Nebraska defensive coordinator John Butler
***Butler said tackling was something the defense needed to continue to work on, especially with only two full-pads practices so far this fall. They try to incorporate “thud” tackling, but said that was still “a work in progress.”
***Butler said he usually liked to be three deep at both cornerback spots and at least two deep at safety. However, he doesn’t have specific numbers locked in, as it always depends on the roster and what they have to work with.
***Butler said he doesn’t reference any outside narratives with his players. However, “we’re not fools,” and they know what people are saying about them, especially about the defensive line. But Butler said that talk doesn’t influence anything they do inside the building or how they prepare each day.
***Butler said one negative about moving to defensive coordinator is that he’s not around the players as much on a daily basis. He’s spending more time with the schematics and system.
***Butler said Nebraska was three-deep at linebacker right now with a mix of proven veterans and talented young guys. He noted that
Dawson Merritt had “made some strides over the last couple of days that have kind of excited us.” Merritt is healthy and getting more comfortable by the day.
More d-line talk
***Butler said Nebraska’s offensive line was “big, and they’re good.” That’s been beneficial for NU’s defensive line because it forces guys to improve and build toughness and physicality. He said there had been “high-level” competition at all levels this fall.
***”We know who we want to be as a defense” from culture and scheme standpoints. Now it was about refining everything and becoming synced at all three levels.
***Butler was asked what
Williams Nwaneri needed to do to see the field this season. “Well, Williams is going to see the field, I can tell you that.” Like any young player, it was all about steady improvement. “If he keeps heading in the right direction, we’re going to be excited about what he’s continuing to become.”
***Butler said
Jordan Ochoa was “getting better” each day since first catching his attention during bowl practices. Ochoa has the physical tools, and “he’s definitely a guy that’s in the mix for us.”
Defensive backs coach Addison Williams
***Williams said the secondary was “headed in the right direction” at this point in camp. They started the spring “real elementary,” but now they were getting into “high school” level instruction.
Williams said
DeShon Singleton,
Ceyair Wright, and
Marques Buford were the top vocal leaders on the back end. He added that
Malcolm Hartzog was a quiet guy who was starting to take on a bigger voice in practice this fall.
Buford has the loudest voice of that group, Williams said.
***Williams said Singleton would “do a lot of things” in Nebraska’s defense. “DeShon is a Swiss Army knife” with his size and coverage.
***Williams said
Donovan Jones was similar to Singleton in that he’s a “big, fast, physical guy.” He thinks safety is Jones’ natural position, but Jones could play safety and corner when needed.
***On
Andrew Marshall, Williams said: “Drew’s a pro.” He said Marshall had a chip on his shoulder because he believed he should have been playing at this level years ago. Now, he has his chance to prove he belongs.
***Williams said NU works on man coverage every single day. “We’re not perfect at all,” but the cornerbacks have made a lot of progress in that regard this offseason.
***On the differences between Nebraska and other places he’d coached, Williams said the culture was as good as any he’d ever seen. His Coastal Carolina team during the 2021 Covid season was the closest, which he called “a special group.”
***Williams said
Justyn Rhett and
Jamir Conn were both playing well right now. He sees notable gains from both players since the spring.
---RW
