(BAND MUSIC) >> THIS WEEK ON BIG RED WRAP-UP, WE GET YOU READY FOR THE SPARTANS.

CHECK IN ON THE PROGRESS MADE DURING THE BYE WEEK, AND SAY GOODBYE TO AN OLD FRIEND.

(BAND MUSIC) HI EVERYONE, I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.

WELCOME TO BIG RED WRAP-UP ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

WE GET HUSKER FOOTBALL BACK THIS WEEK AND WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, THE VIEWER.

YOU CAN CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK.

IT'S OUR BIG RED WRAP-UP PAGE WITH ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS.

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

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

WILL ANSWER AS MANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS AS TIME PERMITS.

NOW IT'S TIME FOR OUR SIDELINE SURVEY.

LAST WEEK WE ASKED YOU, DO YOU FEEL NEBRASKA'S PROGRAM IS GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION?

UNDER MATT RHULE, 76% SAID YES, 18% SAID UNSURE.

5% SAID NO AND ONE SAID NO.

OPINION.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION WHICH TIER IS NEBRASKA IN THE BIG TEN?

TIER ONE, 1-3.

TIER TWO, 4-8, TIER THREE, 9-13 OR TIER FOUR, 14-18.

SO FAR YOU CAN SEE TIER TWO IS WHERE THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ARE PUTTING THEIR VOTES.

I AM JOINED BY FORMER HUSKER JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN.

LET'S START WITH THAT.

YOUR THOUGHTS?

THE WHAT TIER DO YOU THINK?

>> YEAH, I THINK I WOULD AGREE.

TIER TWO I THINK THEY'RE YOU COULD PUT THEM ANYWHERE FROM.

>> BECAUSE IT'S OREGON STATE, PENN STATE AND OHIO STATE.

>> THOSE ARE TOP THREE YOU PUT IN THERE.

THEN YOU FIGURE INDIANA.

>> INDIANA MICHIGAN, MICHIGAN, USC.

>> USC.

>> YOU PUT ILLINOIS AHEAD OF NEBRASKA.

>> IT'S HARD BECAUSE OF THE BLOWOUT LOSS.

THEY HAD A GAME AGAINST, INDIANA.

I THINK I PUT THEM, THEY LAND SEVEN EIGHT ISH.

IT'S A TOSS UP WITH, YOU KNOW, WASHINGTON'S MUCH IMPROVED TEAMS.

>> YEP.

YEAH.

>> BUT I WOULD SAY THEY'RE ANYWHERE FROM 6 TO 8.

BUT I THINK MY TOP FOUR WOULD DEFINITELY BE OREGON, PENN STATE, OHIO STATE, IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER.

>> YEAH.

>> AND THEN INDIANA.

>> MICHIGAN.

>> MICHIGAN.

>> OKAY.

>> AND THEN IT'S LIKE 6, 7, YOU KNOW, USC.

ILLINOIS, NEBRASKA, WASHINGTON.

BUT YEAH, I THINK TIER TWO IS DEFINITELY RIGHT OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.

>> IS THAT WHAT YOU HAVE?

I STILL THINK IOWA PROBABLY SHOULD BE IN THE TIER TWO DISCUSSION, BECAUSE I THINK THEY CAN PLAY WITH ANYBODY.

I MEAN, >> THEY SHOWED IT.

>> THEY ONLY LOST TO INDIANA BY FIVE POINTS.

AND THEY'VE LOST A CLOSE GAME TO IOWA STATE.

SO BUT YEAH, I GET IOWA IS NOT AS GOOD AS THEY HAVE BEEN.

>> NOT SEXY.

RIGHT.

>> IT'S NOT.

BUT IS IT EVER.

>> EVER BEEN SEXY.

>>THEY'LL STILL FIGURE OUT.

THEY FIGURE OUT A WAY.

TO EIGHT AND FOUR.

YOU KNOW, LIKE.

>> THAT'S WHAT I SAY.

YEAH.

>> BUT I THINK THE DEPTH OF THE LEAGUE.

IT MIGHT BE THE BEST WE'VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME.

WHEN YOU GO ONE THROUGH EIGHT, NINE, TEN.

I MEAN, IT IS LOADED.

I MEAN, EVEN WHEN LIKE, UCLA IS THE BOTTOM TEAM, I MEAN, THAT'S A GOOD BOTTOM TEAM.

I MEAN, THERE'S TALENTED PLAYERS STILL ON THAT UCLA ROSTER.

>> AS OF THIS WEEK.

>> LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS >> WHAT ABOUT THAT FIRST QUESTION, LAST WEEK THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAD UNSURE DOWN YOUR FEEL THROUGH.

>> OH I'M SURE I LOVE THE WAY THE DIRECTION OF THIS PROGRAM IS GOING.

AND THIS IS STILL YOUR THREE WORST.

EVERYONE'S STILL LEARNING AND ADAPTING TO WHAT COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS, AND IT HAS BECOME, BUT I'VE.

I AM VERY, VERY SURE THAT I LOVE THAT.

I KNOW THAT I LIKE THE DIRECTION THAT LIKE, I LOVE THE DIRECTION OF MATT RHULE.

I LOVE HIS ENERGY.

I LOVE HIS PRESENCE.

I LOVE HIS COMMITMENT TO MAKE NECESSARY CHANGES FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE PROGRAM.

HE'S HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME ALONG AND FOLLOW HIM ALONG.

HE'S MADE CHANGES.

HE'S BROUGHT, YOU KNOW, MARCUS SATTERFIELD WAS OC MADE CHANGES BRINGING DANA HOLGORSEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR.

THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN A LOT OF PLACE.

ED FOLEY, SPECIAL TEAMS COACH WITH THEM FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

I KNOW ED'S STILL ON THE STAFF AND STILL HELPING OUT WITH SOME NFL SCOUTING, BUT BRINGING IN MIKE EKELER AS A SPECIAL TEAMS COACH, HE'S GOING TO DO THE NECESSARY THINGS TO GET NEBRASKA OVER THE HUMP AND GIVEN WHERE THEY'RE GOING, YEAH, I KNOW THEY HAD A THERE'S A BUMP IN THE ROAD AGAINST MICHIGAN, BUT WE ALL KNOW THIS TEAM WAS IT'S 5-4, 9-3 TYPE OF SEASON.

IN YEAR THREE.

AND I THINK IF ANYBODY YOU ASK THAT FOR THE SEASON STARTED YOU SAY 8-4.

WHAT DO PEOPLE SAY.

YEAH I'LL TAKE THAT.

BUT NO, I AM VERY HAPPY WITH THE DIRECTION OF THE PROGRAM.

I THINK THESE NEXT FOUR GAMES ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

BUT I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE IMPROVEMENT THERE MAKE OVER A BYE WEEK.

WHEN THEY HAD MICHIGAN STATE COMING TO TOWN ON SATURDAY.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS WE NOTICED IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE IS A SHORT PRESS CONFERENCE ON MONDAY, COMPARED TO WHAT IT NORMALLY IS.

I THOUGHT BUTLER AND HOLGORSEN WERE BOTH PRETTY.

AND THEN WHEN ROCCO SPINDLER WENT UP THERE AND HE HAD VERY SHORT ANSWERS, YOU CAN TELL THEY WATCHED THAT TAPE AND THEY WENT, OKAY, NOW WE KNOW WE NEED TO DO.

>> YEAH.

AND NEBRASKA IS USUALLY PRETTY UNIFORM FOR THEIR MESSAGING.

AND I THINK THE MESSAGE THIS WEEK IS WE'RE GOING TO BE PRETTY TIGHT WITH OUR WORDS AND SHORT.

I MEAN, NO OPENING STATEMENT, WHICH IS A RARITY.

I MEAN, BUT YEAH, YOU KNOW, MATT RHULE TALKED TO US THE WEEK BEFORE, SO HE ALREADY DID THE MICHIGAN KIND OF POSTMORTEM PRESS CONFERENCE.

BUT YEAH, THE THING THAT REALLY JUMPS OUT TO ME IS NEBRASKA IS RANKED NUMBER TWO IN THE COUNTRY PASSING THE BALL NUMBER ONE DEFENDING THE PASS.

BUT THEY'RE MORE TOWARDS THE BOTTOM IN RUNNING THE FOOTBALL.

IT'S NOT STOPPING THE RUN.

AND THEY'VE GOT TO KIND OF BALANCE THAT SCALE.

AND THAT WAS THE PRIORITY OVER THE BYE WEEK.

AND A LOT OF GOOD ON GOOD.

DANA HOLGORSEN SAID HE'S NEVER BEEN AROUND A BYE WEEK IN HIS COACHING CAREER.

IN TERMS OF THE PHYSICALITY AND HOW THEY ATTACK THOSE THREE PRACTICES ON TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY.

>> YOU MISSED IT BY ONE YEAR, BUT DO YOU EVER THINK YOU LOOK AT IT AND SEE NEBRASKA LEADS THE NATION IN ATTEMPTS, A GAME?

THEY ARE NUMBER ONE IN THE NATION IN PASSING, 38 PASSING ATTEMPTS, A GAME.

I BELIEVE THEY DID THE SAME THING IN '07.

>> YEAH.

WELL, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE WEST COAST OFFENSE CALLAHAN COMING IN THERE.

YEAH, I KNOW WE GOT DARN CLOSE.

I DON'T LIKE IT.

I DON'T, I DON'T LIKE I WANT TO SEE THEM BEING ABLE TO STOP THE RUN AND RUN THE FOOTBALL BETTER.

BUT WE GOT TO YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND WITH DYLAN, IT'S NOT A, A DUAL THREAT QUARTERBACK.

HE HAS SOME MOBILITY, BUT HE'S NOT LIKE CHILES, BUT WE'LL SEE.

HE'S NOT LIKE UNDERWOOD AND SOME OTHER, DUAL THREAT QUARTERBACK.

SO ESSENTIALLY, WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING TEN, 11 FOOTBALL OFFENSIVELY, IT IS REALLY, REALLY HARD TO RUN THE FOOTBALL.

UNLESS YOU HAVE A REALLY, REALLY GOOD OFFENSIVE LINE, ELITE OFFENSIVE LINE.

I THINK NEBRASKA'S OFFENSIVE LINE IS GOOD.

IT'S NOT GREAT, I THINK.

WELL, I HOPE THEY GOT BETTER OVER THE BYE WEEK, BUT THIS IS WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO.

DYLAN HAS A WEAPON.

HIS ABILITY TO THROW THE FOOTBALL IS A WEAPON.

YOU HAVE GREAT TALENT AT THE WIDE RECEIVER POSITION, BARNEY.

KEY, YOU HAVE A GREAT TIGHT END.

YOU GOT TO UTILIZE THESE GUYS.

HUNTER, RIGHT?

SO GET THESE GUYS, BALL IN THEIR HANDS.

EMMETT JOHNSON IS A GREAT RECEIVER OUT OF THE BACKFIELD.

SO, YOU GOT TO DO WHAT YOU'RE SUCCESSFUL AT.

AND IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING ON THE FOOTBALL, YOU GOT TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO MOVE THE BALL.

SO NOT SURPRISED.

DON'T LIKE IT.

>> YEAH >> DEFINITELY NOT.

SURPRISED.

>> HE'S NOT MOBILE BUT HE CAN MOVE ENOUGH LIKE FERNANDO MENDOZA.

RIGHT.

YOU GO.

YOU CAN STILL GO GET A FIRST DOWN WHEN HE HAS TO.

>> RIGHT.

YEAH I MEAN DYLAN GOT IN THE MICHIGAN GAME MOVED AROUND.

I MEAN HE WAS SACKED SEVEN TIMES AND EVEN MORE.

THEY SENT HIM THERE 3 OR 4 THAT HE SAVED THE PLAY AND TURNED IT INTO A BIG PLAY.

AND YOU KNOW, I THAT SPEAKS TO THE ATHLETIC ABILITY.

BUT OBVIOUSLY THE TALENT IS THE ARM AND HIS ABILITY TO MAKE KIND OF OUT OF SYSTEM THROWS DOWN THE FIELD AT A HIGH LEVEL.

YOU DON'T REALLY SEE THE BALL FLOAT WITH DYLAN RAIOLA.

EVEN WHEN HE'S NOT, YOU KNOW, IN HIS WITH HIS FEET SET.

SO, THEY'RE BUILT THIS THING AROUND DYLAN RAIOLA, WITH THE RECEIVERS THEY'VE ADDED IN THE OFF SEASON, YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL IT'S CONCERNING THE RUNNING GAME THAT THEY DON'T HAVE MORE THAN THEY DO.

AND I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT IN THE OFF SEASON.

LIKE EMMETT JOHNSON BY HIMSELF MAY NOT BE ENOUGH.

PROBABLY WON'T BE ENOUGH.

AND THEY'VE KIND OF ROLLED THE DICE AND THIS IS WHAT THEY HAVE.

AND THEY'VE GOT TO MAKE THIS WORK NOW WITH THE RUNNING GAME, TO GIVE THIS OFFENSE THE BALANCE IT NEEDS FOR DYLAN TO REALLY BE A GUY THAT CAN UTILIZE THE PLAY ACTION AND SOME OTHER THINGS MORE.

>> YOU KNOW, WITH NEBRASKA OFF THIS WEEK, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE A CHANCE TO WATCH.

A LOT OF TEAMS ARE GOING TO PLAY, AND YOU SEE THE AMOUNT OF TEAMS THAT HAVE MULTIPLE RUNNING BACKS.

MICHIGAN STATE, THEIR NUMBER TWO RUNNING BACK, IS LIKE 230 POUNDS.

AND HE CAN RUN THE BALL AND GETS OUT OF THE BACKFIELD TOO.

YOU GOTTA HAVE MORE THAN ONE GUY.

>> 100% AND IN THE BIG TEN PLAY I MEAN I LOOKED AT MY TIMES IN NEBRASKA.

I MEAN, WE HAD MARLON LUCKY, BRANDON JACKSON, CODY GLENN, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A STABLE FULL.

NEBRASKA FOR DECADES, HAVE HAD MULTIPLE GUYS WHO COULD RUN THE FOOTBALL AND REALLY SUCCESSFUL AT IT.

YOU'VE KIND OF HEARD NEBRASKA'S, YOU KNOW, HOLGORSEN SAID, HEY, WE GOT SOME TRICKS UP OUR SLEEVE OR SOME NEW WRINKLES.

WE GOT TO WAIT TILL SATURDAY TO SEE HIM.

HE SAID THAT IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE, I THINK EITHER TODAY OR YESTERDAY.

BUT YOU GOT TO FIGURE IT OUT.

IS IT GONNA BE MEKHI NELSON?

IS IT GONNA BE KWINTEN IVES?

IS IT GOING TO BE MOZEE?

BUT YOU CAN'T.

EMMETT JOHNSON IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD.

BUT FOR HIM TO TAKE THE BRUNT OF THE REPS CATCHING OUT OF THE BACKFIELD AND RUNNING IT THIS BIG TEN CONFERENCE MAN, IT'S BRUTAL.

IT'S TOUGH.

AND ALL THOSE REPS IS GOING TO GRIND AND WEAR ON HIM.

YOU GOT TO HAVE HIM HEALTHY AT THE BACK HALF OF THE SEASON.

YOU GOT TO FIND THAT SECOND GUY WHO CAN COME IN HERE AND CARRY SOME OF THAT LOAD AND TRUST THEM AS WELL TO DO THE NECESSARY THINGS, CATCH OUT OF THE BACKFIELD, PASS PROTECT, PICKING UP BLITZES.

THERE'S A LOT OF LITTLE THINGS THAT GO INTO IT, BUT HOPEFULLY THEY GOT BETTER IDENTIFIED THAT SECOND GUY WHO CAN STEP UP THEIR MORE CONSISTENTLY.

>> WHAT ABOUT GOING FORWARD?

SEAN I'M OBVIOUSLY COVER RECRUITING, BUT THIS YEAR'S IMPORTANT OBVIOUSLY.

WHAT ABOUT NEXT YEAR.

WHERE ARE THEY GOING WHEN EMMETT'S GONE.

WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING.

>> LOOK BACK ANOTHER YEAR FROM NOW?

I MEAN THEY GET HIM AT ONE MORE SEASON.

>> OH, I THOUGHT EMMETT WAS DONE.

>> 23, 4 OR 5.

YEAH.

THIS IS THIRD YEAR >> OKAY I THOUGHT >> HE REDSHIRT AT 22.

>> OKAY.

>> AND SO HE'LL HAVE ONE MORE YEAR THEORETICALLY.

BUT YEAH.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU GET TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH MOZEE AND MEKHI NELSON, THEY ARE BRINGING IN JAMAL RHULE.

WHO IS A VERY GOOD RUNNING BACK RECRUIT OUT OF CHARLOTTE.

>> AND HE'S BIGGER >> AND HE'S HAD A HAVING AN OUTSTANDING YEAR.

JAMARION PARKER IS A WILD CARD.

HE'S SUPPOSED TO HOPEFULLY BEGIN PRACTICING AT SOME POINT.

BUT HE HASN'T REALLY DONE MUCH.

SO THEY'VE GOT OPTIONS.

AND CONOR BOOTH, LOCAL GUY THAT PLAYED SOME THIS YEAR.

BUT YOU GET THE SENSE, YOU KNOW, GOING TO THE PORTAL MIGHT BE THERE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, DEPENDING ON HOW THE YEAR PLAYS OUT.

>> SURE.

>> YOU MIGHT NEED TO GO FIND A VETERAN PORTAL RUNNING BACK BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN GO THROUGH ANOTHER YEAR JUST NOT KNOWING WHAT YOUR SITUATION IS.

>> YEAH.

>> AND SAY, HEY, WE THINK THIS GUY COULD BE AND YOU WANT TO HAVE GUYS THAT ARE VETERAN PLAYERS TO PLAY IN THIS LEAGUE.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE OFFENSIVE LINE?

OBVIOUSLY WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE TACKLE SPOT AND WHAT'S YOUR FEEL ON THAT GOING FORWARD?

>> WELL, IT'S SO NICE TO SEE WHAT THE TACKLE SPOTS CAN LOOK LIKE.

DO THEY MAYBE MOVE PRITCHETT TO RIGHT TACKLE GOING FORWARD?

BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HE PLAYED CONSISTENTLY AT BAMA JUST TO GET HIM ON THE FIELD.

YEAH I MEAN HE IS THEY'RE I THINK THEIR MOST TALENTED GUY.

THEY HAVE BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A MENTAL THING WITH THEM GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

JUST THE TRUST THING IS DROPPING OFF SIDES.

BUT I'D THINK I'D LIKE TO SEE NEBRASKA JUST STICK WITH HIM AND SEE WHAT HE CAN DO, EVEN THOUGH IF THERE IS A PENALTY OR TWO.

BUT I DO.

>> I KNOW THAT NEBRASKA DIDN'T PLAY WELL, BUT THAT DEFENSIVE LINE IS FIERCE.

>> IT'S NASTY.

>> IF YOU WATCH THIS.

HIGHLIGHTS.

>> NO, THEY'RE BRUTAL >> THEY'RE FLYING AROUND.

>> THEY ARE THEY WERE IMPRESSIVE I UNDERVALUED THEM YOU KNOW UNDERESTIMATED THEM 100%.

BUT ALSO YOU GOT TO DO THINGS.

IT'S NO WHERE YOU GOT TO HELP THEM OUT.

IF YOU GOT TO CHIP THEM WITH A BACK, KEEP A TIGHT END IN THERE.

NEBRASKA'S RUN A TON OF PLAYS.

YOU KNOW, WHEN HOLGORSEN GOT HERE LAST YEAR NEBRASKA DID A TON OF TIGHT END DELAYS.

KEEPING LINDENMEYER, YOU KEEP HAARBERG IN THERE.

YOU KNOW CHIP AWAY.

CHIP AWAY.

DELAY.

RIGHT.

GET EVERYONE IN THE BACK IN COVERAGE I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT.

UTILIZE MAYBE A LITTLE MORE.

DYLAN CAN DO A LITTLE BIT OF JOB.

A STEP UP IN THE POCKET IF THE INSIDE POCKET PRESENCE IS CLEAN.

BUT IDEALLY, YOU'VE GOT TO RUN THE BALL A LITTLE BETTER.

DYLAN'S GOT TO GET HIS HANDS QUICKER, AND THOSE TACKLES JUST GOT TO PROTECT A LITTLE BETTER.

BUT AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW IF NEBRASKA SEES ANOTHER FRONT FOUR.

>> NO.

>> LIKE, IT SAW AGAINST MICHIGAN.

I MEAN THERE'S YEAH THERE'S THOSE ARE SUNDAY GUYS UP THERE.

BUT THE BEST PART ABOUT I KNOW NEBRASKA GOT BETTER FROM SEEING THAT TYPE OF TALENT IN.

THEY CAN WORK GOING FORWARD OFF OF ALL THAT EXPERIENCE THEY HAD AGAINST THAT FRONT FOR MICHIGAN.

>> YEAH, WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LINE.

AND LOOK AT THE WAY THE DEFENSIVE LINE IS COMING AROUND AND WILLIAMS NWANERI OBVIOUSLY PLAYING BETTER THAN MOST PEOPLE THOUGHT.

>> YEAH I THINK THE PASS RUSH.

SO IN GENERAL HAS TO IMPROVE.

IN TERMS OF GETTING TO QUARTERBACKS FOUR MAN PRESSURES AND WHAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO, YOU KNOW, KEONA DAVIS IS ANOTHER ONE.

YOU KNOW, AND RILEY VAN POPPEL.

THE YOUNGER GUYS THAT YOU HAD HIGH EXPECTATIONS.

I STILL THINK WE'RE WAITING FOR THEM TO KIND OF MAKE THAT NEXT MOVE.

EVEN CAM LENHARDT, A VETERAN WHO'S PLAYED A LOT OF FOOTBALL, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD LOVE TO SEE HIM KIND OF RAISE HIS GAME HERE NOW, DOWN THE STRETCH.

BUT, YOU GOTTA HAVE NUMBERS.

GABE MOORE IS KIND OF BEEN A WILD CARD NAME THAT THEY'VE INSERTED OUT THERE.

THEY'VE TRIED A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

BUT IT STILL HASN'T PRODUCED A CONSISTENT PASS RUSH.

AND I THINK AS THEY MOVE FORWARD, THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT HAS TO IMPROVE IN THE BIG TEN.

YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, WIN VERY MANY GAMES IF YOUR FRONT FOUR DOESN'T CREATE NATURAL PRESSURE.

>> COACH BUTLER TALKED A LOT ABOUT GUYS BEING IN THE RIGHT SPOT, HAVING TO MAKE THE TACKLES AND HAVING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE THEY'RE STICKING WITH THEIR FUNDAMENTALS.

THAT'S WHAT THIS BYE WEEK WAS FOR.

>> YEAH, YEAH, 100%.

YOU GOT TO GET THAT.

YOU GOT TO GET THAT STUFF CLEANED UP.

THE STUNTS I KNOW WE'VE THE HORSE IS DEAD.

>> YEAH.

>> BUT IT'S JUST FITTING OFF OF THEM, TIMING OF IT.

HOW DO YOU FIT?

ARE YOU FORCING THE BALL OUTSIDE, OR ARE YOU PLAYING THE INSIDE OUT OR YOU KIND OF OUTSIDE IN, KNOWING WHERE YOUR HELP IS, TAKING CORRECT ANGLES, KNOWING IF YOU CAN TAKE A SHOT OR IT'S LIKE, HEY, MAN, MAYBE I JUST GOT TO GET THIS GUY DOWN.

I HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF CHOP MY FEET UP A LITTLE MORE TO GET THIS GUY DOWN.

SO JUST UNDERSTANDING HOW YOU FIT INTO EVERYTHING, AND COMMUNICATION IS A BIG THING, TOO.

I THINK NEBRASKA HAD A FEW BUSTS BECAUSE THERE JUST WEREN'T COMMUNICATING THE RIGHT THINGS.

SO ALL THAT DEFINITELY GETS, YOU KNOW, CLEANED UP IN THE BYE WEEK.

I THINK NOTHING'S BETTER WHEN YOU HAVE A TEAM THAT IS, OFFENSIVE, STRUGGLING TO RUN THE FOOTBALL ON A TEAM THAT'S THE DEFENSE THAT STRUGGLING TO STOP THE RUN.

GUESS WHAT?

WE'RE GOING GOOD ON GOOD.

AND LET'S GET A FIX FOR BOTH SIDES.

YOU KNOW IRON SHARPENS IRON.

SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL CAN GET BETTER THAN THIS.

BUT THEY GOT TO GET BETTER.

I MEAN, RILEY VAN POPPEL, YOU KNOW, COME OFF THAT BLOCK AND COME BACK TO THAT B-GAP THERE AND MAKE THAT TACKLE.

SO IT'S A LITTLE THINGS RIGHT.

AND PLAYING CORRECT PAD LEVEL HAND PLACEMENT SO YOU CAN DO THOSE CERTAIN THINGS.

BUT IT'S A LOT OF STUFF HAS TO GET CLEANED UP.

BUT I WILL A TRUST ME IT'S GOING TO GET IT'S GOING TO GET FIXED ON THIS BYE WEEK.

SO I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A MUCH IMPROVED RUN STOPPING DEFENSE GOING FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON.

>> IT'S NOT GONNA GET EASIER.

EVERYBODY'S WELL, A LOT OF TEAMS HAVE AT LEAST SEMI MOBILE QUARTERBACKS IF NOT MOBILE QUARTERBACKS.

AND A LOT OF TEAMS HAVE A LOT OF GOOD RUNNING BACKS.

>> YEAH.

YOU KNOW MARYLAND'S GOING TO HAVE A GUY THAT CAN MOVE.

MINNESOTA'S GOING TO HAVE RUNNING BACKS.

IF THEY COME BACK HEALTHY THAT WILL BE GOOD RUNNING BACKS.

THEY WON AGAINST RUTGERS WITHOUT THEIR TOP TWO BACKS.

BUT YEAH, PENN STATE MIGHT BE THE OUTLIER.

AND YOU KNOW, MINNESOTA'S QUARTERBACK MAY IS NOT REAL MOBILE.

NO.

AND IOWA'S QUARTERBACK SITUATION IS UP IN THE AIR WITH GRONOWSKI'S INJURY.

BUT YEAH, I THINK THE RECIPES OUT THERE, THEY'RE GOING TO PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TRY TO RUN IT AT NEBRASKA.

ALL THE BIG PLAYS THEY'VE GIVEN UP AND ON THE GROUND, NEBRASKA'S THE ONLY PASS DEFENSE IN THE COUNTRY THAT DOES NOT GIVE THEM OF A PASS PLAY OF 20 YARDS OR MORE.

BUT PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE THEY'VE GIVEN IT UP ON THE RUN.

>> YEAH, IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS.

PASS DEFENSE WISE.

SO NO GAME LAST WEEK JAY'S PLAYS FEATURES WHAT THE DEFENSE HAS TO LOOK OUT FOR.

THE NO MOBILE QUARTERBACK COMING TO TOWN AGAINST MICHIGAN STATE.

>> ALL RIGHT WELCOME IN TONIGHT GUYS.

LET'S LOOK AT A COUPLE PLAYS OF MICHIGAN STATE AGAINST USC A JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

KIND OF GIVE YOU A TASTE FOR WHAT THIS MICHIGAN STATE OFFENSE IS GOING TO TRY TO DO AGAINST NEBRASKA'S DEFENSE ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

SO FIRST YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THIS A LOT IN MICHIGAN STATE.

IT'S CALLED A FLOOD CONCEPT RIGHT.

YOU'RE GOING TO GET A LITTLE PLAY ACTION HERE BY CHILES.

THE JUST A HOLE.

BUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS THIS BACK'S GOING TO VEER ALL THE WAY OUT HERE INTO THE FLAT.

AND YOU'RE KIND OF GET A SCISSORS ROUTE.

AND WE CALL THIS KIND OF A 7-8 SWITCH A SEVEN ROUTES TO THE POST AND EIGHT IS TO THE GOAL.

EXCUSE ME.

THAT'S EIGHT ROUTES TO THE POST.

THE SEVEN ROUTES TO THE CORNER END ZONE.

YOU'LL SEE THIS KIND OF CONCEPT, THE SEVEN ROUTES GOING TO COME OPEN ON THE BACK END HERE.

AS WE WATCH THIS, YOU'LL SEE THIS A BUNCH FROM MICHIGAN STATE.

IT RUNS A LOT SO FAR THIS YEAR.

SO YOU SEE THE BACK FLOODS OUT KIND OF FORCES PEOPLE UP.

BOOM WIDE OPEN THERE.

SEVEN POINTS.

YOU'LL SEE THAT WITH CHILES AND OFFENSE A BUNCH.

IT'S A FLOOD CONCEPT.

SO WE'VE SEEN THIS A LOT NFL COLLEGE YOU WANT TO CALL IT THE TUSH PUSH WHATEVER IT IS.

BUT THE QB SNEAK.

BUT MICHIGAN STATE DOES A GOOD JOB OF KIND OF A WRINKLE OFF OF IT.

SO WE'LL SEE.

THEY'LL BRING THIS 12 IN MOTION HERE.

HE'S GOING TO COME UP HERE.

HE'S GOING TO GET UP BEHIND CHILES.

THE PUSH LIKE WE SEEN MANY MANY TEAMS DO ESPECIALLY THE EAGLES BUT DOESN'T.

IT'S GOING TO KIND OF GET UNIQUE HERE AND JUST BUMP OUT HERE TO THE FLAT.

AND ALSO AND BAM.

BOOM SNEAKS OUT HERE.

BALLS BEHIND A. LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.

SO NUMBER EIGHT CAN BLOCK.

SO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT CONCEPT NEBRASKA AND NEBRASKA MIGHT SEE IT IN SHORT YARDAGE SITUATION ON THE GOAL LINE ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

BUT LET'S SEND IT BACK TO MIKE'L.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, JAY.

LET'S TALK SOME RECRUITING NOW WITH SEAN CALLAHAN.

WIDE RECEIVER COMMIT.

YOU KNOW WE DON'T TALK ABOUT COMMITS ENOUGH ANYMORE.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS COMMIT.

YEAH.

AND THIS ONE'S KIND OF OUT OF LEFT FIELD.

JABARI WATKINS OUT OF GEORGIA 2027.

WIDE RECEIVER.

HAS NOT VISITED NEBRASKA YET.

OUT OF GEORGIA.

AND IN FACT, IS NOW IS NOW GOING TO BE TAKING A VISIT THIS WEEKEND TO FLORIDA STATE.

SO THIS IS KIND OF ONE OF THOSE ONES WHERE, YOU KNOW, HE VISITED ILLINOIS EARLIER AND HAS NOT YET VISITED NEBRASKA, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN COMMITS TO NEBRASKA, BUT THEN ANNOUNCES THIS WEEK HE IS GOING TO BE VISITING FLORIDA STATE.

SO IT'S KIND OF ONE OF THOSE ONES YOU DON'T WANT TO GET TOO EXCITED ABOUT.

BUT A PRETTY BIG TIME COMMITMENT TO A RECRUITING CLASS ALREADY FOR 2027.

THAT IS EASILY IN THE TOP TEN IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.

YEAH.

COACH RHULE TRAVELING ALL OVER, EVEN DOWN IN LOUISIANA LAST WEEK.

YEAH.

COACH RULE WAS ABLE TO SEE AHMAD HUDSON.

THEY ACTUALLY PLAYED IN MIDLAND LEE THE LOUISIANA TEAM.

BUT AHMAD HUDSON, ONE OF THE TOP TIGHT ENDS IN THE COUNTRY.

TRAE TAYLOR, NEBRASKA'S 2027, QUARTERBACK RECRUIT THERE IN CHICAGO.

AND THEN COOPER TERWILLIGER.

WHO WILL BE HERE THIS WEEKEND, ONE OF THE TOP TIGHT ENDS IN THE COUNTRY AT A PIERCE, SOUTH DAKOTA.

SO THOSE WERE THE THREE PLACES MATT RHULE WENT.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THESE ARE SOME OF THE KEY PIECES.

AHMAD HUDSON IS KIND OF A LONG SHOT, BUT, TERWILLIGER IS A KEY, KEY GUY IN THE 500 MILE RADIUS.

HE HAS OFFERS FROM GEORGIA, A NUMBER OF TOP BIG NAME PROGRAMS.

>> YEAH.

APPRECIATE IT.

SEAN.

OH, LET'S GO TO BREAK NOW.

WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL HAVE MORE.

A BIG RED WRAP-UP.

WELCOME BACK.

MATT VRZAL ALL AT JUST 51, PASSED AWAY LAST THURSDAY, LEAVING BEHIND AN INCREDIBLE LEGACY.

KNOWN FOR HIS TOUGHNESS, CANDOR AND RELENTLESS DEDICATION IN EVERY ROLE HE PLAYED IN LIFE, MATT WAS A MAN WHO IMPACTED IT WAS FELT FAR BEYOND THE FOOTBALL FIELD.

BORN AND RAISED IN THE 3-0-8, MATT'S JOURNEY FROM WALK-ON OFFENSIVE LINEMAN AND NATIONAL CHAMPION STANDS AS A TESTAMENT TO HIS GIFT AND HEART.

HE PLAYED FOR THE CORNHUSKERS FROM 93 TO 96, CONTRIBUTING TO TWO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS UNDER COACH TOM OSBORNE.

HE DIDN'T NEED A SCHOLARSHIP TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, JUST A HELMET AND A SPOT ON THE LINE AND THE WILL TO OUTWORK ANYONE IN FRONT OF HIM.

AFTER HANGING UP HIS CLEATS, MATT TOOK THE SAME DRIVE INTO THE BUSINESS WORLD.

HE OPENED UP BARS AND RESTAURANTS IN LINCOLN AND OMAHA, WHERE HIS PERSONALITY WAS ALMOST AS MUCH OF A FIXTURE AS THE MENUS.

HE WAS BEST KNOWN AS OWNER OF PIEZON'S PIZZERIA, A LOCAL INSTITUTION BELOVED FOR BOTH ITS FOOD AND ITS NO NONSENSE GUY BEHIND THE BAR, MATT'S PASSION FOR FOOTBALL NEVER WANED.

HE GAVE BACK TO THE GAME BY COACHING HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS FROM MALCOLM TO OMAHA SCOTT, SHAPING YOUNG ATHLETES NOT INTO JUST BETTER PLAYERS, BUT BETTER MEN.

AS A TUTOR AND MENTOR TO DEFENSIVE TO OFFENSIVE LINEMAN, MATT EARNED THE RESPECT OF THE NATIONAL O-LINE COMMUNITY AND AS AN HONOR, IT LED TO AN INVITATION TO THE PRESTIGIOUS O-LINE MASTERMINDS CAMP, WHERE HE SHARED HIS INSIGHT WITH THE NEXT GENERATION OF LINEMEN FANS ACROSS THE STATE ALSO CAME TO KNOW MATT THROUGH THE AIRWAVES.

HE BECAME A STAPLE OF NEBRASKA SPORTS RADIO, KNOWN FOR HIS DIRECT, INSIGHTFUL, AND OFTEN BRUTALLY HONEST TAKES.

THE LONGTIME HOST OF HUSKER HANGOVER, MATT DELIVERED POST-GAME ANALYSIS LIKE NO OTHER, BREAKING DOWN THE GAME ONLY LIKE BURRS COULD TO HIS FRIENDS, MATT WAS FIERCELY LOYAL TO HIS PLAYERS.

HE WAS A TEACHER TO HIS LISTENERS, HE WAS A VOICE OF REASON AND OFTEN UNREASONABLE FOOTBALL WORLD.

AND TO EVERYONE WHO CROSSED HIS PATH, HE WAS UNMISTAKABLY HIMSELF, A SHARP WITTED, PASSIONATE AND REAL.

MATT VRZAL WAS MANY THINGS A TEAMMATE, A COACH AND A BUSINESSMAN AND A MENTOR, BROADCASTER AND ABOVE ALL, OUR FRIEND.

HE LEAVES BEHIND A STATE THAT ADMIRED HIM, A SPORT THAT RESPECTED HIM, AND A COMMUNITY THAT WILL DEEPLY MISSED HIM.

REST EASY VRZAL.

ALWAYS TALK LIKE IT WAS AND WE LOVED YOU FOR IT.

LET'S TALK TO ONE OF HIS FORMER TEAMMATES, FRIENDS AND EVEN MORE PODCAST TOGETHER, DAVE FOREMAN JOINING US HERE.

THOUGHTS ON VRZAL'S PASSING.

>> OH MAN, I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT, MAN.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, SHOOK ME UP FOR OBVIOUSLY A FEW DAYS.

AND ANYTIME, ANYBODY PASSES AWAY, IT'S A BIG DEAL.

BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST SEEING HIM AND TALKING TO HIM, 48 HOURS BEFORE IT DEFINITELY HIT HOME.

BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE THING ABOUT VRZAL IS THAT, I THINK HE'S A, YOU KNOW, A BYPRODUCT OF HIS GREAT FAMILY, YOU KNOW, HIS MOM AND SISTER.

AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU MET HIS DAD ONCE.

AND SO, HE'S BEEN A BIG INFLUENCE ON ME.

HE HELPED ME, IN A LOT OF WAYS, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF FOOTBALL.

AND I'LL SEE YOU IN THE MEDIA, BUSINESS AND BUSINESS.

WE'VE DONE SOME STUFF TOGETHER.

SO HE'LL BE SORELY MISSED IN A FORMER HOUSEHOLD.

>> WHAT WAS PRETTY AWESOME, THOUGH.

YOU GUYS ALL GOT TOGETHER?

YEAH, THAT LAST WEEKEND TOGETHER FOR THE 95 TEAM.

>> YEAH, MAN.

YOU KNOW, HE WORE THIS, RED VELVET SUIT.

YOU KNOW, OR A JACKET.

YEAH.

AND IF THERE'S ONE GUY THAT COULD PULL IT OFF, IT WAS VRZAL.

AND HE ACTUALLY MADE IT LOOK GOOD.

YOU KNOW, THEY FIT HIM TO A TEE.

AND HE WAS GREAT, MAN.

AND THAT'S WHY IT WAS A BIG SURPRISE.

AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, SAD DAY.

YOU KNOW, ONLY FOR US 95 HUSKERS, BUT, YOU KNOW, HUSKER.

FOOTBALL >> AND OF COURSE 51 IT JUST IT'S A IT'S A YOUNG AGE.

AND HE WAS GOTTEN IN GREAT SHAPE TOO.

AND SO THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, BIG SURPRISE OF COURSE.

>> YEAH.

IT WAS DEFINITELY YOU KNOW, IT'S SAD.

BUT YOU KNOW, ONE THING I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE IS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A CAPTAIN TO HAVE A, YOU KNOW, BIG INFLUENCE AND NOT ONLY THE FOOTBALL TEAM, BUT IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA.

I MEAN, HOWEVER MANY PEOPLE THAT I COME ACROSS, YOU COME ACROSS, I'VE BEEN IN THE PIEZON'S AND NEVER FORGET VRZAL.

SO HE, WOULD BE GONE.

BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN.

>> MOST DEFINITELY WOULD SAY THANKS, JAY.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

WE'LL COME BACK WITH MORE BIG RED WRAP-UP.

>> A LOT OF TIMES YOU HAVE A BYE AND THE OTHER TEAM DOESN'T HAVE A BYE.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE KIND OF WAITING FOR THE NEXT GAME.

BUT.

SO IF WE BOTH HAD A BYE, THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK TO BE DONE ON YOUR NEXT OPPONENT.

BUT I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT OURSELVES AND SAYING, OKAY, WHAT ARE WE DOING WELL?

WHAT ARE WE NOT DOING WELL?

AND THEN ALL I EVER ASK OUR GUYS TO DO IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING WELL?

WHEN ARE WE NOT DOING WELL?

WHATEVER.

WE'RE NOT DOING WELL.

WHAT'S THE PLAN TO FIX IT?

IS IT TO DOUBLE DOWN AND DO IT BETTER?

IS IT TO TWEAK IT?

TO CHANGE IT?

AND I JUST ASK THE GUYS, ARE WE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS?

ARE THE RIGHT PEOPLE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS?

YOU KNOW, WAY, WAY BACK WHEN AT PENN STATE, WE WERE ALWAYS TOLD, YOU KNOW, THE RIGHT DEFENSE WITH THE WRONG PLAYER IS NEVER AS GOOD AS THE WRONG DEFENSE WITH THE RIGHT PLAYER.

THEY'RE A GOOD GROUP AND THEY'RE A GOOD OFFENSIVE LINE.

AND THEY HIT A BAD DAY AND THEY WE DIDN'T RESPOND IN THE WAY.

BUT THE INTERESTING THING IS, IS I THINK WE SCORED 17 OF OUR POINTS IN THE TWO MINUTES BEFORE THE HALF.

NOW THIS ONE WAS A HAIL MARY.

BUT THEY STILL HAVE TO BLOCK PEOPLE ON A HAIL MARY.

AND THEN THE LAST DRIVE OF THE GAME.

RIGHT.

AND SO WHEN IT WAS CRUCIAL TIME AND IT WAS LIKE, HEY, THEY'RE GOING TO DROP BACK AND PASS LIKE WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT THEN.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU YOU'RE ALL GOING, WE'RE ALL GONNA GET PUNCHED IN THE FACE.

SOME PEOPLE WHINE ABOUT IT, SOME PEOPLE COVER UP, SOME PEOPLE SWING BACK.

AND SO THERE WERE TIMES WHERE WE SWUNG BACK, BUT WE DIDN'T SWING BACK NEARLY ENOUGH.

>> I MEAN, I THINK DYLAN'S PLAYING AT A VERY, VERY.

VERY HIGH LEVEL.

RIGHT.

AND SO HOW I CALL PLAYS, I CALL WHAT'S WORKING.

>> SOMETIMES YOU GET HIT IN THE MOUTH AND WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW THEM OR NOT.

HONESTLY, I DON'T THINK THAT THOUGH.

ALL EVERYTHING WAS THEM.

AND I WOULD PUT A LOT OF IT ON MYSELF AND, YOU KNOW, NOT BEING ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, GET TO GET THE FOOTBALL OUT, YOU KNOW, ON ME TO MAKE SURE THAT I HELP THEM OUT WITH THAT.

SO, YEAH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I KNEW WE HAD A SPECIAL TEAM WHEN RIGHT AFTER THE GAME, WE CAME BACK IN THE LOCKER ROOM AND YOU KNOW NORMALLY WHERE IT'S POINT FINGERS.

AND HE DID THIS.

YOU DID THAT.

BUT WE JUST WE JUST KIND OF LATCHED ON AND CAME TOGETHER AND FROM MY POINT OF VIEW WAS JUST MAKING SURE THAT GUYS AREN'T MAKING EXCUSES FOR THEMSELVES AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

NO ONE'S GOING TO COME HAND US ANYTHING, SO, WE WOULDN'T WANT IT ANY OTHER WAY.

>> HUSKERS FOOTBALL IS IMPORTANT TO MOST THAT LIVE HERE BECAUSE OF THE LOVE OF THE GAME, BUT IT ALSO IS A JOB TO A LOT OF PEOPLE DUE TO ITS GIVING BOOST IN THE ECONOMY.

>> MEMORIAL STADIUM BIG RED FOOTBALL FANATICS.

IT SUPPORTS THE LINCOLN ECONOMY, ESPECIALLY IN THE HAYMARKET BUSINESSES.

THE BIG TEN SPORTS BAR CATER BREWING RELY ON FALL SATURDAYS TO SURVIVE.

MAJORITY OF BUSINESS IN THE FALL IS DEFINITELY FOCUSED ON, HOME FOOTBALL GAMES.

THERE'S ONLY SEVEN OF THEM, SO BETWEEN STAFF AND THE BUSINESS ITSELF, GAME DAYS ARE ESSENTIAL.

>> GAME DAYS ARE EVERYTHING FOR OUR BUSINESS.

IT IS BUSY SEASON FOR US.

YOU KNOW, A REGULAR SATURDAYS, ALL RIGHT, BUT A GAME DAY IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT WORLD.

WE TAILGATE, WE'VE GOT LIVE MUSIC, WE SET UP EXTRA BARS INSTEAD OF TWO BARTENDERS.

I'VE GOT 20 BARTENDERS ON STAFF, SO IT'S JUST A GREAT PARTY.

IT'S AMAZING FOR SALES.

IT'S AMAZING FOR GETTING MONEY IN THE BARTENDERS POCKETS AND JUST HAVING A GREAT TIME.

>> COLLEGE FOOTBALL ON ANY CAMPUS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS BIG BUSINESS.

IT'S NO DIFFERENT HERE THAN IT IS ANYWHERE ELSE.

HUSKER FOOTBALL.

HUSKER ATHLETICS MEANS A LOT TO OUR ECONOMY.

RIGHT NOW, FOR EVERYTHING WE'VE EVER LOOKED AT AS FAR AS ECONOMIC IMPACT FROM THE BUREAU BUSINESS RESEARCH YEARS AGO, A FOOTBALL SATURDAY, A FOOTBALL WEEKEND, A ONE WEEKEND EXPERIENCE IS ANYWHERE FROM 4 TO $5 MILLION, IF NOT MORE, DEPENDING ON THE OPPONENT.

>> SINCE THE CONFERENCE MOVE IN 2011, THE OPPONENTS HAVE CHANGED.

CREATE EVEN MORE BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> I THINK THE MOVE TO THE BIG TEN HAS BEEN IT BEEN SUBSTANTIAL.

YOU BRING IN A LOT OF TEAMS THAT HAVE BROUGHT IN TRADITIONAL POWERHOUSES YOUR MICHIGANS, YOUR OHIO STATES, YOUR PENN STATES.

WE CAN KEEP GOING ON DOWN THE LINE.

THE BIG TEN'S IS STRONG TOP TO BOTTOM.

IT'S BROUGHT BACK EXCITEMENT FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL IN THIS COMMUNITY.

AND IT'S SOMETHING GROWING UP IN THE CITY OF LINCOLN FOR ME, I REMEMBER THE OLD DAYS OF THE BIG EIGHT AND THE BIG 12 AND THE RIVALRIES THAT WE HAD.

I FEEL LIKE THE RIVALRIES ARE A LOT DIFFERENT NOW.

WE'RE BRINGING NEW VISITORS TO OUR COMMUNITY FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

>> THIS YEAR, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO MICHIGAN AND MICHIGAN STATE.

I THINK THOSE ARE GOING TO BE OUR BIGGER BIG TEN GAMES.

AND THEN ALSO IOWA IS HERE AGAIN THIS YEAR.

TWO YEARS AGO WAS MICHIGAN.

>> LAST YEAR WAS OHIO STATE.

THOSE ARE THE BIGGEST ONES.

COLORADO WAS OBVIOUSLY CRAZY.

>> OPPONENTS MATTER, BUT ANYTHING HUSKER FOOTBALL RINGS THE CASH REGISTER AND NO SPRING GAME LEFT THEM VERY QUIET IN APRIL.

>> THAT REALLY SOFT SPRING GAME.

YOU KNOW, HUSKER FANS TREAT A SPRING GAME JUST LIKE A HOME GAME.

SO THERE'S USUALLY TONS OF PEOPLE COMING IN ALL THE BARS, THE RESTAURANTS, THE HOTELS ARE USED TO ALL OF THAT BUSINESS EVERY YEAR.

AND JUST TO NOT HAVE THAT ON A SATURDAY IN THE SPRINGTIME, IT REALLY HURTS OUR SALES GOALS FOR THE YEAR.

>> SPRING GAME IS USUALLY THAT EIGHTH.

HOME GAME WHERE YOU KNOW THE STADIUM IS STILL THREE QUARTERS FULL MOST OF THE TIMES AND THEN MORE FAMILY ORIENTED, BUT.

>> THAT'S A SCHEDULE PLUS ONE.

THAT PLUS ONE IS A SPRING GAME.

IT GIVES PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY A CHANCE TO GO STATEWIDE TO A HUSKER FOOTBALL GAME.

IF THEY'RE NOT A SEASON TICKET HOLDER.

IT EXCITES OUR LOCAL RETAIL, OUR RESTAURANTS.

IT'S AGAIN ONE MORE HOME GAME EXPERIENCE WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO BRING BACK PEOPLE INTO THE HAYMARKET, ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY, TO STAFF ALL DIFFERENT OUTLETS IN THE TOURISM COMMUNITY.

>> AND AS MUCH AS THAT HURT, THE TRUE KEY TO MORE SPENDING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY IS IMPROVEMENT ON THE FIELD.

PEOPLE LIKE A WINNING TEAM.

AND I THINK THE THE IMPORTANT THING IS, IS WHEN WE'RE WINNING, PEOPLE ARE COMING IN AND SPENDING MORE MONEY IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE TALK ABOUT THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF BRINGING PEOPLE IN, COMING IN THURSDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHTS, TWO AND THREE NIGHT STAYS IN OUR HOTELS WHEN THE COMPETITION IS GOOD, WHEN PEOPLE HAVE A REALLY GOOD FEELING WE'RE GOING TO WIN, THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN THAT BUILDING NOW THE ENTIRE GAME.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GO HOME EARLY.

AND SO I THINK THAT KEEPS PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY A LOT LONGER.

PEOPLE COME IN ON WHAT WE CALL SHOULDER DAY.

IT'S THE DAY BEFORE AND STAY A DAY LATER.

I THINK WE'VE GOT AN AMAZING TOURISM BASE, LOTS OF GREAT THINGS TO DO IN THIS COMMUNITY AND WE ARE A VERY AFFORDABLE DESTINATION.

SO I'M READY TO KEEP THIS THING ROLLING AND KEEP THE EXCITEMENT.

THIS COMMUNITY FOR HUSKER ATHLETICS.

>> MEMORIAL STADIUM IS SHOWN TO BE A GREAT VENUE FOR MORE THAN FOOTBALL FOR CONCERTS, OUTDOOR VOLLEYBALL.

COULD THERE BE EVEN BIGGER EVENTS TO COME?

>> WE WANT TO DO THOSE THINGS HERE IN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA AND TROY DANNEN HAS BROUGHT ENERGY, ENTHUSIASM.

THE WHOLE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT IS INTERESTED IN DOING THINGS MORE THAN JUST WITHIN THAT FOOTBALL WINDOW.

AND I THINK VOLLEYBALL DAY IN NEBRASKA REALLY PROVE THE POINT THAT WE CAN DO THINGS THERE.

WE'VE HAD BIG CONCERTS IN RECENT YEARS, AND OF COURSE, FOR ME GROWING UP, I REMEMBER FARM AID YEARS AGO AT MEMORIAL STADIUM.

AND SO YOU'VE GOT AN AMAZING EVENT VENUE, BRINGS A LOT OF PEOPLE TO TOWN.

SO IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND START TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO INVITE MORE NON SPORTS EVENTS TO MEMORIAL STADIUM.

>> AND A BUD CRAWFORD FIGHT COULD BE THE BIGGEST EVENT OF ALL.

>> WE'VE JOKED FOR YEARS AND WE'VE TALKED TO LOCAL MEDIA THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE BUD CRAWFORD FIGHT AT MEMORIAL STADIUM, AND I THINK FROM A TOURISM STANDPOINT, WHAT I GET PAID TO DO EACH AND EVERY DAY WOULD BE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON THE OTHER END OF A PHONE CALL.

IF SOMEBODY CALLS AND SAID, BUD WANTS TO FIGHT IN LINCOLN, OF COURSE YOU WANT TO GET THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA INVOLVED, BUT JUST THINK ABOUT THE ENERGY.

THINK ABOUT THE ENERGY THAT WAS IN ALLEGIANT STADIUM WHEN HE FOUGHT OUT IN VEGAS.

JUST IMAGINE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DRESSED IN RED WITH GO BIG RED CHANTS AND, HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE FOR BUD CRAWFORD.

I THINK WE WOULD DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB WITH.

>> ALL RIGHT.

LAST WEEK'S TRIVIA 2016 HUSKER TEAM PLAYED TWO MORE RANKED TEAMS AFTER THEY BEAT OREGON.

LOST BOTH ON THE ROAD.

WHO WERE THOSE TWO TEAMS AND WHAT WERE THOSE TEAMS RANKED AT THE TIME?

THE ANSWER IS 11TH RANKED WISCONSIN.

WE ALL REMEMBER THIS OVERTIME 23-17 AND THEN SIXTH RANKED OHIO STATE, 62-3.

THIS WEEK'S WINNER IS STEVE GRANT FROM COUNCIL BLUFFS.

STEVE, OF COURSE, WINS THE BOOK BY SEAN CALLAHAN.

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD WIN IF YOU GET IT RIGHT.

JOHN CALLAHAN'S NEW BOOK ABOUT THE HUSKERS, THE PROGRAM NEBRASKA CURATED HISTORY OF THE CORNHUSKERS.

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

HERE IS THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION.

WHAT YEAR DID BIG TEN ADD MICHIGAN STATE, AND WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE CONFERENCE BEFORE THEY ADDED THE SPARTANS?

INTERESTING.

LET'S DO HUSKER HISTORY TAKES US BACK TO '95 AND '96 SEASONS, WHEN THE SPARTANS AND THE HUSKERS PLAYED A HOME AND HOME, AND IT WENT PRETTY WELL FOR NEBRASKA IN 1995 AT EAST LANSING.

THE HUSKERS TOPS SPARTANS 50-10.

YOU SEE LAWRENCE PHILLIPS RUNNING WILD, AND THE RETURN GAME WAS PITCH OUT AS WELL, 55-14 IN LINCOLN AND BOTH THOSE GAMES.

TODAY'S GUEST WAS A STUD LINEBACKER JAY FOREMAN JOINING US HERE ON THE SET.

JAY THINKING BACK TO THOSE TWO GAMES.

AND I KNOW I'VE HEARD JASON SAY BEFORE THAT AFTER THAT SABAN AND THOSE GUYS CAME DOWN TO WATCH HOW YOU GUYS PRACTICE.

BUT WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER FROM THOSE TEAMS.

>> OH MAN.

YOU KNOW NICK SABAN RECRUITED ME.

SO I REMEMBER THAT.

AND I REMEMBER MY DAD TELLING ME WOULDN'T BE THERE THAT LONG.

AND I THINK HE LEFT RIGHT AFTER THAT WAS RIGHT.

AND I PLAYED WITH SOME OF THOSE GUYS.

YOU KNOW, THEY HAD SOME REALLY GOOD TEAMS.

I MEAN, REALLY GOOD PLAYER.

THEY HAD CEDRIC IRVIN AND ALL THOSE GUYS.

AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK AFTER THAT GAME, I THINK IT REALLY CEMENTED, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE WERE GOING.

BUT THEY WERE BETTER THEN OBVIOUSLY THEN WHEN WE, WE BEAT THEM LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD FLOZELL ADAMS WHO WAS AT THAT POINT.

THE BIGGEST HUMAN I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.

YOU KNOW, THEY HAD SOME OTHER GUYS THAT COULD REALLY PLAY AS WELL.

>> YEAH.

JAY, LET'S DIVE INTO WHAT NEBRASKA NEEDS TO BETTER, DURING THE BYE WEEK AND OBVIOUSLY STOPPING THE RUN DEFENSIVELY.

YOU LOOK AT I'VE HAD A HARD TIME DECIPHERING HOW THEY'RE TRYING TO ATTACK THIS.

YES, NEBRASKA NEEDS TO GET BETTER PLAYING UP.

I GET ON BLOCKS TACKLING, BUT A LOT OF DEFENSES I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN PLAY THE RUN, THEY FORCE IT INSIDE OUT, MAKE IT BOUNCE.

RIGHT.

BUT SOMETIMES IT SEEMS TO ME YOU CAN YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

NEBRASKA SOMETIMES LIKES TO BOX IT AND KIND OF KEEP IT INSIDE.

DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BENEFIT THEM TO MAYBE PLAY MORE INSIDE OUT, OR IS IT A FACTOR OF GUYS JUST NEED TO HAVE BETTER TECHNIQUE IT OFF A BLOCK?

AND MAKE SOME TACKLES TOO.

>> WELL, I THINK I MEAN, YOU'RE RIGHT ON POINT THERE JAY.

I MEAN I PLAYED IN BOTH IN SOME.

SO WHEN YOU'VE DONE IT ONE WAY WHERE I IN COLLEGE WE KIND OF BOX IT IN AND CONDENSE THE FORMATION.

WHEN YOU GET TO THE NFL, YOU KNOW WHEN YOU PLAY THAT TAMPA TOO, YOU'RE SENDING EVERYTHING TO THE SIDELINE.

SO I THINK YOU CAN MAKE MIX BOTH.

I THINK THE BIGGEST THING ABOUT THE BYE WEEK IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT.

AND I THINK REALLY, YOU, THE BEST WAY TO GET OFF BLOCKS IS NUMBER ONE TO LINE UP, RIGHT?

RIGHT.

LINE UP WITH THE, YOU KNOW, CORRECT.

YOU KNOW, ALIGNMENT AND ASSIGNMENT TECHNIQUE.

AND THEN YOU PLAY WITH BETTER LEVERAGE THAT WILL SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS OR A MAJORITY OF THE PROBLEMS.

IT WASN'T SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS.

BUT THAT MEANS WHEN YOU LINE UP.

RIGHT?

I MEAN YOUR YOUR CONTROL THE COUNT BECAUSE THE OFFENSE IS COUNTING HOW MANY DEFENDERS ARE, WHERE THE PLAY IS GOING TO POTENTIALLY GO, IT WILL HAVE YOU WITH THE RIGHT LEVERAGE.

AND SO WHEN THEY DO HAVE A GOOD PLAY LIKE THE BIG RUNNING IS MICHIGAN THE FIRST ONE, RIGHT.

IF YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT BETTER ASSIGNMENT, BETTER PLAY ENTRY THAT CONDENSES THAT HOLE.

SO IT'S AN EASIER TACKLE FOR THE SECOND AND THIRD LEVEL.

SO YEAH, IT MIGHT BE A EIGHT YARD RUN.

YOU CAN KIND OF SOME YOU COULD OKAY.

WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT.

SOMEBODY'S GOT TO MAKE A PLAY.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY HITTING THEIR HEAD ON THE GOALPOST, YOU KNOW, IT WAS EITHER ALIGNMENT ASSIGNMENT, YOU COULDN'T CAN'T BE AGGRESSIVE IF YOU DON'T DO THE TWO THAT JUST PREVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, SO.

>> I'M CURIOUS, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW NEBRASKA ATTACKED THE BYE WEEK?

I KNOW MATT RHULE.

SO THEY WENT A LOT OF GOOD ON GOOD DANA HOLGORSEN SAID HE'S NEVER BEEN A PART OF A BYE WEEK LIKE THIS IN HIS CAREER IN TERMS OF JUST HOW MUCH THEY GOT AFTER IT.

>> YEAH, I MEAN, IF THEY GO GOOD ON GOOD.

THAT REMINDS ME BACK OF THE COACH OSBORNE.

IT YEAH I HATED THE BYE WEEK.

YOU KNOW NO OFFENSE BUT BECAUSE WE THAT'S ALL WE DID IS WENT GOOD ON GOOD.

SO I THINK THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GET NO ONE.

YOU GET THEIR ATTENTION RIGHT.

YOU KNOW YOU GOT A YOU KNOW YOU GOT A LONG SEASON AHEAD OF YOU.

YOU'RE 3-1 RIGHT NOW AND PROBABLY BEFORE THE SEASON.

EVERYBODY BE HAPPY WITH YOU KNOW, 3-1 OBVIOUSLY 4-0 IT WAS WHAT YOU WANT.

BUT THEN I THINK YOU CAN LEARN REALLY GOOD OR FASTER DOING IT WHEN I'M, WHEN YOU'RE SAYING, HEY, I NEED YOU TO PLAY A BETTER LEVERAGE AND HERE COMES ROCCO AGAINST THE DEFENSE ATTACK OR ME GOING UP AGAINST, JUSTIN EVANS OR LINEBACKERS.

JUSTIN EVANS IS GOOD ON GOOD.

AND SO THEREFORE, I THINK YOU CAN ACCELERATE THAT LEARNING PROCESS.

AND IT'S JUST A LITTLE THINGS AND AND THE THING IS, IS YEAH, YOU CAN TALK ABOUT SIZE AND ALL THAT.

BUT THE BEST DEFENSE TO PLAY BIG THEY COMMUNICATE AND THEY PLAY WITH EXCELLENT FUNDAMENTALS AND LEVERAGE AND HANDS.

AND YOU KNOW THAT JAY AND I MEAN GETTING OFF BLOCKS IS GENERALLY YOU GOT TO LINE UP RIGHT.

AND YOU GOT TO WANT TO GET OFF BLOCKS.

BUT IF YOU DON'T LINE UP RIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO GET ENGULFED BECAUSE THE LINEMEN ARE JUST TOO BIG, RIGHT NOW TO TRY TO GET INTO A WRESTLING MATCH.

>> MOST IMPORTANT THING THIS WEEK AGAINST MICHIGAN STATE IS FINISHING YOUR TACKLES.

MARSHALL, THE WIDE RECEIVER BREAKS A BUNCH OF TACKLES.

QUARTERBACK IS SNEAKY, STRONG AND BOTH THEIR RUNNING BACKS ARE OVER 225 POUNDS.

CAN'T GET THE LEAK YARDAGE THIS WEEK, RIGHT?

>> YEAH, THERE'S THERE'S SOMETHING THAT, OLD VIC FANGIO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO SAY HE'S, HE'S ALWAYS WE WE KEEP A STAT OF KNOCK BACKS, KNOCK THEM BACK.

SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOU WANT 3 OR 4 GUYS THERE EVERY SINGLE TIME, AND YOU WANT TO KNOCK THESE GUYS BACK, RIGHT?

WHAT I DO IS TAKE THE CONFIDENCE AWAY FROM THEM TO TRY TO BREAK OTHER TACKLES, BUT THEN START TO WEAR THEM DOWN.

YOU BECOME A GOOD DEFENSE AND CREATE TURNOVERS.

MORE HATS TO THE BALL.

>> OH YEAH.

>> AND YOU KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE STATS BECAUSE EVERYBODY GET THE STATS.

YOU GET MORE HATS THE BALL.

THE RUNNING BACKS WILL START TO LOOK FOR THE CONTACT VERSUS AVOIDING IT.

YEAH.

AND THEN ALSO WITH A QUARTERBACK LIKE THAT I'M A BIG BELIEVER I'M I DON'T WANT TO GET ANYBODY INJURED.

BUT A GUY LIKES TO RUN.

YOU GOTTA CHOP HIM DOWN BECAUSE ONCE YOU START HITTING HIM IN THE LEGS WITH A TOM BRADY, YOU NEVER LIKED ANYBODY.

TWO LEGS YOU GOT RUN TO CHOP THEM DOWN ONE TIME.

HE THINKS, NOT ONLY TWICE, BUT THREE TIMES ABOUT RUNNING.

>> LET'S STEP ASIDE.

I WANT TO YOU KNOW, NEBRASKA IS THROWING THE BALL A TON THIS YEAR.

YOU GOT TO UTILIZE DYLAN'S ARMS AND HIS CAPABILITIES, A LOT OF STRENGTH AT THAT WIDE RECEIVER TIGHT END POSITION.

BUT I'VE TALKED NEBRASKA HAS OBVIOUSLY STRUGGLED RUN THE FOOTBALL.

BUT IT'S TOUGH WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING ESSENTIALLY 10/11, TEN ON 11 FOOTBALL WITH DYLAN NOT BEING ABLE NOT A THREAT IN THE RUN GAME.

PUT YOURSELF IN A PLACE IN NEBRASKA'S OFFENSE AND KNOWING THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A MOBILE QUARTERBACK AND JUST YOUR ABILITY TO GET DOWNHILL AND YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANY INSIDE OUTSIDE ZONE KEEPERS WITH A QB AND YOU'RE JUST YOU'RE JUST YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ THAT MESH POINT AND YOU SHOULD GET DOWN HILL AND GO MAKE A PLAY ON THAT RUNNING BACK.

>> I MEAN, THAT'S THE YOU KNOW, THE FUNNY IS, IS, YOU KNOW, DYLAN IS THE FIRST POCKET QUARTERBACK WE I'VE HAD SINCE.

>> ZACH TAYLOR >> ZACH TAYLOR RIGHT.

YEAH I WAS GOING TO SAY VINCE FERRAGAMO.

I KNOW ZACH WAS DEFINITELY A POCKET QUARTERBACK.

>> EXACTLY.

>> YEAH EXACTLY.

THEN EVERYBODY SINCE WE FACE A MOBILE QUARTERBACK, WE NEED ONE AND DYLAN.

AND ONE THING I THINK THAT WOULD MADE TOM BRADY AND I WOULD SAY DAN MARINO IS THE BEST QUARTERBACK THAT I EVER PLAYED AGAINST, WAS HIS POCKET PRESENCE AND ABILITY TO AVOID IT.

AND THEN HE WOULD GET THOSE SNEAKY FIRST, SO FIRST DOWNS, THOSE QUARTERBACKS ARE MORE DANGEROUS TO ME THAN THE ONES THAT RUN AROUND ALL THE TIME.

AND I THINK WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO WITH NEBRASKA'S OFFENSE IS NO DIFFERENT THAN DEFENSE IS LEVERAGE, RIGHT?

IS PAD LEVEL.

IT'S GOING THERE WITH THE INTENTION IN THE, I GUESS, FEROCIOUSNESS OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO SAY TO BLOCK SOMEBODY.

SO THAT'S THAT WILL GET YOU MORE PUSH.

AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE WE NEED TO HIT THE HOLES AND STUFF.

SO THEN IT ALLOWED DYLAN TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHEN HE RUNS.

RIGHT.

SO YOU GET OUT THERE AND SO SAY YOU NEED A THIRD AND FOUR, RUN IT, EXTEND IT.

THEN YOU GET TO KIND OF BE ON SCHEDULE VERSUS BEING, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ALWAYS PLAYING DEFENSE AGAINST THAT MICHIGAN DEFENSE THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY BLITZING AND, YOU KNOW, RUN A LOT OF LINE STUNTS.

>> AND SPEAKING OF DYLAN, PROTECTING DYLAN IS A BIG PART OF IT, TOO.

YOU A SACK SEVEN TIMES, HURRIED A BUNCH AGAINST MICHIGAN.

WE MIGHT SEE SOME CHANGES ON THE O-LINE.

A LOT OF CHATTER ABOUT ELIJAH PRITCHETT.

I MEAN, WHAT'S YOUR FEEL FOR PRITCHETT?

HOW FAR AWAY IS HE?

AND WHAT TYPE OF CEILING DOES HE HAVE IF HE PLAYS AT THE POTENTIAL?

>> OH, I MEAN, HE'S GOT THAT I MEAN, POTENTIAL IS THERE I MEAN, YOU JUST LOOK AT THE DUDE.

I MEAN, HE'S PUT TOGETHER, HE'S GOT QUICKS, YOU GOT STRENGTH.

YOU KNOW, GO TO ALABAMA AND START I THINK AS A TRUE FRESHMAN FOR TWO YEARS.

RIGHT.

HE STARTED FOR TWO YEARS IN A ROW.

AND YOU KNOW YOU'RE PLAYING AGAINST THE BEST OF THE BEST AND YOU'RE COMING INTO ANOTHER LEAGUE TO PLAY IN THE BEST, IN THE BEST.

SO NOW I THINK FOR HIM AS JUST GOING OUT THERE AND DOING IT AND YOU KNOW, IF HE REALLY LIVES, IF HE REALLY JUST PLAYS THAT, HOPEFULLY HE HAS A HIGHER STANDARD THAN ANYBODY ELSE, THEN YOU'LL SEE AN UPTICK IN THE RUN GAME AND THEN THE PASS PROTECTION.

AND I THINK THE BEST PASS PROTECTION GENERALLY IS A BETTER RUNNING GAME.

YOU CAN FIX THAT BY IMPROVING YOUR TECHNIQUE.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE PIPELINE TO COME IN.

IT'S NOT THE NFL WHERE YOU CAN MAKE A COUPLE OF TRADES.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO I THINK THE GUYS ARE SAYING AS LONG AS THEY PLAY BETTER, THAT WILL ALLOW DYLAN TO PLAY BETTER AND THEN THEY'LL BE ABLE TO PASS PROTECT BETTER.

WHEN YOU AREN'T MOVING GUYS OFF THE LINE AND YOU IN, THEY FORCE YOU TO PASS.

AND ANYBODY KNOWS THAT.

WINK MARTINDALE THAT'S WHAT HE WANTS TO DO.

THEY'RE ABLE TO KIND OF RUN THE SAME LINE STUNTS WITH A VARIETY OF PERSONNEL, YOU KNOW, PACKAGES AND REALLY CAN CONFUSE YOU.

AND THAT'S WHAT REALLY HAPPENED AGAINST MICHIGAN IS THEY DIDN'T GET OFF TO A GOOD START, EFFICIENT IN THE RUN GAME AND THEN PUT YOU BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL.

>> MY BIG CONCERN IS NEBRASKA AGAIN THIS YEAR HAS HAD SUCCESSFUL DRIVES.

THERE'RE 120TH IN THE COUNTRY.

ONCE THEY GET TO THE 20 THOUGH, HOW DO THEY SCORE FROM THE LOW RED ZONE?

I PERSONALLY LIKE TO SEE SOME CONDENSED, SET SOME BUNCHES AND RUN SOME PICKS BECAUSE THEY DON'T CALL IT ON YOU.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE NEBRASKA DO?

>> YOU KNOW, WE USED TO CALL THEM MESH ROUTES, YOU KNOW, OR YOU KNOW, GET BARNEY, YOU KNOW, ISOLATE AGAINST THE JAY FOREMAN.

WE USED TO CALL IT A NIF OR FIN ROUTE OR ESSENTIALLY OPTION ROUTE.

YOU KNOW, >> WE'RE RIGHT ON YOU.

>> RIGHT?

YEAH.

YEAH.

WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.

YOU KNOW, THEY GOT 85 NAMES.

>> YES THEY DO, EVERYTHING.

>> AND THEY RUN THE SAME PLAYS, BY THE WAY, FOR EVERYBODY.

YOU WANT TO SEE SOME OF THAT.

BUT THEN ALSO I THINK YOU KNOW, THE ONE THING THAT I REMEMBER COACH OSBORNE, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, VIC FANGIO USED TO TALK ABOUT THE COORDINATORS WHEN YOU GET DOWN AND WE CALL IT THE MONEY ZONE.

YOU KNOW, EVERY COORDINATOR CALLS IT SOME DIFFERENT.

YOU THINK PLAYERS NOT PLAYS.

SO THIS IS WHERE YOUR BIG TIME PLAYERS WHERE THERE'S DANE KEY YOU KNOW HUNTER EVEN EMMETT YOU GOT TO START MAKING PLAYS.

YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY.

YOU GOT TO GO GET IT.

AND SO I THINK THAT'LL UPTICK THE EFFICIENCY OF AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE PERSONNEL THEY HAVE, YOU CAN RUN SOME MESH ROUTES, MAPS, OPTION ROUTES.

AND OBVIOUSLY PICK ROUTES THAT THEY NEVER CALL AGAINST.

DEFENSE.

>> EXACTLY.

AND THEY MADE THOSE CATCHES AGAINST CINCINNATI.

WENT UP ONE ON ONE AND MADE THOSE CATCHES.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE REST OF THE BIG TEN.

AND KIND OF JUST CHAT ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.

LOOKING AROUND WHAT THEY'VE DONE.

OBVIOUSLY TOUGH GAME FOR INDIANA.

ANY TIME YOU GO TO IOWA IT'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH GAME.

THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE IT A SLOG 20-15.

AND AFTER THAT SAFETY TO HELP THE SIX AND A HALF COVER.

I'D APPRECIATED THAT.

HAPPY VALLEY JAMES FRANKLIN OF COURSE LOST AGAIN TO A TOP TEN TEAM.

AND OREGON, EVEN WITH THE NITTANY LIONS LOSS, INDIANA'S CLOSE WIN, THE BIG TEN STILL HAS FOUR TEAMS IN THE TOP TEN OF THE AP POLL.

THIS IS CRAZY TO THINK ABOUT.

YOU'VE GOT, OF COURSE, OHIO STATE AT THE VERY TOP.

OREGON MOVES TO NUMBER TWO, PENN STATE AT SEVEN AND INDIANA AT EIGHT.

MICHIGAN MOVES TO 20.

ILLINOIS AT 22.

LET'S LOOK AT WHAT'S COMING UP FOR THE HUSKERS AFTER THE BYE WEEK.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO SAY TO YOURSELF, JAY, YOU LOOK AT THESE FOUR GAMES WHICH INVOLVED THAT WEIRD ROAD TRIP, WE GOT TO GO TO MARYLAND FRIDAY TO MINNESOTA, 4-0, 3-0, 2-2.

WHAT'S YOUR FEEL?

>> WELL, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I NEVER PLAYED A GAME THAT I THINK I WAS GOING TO WIN.

SO, FOR ME.

SO I'M THE WRONG PERSON TO ANSWER.

BUT I THINK, AGAIN, 3-1, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE.

>> AT A MINIMUM, >> THE MINIMUM.

THAT'D BE.

IT'D BE GREAT.

YOU SAID THE GUY WAS THE BOWL ELIGIBILITY AND THEN, YOU TRY TO REALLY MAKE SOME NOISE, YOU KNOW, GOING DOWN THE STRETCH AND, IT'S DEFINITELY ATTAINABLE TO BE 4-0, OH, BUT YOU CAN'T GET THE 3-1 OR 4-0 WITHOUT THAT BIG WIN IN THE FIRST GAME.

>> LETS TALK MORE ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE AND WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THEM.

I SAID EARLIER, THEY BREAK A LOT OF TACKLES.

OFFENSE LOOKS GOOD.

THAT PASS DEFENSE IS REALLY BAD.

>> YEAH AND THEY DO.

THEY DO LIKE A FEAST OR FAMINE.

I ACTUALLY WAS UP FOR WHATEVER REASON WATCHING IT WHEN THEY PLAYED USC.

>> OH YEAH.

>> SO IT'S A IT'S A DEFENSE THAT'S HIGH RISK HIGH REWARD.

SO IF THEY ARE HOT THAT DAY AS A COORDINATOR, YOU KNOW, THIS JAY, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF TACKLES FOR LOSS.

AND THEN THE PASSING YARDS WILL BE DOWN.

BUT I THINK THERE'S PLENTY TO GET, YOU KNOW, AGAINST THAT DEFENSE.

BUT YOU ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU JUST WANT TO PLAY YOUR GAME AND YOU GO PLAY YOUR GAME.

AND IF IT STARTS OUT A LITTLE TOUGH, THEN EVENTUALLY IT OPEN UP.

YOU JUST GOT TO BE PATIENT.

>> SPEAKING OF ATTACKING THAT DEFENSE AND NEBRASKA'S RUN GAME, TRYING TO GET IT GOING, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU LIKE TO SEE KIND OF TAKE OVER THAT SECOND RUNNING BACK SPOT NOW BEHIND EMMETT.

BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW HE CAN'T CONTINUE THIS LOAD GOING FORWARD IN THE BIG TEN PLAY.

>> WELL I THINK, YOU KNOW, MEKHI IS PROBABLY THE GUY WHERE HE'S EXPLOSIVE.

I MEAN HE CAN REALLY PICK THEM UP AND PUT HIM DOWN.

SO THAT'S THE EASY, YOU KNOW, ANSWER.

BUT I LIKE MOZEE.

YOU KNOW, FOR A YOUNG FRESHMAN, A GUY JUST WAS JUST RECEIVER IN THE SPRING.

>> YEAH.

>> HE'S TOUGH TOO.

SO I'D SAY MEKHI AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, YOU'D LIKE TO SEE IVES BE ABLE TO COME IN THERE AND BE KIND OF LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, THUNDER AND LIGHTNING AND REGGIE BUSH AND LENDALE WHITE WHERE HE COULD BE THE PLUGGER.

RIGHT.

AND HE CAN MAKE GUYS MISS AND HE CAN CATCH OUT OF THE BACKFIELD.

BUT I LOOK FOR I MEAN, I'M ASSUMING MEKHI WHO WOULD BE THE GUY.

AND YOU KIND OF BEEN WAITING.

YOU BEEN HERE?

HE'S ALMOST LIKE, LUKE REIMER.

REMEMBER WHAT THEY'RE LIKE?

>> OH, YEAH.

>> HE HAS A RED SHIRT, AND EVERYBODY'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

IT'S LIKE YOU'RE WAITING FOR HIM TO PLAY.

WELL.

MEKHI, IT'S TIME TO START PLAYING.

IT IS NEVER, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITY IS HERE AND YOU GOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

>> YOU'VE HAD MORE TIME NOW AROUND DANA HOLGORSEN JUST FROM YOUR VIEW.

WHAT IS HE BROUGHT IN TERMS OF JUST TAKING IT OFF THE PLATE IN MATT RHULE?

HAVING A GUY LIKE THAT RUNNING THIS OFF?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I LIKE THE RHYTHM THAT HE, YOU KNOW, I'M A BIG RHYTHM GUY.

YOU KNOW, JUST TO SEE HOW THEY CAN KIND OF PUT PLAYS TOGETHER.

HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING.

HE KNOW HE HAS A HIGH EXPECTATION AND STANDARD OF WHAT HE WANTS FROM THE, OFFENSIVE SIDE OF THE BALL.

THE ONE THING I LIKE ABOUT HIM, BEFORE I EVEN GOT HERE, IS THAT HE WAS ABLE TO TO SCORE POINTS AND CREATE CONSISTENT OFFENSE WITH DIFFERENT PLAYERS AT WEST VIRGINIA AND HOUSTON.

SO HE'S A EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMMISSIONER.

DON'T MATTER 6'4" OR 5'4".

HE'LL GET YOU THE BALL IF YOU CAN PLAY.

SO THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S A BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR GUYS.

AND SO I LIKED HIS ABILITY TO PLAY CALL OR YOU KNOW, PLAY CALL SOME PLAYS.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S A BAD PLAY CALL AND EXECUTE IT RIGHT.

IT ENDS UP BEING A GOOD PLAY CALL.

SO THAT'S WHERE I'M A BIG ON THE PLAYERS, YOU KNOW.

BECAUSE I THINK THEY CONTROL THE DESTINY THE COACHES ONLY GET TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A BLUEPRINT.

>> IN TERMS OF MICHIGAN STATE.

I THINK THEY'RE LIKE 126 IN THE COUNTRY IN HAVOC.

THEY DON'T ACTUALLY GET TO THE QUARTERBACK.

THEY DON'T GET TACKLES FOR LOSS.

IF YOU SEE DYLAN HAVING A PRETTY BIG GAME AGAINST THIS TEAM?

>> HE CAN, YEAH.

AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU NEED TO GET OFF EARLY ON THE ON THE GROUND GAME.

AND THE GROUND GAME DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE >> THE USC DID THAT.

>> RIGHT.

IT COULD BE I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF YOU BLOCK WELL ON THE PERIMETER, YOU COULD RUN YOUR PERIMETER GAME AND OPEN UP YOUR CONVENTIONAL RUN GAME.

THEN YOU CAN TAKE SOME SHOTS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU NEED TO PLAY PITCH AND CATCH EARLY AGAINST THIS TEAM RIGHT NOW.

MICHIGAN STATE'S COMING OFF A BYE WEEK COMING OFF A LOSS.

>> YEP.

>> THEY'RE WAITING FOR YOU TO BEAT THEM YOU KNOW.

AND SO ONCE YOU KIND OF YOU KNOW KEEP THE GAME CLOSE THEY'LL ACTUALLY START TO TAP OUT AND QUIT.

EVEN THOUGH I GOT A LOT OF RESPECT FOR COACH SMITH, I JUST THINK THEY'RE JUST A YOU KNOW, THERE IS LIKE A GOING DOWN THERE IN FLORIDA BASS FISHING.

THEY'RE READY TO ME CALL.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN SEAN.

>> WE HAD A SURVEY QUESTION EARLIER FOR THIS WEEK.

AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT TIER NEBRASKA FALLS IN.

JAY YOUR THOUGHTS LIKE THE FIRST TIERS ONE THROUGH THREE.

AND THEN FOURTH THROUGH EIGHT IS SECOND.

AND OF COURSE GO FROM THIRD TO FOURTH.

WHERE DO YOU WHERE DO YOU AND THE VIEWERS RIGHT NOW ARE SAYING TIER TWO FOUR THROUGH EIGHT?

IS THAT KIND OF WHAT YOU SEE IN NEBRASKA?

>> YEAH, FOUR THROUGH EIGHT.

YEAH.

YOU BETTER BE FOUR THROUGH EIGHT.

YOU KNOW.

THAT'S NOT IT.

PLAY IT.

YEAH.

FOUR THROUGH EIGHT IS RIGHT WHERE THEY'RE AT.

NOW THEY CAN PLAY THEIR WAY FROM LIKE THE LOWER HALF OF THAT TIER TWO TO THE TOP TIER TWO BY THIS NEXT FOUR GAMES.

AND IT'S A HUGE PART OF THE SEASON.

YOU KNOW I THINK THIS NEXT FOUR GAMES TO BE HONEST WITH YOU IS NOT ONLY HUGE FOR 2025, BUT FOR '26 AND '27 BECAUSE YOU'RE ABLE TO KIND OF PLAY MORE FREE YEAR DOWN THE STRETCH.

IF YOU HANDLE YOUR BUSINESS RIGHT NOW AND YOU GET TO MAKE A LOT OF NATIONAL NOISE, AND OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU DO THAT, THEN YOUR JOB GETS A LOT HARDER, RIGHT?

>> I MEAN, THIS MONTH THOUGH, IN GENERAL, JAY, HOW BIG IS THIS MONTH, THESE FOUR GAMES IN A ROW WHERE THEY'RE ALL KIND OF SWING GAMES.

BUT NEBRASKA, AT LEAST IN TERMS OF THE METRICS.

>> THEY'RE GOING TO BE FAVORITE.

>> FAVORITE IN ALL FOUR.

BUT WE AS WE KNOW IT DOESN'T ALWAYS PLAY OUT THAT WAY.

>> YEAH, IT'S THE BIG TEN.

I MEAN THERE'S LIKE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PARITY IS HERE.

AND BUT I THINK IT RIGHT NOW FOR THE SCHEDULE TO SET UP WHEN YOU PLAY THEM.

I KNOW THE MARYLAND AND MINNESOTA GAME IS A LITTLE TRICKY, BUT I THINK YOU HAVE THE BYE WEEK RIGHT NOW TO PREPARE FOR THAT.

AND IF YOU COULD REALLY, YOU KNOW, TAKE A BIG STEP FORWARD AGAINST MICHIGAN STATE.

AND THEY REALLY HYPERFOCUS.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE AN NFL BYE WEEK OR THURSDAY NIGHT GAME.

AND YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A, YOU KNOW, SUNDAY GAME.

YOU CAN GO OVER THAT YOU KNOW TWO FOR ONE.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY PUT ALL THE, YOU KNOW EGGS IN THE BASKET AGAINST NORTHWESTERN.

THEN YOU'RE LIKE, OKAY, ALL THE HARD WORK IS WORTH IT, YOU KNOW.

THEN YOU LOOK BACK AT THE MISSION GAME AND CAN SAY, OKAY, WE MADE SOME IMPROVEMENTS THERE.

THEN YOU CAN REALLY START TO, YOU KNOW, DO THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE THE SEASON.

>> SEAN, THE QUESTION KIND OF GOES TOWARDS YOU AND I, I THINK THE CALL IS A LITTLE OFF.

BUT HE SAYS IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY OTHER BIG TEN SCHOOL HAS THE MONEY TO BUY ANY PLAYER NEBRASKA SEEMS TO BE STRUGGLING TO PAY PLAYERS.

IS THAT ONE NEBRASKA?

IS NEBRASKA STRUGGLING TO OUTBID TEAMS OR ANOTHER?

I THINK IT'S ALL ABOUT MARTY BROWN.

>> YEAH, IT'S WHAT EVERYBODY THINKS.

THEY'RE PAYING PLAYERS.

I MEAN, DASAN MCCULLOUGH, DANE KEY, DYLAN RAIOLA, ELIJAH PRITCHETT ROCCO SPINDLER.

I MEAN, THEY WENT OUT AND GOT, I WOULD SAY 8 OR 10 LEGIT FREE AGENCY TYPE PIECES.

YOU CAN'T GET 20 OR 30.

I MEAN THAT'S JUST HOW THE MONEY WORKS.

BUT THEY UP THERE YEAR OVER YEAR ROSTER MONEY CONSIDERABLY.

I MEAN AS MUCH AS WE'VE EVER SEEN.

AND IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE.

I THINK WHAT WE DON'T KNOW IS WITH THIS REV SHARE AND WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE A SALARY CAP, HOW MUCH MORE WAYS ARE TEAMS GOING TO GET MONEY OUTSIDE OF THE REV SHARE AND BE ABLE TO CREATE OTHER NIL OPPORTUNITIES?

AND YOU KNOW, AT ONE POINT, MATT RHULE THOUGHT THE REV SHARE WOULD EQUAL THINGS OUT WITHIN, YOU KNOW, ABOUT A MONTH LATER, HE SAID TEAMS ARE STILL PAY PEOPLE, SO IT'S REALLY HARD TO KNOW, LIKE HOW WILL THE ORGANS IN THE OHIO STATE GET AROUND, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE ALREADY PAYING THEIR ROSTERS 20, 30, $40 MILLION AND THE REV SHARE CAP IS 13, 14 PER FOOTBALL TEAM.

THE NUMBERS DON'T ADD UP.

JAY THIS IS SOMETHING YOU TALKED ABOUT A BIT EARLIER, BUT MAILMAN TODD ASKED, DO YOU THINK THEY'LL GO MORE WITH THE FOUR DOWN LINEMEN AS WE GO FORWARD ESPECIALLY GET A TEAM LIKE MICHIGAN STATE?

>> YEAH.

WELL, YOU SAW SOME BEAR FRONT AGAINST MICHIGAN.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE OLD, THAT'S OLD BUDDY RYAN 46 DEEP.

>> LINING UP.

HEAD UP WITH THE.

>> YEAH AND SO YOU KNOW THE ABILITY TO ADJUST I THINK SAYS COACH BUTLER'S PLAYED EVERY DEFENSE AND, AND YOU MIGHT SEE SOME FOUR MAN FRONTS AND THEY PLAY A LOT OF FOUR MAN WHEN YOU PLAYED NICKEL ANYWAYS, I'VE PLAYED IN DEFENSES WHERE WE'RE 3 OR 4 PERSONNEL.

WE PLAYED FOUR MAN, YOU KNOW, FRONTS.

AND SO REALLY IT'S GOING TO I THINK THE MORE YOU CAN DO IS A PLUS.

BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS YOU HAVE TO EXECUTE.

THE EXECUTION LEVEL COMES UP.

YOU CAN PLAY WITH TWO MEN, TWO GUYS OUT THERE.

HEY, I'VE SEEN IN THE NFL GAME THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES HAVE OH FANGIO.

I WAS PART OF THE TIME WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE A DEFENSIVE LINEMAN IN THERE, AND WE ALL WERE JUST RUNNING AROUND.

>> THE AMOEBA YEAH.

THAT AMOEBA THE JETS TO RUN UNDER IT.

>> YEAH, YEAH.

SO YOU CAN DO ANYTHING AS LONG AS YOU, EXECUTE IT.

SO I THINK YOU MIGHT SEE SOME MORE FOUR MAN FRONTS.

I THINK THEY'RE POTENTIALLY GETTING HEALTHIER, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN THAT WITH, WITH THE GABE MOORE AND THOSE GUYS.

RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, FROM MISSISSIPPI STATE.

>> GABE MOORE HAS BEEN BACK IN THERE.

>> SO YOU'RE ABLE TO KIND OF MAYBE MIX IN SOME DIFFERENT TYPE OF, YOU KNOW, FRONT.

>> I THINK THIS ONE HAS TO GO TO YOU, JAY, BECAUSE WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON BEER BEING SOLD AND MORE STADIUM THIS YEAR.

HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE A $12 BEER?

>> NO, I HAVEN'T YET, I HAVEN'T GONE TO A GAME.

>> HE'S TO CHEAP.

>> NO, THAT'S NOT TRUE.

>> I JUST BOUGHT STUFF FROM YOU.

>> LISTEN, I HAVEN'T BEEN TO A GAME YET, THIS YEAR.

MIGHT GO TO.

THERE'S A CHANCE I'M AT THIS ONE ON, SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

I THINK IT'S GREAT.

IT'S REVENUE FOR THE UNIVERSITY.

IT'S FOR.

I MEAN, EVERYWHERE YOU GO.

>> YEAH.

>> YEAH, IT'S BEEN AT THE BASKETBALL.

YOU KNOW, THE FACILITY AT PBA.

>> HAYMARKET PARK.

>> HAYMARKET.

RIGHT.

EVERETT.

SO I'M A FAN OF IT.

>> YEAH.

>> WHO DOESN'T WANT A COLD BEER WATCHING FOOTBALL, MAN?

THAT'S AMERICAN.

>> RIGHT.

NEBRASKA WAS THE LAST VENUE IN THE BIG TEN TO HAVE BEER SALES.

SO.

>> YEAH.

IT WAS ABOUT THAT TIME.

>> THIS IS NOT LIKE SOME NOVELTY THAT'S NEW TO LINCOLN.

WE'RE THE LAST ONES.

>> I REMEMBER GOING TO TEXAS GAME AND THEY HAD WINE.

RED AND WHITE WINE.

THIS ONE GOES TO JAY AND IT'S UNFAIR A QUESTION BY ADAM ON FACEBOOK.

HE GOES, I DON'T THINK NEBRASKA FOOTBALL WILL EVER BE AS DOMINANT AS THEY WERE IN THE 90S, BECAUSE COLLEGE FOOTBALL BACK THEN IS DIFFERENT THAN NOW.

IS THAT TRUE?

YOU THINK?

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY HARDER.

I THINK THE DOMINANCE OF JUST WHAT YOU SAW IN THE 90S WAS A BYPRODUCT FROM THE 70S, YOU KNOW.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

I MEAN, IT WAS MORE THAN JUST THE 90S.

IT WAS DOMINANT IN THE 70S.

>> GOOD IN THE 80S.

>> EARLY 2000.

SO I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE LITTLE PODS OF DOMINANCE GEORGIA YOU KNOW CLEMSON THAT TYPE OF RUN.

AND THEN YOU HAVE THE RESET.

AND SO NEBRASKA TRYING TO WORK THEIR WAY TO YOU KNOW GET THE FIRST STEP.

THAT'S WHY I THINK THESE NEXT FOUR GAMES ARE HUGE.

YOU KNOW IF YOU COULD SOMEHOW GO 4-0 BE 7-1, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE THAT YOU PUT ON OTHER TEAMS AND THE AMOUNT OF, YOU KNOW, ATTENTION YOU GET COULD SET YOU UP TO IN RECRUITING TO GET SOME, YOU KNOW, PRETTY BIG NAME PLAYERS.

I ASSUME.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY TALK ABOUT THE 90S BECAUSE THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, NEBRASKA WON MORE GAMES IN THE 1980S IN EITHER TEAM IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL.

SO WE DON'T TALK ENOUGH ABOUT THE 80S.

I THINK, SEAN, IN TERMS OF RECRUITING, DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE USC WEEKEND'S GOING TO BE A PRETTY BIG WEEK?

>> YEAH, THE USC WEEKEND WILL BE BIGGER THAN WHAT WE SAW FOR THE MICHIGAN WEEKEND.

THIS WEEKEND THERE'S 15 OR 20 HIGHER PROFILE VISITORS COMING ON CAMPUS.

WE'RE HEARING MAYBE 50.

>> WOW.

>> IF USC IS A NIGHT GAME, WHICH I THINK THAT'S THE PROJECTION RIGHT NOW.

>> THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE HOPING.

>> THAT WOULD BE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST WEEKENDS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN TERMS OF 2027 TALENT AND ALL YOUR '26 COMMITS, AND YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME NEW '26 TARGETS THAT YOU WANT TO BRING IN.

YOU KNOW, NEBRASKA IS PROBABLY HOLDING A FEW SPOTS FOR THAT '26 CLASS, BANKING ON THE SEASON KIND OF PLAYING OUT IN THEIR FAVOR HERE DOWN THE STRETCH.

>> I'M GOING TO GO TO EACH THREE OF YOU GUYS A LITTLE BIT QUICK.

WHAT?

AND THIS IS FROM DAN ON FACEBOOK.

WHAT'S THE THING YOU WANT TO SEE NEBRASKA PROGRESS MAKE THE MOST PROGRESS IN COMING OFF THE BYE WEEK?

>> IT'S RUNNING.

STOP THE RUN.

RUN THE BALL ON EACH SIDE.

THAT'S MY 1A, 1B.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A BETTER PASS RUSH UP FRONT JUST WITH THE FRONT FOUR MORE CONSISTENCY.

GETTING THE QUARTERBACKS I KNOW IT'S HARD THOUGH, WHEN YOU PLAY THESE MOBILE QUARTERBACKS, YOU'RE JUST NOT GOING TO GET A LOT OF SACKS.

>> YEAH I BEFORE I GO TO JAY IS JAY DOING A BURNING QUESTION.

CAN YOU TELL ME OKAY COOL.

WHAT DO YOU THINK.

WHAT DO YOU WANT MOST.

PROGRESS YOU WANT TO SEE COMING OUT OF THEM.

>> I WANNA SEE TACKLES FOR LOSS.

>> THERE YOU GO.

>> YEAH I WANT TO SEE MORE TACKLES FOR LOSS.

I WANT TO SEE BY MULTIPLE GUYS WHERE YOU'RE THE BIGGEST QUESTION IS WHO GOT THE TACKLE I WANT TO SEE THAT.

>> YEAH SITTING AT 12TH RIGHT NOW IN THE BIG TEN.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT BURNING QUESTION IS.

YOU THROW OUT A QUESTION, LOOK AT THE CAMERA AND TELL US WHAT YOU'RE BURNING QUESTIONS FOR THIS WEEK.

>> THROW IT AT YOU.

>> HOW MANY TACKLES ARE THE LINEBACKERS GOING TO HAVE TOTAL.

THAT'S IT.

THAT'S MY BURNING QUESTION.

IT BETTER BE OVER 20.

>> THERE YOU GO, SEAN.

>> MY BURNING QUESTION IS, CAN NEBRASKA'S OFFENSE HAVE THE BALANCE IT NEEDS TO WIN HERE IN THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE, ESPECIALLY IN THE MONTHS OF OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER.

>> DYLAN RAIOLA GETTING OFF TO A FAST START.

MICHIGAN STATE'S NOT GOOD DEFENDING THE PASS.

GET OFF TO A QUICK START AND THAT OPENS UP THE RUN GAME.

HOPEFULLY FOR THE OFFENSE.

>> MY BURNING QUESTION STAYS THE SAME EVERY WEEK.

CAN NEBRASKA SCORE IN THE LOW RED ZONE?

TOO MANY TIMES.

THEY'RE NOT GETTING TOUCHDOWNS, NOT EVEN GETTING FIELD GOALS FOR THREE OF THOSE DRIVES FOR OUR PICKS.

HOW THE SEASON WILL GO.

WE'LL CHECK THE PREDICTION AND FACEBOOK AND X, ON BIG RED WRAP-UP'S WEB PAGE.

ALSO, REMINDER NEXT WEEK'S GAME ON TV, OF COURSE, WILL BE ANOTHER AFTERNOON START AGAINST MICHIGAN STATE.

IT'S SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4TH AT 3 P.M.

CENTRAL ON FS1, AND THEN NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT HERE ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

WE'LL RECAP THE MICHIGAN STATE GAME AND WELCOME IN OUR SPECIAL GUEST, STEPHEN M SIMPLE ON BIG RED WRAP-UP AT 7 P.M.

ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

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

AND IF YOU HAVE ANY FOND MEMORIES OF BIG HIGH SCHOOL GAMES, HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES IS BACK FOR A NEW SEASON AND NEW EPISODES DROP EACH AND EVERY WEDNESDAY.

OUR THANKS TO JAY FOREMAN AND FOR JAY MOORE, SEAN CALLAHAN I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.

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

(BAND MUSIC)