♪ >>> THE HUSKERS WERE BURNED BY SECOND RANKED MICHIGAN AND LOST 45-7 ON A SCORCHING HOT SATURDAY IN LINCOLN, BUT THE SHORT WEEK OF RECOVERY AND A ROAD GAME ON THE HORIZON, HOW WILL NEBRASKA RISE FROM THE ASHES?

WE'LL RECAP THE LOSS AND LOOK AHEAD TO THE REST OF THE SEASON WITH OUR SPECIAL GUEST, "COUNTER READ" PUBLISHER AND WRITER, ERIN SORENSEN.

WE'LL ALSO CHECK IN THE LATEST ON RECRUITING AND EVEN LEARN ABOUT A COUPLE WHO'S DEDICATION TO THE SCARLET AND CREAM IS UNMATCHED.

ALL THAT COMING UP AND MORE, NEXT ON BIG RED WRAP UP.

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

MICHIGAN CAME IN WITH THE MEASURING STICK AND NEBRASKA CAME IN SHORT GOING AGAINST THE WOLVERINES.

WE ARE JOINED, OF COURSE, BY JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN.

I THINK YOU LIKE TO MEASURE YOURSELF AGAINST GREATNESS, RIGHT?

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT MICHIGAN IS.

>> HMM-MM.

>> NOW NEBRASKA KNOWS WHERE THEY ARE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> THEY'RE READY TO GO, RIGHT?

>> YEAH, THAT MEASURING STICK THEY GOT WHIPPED WITH IT.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT.

>> IT WAS A DOME SHOT WITH THE MEASURING STICK.

YEAH, YOU COULD LOOK AT IT, IF YOU WANT TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, WHERE'S NEBRASKA STAND?

I THINK MICHIGAN IS ONE OF THE BEST TOP FOUR TEAMS.

>> DEFINITELY.

>> -- IN THE COUNTRY.

THEY'LL PROBABLY BE IN THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR.

AND NEBRASKA IS VERY FAR OFF FROM A PHYSICALITY STANDPOINT, FROM A TALENT LEVEL AT IMPORTANT POSITIONS.

I'M TALKING OFFENSIVE LINE, DEFENSIVE LINE, QUARTERBACK.

AND IT SHOWS.

AND I THINK YOU RAN INTO AN ISSUE AS WELL WHERE MICHIGAN -- AND WE DISCUSSED THIS LAST WEEK ON THE SHOW -- THEY DEFINITELY UNDERPERFORMED FOR THEIR FIRST FOUR GAMES.

SO THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU GOT TESTED.

YOU'RE ON THE ROAD AT A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT AND NEBRASKA WAS COMING WITH THE NUMBER ONE RUSHING DEFENSE IN THE NATION.

>> YEAH.

>> YEAH, HARBAUGH GOT WITH THEM AND THEY GOT HIM RIGHT.

AND HE SAID, HEY WE'VE VASTLY UNDERPERFORMED.

WE GOT TO GET GOING.

OTHERWISE, WE'RE GOING TO BE IN FOR A DOGFIGHT.

AND ON THE FLIP SIDE, NEBRASKA WASN'T READY FOR THAT DOGFIGHT AND IT SHOWED.

IT JUST WAS -- IT SHOWED RIGHT FROM -- YOU KNOW, RIGHT WHEN IT TURNED 14-0, THAT BALL GAME WAS OVER UNFORTUNATELY.

>> DO YOU THINK IT WAS MOTIVATION, PREPARATION?

THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT SAID THEY JUST WEREN'T FIRED UP ENOUGH FOR THE GAME.

WHAT DID YOU THINK IT WAS?

>> I THINK THERE WAS A LITTLE FEAR, AND THE MARGIN FOR ERROR AS WE KNOW IS NOT MUCH FOR NEBRASKA.

THEY PLAYED HARD THAT OPENING DRIVE ON DEFENSE.

MICHIGAN MADE PLAYS.

I MEAN THERE COULD HAVE BEEN TWO BALLS PICKED OFF, MAYBE ON THAT FIRST DRIVE.

BUT ONE OF THOSE BALLS GOT TIPPED AND FLOATING IN THE AIR, THE TOUCHDOWN WAS IN DOUBLE COVERAGE.

I MEAN IT'S MADE PLAYS.

ALL OF A SUDDEN IT IS 14-0 BEFORE YOU COULD BLINK YOUR EYE.

I THINK AT THAT POINT YOU THINK ABOUT THE PAST AND THIS PROGRAM, AND SOME OF THE THINGS.

THERE IS JUST NOT A LOT OF EXPERIENCE.

YOU KNOW WHAT IS ON THE OTHER SIDE, THIS IS A COLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF TEAM THAT COULD HAVE EASILY WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP LAST YEAR.

WE KNOW NEBRASKA AT THAT LEVEL.

BUT I THINK MATT RHULE SAID IT BEST, THEY NEED TO SHOW UP AND STILL FIGHT.

NEBRASKA SHOULD HAVE PLAYED BETTER THAN THEY DID YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE LOST THAT GAME 45-7.

>> AND ACTUALLY IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE.

THEY PULLED THEIR STAR QUARTERBACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE THIRD QUARTER SO HE COULD GO ON THE SIDELINE AND KISS HIS GIRLFRIEND.

I MEAN HONESTLY IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE.

WITH THE LOSS ON SATURDAY AND A SHORT TURNAROUND THERE IS MUCH TO TALK ABOUT.

WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.

CONNECT WITH US AND HELP OUR CONVERSATION.

THE CALL ROOM IS OPEN AND RUNNING, MANNED BY OUR SPORTS INTERN HANNAH.

WAVE HANNAH.

AND STUDENTS FROM THE UNIVERISTY OF NEBRASKA'S COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM, THEY'RE JOINING US THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.

USUALLY ENJOYING VALENTINO'S PIZZA.

NOT THIS TIME.

THEY ARE TAKING YOUR PHONE CALLS, YOU CAN ALSO TEXT AND EMAIL US YOUR QUESTIONS, TO BIGRED@NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG.

WE ARE SCANNING SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON ANY OF "THE BIG RED WRAP UP" ACCOUNTS AND WE'LL ANSWERS AS MANY QUESTIONS AS WE CAN FOR YOU TONIGHT.

IN LAST WEEK'S SIDELINE SURVEY WE ASKED YOU WHICH BIG TEN TEAM YOU'RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS SEASON.

NOT MANY OF YOU WERE TOO EXCITED ABOUT MICHIGAN OR ILLINOIS.

YOU'RE SMART.

BUT YOU WERE EXCITED ABOUT IOWA.

WE EXPECT THAT IN THAT IN WISCONSIN AS WELL.

NOT A SURPRISE WITH 45% GOING TO THE IOWA GAME.

IF YOU MISSED OUT LAST WEEK'S SURVERY, MAKE SURE YOU GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND VOTE ON THE NEW ONE WHICH ASKS, WHICH STATEMENT BEST DESCRIBES YOUR OUTLOOK FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON?

THERE IS A CHANCE AT THE BIG TEN WEST.

THE TEAM WILL AT LEAST BE BOWL-ELIGIBLE -- ASK ME AFTER THE ILLINOIS GAME.

AND THERE'S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR.

48% DOMINATING THE POLE WITH THERE IS ALWAYS NEXT YEAR.

WITH THAT, LET'S DIVE INTO THE GAME AND DISCUSS WHAT WENT RIGHT AND WHAT WENT WRONG.

BEFORE WE GET TO THE GAME, WHAT IS A SUNDAY PRACTICE LIKE AFTER PLAYING A GAME?

HAVE YOU DONE THAT?

HAVE YOU BEEN IN FULL PRACTICE, FULL PADS A DAY AFTER -- >> NO, I CAN HONESTLY SAY I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN PADS, FULL PADS THE NEXT DAY.

>> AT ANY LEVEL?

>> AT ANY LEVEL.

>> HAVE YOU HAD A RUN?

LIKE A HARD RUN?

>> YEAH, SO LIKE USUALLY -- WHEN WE WERE AT NEBRASKA, WE HAD -- WE CAME IN ON SUNDAYS, YOU KNOW WE'D COME IN AT LIKE NOON, 11 O'CLOCK.

YOU WOULD LIFT.

YOU ACTUALLY WENT TO A PRETTY GOOD LIFT.

YOU'D RUN.

I AM TALKING LIKE EIGHT CUT 200S.

SO, 100 AND BACK.

IT WASN'T LIKE ANY CRAZY PACE.

THEN YOU'D CLEAN UP, WASH UP, GO UP TO THE FILM ROOM AND WATCH THE FILM WITH THE COACHING STAFF, AND THEN YOU WENT HOME AT LIKE FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON.

>> AND THEN MONDAYS WAS OFF?

>> WE HAD MONDAYS OFF.

NEVER IN MY LIFE HAVE I EVER PUT THE PADS ON THE DAY AFTER A GAME.

I'VE HEARD STORIES, I WAS TELLING SEAN BEFORE THE SHOW, I HAD A GOOD BUDDY THAT PLAYED AT PURDUE WITH JOE TILLER.

HE DID THAT TO THEM.

I CANNOT REMEMBER WHAT SEASON IT WAS, BUT THEY SHOWED UP AND HE SAID, HEY, THAT WAS UNACCEPTABLE.

GET PADDED UP.

WE'RE GOING OUT AND PRACTICING.

HE SAID THEY PLAYED A LOT BETTER THAT NEXT GAME.

BUT THAT WAS VERY UNIQUE.

I THINK HE IS TRYING TO SEND A MESSAGE.

SAYING THE PERFORMANCE WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND WE ARE BETTER THAN THAT.

I THINK HE BELIEVES THAT THEY ARE BETTER THAN A 38 POINT LOSS TO A GOOD FOOTBALL TEAM.

SO THINGS GOT TO CHANGE OVBIOUSLY, AND RATHER QUICKLY.

>> IT SEEMS LIKE THE PLAYERS KIND OF AGREED that THEY DID NOT DO WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO AND THEY UNDERSTOOD THE SUNDAY PRACTICE -- FULLY PADDED.

>> WELL, THEY ONLY HAD 46 SNAPS OF OFFENSE.

IT'S NOT LIKE THEY EVEN PLAYED A FULL GAME OF SNAPS, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT.

THE REPS THEY HAD, SO MUCH OF IT WAS STRESS-FREE BY THE END OF THE GAME BECAUSE MICHIGAN HAD CONTROL OF THINGS.

SO, I THINK THE PLAYERS RESPONDED TO IT.

BUT EVEN TONY WHITE SAID HE HAD NEVER BEEN A PART OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.

I DO THINK BEING A SHORTENED WEEK -- NOW IF -- IF THEY WEREN'T ON A SHORT WEEK I AM NOT SURE THEY WOULD HAVE GONE THAT HARD ON SUNDAY.

BECAUSE THEY TRAVEL ON THURSDAY AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE EVERYTHING DONE IN LINCOLN.

THEY'LL DO SOMETHING ON THURSDAY HERE, BUT YOU ARE KIND OF UP AGAINST IT ALREADY BECAUSE OF THE SHORTENED WEEK.

>> I KNOW THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO SEE IS A BUNCH OF BIG PLAYS HAPPENING OVER YOUR HEAD.

BUT IT'S GOT TO BE WORSE FOR THE DEFENSE WHEN YOU HAVE SO MANY METHODICAL DRIVES THEY WERE BEATING THEM A FIVE YARD, SEVEN YARD, EIGHT YARD GAINS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

>> YEAH IT WAS JUST SIMPLE.

IT WAS HANDED OFF LEFT THREE OR FOUR YARDS, HANDED OFF TO THE RIGHT FIVE OR SIX YARDS.

HAND UP THE MIDDLE.

JUST LEAKY YARDAGES.

IT LOOKED LIKE NEBRASKA WAS IN A DECENT SPOT, BUT THEN A MISSED A TACKLE.

THE RUNNING BACK WOULD DO A GOOD JOB OF BREAKING THAT FIRST INITIAL CONTACT.

FALLING FORWARD FOR FIVE OR SIX.

NOW YOU'RE SECOND AND FOUR, SECOND AND THREE, THAT'S NOT WHERE YOU WANT TO BE AS A DEFENSE.

IT'S SO HARD TO CALL A DEFENSIVE SCHEME BECAUSE YOU ARE JUST BEHIND THE CHAINS NOW.

AND BOOM, YOU'VE GOT A FIRST DOWN.

YOU TRY TO RINSE AND REPEAT.

AND THEN YOU TRY TO GET AGGRESSIVE AND THAT IS WHEN THE BIG PLAYS HAPPEN.

THAT'S WHEN McCARTHY'S TOUCHDOWN RUN AND THE BIG PASSES AS WELL.

SO JUST -- JUST COULD NEVER QUITE GET GOING DEFENSIVELY.

>> NOT HAVING REIMER, LOSING SINGLETON EARLY, OF COURSE YOU HAVEN'T HAD CAM LENHARDT FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

THOSE ARE THREEOF BETTER PLAYERS.

AT LEAST FOR THE FIRST COUPLE WEEKS OF THE SEASON.

>> WELL, DeSHON SINGLETON GOES OUT THE SECOND PLAY.

HE HAD BEEN THE BEST GUY ON THE BACK END ARGUABLY.

AND HE PLAYED OVER 95% OF THE SNAPS BACK THERE.

SO HIM GOING OUT THAT EARLY IN THE GAME, THAT WAS A BLOW.

BECAUSE HE HAD BROUGHT A PHYSICAL EDGE AT HIS SIZE.

HE IS AS BIG OF A SAFETY THAT THIS PROGRAM HAS EVER HAD IN TERMS OF PHYSICAL SIZE.

TO HAVE HIM GO DOWN, THE REIMER SITUATION, HERE HE WAS AT THE HOTEL SATURDAY EXPECTING HIM TO PLAY AND HE GOES TO THE HOSPITAL WITH AN UNKNOWN INFECTION.

SO THEY HAD SOME ADVERSITY HIT WITH REALLY YOU COULD ARGUE TWO OF THEIR FIVE BEST GUYS.

WHEN YOU RANK GUYS AND CAM LENHARDT HAS BEEN ONE OF THEIR BEST PASS RUSHERS.

YOU HOPE HE CAN BE BACK THIS WEEK.

HASN'T DRESSED THOUGH.

>> HE'S WORKED OUT BEFORE THE GAME THOUGH, RIGHT?

AND THEN THEY DETERMINED HE WASN'T GOOD TO GO.

>> YEAH AND HE JUST HASN'T BEEN OUT.

SO YOU GOT THE SENSE, OH HE'D BE READY.

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF HE DOESN'T WANT TO NOT PLAY AT 100%.

YOU HAVE HEARD RHULE MAKE COMMENTS THESE GUYS WANT TO BE AT 100 WHEN THEY PLAY.

THEY DON'T WANT TO BE GRADED OUT PLAYING AT A LOWER LEVEL BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT 100%.

BUT THEY DO NEED A PASS RUSHER.

THIS DEFENSE HAS KIND OF FALLEN OFF AS FAR AS THE SACKS AND THE PASS RUSHING GOES.

CAM LENHARDT WAS ONE OF THE BETTER GUYS.

>> YEAH NO SACKS THE LAST TWO WEEKS.

LET'S GO OVER THE OFFENSIVE SIDE.

>> HARRBEG DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO SAY HE DIDN'T PLAY WELL, RIGHT?

I KNOW HE DIDN'T RUN A LOT, BUT I THINK HE THREW THE BALL OKAY.

HE FOUND SOME GUYS OPEN.

MADE A COUPLE OF BIG PLAYS.

>> YEAH, OTHER THAN THE RELEASE POINT, THAT IS AN ISSUE, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH BIGGER, MORE ATHLETIC TEAMS AS WE ARE GOING TO SEE IN THE BIG TEN GOING FORWARD.

BUT YEAH, I MEAN HE HAD THE ONE PICK, HE WAS HIT AND IT WAS A TIPPED BALL.

>> THAT'S A LINEMAN'S DREAM.

>> RIGHT.

THERE WERE SOME GOOD THROWS.

LIKE THIS ONE, THIS RIGHT HERE I'LL BREAK THIS PLAY DOWN IN THE HUDDLE.

LIKE THAT'S A GOOD -- THAT LINEBACKER WAS DROPPING INTO COVERAGE.

BUT LUCKILY HE HAD A GOOD ENOUGH POCKET AND THEY ONLY LOST THREE.

THEY WERE ABLE TO HOLD ONTO IT THERE.

AND WAIT FOR BILLY KEMP TO COME OPEN ON THIS CHOICE ROUTE AND MAKE A PLAY.

HE DID -- A GUY LIKE HAARBERG, HE DID WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.

WHEN YOU GET MOMENTUM GOING, YOU HAVE THIRD AND TWO, YOU CAN'T HAVE PENALTIES TO YOURSELF AT THIRD AND SEVEN.

THAT HAPPENED WAY TOO MANY TIMES WITH THIS OFFENSE.

AND THAT JUST THROWS YOU OFF THE SCHEDULE AND YOU GET NO POINTS COMING OUT OF IT.

>> THEY HAD 8.8 YARDS TO GO, ON THIRD DOWN BY AVERAGE.

MICHIGAN HAD 4.4, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WIN THAT BATTLE WITH THIRD DOWNS.

HOW DO YOU THINK HAARBERG PLAYED, HOW'D YOU THINK THE OFFENSE OVERALL PLAYED?

>> I THOUGHT AS A THROWER IT WAS HIS BEST GAME.

THE DECISIONS HE MADE, HE LOOKED IN RHYTHM.

THE PICK UPS WAS A DEAL WITH HIS ARM ANGLE.

HE HAS THAT BASEBALL BACKGROUND, GROWING UP AS A KID.

SO, I THINK HE HAS THAT PATRICK MAHOMES BASEBALL PLAYER STYLE.

BUT YEAH, I THOUGHT HAARBERG, EACH PLAY HE GETS BETTER OUT THERE.

MICHIGAN TOOK AWAY HIS RUNNING ABILITY THE WAY THEY DEFENDED HIM, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF DESIGNED RUNS, MAYBE ONE OR TWO IN THE GAME.

HE HAD THE ONE SCRAMBLE YOU SAW THERE, SO THIS WAS THE GAME WERE HIS RUNNING WAS REALLY TAKEN AWAY.

WHICH FORCED HIM TO MAKE MORE THROWS.

BUT ANTHONY GRANT, NOT HAVING HIM BE A FACTOR, SIX CARRIES, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BEAT ANYBODY WHEN ANTHONY GRANT ONLY HAS SIX CARRIES.

>> THEY HAD 16 MORE YARDS THAN MICHIGAN WAS GIVING UP ON AVERAGE.

THEY THEY GOT TO ABOUT WHERE SEVEN POINTS, WHAT THEY WERE GIVING UP TOO.

SO IT'S KIND OF AVERAGE.

YOU REMEMBER THAT 2018 GAME AGAINST MICHIGAN WHEN NEBRASKA GOES IN WITH AN INJURED MARTINEZ AND THEY KIND OF BEAT UP ON NEBRASKA, KIND OF THE SAME PHYSICAL FEELING COMPARED TO YEAR.

>> YEAH, THAT'S SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT.

IT IS SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT.

IT WAS FROST'S FIRST YEAR AND THIS IS MATT RHULE'S FIRST YEAR.

THAT MICHIGAN TEAM -- I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AS GOOD AS THE 2018 MICHIGAN TEAM, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AS GOOD AS THE 2023 --.

>> THEY HAD A BETTER DEFENSE IN 2018.

THAT DEFENSE WAS LOADED -- >> YEAH, NO, THEY HAD A LOT OF GUYS.

THERE WAS DEFINITELY SOME GOOD PLAYERS.

VERY SIMILAR, IT'S JUST AGAIN, YOU GET OFF TO A BAD START.

FOR NEBRASKA TO HAVE A CHANCE, MICHIGAN HAD TO PLAY POORLY.

>> YEAH, THEY HAD TO TURN THE BALL OVER.

YOU NEED TO GET SOME SPECIAL TEAMS POINTS SOMEHOW.

AND THAT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN.

MICHIGAN THEY HAD ONE PENALTY ALL GAME AND THEY PLAYED CLEAN NO TURNOVERS.

THAT'S JUST JIM HARBAUGH RIGHT THERE, CLEAN CONSISTENT FOOTBALL.

>> GIVE ME SOMETHING GOOD.

I MEAN BRIAN BUSCHINI PLAYED WELL.

>> WELL I THINK THE BIG TEN WEST IS GOOD -- >> OH YEAH, IT'S WIDE OPEN.

>> I THINK AS YOU LOOK AHEAD, THAT IS AS HARD AS IT WILL GET.

SEVEN STRAIGHT GAMES NOW WHERE THE TEAM IS NOT RANKED.

THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED SINCE NEBRASKA HAS BEEN IN THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE.

SO THEY'VE GOT A MANAGEABLE STRETCH WHERE -- THEY HAVE A CHANCE EVERY SATURDAY FROM HERE ON OUT.

THIS IS THE ONE WHERE YOU KNEW ON PAPER THAT NEBRASKA WAS GREATLY OUTMATCHED.

I THINK THE OTHER GAMES WILL BE CLOSER LIKE WHAT WE SAW AGAINST MINNESOTA.

WHERE'S IT GOING TO BE A COIN FLIP.

IT WILL COME DOWN TO EXECUTION, TURNOVERS AND MISTAKES AND THAT'S WHY NEBRASKA LOST THAT OPENING GAME TO MINNESOTA AND YOU CAN ARGUE THAT'S WHY THEY LOST THE COLORADO.

IF THEY PLAY LIKE THEY DID THE PREVIOUS TWO WEEKS BEFORE MICHIGAN, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A CHANCE IN A LOT OF THESE GAMES THEY'RE PLAYING.

>> DO YOU EXPECT TO SEE JEFF SIMS PLAYING?

>> I THINK SO.

I THINK HE WILL, HE'S GETTING HEALTHY.

HE NEEDS TO BE YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT ANKLE -- HE HAS TO BE ABLE TO THROW OFF OF IT.

DROP BACK AND YOU KNOW MOVE THAT PRESSURE FROM THE BACK FOOT TO THE FRONT FOOT.

HE's GOT TO USE HIS LEGS.

IN THIS OFFENSE YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO RUN THE QUARTERBACK AND THAT'S PART OF -- YOU HAVE TO UTILIZE THAT.

SO, IF HE IS ABLE TO PLAY I THINK YOU WILL SEE HIM ON -- ALMOST SAID SATURDAY, BUT FRIDAY NIGHT AGAINST ILLINOIS.

>> NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

NOW THERE WAS THE GLIMMERS OF HOPE, AS WE MENTIONED.

A LOT OF THE IMPROVEMENT IS NEEDED FOR THIS TEAM TO BE COMPETITIVE AT THE TOP OF THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE, SOMETHING THAT IS EVIDENT WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT THE GAME, AND SORRY -- WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE HIGHLIGHTS.

IT WAS AN EXTREMELY HOT GAME.

AS USUAL, A FILLED STADIUM.

THE SEA OF RED RIGHT THERE.

IT DIDN'T LAST VERY LONG BECAUSE IT WAS SO HOT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN EAST STADIUM, DECIDED TO LEAVE WHEN IT GOT UNDERHAND.

BUT THAT FIRST DRIVE REALLY SHOWED WHAT MICHIGAN HAD.

JJ McCARTHY COMES OUT RUNNING NINE YARDS HERE.

ACTUALLY HASN'T RUN A TON, BUT YOU CAN SEE HOW ATHLETIC HE IS.

>> YEAH, HE'S GOOD.

YOU DON'T SEE -- NOT IDENTIFIED AS A DUAL THREAT, BUT WHEN HE NEEDS TO RUN HE CAN DEFINITELY DO IT.

>> 30 YARDS OR CARRIES.

YARDS FOR THE SHORT DAY THAT McCARTHY HAD.

HERE'S BLAKE CORUM ONE OF THE BEST RUNNING BACKS IN THE BIG TEN AND THEN RIGHT BEHIND HIM YOU HAVE DIAMOND EDWARDS, WHO IS ALSO ONE OF THE BEST.

>> HE RAN HARD.

>> HE DID.

>> HE RAN HARD.

I THINK HE WAS A LITTLE UPSET THAT HE DID NOT GET THE AMOUNT OF CARRIES SO FAR.

AND IT SHOWED.

I MEAN YOU JUST SAW RIGHT THERE, LEAKY YARDS.

HE HAD A GUY IN THE POSITION, GIFFORD WAS IN A HALFWAY DECENT POSITION AND JUST, HE COULDN'T GET HIS HEAD AROUND.

>> I DON'T LIKE WHEN PEOPLE SAY TURN YOUR HEAD AROUND.

BUT IN THIS SITUATION, AS SOON AS HIS ARMS GO UP AND HIS EYES GET BIG YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SHOOT.

>> YEAH.

YOU HAVE TO GET THE HANDS IN THE WAY.

RULE OF THUMB IS PLAY A MAN DEFENSE, IF YOU SEE THE BALL THROWN, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE BALL CAUGHT.

SO YOU'VE JUST GOT TO PLAY HIS HANDS, AND GET YOU HANDS IN THE WAY.

>> YEAH IF HE HAD GOTTEN THEM THROUGH THERE -- HERE'S YOUR DEFENSIVE LINE, A DREAM, RIGHT?

HOW MANY INTERCEPTIONS DID YOU HAVE?

>> I HAD ONE.

>> THERE YOU GO.

>> ONE CAREER PICK IOWA STATE, 2005.

>> YOU GET A TIP RIGHT THERE AND GET THE INTERCEPTION AND OF COURSE NEBRASKA ALREADY DOWN 7-0.

AND HERE COMES MICHIGAN AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED THAT ONE-TWO PUNCH AT RUNNINGBACK IS AS JUST AS GOOD AS YOU'RE GOING TI FIND IN THE BIG TEN.

>> AND NEITHER GUY HAS BEEN STRESSED ALL YEAR.

>> NOPE.

>> THEY HAVE NOT PUSHED THOSE GUYS TO A HIGH LIMIT YET.

>> YEAH, TALKING TO THE REPORTERS IN MICHIGAN THEY SAY THEY REALLY WANT TO SEE EDWARDS GET GOING.

AND HERE'S THE THIRD BACK.

HIS FIRST TOUCHDOWN OF THE YEAR FOR MULLINGS, HE SCORES.

HE HAD FIVE CARRIES FOR 43 YARDS IN THAT TOUCHDOWN ON THE DAY, SO UP 14-NOTHING.

J.J. McCARTHY COMES BACK AGAIN, PLENTY OF TIME.

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE PASS RUSH?

>> YOU KNOW, THAT HAPPENED TO CAM LENHARDT.

IT'S JUST HARD.

YOU GOT TO -- I THINK PRINCEWILL CAME IN AND PROVIDED SOME DECENT RUSH LATER IN THE GAME.

I THINK YOU'LL SEE HIM PLAY MORE.

BUT IT'S JUST BEEN -- MATT RUHL SAID IT, THERE'S GUYS THAT ARE GOOD ENOUGH TO PLAY BUT THEY NEED TO SHOW UP AND DO IT AGAINST ELITE COMPETITION.

AND THEY JUST DIDN'T DO IT AGAINST MICHIGAN.

>> COUPLE OF PASSES THERE.

BIG TIGHT END AND THEN ONE RIGHT HERE TO CORNELIUS JOHNSON FOR 20 YARDS.

HE HAD TWO RECEPTIONS FOR 32 YARDS ON THE DAY.

AND THEN YOU MENTIONED THIS EARLIER, A LOT OF SMALL FIVE, EIGHT YARDS BUT THEN A COUPLE BIG ONES IN HERE.

J.J. McCARTHY.

>> YEAH, IT'S JUST, NEBRASKA -- I'M GOING TO BREAK THIS ONE DOWN HERE IN A SECOND IN THE HUDDLE.

IT WAS -- THERE'S A BUS DEFENSIVELY.

YOU HAVE RUSH LANES THAT JUST WERE NOT KEPT AND JUST LET HIM -- YOU GET MAN COVERAGE YOU WILL SEE THIS.

THIS WHOLE RIGHT SIDE JUST WIDE OPEN AND NOT MUCH YOU CAN DO WHEN EVERYBODY -- YOU HAVE FIVE GUYS TO HIS LEFT AND HE JUST HITS HIS HEAD ON THE GOALPOST.

>> AND THAT WAS HIS FIRST RUSHING TOUCHDOWN OF THE YEAR.

BEFORE THAT ONLY BLAKE CORUM HAD A RUSHING TOUCHDOWN.

HE HAD A TFL RIGHT HERE.

TY ROBINSON MAKES A NICE PLAY.

>> YEAH, FINALLY.

WE SAW TY SHOW UP AND MAKE A PLAY.

IT'S JUST ONE OF THE FEW HIGHLIGHTS THAT THE DEFENSE HAD ON SATURDAY.

>> AND THEN TACKLING, TOO, ON THE OPEN FIELD.

NEBRASKA HAD BEEN SO GOOD AT IT.

AND YOU MENTIONED LEAKY YARDS FROM THOSE MISSED TACKLES.

FOR THE MOST PART.

RIGHT HERE AGAIN.

THAT WAS A STOP AND ANOTHER THREE YARDS AFTER THE TACKLE.

THAT LEAKY YARDS THAT DAMON WAS TALKING ABOUT LAST WEEK.

THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE THROW.

WATCH HIM SQUARE HIS SHOULDERS HERE LIKE YOU'RE SUPPOSED -- THAT'S A TEXTBOOK THROW.

>> THAT'S NEXT LEVEL.

>> THAT'S ESPN DRAFT HIGHLIGHT PLAY.

>> YEAH, THAT'S NEXT LEVEL THROW RIGHT THERE.

IT WAS IMPRESSIVE.

>> AFTER HALFTIME WE COME OUT AND, YOU KNOW, NEBRASKA HAD BEEN REALLY GOOD IN THE SECOND HALF AND YOU'RE HOPING THAT THEY MAKE THIS THROW.

THIS IS MARCUS WASHINGTON.

ALMOST HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE ANOTHER ONE OF THESE LATER AND THE BALL WAS KNOCKED DOWN.

>> YEAH, AGAIN, IT JUST -- YOU SEE THAT HAARBERG MADE SOME GOOD THROWS.

AND AGAIN, THE SITUATION, NEBRASKA GETS GOING AND WHAT THEY DO THEY GET ON THIRD AND TWO.

YOU GET A FALSE START.

>> FUMBLE.

>> AND THEN YOU CAN FUMBLE AND HERE THEY GET THE BACK.

BUT YEAH, THEY GET THE FALSE START NEXT PLAY, BOOM, COME BACK AND MISS THE FIELD GOAL.

>> YEAH, TRISTAN ALVANO RIGHT NOW -- PEOPLE ARE SAYING IT'S NOT CONFIDENCE BUT HE NEEDS TO SEE ONE GO THROUGH.

>> THAT WAS A TOUGH WIND HE KICKED INTO THOUGH.

SOUTH WIND WAS IN HIS FACE.

>> IT WAS.

>> BUT HE'S GOT TO MAKE IT.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

>> HE'S GOT A BIG LEG.

WE ALL KNOW THAT.

HE MISSES THAT.

IT STAYS 28-0.

AND THEN THE LAST DRIVE OF THE GAME RIGHT HERE FOR McCARTHY.

HE COMES IN AND MAKES A COUPLE OF REALLY NICE THROWS.

I THINK THEY PROBABLY TOLD HIM, YOU GET A GOOD DRIVE HERE AND YOU SCORE YOU CAN COME TO THE BENCH.

AND HE DID THAT.

BLAKE CORUM AGAIN WITH ANOTHER GOOD RUN.

THAT TIME FOR 15 YARDS.

THAT WAS HIS LONGEST RUN OF THE DAY AND THEN ONE-YARD RUN FOR A TOUCHDOWN TO MAKE IT 35-0.

CORUM NOW HAS NINE TOUCHDOWN RUSHES ON THE SEASON AND ZERO CATCHES.

HE IS RUNNING FOR THEM AND NOTHING ELSE.

THAT'S WHAT HE'S DOING.

TUTTLE COMES IN NOW, JACK TUTTLE, MAKES A COUPLE OF PLAYS.

THEIR SECOND-STRING QUARTERBACK.

COUPLE OF COMPLETIONS.

HE GETS MORGAN FOR EIGHT YARDS.

AND THEN, THEY HAVE A FIELD GOAL.

NEBRASKA DEFENSE ACTUALLY BOWS UP A LITTLE BIT AND FORCES THE FIELD GOAL HERE TO MAKE IT 38-0.

AT THIS POINT YOU'RE JUST HOPING NEBRASKA GETS SOME POINTS, RIGHT?

>> YEAH, THAT SHUTOUT STREAK FROM '96, EVERYONE WAS WATCHING THAT, AND I MEAN, THE WAY IT BROKE, I MEAN, WE'LL SHOW THAT PLAY IN A BIT.

BUT YEAH, YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE A SHUT OUT IN MEMORIAL STADIUM, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHEN THAT LAST TIME THAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WOULD HAVE BEEN.

>> WELL, THAT WAS 1968.

SECOND -- THIRD TO LAST GAME OF THE SEASON AGAINST KANSAS STATE.

I THINK THEY LOST 19-0 IN THAT GAME.

OR 18-0.

THAT WAS THE LAST TIME THEY'VE BEEN SHUT OUT IN MEMORIAL STADIUM.

ALL THE WAY BACK TO '68.

THEY BRING IN A BACKUP QUARTERBACK WHO DRIVES AGAIN.

THIS IS A BIG GUY HERE.

LIKE 6'5", 230 HE WAS THEIR BACKUP QUARTERBACK.

DeGALLE.

THIRD-STRING QUARTERBACK, ACTUALLY.

FIRST TOUCHDOWN CATCH OF THE SEASON FOR PATRICK O'LEARY OR PEYTON O'LEARY, EXCUSE ME.

GETS HIS FIRST TOUCHDOWN CATCH OF THE SEASON, AS WELL.

FOUR DIFFERENT PLAYERS FOR MICHIGAN SCORED THEIR FIRST TOUCHDOWN OF THE SEASON IN THIS GAME.

THEN YOU GET THE KICKOFF RETURN.

AND THEY PRAISE TOMMI HILL FOR BEING PHYSICAL HERE.

>> YEAH, COACH RUHLE REALLY IS A BIG TOMMI HILL FAN, AND JUST HIS COMPETITIVE NATURE.

HE CAN PLAY RECEIVER, PLAYED CORNER, HE'S THEIR KICK RETURNER.

I MEAN, THEY WANT HIM TO DO EVERYTHING.

AND THIS IS THE SURPRISE PLAY OF THE GAME FOR NEBRASKA.

JOSH FLEEKS, YOU ALMOST HAD TO LOOK AT THE ROSTER TO MAKE SURE YOU KNEW WHO YOU WERE WATCHING HERE.

>> A GUY WHO GOT SENT HOME BEFORE THIS CAMP STARTED BECAUSE HE WAS OVERWEIGHT.

LOOKED PRETTY GOOD RIGHT THERE.

>> LET THAT MAN EAT.

>> HE LOOKED PRETTY GOOD RIGHT THERE.

NO PROBLEM THERE.

LET'S GO TO THE FINAL STAT.

YOU CAN SEE HOW DOMINANT MICHIGAN WAS IN THE GAME.

NOT A SURPRISE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STATS, HOW WELL THEY PLAYED.

TWO COACHES MEETING THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD.

249 YARDS RUSHING, ONLY 106 FOR NEBRASKA, WHICH IS MORE THAT WHAT MICHIGAN WAS GIVING UP.

199, MORE THAN MICHIGAN WAS GIVING UP AS WELL COMING INTO THE GAME.

AND THEN EARLIER, WE HAD, AGAIN, 1 -- 1 PENALTY AND 8 OF 13 FOR THIRD-DOWN.

THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THAT YOU -- HARD TO BEAT THOSE STATS.

LET'S GO TO JAY NOW, WHO'S IN THE HUDL.

>> ALRIGHT.

WITH A GAME LIKE THIS AND IT'S A BLOWOUT LOSS, I TRY TO FIND SOME POSITIVES AND TRY TO HIGHLIGHT GUYS WHO I THOUGHT PLAYED WELL IN, YOU KNOW, NOT A GREAT SITUATION.

I THOUGHT BILLY KEMP WAS ONE OF THOSE GUYS WHO SHOWED UP AND DID SOME GOOD THINGS ON SATURDAY.

SO, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THIS PLAY EARLIER IN THE GAME TO KIND OF GET SOME OFFENSE GOING.

HE'S LINED UP HERE ON THE HASH WHICH IS INTO THE FIELD.

NOW, I SAY INTO THE FIELD, THE BALL IS ON THIS -- SO, THIS IS THE BOUNDARY.

THIS IS THE FIELD SIDE, WIDE SIDE.

AS WE HIT PLAY HERE, HEINRICH GETS A GREAT POCKET, RIGHT.

GOOD PROTECTION, THEY'RE ONLY RUSHING THREE.

BUT YOU SEE THIS LINEBACKER HERE DOES A GOOD JOB OF KIND OF DROPPING HIS VISION AND GETTING UNDERNEATH.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LITTLE CHOICE ROUTE HERE BY BILLY.

HE DOUBLE CLUTCHES IT.

BUT A GOOD, A REALLY GOOD THROW BY HAARBERG HERE STEPPING UP IN THE POCKET.

AND A GOOD JOB BY BILLY KEMP GETTING OPEN.

MAKES THE CATCH RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.

DOES A GOOD JOB.

THOUGHT HE MIGHT TURN IT ON BUT THAT SAFETY HAD AN ANGLE ON HIM.

BUT A GOOD JOB TO GET SOME OFFENSE GOING.

I THOUGHT BILLY KEMP PLAYED REALLY WELL ON SATURDAY.

SO NEXT PLAY.

WE'RE LOOKING DEFENSIVELY.

NOW, EXCUSE ME FOR ALL MY ARROWS HERE, BUT THIS PLAY IS A MESS DEFENSIVELY.

SO, THIS IS THE J.J. McCARTHY RUN, TD RUN THAT WE SAW EARLIER ON THE HIGHLIGHTS.

SO, WE GET EVERYONE KIND OF GOING, WE'RE GONNA BRING PRESSURE.

WE'RE BRINGING SIX GUYS SO WE'RE DROPPING FIVE IN COVERAGE.

EVERYONE IS GOING THIS WAY.

WE HAVE ONE GUY TO HIS -- TO HIS THROWING SHOULDER.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE IS A BUS SOMEHOW, I AM NOT SURE WHAT -- IF TY ROBINSON NEEDS TO COME OR THE LINEBACKER, BUT THIS IS NOT SUPPOSED TO LOOK THIS WAY.

BECAUSE, JUST LIKE I SAID, JUST LIKE YOU HAD RUSH RUN GAPS, YOU ALSO NEED TO HAVE RUSH LANES.

AND THIS IS JUST POOR, UNDISCIPLINED FOOTBALL BY THE NEBRASKA DEFENSE HERE.

YOU GET YOUR GUYS IN THE BACK IN MAN COVERAGE.

THEY CAN'T SEE THE QUARTERBACK.

SO NOW HE'S ABLE TO COME FREE.

YOU HAD ONE GUY UP TOP COME THERE.

BUDA RIGHT THERE.

BUT -- JUST NOT GREAT DEFENSE AND J.J. McCARTHY ALMOST HITS HIS HEAD ON THE GOALPOST THERE.

>> WE TALKED ABOUT WAS AT LEAST THREE, MAYBE FOUR OF THEM WERE BUSTED COVERAGE FOR THE TOUCHDOWNS.

SO, IF THEY JUST PLAY LIKE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO, THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

>> YEAH, THAT PLAY JUST DIDN'T LOOK RIGHT.

THERE'S JUST NOT -- YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE, ESSENTIALLY FIVE GUYS ON ONE SIDE OF THE FOOTBALL.

THAT'S JUST BAD -- THAT'S JUST BALL.

YOU'D LIKE TO THINK SOME OF THOSE GUYS IN THE SITUATION COULD RECOGNIZE THAT, LIKE, "OKAY, THIS ISN'T RIGHT."

LIKE TY ROBINSON DESIGNATE A ROUTE.

"OKAY, THERE'S ARE TOO MANY DUDES OVER HERE.

I GOT TO COME AROUND THE OTHER SIDE."

>> RIGHT.

NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

JAY, WE APPRECIATE THE BREAKDOWN.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN THE HUDL AGAIN NEXT WEEK.

WE'RE GOING TO GO TO A SHORT BREAK NOW.

WHEN WE COME BACK, AARON SORENSEN WILL JOIN US.

AND COUNTER READ WILL JOIN US ON THE SHOW.

BEFORE WE GO THOUGH, HERE'S A LOOK AT SOME OF THE SCENES FROM THE WEEKEND'S GAMES COURTESY OF HURRDAT SPORTS.

♪ >>> MICHIGAN'S AN EXCELLENT FOOTBALL TEAM, BUT WE COULD HAVE PLAYED BETTER THAN THAT.

AND I SAY "WE."

THAT'S NOT ME THROWING PLAYERS UNDER THE BUS, THAT'S ALL OF US.

AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S A GUY IN THAT LOCKER ROOM THAT DOESN'T FEEL THAT WAY.

>> WE CAME BACK, YOU KNOW, SUNDAY, I DON'T WANT TO BE REACTIONARY.

THAT STINKS, YOU KNOW.

BUT I THINK WE ATTACKED IT HEAD ON AND REALLY PEELED BACK WHAT THE ISSUES WERE.

AND WE'RE TACKLING THEM AS COACHES AND PLAYERS.

>> USUALLY ON THE DAY AFTER THE GAME WE GO DO A WALKTHROUGH, LIKE, KIND OF LIKE GO OVER THE NEXT WEEKS LOOKS AND JUST KIND OF MORE LIKE A MENTAL DAY AND KIND OF GET OUR BODIES MOVING.

AND WHEN WE WERE TOLD TO PUT ON FULL PADS WE KNEW WHAT TO EXPECT AND WE KNEW WE HAD TO GO OUT THERE AND PHYSICALLY GO AGAINST EACH OTHER AND JUST, YOU KNOW, GO TO WORK.

>> WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF FINDING OUT WHO IS ONE OF US RIGHT NOW.

THE GUYS HAVE -- I THINK WE HAVE RESPONDED PRETTY WELL.

WE'VE HAD REALLY PHYSICAL PRACTICES.

ALL THE GUYS KNOW THAT WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK WASN'T ACCEPTABLE.

SO, WE GOT TO CHANGE THAT.

>> I LOVE OUR GUYS.

AND ALL I WANT OUR GUYS TO DO IS PLAY FOOTBALL WITH CONFIDENCE.

I DON'T WANT THEM TO PLAY FOOTBALL AFRAID TO LOSE.

PLAY FOOTBALL WITH CONFIDENCE.

AND SO THAT'S MY JOB AND I HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT DONE YET.

SO, I'M ANXIOUS TO PLAY ON FRIDAY.

>> THERE IS A WAY YOU'RE GOING TO PLAY FOOTBALL IN NEBRASKA.

OKAY?

AND THAT WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH ON SATURDAY.

PERIOD.

SO, WE'VE TO GET IT FIXED.

>> THOSE ARE A FEW COMMENTS FROM THE COACHES AND PLAYERS FOLLOWING THE LOSS.

NOW, WE WELCOME IN MORE COMMENTS ABOUT THE GAME.

ERIN SORENSEN JOINING US FROM COUNTER READ HERE ON THE PANNEL.

THANKS FOR COMING, WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> ISN'T IT WEIRD HOW THEY MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT A BIG DEAL SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY AND THEN THEY GET BLOWN OUT.

IT'S LIKE IT'S HAPPENED TWICE NOW.

>> YEAH.

>> IT'S NOT GOOD TIMING.

>> I MEAN, THE LAST TIME IT MADE A LOT OF SENSE, BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF COLLEGE GAME DAY BEING IN TOWN.

>> YES, RIGHT.

>> THIS ONE WAS DEFINITELY A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCE BECAUSE THEY WERE TRYING TO GET IN BEFORE THE OCTOBER BOARD OF REGENTS MEETING.

SO, YEAH, UNFORTUNATE TIMING ALL AROUND.

BUT HEY, AT LEAST IT WAS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE COULD BE EXCITED ABOUT FOR 24 HOURS.

>> ARE YOU HEARING EXCITEMENT?

BECAUSE, I HAVE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE KIND OF CRITICAL OF THE AMOUNT OF IT.

I'LL THROW MY WIFE UNDER THE BUS.

SHE THOUGHT IT WAS RIDICULOUS THAT THEY WOULD SPEND THAT MUCH MONEY ON THE STADIUM WITH HOW THE TEAM'S PLAYING.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM PEOPLE ABOUT THAT?

>> YES, THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME CRITICAL -- LIKE, THERE'S SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE CRITICAL MOSTLY IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THEIR SEATS.

>> RIGHT.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE IN SOUTH STADIUM.

I WAS TRYING TO REMIND PEOPLE, NOT EVEN SOUTH STADIUM, BUT WHEN THIS IS ALL SAID AND DONE, THERE'S GOING TO PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN EAST AND WEST THAT WON'T HAVE SEATS ANYMORE BECAUSE THE WIDENING OF THE SEATS FOR THE CHAIRBACKS IS GOING TO CHANGE -- WE'RE GOING TO SEE ABOUT A 10 TO 12% REDUCTION IN TOTAL CAPACITY.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO, THERE'S HESITATION THERE.

HOWEVER, AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT, MAYBE, THAT EXTRA LEG ROOM AND SPACE, THE CHAIRBACKS, THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE GET EXCITED.

ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT MAYBE HIGHER CONCESSION, LIKE, QUALITY.

JUST LIKE THE EXPERIENCE ITSELF.

I MEAN, TREV ALBERTS WAS THE ONE WHO SAID WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT GOING TO CONCESSION STANDS BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID "IF I GO TRY TO GET A PIECE OF PIZZA, I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE GET BACK TO MY SEAT FOR A QUARTER."

THAT'S WHAT THEY HAVE TO FIX.

SO, THERE'S EXCITEMENT PRIMARILY IN THOSE AREAS.

>> WHAT'S THE BIGGEST THING YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE STADIUM?

>> OH, JUST TO BE ABLE TO -- THIS SOUNDS SO -- NO ONE'S GOING TO UNDERSTAND, I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE 360 CONCOURSE AND BEING ABLE TO WALK THAT STADIUM REALLY EFFECTIVELY.

THEY SAID THAT AND I WAS LIKE, "I'M IN.

I'M SOLD.

WHAT'S THE PRICE TAG?"

>> THE SOUTH IS JUST LIKE, ITS OWN, LIKE, ISLAND IN THERE RIGHT NOW.

>> IT IS AND IT'S SO HARD -- >> YOU HEAR HORROR STORIES OF PEOPLE WHO SIT OVER THERE.

>> I HAVE A HORROR STORY.

IT WAS ACTUALLY AT NEBRASKA -- THE VOLLEYBALL DAY AT NEBRASKA REALLY HIGHLIGHTED SOME ISSUES.

AND SOME FRIENDS HAD GONE OVER INTO SOUTH STADIUM TO SAY HI TO SOME PEOPLE, TRY TO GET BACK TO THEIR SEATS IN NORTH STADIUM, THE PROBLEM WAS, IS BECAUSE THEIR TICKETS WERE DIFFERENT AND THEY WEREN'T -- THEY WERE BASICALLY TOLD "YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY OUT AND THEN COME BACK IN."

AND THEY'RE GOING, "WE'RE GONNA MISS THINGS."

SO IT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THAT THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

>> YEAH, WELL, IT'S GONNA GET ADDRESSED, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE NOT GONNA PUT UP A BIG SCREEN ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

>> THEY SHOULD >> THEY SHOULD, RIGHT?

IF THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND THAT MUCH MONEY, LET'S PUT UP A BIG SCOREBOARD ON THE SOUTH SIDE, BUT THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.

>> I MEAN -- >> WE DON'T KNOW YET.

I DON'T THINK THEY'VE REALLY GOTTEN -- >> OKAY, '‘CAUSE IT'S NOT IN THE DIAGRAM.

SO I WAS -- >> I WILL SAY, I DID ASK TREV ALBERTS, I WAS CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WITH THE SPRING GAME IN 2025 AND '‘26 -- >> RIGHT.

>> AND HE DID SAY THE PLAN IS TO PLAY THEM INSIDE MEMORIAL STADIUM -- CONSTRUCTION AND ALL.

HE'S LIKE, "WE MIGHT BE SITTING ON HEAVY MACHINERY, BUT WE'LL BE IN -- WE'LL BE IN THE BUILDING."

SO I'M JUST IMAGINING ALL OF US NOW, SITTING ON JUST, LIKE, CRANES, WATCHING THE GAME.

SO PUT IN A BIG SCREEN TOO.

>> THAT WAS 2005, RIGHT?

WAS IT 2005 SPRING GAME WHERE THEY WERE DOING NORTH STADIUM?

>> CLOSE.

>> AND THEY ONLY HAD ABOUT 3000 FOR IT?

>> YEAH, I THINK -- >> '‘CAUSE THAT WAS COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, YEAH.

>> I MEAN, THEY COULD JUST MOVE IT TO SEACREST.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> YEAH, THAT'D BE A LITTLE TIGHT.

>> I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'D BE -- >> WHAT ABOUT A -- WHAT ABOUT A GAME AT ARROWHEAD STADIUM OR SOMEWHERE?

OR DO YOU THINK THAT'S JUST TOO DETRIMENTAL TO THE ECONOMY OF LINCOLN TO EVEN THINK ABOUT HAVING -- >> TAKE A HOME GAME AWAY?

>> -- TAKE A HOME GAME OUT OF THE CITY OF LINCOLN.

>> THAT'D BE TOUGH.

>> I THINK IT WOULD BE.

I THINK IT'D BE FUN FOR -- I MEAN, AS YOU SEE, LIKE, WITH ANYBODY DOES THOSE -- THOSE LIKE, KIND OF LIKE NEUTRAL-GROUND GAMES.

BUT FOR LINCOLN, SO MUCH REVOLVES AROUND A GAMEDAY THAT I THINK THEY'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO KEEP THINGS LOCAL.

BUT, IT'D BE FUN TO SEE IT.

>> WAS THAT '‘98 OR '‘99 WHEN --?

>> '‘99.

>> '‘99, THAT WAS IT.

>> IT WAS SOLD OUT.

>> OKLAHOMA STATE.

>> MIKE RUCKER MADE A TACKLE AT THE END -- THE GOAL LINE THAT SAVED THE GAME, SO -- IT WOULD BE KIND OF FUN, NO DOUBT.

SO, '‘BOUT MIDDLE OF THE SECOND QUARTER YOU SAW SOME PEOPLE -- '‘CAUSE IT WAS REALLY HOT -- START LEAVING, ESPECIALLY EAST STADIUM.

YOUR THOUGHTS ON JUST THE WAY NEBRASKA CAME OUT AND PLAYED?

A LOT OF PEOPLE WORRIED THAT THEY DIDN'T COME OUT WITH THE RIGHT MOTIVATION.

>> I HAD SOME OF YOU CALL ME DELUSIONAL AFTER THE GAME, BECAUSE I HAD SAID I EXPECTED MORE FROM THE DEFENSE.

I REALLY DID.

I THOUGHT THE DEFENSE -- I UNDERSTAND LOUISIANA TECH, NORTHERN ILLINOIS, BUT I REALLY THOUGHT THE DEFENSE WOULD COME OUT AND AT LEAST HANG AROUND FOR A LITTLE WHILE, AND MAYBE PUSH MICHIGAN AROUND JUST A LITTLE MORE THAN WHAT WE SAW.

AND THAT -- THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I DON'T TAKE -- I DON'T CONSIDER MYSELF DELUSIONAL FOR AT ALL.

I REALLY THOUGHT THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SAW.

AND HEARING WHAT MATT RHULE, TONY WHITE, EVERYONE SAID AFTERWARDS, THEY CLEARLY MISSED -- THEY MISSED THE BOAT ON WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO AS ASSIGNMENTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND SO, THAT WAS, FOR ME, I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO SEE A, AT LEAST A MUCH TOUGHER DEFENSE, AND THAT SURPRISED ME.

>> YEAH, I AGREE.

I EXPECTED THE DEFENSE TO COME OUT AND PLAY MUCH BETTER.

BUT I WANTED -- THE WORD PATIENCE, A LOT OF FANS DON'T SEEM TO HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF PATIENCE RIGHT NOW FOR YEAR ONE.

WHERE -- YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT BEING DELUSIONAL POTENTIALLY TOO?

[ LAUGHTER ] BUT WHERE'S -- WHERE'S THAT FALL?

I'M JUST ALWAYS KIND OF CONFUSED, AND ALWAYS -- WELL, WHAT DID YOU EXPECT IN YEAR ONE WITH -- FOR THE NEW GUY TAKING OVER A NEW SYSTEM, WHERE THEY EXPECT SO MUCH MORE, AND THEY'RE JUST GETTING DISAPPOINTED, AND THEY DON'T -- AND THEY'RE RUNNING OUT OF PATIENCE ALREADY IN YEAR ONE.

>> I THINK WHERE YOU ARE SEEING THAT LACK OF PATIENCE FOR FANS, AND I APPRECIATE MATT RHULE ADDRESSING THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES, IS HE ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT, "I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT CAME BEFORE ME, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THE REASON THAT PEOPLE ARE FEELING THE WAY THEY ARE IS BECAUSE OF THE RESULTS THAT THEY'VE HAD IN YEARS PAST."

HE'S -- HE'S KEENLY AWARE THAT, THAT THAT'S PLAYING IN HERE, AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE REALLY HOPING TO SEE -- HONESTLY, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD BE FEELING VERY DIFFERENTLY IF NEBRASKA HAD BEATEN MINNESOTA.

>> YEAH.

>> I THINK THAT GAME WOULD HAVE CHANGED THINGS, AT LEAST OVERALL THAT TRAJECTORY EVER SO SLIGHTLY.

I THINK THAT MINNESOTA LOSS, AND ESPECIALLY NOW WITH HOW MINNESOTA HAS PLAYED, HAS CHANGED THAT IMPATIENCE A LITTLE BIT MORE.

AND I -- I DON'T ACTUALLY DISCREDIT FANS FOR ANYTHING THAT THEY FEEL AT THIS POINT.

IT'S JUST REALLY HARD, BECAUSE YEAR ONE IS USUALLY A, KIND OF, TAKE WHAT YOU WILL FROM IT.

BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT HAS COME PRIOR TO THIS YEAR ONE, I THINK PEOPLE ARE JUST MORE IMPATIENT THAN REALLY EVER BEFORE.

>> I WOULD SAY THOUGH, I REMEMBER RIGHT AFTER THE BYU GAME, MIKE RILEY'S FIRST GAME, THERE WERE ALREADY PEOPLE CHIRPING.

"THE DEFENSE WAS SO BAD.

THEY HAD SOME CLOCK MANAGEMENT ISSUES."

SO I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN TO A POINT WHERE IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO THE COACH IS, PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE IMPATIENT QUICKLY, JUST BECAUSE THEY WANT TO SEE GOOD FOOTBALL.

AND WE DIDN'T SEE GOOD FOOTBALL SATURDAY.

>> YEAH, AND THAT'S WHAT MATT RHULE HAS BEEN ALLUDING TO THE LAST COUPLE OF MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES WE'VE HAD WITH HIM, WHERE HE'S LIKE, "I DON'T WANT MY PLAYERS -- I JUST WANT THEM TO COME OUT AND NOT PLAY LIKE THEY'RE AFRAID TO LOSE."

>> RIGHT.

>> "I WANT THEM TO JUST PLAY FOOTBALL, GIVE FANS SOMETHING TO TAKE AWAY FROM IT, AND KNOW THAT THIS TEAM HAS WHAT IT TAKES, EVEN IF THEY DON'T WIN."

HE SAID THAT.

HE'S LIKE, "IF ILLINOIS IS THE BETTER TEAM, OKAY.

WE'LL TAKE THAT.

BUT, LIKE, WE SHOULD NOT BE COMING OUT ACTING LIKE WE'RE AFRAID TO LOSE.

WE SHOULD BE COMING OUT AND GIVING PEOPLE SOMETHING TO WATCH, AND PLAYING, BECAUSE IT'S FOOTBALL.

JUST PLAY FOOTBALL."

AND THAT CLEARLY IS A TOUGH HILL TO OVERCOME FOR THIS TEAM, BECAUSE THIS IS A TEAM THAT HASN'T BEEN TO A BOWL GAME SINCE 2016.

AND WHEN YOU THINK OF, LIKE, THAT -- JUST NOT HAVING THAT EXPERIENCE FOR A NUMBER OF THESE PLAYERS.

THEY'RE COMING INTO THESE MATCHUPS JUST HONESTLY, ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT THE WORST IT FEELS LIKE, VERSUS THE "WHAT COULD BE IF WE PLAYED -- JUST PLAYED OUR GAME."

>> WHEN YOU HATE TO PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE ON YOUR ONE, BUT THE SCHEDULE.

I MEAN, SEVEN STRAIGHT GAMES NOW, NO RANKED OPPONENTS.

AND YOU START TO KIND OF LOOK AHEAD TO THE BIG TEN.

I MEAN, THERE'S, WHAT, SIX OF THE TOP NINE TEAMS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL ARE CURRENTLY GONNA BE IN THE BIG TEN NEXT YEAR.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT THAT THEY SQUEEZE SOMETHING OUT OF THIS SEVEN GAME STRETCH?

>> THEY REALLY HAVE TO DO -- I MEAN, REALLY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS TEAM NEEDS TO GET SOME WINS UNDER ITS BELT, AND JUST TO BUILD EVEN JUST CONFIDENCE BEFORE HEADING INTO WHAT WILL COME.

I JUST THINK THIS NEBRASKA TEAM HAS THE TALENT, BUT MATT RHULE DOES SAY THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TALENT -- THEY HAVE TO RECRUIT, THEY HAVE TO CONTINUE TO GROW THIS TEAM, ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE A BETTER, MORE DISCIPLINED TEAM.

BUT THAT'S NOT GONNA GET EASIER WHEN YOU HAVE THE USC'S COMING IN, THE OREGON'S COMING IN.

SO THIS IS TIME.

HONESTLY YOU'RE A TEAM WITH NOTHING TO LOSE, GO OUT THERE THESE NEXT SEVEN GAMES AND GIVE IT YOUR ALL, AND GET SOME WINS.

YOU MIGHT END UP BOWL ELIGIBLE BY THE END OF IT.

>> YEAH.

THEY MAY BE ONE TEAM, AND I KNOW THEY'RE PLAYING OHIO STATE THIS WEEK, BUT MARYLAND LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.

AND EVEN WITH A LOSS, IF IT'S A CLOSE LOSS THIS WEEK, I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THEY -- >> THEY'RE 26 RIGHT NOW.

>> YEAH, I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THEY'RE RANKED IF THEY HAVE A GOOD GAME IN THERE.

AND THEY'RE TOUGH TO DEFEND.

OVERALL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE ARE MAKING, HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK IT IS ABOUT THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT MATT RHULE SHOULD'VE BEEN THE GUY?

LIKE, THERE WERE A NUMBER PEOPLE INITIALLY LIKE, "MATT RHULE?

HE'S NEVER WON GAMES AGAINST RANKED TEAMS."

AND, "WHAT'S HE REALLY DONE?

IT'S THE SMALLER, YOU KNOW, BAYLOR AND TEMPLE."

IT SEEMS LIKE THAT PEOPLE AREN'T ALL BEHIND HIM.

DO YOU THINK THAT THAT'S WHY IT IS A QUICKER PATIENCE THING?

>> I DON'T THINK SO, AT LEAST -- AT LEAST, NOT IN MY LIKE -- >> YOUR CIRCLE?

>> -- WHAT I HAVE SEEN.

I MEAN, I COULD JUST BE ON A DIFFERENT SIDE OF TWITTER AND THE INTERNET THAN OTHER PEOPLE ARE.

BUT I FEEL LIKE WHEN I SEE THAT, A LOT OF THEM ARE COMING ACTUALLY, SURPRISINGLY, FROM FORMER CAROLINA FANS WHO ARE COMING ALONG -- >> OH, YES, THEY'RE UPSET.

>> -- TO SAY, "I TOLD YOU SO."

BUT OTHERWISE, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE MORE JUST -- YOU JUST FEEL A FANBASE THAT WANTS TO HAVE SOMETHING TO CHEER FOR.

THAT'S TRULY WHAT IT IS.

THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO BE IN THE STADIUM, AND BE IN THE CONVERSATION.

WE BROUGHT UP THAT OHIO STATE GAME -- COLLEGE GAMEDAY, YOU'RE ON THE BIGGEST STAGE, AND IT JUST DIDN'T FEEL LIKE NEBRASKA COMPETED.

YOU GET THIS MICHIGAN GAME, AND IT JUST DOESN'T FEEL LIKE NEBRASKA COMPETED.

I THINK FANS COULD ACCEPT LOSSES -- >> SURE.

>> IF THEY FELT LIKE THE TEAM WAS COMPETING.

OR AT LEAST, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY THAT THE PLAYERS WEREN'T, LIKE, PUTTING -- BUT LIKE, THEY JUST WANT TO SEE SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVEN'T SEEN IN A LONG TIME.

>> ERIN, HOW COMPLICATED IS THE QUARTERBACK DISCUSSION LONG-TERM?

YOU THINK ABOUT JEFF SIMS HAS ANOTHER YEAR LEFT.

HEINRICH HAARBERG'S YOUNHG.

AND IF -- NEITHER ONE OF THOSE GUYS IS REALLY THE FUTURE OF WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, LIKE, HOW DO YOU THINK THEY GO ABOUT ADDRESSING THAT?

OR HOW SHOULD THEY GO ABOUT ADDRESSING THAT LONG-TERM?

AND -- '‘CAUSE IT IS COMPLICATED.

>> YEAH, LISTENING TO YOU TALK ABOUT THE QUARTERBACK, I -- THE THING THAT REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME AGAINST MICHIGAN WAS NOT SEEING JEFF SIMS COME IN.

AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS NOT BECAUSE YOU PULL HEINRICH OUT, BUT AT SOME POINT, YOU GET TO A POINT -- >> PLAY SOMEBODY ELSE.

>> -- IN THE GAME, WELL, WHY NOT?

BUT WHAT STOOD OUT TO ME ABOUT THIS IS IN PREVIOUS WEEKS, JEFF SIMS WAS WARMING UP AS THE NUMBER THREE QUARTERBACK.

HE WARMED UP AS THE BACKUP QUARTERBACK THIS WEEK, BUT YET HE STILL DID NOT COME IN.

NOW, I GET IT, HIGH ANKLE SPRAINS CAN TAKE A WHILE TO HEAL, SO THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE A PIECE OF IT, OF LIKE, "WE DON'T NEED TO THROW HIM OUT THERE AGAINST MICHIGAN'S DEFENSIVE LINE AND HAVE THE WORST CASE HAPPEN HERE."

BECAUSE FOR HEINRICH, HE WAS DEALING WITH THE LEFT SIDE OF THE OFFENSIVE LINE, NOT GIVEN THEN WHOLE LOT.

SO HE -- YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO GET YOUR QUARTERBACK INJURED.

BUT AT SOME POINT, IF BOTH OF THEM ARE HEALTHY AND YOU NEED TO FIGURE IT OUT, MAYBE YOU START DOING A DUAL SITUATION, WHERE YOU PLAY ONE OF THE TWO DEPENDING ON --I DON'T KNOW.

'‘CAUSE, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, "IS JEFF SIMS AT NEBRASKA NEXT YEAR OR IS IT HEINRICH?"

YOU'RE MAKING KIND OF THAT DECISION RIGHT NOW, WHETHER YOU WANT TO BE OR NOT.

>> YEAH I THINK OF THE THE -- THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS FINDING A QUARTERBACK FOR NEXT YEAR.

>> OH, I WOULD AGREE.

>> YOU HAVE TO GO AND GET IT.

TELL US ABOUT COUNTER READ, TELL US WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING >> YEAH, IT'S -- THE WHOLE PREMISE IS NEBRASKA SPORTS STORIES WELL TOLD, AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW BRANDON VOGEL, HE DIVES INTO NUMBERS -- >> OH, YEAH.

>> AND MORE --- BETTER, MORE EFFICIENTLY THAN ANYBODY I KNOW.

AND I JUST HAVE BEEN DOING MY BEST TO JUST CONTINUE TO TELL GOOD STORIES, TALK TO PEOPLE, AND -- LIKE THE QUESTION TO TREV -- "HEY, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A SPRING GAME IN THE STADIUM IN 2025?"

SO THAT'S REALLY THE HOPE, IS JUST TO TELL REALLY GOOD SPORTS STORIES AND CONTINUE TO ADD TO A REALLY GREAT NEBRASKA MEDIA BEAT.

LOOK, THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT MEDIA BEATS ON THIS -- >> OH, YEAH.

>> THAT EVEN, THANK YOU TO THE FANS WHO CONTINUE TO SHOW UP, AND TUNE IN, AND READ, AND EVERYTHING THROUGH WINS, LOSSES, EVERYTHING.

BECAUSE THEY ARE THE REASON WE GET TO -- WE GOT NEW CHAIRS TODAY IN THE MEDIA ROOM.

>> OH, WOW.

>> REALLY?

>> OH.

>> DESKS, TABLES.

>> FANCY.

>> PLUG-INS AT OUR SEATS.

>> YEAH, WE'RE SPOILED NOW.

>> THAT'S AWESOME.

I HATE TO DO THIS TO YOU, BUT WHAT'S THE FINAL RECORD OVER THE LAST GAMES?

>> OH, GOSH.

>> OOH.

SO 2-3 RIGHT NOW.

I'M GOING TO SAY 5-7.

>> NOT GONNA MAKE A BOWL.

>> I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GONNA MAKE A BOWL.

>> OH, ERIN, MAN.

>> LOOK, HERE'S THE THING, IF I'M WRONG, THAT'S GREAT.

>> THAT IS GREAT.

>> TELL ME I'M WRONG.

>> THAT IS TRUE, THAT IS TRUE.

>> I DON'T CARE.

I WILL NOT BE MAD.

>> THE MARGIN IS SO LITTLE.

>> IT IS.

>> I THINK.

BUT HONESTLY, THEY COULD BE 7-5 AND I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED .

>> YEAH, I'M WITH YOU ON THAT.

ERIN, WE APPRECIATE IT.

AND GOOD LUCK WITH COUNTER READ.

>> OH, THANK YOU.

>> THANKS, ERIN.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE HAVE A NEW WINNER OF THIS WEEK'S GAMEDAY PHOTO CONTEST.

MICHELLE SENT US THE PHOTO WITH LITTLE RED AT THE GAME SATURDAY, THANK YOU MICHELLE FOR SHARING A GREAT PICTURE WITH US.

DON'T MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEND US YOUR BEST GAMEDAY PHOTOS FOR CHANCES TO WIN GREAT PRIZES LIKE THESE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.

WE WANT TO SEE YOUR BEST GAME -- YOUR GAMEDAY BEST, SO MAKE SURE YOU SEND IN THOSE PHOTOS FROM YOUR TAILGATE, INSIDE THE STADIUM, EVEN FROM YOUR WATCH PARTY AS WELL.

♪ ALL RIGHT, NOW IT'S TIME TO LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

OUR NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS INTERN HANNAH JOINS US.

HOW ARE YOU DOIN'?

>> I'M DOING GOOD, HOW ARE YOU?

>> GOOD.

DID YOU -- WERE YOU OUT THERE IN THAT HEAT?

>> I WAS NOT, NO.

>> GOOD, GOOD.

'‘CAUSE THAT WAS ROUGH.

TELL US WHAT -- TELL US WHAT HAPPENED ON FACEBOOK AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

>> YEAH, SO ON X WE'VE GOT THIS FIRST TWEET BY CHRISTIAN.

"OH, IT'S GONNA BE ONE OF THOSE GAMES."

AND WE HAVE THE CLASSIC CHARACTER MRS.

PUFF FROM "SPONGEBOB."

>> OH, YEAH.

>> SHE'S LIKE, "OH, NEPTUNE."

>> THE TEACHER.

>> YES.

>> YEAH.

>> AND SO, THAT WAS DEFINITELY ALL THE NEBRASKA FANS OUT THERE SWEATING IN THE HEAT, AND AT THE SCORE, SO -- >> YEAH.

>> GOT THAT GOING FOR US.

>> YEAH.

>> AND THEN THE NEXT ONE WE HAVE IS FROM NICK.

"AFTER THIS GAME I KINDA JUST WANT TO SIT ON THE COUCH, CUDDLE WITH CHICKEN WINGS, AND WATCH ANYTHING BUT FOOTBALL."

IT KIND OF SOUNDS LIKE HE WENT THROUGH A BAD BREAKUP, BUT OVER THE HUSKER GAME.

>> I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT.

IT WAS TOUGH FOR EVERYBODY.

HANNAH, WE APPRECIATE IT, WE'LL HAVE MORE SOCIAL MEDIA AGAIN WITH YOU VERY SOON.

NOW WE'RE GONNA GO TO BREAK.

BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF DISCUSSION HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE SHOW.

NEXT UP, SEAN CALLAHAN TALKS RECRUITING, AND THEN WE PREVIEW THIS WEEK'S GAME IN CHAMPAGNE.

BUT FIRST, MORE VIEWS FROM THE MICHIGAN GAME, COURTESY OF HURRDAT SPORTS.

♪ ♪ >>> WELCOME BACK TO "BIG RED WRAP-UP."

IT IS TIME TO CHECK IN ON THIS WEEK'S SIDELINE SURVEY.

"WHAT BEST DESCRIBES YOUR OUTLOOK FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON?"

55% OF THE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY SAYING, AS CUB FANS SAID FOR SO MANY YEARS, "THERE'S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR."

24% SAID "ASK ME WE AFTER THE ILLINOIS GAME."

AND THEN ABOUT 16% FOR BOWL-ELIGIBLE, AND ONLY 5% SAY THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN THE BIG TEN WEST.

JOINING ME NOW, SEAN CALLAHAN TO TALK SOME RECRUITING.

WHERE WOULD YOU VOTE, SEAN?

>> "ASK ME AFTER NEXT WEEK."

I THINK THE ILLINOIS GAME -- >> IT'S BIG.

>> -- IS BIG.

I THINK THIS GAME AGAINST ILLINOIS REALLY DECIDES KIND OF THE DIRECTION THE SEASON'S GONNA GO.

>> YEAH, I'M WITH YOU ON THAT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT WHO WAS IN TOWN VISITING FOR THE MICHIGAN GAME.

>> YEAH, IT WAS A REALLY BIG RECRUITING WEEKEND.

I FOUND THIS INTERESTING -- 14 OF THE 26 COMMITS WERE HERE.

THAT IS AS MANY AS I'VE EVER SEEN AT A GAME FOR NEBRASKA.

THEN YOU HAD ALL THEIR YOUNGER COMMITS THERE.

SOME BIGGER, YOUNGER TARGETS THOUGH.

DARIEUS DIXON FROM MATER DEI.

MATER DEI HAS 8 PLAYERS IN THE TOP 100 ON THE ROSTER.

FOR 24 AND 25, THEY'RE THE NUMBER ONE HIGH SCHOOL RANKED TEAM.

HE'S THE FOURTH MATER DEI PLAYER OF THAT EIGHT THAT'S NOW VISITED, SO THEY'RE DOING A GOOD JOB OF GETTING THE TOP PLAYERS FROM THE REGION AND SOME NATIONAL GUYS HERE, NOW THEY GOTTA WIN.

I MEAN, THAT'S -- THAT'S THE NEXT STEP.

>> AND CONVINCE THEM.

LET'S TALK ABOUT ROGER GRADNEY.

>> YEAH, ROGER GRADNEY WAS ONE OF THE FIRST COMMITS OF THIS RECRUITING CLASS.

A FOUR STAR GUY, A DYNAMIC ATHLETE.

HAD SOME INJURY ISSUE, I BELIEVE A HIP WAS THE PROBLEM.

BUT HE'S A VERY, VERY ELUSIVE GUY THAT CAN RETURN KICKS, CAN PLAY SAFETY, COULD PROBABLY GROW INTO A LINEBACKER.

REALLY A TRUE ATHLETE THAT'S COMING IN AS A SAFETY THAT COULD MAYBE, YOU KNOW, BE A LINEBACKER TYPE, KIND OF LIKE WHAT YOU SEE JAVIN WRIGHT, OR, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE GUYS THAT PLAY.

BUT JUMPED ON BOARD EARLY, AND THEY GOT HIM ON THIS CLASS HERE.

YOU SEE THE SPEED, UM, AND WHAT HE BRINGS, AND I THINK THERE WAS SOME THOUGHT THAT IT WAS GONNA BE SOME WORK TO KEEP THIS GUY, BUT THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF KEEPING ROGER GRADNEY COMMITTED IN THIS CLASS, EVEN THOUGH A NUMBER OF HIS TEAMS FROM HIS PART OF THE COUNTRY HAVE TRIED TO GET HIM.

>> HE'S BIGGER THAN SOME OF THE SMALL -- THE FAST GUYS THEY'VE GOTTEN BEFORE HIM TOO.

>> YEAH, OH, YEAH.

AND I THINK HE'S BIGGER THAN THAT HEIGHT AND WEIGHT RIGHT NOW.

I THINK -- I THINK HE'S GROWN, AND HE'S GOT A GREAT FRAME AND BUILD.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT ONE OF THE BEST PLAYER IN THE STATE, TEDDY REZAC, WHO, EVERY TIME I WATCH THE KID PLAY, ALL HE DOES IS MAKE BIG TACKLES, AND DO EVERYTHING HE CAN TO MAKE -- HELP WESTSIDE WIN.

>> YEAH, I MEAN, THE REZACS, IT FEELS LIKE WE'VE BEEN WATCHING THEM PLAY FOR YEARS -- >> OH YEAH.

>> -- IS BECAUSE THEY'RE THREE-YEAR VARSITY PLAYERS AT A HIGH EYE LEVEL, WHICH IS RARE.

AND ANTHONY, HIS BROTHER, IS A QUARTERBACK.

TEDDY'S A TIGHT END LINEBACKER ATHLETE, COMMITTED NOTRE DAME.

NOTRE DAME CAME IN, AL GOLDEN, THEIR DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR CAME IN THE SPRING, AND WATCHED HIM WORK OUT AND JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM.

SAID, "WOW, THIS GUY CAN RUN, HE'S A LEGIT 4/5 TYPE SPEED.

HE'S GOT A GREAT FRAME, AND GREAT HEAD ON HIS SHOULDERS, EVERYTHING WE'RE LOOKING FOR."

AND THEY DIDN'T HESITATE.

THEY OFFERED HIM, AND THEN NEBRASKA OFFERED SHORTLY AFTER, BUT THE IRISH HAD A LEG UP.

THEY HAD A VISIT, THEY WENT DOWN TO SOUTH BEND, HAD DINNER AND MET WITH THE COACHING STAFF, THE FAMILY.

NOTRE DAME REALLY HIT IT OUT OF THE PARK WITH TEDDY REZAC TO GET HIM ON BOARD, AND I'M GUESS WE'RE GONNA BE SEEING THAT WESTSIDE WARRIOR TEAM ON THIS CHANNEL HERE NEXT MONTH SOME TIME.

>> THEN THEY WENT TO THE OHIO STATE, NOTRE DAME GAME.

ANTHONY WENT, AND TEDDY WENT, AND THE TOP PLAYER FROM 25, THAT LINEBACKER -- >> CHRISTIAN JONES.

>> THAT -- HE WENT AS WELL, SO NOTRE DAME IS JUST TRYING TO GET IN OUR -- IN OUR KITCHEN.

>> YEAH, NOTRE DAME IS ALWAYS -- AND CARTER NELSON TOO.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> I MEAN, THEY -- THEY HAD A COACH IN ELGIN, NEBRASKA, ONE OF THE RECRUITING STAFFERS TO GO WATCH CARTER NELSON PLAY FRIDAY NIGHT.

>> WOW.

>> BUT CARTER NELSON HAS BEEN IN LINCOLN THREE WEEKENDS IN A ROW.

>> YEAH.

SEAN, WE APPRECIATE IT.

NOW WE TURN TO A STORY ABOUT A COUPLE WHO ORIGINALLY BONDED BECAUSE OF THEIR LOVE FOR THE HUSKERS, A LOVE THAT CONTINUES TO GROW, AND KEEPS THEM TRAVELING ALL THE WAY BACK FROM FLORIDA FOR EVERY SINGLE HOME GAME.

>> MEMORIAL STADIUM'S STATUS IN NEBRASKA IS UNQUESTIONABLE.

A TRUE TOUCHTONE OF THE STATE, THE STADIUM HAS BECOME INTERTWINED IN THE LIVES OF NEBRASKANS.

ITS ABILITY TO CONNECT GOES BEYOND THE PLAYING FIELD.

>> THE VERY FIRST DAY WE MET, WE BOTH LOVED NEBRASKA FOOTBALL.

AND OUR KIDS LOVE NEBRASKA FOOTBALL.

>> MY MOM.E ♪ >> DENNY AND JOYCE KORINEK HAVE A UNIQUE CONNECTION TO THE STADIUM THAT BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER.

>> MY FATHER BOUGHT TWO TICKETS IN 1929, DURING THE DEPRESSION, ON THE 50 YARD LINE HALFWAY UP IN THE WEST STADIUM.

I THINK HE PAID $0.50.

THAT'S 90 SOME YEARS THAT THOSE SEATS HAVE BEEN SAT IN BY MY FATHER'S RELATIVES.

>> I SIGNED THIS IN 1954,WHEN I WAS 31.

MEMORIAL STADIUM TO ME, IS PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT TO MANY PEOPLE, BECAUSE I ENDED UP PLAYING HERE.

I DID NOT ONLY PLAY FOOTBALL, BUT I ALSO PLAYED BASEBALL FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA.

IN FOOTBALL, I WAS OFFENSIVE RUNNING BACK, RIGHT AND LEFT HALFBACK, AND DURING THAT TIME THAT I WAS PLAYING, WE ENDED UP HAVING TO PLAY DEFENSE ALSO GOING BOTH WAYS.

>> HAPPENSTANCE WOULD BRING THE TWO OF THEM TOGETHER LATER IN LIFE, THROUGH A LOVE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA.

THE COUPLE, WHO RESIDE IN FLORIDA, TRAVEL BACK TO THE STADIUM FOR EACH HOME GAME.

>> MY SON IS A RETIRED PILOT FOR SOUTHWEST AIRLINE, WHICH ALLOWS US TO FLY AS PARENTS.

SO WE HAVE NO EXCUSES, WE CAN FLY BACK AND SEE A GAME, AND FLY BACK TO FLORIDA.

WE -- WE DON'T MISS GAMES.

>> DENNY AND JOYCE HAVE SEEN THE STADIUM AND TEAM EVOLVE OVER THE YEARS.

THEIR PASSION AND DEDICATION TO ALL THINGS NEBRASKA SHOWS NO SIGNS OF STOPPING.

♪ >> LISTEN, NEVER COMING BACK TO A GAME AS LONG AS I CAN WALK AND TALK AND DRIVE AND STEER AND RIDE A HORSE, I WILL BE COMING BACK FOR NEBRASKA FOOTBALL.

TO ME, THIS STADIUM IS A SHRINE TO ALL OF NEBRASKA.

END OF STORY.

>> IT CAN BE SO PROUD THAT THIS BEAUTIFUL STADIUM HAS ADDED ON VERY GRACEFULLY.

MY COMPLIMENTS, NOT SO MUCH TO THE CONCRETE, BUT TO THE PEOPLE THAT SIT ON THAT CONCRETE IN THAT STADIUM.

[ CHEERS ] >> WE HAVE THE BEST FANS IN THE WHOLE WORLD.

♪ >>> THAT IS AN AWESOME STORY.

THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE NEBRASKA FAN BASE SO AWESOME.

WE THANK DENNY AND JOYCE FOR SHARING ALL THAT WITH US.

IT'S CLEAR HOW SPECIAL MEMORIAL STADIUM IS TO NOT ONLY THOSE TWO, BUT TO SO MANY NEBRASKANS.

AND ON THAT NOTE, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT AS WE DID EARLIER WITH ERIN ABOUT THE RENOVATIONS TO THE STADIUM.

I KNOW THEY HAD TO TIME IT THAT WAY BECAUSE THEY NEEDED THE REGENT MEETING.

AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S NICE TO GET IT OUT OF THE WAY BEFORE THE MICHIGAN GAME HAPPENED.

>> WELL, AND ALSO -- >> IT'D HAVE BEEN TOUGHER TO DO IT THIS WEEK.

>> THERE'S A FEW THINGS.

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, TREV ALBERTS A YEAR AGO AT THIS VERY TIME ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A PLAN THAT THEY HAD PUT TOGETHER FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.

>> YES.

>> SO IT'S NOT LIKE THIS JUST ALL CAME TOGETHER.

I MEAN, A YEAR AGO, ON THE BYE WEEK IN SEPTEMBER, THEY HAD A DEAL TO ANNOUNCE THE PLAN, TO MAKE THE PLAN.

NOW THE PLAN'S OUT.

>> YEAH.

>> WHAT'S INTERESTING THOUGH, THERE IS NO PRECEDENT.

SO LIKE, ALL OF THIS WILL GO THROUGH WITHOUT -- >> I MEAN, HE'S STILL IN PLACE.

>> HE'S STILL IN PLACE.

>> TECHNICALLY.

>> SO DECEMBER 31st.

>> IF IT GETS TO THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, THE REGENTS ARE BEHIND IT, AND YOU WOULD EXPECT THE MEETING THURSDAY JUST TO BE A FORMALITY AT THIS POINT, BUT, YOU KNEW -- ANYONE YOU TALK TO IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROJECT KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE MASSIVE.

LIKE, THERE WAS ONLY ONE WAY TO DO IT, AND IT'S THE RIGHT WAY AND THE RIGHT WAY IS YOU GOTTA GET RID OF SOUTH STADIUM.

>> YEAH.

>> AND BUILD IT UP.

IN THE '60s WHEN THAT WAS BUILT, IT WAS BUILT VERY QUICKLY AFTER THE FIRST FEW SELLOUTS OF MEMORIAL STADIUM.

IT'S NEVER BEEN TOUCHED SINCE THEY WORKED ON IT, AND IT COLLAPSED IN THE '90s.

THERE WAS A -- >> LUCKILY WITH NO ONE THERE.

>> NO ONE THERE.

PRESEASON THOUGH, I MEAN, LIKE, THE CONCRETE FELL DOWN, SO IT'S TIME AND IT IS NEEDED.

>> NO EXCUSE, WHEN IT COMES TO RECRUITING, WHEN THOSE KIDS ARE COMING HERE AND THEY SEE THE BIG RED FACILITY, AND THE NEW STADIUM -- YOU GOTTA WIN THOUGH.

BUT I MEAN, REALLY, IT'S GONNA LOOK INCREDIBLE.

>> IT'S GONNA LOOK FANTASTIC.

I MEAN, WHAT'S THAT -- IN BETWEEN ALMOST 3/4 OF A -- ALMOST $1 BILLION DOLLARS IS GONNA BE PUT INTO THE TWO PROJECTS TOGETHER.

YES, YOU GOT YOUR START, YOU'RE GONNA SPEND THE MONEY, YOU GOTTA SEE SOME R.O.I., RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT.

AND I -- I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT IT'S GONNA GET THERE, EVENTUALLY.

TWO, THREE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD I THINK I'S GONNA BE WELL WORTH IT.

BUT YEAH, THIS IS -- THIS IS MUCH NEEDED.

MEMORIAL STADIUM, IT'S -- AS A BIG -- AS A BIG GUY -- >> YES.

>> I DO NOT LIKE SITTIN' IN THERE.

IT IS A LITTLE -- IT'S TOO TIGHT FOR ME.

>> I BET.

>> SO, I'M -- I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE SPACE.

>> GET HALF A BUTT CHEEK.

>> SOME -- SOME BACKRESTS, MAYBE SOME -- SOME COLD BEVERAGES THAT MIGHT GET -- GET SERVED IN THERE AS WELL.

SO -- >> AND GOOD INTERNET, AND GOOD SPEAKERS.

TVS TO WATCH -- >> TVS WOULD BE GOOD TOO.

ALL THAT.

>> SO IT'S GONNA BE -- IT'S MUCH NEEDED.

IT'S -- YOU'VE GOT -- YOU'VE GOT TO JUST KEEP EVOLVING, AND HOPEFULLY THE -- THE WINS AND LOSSES, THE WINS GO UP, THE LOSSES START COMING DOWN.

>> THIS IS NOT THE ILLINOIS TEAM WE THOUGHT WE'D SEE, AT ALL.

I KNOW THEY LOST A LOT TO THE DRAFT, AND LOST A LOT OF TALENT, THEY LOST THEIR DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR, BUT THIS TEAM DOES NOT LOOK VERY GOOD RIGHT NOW.

>> NO, I MEAN, THEIR FLORIDA ATLANTIC WIN WAS SHAKY.

I THINK THE TOLEDO GAME IMMEDIATELY, I REMEMBER WATCHING THAT IN MINNEAPOLIS THE NEXT NIGHT AFTER NEBRASKA PLAYED ON THAT THURSDAY, AND I'M LIKE, "WHOA."

YEAH, THEY JUST DIDN'T LOOK RIGHT.

NOW, TOLEDO'S A GOOD PROGRAM, BUT THAT GOT YOUR ATTENTION, AND THEN PENN STATE.

BUT LOSING TO A YEAR-ONE PROGRAM WITH YOUR FORMER DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR COACHING THEM, THE WAY THAT LOSS HAPPENED, I MEAN, THAT -- YOU KNOW, THIS IS EQUALLY AS BIG OF A GAME FOR BRET BIELEMA AS IT IS FOR NEBRASKA'S SEASON.

I MEAN, FOR BRET BIELEMA, IF THEY LOSE THIS GAME, KNOWING AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW THE BIG TEN'S TURNING OVER WITH ALL THESE NEW TEAMS -- THE WEST IS GONE.

YOU KNOW, ILLINOIS IS GONNA HAVE A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF 'EM TOO.

>> WHAT SURPRISED ME, AND I KNOW THEY GOT BEHIND, BUT THEY KINDA GOT AWAY FROM THE RUNNING GAME AGAINST PURDUE, BUT THAT'S NOT BRET.

>> THAT'S NOT, AND YEAH, THAT'S NOT BIELAMA AT ALL.

THAT'S -- I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT YOU KNOW FROM HIS TIME WITH WISCONSIN, RUNNING FOOTBALL, CONTROLLING THE -- THE TIME OF POSSESSION.

PLAYING SMART, DISCIPLINED FOOTBALL.

THEY'RE AVERAGING, WHAT DID YOU SAY, SEVEN?

>> 7 PENALTIES FOR 72 YARDS.

>> YEAH, THAT'S JUST NOT -- THAT'S JUST NOT WHAT YOU -- YOU EQUATE TO BRET BIELAMA'S STYLE OF FOOTBALL.

SO VERY UNCHARACTERISTIC, VERY UNUSUAL FOR THEM.

THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE THEMSELVES OUT TOO.

OOH, ILLINOIS WAS A VERY GOOD FOOTBALL TEAM.

I KNOW, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE GUYS THEY HAD LAST YEAR HAD A PICK SIX ON MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL, WITHERSPOON, BUT HE'S NOT THERE ANYMORE.

BUT THIS IS VERY SURPRISING HOW THEY'RE PERFORMING, AND -- AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT EVEN BIELAMA'S FIRST YEAR.

>> THEY HAVE SOME GOOD TOP END TALENT THOUGH.

LUKE ALTMYER'S NOT A BAD QUARTERBACK, HE IS VERY ATHLETIC.

THEIR RUNNING BACK JOSH McCRAY VERY TALENTED AS WELL.

AND OF COURSE JUICE JUNIOR IS THERE AS WELL.

SO THEY'VE GOT SOME -- THAT'S ISAIAH WILLIAMS.

THEY'VE GOT SOME REAL GOOD TALENT.

>> YEAH, THEY HAVE A DYNAMIC OFFENSE, YOU KNOW, IF IT GETS GOING.

YOU KNOW, THE PROBLEM IS THEY JUST HAVEN'T BEEN GREAT.

AND I DO THINK NEBRASKA'S PASS RUSH HAS AN OPPORTUNITY AFTER TWO WEEKS OF NOT BEING A FACTOR.

THEY'VE GOT TO GET GOING.

CAN CAM LENHARDT, IF HE PLAYS, HELP THAT OUT?

I MEAN, WILL HE PLAY?

IT'S JUST -- I THINK WE'VE EXPECTED HIM TO PLAY REALLY THE LAST TWO WEEKS AND HE HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO PLAY.

>> HOW DO YOU GET THE NASTY?

IS A QUESTION ON FACEBOOK, ASKING THE QUESTION FROM TIM.

HOW DO WE GET NASTY BACK IN THE ROOM?

>> YOU GOTTA PRACTICE IT.

IT JUST DOESN'T SHOW UP.

YOU GOTTA -- SOME GUYS HAVE IT.

SOME GUYS HAVE IT.

YOU GOT TO BUILD IT THOUGH.

IT JUST -- SOMETHING THAT JUST DOESN'T SHOW UP ON SATURDAYS.

YOU GOT TO WORK ON IT.

YOU GOT TO -- YOU GOTTA PRACTICE IT.

YOU GOTTA PRACTICE NASTY.

YOU GOTTA PRACTICE PHYSICAL.

IT'S JUST NOT A ONCE A WEEK DEAL.

IT'S NOT A ONE-DAY DEAL.

YOU GOTTA DEVELOP IT AND BUILD IT, AND THEY'RE MISSING SOME NASTINESS SOMETIMES.

>> ARE YOU SURPRISED, AND THIS IS A COUPLE QUESTIONS ON HERE ABOUT PEOPLE BEING IMPATIENT AT THIS POINT.

ARE YOU SURPRISED BY HOW IMPATIENT IT SEEMS LIKE SOME OF THE FAN BASE IS AFTER ONLY FIVE GAMES OF A YEAR ONE?

>> I AM AND I'M NOT.

I MEAN, THAT'S JUST THE NATURE OF FANS.

I MEAN, BO PELINI WAS WINNING NINE OR TEN AND PLAYED IN THREE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES.

BUT PEOPLE WERE IMPATIENT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WIN THOSE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES.

I MEAN, TOM OSBORNE, YOU KNOW, CONSISTENTLY WON HERE.

COULDN'T BEAT MIAMI AND FLORIDA STATE AND TEAMS LIKE THAT.

AND PEOPLE GOT IMPATIENT.

I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S -- >> THEY COULDN'T BEAT OKLAHOMA FIRST.

>> YOU KNOW, BOB DEVANEY -- I MEAN NEBRASKA FANS, WHEN YOU HAVE THIS MUCH PASSION, THIS MUCH INTEREST, GUESS WHAT?

IT COMES WITH A LOT OF OPINIONS.

>> YEAH.

THEY WANTED BOB DEVANEY GONE AFTER '67 AND '68 WHEN THEY WENT I THINK 6-4.

>> BACK AND BACK 6-4'S.

>> 6-4'S YEAH.

AND THEN GOT SHUT OUT AT HOME, TOO.

THE LAST TIME THEY'D BEEN SHUT OUT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IN TERMS OF IMPROVEMENT YOU NEED TO SEE MORE FOR NEXT YEAR?

O-LINE OR D-LINE?

WHICH ONE'S MORE IMPORTANT THAT THEY NEED TO GET IN THE PORTAL, THEY NEED TO GET THOSE GUYS?

>> OH MY GOSH.

BOY IT'S -- IT'S LIKE SIX ONE, A HALF DOZEN THE OTHER.

>> YEAH.

>> I THINK O-LINE.

I THINK THAT'S WHERE I WOULD GO.

I THINK WHAT WE'D SEEN SO FAR DEFENSIVELY WITH TONY WHITE, I THINK THERE'S SOME GUYS THERE, AND THEY'VE SHOWN WITH THE YOUNG GUYS PLAYING EARLY.

AND OFTEN.

I THINK THEY HAVE THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE RIGHT MINDSET.

THE O-LINE IS JUST -- IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT.

AND I DO THINK IT'S -- THEY JUST HAVEN'T PLAYED WELL AS A UNIT.

I THINK YOU'LL HAVE FOUR GUYS DO REALLY WELL ON ONE PLAY AND ONE GUY JUST KINDA HAS AN ISSUE AND IT JUST RUINS THE WHOLE PLAY.

AND IT'S NOT JUST ONE GUY, IT'S JUST -- IT'S WEIRD.

I THINK THE O-LINE IS DEFINITELY AN AREA WHERE THEY COULD KICK IT UP A NOTCH.

>> LET'S GET YOUR BURNING QUESTION, SEAN.

>> MY BURNING QUESTION.

WILL NEBRASKA BOUNCE BACK?

HOW WILL THAT SUNDAY PRACTICE, HOW WILL THIS TEAM RESPOND?

'CAUSE I FEEL LIKE THAT COULD -- THIS WEEK AND THE WAY SUNDAY WAS, COULD BE A TURNING POINT, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

>> JEFF SIMS APPEARS TO BE HEALTHIER.

WILL WE SEE HIM ON FRIDAY NIGHT?

>> IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

AND I SAID WILL THE TIGHT ENDS HAVE A BIG GAME?

TIGHT ENDS HAVE DONE WELL AGAINST ILLINOIS SO FAR THIS SEASON.

WE'LL SEE IF THAT HAPPENS.

DON'T FORGET TO HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE AND FACEBOOK PAGE TO CLICK ON THE PREDICTION.

JAY, SEAN AND I WILL TELL YOU WHAT EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT FRIDAY NIGHT WHEN NEBRASKA GOES HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH THE FIGHTING ILLINI IN CHAMPAIGN ILLINOIS.

KICKOFF FOR THAT GAME IS AT 7:00 P.M. CENTRAL ON FS1 IF YOU'RE SEARCHING FOR THAT GAME.

THEN NEXT TUESDAY, TUNE IN AS WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK HERE TO RECAP THE GAME AGAINST ILLINOIS WITH FORMER HUSKER LINEMAN JEREMIAH SIRLES.

ALSO, THANKS TO AARON SORENSEN AND OUR STUDENT VOLUNTEERS IN THE CALL CENTER FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

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

WELL, BEFORE WE DO THAT, REAL QUICK QUESTION.

TAKE THAT QUESTION FOR YOU.

OFFENSIVE LINE OR DEFENSIVE LINE, WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT?

>> I WOULD SAY OFFENSIVE LINE AS WELL.

I MEAN, I THINK WE'VE SEEN IT.

IT FEELS LIKE THE SAME O-LINE SINCE 2019.

>> IT DOES, YEAH.

>> I MEAN, THEY NEED TO CHANGE THAT UP.

THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD WALTER ROUSE COMING HERE AT LEFT TACKLE FROM OKLAHOMA, AND HE'S DOING WELL FOR THE SOONERS.

THEY NEED SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I THINK, JUST TO GIVE THIS LINE SOME NEW LIFE.

BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THE FRESHMEN THEY BROUGHT IN ARE GONNA BE QUITE READY AND THEY'RE GONNA NEED ONE MORE AT LEAST TACKLE BODY I THINK TO SHAKE IT UP.

>> AND THE PORTAL IS THE -- IF YOU'RE GONNA GO IN THE PORTAL, FINDING PASS RUSHERS AND O-LINEMAN, THAT'S REALLY THE HARDEST, ISN'T IT?

>> YEAH, AND NEBRASKA HAS HAD SOME SUCCESS.

BUT THOSE 2 WEEKS IN DECEMBER, YOU BETTER HAVE A PLAN AND YOU BETTER ROLL, BECAUSE IT'S GONNA -- THAT'S HOW EVERYBODY GOES.

TRY TO GET THOSE GUYS SIGNED BEFORE CLASSES START IN JANUARY.

>> RIGHT.

COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.

AGAIN, THANKS TO AARON SORENSEN 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 RIGHT HERE ON "BIG RED WRAPUP".

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪