♪ >>> NEBRASKA COULDN'T KEEP PACE WITH ILLINOIS ON SATURDAY AFTER LOSING CASEY THOMPSON TO AN INJURY AND FELL 26 TO 9 TO THE FIGHTING ILLINI.

CONCERNS MOUNT AS THE HUSKERS SCRAMBLE TO READY A TEAM WITHOUT THEIR STARTING QUARTERBACK.

CAN THE OFFENSE GET BACK ON TRACK AS THEY WELCOME IN ANOTHER STARCH DEFENSE IN MINNESOTA?

WILL THE DEFENSE FIND ANSWERS TO ANOTHER STRONG RUNNING ATTACK?

TONIGHT WE RECAP THE ILLINOIS GAME AND TRY TO ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS WITH FORMER HUSKER AND NFL TIGHT END ZACH POTTER.

SEAN CALLAHAN WILL JOIN US TO DISCUSS MORE IN A BUSY WEEK OF BIG RED RECRUITING.

IT'S ALL COMING UP NEXT ON "BIG RED WRAP-UP."

♪ ♪ >>> HI EVERYONE, I'M MIKE'L SEVERE AND WELCOME TO "BIG RED WRAP-UP" ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

NEBRASKA WAS ON TRACK IN THE FIRST HALF TO HAVE MORE YARDS AGAINST ILLINOIS THAN ANY OTHER TEAM, BUT THEN CASEY THOMPSON WENT OUT.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT TONIGHT WITH FORMER HUSKER JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN JOINING US.

IN THE FIRST HALF, ESPECIALLY WHEN NEBRASKA FIRST CAME OUT, BEFORE THE FIRST INTERCEPTION -- FELT PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THE WAY THEY LOOKED?

>> YOU KNOW, THE INITIAL SURGE AT ILLINOIS, I THINK THEY SCORED, WHAT, FOUR OR FIVE PLAYS INITIALLY?

SO THAT WAS A LITTLE CONCERNING.

BUT IT WASN'T CHASE BROWN JUST DOWNHILL.

THEY WERE ABLE TO THROW THE BALL, KIND OF ATTACKED NEBRASKA'S MAN-TO-MAN SITUATION.

A LOT OF MESH ROUTES, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO AGAINST A LOT OF MAN-TO-MAN COVERAGE.

BUT WE'RE ABLE TO KIND OF GET THE RUN GAME GOING.

WE SAW A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WRINKLES IN THE OFFENSE, AND YOU'RE LIKE, "OKAY."

WE GET SOME STOPS ON DEFENSE, YOU'RE LIKE, "OH, WOW."

NINE, SIX AND YOU'RE LIKE, "WE CAN DO THIS."

THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU GET THE INCOMPLETE PASS FROM RAHMIR JOHNSON AND THINGS JUST GO COMPLETELY SOUTH FROM THERE ON OUT.

BUT EARLY ON, YEAH, THERE WAS A LOT TO BE HAPPY ABOUT.

OBVIOUSLY IT WAS A LONG FOOTBALL GAME.

AND YOU KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO BE A CLOSE GAME, I MEAN -- >> YEAH.

>> BUT THAT'S THE KIND OF START YOU'D WANT OTHER THAN ILLINOIS' QUICK TOUCHDOWN.

BUT NEBRASKA HUNG IN THERE UNTIL CASEY GOT HURT.

THEN THERE WAS NOTHING MUCH YOU COULD DO.

THE BACKUP QUARTERBACKS DIDN'T LOOK PREPARED.

TURNOVERS, FOUR TO ONE.

EVEN IF CASEY IS HEALTHY AND THEY GO FOUR TO ONE, NEBRASKA'S STILL NOT WINNING THAT FOOTBALL GAME.

SO JUST A LITTLE DISHEARTENING WITH THE BACKUP QUARTERBACK SITUATION, THE TURNOVERS, AND THE DEFENSE PLAYED WELL ENOUGH.

I THOUGHT THEY PLAYED PRETTY GOOD THROUGH FOUR QUARTERS TO NEBRASKA'S OFFENSE A CHANCE.

BUT AGAIN, YOU HAVE FOUR TURNOVERS AND 30 YARDS IN TOTAL IN THE SECOND HALF.

THAT'S JUST NOT GOING TO GET IT DONE AGAINST NOT ONLY ILLINOIS BUT AGAINST GEORGIA SOUTHERN OR NORTH DAKOTA.

>> ANYBODY, DID YOU FEEL -- WERE YOU SURPRISED, FIRST OF ALL, THAT LOGAN SMOTHERS DIDN'T COME AFTER THE HALF?

>> YEAH, JUST THE WHOLE DECISION-MAKING OF THE QUARTERBACK SITUATION, BECAUSE THEY GO WITH LOGAN.

AND I THINK PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED BY THAT.

"OH, WOW, LOGAN SMOTHERS."

>> THAT'S THE FIRST TIME REALLY.

>> THEY HAD GONE TO THEM ON A FEW GADGET PLAYS THIS YEAR AND THAT WAS IT.

AND SO HE GETS THE CALL AND IT FELT LIKE ILLINOIS WAS PREPARED FOR LOGAN SMOTHERS AND THAT PROBABLY THREW NEBRASKA OFF A LITTLE BIT.

LIKE, MAN, THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO WHEN HE CAME INTO THE GAME.

MICKEY JOSEPH, WHEN HE DID HIS HALFTIME INTERVIEW EVEN SAID WE WERE GONNA GO BACK TO LOGAN.

AND I THINK THAT REALLY WAS CONFUSING.

I THINK MARK WHIPPLE OBVIOUSLY SAID WE'VE GOTTA GO WITH CHUBBA TODAY TO MAKE THE THROWS.

BUT THEN TODAY YOU HEARD MICKEY JOSEPH SAY CHUBBA WAS NERVOUS.

AND WE HAVE GOT TO SETTLE HIM DOWN AND GET HIM READY THIS WEEK.

>> AND I THINK HE'S A LITTLE BANGED UP TOO.

HE'S BEEN HURT KIND OF THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

THE THING THAT SURPRISED ME WAS THAT THIRD AND TWO THAT LOGAN DIDN'T GET IN THE FIRST HALF, ABOUT 4:31 LEFT IN THE GAME -- IN THE FIRST HALF.

I THINK IF HE GETS THAT AND NEBRASKA'S THIRTEEN, TWELVE OR THIRTEEN, NINE, I THINK HE COMES BACK IN.

>> YEAH, IT FEELS LIKE SUCH A SHORT LEASH.

AND CAN HE EXECUTE THE SHORT THROWS THAT MAYBE CHUBBA WAS HAVING A HARD TIME WITH?

LOOK, WE ARE NOT ASKING LOGAN SMOTHERS TO MAKE ELITE NFL OUT THROWS HERE.

LIKE, JUST DISTRIBUTE THE BALL.

GET THE BALL TO TREY PALMER, HOW ABOUT THAT?

FIGURE OUT A WAY TO THROW A SHORT PASS TO TREY PALMER AND I THINK HE COULD HAVE DONE THAT.

SO I WILL BE CURIOUS WHAT THEY DO THIS WEEK IF THEY SPLIT THEM UP A LITTLE BIT MORE OR PICK ONE GUY TO ROLL WITH.

>> YEAH, ONE CATCH FOR ONE YARD FOR TREY PALMER.

THERE'S CERTAINLY A LOT OF QUESTIONS HEADING INTO NEXT WEEK.

AS ALWAYS, WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN OUR CONVERSATION TONIGHT.

OUR FRIENDS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA'S COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATIONS ARE HERE MANNING THE PHONES -- HEY GUYS -- AWAITING YOUR CALLS.

AS THEY WAIT THEY'RE ENJOYING SOME VALENTINO'S PIZZA.

OUR SPORTS INTERN SAM IS LEADING THE CHARGE, HEY SAM.

YOU CAN ALSO TEXT, EMAIL YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS TO BIGRED@NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG.

WE'RE ALSO WATCHING SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AS ALWAYS.

POST YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER AND WE WILL TRY TO GET AS MANY OF THEM AS WE CAN THROUGH THE SHOW.

>> NOW IT IS TIME TO TAKE A DEEP DIVE INTO THE PLAYBOOK FROM SATURDAY, AND JOINED BY JAY MOORE WHO'S INSIDE THE HUDDLE.

>>> ALRIGHT, WE'VE GOT THREE PLAYS TONIGHT, NORMALLY WE DO TWO BUT WE'VE GOT THREE TONIGHT.

SO WE'RE GONNA HIGHLIGHT THIS FIRST, THE WHEEL ROUTE TOUCHDOWN BY CHASE BROWN.

NEBRASKA, IT KIND OF COMES DOWN TO THESE THREE GUYS RIGHT HERE.

AND NEBRASKA IS NOT COMMUNICATING WELL ON THE FRONT.

WE TALKED ALREADY ABOUT NEBRASKA PLAYING A LOT OF MAN DEFENSE.

WELL, INTO THE BOUNDARY, WHICH IS THIS SIDE, NEBRASKA WAS IN A MAN SITUATION.

BUT DOWN INTO THE FIELD NEBRASKA WAS IN A ZONE SITUATION.

SO A LOT OF MISCOMMUNICATION, BUT LITERALLY IT COMES DOWN TO THESE THREE GUYS RIGHT HERE, I'LL HIGHLIGHT.

LET'S PRESS PLAY.

YOU'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF MESH CONCEPTS, A LOT OF CROSSING ROUTES.

THAT'S WHAT TEAMS WILL DO IN MAN-TO-MAN SITUATIONS BECAUSE IT CREATES A NATURAL RUB SITUATION.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, CHASE BROWN'S GONNA COME OUT THE BACKFIELD.

CROSSERS BY THE SLOTS.

THE GUY'S IN THE SLOT FORMATION HERE.

AND YOU GET KIND OF A SLOW-GO SLANT AND GO OUT OF THE WIDE RECEIVER AT THE TOP BOUNDARY.

NOW, AS YOU LOOK HERE.

NOW, I KNOW THEY ARE IN A MAN-TO-MAN SITUATION ON THIS TOP SIDE BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY, I BELIEVE THIS IS FARMER, IS CHASING HIM SO HARD DOWN HERE.

AND WE HAVE THE REST OF THE GUYS LOOKING TO PASS EVERYTHING OFF.

MISCOMMUNICATION BY TANNER, REIMER ON THE BACK.

LOT OF TIMES YOU LIKE TO CALL IT AN I.O., INSIDE OUT.

IF MY GUY GOES OUT, YOU TAKE HIM.

AND USUALLY ANOTHER GUY IS GONNA COME UNDERNEATH, YOU SWITCH IT.

JUST A COMPLETE MISCOMMUNICATION ON THIS.

I THINK ILLINOIS MISSED ON A SIMILAR PLAY EARLIER IN THE GAME AS WELL.

THEY'RE ABLE TO CAPITALIZE ON THIS.

NOW I'M SURE A LOT OF YOU HAVE ALREADY SEEN THIS PLAY.

IT'S BEEN GOING AROUND ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

THE BLOCKED FIELD GOAL.

THIS IS A SITUATION -- IT'S A SCORING SITUATION, IT'S ABOUT SCORING POINTS.

YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE PRIDE IN THE ABILITY TO SCORE POINTS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT EASY TO COME BY.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT BENHART.

HE'S THE MAIN ISSUE HERE BECAUSE HE DOES NOT PROTECT THE INSIDE.

THIS IS WHERE THE GUY'S GONNA COME RIGHT THROUGH TO BLOCK THE FIELD GOAL.

AS WE HIGHLIGHT THIS, BOOM, HE'S ABLE TO HOP OVER.

BUT I CAN'T PUT THE BLAME ALL ON BENHART BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE WHO THE GUARD WAS NEXT TO HIM.

HIS HAND IS ALSO DOWN ON THE GROUND.

NORMALLY IN A SITUATION YOU HAVE TO -- YOU PROTECT, YOU STEP DOWN TO YOUR INSIDE.

BUT YOU STILL GET THAT OUTSIDE ARM UP JUST TO GET SOME HURDLE, A BLOCK ON HIM.

NOT DONE RIGHT.

THIS IS HOW IT LOOKS ON THIS OTHER SIDE.

THAT IS HOW IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE.

VERY, VERY POOR.

THESE GUYS SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN AN EAR FULL FROM THE COACHING STAFF FOR THIS EFFORT.

AND THEN BOOM, YOU TAKE AWAY POINTS.

STEAL A LITTLE MOMENTUM GOING.

NOT GREAT IN THIS SITUATION.

SO LET'S FAST FORWARD THROUGH THE SACK FUMBLE THAT CASEY THOMPSON GETS KNOCKED DOWN ON.

NEBRASKA IS IN A TACKLE OVER SCENARIO.

SO ON THIS SIDE, YOU USED TO HAVE A TACKLE TIGHT END, THAT'S BOERKIRCHER.

BENHART, CORCORAN, I THINK LUTOVSKY 'S OVER HERE.

THEY ARE GOING TO RUN A LITTLE STUNT HERE, NOTHING CRAZY.

YOU'RE GONNA GET A CROSS FACE.

BOOM.

YOU'VE GOT THE DEFENSIVE END LINEBACKERS THAT COME UNDERNEATH.

THERE'S JUST A LITTLE JUST TOO MUCH COMMITMENT.

THEY PICK IT UP OKAY BUT AS SOON AS HE CROSSES HIS FEET OVER HERE AND JUST GETS SO HEAVY ON HIM, YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO COME OUT.

I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM UNDERSTAND WHERE THE HELP IS.

YOU HAD BREWINGTON COMING OUT OF THE BACKFIELD, THE CHIP RELIEF.

SO THERE WAS MORE HELP.

BOOM, DOESN'T DO IT.

YOU GET HIM, CORCORAN ALSO GETS BEAT UP TOP UP SO IT WASN'T GOING TO BE 49, IT WAS GONNA THE OTHER GUY MAKING THE PLAY.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, BOOM.

THIS IS WHERE THE WHOLE MOMENTUM SLIPPED AND FLIPPED RIGHT HERE FOR NEBRASKA.

AND WE ALL KNOW THE END OF THE STORY FOR THIS ONE.

>> OKAY, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GUYS, JAY, WHO HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF SNAPS.

HAVEN'T PLAYED THE POSITION IN A LONG TIME, REALLY GETTING THEIR CHANCE FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR.

IN TERMS OF LUTOVSKY, I'M TALKING ABOUT, SO -- >> YEAH.

WELL, THAT'S JUST THE THING IS -- THERE HAS TO BE A TRUST, RIGHT, WITH THE COACHES.

SO, HE WANTS TO DO A RIGHT IN THERE -- IT'S JUST HARD.

YOU HAVE GOT TO UNDERSTAND THAT'S A TECHNIQUE THING.

I AM NOT FAULTING THE EFFORT.

THE EFFORT WAS FINE.

UNDERSTAND YOU CAN'T OVERCOMMIT YOURSELF.

USUALLY IF SOMETHING IS GOING OUT, SOMETHING IS PROBABLY COMING IN.

IT'S JUST FIGHTING THAT AND ALSO KNOW WHERE YOUR HELP IS.

YOU KNOW BREWINGTON'S GONNA BE UP THERE.

DON'T BE IN SUCH A RUSH TO SHOVE SOMEONE OUT THERE.

YOU KNOW THE HELP'S THERE TO CHIP.

YOU'VE GOT TIME TO COME BACK ABD FOLD OFF AND GET A HAND SOMEHOW SOME WAY TO PROTECT CASEY.

>> AND THEN HE DIDN'T HAVE HELP FROM GRANT BECAUSE HE WAS GOING OUT INTO THE ROUTE.

THAT LEADS US TO THIS WEEK'S ALL NEW SIDELINE SURVEY.

IF CASEY THOMPSON CAN'T START, WHO WILL BE NEBRASKA'S QUARTERBACK AGAINST MINNESOTA?

WILL IT BE CHUBBA PURDY, LOGAN SMOTHERS OR MATT MASKER?

WHO'S GONNA MAKE THE START?

56% OF THE PEOPLE SAY LOGAN SMOTHERS.

40% SAY CHUBBA PURDY, AND MATT MASKER'S MOM, DAD, UNCLES, AND BROTHERS GOT 4% RIGHT THERE.

HAD TO THE WEBSITE RIGHT NOW AND CAST YOUR VOTE ON WHO WILL BE STARTING AT QUARTERBACK.

YOUR FEEL IS?

>> I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF LOGAN GOT MORE.

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WILL START HIM BUT HE WILL PLAY A LOT MORE THIS WEEK.

>> I THINK YOU HAVE TO COMMIT TO LOGAN.

JUST HAVE THE QB RUN GAME INVOLVED WITH HIM.

I MEAN, IF YOU ARE GOING TO SAY YOU PLAYED CHUBBA BECAUSE YOU CAN THROW IT, WHAT I SAW ON SATURDAY DOES NOT CONVINCE ME AT ALL.

SO THAT'S -- I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CONTINUE TO PLAY HIM.

>> I WILL SAY, JAY, AND YOU KNOW THIS.

YOU HAVE SEEN IT.

VERY FEW SNAPS.

MAYBE 10% OF THE SNAPS HE'S GETTING IN PRACTICE FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

IF HE GETS AN ENTIRE WEEK, AND NOW THEY'RE GOING BACK AND FORTH.

GETTING 50% OF THE SNAPS WITH LOGAN.

MAYBE THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN HIS CONFIDENCE.

>> MAYBE, MAYBE.

BUT IT'S JUST -- I KNOW YOU'VE GOT TO THINK OF WHAT WHIPPLE WANTS TO DO, RIGHT?

>> YOU'VE GOT TO THINK WHAT WHIPPLE WANTS TO DO AND OBVIOUSLY HE WANTS TO THROW THE BALL.

BUT CAN YOU -- IS THERE ENOUGH THERE TO HANG IN THERE WITH MINNESOTA?

CAN YOU BEAT MINNESOTA WITH CHUBBA PURDY?

OR DO YOU COMMIT TO A QB RUN GAME, SOMETHING YOU DON'T LIKE TO DO.

HE SAID HE WANTS TO PUT THE AIR UNDERNEATH IT AND SLOW THE GAME DOWN.

CONTROL THE TIME POSSESSION.

YOU KNOW, IT'S OKAY IF IT'S THIRD AND FOUR AND WE'RE GOING TO PUNT AND FLIP THE FIELD.

JUST TAKE CONTROL SOMEHOW OF THIS GAME.

BECAUSE YOU CAN'T.

I MEAN THE TIME POSSESSION WAS COMPLETELY LOPSIDED AGAIN THIS WEEK.

SO YOU HAVE TO PLAY SMART, EFFICIENT FOOTBALL NOW WHEN YOU'RE WITHOUT YOUR STARTING QUARTERBACK.

YOU JUST HAVE TO DO IT.

YOU HAVE TO WEIGH THE PROS AND CONS AND I THINK SMOTHERS JUST BRINGS SO MUCH MORE TO THE TABLE AS A QB RUN GAME.

HE CAN THROW IT.

HE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO STRETCH THE FIELD WELL LIKE CASEY.

>> THREW THE BALL WELL AGAINST IOWA UNTIL THAT TURN AROUND.

>> LET'S JUST GET SOME HIGH PERCENTAGE THROWS.

HE DOESN'T NEED TO THROW THESE YOU KNOW, 60 YARD BOMBS.

THOSE ARE FUN AND EVERYTHING, BUT HOW ABOUT WE JUST GET NICE ROUTES, SOME MESH ROUTES, SOME DRAG ROUTES.

BOOM EASY HIGH PERCENTAGE THROWS.

KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING, GET SOME CONFIDENCE.

THEN YOU WANT TO TAKE THE TOP OF THE DEFENSE?

GO AHEAD AND DO IT.

BUT UNTIL THEN YOU GOT TO FIND SOMETHING YOU CAN HANG YOUR HAT ON AND I THINK THAT'S GETTING LOGAN SMOTHERS INVOLVED IN THE QB RUN GAME.

>> THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE WHO WILL SAY "WELL KANSAS STATE HAD THEIR BACK UP."

KANSAS HAD THEIR BACKUP, KANSAS STATE'S BACK UP PLAYED FOR THREE YEARS AND LIKE NINE STARTS.

AND KANSAS' BACKUP WAS A FULL TIME STARTER FOR THREE YEARS.

SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WHEN YOU HAVE A GUY LIKE PURDY, WITH VERY LITTLE EXPERIENCE, ACTUALLY TAKING SNAPS.

>> YEAH, WILL HOWARD AT KANSAS PLAYED A LOT AGAINST THOMPSON -- >> IN '20 AND '21.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> AND THEN ADRIAN CAME IN AND TOOK THE JOB, SO YOU'RE RIGHT, TOTALLY DIFFERENT SITUATION.

CHUBBA PURDY HAS STARTED A GAME IN HIS CAREER AT FLORIDA STATE.

SO HE'S GOT EXPERIENCE.

LOGAN SMOTHERS AS WE KNOW HAS STARTED A GAME AT NEBRASKA AGAINST IOWA.

BUT NOTHING LIKE THE WILL HOWARD SITUATION AT K STATE, WHERE HE'S GOT LEGIT, YOU KNOW MULTIPLE GAME STARTING EXPERIENCE AND YOU JUST GET BETTER.

ONCE YOU START PLAYING MORE YOU GET BETTER.

I AM SURE CASEY THOMPSON IN HIS FIRST CAREER START WASN'T GREAT EITHER.

>> YEAH.

AND ANOTHER THING THAT HASN'T HAPPENED IS ESTABLISHING THE RUN GAME, OBVIOUSLY.

WE WATCH ANTHONY GRANT, AGAIN LOOKS LIKE HE'S A LITTLE UNCERTAIN BACK THERE.

ANDI DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE A NUMBER TWO BACK WITH GABE ERVIN OUT.

>> YEAH, IT'S REALLY, REALLY TOUGH.

AND AJAY ALLEN DON'T FORGET ABOUT HIM -- >> WITH HIM OUT AS WELL -- >> ALLEN WAS PUSHING ANTHONY GRANT.

THAT SITUATION, CAUSE JAQUEZ YANT ISN'T RUNNING SO WELL.

HE'S TRYING TO GO OUTSIDE.

HE'S TRYING TO GO OUTSIDE.

HE'S NOT AN OUTSIDE GUY AND THAT WAS BAD FOR HIM.

HE WAS NEGATIVE YARDS IN THAT GAME ON SATURDAY.

BUT ANTHONY GRANT NEEDS MORE THAN 12 CARRIES.

IF NEBRASKA WANTS TO HAVE A CHANCE IN ANY OF THESE FINAL FOUR GAMES THEY'VE GOT TO GET HIM BACK IN THE 20 AREA WITH HIS TOTAL CARRIES.

>> HE HAD A PLAY WHERE HE HAD A FIRST DOWN RUNNING TO RIGHT TO WEST STADIUM, AND DECIDED THAT HE WAS GOING TO TRY TO GET MORE.

ENDED UP LOSING TWO YARDS.

THEN NEBRASKA DOESN'T CONVERT ON THIRD DOWN.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE WHERE HE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE HE'S CERTAIN ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON EITHER.

SO I THINK EVERYONE'S A LITTLE MESSED UP -- >> RIGHT.

SOMETIMES I IMAGINE AS A RUNNING BACK YOU STRUGGLE TO SOLIDIFY A RUN GAME.

YOU'RE TRYING TO HAVE THAT HOMERUN HIT.

SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO KNOW, JUST STICK THAT FOOT IN THE GROUND AND GET NORTH AND SOUTH AND GET THAT FIRST DOWN.

TO CONTINUE MOMENTUM, GET THE CHAINS GOING.

AND KEEP THAT MOMENTUM ON YOUR SIDE.

AND THE TIME POSSESSION.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE RAHMIR.

>> I WOULD LOVE TO, YEAH.

>> YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT HIGH PERCENTAGE THROWS.

HITTING THE RUNNING BACK OUT OF THE BACK OBVIOUSLY RAHMIR HAD THE -- >> THE DROP.

>> THE DROP EARLY IN THE GAME.

HE'S SHOWING LOT OF CAPABILITY TO CATCH IT OUT OF THE BACK FIELD.

AND HE PLAYED A TON OF SNAPS LAST YEAR.

THE GUY'S BEEN THERE AND HAS DONE THAT.

I JUST DON'T KNOW WHY HE'S BEEN ON THE MILK CARTON ALL YEAR.

>> YEAH, TAKE THE YARDS WHEN YOU CAN, YOU'LL NEVER GO BROKE.

YOU'LL NEVER GO BROKE TAKING A PROFIT.

DEFENSIVELY, GOING AGAINST MO IBRAHIM WE KNOW HOW GOOD OF A RUNNING BACK HE IS.

HOW DO YOU THINK NEBRASKA MATCHES UP WITH MINNESOTA'S OFFENSE?

>> THEY'VE GOT TO GET THEM OFF SCHEDULE.

I THINK IF MINNESOTA IS ON SCHEDULE THEY'RE REALLY GOOD ON OFFENSE.

AND THAT'S BEEN THE PROBLEM.

NEBRASKA HAS HAD A HARD TIME SLOWING DOWN THE MINNESOTA RUN GAME THE LAST FEW YEARS.

IBRAHIM IS GOING TO GOING FOR HIS THIRD 1,000 YARD SEASON.

AND WHOEVER THEY BRING IN AFTER HIM ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE GOOD.

>> THEY DO YEAH -- >> AND THEY HAVE SOME OF THE BEST RUNNING BACK DEVELOPMENT IN THE CONFERENCE.

THEY REMIND YOU OF WISCONSIN, THE WAY THEY KEEP PUTTING OUT RUNNING BACKS YEAR AFTER YEAR.

AND TANNER MORGAN IS ONE OF THE WINNINGEST QUARTERBACKS IN THE BIG TEN AND ALL OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL.

I THINK HE'S 27 -- [ LAUGHTER ] I AM JOKING, HE'S PROBABLY 23-24.

>> HE'S 24 I THINK, YEAH.

>> YOU KNOW, MARRIED GUY, I THINK.

HE'S NOT YOUR TYPICAL GUY, IT FEELS LIKE HE'S BEEN IN COLLEGE SINCE 2017.

>> WOW.

>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT HIS CAREER AND JUST WHAT HE BRINGS TO THEIR OFFENSE.

>> WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE WAY NEBRASKA'S DEFENSE PLAYED AGAINST ILLINOIS THOUGH, THERE'S A COUPLE TIMES WHERE THEY WERE PUT IN BAD SPOTS.

THEY GOT STOPPED.

THEY FORCED FIELD GOALS.

THEY ARE FIGHTING.

>> I'LL GIVE THEM ALL THE CREDIT IN THE WORLD.

YOU KNOW, I WAS VERY SURPRISED.

AND I WAS VERY RELIEVED EARLY ON, SHOWING THEIR ABILITY TO STOP THE RUN.

AND GET SOME STOPS WITHOUT HAVING NICK HENRICH PRESENT IN THAT GAME, AND OBVIOUSLY WITH HIM BEING OUT FOR REST OF THE YEAR.

SO THERE IS SOMETHING TO HANG YOUR HAT ON AND THEIR ABILITY -- NEBRASKA'S DEFENSE HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB AFTER ALL THE TURNOVERS.

OR POOR SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYS THAT THEY HAD, THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO HOLD OFFENSES TO THREE POINTS.

THAT IS AN ABSOLUTE GAME CHANGER, DEFENSIVELY.

JUST FROM A MINDSET MOMENTUM STANDPOINT.

YOU KNOW I GOT TO COMMEND THEM FOR THAT.

BILL BUSH IT'S WHAT HE'S ABLE TO DO.

I KNOW HE DOESN'T HAVE A FULL STACK OF CARDS TO WORK WITH.

BUT THE GAME PLANS, THE EFFORT THEY'RE PUTTING FORTH HERE, THE TIMELY CALLS.

I LOVED THE GIFFORDS SACK.

COMING OFF THE EDGE, A FREE BLITZER SCENARIO.

THEY PLAYED WELL ENOUGH TO WIN THIS FOOTBALL GAME, YOU JUST -- YOU CAN'T -- THERE'S THE GIFFORD SACK.

>> KIND OF AN AMOEBA FRONT THERE, BECAUSE NO ONE REALLY GOT THEIR HANDS ON THE GROUND, THEY WERE ALL ADJUSTING.

>> LOVE IT, LOVE IT.

>> AND YOU COULD TELL THE OFFENSIVE LINE STRUGGLED.

TALKING ABOUT THAT DEFENSE AND THE WAY THEY PLAYED, SEAN.

A LOT OF GUYS ARE PLAYING, RIGHT?

ERNEST HAUSMANN GETS BENCHED, COMES BACK, IS PLAYING REALLY HARD.

SOME OTHER GUYS THAT MAYBE WEREN'T GETTING A CHANCE TO PLAY, WERE MAYBE PLAYING NOW.

YOU SEE THE DEPTH DEVELOPING, EVEN WITH ALL THE INJURIES.

>> I KNOW THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS MICKEY HAS TALKED ABOUT.

HE WANTS TO SEE THAT ROTATIONAL DEPTH ON THE DEFENSE.

YOU GO BACK TO THAT GAME IN IRELAND YOU HAD GUYS LIKE COLTON FEIST PLAYING 70 SNAPS.

TY ROBINSON WAS PUSHING 80 SNAPS IN THAT GAME IN DUBLIN.

THAT WAS NOT A WINNING DEFENSIVE FORMULA.

JAY, YOU'RE A DEFENSIVE LINEMAN -- [ LAUGHTER ] I MEAN HOW MANY TIMES IN YOUR CAREER HAVE YOU PLAYED OVER 50 SNAPS?

>> I'D SAY MAJORITY -- WE PLAYED A LOT OF SNAPS.

I'D SAY OVER HALF OF THE TIME, WHERE I WAS OVER 50%.

>> BUT THAT FRONT FOUR, YOU GUYS WERE BETTER AND A LOT OF STARTS ON YOU.

YOU GUYS -- >> I KNOW I AM JUST SAYING -- I'D SAY MAJORITY OF THE TIME I WAS OVER 50 SNAPS.

WE'VE HAD GAMES, I AM TRING TO THINK BACK, WE NEVER HAD ANYTHING OVER 100.

I WANT TO SAY MY SENIOR YEAR AGAINST KANSAS WE RAN 94 SNAPS.

THAT WAS AN OVERTIME GAME AND I THINK I PLAYED 60 SOMETHING IN THAT.

>> I MEAN THE INTERIOR GUYS GOT CHANGED OUT.

>> CORRECT.

BUT I HAD BARRY TURNER BEHIND ME.

YOU COULD TRUST HIM TO COME IN.

THAT'S NOT THE SCENARIO.

THE DEPTH IS DEFINITELY A CONCERN WITH THE DEFENSIVE LINE.

IT'S HARD FOR BIG BODIES, YOU CAN'T BE OUT THERE 70-80 SNAPS -- >> AND GET QUALITY -- >> OH, THERE'S NO WAY.

A LITTLE EASIER FOR LIGHTER DEFENSIVE ENDS, BUT STILL THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU WANT.

YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE EIGHT GUYS YOU CAN RELY ON JUST TO INTERCHANGE.

>> AND WE'VE SEEN MOSAI NEWSOM GET MORE REPS. >> HE DID.

>> THEY'VE KIND OF GONE TO THE BACK END OF THE ROTATION TO PLAY SOME OF THESE GUYS.

THE STAFF IS LIKE LOOK, WE'VE GOT TO KEEP GUYS FRESH, BECAUSE WE CAN'T JUST PLAY THE SAME DUDES 70 SNAPS.

>> YEAH, AND THE BACK UP OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS ARE GETTING THERE TO GUNNERSON AND BUTLER AS WELL.

IT'S TIME TO TAKE A LOOK BACK AT A VERY BEAUTIFUL DAY.

IT WAS A GREAT LOOKING DAY AT MEMORIAL STADIUM.

YOU HAD THE FIVE DIFFERENT PARACHUTERS COME IN THERE.

THAT WAS AWESOME AS WELL.

EARLY ON NOT SURPRISING.

ILLINOIS CAME OUT AND PLAYED JUST LIKE THEY PLAYED.

LOT OF CROSSING ROUTES, HITTING THE CROSSING ROUTES.

WIDE RECEIVERS BLOCKING.

LOOK AT THIS PLAY HERE YOU GET TWO -- THIS IS THE RUNNING BACK BROWN MAKING TWO BLOCKS TO HELP JUNIOR GO DOWN THERE AND SCORE.

TO GIVE A SIX NOTHING LEAD, BECAUSE OF COURSE MISSED EXTRA POINT THERE BY ILLINOIS.

AS NEBRASKA IS DOWN 6-0.

NEBRASKA COMES BACK EARLY ON.

GOOD THROW HERE TO ANTHONY GRANT, A PLAY WE'VE HAVEN'T SEEN A LOT BEFORE NOW.

PROBABLY ONE THEY ADDED OVER THE BYE WEEK.

AND THEN GRANT COMES BACK AGAIN.

BEST RUN OF THE DAY.

>> HE GOES FOR 22 YARDS I BELIEVE ON THIS RUN.

WHICH WAS THE LONGEST RUN FOR NEBRASKA.

>> I AM NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED HERE, BECAUSE TREY PALMER ACTUALLY PUSHES OFF AND PUSHES DEFENDER INTO THE OUTSIDE THROW.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT KIND OF GOES TO THE SIDELINE, RIGHT?

THAT THROW.

>> EITHER THAT OR HE WAS TRYING TO SIT DOWN.

AND HE'S GOT TO BE PUT RIGHT ON THE MONEY, BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS SOME MISCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE TWO.

>> DEEP MIDDLE HERE.

THROWING IT RIGHT ACROSS HIS BODY.

YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSE TO DO THAT, BUT SOMETIMES YOU GET AWAY WITH IT.

ALANTE BROWN WITH ONE OF TWO BIG CATCHES HE HAD IN THE GAME.

AND THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL PLAY.

LOOK AT THE BLOCKING BY THE OFFENSIVE LINEMEN.

>> THIS IS WELL TIMED.

WE'VE SEEN BREWINGTON QUITE A BIT THIS YEAR.

THAT WAS JUST A WELL DESIGNED PLAY.

JUST A THING OF BEAUTY.

THE TIMING OF EVERYTHING WAS VERY WELL DONE.

>> AND WHATEVER WAS WRONG WITH TIMMY BLEEKRODE EARLY, IT'S NOT NOW.

HE HAS BEEN NAILING -- IT'S BEEN MONEY THERE IN THESE FIELD GOALS.

3-6 NEBRASKA DOWN TO ILLINOIS.

BACK COMES NEBRASKA AGAIN.

CASEY THOMPSON, THIS IS A PERFECT THROW.

>> BEAUTY.

>> THAT TIME.

LOOK AT ALL THAT TIME HE HAD BACK THERE.

HE WAS JUST LIKE HOLY SMOKES, I COULD HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE BACK HERE.

>> SECOND BIG CATCH THERE FOR ALANTE BROWN.

AND THEN YOU HAVE THIS THROW HERE.

I THINK BOTH DEFENDERS THOUGHT THEY COULD INTERCEPT THE BALL.

LOOK WHO'S RUNNING FASTER THAN VOKOLEK.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> EVERYONE WE WERE WATCHING WITH WERE LIKE, WHY'S HE RUNNING SO SLOW?

I KNOW HE'S BEEN BEAT UP.

>> HE'S GOT A BAD ANKLE.

YEAH HE'S GOT A BAD ANKLE.

>> IT'S LIKE GET GOING, GET THAT PIANO OFF YOUR BACK.

>> NEBRASKA TAKES THE LEAD THERE, 9-6.

WE USED TO SAY A WATERMELON TRUCK YOU'VE GOT ATTACHED TO YOUR BACK.

[ LAUGHTER ] AND THEN THERE'S THE HIT, YOU SHOWED IT EARLIER.

BALL GOES UP IN THE AIR, IT GETS INTERCEPTED.

BUT EVEN MORE SO, CASEY THOMPSON TAKES THAT HIT ON THE ARM AND THEN FALLS ON THE ELBOW.

AND YOU KNOW HE'S HAD SURGERY ON HIS HAND.

YOU CAN SEE HIM HOLDING HIS HAND, TRYING TO MOVE THE PINKY AND RING FINGER.

AND HE COULDN'T, I WAS WATCHING HIM THROUGH BINOCULARS AND YOU COULD TELL SOMETHING WAS WRONG THERE.

HE'S GOES IN THE TENT AND THEN LEAVES THE GAME OF COURSE.

BROWN RUNS SO HARD FOR A LITTLE GUY.

>> HE IS A GOOD BAG.

IT'S AMAZING THE POWER AND ENERGY HE'S ABLE TO HAVE WHEN HE GETS 35- 40 SNAPS A GAME.

THAT'S CREDIT TO HIM AND THEIR STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING STAFF.

>> GIFFORD MADE THAT HIT, HE STILL RAN HIM INTO THE ENDZONE.

13-9 RIGHT THERE.

NEBRASKA GETS STOPPED, GIVES THE BALL BACK TO ILLINOIS.

AND ILLINOIS GOES ON A GREAT DRIVE.

11 PLAYS, 72 YARDS.

NEBRASKA GOT ZERO STUFF PLAYS ON THIS DRIVE.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME DURING THE GAME THAT THEY HADN'T GOT AT LEAST A TACKLE FOR LOSS.

OR A STUFF.

AND THEY GO 11 PLAYS AND 72 YARDS.

GO TO HALFTIME UP 20-9.

TOMMY DeVITO COMES BACK.

MAKES THIS THROW TO JUNIOR AND HE FUMBLES.

>> JUST LIKE "THE GIFT."

>> A GIFT >> AN ABSOLUTE GIFT TO NEBRASKA.

LIKE "OKAY, HERE WE GO."

THEN OBVIOUSLY WE SEE WHAT HAPPENS HERE COMING UP IN A FEW PLAYS.

BUT THAT A -- HEY, WE'LL TAKE THAT ALL DAY.

>> THAT'S A "GIF" AND THEN CHUBBA PURDY COMES BACK AND MAKES A "JIF."

THAT WAS TWEETED OUT A LOT.

I'M NOT SURE WHO HE WAS THROWING TO HERE, SEAN.

>> YEAH.

>> THERE'S NOBODY HERE.

>> SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO JUMP IN FRONT OF YOU.

>> THAT'S ALRIGHT.

>> YEAH, YEAH JUST HIM ROLLING OUT LIKE ALRIGHT, WHAT'S HE DOING?

>> OUT OF BOUNDS, THROW IT AWAY.

>> WATCHES TOO MUCH MAHOMES.

>> YEAH, MAHOMES AND STEPH CURRY, WORST THING TO HAPPEN TO PLAYERS.

CHASE BROWN WITH A BIG RUN THERE.

BUT NEBRASKA GETS A STOP ONCE AGAIN AND FORCES A FIELD GOAL.

23-9 AGAINST THE DEFENSE STOOD UP OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE.

IF IT WASN'T FOR THE DEFENSE PLAYING AS WELL AS THEY DID.

ANTHONY GRANT HERE TRYING TO MAKE SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING LIKE YOU MENTIONED EARLIER.

>> YEAH, AGAIN THE EFFORT.

I LIKE IT BUT, AGAIN, SOMETIMES THIS HAPPENS.

YOU GOT TO HANG ONTO THE FOOTBALL.

YOU JUST CAN'T DO THAT.

>> SECOND FUMBLE OF THE YEAR FOR GRANT.

>> SECOND FUMBLE AND THEN YOU HAVE THE FINAL FIELD GOAL, FINAL POINT SCORED THERE.

26-9 ILLINOIS WINS.

WE GOT TO THE FINAL STATS AS BRET BIELEMA IS 2-0 AGAINST NEBRASKA THIS TIME AS ILLINOIS.

188 YARDS TO 60.

AND LOOK AT THE TIME OF POSSESSION.

ALMOST 40-20 AGAIN, IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE SEEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN FROM NEBRASKA.

AND IN THE SECOND HALF, 29 TOTAL YARDS FOR NEBRASKA.

I BELIEVE MINUS 9 RUSHING IN THAT SECOND HALF.

COMING UP NEXT, WE'LL BE JOINED BY FORMER HUSKER AND NFL TIGHT END ZACH POTTER.

AS WE GO TO BREAK, IMAGES FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON COURTESY OF HAIL VARSITY.

STAY WITH US, WE'LL BE BACK SOON.

♪ .

STAY WITH US.

WE ARE BACK SOON.

>>> TOUGH LOSS ON SATURDAY.

YOU KNOW THE BOYS REALLY HURT AFTER THIS ONE SO DID THE COACHES.

BUT THIS WEEK, WE JUST HAVE TO GET BACK TO WORK.

I'M CONFIDENT THAT THEY'LL COME BACK AND BOUNCE BACK THIS WEEK.

WE TALKED THIS MORNING AND THEY GUARANTEED ME THAT THEY ARE STILL READY TO GO.

THEY ARE READY TO GET AFTER IT.

AND BE THE BEST TEAM ON SATURDAY.

>> IT'S FRUSTRATING.

LOOKING BACK AT IT, WE HAD A GREAT GAME PLAN.

COACH PUT US IN GREAT POSITIONS, HAD A GREAT WEEK OF PRACTICE.

PROBABLY OUR BEST WEEK OF PRACTICE, HAD A LITTLE OFF DAY ON THURSDAY BUT IT WASN'T ANYTHING MAJOR.

AND WE JUST GOT TO EXECUTE, THAT'S ALL THAT IS.

>> AND OBVIOUSLY WE GOT ANOTHER CHALLENGE THIS WEEK.

WE HAVE THE 24 HOUR REEL, YOU KNOW WE WATCH THE FILM.

AND PUT IT BEHIND US AND GETTING READY FOR MINNESOTA.

SO IT'LL BE ANOTHER CHALLENGE.

>> YOU GOT FIVE, SIX YEAR SENIORS THIS WEEK STARTING FOR MINNESOTA.

IT'S ANOTHER SIX YEAR QUARTERBACK THAT WE ARE GOING AGAINST.

THAT'S UNHEARD OF, YOU KNOW.

THAT'S NOT HAPPENING IN THAT OTHER CONFERENCE.

SO YOU JUST OWN THE LEAGUE, BUT THIS LEAGUE EXECUTES.

AND THEY DON'T MAKE MANY MISTAKES.

>> EVERYBODY HAS TO BE POISED IN ORDER FOR THIS OFFENSE TO WORK SO.

YOU KNOW JUST WORKING ON IT TOGETHER AS LEADERS.

MAKING SURE WE STAY ON TOP OF EACH OTHER.

HANDLE OUR RESPONSIBILITIES, WE'LL BE FINE.

>> I FEEL REALLY GREAT ABOUT NEBRASKA.

I MEAN WHERE IT'S GOING.

YOU KNOW I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY IN A LOT OF AREAS.

BUT YOU KNOW FOR ME RIGHT NOW IT JUST A LOT OF FOCUS ON EACH WEEK.

EACH GAME IS ONE DAY AT A TIME FOR US.

YOU KNOW, OUR MOTTO IS "DAY BY DAY" AND THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE JUST ATTACK THINGS EACH DAY.

>> IT'S TIME FOR SOME OF THE BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA NOW OVER THE WEEKEND.

FIRST UP, PARKER ON TWITTER SHARED THE SPIRIT HALLOWEEN COSTUME MEME THAT YOU'VE SEEN ALL OVER THE PLACE.

THIS TIME WAS MICKEY JOSEPH.

IT COMES WITH A HEADSET, HUSKER HAT, AND PLAY SHEET.

BUT SOLD SEPARATELY, SWAGGER, ENERGY, AND THE "GET-BACK-COACH."

OVER ON FACEBOOK, TROY SAID HE WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE NEBRASKA GAME BUT AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE TOMMY BOY MEME HERE OR PICTURE HERE.

CHRIS FARLEY, EXCITED TO START OFF WITH BUT BASICALLY PULLED HIS HAIR OUT AS THAT SECOND HALF WENT ON FOR NEBRASKA.

WELCOME BACK TO "BIG RED WRAP-UP."

I'M MIKE'L SEVERE, JAY MOORE, SEAN CALLAHAN, AND JOINED BY FORMER HUSKER AND NFL TIGHT END ZACH POTTER.

WHAT'S UP, HOW YOU BEEN?

>> HAPPY TO BE HERE.

YOU KNOW, ANOTHER SEASON THAT'S KIND OF SLIPPING AWAY FROM US A LITTLE BIT.

BUT YOU KNOW AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE STATE, THIS FANBASE -- WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO WATCH OUR HUSKERS AND WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT.

WE'RE ALWAYS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN KEEP GETTING BETTER WHETHER WE'RE HAVING A LOSING SEASON OR A WINNING SEASON.

WE JUST HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO KEEP GETTING BETTER.

>> YOU ARE ONE OF THE MORE POSITIVE FORMER HUSKERS THAT I'VE EVER KNOWN.

YOU NEVER PICKED AGAINST THEM WHEN I HAD YOU DOING PICKS.

>> NEVER.

HOW COULD YOU PICK AGAINST YOUR OWN TEAM.

>> BECAUSE THEY WERE PLAYING MICHIGAN A COUPLE WEEKS.

NO, LET ME ASK YOU THIS.

>> THEY CAN WIN BY ONE SOMEHOW SOMEWAY.

>> THAT IS TRUE.

DEFINITELY POSSIBLE IT IS UNTIL THE GAME.

HAVE YOU SEEN THE IMPROVEMENT?

SINCE SCOTT FROST WAS LET GO AND MICKEY CAME IN AND THEY'VE CHANGED SOME STUFF ON DEFENSE.

>> I JUST THINK YOU'VE SEEN WHETHER IT'S IMPROVEMENT OR JUST OVERALL A DIFFERENT FEEL FROM THE PLAYERS.

WHETHER IT'S ENERGY, OBVIOUSLY MICKEY IS GREAT AS FAR AS ENERGY ON THE SIDELINES.

AND SO YOU'VE SEEN THAT FROM THE PLAYERS, I FEEL LIKE.

AND SO YES, I THINK YOU'VE SEEN SOME CHANGES.

OBVIOUSLY THE WINS AND THE LOSSES HAVEN'T ALL BEEN THERE BUT I THINK WE'RE COMPETING.

WHICH IS I THINK SOMETHING THAT, OBVIOUSLY, WE LACKED BUT WE'RE AL LEAST DOING A LOT BETTER.

>> ZACH, THE WORD DEVELOPMENT'S BEEN USED QUITE A BIT HERE AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S BEEN LACKING IN THIS FOOTBALL PROGRAM FOR A LONG TIME.

YOU AND I WERE DEVELOPED ENOUGH TO -- WE WERE ABLE TO BE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO PLAY ON SUNDAYS.

>> YEAH.

>> I DON'T REMEMBER BEING DEVELOPED.

WE JUST KIND OF SHOWED UP AND WENT TO WORK, RIGHT.

WHAT DOES DEVELOP ON OUR END AND WHAT NEBRASKA'S GOING THROUGH INTO THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE TO YOU?

>> I THINK ULTIMATELY A LOT OF IT COMES DOWN TO THE PLAYERS.

AND THAT GOES BACK TO THE KIDS THAT THE COACHES NEW AND OLD HAVE RECRUITED.

YOU GOT TO RECRUIT KIDS THAT WANT TO BE COACHED.

KIDS THAT WANT TO WORK HARD.

PUT IN THE EXTRA EFFORT WHETHER IT'S IN THE WEIGHT ROOM, THE FILM ROOM.

JUST AFTER PRACTICE WHETHER -- I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, A D-LINEMAN AT THE TIME IT'S LIKE, "HEY WHY DON'T YOU GO WORK ON LONG SNAPPING?"

WHO KNOWS, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT THAT COULD DO FOR YOU DOWN THE ROAD.

JUST FINDING DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU CAN KEEP ADDING TO YOUR TOOLBELT.

AND I THINK THAT JUST GOES BACK TO THE TYPE OF KIDS THAT WE CONTINUE TO RECRUIT.

WHETHER IT'S NOW AND GOING FORWARD.

AND THAT'S THE THING THAT I'VE ENJOYED WITH MICKEY SINCE HE'S TAKEN OVER.

BECAUSE THE THING IS THAT'S KIND OF NEAT ABOUT MICKEY FROM A RECRUITING STANDPOINT IN MY MIND.

HE'S GOING TO TRY HIS BEST TO KEEP MAKING NEBRASKA GOOD BECAUSE IN WAY IT'S STILL HIS ALMA MATER.

HE WANTS NEBRASKA -- WHETHER HE'S THE COACH NEXT YEAR OR NOT, HE'S STILL GOING TO FLIP ON SPORTSCENTER SATURDAY NIGHT OR SUNDAY MORNING.

AND "HOW DID NEBRASKA DO?"

AND SO HE'S STILL CARES ABOUT THIS PROGRAM WHETHER IT WORKS OUT FOR HIM OR IT DOESN'T.

SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE HE'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO TRY AND RECRUIT THE BEST PLAYERS TO MAKE NEBRASKA THE BEST THEY CAN BE GOING FORWARD.

>> ZACH, HOW INTRIGUED ARE YOU ABOUT THIS NEXT COACHING HIRED.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PREFERENCES?

I MEAN DO YOU HAVE ANY GUYS THAT JUMP OUT TO YOU WHEN YOU KIND OF LOOK AT THIS NEXT HIRED?

>> I REALLY DON'T.

I MEAN I THINK YOU KNOW, FIVE YEARS AGO SCOTT FROST WAS WHAT EVERYBODY WANTED.

IT WAS THE HOME RUN.

HE COULD'VE WENT TO FLORIDA, TENNESSEE, WHEREVER.

AND THIS YEAR, IN MY MIND THERE'S NOT A CLEAR-CUT CANDIDATE THAT SAYS, BOOM, THIS IS WHO IT NEEDS TO BE.

AND I THINK, IN A WAY, THAT'S WHAT'S MAYBE OPEN THE DOOR A LITTLE BIT FOR MICKEY TO POTENTIALLY SLIDE INTO THAT ROLE.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE SAYING "WELL WE WENT FROM ONE FORMER NEBRASKA QUARTERBACK, DO WE GO TO ANOTHER ONE?"

BUT I THINK THEY ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PEOPLE OF WHO THEY ARE.

BACKGROUNDS AND ALL OF THAT STUFF, SO.

I'M VERY INTERESTED.

I THINK YOU KNOW, YOU COULD PROBABLY PICK A NAME OUT OF A HAT EVERYDAY AND WE MAY OR MAY NOT BE WRONG.

FROM MY MIND, FROM A FORMER PLAYER, IT'S AS CLOSE TO THE BEST COACHING SEARCH THAT I'VE SEEN OR EXPERIENCED.

BECAUSE THERE'S NOT THE NO-NAME SOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE OF, "HEY IT'S THIS PERSON", "IT'S GOING TO BE THIS PERSON."

SO YOU KNOW, IN A WAY, IN MY OPINION WE ARE GOING TO FIND OUT SHORTLY AFTER IOWA.

BECAUSE JUST WITH EVERYTHING WITH THE RECRUITING AND DEAD PERIODS AND THAT N.I.L.

AND ALL THE STUFF.

YOU GOT TO MOVE QUICKLY.

>> YEAH, WERE NOT EVEN HEARING FROM AGENTS RIGHT?

THAT'S WHERE THE LEAK NORMALLY COMES FROM.

GET ANOTHER COACH, MAYBE A RAISE OR AN EXTENSION OF THE CONTRACT.

WE'RE NOT EVEN HEARING FROM THAT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT TRAVIS VOKOLEK?

WHO WE'VE SEEN A LOT AND OBVIOUSLY HE'S STILL BANGED UP A LITTLE BIT, BUT HE'S NOT THAT SLOW GOING DOWN THE SIDELINES.

>> HE'S NOT THAT BANGED UP.

>> TRUST ME.

>> YOU KNOW, YOU CAN RUN FASTER.

BUT MAN, HE SURE DID LOOK LIKE YOU.

SLOW.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT HE STILL GOT THERE.

WE'VE ALL BEEN IN THAT SPOT SOME TIME WHERE YOU'VE CAUGHT A PASS OR AN INTERCEPTION AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE GOT THE WHOLE WORLD JUST RUNNING AFTER YOU.

BUT AS LONG AS YOU GOT THERE.

NOW, IF HE WOULD'VE GOTTEN TACKLED AT THE ONE THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

BUT I GO BACK TO NORTHWESTERN GAME.

ULTIMATELY, IF HE DOESN'T GET HURT THERE, I THINK THAT GAME'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME PLAYERS THAT WENT IN AFTER HIM THAT DROPPED SOME PASSES OR MAYBE IT WAS A BAD THROW BY CASEY THOMPSON.

BUT HIM GOING OUT THAT FIRST GAME COMPLETELY CHANGED HOW THAT GAME WENT.

SO I'M HAPPY TO SEE HIM FIGHT BACK.

I THINK THE TIGHT END GROUP HAS DONE BETTER.

OBVIOUSLY WE KEEP HEARING THOMAS FIDONE AND ALL THESE OTHER GUYS.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE.

THE TIGHT END IS SUCH A GOOD POSITION IN THIS DAY AND AGE.

WHETHER IT'S RUNNING, PASSING, BLOCKING, THERE'S SO MANY THING THAT YOU CAN DO.

AND I THINK WE ASKED ONCE.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF MAKING SURE THAT WE KEEP GETTING THE BALL AND KEEP PUTTING IT INTO THE POSITIONS TO SUCCEED.

>> ZACH, YOU MENTIONED N.I.L.

DO YOU KEEP UP WITH THAT STUFF AND FOLLOW THAT?

AND DO YOU EVER THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU WERE PLAYING HOW MUCH N.I.L.

OPPORTUNITY -- >> YEAH.

>> I MEAN, LIKE, CAN YOU IMAGINE NDAMUKONG SUH.

>> WELL, WHAT ABOUT JAY MOORE AND ME?

>> JAY MOORE AND YOU.

>> I DON'T CARE ABOUT NDAMUKONG.

HE WAS JUST FINE.

I MEAN, THE THING WHERE I THINK IT'S VERY BENEFICIAL.

IT'S OBVIOUSLY BENEFICIAL FOR YOUR OUT OF STATE PEOPLE.

BUT YOUR LOCAL PEOPLE, GUYS LIKE JAY AND I, WE GREW UP WITH PEOPLE AROUND HERE.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S WHERE NEBRASKA HAS PUT ITSELF IN SUCH A GREAT POSITION GOING FORWARD.

>> YEAH.

>> WE HAVE A NEW FACILITY THAT'S OPENING.

WE HAVE N.I.L.

THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT GO ON IN THIS STATE.

CREIGHTON BASKETBALL.

NEBRASKA VOLLEYBALL.

THINGS THAT ARE DOING WEALTH.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S NEBRASKA FOOTBALL AND THAT'S WHERE N.I.L.

AND NEBRASKA WILL HOPEFULLY SUCCEED GOING FORWARD.

>> MICKEY COMING IN AS THE INTERIM IS ALWAYS A VERY INTERESTING ONE.

BECAUSE HE WAS HERE.

HE WAS PUT IN THE SITUATION AND YOU'RE ABLE TO SEE HIM ACTUALLY WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

YOU CAN'T THROW WHOEVER IT IS AND SAY WHAT WOULD YOU DO AS -- YOU GET THE BEST CASE STUDY.

BUT IN THIS BUSINESS AS WELL IT'S A WIN-LOSS SITUATION.

BUT CAN WE TOTALLY JUDGE MICKEY ON EVERY WIN AND LOSS THAT HE'S POTENTIALLY GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS SEASON IF HE WOULD BE A GOOD FIT FOR NEBRASKA?

>> I WOULD SAY YES AND NO.

NO BECAUSE, IN A WAY, WHO KNOWS IF MICKEY'S RETAINED WHAT DOES HE DO WITH THE STAFF.

WHO ELSE DOES HE BRING IN FROM HIS GUYS?

YOU KNOW, SOMEONE LIKE A BILL BUSH.

HE'S BEEN WITH BILL FOR A COUPLE YEARS NOW WITH LSU.

WHO ELSE COULD MAYBE COME FROM THAT LSU STAFF OF ED OREGON AND THEM OR ALL THE OTHER STOPS THAT HE'S BEEN.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE I FEEL LIKE HE WILL MAKE SOME CHANGES.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HOLDOVERS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK YOU CAN JUDGE IT BECAUSE IT'S A LONG ENOUGH OR BIG ENOUGH SAMPLE SIZE HERE.

YOU GOT A LOT OF GAMES HERE OF PUTTING PLAYERS IN A POSITION.

BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK THEY HAVE GOOD PLAYER.

THERE'S PLAYERS THAT COULD CERTAINLY GET BETTER, BUT IT'S A SCHEME TOO.

YOU GOT TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS WHETHER SOMEONE LIKE WHIPPLE IS RETAINED OR, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY DO THE OFFENSE WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW IT GOES WITH CASEY BEING DOWN.

IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BALL GAME WITH SMOTHER AND PURDY.

>> TALENT HAS TO GET BETTER THOUGH.

I KNOW THEY HAVE SOME GOOD PLAYERS.

BUT TALENT ACROSS BOTH LINES CERTAINLY DOESN'T ADD UP VERSUS ILLINOIS, MINNESOTA THIS WEEK, AND OTHER TEAMS THEY'VE PLAYED ALREADY.

>> I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY ONE AREA WHERE WE'VE MISSED WHETHER, LIKE JAY SAID, BACK TO DEVELOPMENT OR THERE'S -- I THINK WE'VE RECRUITED GOOD KIDS.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HOW WE'VE DEVELOPED THEM IN THE WEIGHT ROOM OR ON THE FIELD FROM A TECHNIQUE STANDPOINT OF TO GET BETTER.

AND THAT'S WHERE I DON'T WANT TO SAY WE'VE STRUCK OUT BY ANY MEANS.

BUT WE HAVEN'T DEVELOPED THE LINES TO HAVE THE PASS RUSH THAT WE SHOULD HAVE OR TO BE ABLE TO BLOCK HOW WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO -- TO GIVE THE QUARTERBACK PROTECTION, TO LET HIM HAVE THE THROWS OR TO OPEN UP THE RUNNING LANES.

>> WHEN YOU LOOK YOU MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT TIGHT ENDS AND I WAS TRYING TO THINK AS YOU SAID IT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS A GOOD NFL TEAM THAT DOESN'T HAVE A VERY GOOD TIGHT END.

WALLER HAS BEEN HURT FOR THE RAIDERS.

THEY LOOK HORRIBLE WITHOUT HIM.

YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET THAT GUY -- OBVIOUSLY HE'S A BLOCKER TOO.

BUT GET HIM IN ROUTES, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD.

>> THERE'S A TIGHT END, AND THIS DATES BACK TO PROBABLY WHEN GRONKOWSKI AND HERNANDEZ WERE WITH PATS -- THAT'S WHEN THE TIGHT END POSITION REALLY TOOK OVER.

MATT HERRING BACK IN THE DAY LOOKED LIKE A WIDE RECEIVER.

>> YEAH.

>> BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS YOU CAN DO FROM A MATCHUP WISE.

PUTTING THE GUYS IN MOTION.

PUT THEM -- OVERLOAD THIS.

GET THEM OUT ON A ROUTE.

I MEAN, MAYBE THEY'RE JUST A DECOY OR THEY'RE JUST A HECK OF A BLOCKER.

I LEARNED FROM ONE OF THE BEST IN MARCEDES LEWIS WHO'S STILL PLAYING -- >> FOR THE PACKERS.

>> AND HE'S JUST A BLOCKING GUY.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME HE CAN STILL GO OUT THERE AND CATCH.

AND SO YOU FAKE BLOCK AND RELEASE AND YOU GOT A TOUCHDOWN.

THERE'S JUST SO MANY DIFFERENT THING S YOU CAN DO WITH THE TIGHT END POSITION.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WHIPPLE HAS DONE A GOOD JOB OF IT THIS YEAR.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF MAKING SURE THE GUYS HAVE BEEN HEALTHY.

>> DO YOU THINK THE NEXT COACH AND THIS TAKES MICKEY OUT OF IT OBVIOUSLY.

HAS TO HAVE POWER FIVE EXPERIENCE AS A HEAD COACH?

>> YES.

>> IF YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE THE CHOICE?

>> YES.

I THINK YOU HAVE TO.

NEBRASKA IS JUST A DIFFERENT BEAST.

I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY WHERE MICKEY WHETHER HE IS THE GUY OR NOT, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT'S HAD SOME HEAD COACHING EXPERIENCE.

I THINK THAT'S ONE THING WHERE MAYBE WE OVERLOOKED.

YOU KNOW, FROST HAD TWO YEARS AT CENTRAL FLORIDA.

BESIDES THAT YOU HAD JUST BEEN AN ASSISTANT.

I THINK YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME HEAD COACHING EXPERIENCE ESPECIALLY COMING INTO A PLACE LIKE THIS BECAUSE AS TREV HAS MENTIONED YOU HAVE TO BE THAT CEO TYPE.

YOU GOT TO BE ABLE TO RUN THE ORGANIZATION.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO HAS SOME POWER FIVE HEAD COACHING EXPERIENCE.

>> WHEN YOU WENT THERE YOUR TRANSITION YOU WERE OFFERED, YOU CAME IN WITH CALLAHAN AND YOU PLAYED WITH BO.

HOW HARD WAS THAT JUST TO KIND OF ADJUST AS A YOUNG PLAYER?

>> WELL, IT'S CHALLENGING.

I THINK THAT'S THE ONE THING KIND OF CONCERNS ME THE MOST.

IF MICKEY WERE TO NOT BE RETAINED AS THE HEAD COACH BUT MAYBE RETAINED ON STAFF.

DOES THAT CREATE SOME SORT OF DIVIDE IN THE HEAD AND THE HOLDOVER IN JOSEPH IS -- IF THINGS START GOING SOUTH, WELL, "OH, GOSH, WELL, MICKEY WOULD HAVE DONE THIS IF HE WAS" -- SO IF MICKEY WERE TO STAY ON STAFF, THOSE TWO PEOPLE GOT TO BE TWO PEAS IN A POD AND HAVE TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH HOW EVERYTHING GOES BECAUSE THEY COULD CREATE A DIVIDE REALLY QUICKLY.

BUT ULTIMATELY I THINK, AS A TRANSITION, YOU JUST GOT TO BE AN OPEN MIND.

ALL THE KIDS YOU -- I MEAN, THEY'RE KIDS.

I MEAN, JAY AND I WERE LUCKY.

WE GOT TO MAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

NOT ALL THESE GUYS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.

YOU GOT TO JUST MAKE SURE TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR YOU.

GO TO CLASS, GET STRONGER, WATCH FILM, AND GO OUT THERE AND PLAY THE BEST THAT YOU CAN, NOT ONLY FOR THE NAME ON YOUR CHEST, BUT THE NAME ON THE BACK.

IT'S YOUR PERSONAL BRAND OUT THERE WITH N.I.L.

I MEAN, THESE KIDS WANT TO GO OUT THERE AND PLAY.

I GUARANTEE YOU NOT ONE KID ON THAT TEAM IS GOING OUT THERE TRYING TO FAIL ON A SATURDAY OR TRYING TO DROP A PASS OR TO MISS A BLOCK.

THEY ALL WANT TO SUCCEED.

AND ULTIMATELY THEY JUST HAVE TO KEEP WORKING AT THEIR CRAFT AND KEEP GETTING BETTER.

>> I THINK THAT'S WHY BASED OFF WHAT YOU JUST SAID.

WHY DAVE ARANDA KEEPS GETTING MENTIONED SO MUCH.

THEY HAVE THE PRIOR RELATIONSHIP WITH BILL BUSH.

IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD BE ONE THAT MAYBE MICKEY WOULDN'T MIND COACHING WITH.

>> IT'S GETTING TO THOSE LEVELS OF -- AND I THINK JAY HAS MENTIONED THIS BEFORE IN THE PAST -- OF WHERE HE WAS WHEN HE WAS THE "D" COORDINATOR AND INTERIM HEAD COACH.

FANBASE GETTING BEHIND HIM OBVIOUSLY THIS PAST WEEKEND.

MAYBE IT'S COOLED SOME OF THAT A LITTLE BIT, BUT I STILL THINK THE HISTORY OF MICKEY AS A RECRUITER.

WHAT HIM AND BILL BUSH HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO AT LSU AND EVEN JUST COMING HERE, THAT'S A STRONG ENOUGH THING SAYING, "HEY, HOW CAN WE RETAIN MAYBE THESE TWO GUYS OR MAYBE THERE MIGHT BE OTHER GUYS ON THE STAFF?"

BUT I THINK THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT THEY BRING TO THE TABLE, WHETHER THEY'RE HEAD COACH OR JUST ON STAFF THAT COULD BE BENEFICIAL.

>> ANOTHER ELEMENT TO EVERYTHING WILL BE THE TRANSFER PORTAL.

I MEAN, A LOT OF GUYS COULD BE THINKING TRANSFER PORTAL.

IT WASN'T AROUND WHEN YOU PLAYED.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR TIME, HOW MANY GUYS TALKED ABOUT TRANSFERRING?

BECAUSE IT WAS SO MUCH HARDER.

YOU HAD TO GET THE RELEASE.

IT HAD TO BE CERTAIN SCHOOL.

BUT IT'S OBVIOUSLY WAY EASIER -- >> WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE TRANSFER PORTAL AND N.I.L.

THOUGH, THEY'RE TWO THINGS THAT GO TOGETHER.

IT'S NOT JUST TRANSFER PORTAL.

IT'S BOTH.

AND SOME GUYS CAN BE LOOKING AT SAYING HEY IF I GET IN THE TRANSFER PORTAL I CAN MAKE MORE MONEY IF I GO SOMEWHERE ELSE THAN I CAN STAYING HERE.

>> LIKE CASEY ROGERS.

>> YEAH.

IT'S JUST -- AND THAT'S WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE.

DEPENDING ON WHO THEY GO WITH THE COACH.

WHAT COACHES ARE HELD OVER OR NOT.

BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU -- THIS SOUNDS BAD, BUT A LOT OF THESE PLAYERS THEY CHOOSE THE UNIVERSITY FOR THE COACH.

I MEAN, WE ALL CHOOSE THE UNIVERSITY BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

BUT ULTIMATELY YOUR CHOOSING THAT COACH YOU WANT TO PLAY FOR.

AND THAT'S WHY THE TRANSFER PORTAL, I THINK, HAS BEEN THE WAY IT IS.

BECAUSE COACHES CAN JUMP, BUT PLAYERS HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO.

NOW THIS AT LEAST ALLOWS THE PLAYERS TO GET OUT AND EXPERIENCE CERTAIN THINGS IF THAT COACH DOES LEAVE.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE MIGHT LOSE A LOT OF PEOPLE.

BUT WE CAN GET A HECK OF A LOT OF PEOPLE TOO.

THIS CAN TURN A LOT QUICKER THAN IT HAS BEEN ABLE TO IN THE PAST.

BECAUSE WHOEVER THAT COACH IS CAN GET GUYS THAT HE WANTS IN HERE TO MAKE IT HIS SYSTEM AND HOW THEY WANT TO DO IT.

>> TAPING HERE ON TUESDAY.

GOT A PICK FOR THE GAME?

>> 31-30 NEBRASKA.

>> 31-30!

>> KEEPING THE STREAK ALIVE.

>> YOU CAN'T CHOOSE AGAINST NEBRASKA.

I MEAN, COME ON.

>> BUT THERE'S A SAYING YOU BET WITH YOUR HEAD NOT YOUR HEART.

>> HE'S NOT BETTING.

>> WHAT ABOUT CREIGHTON PREP IN THE PLAYOFFS?

>> YOU KNOW THEY HAVE THE TOUGHEST SCHEDULE TO START THE SEASON -- >> YEAH.

>> WITH THREE LOSSES THEY'VE BEEN PLAYING WELL.

THEY GOT ELKHORN SOUTH THIS WEEK, SO THAT'LL BE A TOUGH ONE SO.

>> BEST TEAM I'VE SEEN ALL YEAR IS ELKHORN SOUTH.

>> OF COURSE I'LL PICK THE JUNIOR JAYS.

NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

>> EXACTLY.

>> APPRECIATE IT MAN.

>> THANK YOU, GUYS.

>> WE HAVE A WINNER IN OUR GAMEDAY PHOTO CONTEST.

MEGAN ANDERSON SHARED THIS PHOTO WITH US VIA TWITTER.

A FANTASTIC PREGAME FEATURING THE PARACHUTER DROPPING INTO MEMORIAL STADIUM.

IT IS A GREAT PHOTO.

ESPECIALLY WITH THE AMERICAN FLAG RIGHT THERE.

DON'T FORGET TO SEND US YOUR BEST GAMEDAY PHOTOS EACH WEEK FOR A CHANCE TO WIN GREAT PRIZES.

NEXT UP ON THE "WRAP-UP," SEAN CALLAHAN IS STILL HERE WITH US.

WE'LL WALK OVER TO THE SCREEN.

BUSY RECRUITING WEEK PLUS A BIG TIME COMMIT.

BUT FIRST LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SATURDAY'S GAME COURTESY OF HAIL VARSITY.

BACK IN TWO.

♪ ♪ WE ARE BACK IN 2.

♪ ♪ ♪ >>> BE SURE TO VOTE ON THIS WEEK'S SIDELINE ONLINE SURVEY.

IF CASEY THOMPSON CAN'T START, WHO WILL NEBRASKA'S QUARTERBACK BE AGAINST MINNESOTA?

RIGHT NOW -- IT IS CLOSING UP A LITTLE BIT.

LOGAN SMOTHERS, 56%.

CHUBBA PURDY AT 39% AND MATT MASKER AND FRIENDS 5%.

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

WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW.

MIKE'L SEVERE, SEAN CALLAHAN TO TALK SOME RECRUITING.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS GUY A LITTLE BIT THAT MAYBE HE MIGHT FLIP FROM TULANE.

AND ARNOLD DID.

>> TWO COMMITS NOW FOR MICKEY JOSEPH IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS.

ARNOLD "DUDA" BARNES FROM LOUISIANA COMMITS TO NEBRASKA TODAY GIVING NEBRASKA THEIR LONE RUNNING BACK RECRUIT.

REMEMBER, THEY TOOK A BUNCH OF THEM A YEAR AGO WHEN YOU COUNT THE PORTAL GUYS.

BUT 5'9", 225.

>> I DON'T THINK HE'S 5'9."

>> MORE LIKE 5'7", 230.

>> YEAH, EASILY.

>> BUT HE'S THICK, HAS KIND OF THAT CORY ROSS BUILD TO HIM, GETS THE LOW PAD LEVEL, VERY ELUSIVE.

AND A MICKEY JOSEPH GUY, A NEW ORLEANS KID THAT MICKEY IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH.

WAS GOING TO TULANE, WHO'S A TOP 20 TEAM RIGHT NOW IN THE POLL RELEASED TODAY.

AND, YOU KNOW, HE DECOMMITTED FROM TULANE AND ACTUALLY VISITED IOWA.

THEN HE COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA.

SO JOSEPH AND THAT LOUISIANA BOND THAT HE HAS WITH THESE KIDS DOWN THERE REALLY PAID OFF.

>> FAMOUS ALUMNI OF BOOKER T. WASHINGTON -- GARRETT MORRIS FROM "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE," ONE OF THE ORIGINAL PRIMETIME PLAYERS.

>> SEE, I LOVE THE LOUISIANA GUYS.

'CAUSE YOU CAN DROP -- >> I GOT THAT.

>> THIS IS GOOD MIKE'L SEVERE NEW ORLEANS KNOWLEDGE.

>> I'VE BEEN TO BOOKER T. WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL BEFORE.

IT'S WHERE MY MOM WENT.

OFFICIAL VISITORS AT THE ILLINOIS GAME?

>> SO NEBRASKA HAD A NUMBER OF GUYS IN, UNOFFICIAL VISITORS.

YOU HAD DYLAN RAIOLA, THE QUARTERBACK.

NOW, HE'S STILL COMMITTED TO OHIO STATE.

NUMBER ONE PLAYER IN 2024.

BUT POPPED IN WITH HIS BROTHER DAYTON WHO IS A YOUNGER PROSPECT, LISTED AS A QUARTERBACK.

HE LOOKS MORE LIKE HIS FATHER.

HE LOOKS MORE LIKE AN OFFENSE LINEMAN.

>> YEAH, HE LOOKS LIKE A CENTER, YEAH.

>> BUT DAYTON RAIOLA, NEBRASKA HAS OFFERED THE FRESHMAN, THE YOUNGER BROTHER DYLAN RAIOLA, THEY WERE IN TOWN.

SAW THEIR UNCLE WHO COACHED FOR NEBRASKA.

DOMINIC WAS THERE.

>> YEP.

>> AND THEN DOMINIC'S FATHER TONY, IT WAS HIS FIRST TRIP BACK TO NEBRASKA SINCE DOMINIC PLAYED.

>> OH, WOW.

>> SO THEY HAD -- IT WAS KIND OF A BIG REUNION OF THE RAIOLAS.

>> CLASS OF 2026.

THAT BLOWS MY MIND EVERY SEASON.

>> WE'RE GETTING OLD.

>> YEAH.

AND BO HUGHLEY?

>> YEAH, THEN YOU FINALLY HAD BO HUGHLEY BACK.

I BELIEVER THIS IS HIS THIRD TRIP DOWN TO NEBRASKA.

HE'S COMMITTED TO GEORGIA.

YOU KNOW, HE'S GONE TO PLACES LIKE AUBURN.

YOU GET SOME OF THIS -- I THINK HE LIKES NEBRASKA.

>> YEAH.

>> HE LIKES MICKEY JOSEPH.

>> WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

>> I THINK HE IS ALSO INTERESTED IN THE N.I.L.

MARKET A LITTLE BIT.

>> OH, SURE.

>> I THINK HE LIKES TO GET A FEEL FOR THE LANDSCAPE.

BUT PEOPLE YOU TALK TO AT GEORGIA REALLY FEEL LIKE HE'S STILL PROBABLY GONNA END UP THERE.

BUT IT IS INTERESTING THAT HE'S BEEN IN NEBRASKA NOW MULTIPLE TIMES.

>> WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OFFERS WE SAW THIS WEEK?

>> NEBRASKA MADE A NUMBER OF OFFERS.

YOU GO DOWN THE LIST OF GUYS THIS PAST WEEK.

ANOTHER JUCO OFFER, DENVER WARREN.

KEELAN SMITH, A WIDE RECEIVER.

YOU HAD MICHAEL BOGANOWSKI, A LINEBACKER.

THEY'RE GOING HEAVY ON JUCOS THOUGH.

IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY IN THE COUNTRY HAS GONE AS HEAVY ON JUCOS.

A COUPLE OFFENSIVE TACKLE OFFERS AS YOU SEE THERE, AND THEN ANOTHER RECEIVER RECEIVER.

SO THEY ARE BEING SUPER AGGRESSIVE FOR THIS LATE IN THE CYCLE.

>> WHAT MICKEY SAID, RIGHT?

HE BELIEVES THAT JUCO GUYS ARE CLOSER TO BEING HIGH SCHOOL GUYS.

THEY PROBABLY WEREN'T TALL ENOUGH OR DIDN'T HAVE GRADES.

THAT'S WHY THEY'RE JUCO.

THE PORTAL GUYS HAVE A LITTLE MORE QUESTIONS.

YOU GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHY THEY'RE TRANSFERRING.

>> AND YOU GOT TO DEAL WITH MORE N.I.L.

THINGS.

YOU GOT TO DEAL WITH MORE COMPETITION.

IF THERE IS A QUALITY PORTAL D-END, D-TACKLE, OR O-LINEMAN, THEY GET, LIKE, 40 OFFERS.

>> THEY'RE GOLD.

>> AND THEN THE N.I.L.

MARKETPLACE JUST SKYROCKETS.

WHERE A JUCO GUY, YOU MIGHT HAVE TWO OR THREE AND IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT -- LIKE ANTHONY GRANT, THERE WAS NO N.I.L.

INVOLVED TO GET HIM HERE.

>> YEAH.

>> AND HE WAS THE JUCO PLAYER OF THE YEAR.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO YOU CAN FIND GUYS.

AND I THINK THAT'S -- THEY'RE TRYING TO GET DOWN TO -- IT'S HARD TO GET DOWN TO KANSAS TO GO DOWN AND SEE THOSE GUYS.

>> SURE.

>> THEY WENT DOWN THERE DURING THE BYE WEEK AND SAW SOME GUYS.

>> OUT IN-STATE RECRUIT IS DAE'VONN HALL, A GREAT WIDE RECEIVER.

>> YEAH, FOUR-STAR RIGHT NOW, DAE'VONN HALL, BELLEVUE WEST HIGH SCHOOL.

VERY, VERY GOOD PLAYER.

NEBRASKA OFFERED HIM AS A FRESHMAN.

IOWA OFFERED HIM AS A FRESHMAN.

>> YEP.

>> BELIEVED TO BE ONE OF THE YOUNGEST, IF NOT THE YOUNGEST EVER, HUSKER OFFER IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA, GETTING HIS OFFER ONE OR TWO GAMES INTO HIS FRESHMAN YEAR, NOW A JUNIOR.

THEY'VE GOT TWO DIVISION I RECEIVERS RIGHT NOW AT BELLEVUE WEST.

ISAIAH McMORRIS, DAE'VONN HALL.

I THINK McMORRIS IS VERY -- >> IS HE THREE, NUMBER THREE?

>> YEAH.

>> HE'S GOOD.

>> AND HE'S ACTUALLY HAVING A BIGGER YEAR THAN DAE'VONN HALL.

>> YEAH, HE IS.

>> I DON'T ENVY THE -- OF THE WORLD TRYING TO MAKE SOME OF THESE ALL- STATE DECISIONS.

BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME REALLY, REALLY GOOD RECEIVES, SOME NUMBERS BEING PUT UP.

AND McMORRIS THERE AT BELLEVUE WEST IS A D-I GUY.

I THINK NEBRASKA COULD END UP OFFERING HIM TOO.

>> HE HAD A HUGE DAY TOO AGAINST GRETNA, EVEN THOUGH GRETNA CAME BACK.

AND THEY GET A REMATCH THIS WEEK.

ANY UNOFFICIAL VISITORS THIS WEEKEND?

>> NO OFFICIALS THAT WE KNOW OF.

11:00 A.M. GAME, REMEMBER, TOO.

>> YEAH, THAT'S TOUGH TO GET IN.

>> THE THING I'M GOING TO BE WATCHING OUT FOR IS, CAN THEY GET A COUPLE OF THESE JUCO OFFERS ON CAMPUS?

BECAUSE THE WINDOW IS VERY TIGHT FOR JUCOS.

BUT WE'RE STILL -- YOU KNOW, THE COACHING CHANGE AND THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN.

THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWNS.

BUT MICKEY IS DOING A GREAT JOB PUTTING THIS CLASS TOGETHER STILL.

>> APPRECIATE IT, SEAN.

WE'LL SEE YOU BACK ON THE SET.

TAKE A LOOK AROUND THE BIG TEN NOW.

MINNESOTA BLANKED RUTGERS.

OF COURSE, NEBRASKA PLAYS MINNESOTA THIS WEEK.

31-NOTHING.

IOWA'S OFFENSE ALL OF A SUDDEN ROSE FROM THE DEAD, BEAT NORTHWESTERN 33- 13.

AND MICHIGAN TOPPED IN STATE MICHIGAN STATE, THEIR RIVAL, 29-7.

AND THEN THEY HAD A BIG FIGHT IN THE LOCKER ROOM WHICH HAS GOT A LOT OF GUYS SUSPENDED.

LET'S DIVE INTO ANOTHER COACHING CANDIDATE FOR NEBRASKA.

THIS WEEK IT'S CHRIS PETERSEN.

CHRIS PETERSEN IS INTERESTING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HE'S NOT COACHING.

HE'S DOING TV.

HE STEPPED AWAY AND HAD AN AMAZING CAREER AT BOISE.

HAD A REALLY GOOD CAREER AT WASHINGTON, DECIDED TO STEP AWAY.

HE WOULD BE A GUY THAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY HIRE AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT FINISHING OUT WITH THE TEAM.

IT'S A LOT OF PARTS TO THAT.

I WILL TELL YOU SINCE 2010, 3-19 -- 3-19 AS A DOG.

WHEN HIS TEAMS WERE UNDERDOGS, THEY DID NOT WIN.

WHEN THEY WERE FAVORITES -- 18, 19 OR A FAVORITE EVERY GAME THAT YEAR -- THAT'S WHEN THEY WON THEIR GAMES.

WHEN HE WAS AN UNDERDOG, THEY DIDN'T WIN.

>> AND I QUESTION -- IS HE REALLY ON BOARD WITH THE NEW AGE COLLEGE FOOTBALL?

NOT ALL PEOPLE ARE.

>> YEAH.

>> BUT N.I.L.

-- >> HE IS A LITTLE BIT YOUNGER THAN SOME OF THOSE OTHER GUYS THAT HAVE LEFT.

>> I JUST -- YOU KNOW, HIS REAL ROOTS ARE BOISE STATE.

>> SURE.

>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT KIND OF STUFF UP THERE.

>> RIGHT.

>> WASHINGTON, TO AN EXTENT, DIDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH TOO MUCH OF IT WHEN HE WAS THERE.

I THINK THE GAME HAS CHANGED SO MUCH.

>> SURE.

>> AND HE'S SAID, LIKE, HE'S DONE.

BUT IS HE DONE?

THAT'S THE QUESTION.

>> YEAH.

YOU GO "ARE YOU DONE" WHEN SOMEONE SAYS, "HERE'S $8 MILLION."

>> HERE'S $50 MILLION GUARANTEED.

>> WHEN YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO GO TO A PLACE LIKE NEBRASKA AND REVIVE THEM, MAYBE THAT GIVES HIM THAT ENERGY.

I DON'T KNOW.

THE PAC-12 IS DIFFERENT THAN THE BIG 10 AS WELL, THE LAST PLACE HE WAS.

>> THAT WOULD BE MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS -- OKAY, BOISE STATE, THEY HAD TO DO SOME DIFFERENT THINGS.

THE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS.

BUT TO GO TO WASHINGTON -- HAD PLENTY OF SUCCESS THERE.

BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW HE PERFORMED AGAINST BIG TEN.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE -- I THINK YOUR COACH NEEDS TO HAVE A GOOD GRASP OF HOW YOU NEED TO OPERATE IN THE BIG TEN.

BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, SCOTT, HE DID NOT GET THAT MEMO HOW YOU NEEDED TO OPERATE.

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THE RIGHT MENTALITY MINDSET.

'CAUSE YOU JUST CAN'T TRY TO CHUCK IT 50, 60 TIMES A GAME IN THIS CONFERENCE.

AND WE'RE LEARNING THAT THE HARD WAY THIS YEAR, OBVIOUSLY.

>> WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT TEAMS THAT MADE THE PLAYOFF THAT DON'T FIT-- MICHIGAN STATE AND WASHINGTON ARE YOUR TWO.

THOSE ARE YOUR TWO OUTLIERS.

HE'S ONE OF THE FEW COACHES OUTSIDE OF THAT CLEMSON, GEORGIA, ALABAMA TEAMS THAT HAVE GOTTEN THERE.

>> WELL, AND NOW THAT IT'S GOING TO GO TO 12 -- AND WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT'S GONNA ACTUALLY HAPPEN.

>> RIGHT.

>> I THINK SOME WANT IT SOONER THAN LATER.

YOU KNOW, THE BIG TEN AND THE SEC, THEY'RE IN A POSITION TO MAYBE GET SIX OF THOSE BIDS BETWEEN THE TWO LEAGUES, MAYBE SEVEN.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THERE IS GONNA BE THE AUTOMATIC BIDS FOR THE SIX AUTOS.

SO YOU'RE TALKING -- IF YOU'RE 9-3, YOU COULD GET IN THE PLAYOFFS.

>> SURE.

>> YOU KNOW, THERE IS OPPORTUNITY FOR THE RIGHT GUY THAT COMES TO NEBRASKA.

BECAUSE BO PELINI WOULD HAVE HAD SOME TEAMS THAT WOULD HAVE KNOCKED ON THE DOOR OF PLAYOFFS ON THIS NEW 12-TEAM PLAYOFF SERIES.

EVEN 2013 WHEN YOU HAD THE INJURY TO MARTINEZ.

EVEN THAT TEAM, THEY PLAYED MICHIGAN STATE LATE IN THE YEAR.

THEY ONLY HAD TWO LOSSES.

IT COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN A YEAR WHERE THEY COULD HAVE ENDED UP IN THERE.

ANY RUMORS?

YOU HEAR ANYTHING?

I MEAN, THERE IS NOTHING.

IT'S SO QUIET OUT THERE.

IT'S AMAZING.

>> YOU HEAR JUST SOME PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED.

DAVE DOEREN AT NORTH CAROLINA STATE.

KANSAS CITY AND ANY OF THEM WENT TO COLLEGE AT DRAKE.

MARK STOOPS, IOWA HAWKEYE FROM OHIO.

HE'S KIND OF TOPPED OUT AT KENTUCKY, WHAT HE CAN DO WITH THAT PROGRAM IN THE SEC EAST WITH GEORGIA AND TENNESSEE.

YOU HEAR NAMES LIKE THAT.

ALTHOUGH, LANCE LEIPOLD'S BEEN KIND OF A DAY ONE GUY WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.

BILL O'BRIEN HAS BEEN KIND OF THE DAY ONE CANDIDATE.

>> AND I KNOW KLIEMAN'S NOT LEAVING KANSAS STATE BUT RIGHT NOW HE'S THE HOT GUY.

BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY JUST DID TO OKLAHOMA STATE, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY'RE PLAYING THIS YEAR.

>> AND TREV'S DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB OF KEEPING THIS THING BUTTONED UP.

AND THAT'S HOW THESE SEARCHES REALLY SHOULD BE DONE.

>> OH, I COULDN'T AGREE MORE.

>> BUT IT'S HARD TO DO IT THAT WAY.

>> WELL, TODAY'S DAY IN AGE IT'S EXTREMELY HARD WITH HOW MANY MEDIA OUTLETS THERE ARE AND JUST HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT CAN LEAK THE INFORMATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF A CERTAIN COACH, AN AGENT, WHATEVER FOR MONETARY REASONS.

BUT WE HAVE LITERALLY GOT NOTHING.

AND I'M OKAY WITH THAT, TO BE HONEST.

BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE TO HEAR THE, "HE SAID, SHE SAID" STUFF.

I DON'T WANT TO GET CAUGHT UP IN THE BACK AND FORTH OF THE, "OH IT'S THIS GUY.

OH, I HEAR IT'S THIS GUY."

THAT GET'S EXHAUSTING.

>> AND NOW YOU'RE HEARING MICKEY JOSEPH'S NAME AT ARIZONA STATE, WHICH IS INTERESTING.

AND COLORADO'S A POSSIBILITY.

ARIZONA STATE, YOU THINK ON PAPER THAT'S A GOOD JOB.

THEY HAVE GOT SOME MAJOR SANCTIONS THAT ARE SPOOKY.

>> AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE PAC-12.

>> CANDIDATES ARE SPOOKED TO GO TO ARIZONA STATE BECAUSE OF SOME OF THOSE THINGS.

SO MICKEY, WE REPORTED THAT THERE HAS BEEN AT LEAST SOME INFORMAL CONTACT MADE TO JOSEPH, HIS CAMP AT LEAST, ABOUT THAT ARIZONA STATE JOB.

>> I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S PLANTED BUT THE BEST THING FOR MICKEY WOULD TO BE TO HAVE THAT OUT THERE.

BECAUSE IT PUTS A LITTLE MORE PRESSURE ON TREV, IT PUTS MORE PRESSURE ON THE JOB YOU HAVE.

>> YOU HAVE THAT, YOU HAVE THE "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED" ARTICLE, THEN YOU HAVE THE JOURNEY DEAL WITH MICKEY.

SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF POSITIVE PUBLICITY ON MICKEY'S SIDE TO MAKE TREV THINK ABOUT DOING, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST THE COOL THING ABOUT IT IS, HE GETS TO SEE EXACTLY HOW MICKEY WOULD OPERATE.

THAT'S JUST THE BIGGEST THING.

THAT'S WHY I ASKED ZACH THE WHOLE WIN/LOSS SITUATION.

BECAUSE IT DOES MATTER, BUT YOU'RE TAKING OVER A TEAM MID-YEAR.

SCOTT WASN'T DOING THINGS RIGHT BEFORE MICKEY GOT HERE.

HE'S TAKING OVER A TEAM THAT IS LIMPING INTO THE SEASON.

YOU GET TO SEE EXACTLY HOW HE OPERATES.

AND THE GUY'S PUTTING A TON OF EFFORT INTO IT.

YOU TALK ABOUT RECRUITING, JUST KEEPING THE ENERGY UP.

THE MOJO WITHIN THE TEAM.

SO THERE'S DEFINITELY A LOT OF THINGS TO CONSIDER WITH MICKEY.

>> WE WENT OVER A LOT OF QUARTERBACKS WHEN WE WERE DOING THE SURVEY, BUT WE DIDN'T MENTION HEINRICH HAARBERG.

HAVE YOU HEARD A LOT ABOUT HIM AT ALL?

>> WELL HE'S NOT TRAVELING.

SO THAT'S KIND OF, INDICATOR NUMBER ONE THAT HE'S NOT IN THE CONVERSATION.

AND TODAY, MICKEY WAS ASKED ABOUT HIM AND DISMISSED IT RIGHT AWAY.

>> LIKE HE DID ABOUT RICHARD TORRES ON SATURDAY.

>> NOW RICHARD TORRES HAS GOT A BEAUTIFUL ARM.

I MEAN, HE THROWS THE BALL.

BUT HE'S JUST NOT READY.

COMING OFF OF AN ACL, PLAYED LOWER-LEVEL SAN ANTONIO HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

I'LL JOKE AND THROW MIKEY PAULEY OUT THERE, THE BASEBALL PLAYER.

>> SURE.

>> HE WAS THE KANSAS CITY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR, CAME TO PLAY BASEBALL FOR WILL BOLT BUT HAD D1 QUARTERBACK OFFERS FROM BOTH LANCE LEIPOLD AND CHRIS KLEINMAN.

WATCHING FOOTBALL ON SATURDAYS, THOSE TWO PROGRAMS SEEM TO KNOW HOW IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP QUARTERBACKS.

SO MIKEY PAULEY IS A SLEEPER NAME THAT COULD BE IN THE QUARTERBACK CONVERSATION SOMEDAY.

>> JAY HOW DO YOU GET, I MEAN, EVERYTHING LAST WEEK ENDED ANY CHANCE TO GET TO A BOWL GAME.

KIND OF ENDED ANY GOAL MAYBE YOU HAD FOR THE SEASON.

HOW DO YOU HAVE THE TEAM READY TO GO ON SATURDAY IF THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR STARTING QUARTERBACK 11:00 AGAINST THE BIG MINNESOTA TEAM?

>> YOU JUST GOTTA PUSH.

EFFORT.

THE FIGHT.

I THINK THE KIDS HAD IT WRITTEN ON THEIR TAPE.

NEVER OUT OF A FIGHT.

I THINK YOU'VE GOT TO CONTINUE WITH THAT CREATING THE MESSAGE.

IT'S HARD.

I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ON THE NEBRASKA TEAM.

WE WERE PLAYING FOR BOWL GAMES.

I HAVE BEEN A PART OF A LOT OF POOR PROFESSIONAL TEAMS.

>> OH YEAH.

>> WHERE YOU'RE OUT THERE AND YOU'RE JUST PLAYING FOR PRIDE.

AND THE THING YOU'D ALWAYS TELL YOURSELF IS, "THAT FILM IS ALWAYS ON."

YOU DO NOT EVER WANT TO PUT TAPE ON.

THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN WATCHING TAPE WHERE YOU ABSOLUTELY PLAY TERRIBLY.

YOU'RE SITTING THERE, YOU'RE SLOUCHED IN YOUR CHAIR, YOU'RE JUST GETTING CHEWED OUT.

>> AND REWINDING IT.

>> YES.

WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, JAY?

YOU DON'T WANT THAT.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING.

THAT JUST COMES FROM A PRIDE ISSUE.

YOU GOT TO DIG DEEP.

BUT, I MEAN, CRAZIER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED, RIGHT?

THERE'S A CHANCE.

THERE IS AN OUTSIDE CHANCE THEY COULD BEAT MINNESOTA.

THERE IS ZERO OUTSIDE CHANCE I THINK THEY BEAT MICHIGAN BUT THERE IS AN OUTSIDE CHANCE THEY COULD BEAT WISCONSIN, THERE IS AN OUTSIDE CHANCE THEY COULD BE IOWA.

THERE IS SOMETHING TO THAT.

IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE A 31 POINT UNDERDOG.

THEY'RE 15 POINTS.

THEY DO SOME THINGS TO GET THE BALL TO BOUNCE THE RIGHT WAY.

HEY, CRAZIER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED.

SO I THINK THERE'S THAT, TOO.

BUT THE BIGGEST THING IS THAT FILM IS ON.

TAKE PRIDE IN HOW YOU OPERATE.

TAKE PRIDE IN WHAT YOU DO.

PLAY FOR THAT N ON THE SIDE OF YOUR HELMET.

PLAY FOR THAT NAME ON YOUR BACK AS WELL.

YOU'RE REPRESENTING THE FAMILY.

SO THAT'S, I THINK, THE MESSAGE YOU GOT TO PUT FORWARD TO YOUR TEAM.

>> WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT WHO MIGHT COME BACK.

OBVIOUSLY MICKEY'S GOT A LOT OF GUYS.

APPLEWHITE'S ONE.

BILL BUSCH IS ONE.

MAYBE BARRETT RUUD IS ONE.

BUT THIS SEEMS LIKE THIS IS THE END FOR MARK WHIPPLE.

DOES IT FEEL THAT WAY TO YOU?

>> YEAH, HE'S 65.

HE'S BATTLED HEALTH PROBLEMS.

WE'VE SEEN HIM AT RUTGERS HAVE TO USE A GOLF CART AGAIN ON THE FIELD.

HE'S GRINDING THROUGH A LOT OF PAIN, YOU CAN TELL, AS A COACH.

SO YEAH, YOU WONDER WHAT HIS LONG-TERM OUTLOOK IS AS A COACH.

HE'S GOT GREAT CONCEPTS IN PLAY.

HE UNDERSTANDS THE GAME.

AND IF HE'S GOT THE PLAYERS I THINK HE CAN DRAW PLAYS TO GET ANYONE THE FOOTBALL.

WE'VE SEEN THAT.

BUT WONDER WHERE HE'S AT LONG TERM.

I CAN'T IMAGINE HIM BEING A PART OF A NEW COACH'S PLAN.

BECAUSE THE NEW COACH IS GOING TO BRING HIS OWN GUY.

>> YEAH, AND IF MICKEY IS KEPT, MOST LIKELY WOULDN'T BE AS A COORDINATOR.

WOULDN'T BE AN OC.

>> HE'D BE ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH, PROBABLY.

YOU'D TITLE HIM UP AND YOU'D PROBABLY GET A RAISE.

HE'S AT $600.

WHO KNOWS WHAT THE PAY WILL BE.

BECAUSE A LOT OF THAT WOULD DEPEND ON A THE GUY.

>> SURE.

>> WOULD THEY GET ALONG?

DO THEY WANT TO WORK TOGETHER?

THOSE ARE THINGS WE DON'T KNOW.

AND THERE'S BEEN SOME CONFUSION.

THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES THAT MICKEY JOSEPH HAS A SPOT ON THE NEXT STAFF.

NO ONE CAN MAKE THAT GUARANTEE.

THE NEXT COACH WILL HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION.

>> YOUR BURNING QUESTION?

>> MY BURNING QUESTION IS, WHAT WILL THIS OFFENSE LOOK LIKE AT QUARTERBACK?

SO MANY THINGS WE DON'T KNOW.

WILL WE SEE TWO, OR WILL THEY GIVE LOGAN SMOTHERS MORE OPPORTUNITY?

>> YEP.

CAN NEBRASKA CREATE TURNOVERS?

THE DEFENSE HAS GOTTEN HERE SPORADICALLY THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.

CAN THEY GET NEBRASKA SOMEHOW INTO THE PLUS TURNOVER CATEGORY DEFENSIVELY TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO WIN THIS BOWL GAME?

>> MY QUESTION IS SIMPLE.

CAN NEBRASKA FLIP THE SCRIPT ON P.J.

FLECK?

REMEMBER, LAST COUPLE TIMES, MINNESOTA WAS DOWN A LOT OF PLAYERS.

AND NEBRASKA WAS FAVORED, BUT MINNESOTA WON.

CAN NEBRASKA DO IT THIS WAY?

DON'T FORGET TO HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE AND CLICK ON THE PREDICTIONS.

JAY, SEAN AND MYSELF WILL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT ON SATURDAY.

THE HUSKERS WELCOME IN MINNESOTA MEMORIAL STADIUM FOR AN 11:00 A.M. KICKOFF.

YOU CAN FIND THE GAME ON ESPN2.

WE'LL BE BACK NEXT TUESDAY TO RECAP THAT GAME WITH OUR SPECIAL GUEST, BRANDON VOGEL FROM "HAIL VARSITY."

ALSO ON SATURDAY, OUR NEBRASKA MEDIA PUBLIC SPORTS CREW IS OUT IN FULL FORCE FOR THE 2022 NSAA VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS.

SIX GAMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY STARTING AT 9:00 A.M. CATCH SOME HIGH-LEVEL HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL RIGHT HERE ON THE HOME FOR VOLLEYBALL, NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

OUR THANKS TO ZACH POTTER AND OUR STUDENT VOLUNTEERS IN THE CALL CENTER FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

FOR JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN, I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.

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

WEEK ON BIG RED WRAP-UP.