Illinois Game Week

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[iruletheskool]

This is the year.

 

[tman87]

They say Reimer has a nose for the ball.








































.........That's all I got today!

 

[vailhusker]

After a full fall camp and game week prep for Illinois, Nebraska head coach Scott Frost said Thursday he’s eager to get rolling in Champaign against the Fighting Illini.

Speaking after Thursday’s practice, Frost said he likes where his team sits going into Saturday’s opener.

“I can’t wait to get on the field with this group of kids,” Frost said. “This is far and away my favorite group of kids I’ve been around. This group does things the right way, has the right attitude and they’ve been working hard to get ready for Saturday.”

A few other items from Frost’s press conference on Thursday:

— Nebraska will have to adapt to a new coaching staff on Saturday, and that includes Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters, who spent three seasons as Missouri’s defensive coordinator and two as the team’s co-defensive coordinator.


“I think they’re good coaches,” Frost said. “I think there are good coaches all over this league. We’re guessing a little bit as to what they’re going to do, but we’re doing our best to get our guys ready for the game Saturday.”

— Frost said he likes where his special teams units are heading into Saturday’s opener.

“We’ve been putting emphasis on special teams all camp all spring,” Frost said. “I think the guys are ready and excited for Saturday.”

— Frost was asked about his team’s 90 percent vaccination rate heading into the start of the season:

“We're always going to do what's best for the kids and their health and their safety and their well-being, our whole staff is committed to that,” Frost said. “And we're doing that every day, try to get them ready to play Saturday.”

— Nebraska will be limited to a roster of 74 players for Saturday’s game because it’s a Big Ten Conference game. Frost said there is some difficulty in paring down that group without having seen a game.

“There's a lot of guys who deserve to travel, a lot of guys that could contribute,” Frost said. “We're a little limited, but I know the guys we're taking they'll be ready to play.”

— Frost said he’s eager to get back to playing with fans in the stadium after playing in front of empty seats during the 2020 season.

“College football's a better game when the fans are involved,” Frost said. “There's more passion in college football than any other sport in my opinion. We missed our fans and hope there's a lot of Nebraska fans in the stadium on Saturday.”

 

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[Kaladin]

This is a great video

 

[vailhusker]

Oh shit Jason Peter shaving players heads.

 

[Juro]

Oh shit Jason Peter shaving players heads.

I'm hoping the less hair some of players have, the quicker on their feet they'll be.

 

[Stenge85]

Nice to have some actual inside info. Dean’s exclusive inside info after two weeks of nothing was that there were beer cans on the ground 3 days after the concert.

 

[Juro]

Nice to have some actual inside info. Dean’s exclusive inside info after two weeks of nothing was that there were beer cans on the ground 3 days after the concert.

Dean lost his insiders. Pretty sure it was Gerrod.

 

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Husker Game Week Wrap: Time to finish, penalty punishment, excelling when uncomfortable​

ByBRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON 72 minutes ago

The film often revealed Ty Robinson was close a lot last year. Now his coach is looking for him to take the next step and be a closer on those same plays.

When you talk about Nebraska defensive linemen with the upside to push the needle far on the meter, the third-year freshman comes to mind first, especially as you hear his D-line coach speak about how Robinson is now understanding way better what's happening in front of him.

"I think he's gotten better in the run game with his hands, being able to get off blocks. That was a big thing from Ty to last year to this year is just really finishing plays," Tony Tuioti said. "He was in position to make a lot of plays last year, but he didn't necessarily finish those plays, whether it was a block release move or missing a tackle. But now he's grown so much and improved in that area, so when he's in position now I expect him to finish those plays."

The 6-foot-6, 305-pound Robinson started seven of eight games last year, finishing with 17 tackles, including two for losses. It was an appetizer, and now it's Robinson's chance to see if he can't cook up a strong main course.

"I think Ty can be really good. I think before it's over it's really up to him in how he wants to continue to improve and get better," Tuioti said. "But he's got all the tools."


Robinson can take a step. Casey Rogers can take a step, the coach said. They all can. Even a young climber like Nash Hutmacher could factor in more this year to the rotation, and will travel with the team to Illinois.

Tuioti is just eager to see what eight months of work looks like now when it counts for Robinson, et al.

"Typically after 19 practices you're tired of beating up your own brother and going back and forth, so you want to see somebody new, somebody fresh," Tuioti said. "I'm just excited to see our guys grow, and see where they're at. And this is going to be a great measuring stick for us to see how much growth we have made."

Away we go.

'FOUR OR FIVE YARDS' HERE AND THERE, PLEASE​

(Photo: Michael Bruntz, 247Sports)
When that phrase 'offensive identity' comes up, Ethan Piper offered his idea of what he expects that to look like for the Husker offense this year.
"Four or five yards a play. We're going to go downhill. We're going to move the ball, and when we move the ball (on the ground), we're going to be able to pass on them," Piper said. "I think our biggest identity is just moving the line of scrimmage two yards every single play and being able to give Adrian time to throw the ball. Just hard-nosed football."
The third-year freshman left guard, who started his first season last year, also has some advice for those playing in their first games as Huskers on Saturday.
"Just treat it like practice," Piper said. "Coach Frost does a great job of turning up the music, putting us in high-pressure situations while we're tired. Honestly, from my experience, the game is almost easier than practice. So they shouldn't get too worked up. ... Put in the work and Saturday should be a breeze for them."

MARTIN ON A MISSION​

(Photo: Shandie Stewart, Stewart Photography)
Oliver Martin is a quiet guy, but Matt Lubick said he always knows the receiver is going to put in the work every day.
"At receiver, the way we rep guys and go 100 mph and split our team into three different groups, he never misses a rep, and he goes full speed every single play," said the Husker offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. "So I've been very proud of the way he's practiced. He's made a ton of plays. He always thinks he can get better. He's very coachable. As a coach that's all you can ask for.
"There's a big difference between him this year to last year – he's way more confident."
Martin, who started his career at Michigan and then moved to Cockeye before coming to Nebraska, has seemed to find his footing in Lincoln. He didn't know if he'd even be declared eligible until halfway through the 2020 season, but emerged as one of the better possible targets even while knowing a whole lot at that point.
He was like a freshman then. "He's not playing like a freshman anymore," Lubick said. "He's playing like an experienced guy that we can rely on to make plays."

LEADERS WHO WEREN'T PICKED AS CAPTAINS​

(Photo: Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports)
Austin Allen is proud to be a team captain, but also makes it clear there are others who weren't chosen who are just as much leaders on the 2021 Huskers.
"Just because I have a captain's title doesn't mean Cam Jurgens doesn't have a voice anymore," Allen said. "Cam Jurgens coulda, shoulda, woulda been a captain. He's still one of the better leaders on the team. Travis Vokolek, he's going to have a voice. That's the thing I preach to them: It's still our team. Just because I run out of the tunnel first doesn't mean those guys are going to be quiet now. We all have the same mission in mind and that begins this week against Illinois."
Speaking of leaders – Damian Jackson, the former Navy SEAL, would be atop that pack.
"D-Jax, he's in charge of accountability. If I see something at practice I don't like, I'm going to say, 'You're on accountability. You're with Damian after practice,'" Allen said. "I think that's the biggest step we've taken on is putting out fires before they get to Frost. Because Frost has everything he has to deal with. Leadership from the top-down, there's only so much he can take care of from the top, and there's things that he shouldn't take care of that the players are now taking care of.
"That's kind of our mentality now that we're going to win football games, and I think that's going to stem from how we handle things as players that Frost shouldn't have to take care of."

PENALTY PUNISHMENT​

(Photo: 247Sports)
In the offensive line room, Piper said there are a list of definitions about what it means to be a 'Pipeline' type of offensive lineman.
One of those areas surely is not beating yourself with penalties, a stat which doesn't always tell the story between good and bad football teams, but also one Piper said the Huskers know needs to be better in 2021. A season ago the Huskers ranked 93rd nationally and 11th in the Big Ten in penalty yards (60.6 per game). The attention to that part has been stressed heavily this fall camp, according to the O-lineman.
"Last year we had a lot of holding. Me, false starts," Piper said. "But every single time, if you do a penalty in practice you have to pay 'extra' and the guys really get after you. So it helps change your mindset of, like, 'This means a lot.' We put a lot of stress on the penalties, especially fall starts. And I think, I know, it's going to be better this year."
Punishment includes more running, lifting, push-ups, or gassers after practice. That's been done in the past, but the punishment has become more severe this year. From maybe 15 push-ups last year to a full conditioning set for a mistake this year.
"Which is not very fun when you had a 2 1/2-hour practice out in the heat and you have to go run more – especially in knee braces. But you have to go pay an extra bill if you have a penalty in camp."

TRENCHES TALK​

Damion Daniels is optimistic about Nebraska in the trenches on both sides of the ball, because the junior nose guard and team co-captain said there have been intense battles to the whistle and beyond.
"It's night and day for those guys (on the O-line)," Daniels said. "This past spring, it got hectic. Coach had to tell us to stop, to take care of each other, because every other play one of us was on the ground. We really got after it in not just the spring, but fall camp as well. Guys like Ethan Piper, Cameron Jurgens, Matt Sichterman, (Bryce) Benhart – all those guys up front, it's just always been like that (this year) and it's going to continue to be like that."
On the other side of it, Illinois returns a veteran O-line that no doubt is thinking it can get some things done against the Huskers due to last year's game. The Illini, who were third in the Big Ten in rushing offense in 2020 but 11th in the league in total offense, had 285 yards rushing in the 41-23 win.
"They got a new coaching staff and we're ready to get back on the field and they're ready to get back on the field. We know it's going to be a dogfight..." Daniels said. "We're about the only team that's going to be playing (Week Zero). All eyes are going to be on Nebraska-Illinois. So it's going to set the tempo for the rest of the year for us."

BEING COMFORTABLE WHEN UNCOMFORTABLE​

(Photo: Michael Bruntz, 247Sports)
How do guys make that big jump from the practice setting to the middle of the fire pit with the scoreboard on?
"That's the big question, right?" Tuioti said. "You try to put them in game-like situations in practice as much as possible where they're playing fast. I always try to get my guys tired the first half of practice. I try to get those guys as tired as they can, so that when we go into scout-team periods and team periods in the back half, they have to trust their fundamental technique. The game is going be played uncomfortable and tired, and you've got to be able to be focused and be detailed. I try to put them in as much game-like situations as possible, and hopefully at the end of the day they fall into their training. That's all you can really do, where they go out there and don't panic with what's happening in front of them ...
"Nothing should really change. None of the runs that they're going to do are things that we haven't seen before. Coach Frost and our offense, they give us so many different things to prepare for. These guys have already taken thousands of reps at that. It's just a mater of: Can I win my one-on-one? Can I beat the guy in front of me with great fundamental technique?"

'I'M READY FOR IT'​

(Photo: Michael Bruntz, 247Sports)
Cam Taylor-Britt has always been known for his personable ways.
Given his outgoing nature, his talent as one of the top players on the roster, and his want to work, it was no shocker the junior was picked as one of the captains.
He used to watch closely the reactions of other guys in past years when picked. When he heard his name, he thought one thing: "I'm ready for it. I'm just ready to lead this team to where we need to get to."
The cornerback thinks he's done an OK job since he was a freshman at having a strong presence.
"I've always let it known where I was on the field, let you know when you're wrong, and when I'm wrong. I've never been a person to talk back when someone's trying to get on me. Because I understand if I'm not doing my job, I want you to get on me as well. I believe that leadership helps me a lot."

KEEP IT IN THE BOX​

(Photo: Nebraska Sports Information)
Husker senior outside linebacker JoJo Domann kept it tidy enough in explaining what the defense must do Saturday: "We just have to win the line of scrimmage, set good edges, keep everything in the box and win up front. Just plain and simple, they want to run the ball down your throat. We got to get pushback, create those alleys for linebackers to run through to make tackles. Make turnovers. Punch the ball out. Pretty simple."
The Huskers had a rough outing against Illinois last year, and that included the Illini converting 12-of-18 opportunities on third and fourth downs. Domann stressed winning on the early downs to win on the money down.
"When we make it easy on ourselves, and it's third-and-longer we're getting our nickel and our dime packages on the field and we're going to have a better chance to get after the quarterback, force quick throws and cover down. I think early in the (2020) year we didn't do a great job of getting them in third-and-long. It was more third-and-medium and third-and-short."
One of 12 Blackshirts, Domann is eager for that unit to live up to the old history of that unit, and is glad to welcome first-time members to the club, like fellow linebackers Nick Henrich and Luke Reimer.
"The first time I got mine, it was like a dream come true. It was at that moment I got accepted into the brotherhood," Domann said. "It's big-time for those guys. They earned it. I'm really excited to keep them and go earn them on gameday."

DANIELS FIT FOR WIDER USE NOW​

(Photo: Tim Verghese, 247Sports)
Nebraska has a D-line rotation of six guys that Tuioti feels comfortable with, and Nash Hutmacher is becoming a possible seventh option.
That top six includes Damion Daniels, Ben Stille, Ty Robinson, Casey Rogers, Deontre Thomas and Jordon Riley. Whether he has a big stats day or not, Daniels ideally winning at the nose spot often will determine a lot. The beauty is he now doesn't have to automatically come off the field for some packages like the nickel which he wasn't fit for in the past.
"He's a guy that I thought initially could only play in three-down spacing," Tuioti said. "He could only play against gap-scheme teams. But now with all the zone schemes, he's got himself athletic enough that he can play that 2 now, which is good for his game. He's improved in that area. That's why he's earned the right to play some of our four-down defense and I feel comfortable with him out there."

'PLAY OUR FOOTBALL'​

(Photo: Nebraska Sports Information)
Taylor-Britt plans on having a mark on this Husker team in every facet, including as a returnman. He's definitely expected to be a lead punt returner and could have a role on kick returns too.
He said the Huskers need to set the tone from the start on the kickoff team on Saturday. Taylor-Britt also wants the defense to be greedy.
"I tell the guys, it's a little joke, but when they drop a pick, I say, 'You haven't been to Cam class.' Because I try to lead the group in interceptions," he said. "So when they drop a pick, I'm like, 'Hey, you haven't been to class lately, you've been skipping.' I just try to stay on guys about getting turnovers. It doesn't matter: interceptions, forced fumbles. Get it any way you can. Just sell out."
Asked how many picks he wants this year, Taylor-Britt said, "More than my football number (five). Yeah."
The Huskers as a team will be fine in his mind if they just play the brand of football he's seen in practices.
"We can change a lot of opinions when we play our football, and not to the level of our competition," Taylor-Britt said. "I believe we do that sometimes. We get down on ourselves if something happens in the game. And we have to come back to the sideline and re-up everybody. But I believe now, as things have gone on through fall camp, something may go bad but I see everybody running to that guy, like 'Come on, you're good. Everything's going going to be OK. Next play.'"