(BAND MUSIC) >> TONIGHT ON BIG RED WRAP-UP WE LOOK BACK AT THE WIN AGAINST UCLA.

TJ BEING TERRIFIC AND AS EMMETT MOVED INTO THE HEISMAN DISCUSSION WE'LL CHAT ABOUT SOME WELL ALL COMING UP NEXT ON BIG RED WRAP-UP.

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

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

THE HUSKERS SEVEN WINS IN THE REGULAR SEASON.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2016.

AND WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU AND WHAT YOU THINK.

YOU CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK AND OF COURSE ON X. ALSO, AS ALWAYS, GET AHOLD OF US ANY NUMBER OF WAYS, INCLUDING SENDING US EMAILS AND TEXT AT NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG.

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

WE'LL GET TO AS MANY OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE AS WE CAN.

NOW IT'S TIME FOR OUR SIDELINE SURVEY.

LAST WEEK WE ASKED, WITHOUT DYLAN, HOW MANY GAMES WILL THE HUSKERS WIN THE REST OF THE WAY?

NONE WAS 48%.

YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY LOST.

28% FOR ONE, 16% FOR TWO.

3% FOR THREE, AND 5% SAYING FOUR.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION, WHAT BOWL WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE HUSKERS IN.

THE CITRUS BOWL IN ORLANDO, THE RELIAQUEST BOWL IN TAMPA, THE LAS VEGAS BOWL, OF COURSE IN LAS VEGAS, OR THE MUSIC CITY BOWL.

RIGHT NOW, 50% OF THE PEOPLE SAY THEY WANT TO GO TO ORLANDO.

DON'T WE ALL?

HERE TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT AND THE GAME FORMER HUSKER JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN.

SO RIGHT NOW NEBRASKA IS I WANT TO SAY THAT 7-3 OKAY.

IN TEN GAMES.

THE QUARTERBACK IS HURT.

THEY'VE GOT A BACKUP IN THERE.

THE DEFENSE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO RUN THAT WELL.

THEY ARE 7-3.

WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT I DON'T THINK ENOUGH PEOPLE REMEMBER THAT THIS WEEK.

>> I KNOW I THINK WE GET CAUGHT UP IN WHAT THEY DON'T DO WELL.

>> YES.

>> INSTEAD OF WHAT THEY DO, DO WELL, IF YOU WANT TO CALL THAT, YOU KNOW, BE A PESSIMIST OR JUST LOOKING AT IT'S SO EASY.

WE SIT HERE AND OUR JOBS IS TO NITPICK, RIGHT, IS IF KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY DON'T DO WELL AND THAT'S AND THAT'S A FAULT OF PEOPLE IS TO KIND OF SIT HERE AND FIGURE OUT, OKAY, HOW CAN THEY FAIL, HOW WILL THEY FAIL AND SORT OF KNOW HOW CAN THEY SUCCEED.

AND TO GET TO 7-3, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO RUN THE FOOTBALL.

EMMETT JOHNSON, WE'VE ALL KNOWN I MEAN HE'S NOW GETTING RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY FOR MANY, MANY AWARDS.

SPECIAL TEAMS HAVE BEEN ELITE HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED THE WAY THIS TEAM FUNCTIONS.

AND YOU'VE GOTTEN SITUATIONALLY THIS OFFENSIVELY PLAY CALLS WISE HAS BEEN REALLY, REALLY GOOD.

ALTHOUGH THE WAY THEY UTILIZE THE SCREEN GAME.

THAT'S BEEN BIG, BUT DEFENSIVELY I KNOW THEY DON'T STOP THE RUN BALL.

AGAIN THAT'S FINDING THINGS THEY DON'T DO WELL RIGHT.

BUT THEIR ABILITY TO STOP THE PASS AND MAKE REALLY, REALLY GOOD QUARTERBACKS AND REALLY GOOD WIDE RECEIVERS NOT EXECUTE AND NOT LOOK LIKE THEY'RE MAKE THEM LOOK UNCOMFORTABLE.

IT HAS BEEN VERY, VERY SURPRISING THIS YEAR.

AND BUT THOSE WITH ALL THOSE KIND OF THOSE THREE THINGS.

HERE WE ARE 7-3 WITH AN EXCELLENT CHANCE TO FINISH 9-3, AS WELL.

>> IT'S KIND OF SIMILAR TO CINCINNATI BECAUSE THE RUNNING BACKS ONLY AVERAGE A 3.1 YARDS A CARRY.

IT WAS ALL NICO.

AND WHAT HE DID WITH HIS FEET.

>> YEAH.

FOR NEBRASKA'S DEFENSE OBVIOUSLY THEY'VE HAD TROUBLE WITH MOBILE QUARTERBACKS ALL YEAR.

THEY'VE BEEN VERY GOOD AT LOCKING DOWN GOOD RECEIVERS.

THEY DID IT AGAINST USC THAT IT AGAINST CINCINNATI.

BUT THE MOBILITY WHEN YOU GET THAT NUMBERS ADVANTAGE HAS HURT THEM WITH THE QUARTERBACK RUNS.

AND YOU KNOW LUCKILY THEY'RE NOT PROBABLY GOING TO SEE AS MUCH OF THAT AGAINST PENN STATE.

IOWA, WE KNOW THEY ARE.

GOING TO SEE A LOT MORE OF THAT.

BUT I THINK THE BIGGEST THING IS THEY'RE NOT BEATING THEMSELVES.

WE'VE SAID THAT OVER AND OVER.

IF NEBRASKA COULD JUST PLAY GOOD SPECIAL TEAMS.

IF NEBRASKA COULD JUST NOT BEAT THEMSELVES WITH PENALTIES AND TURNOVERS, WELL GUESS WHAT?

THEY'RE PLAYING GOOD SPECIAL TEAMS.

THEY'RE NOT TURNING IT OVER.

AND THEY'RE DOING THE OTHER LITTLE THINGS THAT MATTER.

AND I THINK THAT'S BEEN THE DIFFERENCE IN THESE CLOSER WINS AND MAYBE THE LAST FEW YEARS BEFORE.

>> YEAH.

SO THEY YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT EMMETT FOR A SECOND THERE.

BUT TJ LATEEF, GREAT GAME PLAN.

COMES OUT FIRST PLAY.

THEY GIVE HIM THE OPTION TO RUN.

IT GETS THE 14 YARDS EMMETT TURNS AROUND.

HE GETS A FIRST DOWN.

IT WAS LIKE WHOEVER DESIGNED THOSE FIRST COUPLE PLAYS SHOULD HAVE BEEN CALLING PLAYS AT MINNESOTA.

I DIGRESS, BUT IT WAS A GREAT GAME PLAN FOR HIM, ESPECIALLY THE FIRST COUPLE DRIVES.

>> I LOVE IT, YOU CALL HIS NUMBER.

BECAUSE IT'S.

HE'S GOING TO BE NERVOUS GOING BACK HOME.

FIRST GAME YOU'RE STARTING AS A TRUE FRESHMAN IN THE ROSE BOWL.

YOU'RE GOING TO BE NERVOUS.

BUT SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO GET HIT AND GET, YOU KNOW, COBWEBS KIND OF KNOCKED OUT ON YOU.

BUT GETTING HIM, IMPLEMENTING HIM IN THE GAME PLAN AGAIN, I LOVE THE SIMPLICITY.

I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT YOU'D SEE.

>> YEAH.

>> IS YOU CAN UTILIZE HIS LEGS, BUT ALSO HE DOESN'T HAVE A FULL GRASP OF THE PLAYBOOK LIKE DYLAN DOES.

BUT YOU CAN SIMPLIFY THINGS, UTILIZE ALL THESE WEAPONS YOU HAVE AROUND HIM.

EMMETT.

HUNTER.

KEY.

LINDENMEYER.

HAARBERG.

OH, THERE'S A PLENTY.

THERE'S A PLETHORA OF WEAPONS.

AND THEY DID THAT, AND I THOUGHT, I LOVE THE SIMPLIFYING OF IT.

GET YOUR UTILIZE HIS LEGS, GET THE BALL INTO YOUR BEST PLAYERS HANDS AND GO SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

AND DEFENSE GOT ENOUGH STOPS.

BUT I TELL YOU WHAT.

THIS IS A THIS IS A GAME YOU CAN REALLY BUILD OFF OF CONFIDENCE WISE FOR TJ GOING FORWARD FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.

>> QUESTION I GOT ON TWITTER ON SUNDAY.

SEAN, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE AS GLENN THOMAS, FOUND HIM.

LIKE WHERE WAS HE CONSIDERED IN TERMS OF HIS RANKING?

WHERE DOES THIS GUY COME FROM?

>> WELL, YEAH, OUT OF CALIFORNIA.

AND YOU GOT TO REMEMBER WHEN THEY RECRUITED HIM, NEBRASKA HAD DYLAN RAIOLA, SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TO SELL.

>> YEAH, SURE.

>> HEY, WE HAVE.

A TRUE FRESHMAN STARTER.

AND TO GET A FOUR STAR OF ANY KIND TO LOOK AT, YOU, LOOK WHAT WE HAD.

GLENN THOMAS, WAS BIG.

NOW GLENN CAN'T GO.

HE DOESN'T GO ON THE ROAD.

DANA HOLGORSEN DOESN'T GO ON THE ROAD.

SO THE RECRUITING OF HIM WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

DANA HOLGORSEN WASN'T REALLY EVEN INVOLVED IN HIS RECRUITING BECAUSE HE DIDN'T GET TO NEBRASKA UNTIL ALMOST SIGNING DAY.

YOU KNOW, DANA, IT STARTS ON NOVEMBER, AND THEY SIGNED PAPERS A WEEK OR TWO LATER.

SO, YEAH, I THINK YOU GOT TO GIVE GLENN THOMAS SOME CREDIT THERE.

HE WAS BIG IN HELPING, YOU KNOW, THE PREVIOUS SOME OTHER COACHES THAT RECRUIT CALIFORNIA.

BUT JUST TO SELL A QUARTERBACK SPOT IN RECRUITING CLASS WHEN YOU HAD DYLAN RAIOLA WAS NOT EASY TO GET TO TJ LATEEF.

NOW, I MEAN, I WAS ABOUT AS GOOD AS YOU'RE GOING TO GET.

>> YEAH.

WE'RE DIGGING THROUGH THE RECORD BOOKS AT HALFTIME.

WHAT, THINKING?

WELL, HE'S CLOSE TO 100, 100.

IT'S A POSSIBILITY.

AND WE'RE GOING BACK LIKE, WAS IT, WAS IT A JOHNNY RODGERS LAST GAME OF HIS CAREER.

WAS IT AMEER ABDULLAH.

WHO WAS IT.

AND WE FOUND OUT IT'S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE IN ALL THESE YEARS OF NEBRASKA.

WHAT WAS IT 130 SOME YEARS OF NEBRASKA FOOTBALL?

NOBODY HAD GONE 100, 100 AT THE RUNNING BACK SPOT.

THIS IS CRAZY TO THINK ABOUT.

>> WELL, I MEAN, YOU I THOUGHT MAYBE LIKE A MARLON LUCKY WOULD.

>> YEAH.

>> THAT'LL BE THE FIRST GUY.

>> IT WAS SIX YARDS AWAY.

>> BRANDON JACKSON.

>> YOU KNOW, JUST THAT YEAR, THE '07 YEAR MARLON HAD A TON OF CATCHES.

>> 75 CATCHES.

>> HAD A TON OF CATCHES OUT OF THE BACKFIELD.

THAT'S VERY SURPRISING.

BUT IT JUST SHOWS YOU HOW THEY WANTED TO SHOWCASE HIM AND UTILIZE HIM AND TRY TO GET THE BALL IN HIS HANDS AS MANY TIMES AS POSSIBLE.

WE'RE TALKING 25 PLUS TOUCHES EVERY GAME SO FAR THIS YEAR, AND IT'S, IT'S WORKING.

AND OBVIOUSLY THE STATS SHOW IT, THE NATIONAL MEDIA STARTING TO GET IT, TO NOTICE HIM AS WELL.

AND LISTEN, IT'S A HEAVY DOSE.

YOU KNOW, HE'S THEY GOT THREE MORE GAMES LEFT THIS YEAR.

IT'S A HEAVY DOSE TO EMMETT'S.

AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE HOW THIS FINISHES OUT AND SEE WHERE HE'S GOING TO FINISH IN AND WHERE EVERYTHING SHAKES OUT WITH HIM LOOKING TO MAXWELL, THE HEISMAN.

WHAT IS THE RUNNING BACKS?

DOAK WALKER AWARD, YOU KNOW.

>> WHAT ROUND HE GOES IN THE DRAFT.

>> RIGHT.

IF BUT YOU KNOW HAS THE ABILITY TO TO POTENTIALLY COME BACK AS WELL.

SO I THINK KEEPING HIM BECAUSE THERE WAS A CHANCE HE WAS HE WAS LEAVING LAST YEAR AND KEEPING HIM WAS IT WAS VERY, VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN THE SUCCESS THAT THIS TEAM HAS HAD SO FAR IN 2025.

>> I WENT THROUGH THE LIST OF RUNNING BACKS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO COME OUT THIS YEAR, AND SOME MAY NOT, BUT I CAN'T GET HIM ANY LOWER THAN NINE, 9 OR 10.

THAT'S FOURTH ROUND.

IT WOULD BE REALLY HARD FOR A PERSON WHO'S ONE TO PLAY IN THE NFL THEIR ENTIRE LIFE TO SAY NO TO THE FOURTH ROUND.

>> YEAH, THE NIL MONEY.

NEBRASKA COULD PROBABLY GIVE HIM A BIG NUMBER TO COME BACK.

>> CAN THEY GET $4 MILLION?

>> BUT YEAH, IN THIS REV SHARE WORLD, IT'S HARD TO SAY.

BUT YEAH, YOU PLAY ONE MORE YEAR AT COLLEGE, YOUR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL IN THE NFL GO DOWN THAT MUCH MORE.

AND YEAH, THAT'S THE THAT IS PROBABLY THE ONE POSITION.

AND JAY CAN SPEAK ON THAT.

>> YEAH.

>> RUNNING BACK I MEAN EACH YEAR IT'S LIKE DOG YEARS.

EACH YEAR IS WORTH LIKE NINE YEARS.

YOU KNOW IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT ON YOUR BODY THE WAY THOSE RUNNING BACKS WILL PUT PLANTS ON.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE OFFENSIVE LINE HOW WELL THEY PLAYED A BIG PART OF IT AGAIN WAS PLAY CALLING, RIGHT.

THEY PLAY THEY CALLED PLAYS AND HAD A QUARTERBACK THAT PLAYED THE STRENGTHS OF THE OFFENSE.

>> I AGREE.

THE INTERIOR WE'VE LAST WEEK WE TALKED ABOUT SPINDLER, EVANS, LUTOVSKY.

THAT'S KIND OF WHAT IT WAS A STRENGTH.

THE TACKLE SPOTS HAVE BEEN LIABLE AT OBVIOUSLY AT TIMES.

GETTING PRITCHETT BACK THIS WEEK BEING HEALTHY.

BUT I JUST THINK AND AGAIN PLAYING 11 ON 11 FOOTBALL MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

DYLAN, WHEN HE'S BACK THERE, HE IS NOT A HUGE THREAT TO TO KEEP IT ON A SCRAMBLE TO UTILIZE HIM IN THE RUN GAME.

AND THAT JUST ALLOWS YOUR LINEBACKERS AND YOUR OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE TACKLES TO PLAY MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVE, PLAY MUCH MORE DOWNHILL AND NOT REALLY RESPECT THE MESH POINT OR RESPECT HIM KEEPING IT.

I THINK ALLOWING THAT GIVES THE OFFENSIVE LINE A LOT MORE TIME TO GET LEVERAGE, A LOT MORE TIME FOR THEM TO, YOU KNOW, AS A DEFENSIVE LINEMAN, YOU CAN GET CAUGHT, LOOK AROUND WHERE THE QUARTERBACK IS TO MAKE SURE HE DOESN'T SCRAMBLE.

SO YOU GOT THAT ALL GETS FACTORED IN.

WITH DYLAN IT'S NOT AS MUCH.

I THINK THERE'S OBVIOUSLY PLUSES TO WHAT DYLAN CAN DO WITH THE PLAYBOOK, BUT HAVING THE 11, 11 TOTALLY HELPS OUT THE OFFENSIVE LINE.

AND I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THEIR BEST GAME, BUT IT WAS ONE OF THEIR CLEANEST GAMES THAT THEY'VE THEY'VE PLAYED SO FAR HERE TODAY.

>> ACCORDING TO PFF IT WAS THEIR BEST GAME.

>> YEAH I MEAN ALL AROUND IT WAS ONE OF THEIR MOST COMPLETE GAMES OF THE YEAR.

LATEEF'S GREAT ON THE QUARTERBACK WAS THE HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL QB GRADE THEY'VE HAD IN A P-4 GAME.

NOW DYLAN RAIOLA'S AKRON HOUSTON CHRISTIAN GAME WAS HIGHER.

YOU GOTTA KIND OF PUT THAT IN THE CONTEXT.

YOU LOOK AT JUST POWER FOUR OPPONENTS.

LATEEF'S PERFORMANCE WAS THE BEST INDIVIDUAL QUARTERBACK GRADE AND WHY WOULDN'T IT BE?

THREE TOUCHDOWN PASSES ON 15 COMPLETIONS.

>> TWO INCOMPLETES.

>> AND TWO INCOMPLETES ONE BEING A DROP.

>> RIGHT?

YEAH AND THEN NO WORTHY PLAYS OR ANY OF THAT STUFF AS WELL.

THE BLACKSHIRTS, ANOTHER GAME WHERE THEY DIDN'T ALLOW 400 YARDS AND I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT IT WAS SO RARE.

SO ONLY SEVEN TEAMS IN ALL THE POWER FOUR, OR AT LEAST IN I THINK IT'S FBS, ACTUALLY, BUT HAVEN'T DONE THAT.

THAT'S THAT'S CRAZY THING.

>> AGAIN, IT'S WE CAN NITPICK THINGS AND SEE WHAT THEY DON'T DO WELL.

>> YEAH.

>> OBVIOUSLY THEY STRUGGLE STOPPING THE RUN AT TIMES AND THEY GAVE SOME CHECKDOWN PLAYS.

BUT AGAIN, AS DEFENSE, YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA HAVE HOLES IN YOUR DEFENSE.

AND YOU'RE GOING TO WELL, YOU'RE WILLING TO GIVE UP A CHECK DOWN TO THE RUNNING BACK.

OBVIOUSLY GOT A COUPLE TOUCHDOWNS DOING THAT.

BUT THEIR ABILITY TO MINIMIZE BIG PLAYS REALLY OTHER THAN THE MICHIGAN GAME AND MAYBE THE MINNESOTA GAME, WE HAVEN'T SEEN A TON OF HUGE CHUNK PLAYS.

KEEP A NICO IN THE POCKET.

SO THAT WAS A HUGE KEY HE WAS ABLE TO CREATE.

BUT HE'S A REALLY GOOD ATHLETE BACK THERE AS WELL.

BUT OVERALL, THEIR ABILITY TO MAKE FOURTH DOWN AND FOURTH AND ONE STOPS.

THEY'VE DONE THAT MULTIPLE TIMES THIS YEAR.

BUT AGAIN JUST RESTRICT BIG PLAYS MAXIMUM MINIMIZE THE BACK END AND MAKE MAKE THESE OFFENSES GET COMFORTABLE OR UNCOMFORTABLE.

AND THEY JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.

YOU MAKE QUARTERBACKS LOOK FOOLISH BACK THERE SOMETIMES JUST BECAUSE THAT SECONDARY IS COMMUNICATING SO WELL.

AND THEY PLAY A LOT OF FOOTBALL, BUT NOT NOT ALLOWING 40 YARDS.

THAT WAS A STAT I HAD NOT, REALIZED THAT YEAR THAT'S IT.

IN TODAY'S DAY AND AGE.

>> YEAH.

EVERYTHING'S CATERED TOWARDS OFFENSIVE FOOTBALL.

THAT ALLOWED A 400 YARD GAME SO FAR THIS YEAR IS IMPRESSIVE.

>> SO JAVIN WRIGHT AND SINGLETON BOTH PLAYED WELL.

MAY HAVE KEONA DAVIS HIS BEST GAME BY FAR, OF THE YEAR.

>> YEAH.

AND AGAIN I THINK HIM BEING HOME ON THE WEST COAST HE HAD A LOT OF FAMILY THERE AND HIS GRANDMOTHER.

HIS GRANDMOTHER CAME DOWN FROM PHOENIX AND A LOT OF OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS.

SO I THINK WHEN YOU GET HIM GOING, THIS DEFENSIVE LINE IS NEEDED, SOMEBODY TO STEP UP, ESPECIALLY DASAN MCCULLOUGH.

UP FRONT THIS LAST GAME.

AND YOU GOT TO GO WITH DYLAN ROGERS WHO HAD NEVER PLAYED.

YOU NEEDED SOME OTHER BODIES UP FRONT.

KADE PIETRZAK'S KIND OF COOLED OFF A LITTLE BIT OVER TIME.

I THOUGHT RILEY VAN POPPEL FOR ABOUT 20 SNAPS A PLAY.

>> YEP.

>> HE LOOKED GOOD IN THIS GAME TOO.

BUT KEONA DAVIS YOU LOOK AT HIM OFF THE BUS HE'S IMPRESSIVE.

AND WILLIAMS NWANERI IMPRESSIVE.

>> STANDING NEXT TO EACH OTHER.

THAT'S GOT TO INTIMIDATE A LITTLE BIT.

THOSE TWO GUYS NEXT TO EACH OTHER PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.

>> YEAH THOSE TWO.

AND YOU KNOW NOW THEY'RE GOING TO SEE SOME OF THE BETTER OFFENSIVE LINES IN THE BIG TEN WITH WITH PENN STATE AND IOWA.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT THOSE TEAMS ARE GOING TO DO IT.

AND I RUN THE BALL AT NEBRASKA AND SEE IF THEY CAN STOP IT.

>> LAST YEAR, NEBRASKA FINISHED AROUND 86TH RANKED AND SPECIAL TEAMS.

CURRENTLY, THEY'RE ANYWHERE FROM 2 TO 6, DEPENDING ON WHICH METRIC YOU'RE LOOKING AT.

BUT WHAT AN IMPRESSIVE CHANGE.

>> I MEAN, I'D, NOT SURPRISED ONE BIT.

ONCE THEY ANNOUNCED MIKE EKELER GETTING HIRED, I SAID, THIS IS A GAME CHANGER.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS IS HE IS GOING TO CHANGE.

I SAID AT LEAST TWO WINS, AND HE COULD ARGUE ME MORE THAN THAT THIS YEAR WITH HOW THEY'VE PLAYED.

YOU JUST THEY'RE NOT FOR SO MANY YEARS, THE SPECIAL TEAMS HAVE BEEN A LIABILITY.

WHEN YOU GO BACK THERE, WHETHER IT WAS THE SNAPPING, KICKING, YOU KNOW, >> COVERAGE.

>> COVERAGE, RETURN, I MEAN, WE GOT MORE PUNT RETURN YARDS IN THE FIRST LIKE THREE GAMES THAN WE HAD FOR LIKE THE LAST TWO YEARS.

BUT YEAH, IT'S YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT.

YOU HAVE TO, TO GET BACK TO WHERE NEBRASKA WAS.

YOU HAVE TO GET BETTER IN ALL THREE PHASES.

AND FOR A LONG TIME, THOSE TWO PHASES, WE HAD, OFFENSE AND DEFENSE WERE PRETTY DARN GOOD.

BUT SPECIAL TEAMS WAS LAUGHABLE.

IT'S RESPECTABLE NOW AND IT'S CHANGED THIS PROGRAM, KEEPING MIKE COACH EKELER HERE AND KEEP RECRUITING AND KEEP BUILDING THAT WAY AND TO THOSE SPECIAL TEAMS UNITS IS GOING TO BE IS GOING TO BE INSTRUMENTAL TO HOW THIS PROGRAM, PROJECTS IN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS.

>> AND THEN THE OFFSHOOT OF THAT IS NEBRASKA IS FOURTH IN THE COUNTRY IN NET START FIELD POSITION BECAUSE OF THAT.

THEIR PLUS I THINK IT'S SOMETHING OVER FIVE AND A HALF.

AND YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT GOES RIGHT BACK TO HOW GOOD THE SPECIAL TEAMS HAVE BEEN.

>> RIGHT?

I MEAN, AND WHEN ARCHIE HAS HAD OPPORTUNITIES, HE'S BEEN GOOD AT PINNING PEOPLE AS WELL.

SO EVERYTHING HAS BEEN EASIER FOR NEBRASKA, HARDER FOR THE OPPONENT, WHICH IS I THINK SUMMED UP TO WHAT WE'VE SEEN ON THE FIELD.

AND, YOU JUST TAKE THAT STUFF FOR GRANTED, BUT THAT MATTERS.

I MEAN, A DIFFERENCE OF 5 OR 10 YARDS REALLY MATTERS OVER THE COURSE OF A SEASON, WHEN YOU START TO BREAK DOWN THE ANALYTICS AND METRICS OF STARTING FIELD POSITION.

>> NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

LET'S CHECK OUT THE HIGHLIGHTS NOW.

IT WAS TJ LATEEF'S FIRST START.

AND THE BIG STORY OF COURSE WAS GOING HOME.

GROWING UP IN COMPTON LEADING THE TEAM OUT WITH MATT RHULE RIGHT BEHIND HIM.

AFTER UCLA'S FIRST DRIVE OF A THREE AND OUT, WE FOUND OUT REALLY QUICKLY WHAT TJ LATEEF COULD DO?

HERE'S HIS FIRST RUN OF THE GAME.

HIS FIRST START 14 YARDS GETTING A FIRST DOWN.

AND THEN RIGHT AFTER THAT THEY COME BACK TO EMMETT.

EMMETT GOES FOR ANOTHER 13 YARDS.

TWO BACK TO BACK FIRST DOWNS.

AND THEN YOU PUT HIM ON THE MOVE, RIGHT.

SPRINT OUT.

>> LOVE THIS, AGAIN.

BALL ON THE LINE RIGHT TO HUNTER.

LOVE GET HIM OUT OF THE POCKET.

AND ALMOST UTILIZING HIS LEGS JUST IN THERE.

KEEP IT IN TUCK AND GET YOUR 3 OR 4.

>> YEAH IT MAKES A LOT EASIER.

THAN THIS THROW IS AN NFL THROW I MEAN IT'S DANGEROUS BUT IT'S NFL THROW.

YOU'VE GOT A SMALL WINDOW.

YOU'VE GOT TO GET IT TO YOUR WIDE RECEIVER.

RIGHT WHEN HE'S COMING OUT OF THE BREAK ACTUALLY RIGHT WHEN HE'S TURNING HIS HANDS TO YOU.

AND HE MADE THE THROW AND GOT JUST BARELY.

>> THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE THIRD DOWNS LIKE OH MAN THERE GOT TO GO FOR THIS FOURTH DOWN.

AND SAME POSITION WE'VE SEEN.

AND BARNEY COMES OUT WITH THE BIG CATCH.

>> PERFECT THROW, 7-0.

AND THEN HERE'S NICO AGAIN I MENTIONED THIS HOW MANY TIMES HE GOT FIRST DOWNS ON FOURTH DOWNS.

IT WAS FOUR TOTAL TIMES FOR 48 YARDS.

THAT WAS A SACK.

THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SACK RIGHT THERE.

BUT YOU KNOW YOU DON'T CLOSE.

I THINK VINCENT SHAVERS IS HAVING TROUBLE A LITTLE BIT WITH THE ONE HAND.

>> YEAH THAT'S DEFINITELY HARD WHEN YOU HAVE THAT CLUB HAND.

BUT AGAIN HIS ATHLETIC.

YEAH HE'S A BIG HE'S A BIG STRONG INDIVIDUAL BACK THERE.

IT TAKES MORE THAN JUST A YOU CAN'T ARM TACKLE HIM I MEAN NEBRASKA LEARNED THAT OBVIOUSLY ON SATURDAY NIGHT.

>> YEAH, THAT WAS A BIG PLAY TO GET THE BALL TO BERGER.

HE MADE TWO GUYS MISS.

GOT A NICE GAIN.

HERE IS NICO GETTING DOWN TO THE GOAL LINE.

AND THEN THEY RAN THE WILDCAT WITH BERGER.

TOUCHDOWN.

IT'S ALL 7-7.

AND YOU'RE THINKING MAN THIS IS GOING TO BE A SHOOTOUT BACK AND FORTH.

BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE BLACKSHIRTS HAD IN STORE FOR NICO AND THE REST TEAM FOR THE FIRST HALF AT LEAST.

AND HERE COMES, AGAIN TJ LATEEF MAKING A THROW ON TIME.

A TIMING THROW.

AND DANE KEY HAD KIND OF BEEN OUT OF THE OFFENSE A LITTLE BIT.

AND THEN THEY START GOING TO HIM A LITTLE BIT MORE AFTER THEY GO TO EMMETT HERE.

YOU'RE GOING TO BREAK THIS PLAY DOWN.

>> YEAH.

AGAIN NEBRASKA'S ABILITY TO TIME THE SCREEN GAME AGAIN.

YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN BETTER LAST COUPLE YEARS NEBRASKA SCREEN GAME.

TIMING IS IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

GETTING THE LINEMEN DOWN THE FIELD.

I'LL BREAK THIS DOWN ON JAY'S PLAYS.

BUT JUST THE EXECUTION AND YOU GET YOUR TWO BIG BOYS, SPINDLER AND EVANS RIGHT DOWN HERE.

HUNTER DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB BLOCKING ON THE SECOND LEVEL AND FINISHING OFF ON HIS GUY AGAIN TWICE.

SO THE EXECUTION, THE TIMING OF IT WAS WAS PERFECT.

>> YOU THINK BILL CALLAHAN WAS BACK THE WAY THEY RUN THE SCREENS NOW.

LAST TIME THEY RAN SCREENS, RIGHT?

NICO AGAIN GETTING OUT OF THE POCKET.

THAT ONE WAS ON SECOND AND TEN GOING FOR 21 YARDS ON THAT ONE.

AND THEN AGAIN THROW TO THE OUTSIDE THIS STOP.

THAT WAS A THIRD DOWN PLAY.

SO THEN I SAY WE'RE GOING TO GO FOR IT ON FOURTH DOWN.

WE'VE BEEN RUNNING IT WELL.

AND NICO SLIPS GETS TACKLED.

NICE PLAY BY THE DEFENSE.

>> YEAH IT WAS.

ANDREW MARSHALL KIND OF SET THAT PLAY UP.

MADE HIM JUST HESITATE JUST FOR A LITTLE BIT WITH THE REST OF HIS CREW.

COME IN THERE AND HELP HIM OUT.

>> AND HERE'S DANE KEY I MENTIONED HIM EARLIER.

IT REALLY HADN'T BEEN GETTING THE BALL SINCE THE NON-CONFERENCE.

RIGHT.

>> YEAH, FOR WHATEVER REASON, DYLAN WASN'T FINDING HIM.

BUT MIKE'L, WE TALKED ABOUT THE MIDDLE EIGHT OF THE GAME.

>> YES.

>> WHERE NEBRASKA REALLY KIND OF STARTED TO SEIZE CONTROL WITH THE MIDDLE EIGHT SCORING HERE AND THEN COMING OUT OBVIOUSLY IN THE THIRD QUARTER.

>> AND IT WAS BIG TO GET THE STOP TOO ON UCLA.

THEY'RE DRIVING A LITTLE BIT AFTER THE SACK.

THEY START MOVING THE BALL.

AND IT WAS BIG FOR NEBRASKA TO BE ABLE TO FORCE THEM INTO A LONG FIELD GOAL.

THEY END UP MISSING.

AND THE KEY TO THIS I THINK WAS AFTER THIS, AFTER THIS STOP WITH A BALL GETS BATTED.

OH, NO.

THIS WAY.

RUN FOR THE FIRST DOWN.

THEN THE NEXT PLAY.

THEY NEED ABOUT FIVE MORE YARDS TO GET CLOSE AND THEY TRY TO THROW A QUICK OUT AND IT'S INCOMPLETE.

SO NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'VE GOT A 52 YARD FIELD GOAL AND IT'S SHORT.

DOESN'T GET IN AND NEBRASKA GOES UP 21-7, GOING TO HALF.

AND COME RIGHT BACK OUT AND GO TO EMMETT AGAIN.

>> YEAH.

AGAIN.

THOSE RUNNING IN THOSE INTERIOR RUN BY THOSE THE CENTER.

YOUR TWO GUARDS WHO YOUR BEST OFFENSIVE LINEMEN.

AGAIN YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT MORE OF THAT THE REST OF THE SEASON.

>> SEVEN YARDS THERE FOR TJ LATEEF AFTER EMMETT WENT FOR TEN.

SO QUICK 20 YARDS ON THAT DRIVE.

AND LATEEF GET HIM ON THE MOVE.

THROWBACK TO THE WHEEL ROUTE OR WHIP WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.

AND OFF TO THE END ZONE FOR TOUCHDOWN FOR EMMETT.

>> THERE'S A GOOD SETUP.

(LAUGHING) >> 28-7.

I ALWAYS DO THAT.

>> BUT HE SETS IT UP TOO.

HE KIND OF ROLLS OUT OF THE POCKET TO THE OTHER SIDE TO KIND OF GIVE HIM SOME MORE TIMING.

BUT AGAIN, THAT LOVE THIS PLAY RIGHT HERE.

I'LL BREAK THIS DOWN AS WELL.

GETTING KEONA DAVIS COMING ON THE INSIDE AND AND DONOVAN JONES ON THE EDGE.

>> BY THE WAY THEY ADDED THAT WHEEL ROUTE SPECIFICALLY FOR TJ LATEEF.

SO IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT HIM LEARNING THE PLAYBOOK THIS WAS A PLAY NEBRASKA RIGHT.

HE GETS THIS STOP ON THIS DRIVE I THINK THE GAME'S OVER.

BUT THEY GET THE BIG PLAY ON.

JUST A SIMPLE SWING PASS.

TACKLE HAS TO BE MADE.

GUTHRIE'S GOT TO GET HIS POSITION THERE.

HE DOESN'T GET OVER IN TIME AND THEY GIVE UP THE SCORE.

SO THAT MAKES IT 28-14.

BACK AGAIN COMING OUT OF THE BACK.

THIS IS JUST MEAN.

WHAT HE DID TO THAT YOUNG MAN.

I JUST FEEL BAD FOR YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY IN HIS IN HIS FAMILY GROUP SENT HIM A TEXT.

>> YEAH.

HE AIN'T THE ONLY ONE.

HE'S GOING TO DO THAT.

>> IS GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT BARNEY ENDS UP HERE LOSING YARDS ON THAT THROW.

THAT'S ONE OF THE FEW THROWS THAT I THOUGHT WAS KIND OF NOT GREAT.

IN TERMS OF THE WAY HE TARGETED HIM.

THIS IS AN INTERESTING CHOICE HERE TO GO FOR THE FAKE FIELD GOAL WHERE THEY WERE ON THE FIELD.

EVERYBODY KNEW IT WAS COMING.

THEY LEFT THE STARTING DEFENSE OUT.

>> THEY CALLED TIMEOUT.

>> THEY CALLED.

THEY CALLED TIMEOUT.

NEBRASKA KNEW IT WAS COMING.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT DIDN'T MATTER BECAUSE HERE'S THE BATTED BALL.

THEY END UP EVEN THOUGH THEY CONVERT THE FAKE PUNT THEY END UP GETTING STOPPED.

SO THEY GET THE BALL AFTER GETTING PINNED DOWN THEY LOSE TWO YARDS.

SO NOW THEY GOT TO GO 98 YARDS ON THIS DRIVE.

AND THAT'S HOW THEY GOT STARTED.

>> YEAH.

AGAIN SIMILAR SHAVERS DOES A GREAT JOB THE PREVIOUS PLAY.

>> YEAH.

>> THAT'S GOT TO, AGAIN GET SUCKED UP INSIDE TOO EARLY.

GOT TO BOUNCE OUT THERE TO MAKE THAT PLAY.

>> I THINK HE DIDN'T SEE IT.

I DON'T THINK HE SAW WHERE IT WAS GOING.

>> HE HAS AS HE STRUGGLED SEEING THINGS A LITTLE BIT JUST ON THIS BACK HALF THE SEASON.

>> NICO ANOTHER ONE OF HIS RUNS, THAT ONE WAS ON SECOND AND THIS WAS ON SECOND AND 12 MAKING MOVES, MAKING THIS PLAY THAT WAS ONE WHERE IF IT WAS ANYBODY BUT JEUDY, I THINK HE ENDS UP GETTING HIM.

BUT JEUDY, THAT'S A BIG MAN TO RIGHT LIKE THAT.

>> THAT'S A TOUGH TASK.

>> THAT'S A TOUGH TASK FOR HIM.

FELT BAD FOR HIM A LITTLE BIT.

AND THIS IS A SACK.

THEY ACTUALLY WERE ILLEGAL FORMATION DECLINED THE PENALTY.

TAKE THE SACK.

ANOTHER ONE FROM NEBRASKA'S BLACKSHIRTS.

AND THEN HERE GOES NICO AGAIN MAKING IT PLAYS.

HAD A CHANCE TO MAYBE STOP HIM.

GETS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE TEN YARD LINE.

AND THEN THIS PLAY HERE YOU'VE GOT TO SEE THIS COMING, RIGHT?

>> YOU GOT TO PASS THIS OFF.

OKAY.

SO AGAIN YOU GOT TO GET OUTSIDE.

THIS IS MAN-TO-MAN COVERAGE STILL YOU CAN COMMUNICATE TO PASS IT OFF.

IF YOU'RE IN QUARTERS COVERAGE YOU GOT TO BE ABLE TO AGAIN COMMUNICATION WAS NOT THERE.

TWO OF THE SWING PASSES NEBRASKA GAVE UP BIG PLAY LONG.

>> YEP THAT MAKES IT 28-21.

BUT DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT FOUR MINUTE OFFENSE NEBRASKA LINES UP.

THEY GIVE THE BALL TO EMMETT.

THEY MAKE A NICE THROW ACROSS THE MIDDLE.

AND THEN THE KEY PLAY ON THIS.

ANOTHER ONE LITTLE WAGGLE ACTUALLY JUST NAKED THROWS IT OUT HERE A LITTLE LOW BUDGET CUTS BY A HUNTER FOR THE FIRST DOWN.

>> MAYBE ONE OF THE BEST FOUR MINUTE OFFENSES WE'VE SEEN NEBRASKA EXECUTED A LONG TIME.

>> IN A LONG, LONG TIME.

BUT WE DIDN'T SEE THE PLAY RIGHT BEFORE THIS, WHERE EMMETT RAN OUT, DECIDED NOT TO GO OUT OF BOUNDS TO THE TWO MINUTE.

BUT THAT'S VICTORY FORMATION.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE STATS.

IT WAS REALLY AN EVEN GAME FROM THE WHERE IT STARTED WITH NEBRASKA BEING UP 28-7.

YOU SEE THE YARDS ARE PRETTY EVEN.

TIME OF POSSESSION CAN'T BE ANY MORE EVEN THAN THAT.

RED ZONE EVERYTHING.

EVEN THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS.

BOTH TEAMS ARE REALLY GOOD AT IT AS WELL.

BUT NEBRASKA GETS THE WIN.

HERE'S A SURPRISE FOR YOU GUYS.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME EMMETT JOHNSON I KNOW IT'S A SURPRISE AGAIN FOR HIM TO GET THE AWARD.

100 YARDS RECEIVING 100 YARDS RUSHING.

FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA TO DO THAT.

AND IN THE DESHON SINGLETON GETS DEFENSIVE PLAYER.

HONORABLE MENTION TO KEONA DAVIS.

FOR HAVING THE BEST GAME OF HIS CAREER.

HE WAS VERY GOOD AS WELL.

AND NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT A COUPLE OF KEY PLAYS FROM THE WIN.

LET'S GO OVER TO MR.

MOORE FOR JAY'S PLAYS.

(SWOOSH) >> ALL RIGHT GUYS WELCOME IN TO JAY'S PLAYS TONIGHT.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE EMMETT JOHNSON SCREEN PASS.

SO WE HAD THE WILL ROUTE, BUT LET'S LOOK AT THE SCREEN PASS FIRST NEBRASKA DOES A GOOD JOB.

THE BALL'S INTO THE BOUNDARY RIGHT.

THEY'RE GOING TO SWING EMMETT THIS WAY IN THE SECOND LEVEL.

THE LINEMEN ARE DOING A GREAT JOB GETTING SECOND LEVEL UP HERE.

AND HUNTER RIGHT HERE IS GOING TO DO A FANTASTIC JOB OF BLOCKING ON THE LINEBACKERS.

WELL WE'LL SEE IT A COUPLE DIFFERENT TIMES.

BUT LET'S GO AHEAD AND RUN THIS.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE EXECUTION RIGHT HERE.

THE TIMING OF IT.

NEBRASKA'S TIMING ON THE SCREEN HAS BEEN GAME HAS BEEN MUCH IMPROVED A REALLY, REALLY GOOD ALL YEAR.

YOU SEE THE LINEMEN GET ALL THE WAY DOWNFIELD EVANS, SPINDLER THOSE INTERIOR GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB TO CLEAR THAT WAY.

AND EMMETT AGAIN MOVING HIS WAY UP THE NATIONAL WATCH LIST OF ALL THESE AWARDS.

BUT LOOK AT HUNTER RIGHT HERE.

BOOM COMES OUT ON SIX.

HE SEES IT.

HE'S ABLE TO GET OFF SIX.

DOES A GOOD JOB OF GETTING OFF.

BUT WE GO AHEAD AND RUN IT AGAIN GUYS.

AND NOW WATCH THIS JUST ON HIM RIGHT THEN BOOM.

SECOND TIME AGAIN BAM I DON'T KNOW IF HE'D MADE THE PLAY BUT HE'S GONNA BE DARN CLOSE.

FANTASTIC JOB BY NYZIAH HUNTER.

RHULE SAID THE WIDE RECEIVERS DID A GREAT JOB.

THEY'RE NOT BLOCKING.

THEY'RE HUNTING FOR GUYS.

NOW I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.

SO SECOND PLAY.

I LOVE THIS TYPE OF ACTION.

WE CAN KIND OF GET A LITTLE ON THE NITTY GRITTY WITH THE DEFENSIVE LINE.

SO WE'RE IN A 4-I TECHNIQUE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT 4-I.

INSIDE SHADE OF THE TACKLE RIGHT HERE KEONA DAVIS IS GOING TO GO FROM B GAP.

THIS IS B RIGHT HERE.

AND HE'S GOING TO SLIDE DOWN AND TRY TO GET TO THE A AND CONDENSE THIS THING.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE JONES, DONOVAN JONES COME OFF THE EDGE.

AND HE'S GOING TO TAKE 21 AND PUSH HIM RIGHT BACK TO THE QUARTERBACK.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET TO NICO ON THIS PLAY.

SO WE'RE GOING TO RUN IT.

WATCH BOOM.

NOT QUITE BECAUSE A GAP SLIDES DOWN DOES HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING THERE BUT AGAIN SHORTENS THE CORNER FOR DONOVAN JONES.

COME HERE.

HE DOES A GOOD JOB OF USING HIS LEFT HAND TO RIP UP THROUGH THAT 71 ON THE BLOCK.

AND DOES A REALLY, REALLY GOOD JOB ON FINISHING ON A REALLY ATHLETIC QUARTERBACK TO MAKE THIS PLAY AND GET ONE OF THE SACKS OF NIGHT FOR THE HUSKERS.

>> NEXT UP, WE'LL BE JOINED BY A FORMER NEBRASKA DEFENSIVE LINEMAN TURNED NFL TIGHT END ZACH POTTER.

AS WE GO TO BREAK IS MORE SHOTS FROM HURRDAT SPORTS.

BACK IN TWO.

(BAND MUSIC) >> ALL RIGHT.

TIME FOR TOP PLAYS.

THIS IS AN EMMETT HIGHLIGHT REEL IS WHAT IT IS.

EMMETT JOHNSON FIRST THE SCREEN THAT JAY DID A GREAT JOB OF BREAKING DOWN.

I JUST LOVE HOW SPINDLER JUST KEEPS GOING.

AND EVANS TOO.

THEY'RE BOTH DOWN THERE.

THEY JUST KEEP TRYING TO GET A PIECE OF SOMEBODY, WHICH IS AWESOME.

HE GOES FOR THAT LONG ONE, WHICH HELPED HIM GET TO THE 100 YARDS RECEIVING, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE THAT HELPED HIM KIND OF FADE BACK THIS DIRECTION, THROW THE WHEEL ROUTE DOWN EMMETT JOHNSON AGAIN AND HE GOES PAST THE DEFENDER, SHOWING MORE SPEED I THINK, THAN WE'VE SEEN OF HIM BEFORE THIS.

AND THEN TJ LATEEF'S FIRST TOUCHDOWN PASS AS A STARTER.

THIS IS JUST A DIME.

THIS IS A DIME.

IT'S A GREAT THROW.

GREAT JOB BY BARNEY, RUN THE ROUTE AS WELL.

BUT THIS IS A THROW THAT YOU SEE EVERY WEEK IN THE NFL.

IT'S A LITTLE WOBBLY BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER.

LIKE PEYTON MANNING SAID IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT MOVES AS LONG AS IT GETS THERE AND A GUY CATCHES IT, THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS.

ALL RIGHT, TRIVIA QUESTION NOW IN 1972, BOB DEVANEY'S LAST SEASON, UCLA UPSET NEBRASKA'S NUMBER ONE TEAM.

HOW MANY GAME WINNING STREAK THAT ENDED AND WHAT WAS THE SCORE OF THE GAME?

THE ANSWER WAS 32 STRAIGHT GAMES WITHOUT A LOSS AND THE SCORE WAS 20-17.

DUSTIN PULS WAS OUR WINNER.

HE WINS A COPY OF OUR VERY OWN, SEAN CALLAHAN'S NEW BOOK ABOUT THE HUSKERS, THE PROGRAM NEBRASKA'S CURATED HISTORY OF THE CORNHUSKERS.

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

AND HERE IS THE QUESTION FOR THIS WEEK.

EMMETT JOHNSON'S OVER 1000 YARDS THIS SEASON.

THIS IS AN EASY ONE.

WHO HOLDS THE SINGLE SEASON RECORD, HUSKER RECORD AND HOW MANY YARDS DID HE RUSH FOR AND WHAT SEASON DID HE DO IT?

WE ALL KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT ONE.

>> WE DO?

DO WE?

>> YEAH, WE KNOW THAT ONE.

WE BETTER.

YES.

FOR SURE.

YOU BETTER KNOW THAT ONE.

HUSKER HISTORY FLASHES BACK TO ONE OF THE BEST RUNNING BACKS EVER FOR NEBRASKA.

WE SALUTE AMEER ABDULLAH, WHO RUSHED FOR ALMOST 4600 YARDS IN HIS CAREER, SCORED 39 RUSHING TDS AND HAD THREE STRAIGHT THOUSAND YARD SEASONS FROM 2012 TO 2014 AND GOING OVER 1600 YARDS IN '13 AND '14.

THIS JUST IN, PRETTY GOOD RUNNING BACK AND STILL PLAYING IN THE NFL RIGHT NOW.

HAD A NICE KICKOFF RETURN FOR THE COLTS LAST WEEK.

LET'S WELCOME IN FORMER NEBRASKA DEFENSIVE LINEMAN AND JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS TIGHT END ZACH POTTER.

HOW ARE YOU DOING, MAN?

>> I'M DOING GREAT.

I LEFT OUT AND OMAHA I MADE ALMOST A JOKE.

CREIGHTON PREP BASKETBALL PLAYER.

CREIGHTON PREP BASKETBALL PLAYER TOO.

I WANT EVERY TO GIVE YOU.

>> ESSENTIAL IN THERE I MEAN >> I KNOW THAT'S MY FAULT.

>> GREAT RIVALRIES THOUGH.

>> MY KIDS GO TO SCHOOL MAN.

IT'S STUCK IN MY HEAD.

BUT YOU ARE A VERY GOOD BASKETBALL PLAYER AND.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THE QUESTION I'D ASK FROM MY, THE GUY WHO CUT MY HAIR, WHO USED TO CUT SEAN'S HAIR A LONG TIME AGO.

ASKED ME, HOW MANY BLOCK PUNTS OR BLOCKED, KICKOFF KICKS OR EXTRA POINTS DID YOU HAVE IN YOUR CAREER?

>> I WANT TO SAY 5 OR 6, MAYBE SEVEN.

>> IS THAT A RECORD?

>> I THINK AT ONE TIME IT WAS A RECORD.

MY FRESHMAN YEAR, I THINK WE BLOCKED THAT MANY.

>> YOU AND BARRY TURNER, RIGHT?

>> BARRY TURNER, ADAM ICKES, RIGONI ALL THOSE GUYS BACK IN 2005.

>> WOW.

>> YEAH.

IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY TIMES THAT GETS BROUGHT UP NOW.

AND IT'S COOL THAT IT'S STILL RELEVANT.

20 YEARS LATER.

BASICALLY.

>> YEAH.

I KNOW.

>> JOHN, YOU GOT YOUR ANSWER.

>> WELL THAT '05 SEASON YOU PLAYED AS A TRUE FRESHMAN, BUT REALLY YOU JUST BLOCKED THE FIELD GOALS.

THAT'S ALL YOU DID.

>> THAT'S ALL I DID.

>> THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

>> THERE'S A LOT OF TALK OF LIKE DID WE WASTE THE REDSHIRT.

AND I ALWAYS GO BACK AND SAY I BLOCKED SOME KICKS.

WE HAD SOME HANDS AND SOME WINS LITERALLY.

>> IT COST YOU THE '09 SEASON.

>> IT DID.

YEAH IT DID.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ALOT OF FUN.

>> ALOT OF THE FOOTBALL GAMES.

>> I STILL GOT TO WHERE I WANT TO BE.

>> RIGHT, BUT THEY'LL BE SAYING THAT.

SO YOU GOT IMPLEMENTED.

YOU GOT SOME EXPERIENCE EARLY BUT WHEN DID YOU FINALLY FEEL LIKE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE ON THE D-LINE TOGETHER, YOU PLAYED BEHIND ADAM CARRIKER, A FANTASTIC PLAYER.

GOT TO LEARN FROM HIM.

WHAT DID YOU FEEL LIKE YOU FINALLY FULLY GRASP AND GOT COMFORTABLE PLAYING THAT DEFENSIVE END MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, BECAUSE NEBRASKA'S GOT A LOT OF YOUNG DEFENSIVE LINEMEN, NWANERI, KEONA DAVIS.

THEY'RE STARTING TO FLOURISH A LITTLE MORE.

WHEN DO YOU KIND OF FEEL LIKE YOU HIT YOUR STRIDE?

>> I MEAN, TRUTHFULLY.

WAS PROBABLY WHEN YOU AND ADAM LEFT AND I GOT THE CHANCE TO PLAY.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I WAS THE, YOU KNOW, WAY THE FOURTH DEFENSIVE END.

RIGHT?

BARRY WOULD COME IN AND GET YOU SOME REST AS A FRESHMAN, SOPHOMORE.

I DIDN'T PLAY THAT MUCH BEHIND ADAM AS A FRESHMAN.

NOT EVEN THAT MUCH MORE AS A SOPHOMORE, REALLY.

BECAUSE, I MEAN, ADAM WAS I MEAN, THAT'S HOW GOOD ADAM WAS.

I MEAN, HE WAS LIKE 13TH OVERALL DRAFT PICK.

SO, YOU KNOW, REALLY, I THINK THAT GOING INTO MY JUNIOR YEAR, THAT SPRING GAME, WHEN I KIND OF KNEW IT WAS MY TIME AND, YOU KNOW, THEN YOU GO OUT FOR THE 2007 SEASON, YOU KNOW, MY JUNIOR YEAR, EARLY IN THE SEASON, WE WERE AT USC, YOU KNOW, ALL THE HYPE OUT THERE AND, YOU KNOW, THE GAME WASN'T THE BEST, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN YOU FINALLY GOT OUT THERE TO GO PLAY IS WHEN YOU FINALLY TRUSTED EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAD EXPERIENCED IN PRACTICE AND LEARNED EVERYTHING.

BUT, I MEAN, THERE WAS PLENTY TIMES FRESHMAN, SOPHOMORE YEAR, IF MY NUMBER WOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED, I THINK MORE AND GOTTEN MORE GAME ACTION.

YOU KNOW, I PROBABLY WOULD BECOME MORE COMFORTABLE.

BUT I STILL DON'T LOOK BACK AND SAY, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A WASTED REDSHIRT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

IT WAS SUCH A GREAT TIME TO PLAY WITH YOU, WITH ADAM, SO MANY OF THOSE OTHER GUYS AND THE DEFENSIVE LINE BACK IN 2005, AND THEN TO SEE WHERE THE CAREER WENT WAS, I'M COMPLETELY AT PEACE WITH IT.

>> YEAH.

>> ZACH, WITH THE NIL ELEMENT.

NOW, HOW MUCH PRESSURE IS ON YOUNG GUYS TO COME IN AND KIND OF MEET THE DEMAND RIGHT AWAY, KNOWING HOW MUCH MONEY IS AT STAKE OR SOME OF THESE GUYS AND THAT YOU COULD POSSIBLY LOSE YOUR SPOT.

>> I MEAN, IT'S NFL FREE AGENCY NOW, RIGHT?

AND YOU'RE GETTING PAID.

SO THAT'S THE ARGUMENT IS HOW MUCH PRESSURE DO YOU PUT ON THESE FRESHMEN THAT NOW ARE GETTING, YOU KNOW, SIX FIGURE, SEVEN FIGURES TO COME IN THE EXPECTATION OF US THAT MUCH HIGHER ALL OF A SUDDEN.

AND, YOU KNOW, NATURALLY YOU GOT TO LIVE UP TO THE HYPE AND STILL GO TO CLASS AT SOME POINT TOO, AND UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A STUDENT ATHLETE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S TRAINING MORE JUST ATHLETE WITH EVERYTHING THE WAY THAT THIS IS GOING.

AND SO THE PRESSURE THAT YOU'RE GETTING PAID IN, GETTING YOU KNOW, BACK IN OUR DAY, WE HAD PRESSURE ON US, BUT WE DIDN'T.

WE'D HAVE A PRICE TAG ON US LIKE THESE GUYS ARE NOW.

AND SO YOU HAVE TO COME IN AND PERFORM SO MUCH QUICKER.

BUT YOU KNOW, IT TAKES TIME.

YOU WATCHING IT HIGHLIGHT EMMETT JOHNSON SEEING HOW FAST, FASTER HE LOOKS.

HE'S HAVING A GREAT YEAR.

SO HE'S GETTING STRONGER AS THE SEASON GOES ON BECAUSE HE'S GETTING ALL THESE REPS.

HE'S SEEING THINGS THAT HE MAY NOT HAVE SEEN EARLY IN HIS CAREER OR EVEN EARLY THIS SEASON.

AND SO YOU TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE YOUNGER GUYS THAT ARE FINALLY GETTING A CHANCE TO PLAY AND GETTING TOWARD THE LATER IN THE SEASON.

THEY'RE GETTING STRONGER AS THE SEASON'S GOING ON.

A, BECAUSE THEY'RE PLAYING, BUT B, YOU'RE HAVING SUCCESS AND SO YOU WANT TO PLAY THAT MUCH HARDER, THAT MUCH.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE 7-3, RIGHT?

OR I MEAN >> YEP.

IT'S 7-3.

>> IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BETTER THAN WE'VE HAD FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW.

AND SO THESE GUYS ARE EXCITED.

THEY WANT TO KEEP PLAYING.

AND THEY STILL I GO BACK TO WE MADE A BOWL GAME LAST YEAR.

THOSE BOWL PRACTICES ARE WHAT MADE NEBRASKA SO GOOD FOR SO LONG, BECAUSE YOU HAD 2 OR 3 WEEKS OF PRACTICE TO DEVELOP YOUNGER PLAYERS AND GIVE SOME OF THE OLDER GUYS SOME DIFFERENT LOOKS AND SOME BREAKS, TOO.

AND SO WE HAD THAT LAST YEAR WITH THE NEW YORK BOWL.

AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IT AGAIN THIS YEAR, WHICH SHOULD BODE WELL.

>> WE ALL KNOW THAT COACHING MATTERS, RIGHT.

OBVIOUSLY MIKE EKELER COMES IN HERE IN THE SPECIAL TEAMS.

PLAYS A LOT BETTER.

GO FROM '07 '08 IN YOUR CAREER BRINGING IN BO POLINI IN HIS SYSTEM.

WHAT WAS THE BIG DIFFERENCE THAT MADE YOU GUYS GO FROM WHAT YOU WERE IN '07 TO WHAT YOU WERE IN '08, ESPECIALLY BY THE END OF THE YEAR?

>> YEAH, I THINK I GOT TO CREDIT BO AND CARL.

I THINK THEY HAD SO MUCH OF AN IMPACT ON THE DEFENSE.

YOU KNOW, SEAN WATSON, WAS A HOLDOVER FROM CALLAHAN'S STAFF, AND IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A BELIEF, RIGHT?

YOU KNOW, BO HAD BEEN AT NEBRASKA A COUPLE TIMES BEFORE, AND SO HE RECOGNIZED WHO SOME OF US WERE LIKE, HE RECRUITED ME AT ONE POINT WHEN HE WAS AT NEBRASKA.

AND SO YOU HAD THAT FAMILIARITY WITH HIM AS HE CAME BACK IN 2008 FOR THAT SEASON.

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK KNOW, I GOT TO GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO LIKE, A GUY LIKE JOE GANZ, RIGHT?

HE WAS A GUY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT GETTING BETTER AND LEARNING.

HE SAT, YOU KNOW, TOO LONG, YOU KNOW, HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN OUR QUARTERBACK IN 2007, CAME OUT IN 2008 AND DID WHAT HE DID.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK OUR SENIOR CLASS THAT YEAR HAD BEEN TOGETHER A LOT AND BEEN THROUGH A LOT.

SOME OF THOSE FIFTH YEAR SENIORS HAVE BEEN THROUGH TWO COACHING CHANGES.

AND SO WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT.

AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT STACKED UP REALLY WELL THERE AND ENDED UP MAKE IT DOWN TO THE GATOR BOWL AND, BUT I GOT TO GO BACK TO IT WAS BO AND CARL AND JUST THE, THE PHILOSOPHIES AND THE INTENSITY THAT THEY BROUGHT TO THE DEFENSE.

>> YEAH, THAT WAS JOEY GANZ.

>> YEAH, THAT WAS JOEY.

>> JOEY, JOEY G.

>> RIGHT.

>> BUT, HEY, THEY THEY ALSO, GOT NUMBER 93 TO PLAY ON A WHOLE NOTHER LEVEL THAT.

>> THAT IS SOMETHING.

>> THAT HELPED.

>> YEAH, HE DID UP IT UP.

>> WELL, WE ALL LOVE SUH, RIGHT?

HE WAS A DIFFERENT PLAYER AS SOON AS BO AND CARL GOT.

>> EXACTLY.

>> AND I THINK YOU TALKED TO HIM TODAY, HE WOULD TELL YOU THE EXACT SAME THING.

YOU KNOW, HIS FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS, HE WAS FINE.

DON'T GET ME WRONG.

HE WAS GOOD.

HE WAS STRONG, PHYSICAL PLAYER.

BUT YOU FOUND A WAY TO GO UP ANOTHER NOTCH IN 2008.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY IN 2009, LIKE YOU MENTIONED.

>> HE ALMOST LEFT, RIGHT?

I MEAN, THERE WAS HE WAS GOING TO LEAVE, TO TRANSFER OUT.

AND THEY'RE LIKE, LOOK, LOOK WHAT I DID FOR DORSEY AT LSU.

I CAN MAKE YOU THAT TOO.

>> AND I THINK THAT WAS THAT WAS A PERFECT EXAMPLE BECAUSE DORSEY WAS RIGHT BEFORE HIM WHEN BO WAS IN LSU AND THEN HE CAME HERE.

>> WELL, BARNEY COTTON TELL ME THE STORY THAT SUH HAD THAT ACL SURGERY AND HE CAME BACK OFF THAT FOR '08 AS QUICK AS YOU POSSIBLY COULD.

I MEAN.

I'M REALLY SURE >> DIDN'T KNOW HE HAD IT.

>> HE REALLY SHOULDN'T HAVE PROBABLY PLAYED IN THE '08 SEASON, LET ALONE THE LEVEL WE SAW BY CLEMSON.

>> YEAH, IT WAS ALSO JUST A A COMMITMENT LEVEL THAT SUH HAD FROM HIS REHAB PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE HE KNEW BECAUSE WITH BO WHAT DORSEY HAD DONE AND HE HAD THIS HE HAD THIS TRAJECTORY OF LIKE, THIS IS WHAT I CAN DO EVEN WITH THE ACL.

AND THERE'S SOME WOULD SAY HE CAME BACK STRONGER BECAUSE THE ACL, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE GUYS WITH BASEBALL TOMMY JOHN, THEY HAVE IT.

THEY COME BACK THROWING STRONGER.

HE ALMOST CAME BACK STRONGER.

>> IT WAS >> WHICH IS SCARY.

>> YES IT WAS SCARY, BECAUSE HE WAS HE WAS DARN GOOD WHEN HE GOT HERE.

BUT HE'S MATURED A LITTLE MORE AND TOOK MORE PRIDE IN HOW HE OPERATED.

BUT YOU I MEAN I ALREADY TALKED ABOUT YOU STARTING ON SPECIAL TEAMS WHEN WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT MIKE EKELER RIGHT NOW AND WHAT HE'S DONE ON THE SPECIAL TEAMS AND TOTALLY FLIPPING THIS THING AND MAKING IT, AN ATTACK, THIS SPECIAL TEAMS ATTACKS INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME HE GOES OUT THERE LIKE, OH MY GOSH, WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?

>> WELL, I MEAN, WHEN EKELER CAME IN 2008 WITH BO AND THOSE GUYS, I MEAN, HE WAS ON A WHOLE NOTHER LEVEL.

I MEAN, AND THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT WAS, 17 YEARS AGO WHERE HE IS NOW AND HE'S STILL ON ANOTHER LEVEL TODAY.

AND SO JUST THINK WHAT IT WAS BACK THEN, THE INTENSITY HE BROUGHT IN, HE WAS, REALLY JUST THE LINEBACKER COACH.

THEN I THINK WAS CAME ON WAS BUSH.

NO, I CAN'T REMEMBER OUR SPECIAL TEAMS GUY RIGHT OFF THE BAT, BUT IT WAS NOT EKELER.

AND SO SEEING WHAT HE'S BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH HIS CAREER, IT HE'S HAD SEVERAL STOPS HERE.

BUT WHAT HE DID AT TENNESSEE LAST YEAR AND THEN WHAT HE'S DONE HERE, JUST FROM A, INTENSITY WITH THE PLAYERS OF SPECIAL TEAMS, BUT ALSO JUST WITH, THE PHILOSOPHIES AND THE SCHEMES THAT THEY'RE DOING AND JUST BEING SO MUCH MORE INTENT TO DO THIS AND DO THAT.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, JAY JUST BEING THE FACT THAT WE CAN SNAP THE BALL.

HOLD THE BALL AND KICKBALL LIKE SPECIAL TEAMS ARE VERY SIMPLE SOMETIMES.

BUT IT'S A THIRD OF THE GAME AND YOU GOT TO PLAY, COMPLEMENTARY FOOTBALL.

>> MOST PUNT RETURNS BARNEY IN THE BIG TEN, THIRD IN THE COUNTRY.

AND YOU GOT KENNETH WILLIAMS OUT OF PEOPLE WHO QUALIFY THE HIGHEST RETURN AVERAGE AND KICKOFFS FROM WHERE NEBRASKA WAS LAST YEAR AT 86 RANKED.

>> AND THEY'VE ONLY ALLOWED ONE PUNT RETURN YARD ON THE YEAR.

>> ON THE YEAR, YEAH.

WHICH STILL MAKES THEM THIRD IN THE COUNTRY BECAUSE OREGON'S LIKE ZERO.

AND SOMEBODY ELSE IS NEGATIVE ONE, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE.

BUT JUST EVERYTHING THEY'VE DONE RIGHT.

AND IT'S REALLY I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WHAT BO DID IN 2014 WHERE HE WAS TIRED OF BEING LAST AND HE SAID, LOOK, I'M TAKING OVER IT.

IF YOU CONCENTRATE ON IT, YOU PRACTICE IT.

YOU CAN JUST GET BETTER.

>> YOU SEE A LOT OF TIMES AT DIFFERENT LEVELS, WHETHER IT'S COLLEGE, NFL HEAD COACHES ARE IN, ARE IN THE SPECIAL TEAMS MEETINGS OR SOMETIMES ARE RUNNING IT BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS, WHETHER IT'S THE, YOU KNOW, TAKING THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR RUNNING A FAKE AT SOME POINT OR, HEY, WHEN DO WE WANT TO, KICK IT DEEP WHEN WE GO DO DIRECTIONAL KICKS, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY ALL THE DIFFERENT RULES WITH SPECIAL TEAMS AT BOTH LEVELS.

NOW, THE HAVING THE INVOLVEMENT OF A HEAD COACH AT THAT LEVEL, YOU NEED THAT BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A HUGE PART OF THE FOOTBALL GAME TODAY.

>> DOES IT MEAN MORE TO WHEN THE HEAD COACH IS IN THE ROOM?

>> I THINK.

OH YES, I MOST DEFINITELY.

>> LIKE SABAN OBVIOUSLY WAS IN THE SECONDARY ROOM THERE AT ALABAMA.

AND YOU KNOW, I GUESS IT'S GOTTA BE MORE.

>> IT'S SO EASY IN SPECIAL TEAMS TO KIND OF GLOSS OVER IT AND NOT TAKE IT SERIOUS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT A SEXY SPOT.

>> RIGHT.

>> YOU DON'T, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET PAID AND DO IT REALLY WELL AT THE NFL.

BUT SOME GUYS LIKE I CAN'T GET DRAFTED BY ONE OF THEIR ON KICKOFFS OR, YOU KNOW, OR BLOCKING ON PUNTS.

I MEAN, I WAS ON PUNT TEAM I ALL THREE YEARS AT NEBRASKA AND AND DID A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT SPECIAL TEAMS.

LISTEN, IT WASN'T FUN.

LIKE I ALWAYS SAID, YOU HAVE TO KIND OF EMBRACE THE SUCK.

>> YEP.

>> RIGHT.

IT'S TERRIBLE.

IT'S AWFUL.

>> BUT THAT'S WHERE YOU WITH THE HEAD COACHES SOMETIMES YOU DO PUT SOME STARTERS ON SPECIAL TEAMS, ESPECIALLY PUNT LIKE YOU WERE BECAUSE YOU WANT YOU WANT SOME DEFENSIVE GUYS ON PUNT TO BE ABLE TO RUN DOWN AND MAKE A TACKLE.

BUT IF YOU HAVE STARTERS INVOLVED, THEN YOU KNOW YOU IT TEACHES THE YOUNGER GUYS TO HAVE SAYING, HEY, THE STARTERS STILL PLAY ON SPECIAL TEAMS.

I NEED TO BE IN THERE.

BUT TO YOUR POINT, MIKE'L, IF THE HEAD COACH IS AT THE FRONT OF THE ROOM, EVERYONE'S PAYING A LITTLE BIT MORE ATTENTION.

>> ZACH, WE'VE HEARD THIS A LOT ABOUT THE MOBILE QUARTERBACKS AND THE DEFENSE GIVING THEM TROUBLE.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO STOP MOBILE QUARTERBACKS?

THAT'S NUMBER ONE.

>> GIVES EVERYBODY TROUBLE.

>> WITH THE FAN QUESTION YOU GET EVERY WEEK ON OUR SHOW.

>> RIGHT?

>> I KNOW I MEAN THE CASE THIS PAST WEEK WITH TJ BACK THERE AT QUARTERBACK, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT PROVED, YOU KNOW, HAVING A MOBILE QUARTERBACK, IT'S A DUAL THREAT.

HE CAN RUN, HE CAN PASS.

YOU KNOW, NOTHING AGAINST DYLAN, BUT DYLAN'S NOT THE ONE THAT'S OUT THERE RUNNING ALL OVER THE PLACE LIKE TJ WAS.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, HOLGORSEN, I THINK, CALLED A VERY GOOD GAME FOR TJ AFTER HAVING, YOU KNOW, ONE WEEK OF PRACTICE AND A HALF, YOU KNOW, THE GAME.

I'M ANXIOUS TO SEE WHAT WE GOT HIM FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OF THE BYE WEEK, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT DID HE DO SO WELL THIS WEEK WHICH WAS A LOT.

HOW CAN YOU GET BETTER AND NOT REALLY.

HOW CAN YOU GET BETTER?

HOW CAN YOU JUST KEEP DOING WHAT HE DID THIS PAST WEEK?

ANY TIME YOU HAVE A MOBILE QUARTERBACK, YOU GOT, YOU KNOW, AS A DEFENSIVE END, YOU GOT TO CONTAIN IF YOU'RE GOING INSIDE AND HE GETS THE EDGE ON YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU BETTER HOPE A LINEBACKER CORNERS THERE OR SAFETIES COMING DOWN TO HELP YOU.

BUT YOU GOT TO CONTAIN THAT QUARTERBACK IF THE QUARTERBACK'S NOT MOBILE, IT MAKES YOUR JOB AS A DEFENSE END A LITTLE BIT EASIER BECAUSE YOU CAN MAYBE TAKE A COUPLE MORE CHANCES BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE QUARTERBACK GOING OUTSIDE.

>> I KNOW YOU'RE A HUSKER FAN, BUT ARE YOU A JACKSONVILLE FAN IN THE PRO?

>> YOU DON'T GOT TO BRING THAT UP.

>> I'M JUST CURIOUS LIKE, IS THAT YOUR TEAM?

>> IT IS MY TEAM.

AND WE GAVE UP 26 POINTS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER.

WE'RE TAKING MY SON, BECKETT, DOWN TO JACKSONVILLE THIS WEEKEND FOR THE CHARGER GAME FOR HIS 10TH BIRTHDAY.

SO, IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF FUN.

I WAS HOPING WE WERE GOING TO GO IN ON A HIGH NOTE.

YOU KNOW, BEAT THE TEXANS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A SWEEP, I THINK IN ABOUT TEN YEARS BUT, HOPEFULLY WE GO DOWN AND GET THE CHARGERS.

>> WELL, YOU GUYS STILL HAVE THE PRETTIEST COLORS OF ANY TEAM IN THE LEAGUE.

>> PRETTY COLORS AND, YOU KNOW, SOME WOULD SAY THE PRETTIEST QUARTERBACK WITH HIS LONG HAIR.

>> THAT IS VERY TRUE.

>> THAT'S WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SAY.

>> ZACH, WE APPRECIATE IT, MAN.

THANK YOU.

WE COME BACK, WE'LL TALK SOME RECRUITING AND HEAR FROM COACH RHULE.

BACK AFTER THIS.

(BAND MUSIC) (SWOOSH) >> I PERSONALLY BELIEVE EMMETT JOHNSON SHOULD BE, IN NEW YORK FOR THE, I THINK IT SHOULD BE A HEISMAN CANDIDATE.

I THINK HE SHOULD BE A DOAK WALKER FINALIST.

IF NOT WINNER.

AND I THINK WHAT HE'S DOING IS, YOU KNOW, FANTASTIC.

I HOPE PEOPLE APPRECIATE SEEING HIM.

YOU KNOW, HE'S A FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN.

AND I WAS LAST PERSON WAS FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN WAS, SINCE 2011.

LAVONTE DAVID, WE CAN NOW GO GET ANYBODY WE WANT.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO KEEP OUR GUYS NOW, RIGHT?

LIKE, YOU KNOW, GUYS DON'T HAVE TO BE EMBARRASSED ABOUT.

HEY, COACH, YOU KNOW, I THINK I DO.

YOU KNOW, THESE PEOPLE ARE OFFERING ME THIS SO WE CAN OFFER THEM.

I THINK WE CAN NOW BE THE BEST OF THE BEST.

SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I WANT TO PUT THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE COUNTRY, IN THIS, IN THIS ROOM AND NOT WORRY ABOUT AND NOT WORRY ABOUT, NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, HEY, CAN I AFFORD TO DO IT NOW?

YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT STILL HAVE MORE THAN US, BUT WE WE GOT A LOT.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MORE COACHES LEAVE GOOD JOBS FOR OTHER JOBS BECAUSE THEY'RE CHASING WHAT WE HAVE HERE, RESOURCES AND ALIGNMENT.

AND SO, I WANT TO HAVE REALLY GOOD PLAYERS AND I WANT PLAYERS WHO OTHER PEOPLE ARE CALLING THEM, AND I WANT PLAYERS WHO WANT TO BE HERE BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THE BEST PLACES IN THE COUNTRY.

AND, YOU KNOW, I WANT MY ASSISTANT COACHES THAT PEOPLE BE CALLING MY ASSISTANT COACHES SAYING, HEY, WHY DON'T YOU COME HERE?

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

IT JUST MEANS YOU HAVE GOOD PEOPLE, RIGHT?

IT'S A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE.

I HOPE NEXT YEAR YOU GUYS ARE ASKING ME ABOUT.

HEY, WE HEARD YOUR NAME FOR THIS JOB.

IT MEANS I DID A GOOD JOB, SO IT'S JUST PART OF IT.

BUT THIS IS AN AMAZING PLACE.

AND PEOPLE SHOULD WANT TO BE HERE, LIKE.

LIKE WE WANT TO BE HERE.

>> I PERSONALLY LOVE THAT SWEATSHIRT.

I WOULDN'T MIND ONE OF THOSE.

SEAN CALLAHAN TO TALK MORE ABOUT RECRUITING.

SO WE HAVE NOT A LOT OF TIME LEFT IN THIS RECRUITING SEASON.

>> YEAH, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT SIGNING DAY WILL BE THE FIRST WEDNESDAY IN DECEMBER, SO ABOUT A MONTH OR LESS THAN A MONTH.

THIS WEEK WILL BE THE LAST TIME NEBRASKA'S COACHES WILL GO OUT ON THE ROAD, FOR A FEW DAYS.

SO YOU'LL SEE MATT RHULE GO OUT, AND GET A COUPLE DAYS ON THE ROAD.

>> PERFECTLY TIMED WITH THE BYE WEEK.

>> AND YEAH, WITH YOUR BYE WEEK.

SO THAT'S WHEN YOU GO OUT AND THEN AFTER THE BYE WEEK, YOU KNOW, IT'S DEAD.

SO YOU HAVE SIGNING DAY ON THAT DECEMBER 1ST WEDNESDAY AND THEN THERE ARE NO DAYS IN DECEMBER.

YOU CAN GO OUT THIS YEAR.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME EVER THAT YOU CAN'T HOST VISITORS OR GO OUT.

IT'S COMPLETELY DEAD, WHICH I THINK THE COACHES WILL ENJOY.

>> SURE, >> BECAUSE THEY CAN BE HOME AND ENJOY THEIR FAMILY FOR A LITTLE BIT IN DECEMBER AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.

AND THEN THE MADNESS WILL BEGIN ON JANUARY 2ND WHEN THE PORTAL OPENS.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT COMMITS AND JASE REYNOLDS.

>> YEAH, YOU'RE TALKING IN-STATE GUYS TONIGHT.

JASE REYNOLDS, THE ONLY IN-STATE COMMIT IN THE 2025 RECRUITING CLASS.

UNFORTUNATELY, ELKHORN NORTH GOT BEAT LAST WEEK IN THE QUARTERFINALS.

BUT, JASE, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN HIGH ON HIM.

OFFERED HIM, WELL, BEFORE HIS JUNIOR YEAR.

HE COMMITTED, WAS AN EARLY COMMIT.

AND I THINK YOU LOOK AT HOW YOU RECRUIT NOW.

THIS IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF A DEVELOPMENT GUY LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A BIG NIL GUY YOU BRING IN, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BRING HIM IN IN DEVELOPMENT IN OUR PROGRAM FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.

AND HOPEFULLY IT'S ANOTHER REX GUTHRIE OR ANOTHER GUY THAT'S GOING TO TURN INTO A PLAYER THAT YOU BELIEVED IN AND THEN TURNED INTO A GUY.

AND THEY FEEL LIKE HE FITS THAT INSIDE LINEBACKER ROLE VERY NICELY.

>> HE'LL BE BEHIND DAWSON MERRITT.

AND AS DAWSON MERRITT GETS BETTER, HE GETS BETTER.

AND HIGGINS IS COMING UP LET'S TALK ABOUT BRAYLEN WARREN.

>> YEAH AND THEN OUR INSIDE SPOTLIGHT TONIGHT IN THE CLASS OF 2027 FOUR STAR QUARTERBACK BRAYLEN WARREN SON OF FORMER HUSKER STEVE WARREN.

>> I KNEW HIM WHEN HE WAS THIS BIG.

>> BUT HE, YOU KNOW, HE'S HE'S GOT EVERY OFFER OUT THERE.

NEBRASKA'S ALREADY GOT TRAE TAYLOR.

HE'S GOT MISSOURI, IOWA, KANSAS STATE.

THOSE ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR TEAMS, I THINK, THAT ARE ON HIM THE HARDEST RIGHT NOW.

IT SEEMS LIKE MISSOURI, KANSAS STATE, IOWA, ARE THE YOU KNOW, KIRK FERENTZ WAS AT HIS GAME A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

HAS A BIG GAME, THOUGH.

FRIDAY NIGHT.

YOU'LL SEE HIM AND JETT THOMALLA AS MILLARD.

SOUTHWEST SIDE WILL SQUARE OFF.

AND WHAT MANY PEOPLE THINK IS THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE SEMIFINAL GAME.

>> THEY NEED ABOUT FOUR TURNOVERS FOR MILLER SOUTH.

THEY DEFINITELY NEED THAT.

HEY A LOT TO SEE.

OF COURSE IN TERMS OF SEEING RECRUITS COMING UP ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA BECAUSE NOVEMBER 24TH AND 25TH, WE'LL HAVE SIX OF THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES STARTING AT 10 A.M.

EACH DAY.

AND ALL THE ACTION AND AWARDS FOR YOU RIGHT HERE ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE BIG TEN STANDINGS.

AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE ALL KNOW INDIANA AT THE TOP.

OHIO STATE, OREGON, MICHIGAN, USC AND IOWA ALL RANKED.

AND THEN MINNESOTA, WHICH HAS A NEGATIVE POINT DIFFERENTIAL IN BIG TEN PLAY BUT IS SITTING THERE AT 6-3.

NEBRASKA AND ILLINOIS WITH THE NEXT PAGE, OF COURSE, GOING ALL THE WAY THROUGH WASHINGTON.

WHO'S REALLY BAD AT HOME AGAIN?

I MEAN, ON THE ROAD.

EXCUSE ME.

NORTHWESTERN, UCLA, RUTGERS, MARYLAND.

THERE'S WISCONSIN FINALLY GETTING A WIN?

AND THEN YOU SAID PENN STATE, MICHIGAN STATE AND PURDUE WITHOUT ANY WINS IN BIG TEN, PLAYS A COUPLE OF BIG TEN TEAMS LOOKING TO STAY IN THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHASE.

THIS IS ELIMINATION GAME.

USC NEEDS A WIN.

IOWA'S GOT TO GO OUT TO THE WEST.

2:30 ON BTN.

MICHIGAN LOOKING TO MOVE UP IN THE RANKINGS AS THEY HEAD TO WRIGLEY FIELD TO TAKE ON NORTHWESTERN.

AND THEN AT 2:30 YOU'VE GOT SPARTY AND PENN STATE.

LIKE WE SAID, BOTH LOOKING FOR THEIR FIRST WIN IN BIG TEN PLAY.

IS THE BIG TEN IN THE STANDINGS.

CURRENT STANDINGS OHIO STATE STILL AT NUMBER ONE AND INDIANA AT TWO.

THERE WAS TALK MAYBE A&M IT WOULD JUMP UP TO NUMBER TWO.

OREGON AT EIGHT.

USC AT 17.

18 IS MICHIGAN.

AT 21 IS IOWA.

THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN TO THE BIG TEN IS FOR MICHIGAN TO BEAT OHIO STATE.

AND THEY COULD GET FOUR TEAMS IN AN OHIO STATE WOULDN'T HAVE TO PLAY IN THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, AND THEY GET SOME REST.

THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW.

YOU SEE OHIO STATE, INDIANA, TEXAS A&M AND ALABAMA IS YOUR TOP FOUR SEEDS IN THE BRACKET.

LET'S LOOK AT THE SIDELINE SURVEY.

WHAT BOWL DO YOU WANT TO SEE NEBRASKA GO TO RIGHT NOW.

STILL 45% OF PEOPLE SAY ORLANDO FLORIDA ONLY 16% SAY TAMPA.

I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO TAMPA.

THAT WOULD BE NICE.

AND MUSIC CITY WOULD BE PERFECT.

AS YOU MENTIONED, IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO HANG OUT.

BROADWAY'S AWESOME.

25% TALKING ABOUT THAT.

AND YOU WOULD LIKE WHICH ONE?

>> I MEAN, I'M A HUGE FAN OF NASHVILLE, SO THAT'S SIGN ME UP FOR ME.

YOU CAN'T BE BROADWAY AND BE ABLE TO WALK RIGHT ACROSS TO THE.

>> NOT IS NOT AS WARM, THOUGH NOT AS WARM AS GOING TO ORLANDO OR TAMPA.

>> IT'S STILL FINE.

>> SOME PEOPLE.

LIKE TO GO.

>> IT'S NOT.

AS YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A TON OF DIRECT FLIGHTS OUT OF AT OMAHA, BUT I KNOW YOU CAN GET DIRECT FLIGHTS IN NASHVILLE TO KANSAS CITY.

BUT LISTEN.

I MEAN, >> OMAHA'S GOT ONE.

>> THEY GOT ONE.

I KNOW THE THE DATES OF THEM.

>> DRIVE'S NOT THAT BAD.

I'VE DRIVEN TO NASHVILLE.

>> I'VE DRIVEN, I'VE DONE A COUPLE TIMES.

I WAS AT THE TITANS.

I MADE THAT DRIVE A FEW TIMES.

IT'S ABOUT TEN HOURS.

>> ABOUT TEN HOURS.

>> IT'S A HAUL.

>> YOU CAN GO THROUGH ST.

LOUIS.

STOP GET SOMETHING TO EAT.

JUMP BACK IN THE CAR.

ANOTHER TWO AND A HALF HOURS AND YOU'RE THERE.

>> I THINK NEBRASKA HASN'T BEEN A WE'VE BEEN TO SOME CITRUS BOWLS THOSE FIRST FEW YEARS WITH BO.

>> TWO IN A ROW AND THEN WAY BACK IN THE DAY WITH GEORGIA TECH.

>> BUT TAMPA, MY FAMILY IN TAMPA, THAT'D BE COOL TO SEE THEM DOWN THERE.

NEVER PLAYED IN THE BUCCANEER STADIUM WHERE THAT BOWL GAME IS.

THAT'D BE COOL.

I MEAN, IT CAN'T BE BECAUSE VEGAS IS ON NEW YEAR'S EVE TOO AS WELL.

>> YEAH.

>> SO THAT WOULD BE THE TIMING OF THAT ONE IS GREAT.

I THINK THEY'RE IT'S AN A WIN, WIN SITUATION FOR ALL OF THEM.

BUT I TELL YOU WHAT WOULD BE FUN TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THOSE FLORIDA BOWLS.

THAT MEANS THEY GOT ANOTHER 1 OR 2 MORE WINS TO FINISH OFF THE YEAR.

>> THE WAY VEGAS IS STRUGGLING, GETTING TOURISTS AND THEY'D LIKE THAT.

THEY'D LIKE TO GET SOME NEBRASKA PEOPLE IN.

>> YEAH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT NEW YEAR'S EVE ON VEGAS WOULD BE LIKE.

I'M SURE IT'S ALREADY CRAZY >> IT IS.

>> DOWN THERE.

BUT YEAH, WITH NEBRASKA FANS ON THE WEST COAST, WE KNOW HUSKER FANS LOVE THE WEST COAST.

I MEAN, SO WE'VE SEEN IT EVERY TIME THEY'VE GONE OUT THERE.

THERE WOULD BE 25, 30,000 NEBRASKA FANS IN VEGAS, AND I THINK TAMPA WOULD BE THE SAME.

>> YEAH.

>> AS WOULD ORLANDO.

EMAIL, ASK THE QUESTION.

EJ DECIDES TO GO TO THE NFL.

WHAT TRANSFER PORTAL TARGET WOULD BE MOST LIKELY REPLACEMENT.

THIS GUY SAID, OH, THIS IS EXCUSE ME, TRINITY FROM AURORA.

SHE IS OUR BIGGEST FEMALE FAN.

SHE SAYS SHE LIKES DYLAN EDWARDS, WHO OF COURSE LEFT COLORADO AND SHE WANTS SOMEBODY ELSE TO COME IN WHO IS SIMILAR TO WHAT EJ IS.

ANY THOUGHTS ON?

>> YEAH, I JUST THINGS WENT PRETTY SOUTH AT KANSAS STATE WITH DYLAN EDWARDS AFTER HE FUMBLED THAT BALL AGAINST, IN IRELAND.

I MEAN HE KIND OF TAPPED OUT THERE.

HE JUST HE GOT HURT OR WHATEVER THE DEAL WAS.

>> HE HURT HIS ANKLE.

>> BUT BEHIND THE SCENES I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A GOOD DEAL.

AND I'M NOT SURE YOU KNOW THIS THIS STAFF HAD RECRUITED HIM.

THEY HAD BEEN AROUND AND I JUST DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD WORK OUT HERE.

DYLAN EDWARDS I JUST I'LL BE INTERESTED WHERE HE GOES.

BUT IF HE'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO PLAY AT KANSAS STATE, I JUST DON'T SEE IT WORKING OUT HERE.

>> YEAH, JANET ASKED THE QUESTION.

AND I KNOW YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS.

WHY DID DYLAN GO ALL THE WAY TO NEW YORK FOR SURGERY?

YOU'VE HAD YOUR SHARE OF SURGERIES.

WHY DO YOU THINK YOU WENT OUT?

>> WELL, IT JUST DEPENDS ON CERTAIN DOCTORS ARE VERY SKILLED AT HANDLING CERTAIN BODY PARTS.

IT'S FUNNY, I WAS JUST DOWN IN BIRMINGHAM THIS LAST WEEKEND AND I DIDN'T PLAY GOLF WITH THE GENTLEMAN, BUT I MET HIM AT A BIRMINGHAM.

HE GOES, HE GETS NFL PLAYERS.

HE DID WHAT?

>> DR.

ANDREWS.

>> HE WORKS WITH DR.

ANDREWS.

>> OH OKAY.

>> BUT HE GOES HE'LL SORRY GUYS.

I'LL BE ON THE PHONE A LOT SUNDAYS WHEN I GET A CALL FROM A LOT OF NFL TEAMS SCHEDULING SURGERIES.

>> I BET >> SO PEOPLE WILL GO ANYWHERE TO GET ACCESS TO THE BEST DOCTORS, THE MOST, UP-TO-DATE, TECHNOLOGY.

AND THEY TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR EVERYBODY'S, INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.

>> YEAH, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THERE WAS A FAMILY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DOCTOR.

THE PROCEDURE DYLAN HAD WAS A VERY BASIC SURGERY.

I HAD A LOT OF DOCTORS, SAY, WHAT DO YOU GOT DONE?

IS NOT SOMETHING THAT NORMALLY YOU WOULD TRAVEL FOR.

BUT THERE WAS A RELATIONSHIP, I THINK, WITH THIS DOCTOR THAT LED THEM OUT THERE.

BECAUSE IT WAS NOT SOMETHING LIKE SIGNIFICANT BY ANY MEANS.

>> IT'S BAD ENOUGH WE HAD TO HAVE SURGERY THAT NORMALLY WHEN YOU BREAK THE FIBULA, YOU DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE SURGERY.

THEY DID PUT SOME HARDWARE IN THERE TO BE ABLE TO HELP REPAIR IT, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT WAS A COMPOUND.

BUT, LET'S TALK ABOUT, WHY DO YOU THINK MAYBE SEAN, YOU'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE, WHY ARE THE OC IN THE DC ON THE SIDELINE?

THIS CALLER WANTS TO KNOW WHY AREN'T THEY IN THE BOX?

>> THAT'S A PREFERENCE THING.

I THINK THERE ARE JUST SOME COACHES THAT OPERATE BETTER IN THE BOOTH, AND SOME COACHES OPERATE BETTER ON THE SIDELINES.

AND, I JUST THINK IT DEPENDS ON YOUR DNA.

DANA HOLGORSEN BEING A HEAD COACH FOR ALL THOSE YEARS.

>> YES.

>> I'M SURE HE LIKES TO BE DOWN ON THE SIDELINE.

HE CALLED PLAYS ON THE SIDELINE AS A HEAD COACH.

JOHN BUTLER, I'M SURE WHEN HE WAS IN BUFFALO MUST HAVE BEEN DOWN BELOW AND PREFERS THAT SPOT AS WELL.

>> YEAH.

I REMEMBER THE FORMER COLORADO COACH WHO TURNED, MEDIA PERSON SAID HE WENT UP TO THE CALL GAMES AND HE WAS LIKE, WHY AM WHY WASN'T I UP HERE ALL THE TIME?

I COULD, BARNETT.

>> NARDUZZI WOULD CALL ONE HALF FROM THE BOOTH.

>> YEAH.

>> THEN HE WOULD MOVE DOWN AS A DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR, CALL THE SECOND HALF FROM THE SIDELINE.

>> OH, WOW.

>> HE WOULD DO IT SO HE COULD GET A FEEL FOR THE GAME UP HIGH IN THE SECOND HALF HE MOVED DOWN.

>> THAT'S GREAT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT SPIES AND WHY NEBRASKA COULDN'T USE ONE OR DO THEY TRY TO USE ONE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?

>> I GO BACK AND FORTH.

PEOPLE ASK ME THIS A LOT.

I JUST YOU KIND OF YOU GET CAUGHT UP AND YOU, YOU KIND OF ELIMINATE A GUY IN COVERAGE AND CERTAIN THINGS.

SO I JUST AND YOU JUST GET HIM.

SO FOCUS ON THAT ONE ROLE.

I THINK HE KIND OF LOSES VISION AND A FEEL FOR THE REST OF HOW HIS TEN OTHER TEAMMATES ARE OPERATING AROUND HIM.

I GET IT, BUT I JUST DON'T THINK NEBRASKA IS IN A SITUATION TO, LISTEN TO.

NEBRASKA NEEDS TO GET MORE ATHLETIC DEFENSIVELY AND THEN THEY WILL.

BUT I JUST DON'T LIKE THAT BECAUSE YOU KIND OF JUST LOSE A GUY AND YOU JUST FOCUS ON THAT SPY AND YOU LOSE THEM IN COVERAGE AND, JUST GETS A LITTLE MESSY.

I THINK WHAT NEBRASKA IS DOING RIGHT NOW IS IS FINE.

>> YEAH.

SEAN, IF AND I KNOW THIS IS A BIG IF, BUT IF TJ WAS TO WIN OUT, THAT WOULD BE FOUR STRAIGHT GAMES THAT HE WOULD WIN IN A ROW.

DO YOU THINK THEY'D BE AN OPEN COMPETITION IN THE SPRING?

>> YEAH, I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT BEHIND THE SCENES.

THERE'S SO MUCH THAT COULD HAPPEN BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY COMMITTED TO DYLAN RAILOA.

AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO COMMIT MORE TO TJ LATEEF TO KEEP HIM HERE AT THAT POINT, BECAUSE HE WILL HAVE TEAMS THAT WILL GIVE HIM SEVEN.

I JOKED HE WAS PLAYING.

HE'S PLAYING THE GAME RIGHT NOW, WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?

AND HE'S GOT HE'S OFF TO A PRETTY GOOD START.

>> YOU CAN'T KEEP BOTH RIGHT.

AND WE SAW IT WITH PENN STATE.

WHERE THEY WANTED TO KEEP PRIBULA, BUT THERE WAS NO WAY THEY COULD AFFORD.

>> WELL, THE MONEY YOU'RE PAYING, LIKE LET'S SAY IT IS TJ AND HE JUST KEEPS PLAYING AT A HIGH LEVEL AND RAIOLA WERE TO MOVE ON OR SOMETHING.

OKAY.

THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU'RE PAYING HIM YOU COULD BUY THE BEST DEFENSIVE LINEMAN IN THE PORTAL AND THE BEST RUNNING.

I MEAN, SO THERE'S A MONEYBALL SIDE TO IT, TO WHERE YOU CAN'T OVERCOMMIT YOUR QUARTERBACK ROOM BECAUSE YOU GOT TO BUY OTHER PLAYERS NOW IN THE PORTAL, TOO.

>> DO YOU THINK THAT NEBRASKA I CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION.

YOU THINK NEBRASKA BE FAVORED IN THEIR FINAL TWO GAMES?

I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN BE FAVORED AGAINST PENN STATE.

I REALLY BELIEVE THEY'LL BE FAVORED AGAINST IOWA.

>> REALLY.

>> I DO BECAUSE I THINK IOWA LOSES TO USC AND SO WHEN THEY LOSE THE USC, I THINK IOWA, IN TERMS OF WHERE THEIR RANKING IS AND THEIR NUMBERS ARE, I THINK NEBRASKA CAN BE LIKE A TWO AND A HALF POINT FAVORITE AT HOME IN THAT GAME.

BUT THAT'S JUST WHAT I THINK ABOUT.

JOE ON EMAIL, HE SAYS, WHEN YOU THROW THE BALL TO PEOPLE INSTEAD OF AT PEOPLE, GOOD THINGS HAPPEN.

HE SAID, THANKS FOR TURNING THE KID LOOSE.

D-LINE NEEDS TO BULK UP ANOTHER QUESTION THAT COMES UP A LOT.

YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT?

NEED A NOSE TACKLE, NEED SOME BIGGER GUYS.

>> LISTEN.

THEY'RE BIG.

I'VE I'VE STOOD NEXT TO NWANERI AND KEONA AT PRACTICE.

THEY'RE NOT, THEY JUST NEED.

THEY'VE GOT TO GROW UP A LITTLE BIT.

THEY'VE GOT SOME MORE REPS.

THEY'RE NOT GETTING MANHANDLED OUT THERE.

I THINK WHAT IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS THEY GET THE LINEBACKERS.

THE PLAY BEHIND THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE INCONSISTENT.

SO, THOSE THOSE TWO THINGS GO HAND IN HAND.

BUT IT'S NOT A SIZE ISSUE.

I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT ONE.

>> 19 TO 21 IS A HUGE CHANGE IN YOUR BODY.

WHEN YOU'RE AT THAT LEVEL.

STAT STATUS ALLEN WANTS TO KNOW OF HOLGORSEN'S CONTRACT.

IS HE ONLY ON A ONE YEAR DEAL?

>> GOSH, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, I THINK IT'S MULTIPLE YEARS.

>> IS IT?

>> I THINK IT'S THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR.

>> OKAY.

>> FOR SURE.

AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME MONEY THAT HE'S STILL BEING PAID BY HOUSTON.

SO THERE'S THEY'RE GETTING HIM AT A DISCOUNTED PRICE.

BUT YOU'RE ALSO PAYING MARCUS SATTERFIELD LIKE ONE AND A HALF $1.6 MILLION.

>> YEAH.

>> THAT WILL PROBABLY CHANGE IN THE OFFSEASON BECAUSE MARCUS SATTERFIELD IS ON A THREE YEAR COORDINATOR CONTRACT.

STILL, EVEN THOUGH HE'S NOT THE COORDINATOR ANYMORE.

>> YEAH.

YOU'VE BEEN A PART OF A SPRING QUARTERBACK BACK, RIGHT?

IT CAN BE KIND OF FUN.

>> NOW I, LISTEN COMPETITION IS ALWAYS HEALTHY.

>> YEAH.

>> IT'S ALWAYS GOOD.

I'VE BEEN BARRY TURNER CAME AS A TRUE FRESHMAN.

THEY LIKED HIM A LOT.

I HAD A, YOU KNOW, KICK MY BUTT IN GEAR TOO.

SO I THINK HEALTHY COMPETITION IS WHAT THIS PROGRAM NEEDS WHEN YOU HAVE BETTER, BETTER TALENT BEHIND YOU.

YEAH.

YOU GUYS STEP UP YOUR PLAY.

OTHERWISE GUESS WHAT?

YOU WANT TO CALL IT WALLY PIPP'S SITUATION OR WHATEVER, BUT OTHERWISE HE'LL COME AND GET YOU FROM BEHIND.

>> STEEL SHARPENS STEEL.

BURNING QUESTION, SEAN.

MY BURNING QUESTION IS, WHAT CAN NEBRASKA GET OUT OF TJ LATEEF?

NOW, THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, YOU GOT A GAME OF FILM OUT THERE ON HIM.

YOU KNOW, PENN STATE, YOU KNOW IOWA STUDYING THAT FILM.

WHAT CAN NOW, DANA HOLGORSEN BUILD OFF OF WHAT WE SAW ON SATURDAY.

>> GOING INTO PENN STATE STOPPING SINGLETON.

YOU KNOW NEBRASKA IS THAT'S WHAT THAT'S HIS BEST PLAYER ON OFFENSE, PENN STATE'S BEST PLAYER OFFENSIVELY.

CAN WE COORDINATE AND CONSTRUCT THIS DEFENSE?

WE'VE BEEN GOOD IN THE BACK END.

CAN WE STOP HIM, SLOW HIM DOWN IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS?

>> YEAH GOTTA STOP BOTH THOSE BACKS.

NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

MY QUESTION IS SIMPLE.

DO YOU GET HEALTHY BECAUSE THOSE GUYS HAVE GONE THROUGH SIX STRAIGHT WEEKS OF PLAYING OR SEVEN STRAIGHT WEEKS OF PLAYING?

CAN THEY GET HEALTHY DURING THIS BYE WEEK FOR THOSE TWO FINAL GAMES OF THE SEASON?

FOR OUR PICKS AND HOW THE SEASON WILL END UP, JUST CHECK THE PREDICTION ON FACEBOOK, X AND OUR BIG RED WRAP-UP WEB PAGE.

AS A REMINDER, THE NEXT GAME ON TV WILL BE NEXT SATURDAY AGAINST PENN STATE.

WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME OR THE NETWORK, BUT IT'LL BE ANNOUNCED NEXT WEEK.

AND THE NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT YOU'RE ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA WILL PREVIEW THE PENN STATE GAME ON BIG RED WRAP-UP AT A SPECIAL TIME.

9 P.M.

ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

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

A SPECIAL THANKS TO ZACH POTTER FOR JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN.

I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.

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

(BAND MUSIC) (UPBEAT MUSIC)