(silent) (band music) (silent) >> NO LETDOWN FROM NEBRASKA AS THEY HANDLED THEIR FINAL NONCONFERENCE GAME OF THE SEASON, RUNNING AWAY FROM NORTH DAKOTA 34-7 AS THE OFFENSE AND DEFENSE BOTH LOOKED GOOD.

EYES NOW TURN TO THE START OF THE BIG TEN SCHEDULE, AND HOW THESE LAST THREE GAMES HAVE SET UP THE HUSKERS.

JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THAT IS MITCH SHERMAN FROM THE ATHLETIC.

SEAN CALLAHAN WILL HAVE THE LATEST ON BIG RED RECRUITING.

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

(BAND MUSIC) >> HI EVERYONE.

I'M MIKE'L SEVERE AND WELCOME TO BIG RED WRAP-UP ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

THIRD YEAR IN A ROW, NEBRASKA STARTS OFF 3-0 GETTING THE 2026 SEASON GOING RIGHT.

JOINING ME, THE JAYS FORMER HUSKERS JAY MOORE AND JAY FOREMAN COMING OFF OF THOSE THREE GAMES I KNOW YOU WANT TO PREPARE THE SAME FOR EVERY TEAM, BUT THE EMOTIONS GOT TO BE DIFFERENT, RIGHT?

GETTING READY FOR NORTH DAKOTA OPPOSED TO MICHIGAN STATE.

>> RIGHT THERE.

YES, YES.

I MEAN I'VE BEEN THERE IN THOSE NON CONS.

I ALWAYS REMEMBER LIKE MY SENIOR YEAR WE HAD NICHOLLS STATE BEFORE WE HAD USC.

>> OPTION, YEAH.

BUT LIKE PREPARING FOR NICHOLLS STATE, I FELT LIKE I WENT THROUGH ABOUT TWO GAMES BECAUSE OF JUST HOW WE HAD TO PLAY THE TRIPLE OPTION LIKE THE WISHBONE THEY HAD.

SO BUT YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU'RE YOU'RE LOOKING AHEAD.

AND I THINK NEBRASKA IN A WAY IS KIND OF I MEAN, EVEN HOLGORSEN SAID IN HIS PRESS CONFERENCE PRESEASON.

RIGHT.

EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT.

IT'S NO DISRESPECT TO THE OPPONENTS, BUT NEBRASKA KIND OF DID SOME THINGS DEFENSIVELY, KEPT IT PRETTY VANILLA.

I THOUGHT THEY TURNED IT UP A LITTLE BIT THIS WEEK AGAINST NORTH DAKOTA.

BUT YEAH, YOU KNOW, WHEN CONFERENCE PLAY STARTS THAT YOU HAVE IT CIRCLED AND YOU WANT TO BE AS READY AS POSSIBLE.

AND I THINK, LET'S BE HONEST, I THINK NEBRASKA FOR THE MOST PART IS, IS GOOD TO GO FOR BIG TEN PLAY.

>> I GUESS THE BIGGEST QUESTION, JAY, IS CAN NEBRASKA GET PRESSURE WITH JUST THE FOUR, OR DOES IT HAVE TO BE LIKE AGAINST NORTH DAKOTA WHERE THEY HAD THOSE BLITZES?

>> WELL, I THINK THAT YOU NEED TO START OUT AND SEE IF YOU GUYS CAN GET THERE.

I THINK THEY'VE RUSHED THE PASSER PRETTY GOOD UP THE MIDDLE.

I'LL SEE WHAT WHITTINGTON AND IVES VAN POPPEL HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB GETTING TO THE QUARTERBACK, BUT I THINK OVERALL THE DEFENSIVE LINE, THEY'VE HIT THE QUARTERBACK.

NOW WE NEED TO GET HOME FROM THE OUTSIDE AND I CALL THAT THE CONVENTIONAL PASS RUSH.

IF YOU CAN RUSH FOUR AGAINST MICHIGAN STATE AND THEY GOT A PRETTY GOOD OFFENSIVE LINE, YOU'LL BE COOKING WITH SOME PEANUT OIL.

>> NO DOUBT.

AND I DO LIKE PEANUT OIL, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE FRYING A TURKEY.

WE GOT LOTS TO GET TO TONIGHT.

WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.

YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ARE A HUGE PART OF THE SHOW.

WE HAVE A LOT OF WAYS TO CONNECT WITH US.

FIRST, YOU CAN CALL AND LEAVE A VOICEMAIL.

YOU CAN TEXT OR EMAIL US AT BIGRED@NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG.

COMMENT ON OUR POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES.

THAT'S NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS FACEBOOK PAGE.

AND ALSO THE BIG RED WRAP-UP X ACCOUNT.

WE'LL MONITOR ALL OF THEM.

WE'LL TRY TO GET TO AS MANY OF THE CALLS AND QUESTIONS AS WE CAN TONIGHT.

SIDELINE SURVEY TIME.

LAST WEEK WE ASKED YOU HOW IMPRESSED YOU ARE WITH THE OFFENSE IN THE GAME THROUGH THE FIRST TWO GAMES.

VERY IMPRESSED.

WAS 35% IMPRESSED.

BUT THEY'VE ONLY PLAYED TWO MAC TEAMS IN AN FCS TEAM, 62%, 1% FOR MEN AND 2% REALLY NEGATIVE PEOPLE SAYING UNIMPRESSED COMPLETELY.

HERE'S THIS WEEK'S NEW SURVEY QUESTION.

OVER THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS, WHAT WILL BE THE HUSKERS RECORD 4-0, 3-1, 2-2, 1-3, OR 0-4?

HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE NOW TO VOTE AND HEAD BACK EACH WEEK FOR THE BRAND NEW SURVEY.

58% ARE CALLING IT 2-2, SO I'M ASSUMING THEY'RE THINKING BEAT MICHIGAN STATE, BEAT MARYLAND, LOSE THE INDIANA AND OREGON.

>> THAT SEEMS THE MOST THAT TO BE THE MOST LOGICAL.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE KIND OF SET UP, YOU KNOW, PRESEASON THAT'S YOU WANT HOPEFULLY NEBRASKA COULD GET THE 5-0, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, INDIANA AND OREGON, ESPECIALLY GOING OUT TO EUGENE, I DON'T CARE.

EVEN THE LOSS TO ILLINOIS, IT'S GOING TO BE A BRUTAL GAME TO PLAY.

SO I THINK THE 2-2 IS IS PROBABLY THE MOST LOGICAL ANSWER RIGHT NOW.

>> IS THERE A FEELING FOR YOU BECAUSE OF OREGON NOT PLAYING AS WELL, LOSING TO OKLAHOMA STATE, ILLINOIS GETTING THEIR LOSS, WASHINGTON PLAYING PRETTY POORLY.

THAT DO YOU FEEL DIFFERENT AT ALL ABOUT THE SCHEDULE?

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF OPPORTUNITY AND THERE'S OPPORTUNITY EVEN BEFORE THE SEASON STARTED.

BUT I THINK IT CAN GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE LIFE.

BUT BEFORE YOU START THINKING ABOUT 9-10 WINS, YOU GOT TO GET TO FIVE.

AND I THINK IT'S THE RACE TO FIVE.

AND THAT'S GOING TO SHOW PROGRAM MATURITY.

SO THERE'S A LOT MORE OPPORTUNITY.

BUT ALSO YOU GOT TO EXPECT THOSE TEAMS AND THOSE COACHES, THOSE PLAYERS TO PLAY A LOT BETTER WHEN THEY PLAY NEBRASKA.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

NEBRASKA'S THIRD IN THE BIG TEN IN YARDS RUSHING PER GAME.

THEY'RE THIRD IN YARDS PER CARRY AND THEIR THIRD TIED FOR THIRD FOR RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS WITH IOWA.

WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN THROUGH THESE FIRST THREE WEEKS WITH THE RUN GAME?

>> IT'S JUST BEEN CONSISTENT.

AND IT'S ALL THREE BACKS HAVE RAN WELL.

OBVIOUSLY MEKHI AND AND RULE HAVE GOTTEN THOSE THOSE BIG RUNS.

AND WE'VE SEEN THAT THOSE EXPLOSIVE RUNS, BUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS OF DOING IT.

NEBRASKA LOVES THE SPLIT ZONE.

LOOK BRING LINDENMEYER IN MOTION AND CRACKING DOWN.

THEY HAD A LITTLE PIN AND POLE ON THAT TOUCHDOWN RUN BY ON THE TOSS.

BUT BUT JAMAL RULE ON THE END ZONE THAT NORTH END ZONE IN THE FIRST HALF.

SO A LOT OF DIFFERENT.

I MEAN THEY RUN A DUO.

YOU'VE SEEN SOME POWER.

SO IT'S JUST A MULTIPLE OF THINGS.

BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU WANTED TO SEE FOR THESE FIRST THREE GAMES RUN RUNNING THE FOOTBALL.

BECAUSE ONCE YOU GET IN THE BIG TEN PLAY, YOU HAVE TO ESTABLISH IT.

AND I DON'T CARE HOW LONG, HOW LONG THIS GAME CONTINUES TO GO.

ON THE TEAM THAT CAN RUN THE FOOTBALL THE BEST HAS ALWAYS HAS THE BEST CHANCE OF WINNING THOSE GAMES.

>> AND STOPPING THE RUNS PRETTY GOOD TOO.

WHEN YOU HAVE A GUY LIKE LINDENMEYER, YOU CAN RUN A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS BECAUSE HE MAKES IT EASY FOR YOU.

>> YEAH, HE CAN BLOCK ON THE MOVE.

HE CAN BLOCK AT THE, YOU KNOW, THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.

AND I THINK HE MAKES IT GO.

BUT THEN ALSO, LET'S NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, MINIMIZE WHAT THEY'VE DONE ON THE EDGES TOO, WITH THE IMPORTANCE THAT THEY'VE PUT ON IT WITH THE RECEIVERS BLOCKING AND BLOCKING DOWN FIELD.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT THEIR RUNNING GAME, IT KIND OF REMINDS ME OF THE SAN FRANCISCO 49 ERS IN THE NFL.

THEY THEY RUN A LOT OF SPLIT ZONE.

BUT THEY YOU KNOW MIX IT UP AND DICE IT UP, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE IT LOOK DIFFERENT.

AND THEY PUT A TON OF STRESS ON THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATORS AND PLAYERS.

>> AND KITTLE MAKES A BIG DEAL FOR THEM.

AND HE SETS HIMSELF AND HE MAKES ALL KIND OF PLAYS.

WHAT ABOUT GEEP WADE AND WHAT HE'S KIND OF DONE FOR THIS OFFENSIVE LINE BASED ON WHAT YOU WERE WATCHING LAST YEAR AND SEEING THIS YEAR?

>> WELL, YOU JUST YOU SEE THEM EVEN FOR THE FIVE GUYS THAT HAVE THIS IS THEIR YOU KNOW, FOR THESE THREE GAMES THE FIRST TIME THESE THESE FIVE GUYS HAVE PLAYED TOGETHER, IT REALLY HELPS WHEN YOU HAVE A PHENOMENAL CENTER WITH JUSTIN EVANS IN THERE, AND THEN YOU HAVE SOME NEW FACES WITH BLACK AND BABALADE AND AND MUBENGA.

SO I MEAN, PRITCHETT AND GOTTULA.

GUNNAR GOTTULA HAVE BEEN HAVE BEEN THERE, BUT I LOVE HIS THE TIMING OF IT ALL.

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THEY'RE NOT BLOWING GUYS DOWN THE FIELD.

IT'S JUST THEY WORK IN UNISON VERY, VERY WELL.

THEY'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.

AND THAT'S SO HUGE.

THE COMMUNICATION SEEMS TO BE THERE.

I MEAN, THROUGH THREE GAMES HAS ONLY BEEN A COUPLE TIMES WHERE ONE GUY HAS MESSED UP, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THEY WORK REALLY WELL IN TANDEM TOGETHER AND THEY PLAY OFF OF EACH OTHER VERY, VERY WELL, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY REALLY ENCOURAGING TO SEE THROUGH THE FIRST THREE GAMES.

>> I ALWAYS HEAR FROM FORMER PLAYERS.

THEY WANT HONESTY FROM THE COACHES, FROM EVERYBODY.

HOLGORSEN SAID IF BABALADE PRACTICED BETTER, HE'D PLAY MORE.

DO YOU LIKE THAT WHEN A HEAD COACH COMES IN?

I MEAN, WHEN AN OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR CALLS OUT A PLAYER LIKE THAT.

>> WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU AS A PLAYER, A LOT OF TIMES, JAY YOU KNOW THIS.

A LOT OF TIMES YOU'RE ALWAYS WONDERING IN THE LOCKER ROOM, WHAT CAN I DO?

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

WHY AM I NOT PLAYING AS MUCH?

IF HE SAYS IT OUT THERE, THEN I'M GOING TO GO.

I'M GOING TO PRACTICE BETTER AND I'M GOING TO BE IN HIS OFFICE THAT VERY NEXT DAY OR THAT MONDAY.

I WANT MY REPS, BUT I LIKE IT.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF A SHOT OVER THE BOW TO GET SOMEBODY'S ATTENTION.

THEY KNOW THE POTENTIAL THAT HE HAS.

THEY BROUGHT HIM IN, AND OBVIOUSLY THEY WANT HIM TO BE A PART OF THE ROTATION ON A REGULAR BASIS.

>> JAY I'VE HEARD MORE OF PEOPLE SAYING THAT GUYS DON'T WANT TO PRACTICE.

YOU EVEN HEAR, LIKE MATT RHULE HAS MENTIONED IT BEFORE.

I FIND THAT TO BE CRAZY, BUT I GUESS MAYBE WITH THE MONEY PUT IN THERE AND OTHER THINGS, MAYBE THAT'S PART OF IT.

>> LISTEN, I DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, AT ALL LEVELS YOU HAVE TO.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE PEOPLE GET IT, WHERE THEY CAN JUST ROLL THEIR HELMET OUT THERE ON SATURDAY AND THEY CAN PERFORM.

>> YEAH.

>> I MEAN, FOR ME TO GET TO WHEN I GOT TO NEBRASKA FOR MY GAME TO GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL, I HAD TO LEARN TO PRACTICE THE RIGHT WAY.

AND THAT'S APPROACHING EVERY SINGLE REP LIKE A GAME REP.

AND THEN WHEN I GOT TO THE NFL, I HAD MY ROOKIE YEAR.

BRYANT YOUNG WAS A DEFENSIVE LINEMAN, RIGHT.

AND HE DIDN'T PRACTICE ALL THE TIME BECAUSE HE WAS AN OLDER GUY.

BUT WHEN HE WAS IN THERE, IT WAS A GAME REP.

SO LIKE, IF HE'S DOING THAT IN HIS 12TH YEAR OF THE NFL IN A HALL OF FAME.

WHY SHOULD WHY SHOULD IT BE ANY DIFFERENT, YOU ASK?

I MEAN, JAY KNOWS THIS TOO.

IN NFL, ALL THE MAJOR VETERANS IN NFL, THEY PRACTICE EVERY SINGLE REP LIKE IT'S A GAME.

NOW THEY'RE NOT HITTING.

YOU KNOW THEY'RE HITTING THE QUARTERBACK AND TAKING PEOPLE DOWN.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE GOING YOU'RE A DEFENSIVE LINEMAN AND YOU'RE GOING AGAINST THE O LINE.

IT'S THE EXACT SAME SPEED AND PHYSICALITY AS A GAME REP.

AND THAT'S HOW YOU HAVE TO DO IT.

YOU HAVE TO PREPARE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY TO GET YOURSELF READY FOR SATURDAY.

YOU CAN'T JUST THINK, OH YEAH, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW, I GOT IT.

MHM.

MAN, YOU BETTER BE.

YOU BETTER BE ON YOUR P'S AND Q'S.

I'S ARE DOTTED.

T'S ARE CROSSED.

EVERY SINGLE REP IN PRACTICE.

BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, IT DON'T TAKE MUCH TO MESS UP IN THE GAMES.

>> NOT JUST PRACTICE TAPE WATCHING TOO, RIGHT?

OH, THAT'S A HUGE PART OF IT.

>> YEAH.

THAT'S A, IT TOOK ME TO THE NEXT LEVEL, NOT ONLY LEARNING HOW TO WATCH, TAPE, STUDY AND LOOK FOR TENDENCIES.

I THINK A LOT OF TIMES THESE YOUNG PLAYERS JUST WATCH IT LIKE THEY'RE WATCHING A MOVIE LIKE IT'S NETFLIX.

LOOK, I ALWAYS SAY ABOUT PRACTICE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BLESSED TO HAVE 88,000 PEOPLE HERE AT OUR STADIUM.

YOU'RE JUST SHOWING EVERYBODY HOW YOU PRACTICE >> RIGHT.

>> NOW OBVIOUSLY, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK OUT IN YOUR FAVOR.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU PRACTICE HARD, YOU PLAY HARD AND YOU PREPARE, YOU'RE DEFINITELY ALWAYS GENERALLY PLAY A GOOD GAME.

AND SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT THESE YOUNG PLAYERS NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT PRACTICE IS.

YOU GOT TO DOMINATE IN PRACTICE BEFORE YOU EVEN THINKING ABOUT DOMINATING THE BIG TEN.

AND THEN IF YOU DOMINATE IN THE BIG TEN OR CONSISTENT, THEN YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO THINK ABOUT GOING TO THE NFL.

>> I LOVE HEARING THE LINE RAMS.

THEY HAD TO PULL AARON DONALD OUT OF PRACTICE BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET ANYTHING DONE ON OFFENSE.

RIGHT.

THAT'S HOW HARD HE WAS PLAYING IN PRACTICE.

>> YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO I DON'T YEAH IT'S I TELL EVEN MY YOUTH TEAM TALKING ABOUT PRACTICING, I'M LIKE, LISTEN GUYS, YOU GOT TO DO IT HERE BEFORE YOU CAN THINK YOU CAN DO IT IN THE GAME.

AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP DOING IT AND DOING IT UNTIL IT'S UNTIL IT'S RIGHT.

>> AND DOING IT AND DOING IT.

DOING IT RIGHT.

BEFORE WE CONTINUE WITH THE DISCUSSION, IT'S A GREAT TIME TO MENTION THAT NEBRASKA VOLLEYBALL IS BACK ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

THE NUMBER ONE RANKED HUSKERS WELCOME RUTGERS INTO THE BOB DEVANEY SPORTS CENTER FOR A BIG TEN MATCHUP.

CHECK OUT THE MATCHUP THIS FRIDAY NIGHT, SEPTEMBER 25TH AT 7 P.M.

RIGHT HERE ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

NOW IT'S TIME TO LOOK DEEPER INTO THE PLAYBOOK WITH SOME OF JAY'S PLAYERS.

(RUSTLING) (COUGHING) >> WELCOME TO JAY'S PLAYS TONIGHT.

GOT TWO PLAYS.

THE FIRST ONE TO LOOK AT IS THE JACORY BARNEY.

FOURTH AND TWO CONVERSION THAT THEY HAD IN THE FIRST HALF.

NEBRASKA'S GOING TO DO AND HAS AN INTERESTING LOOK HERE TO PUT THIS LINEBACKER KIND OF IN CONFLICT.

BARNEY'S OVER HERE KIND OF ON THAT SLOT SIDE HERE.

THEY'RE GOING TO GET HARD DOWN BLOCKS HERE.

INGWERSON AND LINDENMEYER GOING TO KICK OUT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THIS LINEBACKER NORTH DAKOTA LINEBACKER IS JUST BEING KIND OF CAUGHT WHICH CREATES A NICE GAP FOR HIM FOR BARNEY TO CREASE HERE TO PICK THIS UP SO YOU CAN SEE GO AHEAD AND RUN THIS DOWN, DOWN BOOM.

THE TIMING WAS REALLY REALLY GOOD ON THE HANDOFF.

THERE WAS ANY BOBBLING OR IT WASN'T A CLEAN HANDOFF THAT NORTH DAKOTA LINEBACKER DIDN'T MAKE THAT PLAY.

BUT THE TIMING AND THAT SPLIT ACTION LOOK BY THE OFFENSIVE LINE AND TIGHT ENDS WAS ABLE TO CREATE THAT GAP.

SO THE NEXT PLAY I WANT TO LOOK AT IS THE RILEY VAN POPPEL SACK HERE.

HE'S RIGHT HERE.

HE'S IN A THREE TECHNIQUE THAT'S JUST AN OUTSIDE SHADE OF THE GUARD.

HE'S GOING TO DO A REALLY GOOD JOB WITH HIS TECHNIQUE.

PLAYING WITH NICE, HEAVY INSIDE HANDS PLAYS THE PLAY ACTION NICELY, THEN CONVERTS FROM RUN TO PASS.

SO THIS IS TEXTBOOK PLAY BY RILEY VAN POPPEL HERE WE CAN GO AHEAD AND RUN IT.

SO YOU CAN SEE RIGHT NOW BOOM GOOD.

INSIDE HANDS RECOGNIZE THIS PASS RIPS OFF OF THERE.

THEY MISS A BLATANT HOLD UP THERE ON FOSTER.

BUT REALLY GOOD TECHNIQUE THAT NEBRASKA HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON.

NOW THEY'RE HEADING INTO BIG TEN PLAY.

(RUSTLING) >> IT'S A LOT EASIER WHEN THEY GIVE YOU THAT END ZONE VIEW TO SHOW IT.

YOU KNOW WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THAT PLAY THOUGH?

THE FIRST ONE UNDER CENTER, THEY WERE UNDER CENTER A FEW TIMES.

IT SHORTENS THE SIMPLE DISTANCE OF YOU BEING IN SHOTGUN AND GIVING IT TO WHERE YOU'RE ALREADY TIGHT TO THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.

IT'S MAKING EASIER.

>> YOU KNOW WHAT IT DOES?

IT LESSENS THE CHANCE OF THE LINEBACKER TO MAKE THAT PLAY AND ALSO JAY SAID, THE TIMING OF THAT IS IMPECCABLE.

IF THE TIMING IS OFF, THAT LINEBACKER HAS A CHANCE TO RECOVER AND HE MIGHT NOT GET THE FIRST DOWN.

>> LET'S TALK DEFENSE.

NEBRASKA ONE OF 13.

NORTH DAKOTA WAS ON THIRD DOWN.

THEY GAVE UP 205 YARDS.

THEY PROBABLY DON'T SCORE WITHOUT THAT UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT PENALTY.

YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE WAY NEBRASKA PLAYED DEFENSIVELY.

>> YEAH IT CAUGHT ME BY NOT BY SURPRISE.

I THOUGHT THEY WOULD STRUGGLE A LITTLE BIT JUST BECAUSE OF NORTH DAKOTA'S OFFENSE HAD BEEN SO HAS BEEN WAS POWERFUL FOR THE FIRST THREE GAMES.

AND KAMINSKI WAS A IS A REALLY GOOD QUARTERBACK.

I LOVE THE GAME PLAN.

THE LINEBACKERS HAD A GREAT GAME.

THEY GOT OFF TO THE PASSER, THREW SOME DIFFERENT WRINKLES IN THERE.

UH SOME PRESSURE RUSHES BY THE LINEBACKER TO COME IN THERE TO BRING THOSE LATE SACKS IN THERE.

SO I THOUGHT JUST OVERALL THE EXECUTION WAS REALLY, REALLY GOOD.

I MEAN THE THE ONE PLAY ON VICTOR EVANS, THERE WAS THAT WAS WE SAW A LOT OF THAT IN THE WORLD CUP, THE FLOPPING GOING ON.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT IT WAS IT WAS WHAT YOU WANTED TO SEE.

BECAUSE IF THERE WAS ANY MAYBE UNCERTAINTY WITH THIS TEAM OFFENSIVE DEFENSIVELY, IT WAS PROBABLY MORE ON THE DEFENSIVE SIDE.

BUT AFTER THIS PERFORMANCE IT MAKES YOU FEEL A LOT BETTER.

HEADING INTO BIG TEN PLAY.

>> YOU HAD A CAT BLITZ FROM ODEM, YOU HAD TWO A-GAP BLITZ FROM YOUR LINEBACKERS.

YOU HAD ANOTHER DELAYED BLITZ ON JOHNNY JONES.

>> RIGHT.

ARE THEY KIND OF SHOWING YOU WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE AS THE SEASON GOES ALONG YOU THINK?

>> WELL I THINK YOU KNOW ROB AURICH HAS A LOT IN HIS DEFENSIVE PLAYBOOK IN HIS BAG THAT HE CAN YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY EXPOSE AGAINST OFFENSES.

SO IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT I THINK WHEN THE DELAYED BLITZES FROM LINEBACKERS BASED ON THE DEFENSIVE END, GETTING THE COVERAGE, TAKING THEIR COVERAGE, AND IT'S JUST ADDING TO THE BLITZ.

BUT THEY HAVE ATHLETIC LINEBACKERS THIS YEAR THAT CAN MAKE PLAYS AT THE QUARTERBACK.

AND I THINK DONNIE JONES HE GIVES YOU A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY.

YOU KNOW YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE TO TAKE HIM OUT YOU KNOW ON AN OBVIOUS RUNDOWN.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND HE GIVES YOU, YOU KNOW FLEXIBILITY AGAINST THE PASS.

SO YOU KNOW I THINK HE CAN BRING HIM.

I KNOW THAT WHEN I WATCHED SAN DIEGO STATE LAST YEAR, I SAW MCDOUGLE.

IT SEEMS LIKE HE CAME FROM THE LOCKER ROOM AND BLITZED.

SO I THINK HE HAS HE HAS PLENTY OF AND HIS REPERTOIRE TO BRING ON OFFENSE.

>> AND STAY WITH YOU FOR A SECOND BECAUSE OF DAWSON MERRITT, OBVIOUSLY.

LINEBACKER POSITION.

I REMEMBER TALKING TO YOU WHEN HE WAS A FRESHMAN.

YOU SAID HE'S GOING TO BE GOOD.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE BACKUP LINEBACKER NUMBER 40?

>> WELL I THINK, YOU KNOW JUST NATURAL ATHLETIC ABILITY.

I COMPARE HIM TO JAMAL RULE.

HE JUST KNOWS HOW TO PLAY.

HE KNOWS HOW TO DIAGNOSE PLAYS.

HE PLAYS WITH GOOD BEN.

I THINK HE HAS THE BEST CLOSING SPEED OUT OF ALL OF THEM AND HE HAS POSITION, FLEXIBILITY.

I THINK HE CAN PLAY ALL THREE.

I THINK HE CAN PLAY OUT THERE IN SPACE IN THE NICKEL.

HE COULD PROBABLY PLAY MIKE IN A PINCH.

I KNOW HE CAN PLAY MIKE AND NICKEL.

HE CAN PROBABLY PLAY WILL.

UM AND THEN OBVIOUSLY HE'S BEEN AROUND THE GAME FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE.

SO HE'S SEEN A LOT OF THINGS AND HE KNOWS HOW TO PREPARE.

AND SO THEN ALSO, I THINK IN HIS SITUATION, HE CAN LEARN FROM THE OLDER GUYS, BUT THEN ALSO PLAY AND GIVE HIM A RELIEF AND MAKE PLAYS.

>> JAY, IF THERE'S ONE THING THAT PEOPLE ARE A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT IS SPECIAL TEAMS, RIGHT?

SO YOU GOT THE PENALTIES, TWO MISSED, MISSED FIELD GOALS.

YOU ALSO HAD A TIMEOUT BECAUSE ONE OF THE PLAYERS DIDN'T GET ON THE FIELD FOR A FIELD GOAL.

THOUGHTS ON WHAT WE'RE SEEING FROM SPECIAL TEAMS.

>> YEAH IT'S BEEN A LITTLE SLOPPY.

I'M CONCERNED AS WELL.

UH I'M NOT VERY ENTHUSED WITH ARCHIE'S PUNTING.

YOU KNOW.

>> THAT AS WELL.

>> THAT'S NOT, UH YOU HAVEN'T SEEN HIM REALLY LET ONE GO.

NOTHING, HAS ANYTHING A PUNT BEEN OVER 40 YARDS, EVEN.

>> YEAH, 40 IN A 49 YARDER.

>> OKAY.

SO LIKE THAT'S AGAIN, JUST YOU HAVEN'T SEEN HIM THEM KIND OF LET ONE LOOSE AND KIND OF FLIP THE FIELD.

NOW AGAIN, OFFENSE HAS BEEN PRETTY GOOD.

SO NOT A TON OF SPECIAL TEAMS OPPORTUNITIES.

BUT THE TWO MISSED FIELD GOALS NOT A HUGE CONCERN.

THOSE ARE ALL 50 PLUS YARDERS.

BUT JUST THE PENALTIES.

IT JUST HASN'T BEEN AS CLEAN AND CRISP.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY GOOD RETURNS.

THE ONES THAT WE HAVE HAD, THERE'S BEEN HOLDINGS, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARGUABLY PROBABLY EASILY COULD HAVE NOT HAVE BEEN HOLDING.

SO, UM, THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST QUESTION MARK AND THE MOST CONCERN I HAVE HEADING INTO BIG TEN PLAY BECAUSE SPECIAL TEAMS.

NOW ONCE YOU HEAD INTO THE CONFERENCE PLAY, IT MATTERS SO MUCH MORE.

THE HIDDEN YARDAGE, THE FLIPPING THE FIELD, JUST THE THE CLEANLINESS YOU NEED TO PLAY, PLAY WITH ON THAT SIDE OF THE FOOTBALL BECAUSE FITZGERALD IS GOING TO TEST THEM ON SATURDAY AND SPECIAL TEAMS.

AND IF YOU'RE NOT IF YOU'RE MAN GUY RUNNING ON THE FIELD LATE, YOU'RE JUST SLOPPY ANY ASPECT OF IT.

THEY'RE GOING TO EXPOSE YOU REAL QUICK.

>> ARE YOU WORRIED AT ALL, JAY, ABOUT THOSE THREE GAMES PREPARING NEBRASKA FOR WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO SEE IN EAST LANSING, >> NOT TO.

WELL I MEAN OF COURSE, I MEAN, YOU ALWAYS I WOULDN'T SAY WORRY, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEIR THEIR KNIFE IS SHARP AND, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE IT COMES DOWN TO PRACTICE.

I MEAN, EVEN YOU WERE ABLE TO OBLITERATE THESE TEAMS AS YOU WERE PLAYING IN THE FIRST THREE WEEKS.

YOU SHOULD PRACTICE AT A LEVEL THAT YOU SHOULD BE READY TO GO.

YOU GOT TO GO.

GOOD ON GOOD.

I KNOW THEY DO THAT.

COACH RHULE SAID IT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE TOO MUCH OF A CONCERN.

I'M A LOT LIKE JAY.

I WANT TO SEE A LITTLE BIT CLEANER AND SPECIAL TEAMS.

I THINK THE ONE THING IN THE BIG TEN YOU HAVE TO PACK.

YOU GOT TO PACK YOUR DEFENSE, YOU GOT TO PACK YOUR SPECIAL TEAMS.

AND BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S AN ADVANTAGE NEBRASKA HAVE ATHLETICALLY OVER A TEAM LIKE MICHIGAN STATE BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, EMPTY THE TANK AGAINST US AND THEIR FIRST BIG HOME GAME.

>> YEAH.

I REALLY HOPE THAT KIDS TUNE INTO THIS AND HEAR ONE THING.

YOU GOT TO PRACTICE, YOU GOT TO PRACTICE, YOU GOT TO PRACTICE, YOU GOT TO PRACTICE.

>> YOU GOT TO LOVE IT THOUGH TOO.

YOU KNOW, PRACTICING IS PART OF THE GAME.

AND IF YOU WANT TO BE GOOD OR GREAT, YOU GOT TO PRACTICE.

I DON'T KNOW ANY GOOD PLAYER OR GREAT PLAYER THAT'S EVER BEEN HERE OR EVER PLAYED THAT DIDN'T PRACTICE WELL.

I MEAN, JERRY RICE WAS FAMOUS FOR IT.

EVERYBODY ELSE LEBRON AND EVERYBODY MICHAEL JORDAN EVERYBODY PRACTICED.

>> YOU GOTTA PRACTICE, PRACTICE.

LET'S GO TO THE TAPE AND CHECK OUT THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE NORTH DAKOTA GAME.

WE START OFF WITH THOSE GUYS WHO GET TO THE GAME 3.5 HOURS EARLY.

SO THEY GET THE FRONT SEATS IN THEIR BIBS.

FIRST QUARTER COLANDREA COMES OUT RIGHT AWAY.

GETTING TO HIS FAVORITE TARGET, KWAZI GILMER, WITH A TEN YARD COMPLETION.

RIGHT THERE ACROSS THE MIDDLE.

YOU SEE A LOT OF GILMER AND BARNEY IN THESE HIGHLIGHTS, OF COURSE, AND THEN ALSO MEKHI NELSON, WHO GOT THE START THIS WEEK, OVER RULE AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT EARLY WITH A 24 YARD RUN TO GET STARTED.

THEY ARE THEIR DIFFERENT BACKS, BUT THEY BOTH ACCOMPLISH KIND OF THE SAME THING.

>> YEAH, MEKHI'S A VIOLENT RUNNER AND THAT WAS JUST A GREAT PICK.

PRITCHETT PULLING UP THERE TO CLEAN UP THAT QUARTERBACK.

THAT WAS A THING OF BEAUTY.

>> YEAH.

THERE'S THERE'S NO WAY IN THE WORLD THAT JAY FOREMAN LET THIS GUY GET AROUND THE CORNER.

I'M JUST SAYING.

>> NO, NO.

>> YOU'RE RUNNING HIM DOWN.

>> NO, I'M RUNNING HIM DOWN AND I'M NOT GETTING.

I'D HEAR IT FROM CHUCK FOREMAN FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS.

>> I'M CLIPPING AN ANKLE SOMETHING.

REACHING AN ARM OUT THERE.

>> I'M LEANING BACK.

>> I'M HOPING TO WIN THE SWIFTS THERE.

I CAN AT LEAST KNOCK THEM DOWN.

I'M NOT GOING TO GET OUT RUN BY A QUARTERBACK.

HERE'S THE SACK THAT YOU'RE, YOU WENT OVER IN JAY'S PLACE FROM VAN POPPEL.

I LOVE HOW YOU WENT FROM PLAYING THE RUN PLAY ACTION AND GOT THERE TO MAKE THE PLAY.

AND THEN HERE'S ANOTHER PLAY ACROSS.

DONNIE JONES ALMOST GOT A PICK HERE, MAKING A PLAY.

>> YOU KNOW JOHNNY ON THE SPOT.

I THINK DONNIE JONES IS REALLY STARTING TO STEP UP AT THAT NICKEL SPOT.

AND HE'S SHOWING THE FLEXIBILITY THAT'S MADE HIM APPEALING TO PUT HIM IN THERE ALL THE TIME.

>> IT'S SO FUN TO WATCH RULE RUN BECAUSE HE'S ALWAYS GOT GREAT.

HERE'S THE PLAY.

THE OTHER PLAYER YOU WENT ACROSS FOR THE FIRST TIME.

BUT RULE'S BALANCE HIS CONTACT BALANCE BOTH.

AND JUST WHEN HE'S TURNED THE CORNER, HE REALLY DOESN'T EVER LOSE HIS STRIDE, WHICH IS, I THINK, RARE FOR A YOUNG RUNNING BACK.

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK HE HAS THE BEST NATURAL RUNNING SKILLS OF A RUNNING BACK THAT'S CAME THROUGH NEBRASKA IN A VERY LONG TIME.

HE'S BIG AND HE RUNS WITH GOOD VISION.

AND HE ALSO RUNS BEHIND HIS PADS FOR A YOUNG GUY.

>> HERE'S THE SECOND TOUCHDOWN OF THE GAME.

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS EARLIER.

WATCH LINDENMEYER HIS BLOCK ON HERE.

HE SEALS HIS GUY.

GUNNER REALLY HAS TO JUST NOT DO MUCH.

AND THEN THEN BONNER IS THE FULLBACK.

HE'S GOT NOTHING TO DO.

>> YEAH, THAT'S OLD PIN AND PULL RIGHT THERE.

>> YEAH.

MAKE THAT LOOK GOOD.

COLANDREA AGAIN, THIS TIME LOOKING TO, OH NO THAT'S WHERE HE RUNS.

HE GETS THE EIGHT YARD RUN AND GETS AND RUNS INTO CONTACT.

I KNOW PEOPLE GET EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

THAT'S A LITTLE GUY.

>> YEAH.

>> LET'S SLIDE LET'S GET DOWN.

>> I THINK A LITTLE INDECISION THERE.

GOT HIM.

>> YEAH I THINK SO TOO.

HE'S TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO TO SLIDE OR NOT.

51 YARDER HERE.

54 YARD ATTEMPT HERE.

SHORT.

THAT'S THE SECOND ONE THEY'VE MISSED.

I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM TRY JOHN HOHL.

JOHN HOHL'S MADE A 54 YARDER AGAINST OHIO STATE.

HERE'S THAT MIDDLE BLITZ I WAS TALKING ABOUT OR MIDDLE RUSH FROM OWEN CHAMBLISS.

THIS WAS A SPLIT SACK BETWEEN THE TWO OWENS.

GETTING THAT SACK AND GETTING THE STOP.

>> YEAH A REALLY GOOD JOB THERE BY CHAMBLISS AND STOUDMIRE OF PLAYING TOGETHER.

BUT CHAMBLISS SAW HIS RUNNING BACK BLOCK AND HE WENT AND GOT AN EASY SACK.

>> THIS.

I LOVE THE SCREENPLAY AND I JUST LOVE IF YOU GO BACK.

I'M NOT SURE IF WE REPLAY ON THIS ONE, BUT EVERYBODY DID THEIR JOB ON THIS SCREENPLAY, AND IT REALLY WAS ONLY ONE GUY AWAY FROM GOING THE DISTANCE FROM THAT FAR OUT.

AND HERE'S LINDENMEYER FINALLY GETS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH THE BALL AND GOES 33 YARDS RUMBLING, STUMBLING, AND THEN A MADE FIELD GOAL THAT JUST BARELY SQUEAKS BY THEIR 17-10, AS NEBRASKA HEADS TO HALFTIME, WE GO TO THIRD QUARTER ACTION.

NOW FIRST PLAY OUT OF IT.

TALK ABOUT THIS RULE RUN.

>> I MEAN, WELL THERE'S I MEAN TALK ABOUT GILMER'S BLOCK.

I MEAN THIS IF YOU DON'T GET GILMORE'S BLOCK THIS THING DOESN'T SCORE, BUT WAY TO COME OUT OF THE HALF.

BUT THE WIDE RECEIVER IN BLOCKING THIS YEAR HAS BEEN SO GOOD.

>> THIS IS A GREAT ANGLE OF THE STOCK WHERE GILMORE HAD TO COME FROM TO GET IN THERE AND GET IN FRONT OF HIM, AND THEN THE NEXT ONE IS AN ISO ON HIM.

KIND OF TALK ABOUT JAY FOREMAN, ABOUT WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO TO MAKE SURE HE'S NOT GOING TO GET A PENALTY CALLED ON HIM.

>> WELL, HE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB RIGHT HERE OF REALLY CUTTING HIM OFF.

RIGHT.

AND THEN JUST KIND OF PUTTING HIS BODY THERE AND KEEP WORKING AND KEEP WORKING.

AND DIDN'T OVEREXTEND HIS ARM.

SO THEY COULDN'T CALL A HOLDING CALL.

AND, YOU KNOW, EVER SINCE DANA HOLGORSEN HAS GOTTEN HERE, THE PERIMETER BLOCKING HAS BEEN AN EMPHASIS AND IT'S BEEN A LOT BETTER.

>> WELL, HE CALLED HIM OUT WHEN HE FIRST GOT HERE.

24-0 NOW.

KAMINSKI THIS IS THE DRIVE WHERE THEY FINALLY GET A SCORE.

THIS IS A NICE PLAY.

NICE THROW TO THE CORNER.

GETTING THE FIRST DOWN IS ONE OF ONLY REALLY 5 OR 6 PLAYS THAT WERE TEN OR MORE YARDS.

BUT THIS IS THE PLAY THAT TURNS IT.

IT'S THIRD AND 17.

KAMINSKI GETS OUTSIDE, STARTS TO RUN AS HE TURNS THE CORNER.

IT'S KIND OF A BUMP OUT OF BOUNDS.

I WOULDN'T CALL IT EXACTLY VIOLENT BUT THEY CALL IT.

IT GIVES A FIRST DOWN TO NORTH DAKOTA ALLOWS THEM TO CONTINUE THE DRIVE BECAUSE THEY HAD TO PUNT THERE.

IT CONTINUES TO DRIVE AND THEY MAKE THE PLAY HERE FOR THE TOUCHDOWN.

KAMINSKI PASS WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS.

IS IT THE SAFETY COMING UP OR IS IT THE CORNER?

WE'LL SEE A REPLAY HERE.

YOU TELL ME.

(UPBEAT MUSIC) >> WELL IT LOOKS LIKE THE UMP GETS IN THE WAY.

BUT IT'S ONE OF THE SAFETIES THERE BECAUSE NEVER IN ANY DEFENSE DO YOU SEE SAFETIES CROSS PATHS.

AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE TWO TRAINS YOU KNOW CROSSING IN THE NIGHT.

>> YOU DON'T CROSS THE STREAMS.

>> YEAH.

SO YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATION AREA, ANYTIME THAT YOU SEE SOMEBODY GO WIDE OPEN THAT LIKE THAT, IT'S A COMMUNICATION ERROR.

>> YEAH.

THAT'S WHAT I KIND OF THOUGHT THAT MAYBE MCDOUGLE ON THAT ONE THERE.

AND THIS IS THIS IS OUTSTANDING BY COLANDREA.

THIS IS A DON'T GET A CHANCE TO SEE HIM THREE DIFFERENT READS BEFORE HE COMES BACK AND HITS QUINN CLARK ON HIS TOUCHDOWN.

JUST GOING THROUGH HIS PROGRESSIONS LIKE YOU NEED TO GO THROUGH.

>> I LIKE IT BECAUSE HE THREW IT.

QUINN CLARK IS 6'5" ONLY WHERE HE COULD CATCH IT AND A GOOD PITCH AND CATCH THERE BY THOSE TWO.

>> NEBRASKA DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB OVERALL ON GETTING SOME SEPARATION.

THIS IS SIMPLY A QUARTERBACK GOING THROUGH HIS PROGRESSIONS AND FINDING THE GUY WHO COMES OPEN, MAKING IT 31-7 WITH THAT WONDERFUL ANGLE RIGHT THERE AND COLANDREA.

NEEDLESS TO SAY, IT WAS A LITTLE EXCITED.

JUST A LITTLE DUDE IS ALWAYS PUMPED UP.

THIS IS WHERE THE ONE FEW.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF GREAT RUNS FROM THEIR QUARTERBACK SPOT.

BUT HERE'S ONE BY KAMINSKI.

IT'S A 22 YARD RUN.

IT'S REALLY LONG ONE OF THE DAY FOR THEM.

UM BUT THEN THEY TRY TO DO SOMETHING TRICKY.

THIS WAS TRYING TO BE A PHILLY SPECIAL.

THIS IS CALLED PHILLY ORDINARY.

THIS IS THIS IS NOT THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO.

AND IT'S AN INCOMPLETE PASS AND NEBRASKA GETS THE BALL BACK.

>> IT'S A GOOD JOB BY NEBRASKA.

I MEAN NEBRASKA PICKED IT UP NICELY.

THAT WAS A GOOD THING TO SEE.

JUST THE FLOW OF THE ROUTE TREE THERE.

>> ESPECIALLY WITH THE BACKUPS IN RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

>> AND THEN HERE'S KWINTEN IVES.

HAS A NICE RUN.

HE GOES 40 YARDS EVERY TIME HE'S COME IN.

HE'S HAD A CHANCE.

HE'S ACTUALLY TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF IT.

SO GOOD TO SEE THERE.

>> WELL I THINK HE'S HEALTHY THIS YEAR.

AND OBVIOUSLY YOU MIGHT NEED HIM LATER IN THE SEASON, BUT IT'S ALSO GOOD TO SEE HIM GET SOME GOOD REPS.

>> AND THEN YOU GET CUNANAN WITH THE 40 YARD FIELD GOAL RIGHT THERE.

GOOD TO GET HIM KIND OF ON TRACK.

THE COUPLE MADE, 34-7.

YOU SEE UNDER 100 YARDS RUSHING FOR NORTH DAKOTA.

AGAIN THEY WENT ONE OF 13 ON THIRD DOWN.

GREAT JOB BY NEBRASKA'S DEFENSE OVERALL AND THE TIME POSSESSION.

YOU'RE GOING TO OBVIOUSLY WEAR THEM OUT ANYWAY BECAUSE IT'S AN FCS TEAM.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE MORE THAN TEN MINUTES MORE OF TIME POSSESSION, THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THERE.

TIME NOW FOR OUR PLAYERS OF THE GAME.

AFTER THE NEBRASKA WIN, FRESHMAN PHENOM JAMAL RULE WITH A GREAT DAY.

HE HAD A LEADING A KNOCKOUT PERFORMANCE TWO RECEPTIONS FOR 35 YARDS, 15 OF 119 FOR TWO TOUCHDOWNS RUNNING THE BALL.

AND THEN DONOVAN JONES CONTINUES TO PUT TOGETHER A GOOD SEASON, DOING REALLY GOOD WITH HIM AS WELL.

HE HAD A SACK AND A PBU ALONG WITH THREE TACKLES.

SOLID GAME AGAINST NORTH DAKOTA.

NEXT UP ON THE SHOW WE'LL KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING.

SPORTSWRITER MITCH SHERMAN FROM THE ATHLETIC.

BEFORE WE GO TO BREAK THOUGH, SOME SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF THE FINAL NONCONFERENCE GAME AGAINST THE FIGHTING HAWKS.

COURTESY OF HURRDAT SPORTS.

WE'RE BACK SOON.

FROM THE NORTH DAKOTA GAME.

THE SECOND OF FIVE SACKS SPLIT BETWEEN THE TWO OWENS, OWEN CHAMBLISS AND OWEN STOUDMIRE ON THAT PLAY.

COMING RIGHT UP THE MIDDLE.

I DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM STOUDMIRE, BUT THAT'S CHAMBLISS A SACK.

I MEAN, I'M MAKING STATS.

THAT'S A LINEBACKER SACK RIGHT THERE.

QUARTERBACK ANTHONY COLANDREA RUN TO THE END ZONE IS OUR NUMBER TWO PLAY OF THE DAY.

NO IT'S NOT.

AND THEN, UH, I THOUGHT IT WAS.

AND THEN JAMAL RULE.

THIS IS DIFFERENT.

UH, THAT'S THE KWAZI GILMER CATCH.

THAT WAS NOT THE NUMBER TWO ONE AND THEN THE GREAT RUN.

WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT IT.

THIS MAKING THE PLAY AND OF COURSE GILMER HELPING HIM A LOT.

>> YOU KNOW JAMAL RULE IS A PRETTY GOOD BACK.

AND OBVIOUSLY TO SEE A YOUNG FRESHMAN HAVE GOOD VISION LIKE THAT.

AND THE FIRST, YOU KNOW TO RUN AWAY FROM HIM.

AND THAT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO START THE SECOND HALF WITH A 50-51 YARD TOUCHDOWN.

>> NO ESPECIALLY THEY'VE BEEN STRUGGLING IN THE THIRD QUARTER.

SO YEAH DEFINITELY.

WELCOME BACK TO BIG RED WRAP-UP.

WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE MITCH SHERMAN FROM THE ATHLETIC JOINING US.

MITCH WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME.

(SILENT) >> THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON.

HOW ARE YOU GUYS?

>> GOOD.

UM BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FROM THE FIRST THREE GAMES.

ANYTHING SURPRISE YOU?

WHAT DID YOU TAKE AWAY FROM THOSE GAMES?

(SILENT) >> PROGRESS.

I THINK BOTH SIDES OF THE FOOTBALL AT LEAST ON THE OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE SIDE NOT TALKING ABOUT SPECIAL TEAMS YET BUT OFFENSIVELY AND DEFENSIVELY.

NEBRASKA MADE PROGRESS FROM WEEK ONE TO WEEK TWO TO WEEK THREE.

I THINK THE BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL SEEM TO HAVE A PLAN AS TO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, AND WE HEARD THAT THIS WEEK FROM DANA HOLGORSEN ABOUT OFFENSIVE IDENTITY.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE NEBRASKA'S BALANCED THEIR RUNNING AND THROWING FOR 260 YARDS A GAME, WHICH I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN ASK FOR A WHOLE LOT BETTER THAN THAT, REGARDLESS OF THE COMPETITION THROUGH THREE WEEKS OF THE SEASON TO IN BIG TEN PLAY AND THEN THAT THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF THE FOOTBALL.

YOU KNOW YOU'D LIKE TO SEE NEBRASKA ON THE FLIP SIDE CREATE MORE TURNOVERS.

BUT THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY TAKING CARE OF THE FOOTBALL WITH JUST ONE TURNOVER IN THREE GAMES.

>> MITCH I'M GOING TO STICK WITH THE OFFENSE.

I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THREE PLAYERS THREE NEW FACES THAT WE SEE IN NEBRASKA'S OFFENSE COLANDREA, RULE AND GILMER.

WHO WAS KIND OF SURPRISED YOU THE MOST IN THESE FIRST THREE GAMES OUT OF THOSE THREE PLAYERS?

(SILENT) >> I PROBABLY HAVE TO GO WITH RULE JUST BECAUSE OF THE INEXPERIENCE LEVEL.

I DIDN'T THINK THAT WE WOULD SEE THIS OUT OF HIM RIGHT AWAY.

CLEARLY HE HAD SOMETHING IN THE SPRING AND YOU COULD TELL THERE WAS A STAR QUALITY ABOUT HIM.

AND WHEN YOU GOT TO TALK TO THE GUY, YOU KNOW, I THINK HE HAS A UNIQUE PERSONALITY THAT'S CONDUCIVE TO PLAYING WELL.

AND RIGHT AWAY AS A FRESHMAN TO START OFF HIS CAREER.

BUT THINGS HAVE COME AWFULLY EASY FOR HIM AND HE'S A BIG PLAY WAITING TO HAPPEN.

LOVE HIS PATIENCE, HIS VISION, THE BURST THAT HE'S GOT THROUGH THE HOLE.

SO WITH GILMER AND COLANDREA.

IT'S BEEN VERY GOOD, BUT THOSE GUYS HAVE DONE IT BEFORE AT THE POWER FOUR LEVEL AND ALL THE JAMAL RULE HAS DONE BEFORE.

THIS IS PLAYING HIGH SCHOOL.

SO HE'S A SURPRISE FOR ME RIGHT OFF THE BAT.

>> UH, MITCH, I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT ON THE DEFENSIVE SIDE, COACH ROB AURICH OBVIOUSLY COMING IN AFTER BUTLER WAS DISMISSED.

AND OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF PRESSURE TO GET THIS DEFENSE UP TO BIG TEN STANDARDS WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH HIM AND OBVIOUSLY HIS PERSONALITY, OBVIOUSLY YOU SEE HIM IN THE PRESS CONFERENCES.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT'S ABOUT HIM THAT'S ALLOWED THIS DEFENSE TO BE PRETTY CONSISTENT THROUGH THE FIRST THREE GAMES?

(SILENT) >> YOU KNOW, HE'S SOMEBODY THAT THE FIRST TIME YOU TALK TO HIM YOU FEEL LIKE YOU KNOW HIM AND HE'S JUST HE'S WARM.

HAS A PERSONABLE NATURE TO HIM.

I THINK THAT MAKES PLAYERS, UH, TRUST HIM.

AND I THINK HE DEVELOPS THOSE RELATIONSHIPS VERY QUICKLY.

IT'S, IT'S, IT'S JUST A, YOU KNOW, A SKILL THAT, THAT HE'S GOT.

OBVIOUSLY, HE KNOWS DEFENSE AND YOU KNOW, YOU'VE SEEN THIS DEFENSE COME ALONG AND I THINK PLAY FASTER AND WITH MORE AGGRESSIVENESS AND, AND BRINGING MORE PRESSURE AND DOING DIFFERENT THINGS FROM WEEK ONE TO WEEK TWO TO WEEK THREE.

I'M EXCITED TO SEE HOW THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE NOW THAT THEY GET INTO THE BIG TEN AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, LIKE WHAT THE DEVELOPMENT LOOKS LIKE, BUT, UH, NOT SURPRISING HAVING MET ROB AND LISTENED TO HIM TALK.

AND THERE'S AN INFECTIOUS NATURE TO HIM THAT HE'S APPEALED TO THE PLAYERS AND WON THEM OVER AS QUICKLY AS HE HAS.

AND THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT HE'S WALKED INTO A TEAM ENVIRONMENT AND BEEN ABLE TO FLIP SOMETHING, UH, AS QUICKLY AS HE, AS WE'VE SEEN HIM DO OR SEEM TO HAVE SEEN HIM DO AT NEBRASKA.

>> MITCH, YOU MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING SPECIAL TEAMS, ARCHIE WILSON HASN'T NECESSARILY DONE WHAT YOU WERE HOPING HE WOULD DO.

UM, THE PENALTIES, OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS A TIME WHERE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE WERE ON THE FIELD, SO THEY HAD TO CALL A TIMEOUT.

YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT TRANSITION FROM MIKE EKELER TO A COUPLE OF GUYS WHO HADN'T REALLY DONE IT BEFORE?

(SILENT) >> YEAH, IT HASN'T BEEN AS SMOOTH AS I KNOW THAT THEY WOULD HAVE LIKED.

AND YOU KNOW, I CAN MAYBE GET PAST THE PENALTIES.

YOU KNOW, IT'S EXPLAINED BY, UH, THE NATURE WITH WHICH OFFICIALS HAVE CALLED GAMES EARLY THIS SEASON.

AND, YOU KNOW, MATT RHULE HAD A HAD AN EXPLANATION FOR THAT.

AND YOU SAW THAT, UH, POTENTIALLY GET FIXED IN WEEK THREE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, THE OFFSIDES ON THE KICKOFF AND THE MULTIPLE KICKOFFS IN WEEK ONE IS, IS A, IS A FLUKY KIND OF THING.

AND YOU SHOULD NEVER SEE THAT AGAIN.

YOU WON'T SEE THAT AGAIN.

BUT YEAH, THE HOLDING PENALTIES ON PUNT RETURNS IS A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW.

THEY CAN PROBABLY FIX THAT.

BUT IT JUST, IT'S BEEN DISJOINTED.

UM, AND REALLY NOT JUST IN THE RETURNS, BUT THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY KICKED THE BALL KICKED OFF A BALL OUT OF BOUNDS IN WEEK THREE.

IT SEEMS THAT WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN ONE PROBLEM GOES AWAY, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT CROPS UP.

AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE NOT COST NEBRASKA HAVE NOT HURT THEM IN THE NON-CONFERENCE SEASON, BUT THEY WILL, UH, IF THEY DON'T BUTTON IT UP AND, AND PLAY STRONG ACROSS THE BOARD ON SPECIAL TEAMS, THE KICKING, THE COVERAGE, THE COVERAGE, THE RETURNS, YOU KNOW, THE LACK OF PENALTIES AT SOME POINT IN THE BIG TEN, THAT'S GOING TO COST THEM A GAME.

>> MITCH STICKING WITH THE OFFENSE.

WE'VE SEEN WHAT NEBRASKA'S ABLE TO DO UTILIZING THE RUN GAME AND THOSE THAT THREE HEADED MONSTER IN THE BACKFIELD.

WE SAW COLANDREA IMPLEMENTED IN THE RUN GAME A LITTLE BIT.

DO YOU EXPECT THAT TO GET TURNED UP IN BIG TEN PLAY, OR DO YOU THINK THEY'RE GOING TO KIND OF KEEP THE SAME AND SAY, HEY, WE GOT A PRETTY GOOD THING GOING WITH THESE THREE GUYS RIGHT NOW?

(SILENT) >> WELL, I THINK IF YOU HAVE THREE RUNNING BACKS WHO ARE RUNNING IT THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO RELY ON THEM.

BUT COLANDREA IS A IT'S A CHANGE OF PACE IN THE RUN GAME.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T EXPECT THEM TO CALL HIS NUMBER 15 TIMES OR TEN TIMES A GAME ON DESIGNED RUN PLAYS.

I THINK IF HE RUNS IT 5 OR 6 TIMES A GAME, THEN THAT'S EFFECTIVE FOR THE NEBRASKA OFFENSE.

MAYBE IT'S A COUPLE OF TIMES ON SCRAMBLES AND THEN YOU YOU DIAL UP A QB RUN A FEW TIMES IN THE RIGHT SITUATIONS.

I DO THINK THAT THAT THEY CAN GREATLY BENEFIT AS AN OFFENSE FROM FROM PICKING THEIR SPOTS THERE.

BUT YOU NEED HIM FOR NINE GAMES.

THEY NEED HIM FOR NINE MORE GAMES THIS YEAR, AND A FEW OF THE PLAYS THAT HE MADE IN THIS LAST GAME AND IN THAT IT PROBABLY APPLIES TO THE FIRST TWO AS WELL.

BUT THIS MOST RECENT GAME IS FRESH IN MY MIND WHERE WHERE HE CAME AROUND THE CORNER AND PUT HIS HEAD DOWN.

>> YEAH.

>> UH, EARLY IN THE GAME.

THAT WAS A TONE SETTER.

I THINK HE PICKED HIS SPOT THERE.

BUT YOU KNOW, THAT COULD HAVE A DIFFERENT OUTCOME AGAINST THE BIG TEN LINEBACKER OR A BIG TEN SAFETY.

LIKE THEY'RE MORE SKILLED AT BEING ABLE TO PUT THEIR HELMET ON THE FOOTBALL OR, YOU KNOW, EVEN INJURE A PLAYER, YOU KNOW, UNINTENTIONALLY IN THAT KIND OF A SITUATION BECAUSE OF THE STRENGTH THAT THEY BRING TO THAT EDGE ON THE, ON THE FIELD.

YOU KNOW, ANTHONY'S NOT A HUGE GUY.

AND THERE WAS ANOTHER PLAY WHERE HE WAS, HE WAS TRYING TO MOVE THE STICKS AND HE HAD A NICE GAIN.

AND THEN HE TURNED HIS BODY, SQUARED HIMSELF UP TO THE FIELD AND YOU KNOW, TO THE TO MOVE NORTH AND SOUTH.

AND, YOU KNOW, HE KIND OF CRASHED INTO THE SECONDARY.

AND, YOU KNOW, I COVERED MY EYES FOR A SECOND BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU DO THAT AGAINST IOWA, YOU DO THAT AGAINST INDIANA, LIKE IT'S MORE THAN LIKELY TO END IN SOMETHING NEGATIVE HAPPENING.

SO I THINK HE YOU KNOW, HE NEEDS TO LOOK FOR THE SIDELINE AT TIMES.

HE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO GET DOWN AND SLIDE WHEN THAT'S NECESSARY.

UM, OR YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME PLAY THAT DOESN'T END WELL.

BUT YEAH, HE'S ABSOLUTELY PART OF THE RUNNING GAME.

AND I THINK IN SPOTS IT CAN BE REALLY BENEFICIAL TO THE NEBRASKA OFFENSE.

>> YOU KNOW, MITCH, MOVING FORWARD I WAS WANTING TO ASK YOU ABOUT BIG PICTURE.

OBVIOUSLY THE BIG TEN HAS STRUGGLED YOU KNOW IN THEIR NONCONFERENCE.

AND OBVIOUSLY DEPENDING ON WHO THEY PLAYED.

AND IT'S OBVIOUSLY MAYBE CHANGED SOME OF THE EXPECTATIONS FOR NEBRASKA MOVING FORWARD.

IN YOUR OPINION, HAS THAT REALLY LIGHTENED THE EXPECTATIONS, MEANING THAT NEBRASKA HAS A CHANCE TO REALLY HAVE A SPECIAL SEASON, OR ARE YOU JUST KEEPING IT VERY MODEST AS NEBRASKA APPROACHES THIS BIG TEN PLAY?

(SILENT) >> YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T SEEN ENOUGH FOR ME TO THINK THAT THE BIG TEN IS A DIFFERENT BEAST THAN WHAT I THOUGHT A MONTH AGO.

FROM NEBRASKA'S PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE 1 OR 2 OPPONENTS.

I LOOK AT WASHINGTON AND I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THERE, AND THAT'S A NEBRASKA HOME GAME.

SO I MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION ABOUT HOW THAT GAME ON HALLOWEEN IS LIKELY TO GO THAN WHAT I DID A MONTH AGO.

REALLY, THERE'S NOT MUCH ELSE OUT THERE.

I MEAN, ILLINOIS IS GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT GAME ON A FRIDAY NIGHT.

YOU KNOW, RUTGERS LOOKS BETTER THAN IT DID AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON.

NOTHING THAT OREGON OR INDIANA OR OHIO STATE HAS DONE SO FAR THIS SEASON MAKES ME CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT HOW I HOW DIFFICULT I THINK THOSE GAMES ARE FOR THE HUSKERS.

SO IT'S PRETTY MUCH STATUS QUO AS FAR AS WHAT IT WAS AT THE BEGINNING, IOWA ABSOLUTELY LOOKS TOUGH.

THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A DIFFICULT GAME ON ON BLACK FRIDAY AT KINNICK STADIUM.

SO, UH, WITH THE EXCEPTION POSSIBLY OF WASHINGTON, UH, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE THIS I FELT LIKE THIS WAS A VERY DIFFICULT CONFERENCE SCHEDULE FOR NEBRASKA IN THE SUMMER AND GOING INTO THE SEASON.

AND I STILL FEEL LIKE THAT.

>> MITCH, I HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO GO TO EAST LANSING.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN THERE.

I'M KIND OF WONDERING WHAT NEBRASKA HAS TO EXPECT FROM THE CROWD, THE NOISE THERE, WHAT'S THE STADIUM LIKE?

(SILENT) >> IT'S A BIG STADIUM.

UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GLITZ AND GLAMOUR.

UM, IT KIND OF TAKES ON THE PERSONALITY OF, YOU KNOW, I THINK FITS.

PAT FITZGERALD THE, THE NORTHWESTERN COACH.

HE'S A GOOD FIT FOR THAT PLACE.

IT'S BLUE COLLAR.

UM, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE THE UM, YOU KNOW, THE DAZZLING FACTOR OF AN OHIO STATE OR A MICHIGAN.

UM, BUT IT'S A TOUGH PLACE TO WIN.

THE CROWD IN THE TIMES THAT I'VE BEEN THERE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THEY RAMP IT UP WHEN MICHIGAN COMES INTO TOWN OR OHIO STATE.

IT'S NOT BEEN OVERLY INTIMIDATING FROM AS FAR AS A VENUE GOES IN THE TIMES THAT I'VE BEEN THERE SEVERAL TIMES, UH, TO COVER NEBRASKA GAMES THERE.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVEN'T GONE WELL FOR NEBRASKA.

THE GAMES HAVEN'T.

THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REALLY DIFFICULT PILLS TO SWALLOW.

WITH TOUGH ENDINGS TO GAMES AND, YOU KNOW, SEEMINGLY COIN FLIP TYPE OUTCOMES THAT HAVE FALLEN AGAINST NEBRASKA.

SO FROM THAT STANDPOINT, IT'S BEEN TOUGH.

BUT AS FAR AS THE ENVIRONMENT GOES, YOU KNOW, I'D PUT IT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BIG TEN AS FAR AS DIFFICULT PLACES TO PLAY.

>> MITCH, AFTER SEEING MICHIGAN STATE'S PERFORMANCE AGAINST NOTRE DAME AT NOTRE DAME THIS LAST WEEKEND, HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU FEEL NEBRASKA MATCHES UP WITH MICHIGAN STATE ON SATURDAY?

(SILENT) >> WELL, THEY'RE TOUGH.

UH, THEY'RE YOU KNOW, THEY COMMITTED A COUPLE TURNOVERS.

THEY DIDN'T DO GREAT IN THE YARDAGE UM, MATCHUP AGAINST NOTRE DAME.

LOOKING AT IT ON PAPER, IF YOU DIDN'T WATCH THE GAME I THINK YOU WOULD HAVE EXPECTED THE SCORE TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE LOPSIDED.

BUT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY A CHARACTERISTIC OF A PAT FITZGERALD COACHED TEAM.

AND NEBRASKA GOT USED TO THOSE KIND OF SITUATIONS.

MAYBE NOT SO MUCH WITH THE YARDAGE AND THE TURNOVERS, BUT THEY'RE OPPORTUNISTIC AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK ABOUT THIS MICHIGAN STATE TEAM.

THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT HIS NORTHWESTERN TEAMS AND ALL THE YEARS THAT NEBRASKA PLAYED THEM.

UH, YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT WHAT MICHIGAN STATE HAS FROM A COACHING PERSPECTIVE ON SPECIAL TEAMS AND ON DEFENSE.

AND, AND LEVAR WOODS AND, AND JOE ROSSI ARE COACHES THAT HAVE HAD ALL KINDS OF SUCCESS AGAINST NEBRASKA IN THE KIND OF GAMES THAT I EXPECT THIS TO BE ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING.

SO I THINK THAT THEY'VE DONE THROUGH THREE GAMES OF THIS SEASON AND THREE GAMES OF THIS PAT FITZGERALD REGIME.

I THINK THAT THEY'VE THEY'VE ALREADY TAKEN ON THE PERSONALITY OF THEIR HEAD COACH AND AND THEIR COORDINATORS.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST GOING TO MAKE THEM A TOUGH OUT.

THERE MAY BE SOME GAMES ON THEIR SCHEDULE THIS YEAR WHERE THEY DON'T PUT UP AS MUCH OF A FIGHT AS WHAT WE SAW GOING TO NOTRE DAME.

UM, BUT I FULLY EXPECT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PUT UP MORE THAN PUT UP A FIGHT AGAINST NEBRASKA.

YOU KNOW, I EXPECT THEM TO BE I EXPECT THIS TO BE A FOUR QUARTER GAME.

I EXPECT MICHIGAN STATE TO GIVE NEBRASKA EVERYTHING THAT IT CAN HANDLE, CONSIDERING THAT IT'S THE.

CONSIDERING WHO THEY ARE, WHAT THE MATCHUP IS, AND THAT IT'S THE FIRST TIME AWAY FROM HOME FOR THE HUSKERS IN THE CONFERENCE OPENER.

>> MITCH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

SAFE TRAVELS.

AND DON'T FORGET YOUR LICENSE.

(LAUGHING IN BACKGROUND) >> ABSOLUTELY.

THERE'S ZERO CHANCE OF A REPEAT THERE.

THANK YOU.

>> THANKS, MITCH.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

LET'S CHECK IN WITH THE COACHES AND PLAYERS IN THIS WEEK'S BIG RED REPORT.

(SWOOSH) (SILENT) >> GLAD PRESEASON IS OVER.

WE'RE HERE TO PLAY BIG TEN FOOTBALL.

IT'S WHY EVERYBODY'S HERE.

AND SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

YOU KNOW THERE'S SOME THERE'S SOME CHALLENGES IN PLAYING A PRESEASON SCHEDULE LIKE THAT.

I THINK OUR GUYS HANDLED IT WELL.

UM, SHOWED IMPROVEMENT, UH, STARTING TO DEVELOP AN IDENTITY OF WHO WE ARE AND WHO WE CAN COUNT ON.

>> WE'VE BEEN HOME FOR THREE WEEKS, WHICH IS A GREAT BLESSING.

IT'S BEEN FUN TO GET TO KNOW MEMORIAL THE WAY WE HAVE.

UM, BUT I LOVE ROAD GAMES.

I LOVE ROAD GAMES.

IT'S JUST YOU AND THE BOYS AND WE GET TO GO TO WORK AND YOU GET MORE TIME TOGETHER.

AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVE THIS THIS WEEKEND, THIS WEEK TOGETHER AS WE AS WE START THIS BIG TEN SEASON.

>> HEY, LIKE NORTH DAKOTA SCHEMATICALLY WAS REALLY, REALLY, REALLY CHALLENGING.

THESE GUYS ARE CHALLENGING IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

LIKE THEY KNOW EVERYTHING THEY'RE GOING TO GET RIGHT.

YOU RUN A ROUTE ON THEM.

YOU KNOW THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET TO BEAT QUARTERS LIKE THEY'RE THEY'RE OFF.

DB'S ARE TURNING TO THE ROUTE BEFORE YOU EVEN BREAK.

SO LIKE, THEY JUST KNOW THEIR DEFENSE SO WELL.

AND THAT'S VERY SIMILAR TO, YOU KNOW, IOWA AND MINNESOTA AND ALL THESE GUYS, YOU KNOW, THESE GUYS ARE THESE QUARTER'S BASED DEFENSES.

AND SO THEY ALL HAVE THEIR OWN SLIGHT VARIATION ON IT, BUT THEY ALL KIND OF DO THE SAME THING.

ROB AURICH IS KIND OF FROM THAT FAMILY.

THAT'S WHY WE HIRED HIM, BECAUSE WE FELT LIKE IN THESE GAMES, WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE TRYING TO REINVENT THE WHEEL.

WE WANTED TO KIND OF DO WHAT WE DO VERSUS THAT STUFF.

SO WE'VE SEEN IT.

>> MICHIGAN STATE'S DECADE TO RUN THE FOOTBALL THAT IS.

THAT IS THEIR DNA.

THEY WANT TO ESTABLISH THAT SO THEY CAN OPEN UP OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEIR QUARTERBACK AND THE PLAY ACTION PASS GAME AND MOVEMENT PASS GAME.

UM, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE A TEAM DEDICATED TO RUNNING THE FOOTBALL.

UM, NOW LOOKING AT THE OC AND HIS PAST AT WASHINGTON AND ALABAMA.

UM THERE'S CERTAINLY ENOUGH IN HIS HISTORY TO TO WARN US TO TO PROCEED WITH CAUTION AT TIMES.

>> THEY DON'T BEAT THEMSELVES.

LOWEST IN THE LEAGUE IN PENALTIES.

THEY DON'T TURN THE BALL OVER.

THEY RUN THE FOOTBALL.

CAM EDWARDS IS A GREAT BACK.

THEY GOT A BIG POWERFUL OFFENSIVE LINE PLAYMAKERS.

YOU KNOW WE HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THE QUARTERBACK LAST YEAR.

HE THREW FOR TWO TOUCHDOWNS AGAINST US.

UM HE'S REALLY GOOD IN THIS SYSTEM.

THE COACH SHERIDAN'S COME IN AND BROUGHT YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DID WITH COACH DEBOER AT ALABAMA.

AND THEY HAD EVERY CHANCE TO WIN ON SATURDAY NIGHT.

SO THEY'VE CERTAINLY PLAYED BIG TIME COMPETITION.

AND WE HAVE UH WE HAVE OUR HANDS OR WORK CUT OUT FOR US ON DEFENSE.

AND THEN OFFENSIVELY, UM, I THINK JORDAN HALL IS ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE BIG TEN.

(SWOOSH) (SILENT) >> ALL RIGHT.

HOT TAKES TIME.

JAY ARE YOU READY TO AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THIS HOT TAKE?

>> I AM READY.

>> ALL RIGHT HERE WE GO.

BEN ON X SAYS THESE NEXT TWO GAMES ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT OF MATT RHULE'S NEBRASKA CAREER BY FAR.

HE SAYS IMAGINE THE MOMENTUM DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOING 4-1 AND 5-0 GOING INTO THE INDIANA GAME.

ARE THESE TWO MATCHUPS THE MOST IMPORTANT OF MATT RHULE'S CAREER?

>> THEY'RE CLOSE TO IT.

SO I'LL JUST SAY YES.

I THINK IT'LL SHOW PROGRAM MATURITY AND I'LL SEE THE CONSISTENCY THAT YOU WANT TO BE 5-0 AGAINST TEAMS THAT YOU SHOULD BEAT.

AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S MICHIGAN STATE AND MARYLAND GOING INTO THE INDIANA GAME.

>> YEAH.

SO THAT'S THAT IS AN AGREE ON THE HOT TAKE.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOUR TAKES ALL SEASON LONG.

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA VIA EMAIL OR FROM THE PHONE TO SHARE YOUR HOTTEST TAKE.

WE'LL SHOWCASE THE BEST HERE ON THE SHOW.

AND THAT BEST TAKE WILL ALSO WIN A COPY OF SEAN'S BOOK, THE PROGRAM.

HANG TIGHT, BECAUSE WE'RE BACK WITH MORE WRAP-UP WITH SEAN CALLAHAN, TALK ABOUT BIG RED RECRUITING.

BUT FIRST, ANOTHER LOOK FROM NORTH DAKOTA GAME COURTESY OF HURRDAT SPORTS.

OF HURRDAT SPORTS.

>> WELCOME BACK TO BIG RED WRAP-UP.

I'M MIKE'S SEVERE.

WE'RE JOINED BY SEAN CALLAHAN.

ROAD WEEK FOR NEBRASKA.

HEADING ON THE ROAD BY COACHES.

>> YEAH.

COACHES LAST WEEK WERE ON THE ROAD AGAIN.

SO WE'VE SEEN THE MATT RHULE COACHING STAFF GO OUT ON THE ROAD GET A LOT OF THINGS DONE.

THEY MADE 12 PLUS OFFERS IN GEORGIA ON FRIDAY.

SO KIND OF LAYING THE GROUNDWORK HOPEFULLY TRYING TO GET SOME OF THESE NEW OFFER GUYS INTO LINCOLN, WHETHER IT BE FOR THAT WASHINGTON GAME, MAYBE THE OHIO STATE GAME LATER IN NOVEMBER.

>> ONE OF MY FAVORITE GUYS IN THE '27 CLASS IS KHALIL TAYLOR.

SO FAR THIS SEASON 16 RECEPTIONS, 314 YARDS, SIX TOUCHDOWNS.

RUNS THE BALL A LITTLE BIT TO TALK TO ME ABOUT THE KID OUT OF PITTSBURGH.

YEAH THIS IS A HUGE RECRUITING SCORE FOR NEBRASKA.

KHALIL TAYLOR IS DEFINITELY WIDE RECEIVER NUMBER ONE IN THIS RECRUITING CLASS.

RUNS A TEN-FIVE IN THE HUNDRED.

SO LEGIT VERIFIED TRACK SPEED WAS CONSIDERED A NEAR LOCK TO PENN STATE.

IN FACT TOOK HIS OFFICIAL AS A PITTSBURGH KID.

TWO PENN STATE AND THEN VISITED NEBRASKA.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LIKE, OH, HE'S JUST GOING TO NEBRASKA TO KIND OF TRY TO WORK THE MARKET A LITTLE BIT.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK MATT RHULE AND HIS STAFF KIND OF USED THAT TO MOTIVATE AND SAY, HEY, ARE YOU JUST HERE FOR THE VISIT OR ARE YOU INTERESTED?

AND THEY FOUND OUT HE WAS REALLY INTERESTED AND THEY WERE ABLE TO FLIP HIM.

IT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BETTER RECRUITING WINS THAT WE SAW THIS NEBRASKA STAFF HAVE OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS.

>> IN-STATE RECRUIT UH, ALWAYS SEEMS LIKE PAPILLION OR PAPILLION SOUTH.

ONE OF THE TWO HAVE A GOOD LINEMAN.

LET'S TALK ABOUT BRYCE VIGNESS OUT OF PAPILLION.

>> YEAH, THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE BRYCE VIGNESS IS THE BEST OFFENSIVE LINEMAN, ARGUABLY IN THE STATE.

HE JUST DOESN'T MAYBE HAVE THE MEASURABLES LIKE AN ERICKSON WOULD HAVE AS FAR AS THE HEIGHT.

BUT A DUAL SPORT BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL, TRACK GUY.

UM YOU KNOW DOES IT ALL MOVES REALLY WELL.

PICKED UP SOME EARLIER BIG 12 OFFERS BUT COMMITS TO NORTH DAKOTA STATE.

AND YOU KNOW YOU LOOK AT THE PRO TRACK RECORD THE DEVELOPMENT HISTORY UM YOU KNOW MAKES THE RIGHT MOVE.

I MEAN WE'VE SEEN WHAT NORTH DAKOTA STATE HAS DONE WITH LINEMEN.

UM AND NOW THEY ARE IN THE FBS.

I MEAN THEY'RE A TEAM THAT, YOU KNOW, ARGUABLY COULD KNOCK ON THE DOOR FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF SPOTS.

NOW WITH THAT ONE GROUP OF FIVE SPOT EVERY YEAR.

SO I THINK FOR NORTH DAKOTA STATE, THIS IS A BIG TIME GET OUT OF THE STATE OF NEBRASKA BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME POWER FOUR SCHOOLS, DEFINITELY ON THE RADAR THAT OFFERED BRYCE VIGNESS.

>> YEAH, THEY'RE A FAVORITE IN THEIR CONFERENCE TOO 6'4", 285, PROBABLY A CENTER OR GUARD.

>> YEAH.

INTERIOR GUY AT THAT POINT.

>> APPRECIATE IT SEAN.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AROUND THE BIG TEN.

NORTHWESTERN.

NORTHWESTERN WELCOMED IN COLORADO.

COLORADO TO EVANSTON AND THEN HUNG 41 POINTS ON THE BUFFS.

RUTGERS PLAYED THE TROJANS CLOSE.

USC HANGING ON TO WIN 42 TO 35.

AND OF COURSE MICHIGAN STATE FELL TO NOTRE DAME 27 TO 10, WHICH WAS A VERY GOOD GAME.

SPEAKING OF MICHIGAN STATE, WE'RE PLEASED TO BE JOINED BY HONDO CARPENTER TO HELP US PREVIEW SATURDAY'S GAME AGAINST THE SPARTANS.

APPRECIATE THE TIME, HONDO.

THANKS FOR COMING ON.

(SOFT MUSIC) >> HEY, ANYTIME I GET TO FOLLOW SEAN CALLAHAN, THAT GUY'S A LEGEND AROUND THE LITERALLY AROUND THE COUNTRY.

AND I'M GOING TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO HIM FOR A MINUTE.

I WAS IN LOS ANGELES, UH, OVER THE WEEKEND COVERING THE FOOTBALL DOWN THERE.

THERE WERE SOME BIG GAMES IN THE NFL, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT JEREMIAH SMITH.

AND THE SCOUT I WAS TALKING TO ACTUALLY MENTIONED THE YOUNG MAN SEAN JUST MENTIONED, UH, FROM PENNSYLVANIA THAT JUST FLIPPED TO NEBRASKA AND TALKED ABOUT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT JEREMIAH SMITH.

HE GOES, I'LL TELL YOU, A KID TO KEEP YOUR NAME OUT OF THE RADAR.

HE GOES, MATT RHULE JUST FLIPPED HIM.

SO HE'S ALREADY GOT NFL SCOUTS LOOKING AT HIM.

SO THAT WAS A GOOD MENTION BY SEAN THERE.

>> HONDO, LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE TEAM IS UNDER THE NEW COACHING STAFF.

UM, IT MAKES SENSE TO GO OUT AND GET A GUY LIKE FITZGERALD.

BUT YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE NEW STAFF.

(SILENT) >> ABSOLUTELY.

LOVE MOST OF THIS STAFF.

I LOVE THAT THEY'VE GOT FITZ.

I LOVE THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR.

I LOVE MAX BULLOUGH.

AGAIN SOME REALLY GOOD STUFF THERE.

YOU KNOW I DON'T THINK TOP TO BOTTOM IT'S A GREAT STAFF.

I THINK THERE ARE STILL A COUPLE OF GUYS THAT WILL PROBABLY END UP GETTING WEEDED OUT AT THE END OF THE YEAR, BUT I, I LOVE FITZ, I'M ALL IN ON FITZ.

HE'S A CULTURE FIT AND THAT'S WHAT MICHIGAN STATE NEEDED.

LISTEN, JONATHAN SMITH, EXCELLENT COACH AT OREGON, DID NOT FIT THE CULTURE PERIOD.

IT WASN'T LIKE BRINGING JUDD HEATHCOTE FROM THE NORTHWEST INTO MICHIGAN STATE WHEN HE WON A CHAMPIONSHIP WITH MAGIC JOHNSON IN BASKETBALL.

IT JUST DIDN'T FIT.

WASN'T A CULTURE FIT.

THIS GUY IS A TOTAL CULTURE FIT.

HE GETS IT.

HE WILL GET MICHIGAN STATE.

YOU KNOW, AT A TOP LEVEL.

MICHIGAN STATE'S GOT TREMENDOUS FACILITIES NOW.

ABUNDANCE OF CASH.

AND HE'LL GET THIS TURNED AROUND QUICK.

BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A TURNAROUND THIS YEAR.

>> HONDO NEBRASKA OBVIOUSLY HAD THREE MAC TEAMS.

MICHIGAN STATE WAS ABLE TO GET NOTRE DAME THIS LAST WEEKEND.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN MORE ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE IN THAT NORTH DAKOTA GAME OR EXCUSE ME, I KEEP SAYING NORTH DAKOTA, THE NOTRE DAME GAME.

THEN THE PREVIOUS TWO WINS THAT THEY HAD?

(SILENT) >> YEAH, THE PREVIOUS TWO WINS TO ME WERE IRRELEVANT.

THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THOSE.

AND I THINK YOU DEFINE YOURSELF AGAINST BETTER TEAMS.

AND AND I THINK WHAT YOU SAW WITH MICHIGAN STATE IS EXACTLY WHAT FITZ IS GOING TO BRING.

WE'RE GOING TO FIGHT YOU IN A PHONE BOOTH EVERY TIME WE'RE IN.

THAT'S WHAT HE WANTS.

WHAT I THOUGHT CAME OUT OF THE NOTRE DAME GAME BETTER THAN ANYTHING ELSE IS HE NOW HAS ON FILM WHEN HE'S RECRUITING FOR THESE NEXT CLASSES TO SAY TO GUYS, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO AGAINST THE ELITES AND HERE'S WHERE YOU FIT OUR SYSTEM.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS SMART, AND I CAME AWAY FROM THAT.

YOU KNOW, I EXPECTED IT.

IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE SAW.

BUT I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE FIGHT IN THOSE GUYS.

>> HONDO, I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE OFFENSE.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, COACH FITZGERALD IS ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE A GOOD DEFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS UNDER COACH WOODS.

WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP FOR THAT OFFENSE?

I THINK THEY CAN RUN THE BALL PRETTY WELL IN THE BIG TEN.

IS IT TO BECOME MORE EXPLOSIVE OR MORE CONSISTENT ON THIRD DOWNS?

WHAT KIND OF SHOT HIM IN THE FOOT AGAINST NOTRE DAME?

(SILENT) >> WELL, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

FIRST OF ALL, CONSISTENCY ON THIRD DOWN IS THE NAME OF THE GAME.

IN FOOTBALL.

YOU GOT TO BE ABLE TO GET FIRST DOWNS.

AND THAT'S WHERE THEIR STRUGGLE IS AND THAT'S FOR ME IS THE NEXT STEP FOR THEM.

AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO FACE DIFFERENT SCHEMES EVERY WEEK.

THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME WEEKS AND SAY, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET CAM LINE UP AND BEAT US.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO THROW IT AND THAT'S FINE.

AND THEY NEED TO TAP THE BRAKES A LITTLE BIT AND JUST YOU DON'T GET EXPLOSIVE PLAYS EVERY TIME.

IT'S WHY THEY'RE CALLED EXPLOSIVE.

BUT THEY'LL SETTLE DOWN.

AND YOU KNOW I EXPECT THEM TO.

BUT YES THIRD DOWN EFFICIENCY TO ME IS THE NAME OF THE GAME.

YEARS AGO I WAS HAVING LUNCH WITH BOBBY BOWDEN AND HE I ASKED HIM, WHAT'S OTHER THAN THE SCORE?

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT A GAME?

AND I THOUGHT BOBBY WOULD SAY TURNOVERS.

AND HE LOOKED AT ME AND GOES, THE FIRST STAT I ALWAYS LOOK AT WHEN I SCOUT A TEAM IS NOT THE RECORD.

I LOOK AT THIRD DOWN AND HOW MANY FIRST DOWNS, HOW DO THEY GET THEM?

ARE THEY GETTING THEM BY PENALTIES?

YOU KNOW, ARE THEY OUT THERE GETTING 31ST DOWNS.

IS IT JUST CHUNKS AND EATING UP THE CLOCK?

AND I'VE ALWAYS LISTENED TO WHAT BOBBY SAID, BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK OF BOBBY BOWDEN, YOU THINK OF EXPLOSIVE OFFENSES.

BUT HE TALKED ABOUT ME.

THE BEST FOOTBALL TEAMS WIN ON THIRD DOWN.

AND HE GOES, I WOULD IF I YOU COULD TELL ME I COULD ONLY HAVE ONE STAT.

IT WOULD BE THIRD DOWN WINS.

AND THAT REALLY SAID A LOT TO ME.

>> HONDO WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING FOR THE ATMOSPHERE?

THIS WILL REALLY BE THE FIRST BIG HOME GAME FOR PAT FITZGERALD.

IT'S NOT BASKETBALL SEASON YET IN EAST LANSING.

WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING AS FAR AS ATMOSPHERE, ESPECIALLY WITH A 5 P.M.

LOCAL KICKOFF IN EAST LANSING?

(SILENT) >> IT'S GOING TO BE CRAZY.

MICHIGAN STATE FANS ARE REALLY THRILLED, MY FRIEND, TO HAVE PAT FITZGERALD, THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT HIM.

THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF THE PROGRAM.

AND, YOU KNOW, LET'S BE FRANK, TO BEAT NEBRASKA, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO UPSET THEM.

BUT THEY ALSO SAW WHAT THEY JUST DID AT NOTRE DAME.

AND SO THAT'S A BIG DEAL TO THE SPARTANS.

AND AND, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T THINK THAT NEBRASKA'S NOTRE DAME I DON'T EITHER, BUT I THINK EVERYONE WOULD AGREE.

NEBRASKA IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPROVED PROGRAM UNDER MATT RHULE.

I THINK YOU COULD SEE THE TRAJECTORY.

I THINK IT'S TAKEN A LITTLE BIT LONGER MAYBE THAN SOME FANS WOULD HAVE WANTED, BUT YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY SEE THE TRAJECTORY THERE.

THIS IS A GOOD FOOTBALL TEAM THAT'S GOING TO ABSOLUTELY COME INTO A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT AND IT'S GOING TO BE HOSTILE.

AND THEY JUST STARTED BASKETBALL PRACTICE TODAY.

FANS ARE CRAZY.

JUST GOT A FIVE STAR ANOTHER FIVE STAR POINT GUARD COMMITMENT.

THE BASKETBALL TEAM WILL BE THERE CHEERING EVERYBODY ON.

IT'S GOING TO BE A CRAZY, CRAZY ENVIRONMENT.

>> THANKS HONDO, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

(SILENT) >> THANKS GUYS FOR HAVING ME ON.

>> BE SURE TO VOTE ON THIS WEEK'S SIDELINE SURVEY OVER THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS.

WHAT WILL THE HUSKERS RECORD BE?

CURRENTLY WE HAVE 2-2 44%, 1-3 24%.

ONLY 7% SAY 4-0 AND ONLY 3% SAY 0-4.

BE SURE TO VISIT THE WRAP-UP WEBSITE AND CAST YOUR VOTE.

ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE, YOU LOOK AT THEIR STATS, THEY'VE GIVEN UP MORE 20 PLUS YARD PLAYS THAN ALMOST ANY TEAM IN THE BIG TEN SO FAR.

DO YOU FEEL NEBRASKA HAS A CHANCE TO GET SOME EXPLOSIVES?

>> WITHOUT A DOUBT, BECAUSE NEBRASKA'S BEEN EXPLOSIVE ON OFFENSE.

I KNOW PEOPLE LIKE WANT TO SEE METHODICAL DRIVES, BUT GIVE ME THOSE EXPLOSIVE PLAYS ALL DAY LONG.

SO I THINK THEY CAN ABSOLUTELY GET SOME BIG PLAYS AGAINST THIS MICHIGAN STATE DEFENSE EARLY AND KIND OF SET THE TONE.

>> YEAH.

WHAT IT LETS ME KNOW IS THEY DON'T KNOW THE DEFENSE.

THEY DON'T OWN IT YET.

SO THERE'S PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEBRASKA IN THE RUN GAME AND THE PASSING GAME.

>> WHO'S THE PLAYER THAT PEOPLE KEEP ASKING COLANDREA, RULE OR GILMER THAT SURPRISED YOU THE MOST THIS SEASON?

THE NEW GUYS.

>> I'M GOING TO SAY RULE BECAUSE HE'S A TRUE FRESHMAN.

AND YOU KNOW THAT AHMAN GREEN TRUE FRESHMAN RUSHING RECORD IS KIND OF ONE OF THOSE ONES THAT YOU NEVER THOUGHT WOULD FALL.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK FOR HIM TO BREAK IT, HE'S ONLY GOING TO HAVE TO AVERAGE LIKE 75 YARDS A GAME THE REST OF THE SEASON, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A BIG NUMBER IN THERE AT SOME POINT FOR JAMAL RULE, WHERE HE'S GOING TO HAVE 180 YARD DAY AND THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE HIM THE BALL 25 TIMES.

AND I THINK THIS GAME SATURDAY COULD BE ONE OF THOSE GAMES WHERE HE TAKES OVER 20 PLUS CARRIES.

AND THEY KNOW HOW MICHIGAN STATE'S GOING TO WANT TO PLAY THIS GAME.

SO YEAH RULE WOULD BE MY SURPRISE RIGHT NOW.

>> NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

FROM MARY MAGUIRE BECAUSE WE DON'T DO THIS ENOUGH.

WHAT YEARS DID YOU PLAY AT NEBRASKA?

BOTH TO JAY'S BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO KNOW.

>> THAT WAS 2002 THROUGH 2006.

SO I WAS SOLICH AND BILL CALLAHAN.

>> JAY 94 TO 98.

COACH OSBORNE AND THE FIRST YEAR OF COACH SOLICH.

>> THAT'S NOT BAD.

THAT SEEMS LIKE THREE CHAMPIONSHIPS.

>> OH IT IS.

>> THAT'S WHAT IT FEELS LIKE.

>> IT WAS.

>> IT FEELS LIKE THREE CHAMPIONSHIPS.

SEAN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT MICHIGAN STATE DID AGAINST NOTRE DAME, DID THAT SURPRISE YOU AT ALL?

BECAUSE THEY I MEAN, THE LINE WAS WAS A PRETTY BIG LINE.

PEOPLE EXPECTED IT TO BE A BLOWOUT.

OBVIOUSLY IT WASN'T.

>> YEAH.

THE 27-10 SCORE IS A LITTLE MISLEADING.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE WHEN NEBRASKA PLAYED USC IN LA.

IT WAS A 17 POINT LOSS TO PETE CARROLL.

>> THAT WAS NEVER CLOSE.

>> BUT IT WAS NEVER CLOSE.

I MEAN, GUYS, MICHIGAN STATE ONLY RAN 45 PLAYS IN THAT GAME, 45 SNAPS.

>> AND AVERAGED 1.6 YARDS RUSHING.

>> I MEAN, THEY GOT DOMINANT.

THEY TURNED IT OVER TWICE.

>> YEAH.

>> THAT SCORE.

IT'S KIND OF ONE OF THOSE ALL RIGHT WE'RE GOING TO PLAY STATION TO STATION BASEBALL AND KEEP IT LOW SCORING.

AND YOU KNOW IF THEY TRIED TO OPEN IT UP THAT GAME MAYBE WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE RECEIPT.

WE ACTUALLY WENT OVER THIS A LITTLE BIT JAY MOORE EARLIER, BUT HOW IMPRESSED HAVE YOU BEEN WITH THE RECEIVER BLOCKING, ESPECIALLY AFTER HOLGORSEN CALLED IT OUT HIS FIRST YEAR?

>> THAT'S, I MEAN THE RULE'S LONG TOUCHDOWN, FIRST PLAY OF THE SECOND HALF.

GILMER JUST THE COLANDREA TOUCHDOWN RUN AGAINST OHIO.

QUINN CLARK DID AN AWESOME JOB BLOCKING HIS HIS DEFENSIVE BACK OUT OF THE OFF THE FIELD.

SO IT'S BEEN BARNEY'S BEEN GOOD EVEN THOUGH HE'S GOT A COUPLE HOLDING CALLS.

BUT NO IT'S BEEN SO MUCH IMPROVED.

IT'S GOT TO BE EVEN BETTER ONCE YOU GET INTO BIG TEN PLAY.

>> JAY FOREMAN RYAN KREKLOW WANTS TO KNOW ON FACEBOOK.

BIGGER CONCERN FOR SPECIAL TEAMS NOT BEING ABLE TO KICK LONGER THAN A 45 YARD FIELD GOAL, OR THE UNNECESSARY PENALTIES.

>> WELL, I THINK THE PENALTIES ARE MAYBE THE MOST CONCERNING, BECAUSE THE ONE THING ABOUT REFEREES IN THE BIG TEN, ONCE YOU KIND OF GET THE RAP ON YOU, IS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE SPECIAL OR SPECIAL TEAMS PENALTIES.

THEY JUST THROW THEM ON YOU.

SO YOU WANT TO REALLY REMEDY THAT STARTING THIS WEEKEND.

>> SEAN, DO YOU THINK THAT YOU'LL GET TO SEE JOHN HOHL MAYBE GET A SHOT ON A LONG FIELD GOAL BECAUSE HE'S KICKED ONE BEFORE?

>> YEAH.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY WANT TO TRY THOSE IN A GAME LIKE THIS.

I MEAN, I THINK ONE OF THE LONG ATTEMPTS SATURDAY WAS FOURTH AND FIVE.

AND THEY, YOU KNOW, IN SOME SITUATIONS I THINK THEY JUST WOULD HAVE WENT FOR THAT.

BUT I THINK MATT RHULE WANTED THE REP TO SAY THERE'S GOING TO BE A BIG TEN GAME WHERE YOU MIGHT NEED THIS.

LET'S REP IT.

LET'S GET IT OUT THERE.

BUT I PERSONALLY AGAINST NORTH DAKOTA, ESPECIALLY, I THINK IN A LOT OF SITUATIONS, YOU MIGHT HAVE JUST GONE FOR THAT AND THEY LET THEM TRY IT INSTEAD.

>> YEAH.

YOU'RE BURNING QUESTION SEAN.

>> MY BURNING QUESTION IS CAN DANA HOLGORSEN AND ROB AURICH PUT TOGETHER A GAME PLAN TO WIN A PHYSICAL BIG TEN FOOTBALL GAME, A GAME AGAINST A VETERAN BIG TEN HEAD COACH AND PAT FITZGERALD?

>> WELL, I THINK THEY CAN.

I THINK THEY'VE SHOWN THE.

I THINK THEY MATCH EACH OTHER PROBABLY BETTER THAN, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY HOLGORSEN AND BUTLER.

SO I THINK IT'S A YOU KNOW, EASY FOR THEM TO DO IT.

I THINK THEIR THEIR PERSONALITIES MATCH WELL AS WELL.

>> MINE IS CAN ARCHIE WILSON FLIP THE FIELD ON A PUNT.

THERE'S GONNA BECOME A TIME WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE PINNED UP.

CAN HE BOOM ONE AND FLIP IT TO CREATE MORE SPACE FOR THAT DEFENSE.

>> JAY KEEPS PICKING ALL THE ALL THE SPECIAL TEAMS ONES.

I'M THE JET AWARD GUY.

HE KEEPS PICKING UP.

MY QUESTION IS SIMPLE CAN NEBRASKA RUN THE BALL LIKE THEY'VE RUN IT?

I MEAN, MICHIGAN STATE, NOTRE DAME HAD A COUPLE CHANCES TO GET SOME BIG PLAYS AND DIDN'T GET HIM IN THE RUN GAME.

CAN NEBRASKA TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MICHIGAN STATE, ESPECIALLY SOME OF THAT OVER PURSUIT THAT THEY HAD AGAINST NOTRE DAME?

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

JAY, SEAN AND I WILL TELL YOU EXACTLY.

NOPE, NOT SEAN.

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

BIG TEN PLAY STARTS ON SATURDAY FOR THE HUSKERS, AND THEY TRAVEL TO EAST LANSING TO TAKE ON MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS.

KICK OFF IS SCHEDULED FOR 4 P.M.

CENTRAL ON THE BIG TEN NETWORK.

NEXT TUESDAY WE'RE BACK TO BREAK IT ALL DOWN AGAIN.

WITH FORMER HUSKER RUNNING BACK AND RECENT NEBRASKA FOOTBALL HALL OF FAMER PORK CHOP HIMSELF, CORY ROSS.

FINALLY, DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE TO NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO FOLLOW ALONG WITH THIS SHOW.

STATE OF VOLLEYBALL PROGRAM, LIVE STREAMS, AND MUCH MORE.

SPECIAL THANKS TO MITCH SHERMAN AND HONDO CARPENTER AND SEAN CALLAHAN FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

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

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

WRAP-UP.