IS A DAY THAT I'D HOPED WOULD NEVER COME, AND I FIRST WANT TO -- I WANT TO THANK COACH FROST.
YOU KNOW, I HAD HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW SCOTT A LITTLE BIT.
AND HAD REALLY COME TO APPRECIATE HIM.
YOU KNOW, SCOTT WORKED REALLY HARD HERE.
SCOTT LOVES NEBRASKA.
HE'LL ALWAYS BE A HUSKER.
HE'S A NEBRASKAN, AND HE WORKED REALLY, REALLY HARD HERE.
HE REALLY WANTED THIS THING TO WORK.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT I REALLY WANTED THIS THING TO WORK.
OUR DONORS WANTED IT TO WORK.
EVERYBODY WANTED IT TO WORK.
AND SO, IN A WAY, IT'S UNFORTUNATE AND SAD THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY.
THERE'S NINE GAMES LEFT IN THE SEASON.
AND I THINK WE OWED IT TO THE PLAYERS.
WE OWE IT TO OUR FANS TO GIVE THESE PLAYERS AN OPPORTUNITY THESE LAST NINE GAMES.
WE'VE GOT GOOD PLAYERS ON THIS FOOTBALL TEAM.
AND SO HAVING A DIFFERENT VOICE AND HAVING SOME NEW ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM, I'M HOPING CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THIS TEAM.
WE'RE GOING TO DO A NATIONAL SEARCH.
YOU KNOW.
WE'RE GOING TO ENGAGE SOME THIRD PARTY HELP, MOSTLY FOR LOGISTICS AND OTHER THINGS.
WANT YOU TO KNOW AS WELL AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE OUR FANS AND EVERYONE TO RECOGNIZE THERE WILL BE A LOT OF RUMORS OUT THERE.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF INNUENDO.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THESE SORT OF DECISIONS AND PROCESSES ARE NOT MADE IN THE SILO.
HAVE A LOT OF GREAT MENTORS AND FRIENDS THAT WE'LL BE WORKING WITH.
THEY'VE GOT NINE GAMES LEFT.
WE'VE GOT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY THIS WEEKEND AGAINST OKLAHOMA.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO SUPPORT THEM AS BEST WE CAN GOING FORWARD.
♪ ♪ >> HI, EVERYONE, I'M MIKE'L SEVERE AND WELCOME TO "BIG RED WRAP-UP" ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.
SATURDAY WAS THE FINAL GAME FOR SCOTT FROST AS HEAD COACH OF NEBRASKA AND OPENS UP A NEW ERA WITH MICKEY JOSEPH WITH THE INTERIM TITLE.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ALL ABOUT IT.
FORMER HUSKER JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN JOINING US HERE ON THE WRAP-UP.
AND WHAT DID YOU THINK SUNDAY WHEN YOU HEARD IT?
WHEN IT CAME THROUGH 11:50 OR WHATEVER.
>> NOT SURPRISED.
JUST I KNEW THE GAME WAS GOING TO BE CLOSE WITH GEORGIA.
I KNEW IT WOULD BE RATHER UNCOMFORTABLE.
I TOLD PEOPLE, HE'S PROBABLY WOULDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH THE WEEK.
I MEAN, I WOULD BE SURPRISED, IF HE EVEN WAS GONNA MAKE, YOU KNOW, IT COULD HAPPEN SATURDAY NIGHT IN MY OPINION.
THAT'S HOW QUICKLY IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED.
>> EVEN WITH THE IDEA THAT THAT THE --- WAS GOING TO DROP.
>> YEAH.
>> OKAY.
>> THAT'S -- THAT IS -- I KNOW SOME PEOPLE ARE KIND OF FRUSTRATED BY THAT.
TO ME THAT IS SUCH -- THAT'S LIKE SEVEN RINGS DOWN LIKE THE IMPORTANCE.
I MEAN, I KNOW $7.5 MILLION IS A LOT OF MONEY.
TO ME, THAT'S PEANUTS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA.
YOU CAN'T RISK TO HAVE THIS GUY THE FACE OF YOUR PROGRAM FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON, OR WHATEVER IT IS, TO CONTINUE TO DO THE THINGS THE WAY HE WAS DOING.
I MEAN, THAT'S GONNA COST YOU MONEY.
IT'S GONNA COST YOU RECRUITING.
IT'S GONNA COST -- JUST THE FACE OF YOUR PROGRAM IS GONNA TAKE A DETRIMENTAL HIT TO IT.
SO I THINK THE $7 MILLION IS NOT BIG DEAL, IN MY OPINION.
I KNOW SOME PEOPLE WOULD PROBABLY SAY, "JAY, YOU'RE CRAZY," AND I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT MANY TIMES BEFORE, SO IT'S NO BIG DEAL.
BUT DEFINITELY WASN'T SURPRISED.
IT WAS JUST HE RAN HIS COURSE AND IT WAS TIME TO MOVE ON.
>> WHAT ABOUT YOU, SEAN?
>> YEAH, LEAVING THE STADIUM, YOU JUST HAD A FEELING THAT -- YEAH, WHEN YOU TAKE A COUPLE STEPS BACK.
AND GEORGIA SOUTHERN, IN A FIRST YEAR SYSTEM, A TEAM THAT WENT 3-9 PUT UP MORE YARDS THAN ANY TEAM IN THE HISTORY OF MEMORIAL STADIUM, AN OPPOSING TEAM, THAT GETS YOUR ATTENTION.
AND THE WAY THINGS HAVE PLAYED OUT AND DUBLIN, IRELAND TO START THE YEAR WITH 12,000 NEBRASKA FANS THAT TRAVELED OUT THERE.
THAT ONSIDE KICK CALL.
THE WAY THEY STRUGGLED WITH NORTH DAKOTA.
I MEAN, IT JUST HAD A BAD FEELING ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
I THINK THE THOUGHT WAS, "ALL RIGHT, WILL THEY KEEP LETTING HIM GO TILL OCTOBER," AS YOU SAID.
AND YOU TAKE A FEW STEPS BACK AND LOOK AT JUST THE BRAND DAMAGE IT WOULD CAUSE NEBRASKA LIKE BIG NOON KICKOFF COMING, IT'S A COMMERCIAL FOR YOUR UNIVERSITY IF YOU WOULD GO FORWARD WITH COACH FROST AS A LAME DUCK, KIND OF KNOWING THAT HE'S BASICALLY JUST COACHING TWO MORE WEEKS TO SAVE MONEY, THAT WOULDN'T BE GOOD FOR NEBRASKA.
AND YOU WANT TO UTILIZE THE COVERAGE TO KEEP PROMOTING YOUR BRAND AND THE PROGRAM IN A POSITIVE LIFE.
SO I THINK TREV LIKE, "LOOK, WE CAN AFFORD $7.5 MILLION.
AND OUR WORLD RIGHT NOW WITH THE MEDIA RIGHTS DEAL, AND WHAT WE'VE DONE TO THE CONTRACT ALREADY, IT'S REALLY NOT THAT MUCH MONEY."
>> MICKEY'S NOT A SURPRISE.
HE'S ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH, SO THAT'S THE ONE THAT NORMALLY MOVES UP, BUT ALSO, WHIPPLE HAVING TO CALL PLAYS, CHINANDER CALLING PLAYS, MICKEY MAKES SENSE TO YOU AS INTERIM?
>> I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE WAY IT WAS GOING.
I MEAN, JUST ALREADY HAVING THE ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH TITLE, OBVIOUSLY WITH HIS HISTORY PLAYING QUARTERBACK IN THE EARLY '90s.
I THOUGHT THE WAY IT WAS -- I THOUGHT CHINANDER MIGHT GET A SHOT JUST BECAUSE BUT -- >> BUT AFTER WHAT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY.
>> CORRECT.
WITH THE DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE, THERE WAS ONE GUY IN MY MIND.
AND THAT WAS MICKEY.
SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HE'S ABLE TO DO.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE CHANGES HE'S GONNA IMPLEMENT IN THIS TEAM.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE NEW ENERGY, NEW VOICE, A NEW SYSTEM.
I WON'T SAY SYSTEM, BUT JUST THE NEW ENERGY THAT CAN BE BROUGHT INTO THIS.
I LIKE WHAT HE'S ABOUT.
HE'S HIGH ENERGY, BUT HE'S ALSO HIGH NO BS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY BLACK AND WHITE WITH HIM.
WHERE I THINK THEY WERE THIS TEAM HAS STRUGGLED WITH SCOTT.
THERE WAS A LOT OF GRAY AREA IN MY OPINION.
I DON'T THINK ROLES WERE VERY DEFINED WITH SCOTT.
AND I CAN GUARANTEE YOU, ROLES WILL BE DEFINED WITH MICKEY IN THESE LAST NINE GAMES.
>> ACCOUNTABILITY WAS MENTIONED A COUPLE TIMES BY TREV ALBERTS.
ACCOUNTABILITY IS OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT AS A PLAYER, AS A COACH, AS AN ATHLETIC DIRECTOR.
HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT WAS MOVED ON?
>> I MEAN, 16-31 IS 16-31.
AND I THINK EVERYONE WAS WILLING TO GIVE THIS ROPE.
THEY HAD ONE OF THE BETTER OPENING THREE-GAME STRETCHES YOU'RE GONNA SEE NEBRASKA HAVE.
THEY WERE DOUBLE DIGIT FAVORITES THREE STRAIGHT WEEKS IN A ROW.
THEY WENT 1-2.
>> YEAH.
>> I MEAN, THAT'S A BAD SIGN.
YOU KNOW, THAT SCHEDULE WAS SET UP TO GO 3-0.
>> YES.
>> 2-1 AT WORST.
THEY WENT 1-2 AND THEY STRUGGLED IN THE FCS GAME.
SO I THINK TREV WAS SMART ENOUGH.
YOU START TO THINK ABOUT THE SELLOUT STREAK, TOO IN OTHER GAMES >> I TICKETS ARE SOLD, BUT.
>> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT INDIANA.
>> I KNOW THE NON-CONFERENCE GAMES SOLD.
>> I THOUGHT THEY ENDED UP SELLING.
I KNOW ONE OF CONCERNS PEOPLE NOT GOING -- >> NO SHOWS.
>> YEAH, NO SHOWS AND CONCESSIONS AND JUST HAVING THE PICTURES ON TV OF NO ONE IN A WHOLE SECTION.
>> I JUST TALKED TO ONE OF MY FRIENDS.
HE WAS LIKE, "YEAH, ME AND MY BROTHER, WE LEFT AT HALFTIME AND WENT TO THE BAR AND DROVE CLOSER TO OUR HOUSE 'CAUSE WE COULDN'T TAKE IT."
WHEN YOU GIVE UP 642 YARDS -- >> YEAH.
>> IT'S TOUGH.
>> -- IT'S TOUGH TO WATCH.
>> UNTIL THEY START HAVING ALCOHOL.
MAKES THOSE LOSSES EASIER TO DEAL WITH.
>> NATURALLY, THERE'S A LOT TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT.
AND OF COURSE, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU TO BE A PART OF IT.
GIVE US A RING.
OUR FRIENDS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION WILL ANSWER YOUR PHONE CALLS WHILE ENJOYING SOME VALENTINO'S PIZZA, INCLUDING SOME THIN CRUST.
OUR SPORTS INTERN, SAM, HEY SAM, IS HERE TO MANAGE THE ROOM.
AND IF YOU PREFER TO E-MAIL OR TEXT TONIGHT YOU CAN ALSO DO THAT AT BIGRED@NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG.
IF YOU'RE THINKING OF SOCIAL MEDIA, SEND US YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS AND WE'RE GONNA BE FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.
JUST REACH OUT.
WILL HELP DRIVE OUR CONVERSATIONS, OF COURSE.
OUR SIDELINE SURVEY IS UP AND READY FOR YOUR VOTE.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THE DISMISSAL OF SCOTT FROST?
YES, IS AT 65%.
NO, AT 20%.
AND SHOULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL OCTOBER 1st IS AT, RIGHT NOW, 15%.
HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE TO VOTE AND HEAD BACK EACH WEEK FOR A BRAND NEW SURVEY.
THAT ACTUALLY DID SURPRISED ME.
BECAUSE I THOUGHT SUNDAY THE ONLY CRITICISM I HEARD OF IT WAS PEOPLE SAYING WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST WAIT UNTIL OCTOBER 1st?
WHY NOT SAVE THE MONEY?
IT APPEARS, AT LEAST BY THAT, THAT PEOPLE DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT ANYMORE.
>> YEAH, THE MONEY THING -- YOU KNOW, TREV WORKED SO HARD TO GET THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATED.
YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT METRICS.
WHAT IS THE METRIC?
WELL, OCTOBER 1st IS A PRETTY BIG METRIC.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHY IT SURPRISED THEM.
BUT THAT GAME WAS SO BAD.
LIKE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY HARD TO TROT SCOTT FROST OUT THIS WEEK AND SAY ALL RIGHT, SPIN THIS.
I JUST THINK, WHEN YOU HAVE A GAME LIKE SATURDAY NIGHT, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD KNOWING KIND OF WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AND WHY LET IT GO ON ANY FURTHER.
>> AND LOOK AT THIS GRAPHIC THEY'RE BRINGING UP ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW, JUST TO SHOW YOU HOW BAD IT WAS.
SECOND HALF.
SECOND LOSS TO A SUN BELT CONFERENCE TEAM IN THE FROST ERA WHICH IS INCREDIBLE TO THINK ABOUT.
DEFENSE ALLOWED 642 YARDS AS YOU SAID, SEAN.
MOST EVER IN MEMORIAL STADIUM.
FORCED ONLY ONE PUNT VERSUS GEORGIA SOUTHERN.
DID HAVE TWO TURNOVERS.
AND THEN FELL TO 214 TO ONE AT MEMORIAL STADIUM WHEN SCORING 35 OR MORE POINTS.
THAT'S A LOT OF HISTORY.
>> YEAH, IT'S RIGHT THERE.
AND THAT WAS JUST ONE GAME.
>> AND WE ALMOST WENT TO OVERTIME, AND THEY HAD A CHANCE TO GET THE ALL-TIME RECORD AGAINST NEBRASKA IF IT WENT TO OVERTIME.
>> IF THEY WENT TO OVERTIME THEY WERE LOOKING AT 700 REAL QUICK.
>> YEAH.
>> IT'S AMAZING THAT 1956 OKLAHOMA RECORD FOR MOST YARDS ON NEBRASKA, THAT STILL STANDS.
THEY WEREN'T RUNNING NO HUDDLE IN 1956.
SO TO PUT UP THAT KIND OF YARDAGE BACK THEN, IT'S AMAZING.
>> YOU MENTIONED AFTER THE GAME THAT FEEL, AND I WAS WALKING BACK TO THE CAR AND I WAS KIND OF IN MY HEAD, FORMING A TWEET ABOUT IT.
AND I WAS THINKING, I REMEMBER '07.
THE WAY IT FELT AFTER OKLAHOMA STATE WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS.
2014 WISCONSIN WAS VERY OBVIOUS I THINK TO EVERYBODY.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS.
YOU LOSE TO NORTHERN ILLINOIS, SOMEBODY'S GOT TO GET FIRED.
SHAWN EICHORS GOT FIRED.
MIKE RILEY WAS GOING.
THIS CERTAINLY FELT LIKE THAT KIND OF GAME, RIGHT?
YOU CAN'T GO PAST LOSING TO GEORGIA SOUTHERN.
>> YEAH, I WOKE UP ON SUNDAY, WENT TO CHURCH, AND THEN I SAID I'M GOING TO THE OFFICE.
I JUST KNEW AT 10:30.
>> SOMETHING WAS COMING.
I DIDN'T HAVE A HEADS UP, BUT IT DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT.
SOMETHING ABOUT IT, THERE'S NO WAY THEY CAN GO FORWARD WITH A NORMAL MONDAY AND SAY ALL RIGHT, WE'RE PLAYING OKLAHOMA THIS WEEK.
IT JUST DIDN'T HAVE THAT -- YOU KNOW, SOMETHING WAS GOING TO HAVE TO HAPPEN.
AND I GIVE TREV CREDIT.
HE DIDN'T HESITATE AND DRAG HIS FEET.
AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE OF THE LONGEST COACHING SEARCHES WE'VE EVER SEEN.
>> MORE THAN 100 DAYS, YEAH.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTING.
>> SO LET ME ASK YOU THIS, BECAUSE ALL THESE ONE-SCORE GAMES.
AGAIN ANOTHER ONE ON SATURDAY.
IF YOU WERE GOING TO BOIL IT DOWN TO ONE REASON WHY THIS IS HAPPENING, COULD YOU DO THAT?
IT'S SO CONSISTENT.
YOU KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO PLAY A ONE-SCORE GAME, AND THEY'RE GOING TO LOSE IT.
WHICH IS -- ANALYTICS WISE, THAT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN.
YOU SHOULD WIN SOME OF THOSE.
>> YOU WOULD THINK YOU WOULD LUCK INTO THIS BOUNCE.
TO ME, IT'S VERY COMPLICATED BUT YET I'M TRYING TO SIMPLIFY THIS AS BEST IN MY MIND AND JUST TRYING TO DISSECT EVERYTHING.
AND TO ME IT COMES DOWN TO ORGANIZATION.
EFFICIENCY.
AND JUST LACK OF EFFORT AS A, TO ME, WITH SCOTT.
THAT'S THE THING THAT I THINK IS GOING TO FRUSTRATE ME THE MOST.
AS A FORMER PLAYER, AS KNOWING FROST AND BEING IN THAT, YOU KNOW, QUOTE UNQUOTE BROTHERHOOD WITH A FORMER PLAYER, I DON'T THINK HE GAVE ALL, WHATEVER, WHAT HE HAD.
I THINK THERE WAS A LACK OF EFFORT.
I REALLY DO.
AND HIS ATTENTION TO DETAIL WAS A PART OF IT.
SO I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO FAR INTO THE WEEDS, BUT THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO IT.
YOU GET OUT WHAT YOU PUT IN, AND I DON'T THINK HE PUT EVERYTHING IN IT.
AND THERE ARE FOOTBALL GODS, THERE IS KARMA.
THERE IS, IF YOU WORK HARD AND DO THE RIGHT THINGS, YOU'RE GOING TO WIN SOME GAMES.
I JUST DON'T THINK SCOTT DID THE RIGHT THINGS BEHIND THE SCENES TO WIN ENOUGH FOOTBALL GAMES AS A UNIVERSITY, PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
>> KARMA IS THE PERFECT WORD.
>> YEAH.
>> THERE WERE WEEKS, TOO WHERE THEY WERE CLEARLY THE BETTER TEAM AND THEY WOULD PLAY DOWN.
>> YEAH.
I GO BACK TO 2020.
THE ILLINOIS LOSS.
>> OH YEAH.
>> AND THE MINNESOTA LOSS.
THOSE WERE INEXCUSABLE LOSSES, CONSIDERING THE CONTEXT.
ILLINOIS WAS, YOU KNOW, LOVIE SMITH WAS ON HIS WAY OUT.
THAT WAS A BAD ILLINOIS.
>> MINNESOTA WAS DOWN 50 PLAYERS.
>> MINNESOTA WAS DOWN TO LIKE NOBODY.
AND THEY JUST -- THOSE GAMES, YOU KNOW, WERE KILLER, BECAUSE THEY COULD HAVE, THEY COULD HAVE TURNED THAT YEAR AROUND AND FINISHED PROBABLY 5-3.
AND THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN, ON AN EIGHT GAME BIG TEN SCHEDULE IN 2020, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A NICE FEEL GOING INTO THE OFF SEASON.
AND THEN THEY VOTED NOT TO GO TO A BOWL GAME THAT YEAR AFTER THEY BEAT RUTGERS.
SO THAT 2020 YEAR WAS REALLY A DOWNHILL YEAR THE WAY IT WENT FOR NEBRASKA.
>> SO YOU WERE ON A TEAM, OBVIOUSLY, A COACH GETS FIRED.
YOU GO TO THE BOWL GAME, YOU RALLY AROUND BO.
DO YOU SEE THE POSSIBILITY OF THE TEAM RALLYING AROUND MICKEY?
>> I THINK SO.
IT'S NOT THAT FAR OFF FROM A SIMILAR SITUATION.
I MEAN, MICKEY WAS HERE, HE'S ONLY BEEN HERE SINCE SPRING BALL.
BO GOT HERE THE SPRING BEFORE '03, AND YOU GOT TO EVOLVE WITH HIM AS A DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR.
AND THEN THE SEASON WENT ON AND OBVIOUSLY THEY MAKE THE MOVE AFTER WE LOSE TO K-STATE IN '03.
AND I BELIEVE K-STATE WENT ON TO WIN THE BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP THAT YEAR.
SO THEY WERE A GOOD FOOTBALL TEAM.
>> YEAH.
>> IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM BECAUSE WE LOVE BO.
WE LIKED TO PLAY FOR BO.
WE LOVED EVERYTHING HE'S ABOUT.
SO THAT WAS A VERY EASY DEAL.
AND IT WAS ONLY ONE GAME.
WE WENT ON TO PLAY MICHIGAN STATE AT THE ALAMO BOWL.
SO, AND WE THOUGHT, EVEN BO TOLD US, "LOOK, I BELIEVE I'M GOING TO BE THE NEXT HEAD COACH OF THIS UNIVERSITY."
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOING TO BE THE CASE FOR MICKEY.
OBVIOUSLY, HE'S GOING TO HAVE NINE GAMES TO PROVE IT.
BUT HOPEFULLY HE CAN -- I MEAN, HE HASN'T BEEN HERE A YEAR YET, ESSENTIALLY.
SO HOPEFULLY HE HAS THE ABILITY TO GRAB THEIR ATTENTION, HAVE A VOICE, HAVE A PRESENCE WITHIN THIS TEAM.
AND JUST, I'LL CONTINUE TO SAY THIS.
DEFINE EVERYONE'S ROLE BETTER.
THERE'S TOO MUCH GRAY AREA.
I THINK PEOPLE JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO.
YOU SEE WITH THE PLAYERS, I THINK THEY JUST DON'T -- THEY JUST DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO SOMETIMES.
I THINK, DEFINE EVERYONE'S ROLE.
PRESENT TO THEM AS THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
IT'S BLACK AND WHITE.
IT'S SIMPLE.
AND YOU GO TO WORK.
>> TREV LEFT THE DOOR OPEN FOR MICKEY TO WIN THE JOB.
LIKE, YOU GO OUT THERE, YOU WIN GAMES.
DO YOU THINK HE HAS A SHOT TO WIN THE JOB?
>> WELL, I THINK IT'S GOT TO AND PRETTY CONVINCING CASE.
IT'S GOT TO BE A DABO SWINNEY CLEMSON CASE.
>> 2007.
>> DID ED ORGERON, HE KEPT THE JOB AT USC?
>> AT USC HE DID, BUT THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT.
WE'VE SEEN IT BEFORE WHERE WEST VIRGINIA HAD THAT WHERE THEY RALLIED AROUND THEIR COACH, WON THE BOWL GAME AND THEN THEY HIRED HIM, AND I THINK THAT LASTED A YEAR AND A HALF.
SO YOU NEVER KNOW.
BUT I MEAN, IF THE DOOR IS OPEN.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY'RE LOOKING FOR?
WHAT DO YOU THINK TREV IS LOOKING FOR?
>> WELL, THE GUYS RESPOND BUT MICKEY DOESN'T COACH DEFENSE.
SO HOW CAN THEY IMPROVE THEIR DEFENSE UPFRONT?
RE-SCHEME, RETOOL WHAT THEY DO.
BUT THEY GOT TO A BOWL GAME RIGHT NOW IN THIS HOLE, THAT WOULD BE PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.
BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO WIN SIX GAMES HERE OUT OF THEIR FINAL NINE.
>> RIGHT.
>> IT'S ALL POWER FIVE GAMES.
>> HERE'S SOME OF THE CANDIDATES I KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THROWN AROUND NAMES.
MATT CAMPBELL IS THE GUY THAT I THINK TREV IS REALLY INTERESTED IN.
THAT'S THE FIRST ONE ON THE LIST AT IOWA STATE.
IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK, HE'S HAD FIVE WINNING SEASONS AT IOWA STATE.
YOU GO BACK THE LAST 40 YEARS THEY'VE HAD LIKE EIGHT WINNING SEASONS OTHER THAN HIS.
LUKE FICKELL AT CINCINNATI, I DON'T THINK HE'LL LEAVE THERE.
LANCE LEIPOLD.
>> HE'D TAKE THE JOB.
>> I LOVE LANCE FROM U AND O AND U AND L. BUT COMING AT KANSAS, AND HOW MANY GAMES THIS YEAR TO BE ABLE TO HIRE HIM.
AND THEN DAVE ARANDA WHO WOULD BE AN AMAZING HIRE.
LSU DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR, WISCONSIN DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR.
WON THE BIG 12.
>> WORKED WITH BILL BUSCH, TOO.
>> HE'S BEEN AROUND ALL THESE GUYS AND HE KNOWS THIS LEVEL OF FOOTBALL.
>> IN TERMS OF A GREAT UNDERSTANDING OF BIG TEN AND HOW YOU GET TO PLAY IN THE BIG TEN OBVIOUSLY AT WISCONSIN.
SO HE WOULD BE MY 1A.
DAVID RANDALL WOULD BE MY 1A RIGHT NOW.
>> AND THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO KEEP YOUR OFFENSE IN PLACE.
>> HOW ABOUT MARK STOOPS?
>> LEAVING KENTUCKY?
REMEMBER HE IS BEST FRIENDS WITH BO PELINI, THOUGH.
>> YEAH.
>> SO I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH BO AND GO, WHAT DO YOU THINK, BO?
>> I CAN TELL YOU HE LIKES NEBRASKA.
YOU GOT TO BATTLE THAT, WE'RE A BASKETBALL SCHOOL.
WE'VE GOT JOHN CALIPARI THROWING SHADE AT FOOTBALL THERE.
SO THERE'S SOME STUFF THERE THAT HAS MY ATTENTION.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT.
I MEAN THIS THING IS GOING TO BE DEEP, THOUGH.
CHRIS KLIEMAN'S NAME.
JIM LEONHARD'S NAME.
I MEAN, THIS WILL BE ONE OF THE DEEPEST LIST OF NAMES.
IT WILL BE INTERESTING HOW MANY GUYS GET RAISES OFF THIS OPENING.
>> WELL, IT'S ALREADY STARTED.
I THINK AGENTS ARE ALREADY AT WORK.
>> YEAH, TODAY WAS DAY ONE OF AGENT DAY.
LIKE, ALL RIGHT, JUST HAVE SOME GUY ASK YOU ABOUT NEBRASKA AND WE'LL GET A NICE LITTLE BUMP OUT OF IT.
>> NO DOUBT.
INTERIM HEAD COACH MICKEY JOSEPH TOOK THE PODIUM FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY TO ADDRESS THE MEDIA.
HERE'S WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.
>> THIS IS ABOUT NEBRASKA FOOTBALL.
IT'S BIGGER THAN ME.
THAN ANYONE ELSE.
I WANT YOU ALL TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
IT'S BIGGER THAN ME, THAN ANYONE ELSE.
I WANT TO THANK THE FANS FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT US.
AND TO RIDE WITH US AND STAY WITH US THROUGH THICK AND THIN.
THEY'VE DONE THAT.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ME AND MY FAMILY.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT.
WE'RE HERE TO REPRESENT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA TO THE FULLEST.
MY MESSAGE TO THE TEAM WAS I KNOW YOU'RE HURTING.
FROST IS LIKE A BROTHER TO ME.
HE GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE AND COACH AT MY ALMA MATER.
COACH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA.
I WILL ALWAYS LOVE HIM AND APPRECIATE HIM.
I WILL ALWAYS RESPECT HIM.
THE KIDS WILL ALWAYS LOVE HIM, BUT I KNOW THEY WERE HURTING.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT BALL'S GOING TO KICK OFF ON SATURDAY.
SO MENTALLY, WE HAD TO GET THEM BACK AND GET THEM READY.
WE GOING TO PLAY FASTER, TACKLE IN PRACTICE.
WE'RE GOING TO DETAIL WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR KIDS.
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE OUR KIDS HOLD THEMSELVES ACCOUNTABLE, AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEMS.
WE'VE GOT NINE GAMES LEFT, RIGHT?
AS A COACH YOU'VE GOT TO STAND UP AND SAY WE'RE TRYING TO WIN NINE GAMES.
BUT WE'RE NOT WORRYING ABOUT NINE GAMES.
I SAID WHAT, WE'RE WORRYING ABOUT THIS GAME THIS WEEK.
SO WE'VE GOT TO TAKE THIS ONE AT A TIME WITH THESE KIDS.
WE'VE GOT TO TAKE THIS ONE AT A TIME WITH THIS STAFF.
SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT ONE WEEK AT A TIME.
AND THEN WHEN WE GET TO NINE THEN WE'LL SEE WHERE WE'RE AT.
BUT THIS WEEK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THIS WEEK IS PREPARING TO GET READY FOR OU.
>> JOINING US NOW TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE CHANGES GOING INSIDE THE STADIUM IS STEVE SIPPLE FROM HUSKER ONLINE.
SIP, DID ASK YOU YOUR BOSS IF YOU COULD BE ON THE SHOW?
>> YEAH.
>> WE'VE GOT A PRETTY LOOSE PTO POLICY.
>> THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE.
>> WHAT'S PTO?
>> PERSONAL TIME OFF.
>> YEAH.
YEAH.
YEAH.
I TAKE A LOT OF IT.
>> NEITHER ONE OF THESE GUYS WERE REALLY SURPRISED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED ON SUNDAY BASED OFF WHAT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY.
WERE YOU SURPRISED WHEN THE NOTICE CAME DOWN THAT SCOTT FROST HAD BEEN -- >> WELL, YEAH, SEAN TOOK ME BY SURPRISE WHEN THE BOSS CALLED AND SAID WE GOT TO WORK TODAY.
>> HE DIDN'T BELIEVE ME.
>> QUIT PULLING MY LEG?
>> I HAD BEEN SAYING IT ON MULTIPLE RADIO SHOWS THAT IF IT GOES BAD AGAINST NORTH DAKOTA THEY COULD PULL THE TRIGGER RIGHT AFTER THAT.
>> YOU DID, YOU SAID THAT.
>> I DON'T KNOW, I MEAN GUESS I WASN'T, I WAS KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE.
I WASN'T NECESSARILY SURPRISED.
AND AFTER TREV EXPLAINED IT, IT MADE A LOT OF SENSE.
I GUESS I GOT TALKED OUT OF IT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE SAYING HE'S GOING TO WAIT UNTIL THE BUYOUT.
I KIND OF GOT TALKED OUT OF IT.
BUT AS JAY POINTED OUT, $7.5 MILLION IS A LOT OF MONEY.
BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF NEBRASKA, THE BANKROLL THEY HAVE, NOT A BIG DEAL.
SO I GUESS TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, NOT OVERLY SURPRISED.
BUT IT'S NOT LIKE I, I DON'T WANT TO MISLEAD ANYBODY I DIDN'T PREDICT IT.
I DIDN'T WRITE IT THAT NIGHT.
SO I WAS, IN THAT CONTEXT I WASN'T.
>> SIP, THIS QUESTION WAS POSED TO ME I THINK SUNDAY.
SOMEONE SAID WHEN DID YOU THINK SCOTT WAS NOT GOING TO BE THE GUY?
I HAD TO THINK.
WAS THERE A GAME?
WAS THERE A GAME WHERE YOU THOUGHT THIS WASN'T GOING TO WORK?
I HAD TO THINK BACK.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF LOSSES.
I THOUGHT 2019 AT COLORADO.
>> BLOWING THAT 17 TO NOTHING LEAD?
>> YESH, I GO, THAT WAS WHERE MY, I HAD MY DOUBTS.
>> WITH THOSE FANS ALL THERE.
>> YEAH, IS THERE A GAME?
IS THERE A CERTAIN SITUATION?
WE ALL THOUGHT THIS THING WAS GOING TO WORK.
IT WAS THE NO-BRAINER HOME-RUN HIRE.
>> PURDUE LAST YEAR.
>> YEAH.
PURDUE LAST YEAR.
>> PURDUE LAST YEAR, WAS I THOUGHT, THE WRITING WAS SORT OF ON THE WALL AT THAT POINT.
THAT'S WHAT I'D SAY.
YOU KNOW ADRIAN HAD A BAD GAME.
THAT WAS A HOME GAME, WHERE YOU'D EXPECT NEBRASKA TO WIN THAT GAME.
THEY DIDN'T PLAY WELL.
THAT'S WHEN I REALLY KIND OF TRACED THE BEGINNING OF THE END.
>> ILLINOIS LAST YEAR, TOO.
>> WELL SURE.
>> YEAH THAT WAS THE START OF THE SEASON.
PURDUE WAS SO PREPARED.
THEY JUST CAME OUT, GUYS WEREN'T DISCIPLINED AND MADE MISTAKES.
>> YEAH.
>> WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING IN THESE THREE MONTHS OR TWO AND HALF MONTHS TO BE LIKE?
>> I MEAN IT'S A DEFENSIVE QUESTION.
IT'S A QUESTION ABOUT THE DEFENSE TO ME.
I MEAN, THE OFFENSE LOOKS CAPABLE, AND SOMETIMES MORE THAN CAPABLE.
IT'S A PRETTY GOOD GROUP OF SKILLED PLAYERS.
>> SO FAR AGAINST NORTH WESTERN, NORTH DAKOTA AND GEORGIA SOUTHERN THEY LOOK CAPABLE.
>> THAT'S TRUE.
>> NO OFFENSE -- >> NO, NO, I GOT YOU.
SPECIAL TEAMS IS ON THE UPTICK.
BUT THE DEFENSE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY ABOUT.
I MEAN IT'S ALMOST AS IF, IT'S SORT OF HARD TO TALK ABOUT.
IT JUST UNRAVELS.
>> IT'S LIKE RECORD BAD.
>> RIGHT.
>> 128th IN THE COUNTRY IN TOTAL DEFENSE.
115 RUSH DEFENSE, 113 IN PASS DEFENSE.
116th IN THIRD DOWNS.
SCORING DEFENSE IS 98.
>> AND TWO SACKS ON THE YEARS.
>> TWO SACKS AND THEY HAD FOUR PRESSURES ON SATURDAY.
TWO OF THEM ACCOUNTED FOR THE INTERCEPTION.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT TELLS YOU?
PRESSURES ACTUALLY HELP.
THEY HAD TWO INTERCEPTIONS ON THE TWO PRESSURES THEY GOT -- >> THEY ABSOLUTELY HELPED.
>> YEAH AND THEY'RE NOT GETTING ANY.
>> SO I THOUGHT WHAT TREV DID WAS THE APPROPRIATE THING AND LET IT PLAY OUT.
I MEAN HE LET IT PLAY OUT UNTIL YOU COULDN'T LET IT GO ANYMORE.
>> YEAH.
MY QUOTE WAS HE DIDN'T WANT TO FIRE SCOTT FROST, BUT HE WAS OK WITH LETTING SCOTT FIRE HIMSELF.
>> YEAH.
>> LOSING TO GEORGIA SOUTHERN, FIRES YOURSELF.
>> KIND OF WORKED OUT THAT WAY, YOU KNOW?
I THOUGHT THAT WAS APPROPRIATE.
>> YEAH.
>> YOU THINK ABOUT -- HE HAD SO MUCH CRITICISM HOW HE FIRED BO PETERSON AS WE KNOW.
HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE THAT TYPE OF -- >> EXACTLY.
>> WHERE IMMEDIATELY YOU'RE ON THE CLOCK.
IT REALLY DID PLAY ITSELF.
>> HOW LONG WAS HE ON THE JOB BEFORE THE END OF THE SEASON?
>> WHO'S THAT?
>> TREV, LAST SEASON.
>> JULY.
>> HE WOULD BEEN FIRED -- >> NO HE WAS ALL THE WHOLE SEASON -- > THREE OR FOUR MONTHS?
>> YEAH, THREE OR FOUR MONTHS.
>> SO THAT WOULD BE TOUGH FOR HIM TO SAY, I'VE BEEN HERE FOUR MONTHS AND I KNOW THIS GUY HAS TO GO.
>> EXACTLY.
AND TREV ACTUALLY SAID -- HE THOUGHT HE NEEDED TO BE HERE FOR AN APPRECIABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO BE AROUND THE PROGRAM AND JUDGE IT THAT WAY.
>> LOOKING AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON, HE DIDN'T SAY A LOT, BUT HE STILL SAID A LOT TO ME.
DID YOU PULL ANYTHING OUT IT, WHERE IT'S LIKE, AH, I KNOW WHAT HE'S GETTING AT.
>> HMM?
>> LIKE THE GRINDER COMMENT OR THE COMMENT ABOUT HOBBIES?
>> PROFESSIONALS?
>> I SEE WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THAT.
A LITTLE BIT.
A LITTLE BIT IF THAT WAS SORT OF DIRECTED AT SCOTT.
MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.
I THOUGHT HE WAS RESPECTFUL TO SCOTT TOO AS THE SAME TIME.
AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
I THINK IF THERE'S OTHER COACHES WATCHING, YOU KNOW GUYS WHO MIGHT WANT THIS JOB, I AM SURE THEY WERE IMPRESSED BY THAT.
HE WAS VERY RESPECTFUL TO A COACH WHO WAS 16 AND 31 -- >> BUT STILL A LEGEND HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA.
>> YEAH, THAT WAS PROBABLY NOT GEARED TOWARDS COACHES, BUT GEARED TOWARDS THE FANBASE -- SMART.
TREV COVERS ALL THE BASES.
AS FAR AS ANYTHING I'VE PICKED OUT, I THOUGHT ONE THING, I THINK HE MIGHT HAVE RULED OUT URBAN MEYER.
WHEN HE WAS ASKED WHAT TRAITS HE'S LOOKING FOR IN A COACH, HE STARTED WITH A PERSON WITH CHARACTER.
NOW I AM NOT -- LISTEN, I AM OK WITH UBRAN MEYER, ALL RIGHT.
BUT HE MIGHT HAVE RULED HIM OUT WITH THAT.
BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL GO BACK TO THAT.
>> LET'S GO TO MICKEY, FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN COACH IN SPORTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA.
I THINK THAT IS AN INTERESTING THING FOR KIDS TO BE ABLE LOOK UP AND SEE THAT AT NEBRASKA.
BUT AS A COACH WITH NINE GAMES REMAINING HOW DO YOU THINK?
HOW DO YOU THINK HE DOES?
>> AGAIN I WOULD JUST GO BACK TO THE DEFENSE.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE CAN.
>> IF THEY COULD FIX THE DEFENSE -- >> IF THEY COULD THEY FIX THE DEFENSE, THAT'S -- >> IF HE FIXES THE DEFENSE JERRY JONES WILL WANT HIM.
>> DO YOU REMEMBER I THINK IT WAS 2010 IN THE BIG 12, NEBRASKA WAS STRUGGLING THOSE FIRST THREE GAMES TACKLING.
AND ALL HE DID WAS CHANGE THE SAFETIES AND IT CHANGED THEIR WHOLE -- >> THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT MAYBE COULD PLAY WHO AREN'T THE FAVORITES OF SOMEBODY, AND MAYBE A NEW COACH --EYES, SAYS YOU CAN PLAY THOSE GUYS.
>> YEAH, I DON'T KNOW WHO THOSE PLAYERS ARE, SHAUN.
I MEAN I AM IN TOO DEEP OUT THERE.
THE GUYS THEY'RE PLAYING ARE THE GUYS PRETTY MUCH.
>> I MEAN GATES AND SINGLETON AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER SAFETIES.
IS THAT WHO ARE YOU -- >> WELL YEAH, I THINK OMAR BROWN SHOULD MOVE BACK TO SAFETY.
EXCUSE HE SHOULD TO CORNER AND YOU SHOULD MOVE EIGHT BACK TO SAFETY.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
>> YEAH, I DON'T KNOW.
HE'S NOT CHANGING STAFF.
SO I THINK WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO GET.
AND I AM NOT, LISTEN -- DEFENSE HAS EVOLVED, TEAMS EVOLVE.
THEY GET BETTER.
NOW HOW MUCH BETTER CAN THAT DEFENSE GET, THAT'S THE QUESTION.
>> WELL GETTING -- BACK WILL HELP.
>> BUT IS HE GOING TO BE BACK THIS WEEK?
>> WE DON'T KNOW YET.
>> SHOULD BE, BUT HE'S GOING TO HAVE A CAST ON.
>> HE WAS WEARING KIND OF A -- >> A HARD CAST.
>> A HARD CAST ON SATURDAY.
>> YEAH, WE'VE SEEN GUYS PLAY WITH THAT BEFORE.
>> OH YEAH.
>> WELL, HELP IS ALSO PRACTICING MORE PHYSICAL.
THESE TEAMS, NEBRASKA LOOKS LIKE -- THEY PRACTICED PHYSICAL FIRST TIME GOING INTO THE GAME.
EVERYTHING CATCHES THEM BY SURPRISE, IT'S ALMOST LIKE THEY'RE IN SHOCK.
>> OH NORTHWESTERN, I THOUGHT WHEN NUMBER FOUR CAME IN -- WHAT'S HIS NAME?
>> PORTER.
>> CAM PORTER, I THOUGHT THE WAY HE RAN, HOW HARD HE RAN AND HOW PHYSICAL HE RAN WAS A SHOCK.
IT SEEMED LIKE THEY WEREN'T READY FOR A RUNNING BACK LIKE THAT.
IT WAS LIKE A SHOCK TO THEIR SYSTEM.
>> WELL DAMON TALKS ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME, IF YOU DON'T PRACTICE THOSE THINGS, ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE GUY'S GETTING YOU WHO HASN'T GOTTEN TO YOU DURING PRACTICE YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT.
WHETHER IT'S A BLOCKER OR THE GUY RUNNING THE BALL.
>> RIGHT.
>> WHAT DO YOU MAKE, JAY, OF THEM SWITCHING THE OFF DAY.
YOU WERE ON THE LAST ONE -- >> YOU WERE ON THAT ONE, YEAH.
>> YOU WERE ON THE LAST NEBRASKA TEAM THAT HAD MONDAYS OFF.
>> I LOVED IT.
I THINK IT WAS '‘CAUSE YOU PLAYED THE GAME.
YOU WOULD COME IN ON SUNDAYS, MAYBE 10, 11:00.
>> YOU FILMED SUNDAYS?
>> WE'D WORK OUT.
YOU'D GET A LIGHT LIFT.
A QUICK RUN.
>> TREATMENT?
>> TREATMENT.
THEN YOU CAME IN WATCHED THE GAME FILM.
YOU KNOW YOU'RE PROBABLY OUT OF THERE BY FOUR OR FIVE O'CLOCK.
THEN YOU HAVE ALL DAY MONDAY OFF.
YOU WERE JUST STUDENT.
YOU COULD COME IN, GET YOUR TREATMENT, YOU COULD WATCH -- I'D USUALLY WATCH FILM.
IF YOU WANTED TO HAVE A NIGHT CLASS IN.
SOME GUYS HAD NIGHT CLASSES, YOU'D GET THEM ON A MONDAY, SO YOU'D GET THOSE IN.
SO YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT AFTERNOON PRACTICES.
DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT LEAVING PRACTICE EARLY FOR NIGHT CLASSES, SO -- >> YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GO TO CLASS?
>> AT TIMES.
TECHNICALLY IT WAS A VOLUNTARY DAY, BUT YOU STILL HAD TO COME.
SO YOU WERE NEVER ABLE TO GET AWAY FROM THE GAME.
THESE GUYS NEED MORE WORK OBVIOUSLY.
THERE'S SOMETHING TO SAY.
>> TUESDAY BECOMES WAY MORE PHYSICAL.
>> YES.
>> YEAH.
>> YOU CAN, YEAH.
>> THIS IS THE LAST THING, DO YOU HAVE A FEEL AT ALL FOR THE OKLAHOMA GAME?
CAN YOU GIVE US AN EARLY WEEK PREDICTION.
>> I THINK IT'S TROUBLE, OKLAHOMA'S OFFENSE NUMBERS AREN'T GREAT.
NO.
>> BUT AGAIN U TEMP THEY DID REALLY REV IT UP.
GOT 45 ON U TEMP.
>> GOT 21 IN THE FIRST.
AND THEN DIDN'T SCORE AGAIN TILL THE THIRD QUARTER.
>> I MEAN IT CONCERNS ME BECAUSE THESE WILL BE THE BEST ATHLETES NEBRASKA FACE.
AND THEIR OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR IS A BIG TIME COACH.
>> YEP.
>> A LONG THE LINES OF CLAY HELTON.
CLAY HELTON, I TOLD SHAUN ALL WEEK LAST WEEK, I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE CLAY HELTON, CHINANDER MATCH UP.
THAT'S THE MATCH UP THAT WORRIES ME MOST.
IT REALLY BORE ITSELF OUT, NOW I AM OF A SIMILAR CONCERN.
>> WE APPRECIATE IT.
>> WELL, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> THANKS FOR TAKING A PTO AND COMING OUT.
>> NEXT UP ON THE SHOW WE TAKE A LOOK AT SATURDAY'S GAME AGAINST GEORGIA SOUTHERN IN DEPTH AND TALK WITH DAMON BENNING ABOUT THIS WEEK AND WHAT LIES AHEAD GOING FORWARD FOR NEBRASKA.
AS WE GO TO BREAK IMAGES FROM SATURDAY'S GAME COURTESY OF HAIL VARSITY, STAY WITH US, WE'LL BE BACK SOON.
♪ ♪ >>> ALL RIGHT, WELCOME BACK IN.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT ONE PLAY.
I KNOW WE HAVE OTHER THINGS AND BIGGER FISH TO FRY IN THE SHOW.
BUT, JUST SOME OF THE ISSUES WITH THE DEFENSE.
WE HAVE SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES HERE SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS REMOTE IS GOING TO WORK BUT, I'LL BE ABLE TO BREAK IT DOWN HERE BY HAND.
OH, HERE WE GO.
ALL RIGHT, WE GOT IT.
SO, AS WE GO, THIS IS -- AND MARK HELFRICH TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE GAME.
THEY DID A GOOD JOB OF SPREADING OUT.
YOU'VE GOT A FIVE ON FIVE SITUATION.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT NUMBERS BEFORE.
SO YOU'VE GOT FIVE GUYS IN THE BOX AND FIVE OFFENSIVE LINEMEN.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, NOW, IT'S JUST THE SAFETY AND RUNNING BACK.
YOU BETTER BE ABLE TO COME IN AND FILL.
NOW THEY DO A GOOD JOB HERE AS WELL AS WE GO, AS THE PLAY RUNS.
THEY GET ERNEST HAUSMANN ABLED AWAY BECAUSE HE'S GOT COVERAGE.
LOOKS LIKE AN RPO SITUATION, HE HAS TO RESPECT A LITTLE BIT JUST TO GET ANOTHER GUY OUT OF THE BOX.
BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU GET A HAT ON HAT HERE.
AND THIS WAS A -- I THINK THIS WAS A SECOND AND LONG, MAYBE EVEN A THIRD AND LONG SITUATION.
THEY WERE ON A DRAW.
YOU GOT GUYS IN A PASS RUSHING SITUATION UP THE FIELD.
YOU GET CENTER ON RIMERS, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S BUFORD AND THIS GUY.
AND, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY SAFETY -- YOU FIND ME ONE -- RONNIE LOTT, I DON'T EVENT THINK HE COULD EVEN MAKE THIS PLAY.
WITH THIS MUCH SPACE TO DEAL WITH.
BUT, I LIKE THE EFFORT BY CALEB TANNOR HERE, RETRACING OF STEPS.
BUT I JUST THINK HE COULD HAVE LAID OUT AND MADE THE TACKLE RIGHT HERE, LIKE SOMETHING.
HE VEERS OFF FOR SOME REASON.
HE'S THERE SOMEHOW TRIP HIM UP TO MAYBE SLOW -- TO GET BUFORD TO HOPEFULLY GET HIM.
BUT, AGAIN I WILL GIVE CREDIT TO GEORGIA STATE.
THEY SPREAD NEBRASKA OUT.
THEY CALLED THE RIGHT PLAYS AT THE RIGHT TIME.
AND NEBRASKA OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T HAVE NO ANSWER FOR THEM ALL GAME.
OBVIOUSLY GIVING UP 642.
>> ALRIGHT, LET'S CHECK OUT THE HIGHLIGHTS.
IT WAS AN AMAZING BETWEEN THRID AND FOURTH QUARTER LIGHT SHOW.
AND THE LASER STUFF ON THE FIELD.
IT WAS REALLY INCREDIBLE.
GAME STARTED WITH KYLE VANTREASE BEING ON FIRE.
THIS IS THREE WEEKS IN A ROW WHERE THE QUARTERBACK'S RUNNING REALLY GOOD EARLY.
SIX OF EIGHT EARLY BY KYLE VANTREASE.
THAT WAS A NICE THROW TO BURGESS, AND THEN ANOTHER ONE TO BURGESS AGAIN.
GETTING THEM TO THE POINT WHERE THEY HAD A CHANCE TO GET THEIR RUNNING GAME GOING, AND THEY ABUSED THE MIDDLE OF NEBRASKA'S DEFENSE ALL DAY LONG.
NAGEL WHITE WENT 17 FOR 83 WITH THAT TOUCHDOWN.
THOMPSON HAD A GREAT DAY, TOO.
YOU HAVE TO ADMIRE THE WAY HE STOOD IN THERE.
HE TOOK SOME SHOTS, MADE SOME THROWS AND ACTUALLY USED HIS LEGS A LOT IN THIS GAME, SOMETHING WE REALLY HADN'T SEEN A LOT OF WHEN HE WAS AT TEXAS.
ANTHONY GRANT, ANOTHER NICE GAME.
RUSHED FO 12 YARDS.
ONE OF A TON OF EXPLOSIVES THEY HAD ON THE RUNNING GAME.
AND HERE WE TALKED ABOUT USING YOUR LEGS.
HOW ABOUT THIS?
YOU DIDN'T EXPECT THIS FROM CASEY THOMPSON.
>> HE'S SNEAKY SHIFTY.
>> NO HE'S VERY -- SNEAKY SHIFTY.
>> SNEAKY SHIFTY.
>> I'VE GOT THAT WAY TO PUT IT, YOU GUYS CAN USE THAT IF YOU WANT.
>> LIKE HIS DAD A LITTLE BIT.
>> YEAH, SNEAKY SHIFTY.
>> HIS DAD WAS ACTUALLY A REALLY GOOD ATHLETE.
MORE ABOUT KYLE VANTREASE, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW ON FIRE HE WAS EARLY IN THE GAME.
AND THEY REALLY WEREN'T STOPPING HIM AND THEY WEREN'T GETTING PRESSURE, AS SEAN SAID A COUPLE TIMES.
TWO SACKS ON THE SEASON AND, OF COURSE, NO SACKS IN THIS, YOU'D MENTIONED THAT VANTREASE DOESN'T GET SACKED A LOT.
HERE'S ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE TIMES WHERE THEY JUST SHIFTED THE RUNNING BACK TO THE OTHER SIDE AND RAN TO THE WEAK SIDE, AND YOU SEE THE TOUCHDOWN THERE.
THAT WAS A 26 YARD TOUCHDOWN RUN.
MORE KYLE VANTREASE.
HERE'S ONE TIME THEY GOT PRESSURE.
THEY GOT PRESSURE TWICE.
THAT WAS ONE, INTERCEPTION, NICE INTERCEPTION BY MARQUES BUFORD.
HIGH POINT OF THE GAME >> VERY NICE., NICE PLAY ON THE BALL.
VERY GOOD.
THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT, AND CRAZIEST THING, HE'S THE GUY THAT GOT TWO INTERCEPTIONS.
NEBRASKA IS PLUS TWO IN THE TURNOVER CATEGORY AND STILL LOSE.
>> YEAH, DOESN'T HAPPEN A LOT.
DOESN'T HAPPEN A LOT.
GOING BACK ALL THE WAY TO THE START OF BEAU.
DIDN'T HAPPEN A LOT.
THERE'S CASEY THOMPSON, DEEP PASS TO OLIVER MARTIN.
AND BRINGS YOU AGAIN TO ANTHONY GRANT.
GETTING A TOUCHDOWN THERE.
27 FOR 138 YARDS IN THAT TOUCHDOWN PLAY FROM GRANT.
AND THEN GREEN.
WHAT -- WE TALK ABOUT THIS PLAY A LOT.
BUT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SIMPLY MISASSIGNMENT.
>> THIS IS ONE THAT MARK HELFRICH DID A GOOD JOB WITH BREAKING DOWN IN THIS GAME TWO.
NEBRASKA RIGHT HERE.
TWO GUYS IN THE GAP.
>> YEAH.
>> YOU CAN SEE THEM RIGHT THERE.
YOU GOT ESSENTIALLY TWO GUYS IN THE "B"-GAP, IT HIS "A."
YOU JUST GOTTA -- IT'S SUCH A FINE MOMENT THERE.
YOU HAVE TO BE -- EVERYONE HAS TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE, AND NEBRASKA WASN'T.
>> TWO TOUCHDOWNS THERE IN THE GAME FOR GREEN.
180 YARDS HE WENT WITH.
AND THEN YOU ALSO HAD GREEN FOR THAT TOUCHDOWN.
HE HAD ONE OF THOSE GAMES WHERE HE DIDN'T EVEN PLAY A LOT IN THE SECOND HALF AND STILL HAD BIG NUMBERS.
THEY BROUGHT THE BACKUP IN AND HAD THE -- BIG RUNS IN THE SECOND HALF WHILE HE WAS OUT.
THAT MADE IT 28-21 NEBRASKA STILL TRAILING IN THE GAME.
CASEY THOMPSON COMES BACK.
DEEP LEFT.
THIS IS A REALLY GOOD THROW HERE.
A LITTLE LATE BUT IT GAVE TREY PALMER, AGAIN, A CHANCE.
24 YARDS.
CASEY THOMPSON, PASSED DEEP MIDDLE TO MARQUES WASHINGTON WHO HAD THE BIG PLAY EARLY IN THE GAME.
29 YARDS THERE.
AND THEN AGAIN, CASEY THOMPSON, NICE BALL HANDLING.
>> VERY NICE.
>> VERY NICE BALL HANDLING.
>> WE SEE THESE PLAYS LIKE THAT THIS WEEK, IS THAT A COACH FROST WRINKLE THAT WHIPPLE WAS ON.
THAT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE.
TO SEE THE OPTIONS.
>> IT'S A GOOD QUESTION TO SEE THAT.
IT WORKS.
YOU GOT TO USE IT.
WE ALL KNOW THAT IT WORKS.
KYLE VANTREASE, ANOTHER THROW.
HERE'S ANOTHER TOUCHDOWN PASS.
THAT MADE IT 35-28.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN STILL UP ON NEBRASKA.
WE KEEP SEEING AJAY ALLEN, HE JUST GETS BETTER EVERY WEEK.
AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, HE REMINDS ME A LITTLE BIT OF A YOUNG LP.
SOME OF THE STUFF HE DOES, IT REMINDS ME.
LOOK AT THIS.
MOVE HE MAKES IN THE HOLE HERE, GETTING IN FOR THE TOUCHDOWN.
35-35, NEBRASKA ALL TIED UP WITH GEORGIA SOUTHERN.
BUT KYLE VANTREASE, WE TALKED ABOUT IT EARLIER.
HOW HOT HE WAS EARLY.
HE WAS HOT LATE, AS WELL.
BUT THIS IS ANOTHER PRESSURE, PRESSURE HERE, ANOTHER INTERCEPTION.
MARQUES MAKING THE PLAY.
ALMOST A ONE -HANDED INTERCEPTION THERE.
NO RETURN ON IT, BUT IT'S A GOOD PLAY.
GETTING TO PRESSURE ON HIM.
CASEY THOMPSON COMES BACK, PASSED DEEP TO MARQUES WASHINGTON.
DOWN TO THE ONE, THIS WAS REVIEWED.
FIRST THEY SAID IT WAS KIND OF AN INCOMPLETE PASS.
THEN SOMEBODY THOUGHT IT WAS A TOUCHDOWN.
THEN THEY PUT IT AT THE ONE.
>> THIS WAS A SECOND REVIEW OF THIS SERIES BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE SMOTHERS HAD THE FUMBLE, TOO.
>> YUP.
>> THAT ACTUALLY HURT NEBRASKA BECAUSE THEY SCORED SO QUICKLY.
>> YUP.
>> TRUE.
>> THEY COULD HAVE MAYBE RAN OFF ANOTHER MINUTE OR TWO OFF THE CLOCK.
>> WOULD'VE BEEN NICE, THEY WERE SCORING ON AVERAGE IN 1 MINUTE 40 SECONDS.
SO, YOU HAD TO RUN OFF A LOT TO GET THAT DONE.
ANOTHER PERFECT THROW BY KYLE VANTREASE DOWN THE FIELD.
AND THEN THE QUARTERBACK DRAW, WHICH WAS KIND OF OPEN ALL GAME, I THOUGHT.
AND THEY DIDN'T NEED TO GO TO IT.
GOING TO THEIR RUNNING BACKS AND GET THERE TO TAKE THE LEAD.
BUT NEBRASKA HAD A CHANCE FOR A FIELD GOAL, AND I THOUGHT THIS WAS GOOD FROM WHERE I WAS SITTING.
>> YEAH, IF WERE YOU SITTING IN THE WEST SIDE THERE, BUT IT WAS CLOSE.
>> FRANKIE IN THE LONG KICK.
HE'S USUALLY THEIR LONG GUY, THAT WAS SURPRISING.
>> THAT WAS SURPRISING THAT HE DIDN'T COME IN.
THE BALL GOT THERE.
IT WAS JUST OFF TO THE LEFT.
NEBRASKA STATS, WE TALKED ABOUT IT A LOT.
642 YARDS FOR GEORGIA SOUTHERN.
37 OF 56 PASSING FOR 409 YARDS, AND, AGAIN, A TEAM AGAINST NEBRASKA WINS THE TIME OF POSSESSION.
BUT NEBRASKA DOES WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE AND LOSE THE GAME.
HERE ARE YOUR PLAYERS OF THE GAME AGAINST GEORGIA SOUTHERN.
CASEY THOMPSON, NOT A SURPRISE.
AS WELL AS HE PLAYED.
300 YARDS PASSING, THREE RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS.
ANOTHER GOOD GAME FOR CASEY THOMPSON SHOWING THAT IT WAS A GOOD CHOICE BRINGING HIM IN.
AND THEN MARQUES BUFORD, WE MENTIONED IT.
REALLY, THE DEFENSE STRUGGLED ALL DAY LONG, BUT HE GOT THE TWO INTERCEPTIONS TO HELP NEBRASKA'S DEFENSE OUT AND GET THE BALL BACK.
ALL RIGHT, TIME TO WELCOME IN OUR FRIEND.
FORMER HUSKER "I" BACK DAMON BENNING.
DB, HOW YOU DOING?
WHAT'S YOUR REACTION TO THE MOVE THAT HAPPENED ON SUNDAY?
>> I'M GOOD, I'M GOOD.
I THINK, I WASN'T AS SURPRISED AS I THINK MAYBE I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT HAD YOU TOLD ME IT WOULD HAPPEN BEFORE THE BUYOUT A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, RIGHT?
SO I JUST THINK THE WAY THINGS WERE GOING AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NUMBERS WERE AFTER OCTOBER 1st.
BUT I ASK MYSELF TWO QUESTIONS, RIGHT.
ESPECIALLY KNOWING TREV' AS WELL AS I DO.
YOU KNOW, WHAT ABOUT THE STUDENT ATHLETES IN TERMS OF PROVIDING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME SUCCESS.
AND HOW MUCH WOULD IT HAVE COST HIM TO NOT MAKE THE MOVE?
AND I JUST THINK IF WE'RE NOT WILLING TO ASK OURSELVES THAT QUESTION, THEN IT'S TRULY NOT ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT HAS TO BE WHEN YOU MAKE DECISIONS LIKE THIS.
IT'S NOT ABOUT ANY ONE MAN, IT'S ABOUT THE GREATER GOOD OF THOSE STUDENT ATHLETES AND THAT FAN BASE AS A WHOLE.
SO I WHOLEHEARTEDLY UNDERSTOOD THE DECISION.
>> DB, YOU KNOW MIKEY JOSEPH AS WELL AS ANYBODY.
YOU'VE KNOWN HIM FOR YEARS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK HE'S GOING TO BRING IN THIS ROLE FOR NEBRASKA AS THE INTERIM HEAD COACH?
>> I THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST HE'S GOING TO BRING CLARITY OF THE MESSAGE, RIGHT.
AND I DON'T WANT TO UNDERSELL THAT.
ANYTIME YOU'RE SEEKING LEADERSHIP AND GUIDANCE, YOU LIKE CLARITY OF MESSAGE AND WITH MIKEY OR -- EXCUSE ME, COACH JOSEPH YOU'RE GOING TO GET THAT.
HE'S VERY DIRECT.
HE'S AUTHENTIC.
SO WHAT HE SAYS, I THINK PEOPLE HAVE A GOOD IDEA IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT HE MEANS.
AND THE SECOND THING IS I THINK HE'S GOING TO PROVIDE ACCOUNTABILITY.
HE'S NEVER BEEN THE FAVORITE.
HE'S KIND OF ALWAYS BEEN THE UNDERDOG.
HE'S DONE THINGS THE HARD WAY HIS WHOLE LIFE, EVEN AS TALENTED AS HE WAS COMING OUT OF MARRERO.
YOU KNOW, HE WAS A SMALL GUY THAT OTHER SCHOOLS DIDN'T GIVE A CHANCE TO.
SO HE'S A FIGHTER AND A COMPETITOR BY NATURE.
SO HE'S GOING TO BRING THAT TO THE TABLE RIGHT AWAY, BECAUSE HE'S NEVER HAD ANY CLEAR CUT ADVANTAGES, AT LEAST AS I'VE KNOWN HIM THROUGH HIS ADULT LIFE.
AND I THINK HE'LL PROVIDE THAT KIND OF, THAT GAUGE AND THAT MEASURE TO THE FOOTBALL TEAM IMMEDIATELY.
>> YEAH, LSU WANTED TO MAKE HIM A DEFENSIVE BACK COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.
>> YEAH.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN WITH THE DEFENSE.
IS THERE A WAY, DAMON, YOU THINK THAT YOU THINK THEY COULD FIX IT OR TWEAK IT TO MAKE IT LOOK A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN IT DID ON SATURDAY?
>> YEAH, YOU'VE GOT A COUPLE CHOICES.
I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS ABOUT KIND OF HOW WE PLAY COVERAGE AND HOW I'VE LEARNED COVERAGE HAVING BEEN A COORDINATOR BEFORE.
AND I THINK YOU GOTTA TO DO IT ONE OF TWO WAYS.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A SOFT BOX, PLAY WITH SIX OR LESS IN THE BOX AND I THINK YOU GOT TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT TIGHTER COVERAGE.
WHERE YOU CAN HAVE QUICKER RUN SUPPORT.
AND REALLY TRY TO BE DISRUPTIVE AND BE KIND OF MUGGERS AT THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE IN THE SECONDARY TO RE-REROUTE OR DISRUPT TIMING.
THE OTHER THING IS, YOU CAN ADD ANOTHER BODY TO THE BOX, BUT YOU HAVE TO LOOSEN THE COVERAGE A LITTLE BIT.
SO FAR, AND I THINK JAY WOULD AGREE WITH THIS.
WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF TWO DEEP SHELL AND BEING LIGHT IN THE BOX.
AND WHEN YOU DON'T FIT IN THE RUN GAME QUICKLY OR CORRECTLY, PLAYING QUARTER, QUARTER HALF OR COVER SIX LIKE THEY LIKE TO DO IS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER.
BECAUSE YOU HAVE SAFETIES THAT ARE FITTING IN THE RUN GAME FROM 12 TO 14 YARD OFF THE BALL AND "A"-GAPS, RIGHT.
THOSE ARE THE GAPS TO THE LEFT AND TO THE RIGHT OF THE CENTER.
IT'S JUST TOO DIFFICULT A FIT TO BE THAT LIGHT IN THE BOX.
SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO PLAY WITH FIVE , YOU'RE GOING HAVE TO PLAY A LITTLE BIT TIGHTER COVERAGE.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO USE SEVEN OR SIX IN THE BOX, THEN CAN YOU AFFORD TO PLAY THE PALMS OR THE SHELL THAT HE LIKES TO PLAY SOMETIMES BY READING THE NUMBER TWO , THAT WOULD BE PALMS COVERAGE.
SO YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.
I THINK YOU'LL SEE THEM TIGHTEN UP.
YOU SAW THOSE CORNERS TRY TO PLAY A LITTLE BIT MORE PRESS AS THE GAME WENT ALONG.
>> YEAH.
>> BUT THEY JUST DIDN'T WIN ENOUGH 50 /50 BALLS.
VANTREASE WAS UNBELIEVABLE.
SOMETIMES YOU TIP YOUR CAP TO THE PITCH AND CATCH, AND SOME OF THOSE BALLS, I WAS LIKE, ARE YOU SERIOUS?
AND I DIDN'T ALWAYS LOVE THE EFFORT OR THE TECHNIQUE, BUT SOME OF THOSE BALLS WERE ONLY HIS GUY COULD GO GET IT AND NEBRASKA DIDN'T WIN ANY 50 /50 BALLS.
IT WAS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER FROM DAY ONE.
>> DAMON, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE RUNNING BACKS RIGHT NOW?
THE WAY ANTHONY GRANT, AJAY ALLEN, THE WAY THEY HAVE PLAYED HERE FOR THESE FIRST THREE GAMES.
>> YEAH, THEY'VE BEEN IMPRESSIVE.
I THINK THIS WEEK WILL BE INTERESTING AGAINST OKLAHOMA, YOU KNOW.
BECAUSE, VENABLES -- COACH VENABLES IS KIND OF THE ANTI-ALEX GRINCH.
YOU KNOW, ALEX GRINCH WENT LIGHT, QUICK, AND VERY DISRUPTIVE.
GAPPING GUYS UP.
COACH VENABLES WILL GET BACK TO THE BIGGER, STRONGER FRONT.
TRYING TO PLAY WITH "D"-LINEMAN AND PLAY IT BEHIND THAT.
SO, I'LL BE CURIOUS TO SEE HOW THAT TRANSLATES.
BUT WHAT I DO LIKE, THERE'S THREE POSITIVES.
NUMBER ONE , THEY'RE VERY DECISIVE, THEY'RE DOWNHILL GUYS.
SO AS A DEFENDER, I FEEL LIKE GUYS ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO STEP ON MY TOES.
IT'S ANNOYING, RIGHT?
I DON'T GET TO DO THE DICTATING LIKE I LIKE TO DO.
NUMBER TWO , THEY'RE VERY GOOD IN SMALL SPACES.
SO THEY DON'T NEED A LOT OF ROOM TO MAKE A GUY MISS.
AND NUMBER THREE , THE FIRST GUY NEVER GETS THEM.
SO YOU CAN BE A LITTLE DISJOINTED UP FRONT, AND THEY GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SUCCESS, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF NEGATIVE PLAYS.
AND I THINK NEBRASKA'S GOING TO HAVE TO UTILIZE THAT, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW THE STATUS OF TEDDY PROCHAZKA.
IF HE DOESN'T GO THIS WEEK.
YOU KNOW, NEBRASKA'S GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOME SHUFFLING HEADING INTO THE BYE-WEEK.
SO I LIKE THE FACT THAT THOSE GUYS ARE DECISIVE AND THEY REALLY HAVE A DEFINITIVE RUNNING STYLE.
>> DAMON IN ABOUT 30 SECONDS, DO THEY HAVE TO HAVE CASEY THOMPSON RUNNING SOME.
OR, AT LEASE PRESENTING THE CHALLENGE OF THE RUN IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL AGAINST OKLAHOMA?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
YOU GOT TWO OPTIONS.
IF THEY DO BOTH, THEY'LL BE IN GOOD HANDS WITH BEING ABLE TO RUN THE FOOTBALL.
GET A SECOND BACK IN THE BACKFIELD IN ADDITION TO THE QUARTERBACK, WHICH WILL REALLY PROVIDE SOME COMPLEX FORMS TO THE RUNNING GAME.
OR NUMBER TWO , RUN WITH CASEY THOMPSON OUT OF THE ONE BACK LOOK AND AT LEAST KEEP DEFENDERS HONEST.
TWO OF OKLAHOMA'S TOP THREE TACKLERS ARE IN THE SECONDARY.
AND YOU HAVE TO KEEP THOSE GUYS HONEST IN TERMS OF FITTING IN THE RUN GAME.
>> DAMON, WE APPRECIATE THE TIME MAN, WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.
>> YOU GUYS HAVE A GREAT REST OF THE SHOW.
>> ALL RIGHT, IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER BREAK.
NEXT UP, SEAN DIVES INTO HOW THE CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP WILL AFFECT RECRUITING.
BUT FIRST, ANOTHER LOOK AT LAST SATURDAY NIGHT'S GAME AND IMAGES FROM HAIL VARSITY.
♪ RECRUITING.
AND IMAGES FROM SATURDAY'S GAME.
♪ >>> MAKE SURE YOU VISIT WRAP-UP WEBSITE AND CAST YOUR VOTE TODAY.
BECAUSE IT'S A REALLY EASY QUESTION.
IT'S BASICALLY "YES", "NO", OR SOMETHING ELSE.
WELCOME BACK TO "BIG RED WRAP-UP."
I'M MIKE'L SEVERE, YOU'RE SEAN CALLAHAN.
THANKS FOR JOINING US, TIME TO TALK SOME RECRUITING.
HOW DOES THIS AFFECT RECRUITING?
WE'VE SEEN IT BEFORE.
>> WELL, I THINK RIGHT NOW I THINK THERE'S TWO THINGS GOING ON.
THE CURRENT STAFF IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK, FIGHT, BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO OPERATE LIKE THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO KEEP THEIR JOB.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THIS GROUP OF COACHES STILL GO OUT ON THE ROAD.
STILL DO RECRUITING, PROBABLY ON THE BYE-WEEKS.
STILL MAYBE GO TO LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAMES.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S 14 COMMITS FOR NEBRASKA RIGHT NOW IN THIS CLASS.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO DO THEIR BEST TO KIND OF CORRESPOND AND TALK TO THESE DIFFERENT RECRUITS AND KEEP A DIALOG.
BUT IT WILL NOT BE EASY.
WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF THESE COACHING CHANGES AT NEBRASKA.
WE KNOW THAT.
IF A NEW COACH COMES IN, HE'S GOING TO WANT TO DO SOME OF HIS OWN THINGS.
IT'S KIND OF A HOLDING PATTERN AT THIS POINT AND THERE'S A LOT OF KEY DATES WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT -- YOU GOT TO LOOK AT ON THE CALENDAR.
>> BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, REAL QUICK, THE GUY THEY BROUGHT TO BE THE WIDE RECEIVER COACH IN MICKEY'S STEAD.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HIM?
>> MIKE CASSANO, YOU KNOW, MIKE CASSANO WAS THE RECEIVER'S COACH A YEAR AGO, AS WELL.
WHEN THEY FIRED MATT LUBICK.
HE WORKED WITH MARK WHIPPLE.
THEY GOT A CONNECTION THAT GOES BACK.
BUT LET'S GO BACK TO THOSE DATES, >> THE KEY RECRUITING DATES, YEAH.
>> YEAH, TALKING ABOUT THESE RECRUITING DATES FOR NEBRASKA.
THESE ARE THE DATES YOU REALLY WANT TO LOOK AT.
THE TRANSFER PORTAL -- THERE'S PLAYERS THAT ARE GOING IN, WHICH I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
THEY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW GUYS ARE GOING IN BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE A NEW RULE.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A 45 DAY PERIOD WHERE THE PORTAL OPENS FOR BUSINESS IN DECEMBER.
AND IT'S THE DAY AFTER THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF TEAMS ARE ANNOUNCED.
SO THAT WILL BE MONDAY, DECEMBER 5th.
AND YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET A NEW COACH, THAT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY IMPORTANT DAY TO GET YOUR DUCKS IN ORDER BECAUSE THEN YOU HAVE 45 DAYS.
DECEMBER 21 IS THE EARLY SIGNING DAY FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND JUNIOR COLLEGE PLAYERS.
THAT IS THE LATEST IT CAN BE ON THE CALENDAR.
THE THIRD WEDNESDAY.
AND THIS YEAR, DECEMBER 1st FALLS ON A THURSDAY.
SO IT'S A REALLY LATE SIGNING DAY, WHICH THAT HELPS.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT MORE TIME IN DECEMBER NOW TO GO OUT AND DO THINGS.
JANUARY 19th, THE PORTAL CLOSES AFTER 45 DAYS.
JANUARY 23rd IS THE FIRST DAY OF UNL SECOND SEMESTER CLASSES.
SO, THERE'S A GOOD WINDOW IN THERE FOR NEBRASKA YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON WHO THE NEW HEAD COACH IS, TO ROSTER MANAGE.
THERE'S NO MORE 25 MAN RULE.
THERE'S NO MORE SCHOLARSHIP THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO MESS WITH.
SO THIS WILL BE EASIER IN SOME WAYS BUT ALSO HARD BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MANY GUYS CAN LEAD THIS TEAM OR RECRUITING CLASS.
>> OUR IN-STATE RECRUIT IS CALEB BENNING.
WE BOTH KNOW HIM WELL.
I WAS AT THE GAME ON FRIDAY NIGHT WHEN HE GOT INJURED.
HE WAS PLAYING REALLY WELL, HE'S GOT SOME REALLY BIG OFFERS.
>> YEAH, THIS PICKED UP A WISCONSIN OFFER, AND I BELIEVE HE'S NOW 195.
HIS WEIGHT HAS GONE UP.
I TALKED TO DAMON LAST WEEK.
SAW A PICTURE OF HIM STANDING NEXT TO DAMON.
>> HE TOWERS OVER HIM.
>> HE TOWERS OVER DAMON NOW, YEAH.
>> CALEB BENNING ONE OF THE TOP 2024s IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA RIGHT NOW.
WITH A HUSKER OFFER, WITH AN IOWA OFFER.
JUST PICKED UP A WISCONSIN OFFER.
SO HE WILL BE A KEY REGIONAL TARGET, NO DOUBT, THAT'S GOING TO HAVE HIS PICK OF THE BIG TEN WEST AND MAYBE SOME OTHER NATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT COME INTO THE AREA.
BUT I'M SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GAUGE HIM OUT.
HE'S SON OF A FORMER HUSKER.
YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE, IS HE REALLY INTERESTED IN LEAVING NEBRASKA?
IS HE REALLY INTERESTED MAYBE IN LEAVING THE BIG TEN?
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY SOME -- IOWA'S DONE A GREAT JOB RECRUITING CALEB BENNING.
WISCONSIN'S NOW VERY INTERESTED IN THE PICTURE.
BUT HE'S AN EXTREMELY TALENTED PLAYER, HAS BEEN ON THE VARSITY BASKETBALL TEAM AS THERE AS WELL AS A FRESHMAN.
>> YEAH, HE'S REALLY A HEADY PLAYER.
AND QUESTIONS WHAT POSITIONS HE PLAYS -- I THINK IT'S IN THE SECONDARY.
IS IT SAFETY?
IT IT CORNER?
>> NICKEL.
>> OR NICKEL, YEAH.
I FORGOT ABOUT THAT.
>> BUT LOTS OF ABILITY.
YOU KNOW, A GUY LIKE THIS, TYPICALLY, YOU HAVE YOUR DECISION MADE, MAYBE APRIL, MAY, JUNE OF NEXT YEAR.
SO A LOT OF TIME FOR A GUY LIKE CALEB BENNING.
>> NO DOUBT.
THANKS, SEAN.
BE SURE TO VOTE ON THIS WEEK'S SIDELINE SURVEYS.
I MENTIONED IT'S REALLY EASY FOR YOU.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THE DISMISSAL OF SCOTT FROST?
YES, NO, OR SHOULD WAITED UNTIL OCTOBER 1st?
72% -- THE MAJORITY RULES -- SAY YES, IT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION.
16% STILL SAY NO, AND 12% SAY HE SHOULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL AFTER THE DATE WHERE THE BUYOUT WENT DOWN.
IT'S TIME TO TAKE A LOOK AROUND THE BIG TEN.
MINNESOTA THROTTLED WESTERN ILLINOIS, 62-10.
WASHINGTON STATE, ALTHOUGH GOT DOMINATED ON THE BOX SCORE, BEAT NUMBER 19 WISCONSIN 17-14.
AND IOWA LOST TO IN-STATE RIVAL IOWA STATE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SIX YEARS 10-7.
WE HAVE A WINNER IN OUR GAME DAY PHOTO CONTEST.
BJ ON TWITTER SENT THIS IMAGE OF A FATHER AND SON DUO TAKING IN THE GAME ON SATURDAY.
WE HOPE THE GAME DAY ATMOSPHERE AND THE EXPERIENCE WAS A GOOD ONE EVEN THOUGH THE GAME TURNED SOUR.
REMEMBER TO SEND IN YOUR BEST GAME DAY PHOTO EACH WEEK FOR A CHANCE TO WIN GREAT PRIZES.
SO I WILL SAY FINALLY -- I WILL SAY, FINALLY, AGAINST THAT WIN OVER IOWA, IT'S THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2014 THAT THEY BEAT 'EM.
NEBRASKA HASN'T BEAT IOWA SINCE 2014 EITHER.
MAYBE IT'S A CHANCE.
>> LOOK AT YOU ALREADY TAKING MATT CAMPBELL.
>> MAYBE THERE'S A CHANCE.
MATT CAMPBELL.
I'M JUST SAYING.
>> IOWA IS AVERAGING 7 POINTS A GAME AND 152 YARDS OF TOTAL OFFENSE.
>> IOWA'S OFFENSIVE LINE IS NOT GOOD.
THEY'RE PLAYING FOUR SOPHOMORES I BELIEVE?
>> TWO SCHOLARSHIP RECEIVERS DRESSING OUT RIGHT NOW.
>> MY FAVORITE STAT BY THEM IS IN THE SECOND HALF, THEY HAD A ZERO SUCCESS RATE.
ZERO.
THAT'S THE ANALYTICS THAT DETERMINE WHAT YOU DO ON FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD DOWN.
IT WAS ZERO.
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
>> THEY HAVE TO BLOCK A PUNT OR A KICK TO WIN GAMES.
>> THAT'S THE WAY THEY HAVE TO DO IT.
>> OR FOUR TURNOVERS A GAME LIKE THEY DID LAST YEAR.
>> NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.
>> THEY WERE ON THAT THAT WICKED STREAK.
>> YOU BETTER HAVE A GOOD KICKER.
>> CHRIS WANTS TO KNOW.
AND IT'S KIND OF AN OBVIOUS ANSWER, I THINK.
BUT CHRIS FROM FACEBOOK WANTS TO KNOW WHY THE DEFENSE IS OPPOSITE OF LAST YEAR.
IT'S EVERYTHING THEY LOST, RIGHT?
>> WELL, THEY LOSE SIX STARTERS.
>> AND THREE OF THOSE GUYS WERE GROWN MEN.
>> YEAH.
>> 44-YEAR-OLD STARTERS.
>> THREE GUYS IN THE SECONDARY AND THREE GUYS UP FRONT.
I MEAN, YOU GOT DISMUKE, DIONTE WILLIAMS, CAM TAYLOR-BRITT.
I MEAN, CAM TAYLOR-BRITT'S SECOND ROUND DRAFT PICK.
>> YEAH.
>> STILLE, DOMANN, AND THEN DANIELS.
>> YEAH, AND DANIELS, I THINK THAT'S THE ONE, EVEN THROUGH HE DIDN'T GET DRAFTED -- >> THAT ONE HURTS.
>> HE WAS INJURED THOUGH.
>> HE TOOK UP TWO GUYS.
REMEMBER HE DOMINATED THE CENTER FOR IOWA TWO YEARS AGO.
THIS IS A GUY WHO REALLY TOOK UP AND DOMINATED THE MIDDLE OF THAT LINE.
YOU DON'T HAVE ANYBODY LIKE THAT NOW.
>> I THINK IT'S HARD.
I TELL PEOPLE -- I THINK YOU ALWAYS -- WHEN YOU GO 3-9, YOU DON'T EVER THINK YOU HAVE THAT GREAT OF PLAYERS.
UNTIL THEY'RE GONE.
THEN YOU'RE LIKE, "OOH, BOY."
THAT'S -- WE MISS THOSE GUYS.
IT'S VERY APPARENT.
I MEAN, NEBRASKA IS -- I MEAN, THAT PERFORMANCE ON SUNDAY -- I'VE BEEN A PART OF SOME BAD DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCES AT NEBRASKA.
>> YEAH.
>> AND I'VE SEEN SOME OTHER BAD DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCES AT NEBRASKA.
THAT WAS THE WORST ONE I HAVE WITNESSED.
>> CONSIDERING THE CONTEXT -- >> CORRECT.
>> RIGHT.
>> I MEAN, THIS TEAM WAS PLAYING -- EIGHT YEARS AGO, THEY WERE PLAYING ONE 1AA FOOTBALL.
>> YEAH.
>> IT WAS KIND OF LIKE BALL STATE, THOUGH, IN '07.
>> OH, YEAH.
>> BALL STATE HAD A QUARTERBACK WHO'S A THIRD-ROUND PICK.
>> NATE DAVIS.
>> AND THE WIDE RECEIVER WOULD HAVE A BIG-TIME BEEN, BUT HE GOT HURT.
>> AND BRADY HOKE WOULD BE COMPARABLE TO CLAY HELTON.
>> EXACTLY, RIGHT.
>> IT REMINDED ME OF THAT GAME IN SOME WAS.
>> YEAH.
BALL STATE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD PLAYERS ON THERE.
AND THEY ENDED UP GOING, I THINK, 11-1 THAT YEAR IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
JOHN FROM FACEBOOK, SEAN, WANTS TO KNOW, WHY NOT CHANGE OUT THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR?
YOU FIRE THE HEAD COACH, THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR -- DEFENSE IS THE PROBLEM.
>> I MEAN, WHAT WOULD YOU DO AT THAT POINT?
WOULD YOU MAKE MIKE DAWSON THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR?
IS THAT GOING TO REALLY FIX THE ISSUES?
I MEAN, IN A LOT OF WAYS, DAWSON AND CHINANDER ARE ALMOST LIKE CO-COORDINATORS.
THEY HAVE A VERY TIGHT RELATIONSHIP.
I JUST DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S AN ANSWER THAT WOULD FIX THIS THAT WOULD BE FAIR TO THE PLAYERS.
>> YOU FIX THE DEFENSIVE ISSUES BY PRACTICING BETTER, HARDER, MORE EFFICIENT, HAVE A CLEAR, DEFINED ROLE OF WHAT THEY WANT ALL YOUR GUYS TO DO.
AND TWEAK SOME STUFF.
TWEAK SOME STUFF WITH COVERAGES LIKE WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT.
BUT I JUST DON'T THINK NEBRASKA IS GETTING PRACTICE.
>> ARE THEY GETTING A PRE-SNAP READ?
>> DEFINITELY.
>> I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.
THE OTHER PLAY I WANTED TO BREAK DOWN -- WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GET TO IT -- WAS THE FIRST TOUCHDOWN.
GARRETT NELSON WAS ON THE EDGE, AND HE GETS ZONED AWAY.
AND HE GETS CAUGHT LOOKING AT THE GHOST MOTION.
LIKE, THAT IS -- THAT'S WHAT'S SO PERPLEXING TO ME.
BECAUSE HE'S BEEN SUCH A -- I KNOW HE SAID HE'S STRUGGLED AT TIMES, BUT HE'S PLAYED A LOT OF GOOD SNAPS.
AND YOU HAVE TO -- YOU CAN SEE UP HERE.
LIKE, HE TAKES A STEP, LIKE, THAT'S HIS PLAY.
HE SHOULD BE MAKING A TACKLE RIGHT THERE AT THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE FOR A NO GAIN.
>> BECAUSE THE LINEBACKER HAS GOT THAT GHOST MOTION.
>> HE GETS -- HE STEPS -- YEAH, THAT'S NOT HIS PLAY.
LIKE, WHY?
WHY IS THAT -- AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE TRYING TOO HARD, BUT TO ME, THAT'S A DAY-ONE INSTALLATION TACKLE DOWN, HAND ON HIP.
AND I TALKED ABOUT IT LAST WEEK.
YOU'RE IN THAT POSITION -- IT'S CUTBACK, BOOTLEG, REVERSE.
THAT'S NOT HIS GUY.
YOU PLAY INSIDE-OUT.
SO IT'S LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT JUST MAKES -- IF THAT WAS A TRUE FRESHMAN, I MIGHT GIVE HIM A PASS.
BUT IT'S NOT.
IT'S GARRETT NELSON.
HE'S BEEN PLAYING A LOT OF LIVE BALL REPS.
IT'S THINGS LIKE THAT -- IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
>> REAL QUESTION, SEAN.
DO YOU THINK THAT THE NEBRASKA JOB IS A GOOD JOB?
>> I THINK IT IS, ESPECIALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS RIGHT NOW.
NUMBER 1, NEBRASKA HAD 88,000 FANS STILL IN THAT STADIUM.
THERE AREN'T A LOT OF PLACES THAT ARE DRAWLING LIKE THAT STILL IN TODAY'S WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN.
NUMBER TWO, THE MONEY.
I THINK THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE RIGHT NOW, WHERE YOU'RE AT, GOING FORWARD, THE NEW FACILITIES BEING BUILT, NO ONE'S GOING TO HAVE A FACILITY LIKE THAT GOING FORWARD WITH N.I.L.
AND OTHER THINGS.
SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT MAKE IT.
THE HARDEST CHALLENGE REMAINS RECRUITING.
YOU HAVE THE FEWEST AMOUNT OF 4 AND 5 STARS WITHIN 500 MILES OF YOU THAN ANY POWER FIVE SCHOOL IN AMERICA.
BUT YOU'RE EXPECTED TO WIN AT A LEVEL LIKE A KANSAS BASKETBALL OR SOMETHING.
IT'S A CHALLENGE.
>> I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT UCLA'S GAME.
THEY HAD 20,000 PEOPLE IN THE ROSE BOWL.
>> YEAH.
>> WHICH IS EMBARRASSING.
BURNING QUESTION, SEAN?
>> MY BURNING QUESTION IS, HOW WILL THIS TEAM PLAY FOR MICKEY JOSEPH IN WHAT HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN A WEEK LIKE NONE OF US HAS EVER SEEN BEFORE?
>> IF THEY TURN UP THE INTENSITY IN PRACTICE, IS THAT GONNA UP IN THE DEFENSIVE END?
OR IS IT MORE OF A SCHEMATIC, JUST NOT HAVING ENOUGH GUYS WHO CAN PLAY -- YOU KNOW, WHO'VE PLAYED ENOUGH FOOTBALL IN THIS DEFENSE YET?
>> MY QUESTION IS, CAN THE GUYS HAVE FUN ON SATURDAY?
YOU'RE COMING OFF A TOUGH WEEK.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE FUN.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PLAY LIKE THAT AGAINST OKLAHOMA.
I THINK THEY WILL, BUT THAT'S MY QUESTION.
>> DON'T FORGET TO HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE AND FACEBOOK PAGE TO CLICK ON THE PREDICTION.
JAY, SEAN, AND I WILL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT ON SATURDAY.
MICKEY JOSEPH'S HUSKERS WELCOME OKLAHOMA TO MEMORIAL STADIUM FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2009.
THE RIVALRY MATCHUP IS SCHEDULED FOR 11:00 A.M. KICKOFF ON BIG FOX.
WE WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK TO BREAK DOWN THE GAME AND TAKE STOCK OF THE FIRST THIRD OF THE SEASON.
OUR GUEST WILL BE FORMER HUSKER LINEBACKER JAY FOREMAN.
OUR THANKS TO STEVEN SIPPLE, DAMON BENNING, AND, OF COURSE, OUR STUDENT VOLUNTEERS IN THE CALL CENTER TONIGHT JOINING US.
FOR JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN, I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK ON "BIG RED WRAP-UP."
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪