♪ ♪ >>> THINGS ARE LOOKING UP FOR THE HUSKER FOOTBALL TEAM AS MATT RHULE CLINCHES HIS FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON AGAINST NORTHERN ILLINOIS IN FRONT OF A PACKED HOME CROWD.

STARTING QUARTERBACK JOB UP FOR DEBATE AND KEY LOSSES AT THE RUNNING BACK POSITION DUE TO INJURY, HOW WILL NEBRASKA BUILD ON MOMENTUM?

WE RECAP THE GAME WITH OUR SPECIAL GUEST FORMER NEBRASKA LINEBACKER AND AND ASSISTANT COACH BARRETT RUUD.

WE ALSO CATCH UP ON RECRUITING WITH SEAN CALLAHAN AND EVEN TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROGRAM NATION LEADING SELLOUT STREAK.

ALL OF THAT AND MORE COMING UP NEXT ON "BIG RED WRAP-UP."

HA ♪ >>> HI, EVERYONE.

I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.

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

THE FIRST WIN OF THE MATT RHULE ERA.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT, AND ALSO THE LAST GAME OF THE NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE.

WITH ME TONIGHT, OF COURSE AS ALWAYS, FORMER HUSKER JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN.

35 POINTS.

BOY, YOU LOOK BACK AT THE GAME THERE WAS A LONG STRETCH WHERE THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.

GREAT OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCE IN TERMS OF POINTS BUT NOT OVERALL A GREAT OFFENSE.

>> VERY SUCCESSFUL FIRST DRIVE TO GET THAT EARLY TOUCHDOWN TO BILLY KEMP BUT AFTER THAT THE DEFENSE OBVIOUSLY PLAYED VERY, VERY WELL.

BUT THEN THEY GET THE BALL AT THEIR OWN FIVE AND SOME MISCOMMUNICATION.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS THE OFFENSIVE LINEMAN THAT WAS RUN BLOCKED.

IT WAS POOR PASS -- WHATEVER IT WAS, YOU GET THE FUMBLE, DEFENSE HOLDS UP VERY STRONGLY OBVIOUSLY, HOLDING TO THREE POINTS AND THERE WAS NOT MUCH GOING ON FROM THERE ON OUT UNTIL LATER IN THE FIRST HALF AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE THIRD QUARTER THINGS STARTED CLICKING FOR THE OFFENSE.

>> SEVEN DRIVES THOUGH INSIDE THE FORTY YARD LINE.

SCORED A TOUCHDOWN, ALL OF THEM.

I DON'T REMEMBER -- FIVE DRIVES, EXCUSE ME.

I DON'T KNOW THE LAST TIME I'VE SEEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT AT NEBRASKA.

>> YEAH, IT'S COMPLIMENTARY FOOTBALL AT IT'S FINEST.

I THOUGHT THE THIRD DOWN EXECUTION IS WHERE IT STARTED.

THAT THIRD QUARTER NEBRASKA EXECUTED FOUR CONSECUTIVE THIRD DOWNS HIGHLIGHTED BY THAT THROWN WITH HEINRICH HAARBERG TO THOMAS FIDONE AND THAT KIND OF REALLY GOT THINGS ROLLING.

IT LED TO A 23-PLAY THIRD QUARTER AND WHEN YOU HUDDLE LIKE NEBRASKA, 23 PLAYS -- >> LONG TIME.

>> THAT'S LIKE A 40-PLAY QUARTER IN THE NO HUDDLERA.

THAT REALLY TURNED THE GAME AND THEY HELD THE BALL FOR ALMOST 12 MINUTES OF THE THIRD QUARTER.

>> YEAH, YOU NAILED THE THIRD DOWN '‘CAUSE THEY WERE ONE OF THEIR FIRST SIX, NEBRASKA WAS, AND SIX OF THE LAST EIGHT WHICH IS AS GOOD AS THEY'VE DONE ON THIRD DOWN IN A LONG TIME.

>> YEAH, IT WAS 14-PLAY DRIVE ON THAT SCORING DRIVE THAT MADE IT 21-3.

THAT WAS FAR AND AWAY THE BEST DRIVE WE'VE SEEN FROM NEBRASKA ALL SEASON.

>> DEFINITELY A COUPLE OF RUNS, OF COURSE, BY HEINRICH HAARBERG AS WELL.

WITH THE WIN UNDER OUR BELT, THERE'S SO MUCH TO DISCUSS.

WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.

SO REACH OUT AND HELP GUIDE OUR CONVERSATION.

OUR CALL ROOM IS UP AND RUNNING MANNED BY OUR SPORTS INTERN HANNAH.

HELLO, HANNAH.

AND THE STUDENTS OF NEBRASKA'S COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM.

THEY'RE JOINING US THROUGHOUT THE SEASON ENJOYING SOME VALENTINO'S PIZZA AND TAKING YOUR CALLS.

YOU CAN ALSO TEXT OR EMAIL TO BIGRED@NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG.

WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL SO JUST SEND YOUR QUESTIONS THERE.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON OUR "BIG RED WRAP-UP" ACCOUNTS AND WE'LL ANSWER AS MANY OF THEM AS WE CAN TONIGHT.

ALSO DON'T FORGET TO HEAD OVER TO OUR WEBSITE AND DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY OF THE 2023 NEBRASKA COLLEGE FOOTBALL POSTER.

YOU CAN PRINT THOSE OFF FOR YOUR HOME OR OFFICE AND KEEP UP TO DATE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON WITH ALL THE HUSKER FOOTBALL SCORES.

LAST WEEK WE ASKED YOU WHO YOU WANTED TO SEE AT QUARTERBACK STARTING FOR THE HUSKERS.

17 PERCENT SAID JEFF SIMS.

76 PERCENT SAID HEINRICH HAARBERG.

AND ONLY SEVEN PRECENT SAID CHUBBA PURDY.

OF COURSE YOU GOT HEINRICH HAARBERG JUST LIKE THEY ASKED FOR.

THIS WEEK'S SIDELINE SURVEY IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE WANT YOU TO VOTE ON THE TOP PLAY FROM SATURDAY'S GAME WITH THESE THREE OPTIONS.

FIRST OFF, THOMAS FIDONE'S CATCH FOR THE TOUCHDOWN, THAT POP PASS IN THE SECOND QUARTER TO GET GOING WITH THE SCORING, WHICH IS A GREAT -- I LOVE THE POP PASS.

IT JUST -- COME OFF PLAY ACTION, YOU STAND UP, HIT THE TIGHT END, IT WORKS ALL THE TIME.

THEN YOU GET HAARBERG'S TOUCHDOWN RUN.

GREAT BALL HANDLING ON THIS.

I'M SURPRISED THE CAMERAMAN STAYED WITH IT.

HAARBERG SCORES A TOUCHDOWN THERE ON THE RUN.

AND THEN ALSO JAVIN WRIGHT, BETTER KNOWN AS BUDDHA, HIS INTERCEPTION IN QUARTER NUMBER FOUR.

YOU CAN PICK THAT ONE AS WELL.

AS OF RIGHT NOW, LEADING, I'M GOING TO GUESS FIDONE BEFORE IT POPS UP.

LET'S SEE.

58 PERCENT SAID HAARBERG'S 20-YARD RUSHING TOUCHDOWN, WOW, IN QUARTER NUMBER FOUR.

>> BREAKING DOWN THE FIRST TWO OFFENSIVE PLAYS IN THE HUDDLE A LITTLE LATER.

>> FIDONE'S 16 YARD TOUCHDOWN CATCH WITH 27 PERCENT AND WRIGHT'S INTERCEPTION AND 12-YARD RETURN IN THE FOURTH QUARTER WITH 15 PERCENT.

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD.

HEAD TO THE WEBSITE AND CAST YOUR VOTE AND HEAD BACK EACH WEEK FOR A BRAND-NEW SURVEY.

YOU MENTIONED THAT FIRST DRIVE.

I TALK ABOUT THIS A LOT BECAUSE I THINK THIS TEAM HAS TO HAVE A LOT OF RUN AFTER THE CATCH.

AND THOSEFIRST TWO COMPLETIONS I THINK THERE WAS A TOTAL OF 24 YARDS RUN AFTER CATCH.

THAT'S SOMETHING THEY HAVE TO DO BECAUSE THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A TOP -- >> CORRECT.

YOU DON'T HAVE TREY PALMER ANYMORE.

YOU CAN TAKE THE TOP OFF AND THROW IT UP THERE AND HE'S GOING TO GO GET IT.

IT'S MORE CHUNK YARDAGE AFTER THE CATCH.

IT'S THE SIMPLE DIG ROUTES AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET A WHOLE LOT OF ALL GO -- >> SCREENS.

>> YEAH.

YOU'VE GOT TO UTILIZE YOUR BIGGER TARGETS, BIGGER BODIES AND CATCH IT AND SEE IF YOU CAN GET ANOTHER FIVE, SIX YARDS AFTERWARDS.

THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO.

AND I THINK GOING FORWARD WITH THE RUNNING BACK SITUATION, BEING BANGED UP, QUARTERBACK'S GOING TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN THE RUN GAME.

EVEN THOUGH I KNOW THEY ARE UTILIZING THEM MORE.

IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THEY SHAKE OUT HEADING INTO LOUISIANA TECH GAME WITH THE RUNNING BACK SITUATION.

>> I HEARD A LOCAL MEDIA PERSONALITY JOHN BISHOP DID SOME NUMBERS AND HE SAID THAT RIGHT NOW THESE FIRST THREE GAMES THE QUARTERBACKS ARE RUNNING THE BALL MORE THAN JAMAL LORD DID IN '02.

IS THAT A GOOD THING?

>> YEAH, THAT'S -- I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS LIKE THAT.

>> IN '17 A GOOD GAME.

>> I WOULD BE CURIOUS HOW MANY ARE DESIGN RUNS AND HOW MANY ARE SCRAMBLES.

>> YEAH.

>> I DO THINK THAT ADDS A LITTLE BIT MORE TO IT WHEN THEY'RE ACTUALLY CALLED RUN PLAYS.

IN THE FIRST GAME OF THE YEAR, LIKE JEFF SIMS, I THINNK HE HAD 12 DESIGN RUN CALLS FOR HIMSELF IN THE GAME.

>> THAT WAS STILL, I BELIEVE, THE HIGHEST NUMBER WE'VE SEEN, IT WASN'T EVEN CLOSE TO THAT, COLORADO.

I DON'T BELIEVE HAARBERG HAD 12 DESIGN RUNS IN THIS GAME.

SO A LOT OF THEM WERE SCRAMBLES, GUYS TAKING OFF AND DIFFERENT THINGS.

BUT THEY'VE GOT TO COME UP WITH A FORMULA NOW, MIKE'L, TO GET ABOUT 200 RUSHING YARDS A GAME.

AND WITHOUT RAHMIR JOHNSON, WITHOUT GABE ERVIN JR., HOW MUCH CAN YOU SQUEEZE ANTHONY GRANT FOR?

AND IS KWINTEN IVES AND EMMETT JOHNSON READY TO GO?

AND THEN THE QUARTERBACKS, CAN YOU PLAY BOTH OF THESE GUYS AND FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET A FORMULA EACH WEEK TO GET ABOUT 200 RUSHING YARDS?

>> DO YOU THINK THAT HAARBERG EARNED THE RIGHT TO START THE LOUISIANA TECH OR IS IT SOLELY ON THE HEALTH OF JEFF SIMS?

>> I THINK IT'S STILL SOLELY ON THE HEALTH OF JEFF SIMS.

THEY SAID HE'S THE STARTER.

THEY ALSO SAID THE GUY CANNOT LOSE HIS JOB BECAUSE OF INJURY.

BUT AGAIN, IF HE'S NOT 100 PERCENT HEALTHY, WHICH NO ONE IS 100 PERCENT HEALTHY THIS TIME OF SEASON, I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY.

I THINK IF HE'S READY TO GO, HE'LL PLAY.

BUT IT IS NICE TO KNOW NOW THAT YOU'VE SEEN HAARBERG IN A REAL LIVE GAME SITUATION, HOW HE RESPONDS.

HE RUNS PHYSICAL.

TOOK CARE OF THE FOOTBALL.

MADE SOME SMART DECISIONS.

I REALLY COULDN'T THINK OF ONE BAD THROW.

HE TRIED TO FIT ONE OVER FIDONE OVER THE MIDDLE LATER IN THE SECOND HALF.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, WAS VERY SMART WITH THE FOOTBALL.

DID WHAT THE OFFENSE NEEDED HIM TO DO.

DIDN'T TRY TO DO TOO MUCH.

SO IT'S A VERY INTERESTING COMPARISON NOW BETWEEN TWO GAMES WITH JEFF SIMS AND ONE WITH HEINRICH HAARBERG.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THE TURNOVERS DEFINITELY STAND OUT WITH JEFF SIMS AND HOW HE'S OPERATING THOSE TWO GAMES.

BUT I THINK HEINRICH HAS, HE'S GIVEN HIMSELF THE CHANCE.

IF HE'S NOT THE GUY, IT'S NICE TO KNOW THAT, HEY, IF WE STILL WANT TO RUN JEFF SIMS IF HE HAS SOME INJURIES, WE'VE GOT A GUY BACK HERE WE CAN TRUST AND KNOWS HE CAN GET IT DONE WHEN IT MATTERS.

>> YEAH, TWO BATTED PASSES AND ONLY ONE TURNOVER WORTHY THROW THAT COULD HAVE BEEN INTERCEPTED.

THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.

YOU MENTIONED KWINTEN IVES, EMMETT JOHNSON.

TELL ME ABOUT THOSE GUYS IN TERMS OF COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AND WHERE THEY PLAYED AND COULD THEY BE READY AS TRUE FRESHMEN?

>> WELL, EMMETT JOHNSON, BECAUSE OF COVID IN MINNESOTA, HE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH OF A JUNIOR YEAR.

SO HE WAS REALLY UNKNOWN BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF GAMES HE HAD AS A JUNIOR.

AS A SENIOR HE WAS A HIGH SCHOOL STATE PLAYER OF THE YEAR.

BLEW UP, AND THEY KIND OF JUST TOOK A CHANCE.

>> RIGHT.

>> THE PREVIOUS STAFF HAD A TIP ON HIM.

THEY LIKED HIM.

THEY NEEDED A RUNNING BACK, OTHER GUYS THEY HAD FELL THROUGH AND THEY BROUGHT HIM IN.

KWINTEN IVES WAS A LATE TAKE BY E.J.

BARTHEL.

WAS PROBABLY A GUY THAT WOULD HAVE FOLLOWED HIM TO UCONN, DIDN'T HAVE MUCH GOING FOR HIM BUT THIS IS YOUR CLASSIC EVAN COOPER, MATT RHULE TYPE OF RECRUIT.

A GUY THAT HAS THE TANGIBLES, THE MEASURABLES.

HE HAD A GOOD TRAINING CAMP.

WHEN THEY SHOWED THOSE ALL ACCESS VIDEOS THEY DID ALL THROUGHOUT AUGUST, THERE WERE A FEW MOMENTS IN SCRIMMAGE WHERE YOU'RE LIKE, OOH, IVES.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU CAN SEE THE BIG PICTURE OF THIS GUY BUT OBVIOUSLY THEY WERE NOT EXPECTING TO HAVE TO PLAY HIM MORE THAN FOUR GAMES THIS YEAR AND NOW THEY'RE IN THAT POSITION.

>> IF THERE'S ONE POSITION THAT YOU CAN WALK IN AND PLAY RIGHT AWAY, IT KIND OF IS RUNNING BACK.

>> YEAH, YOU CAN.

YOU SEE IT MORE OFTEN.

WELL, RUNNING BACK OR WIDE RECEIVER I THINK FOR THE MOST PART.

RUNNING BACK DEFINITELY.

WE'VE SEEN IT HISTORICALLY HERE WITH NEBRASKA, WHETHER IT'S MARLON LUCKY, BRANDON JACKSON, AHMAN GREEN, DeANGELO EVANS, ALL THESE GUYS CAME IN AND PLAYED AS TRUE FRESHMEN.

SO NOT A HUGE TASK.

WE'LL SAY THOSE GUYS HAD A LOT BETTER OFFENSIVE LINES SO IT MADE IT A LITTLE EASIER.

BUT AGAIN, THE BIGGEST THING FOR YOUNG PLAYERS IN THE RUNNING BACK POSITION IS PASS PROTECTION.

PICKING UP BLITZES.

I IMAGINE KWINTEN IVES WILL NOT BE ASKED TO BE IN THERE ONE THIRD-DOWN PROTECTION.

I PROBABLY SEE ANTHONY GRANT AND EMMETT JOHNSON.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE GUYS AND I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF KWINTEN IVES I WAS PLAYS ON SATURDAY.

>> ABOUT 1.7 YARDS RUSHING IS WHAT THE DEFENSE IS GIVING UP.

THEY WERE GREAT ON THIRD DOWN AGAIN ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL THE FINAL GARBAGE TIME DRIVE.

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING FROM THE DEFENSE, SEAN?

>> NUMBER ONE, GREAT DEPTH.

THEY'RE PLAYING SO MANY GUYS.

35 GUYS PLAYED IN THAT GAME ON DEFENSE.

27 GUYS PLAYED MORE THAN 10 SNAPS.

>> AND NO DROPOFF.

>> I'M NOT SURE WE'VE SEEN IN THE RECENT HISTORY, A NUMBER THAT HIGH, WHERE 27 GUYS PLAYED 10 PLUS SNAPS IN A GAME.

SO HE IS REALLY ROTATING AND PLAYING A LOT OF GUYS.

THEY'RE GETTING A STRONG PUSH AT THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.

NASH HUTMACHER HAD SIX IMPACTFUL TACKLES IN THAT GAME.

>> THE FIRST HALF.

>> HE'S PLAYING BY FAR THE MOST SNAPS HE PLAYED AND HE LOOKS BETTER EACH AND EVERY GAME.

JIMARI BUTLER'S PRESENCE BACK.

I FOUND THIS INTERESTING, THEY MOVED JIMARI BUTLER TO DEFENSIVE END AND PRINCEWILL UMANMIELEN IS NOW PLAYING THE JACK.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO THEY KIND OF FLOPPED THOSE TWO PLAYERS AND MIKAI GBAYOR IS NOW PLAYING JACK LINEBACKER SPOT AS WELL.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF VERSATILITY, A LOT OF MOVABLE PARTS WITH THE SCHEME THEY'RE RUNNING AND THEY'VE PROVEN THAT.

LOOK AT JOHN BULLOCK, SAFETY, NOW LINEBACKER, LOOK AT JAVIN WRIGHT, SAFETY, NOW LINEBACKER.

THEY'VE REALLY MOVED A LOT AROUND TO MAKE THIS GO.

>> YEAH, YOU REALLY DON'T SEE A DROP.

I REMEMBER PHALEN SANFORD CAME IN AND HE WAS PLAYING.

BWIGHT BOOTLE, HE WAS PLAYING, OF COURSE NOW HE'S HURT.

YOU REALLY DON'T SEE A DROP-OFF WHEN THEY BRING THE BACKUPS IN.

>> NO, YOU DON'T, AND THAT'S JUST THE MATURITY OF YOUR TEAM AND THE PLAYERS.

I THINK IT WAS A GREAT JOB OF THE COACHING STAFF OF SIMPLIFYING THINGS.

OBVIOUSLY IT CAN BE A LOT TO LEARN, A NEW DEFENSE, BUT THEY HAVE DONE SUCH A GOOD JOB OF JUST KIND OF PARING IT DOWN AND UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPTS SO YOU'RE ABLE TO GRASP IT FROM THE MEETING ROOM, TO THE WALK THROUGHS TO THE PRACTICE FIELD AND THEN INTO THE GAME.

SO THAT WHOLE PROCESS THEY'VE DONE HAS OBVIOUSLY HIT HOME STARTING LAST SPRING AND NOW THROUGH FALL CAMP AND THROUGH THREE GAMES.

BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE DROPOFF.

YOU'VE SEEN, WE'VE ELUDED TO THIS MULTIPLE TIMES NOW THROUGH THREE SHOWS, OR FOUR SHOWS, THAT WE'VE SEEN GUYS WE THOUGHT WOULD NEVER PLAY AND THEY'RE PLAYING.

>> YEAH.

>> AND THE GUYS YOU MIGHT SEE ON SPECIAL TEAMS, AND THEY'RE PLAYING.

THE COOLEST THING ABOUT IT, YOU HEARD TONY WHITE SAY IF YOU SHOW US SOMETHING ON SPECIAL TEAMS, YOU SHOW US THAT EFFORT, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE ON DEFENSE.

SO THAT'S REALLY COOL TO SEE THEM.

THAT INCENTIVE ADVISES GUYS TO PUT FORTH ALL OF THE EFFORT, ATTENTION TO DETAIL, DO THE LITTLE THINGS RIGHT SO THEY CAN GET THEIR CHANCE TO SHOW ON THE FIELD.

BECAUSE IT'S ONE THING TO SAY YOU DO IT BUT YOU DON'T PUT GUYS OUT THERE, BUT NOW IT'S THEY'RE LETTING THEM PLAY.

IT HELPS INCENTIVE THOSE YOUNGER GUYS GUYS LIKE, MAN, I WANT TO PLAY.

I'M GOING TO START DOING THESE LITTLE THINGS.

I'M GOING TO START PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO DETAILS SO I CAN GET OUT THERE AND PLAY AS WELL.

>> THOSE ARE DOMINANT NUMBERS WE SAW ON THE SCREEN.

WE KNEW THE STARTING CORNERS WERE GOOD BECAUSE OF HOW WEL THEY PLAYED LAST YEAR.

BUT THE DEPTH AT CORNER, THE DEPTH AT SAFETY EVEN WITH SOME INJURIES, PRETTY GOOD.

>> YEAH, JUST THE EMERGENCE OF DIFFERENT PLAYERS, TOO.

OMAR BROWN DIDN'T DO TOO MUCH LAST YEAR.

HE'S NOW A FACTOR ON THE BACK END.

DESHON SINGLETON DIDN'T REALLY PLAY LAST YEAR.

MALCOLM HARTZOG HAS IMPROVED EACH WEEK.

THE TACKLING HAS BEEN THERE, TOO.

I THINK TEAMS TEST HARTZOG A LOT.

THEY STAY AWAY FROM NEWSOM FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

AND HARTZOG RESPONDED LAST WEEK, HE MADE SOME REALLY TACKLES AND GIFFORD IS SOLID.

YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING IN ISAAC GIFFORD.

I MEAN, THEY HAVE FIVE REALLY GOOD GUYS BACK THERE.

MARQUES BUFORD COULD COME BACK LATE IN THE YEAR.

THEY TALK ABOUT HIM PLAYING MAYBE FOUR GAMES BECAUSE HE COULD POTENTIALLY RED SHIRT.

IF THEY GOT HIM BACK FOR THE FINAL MONTH OF THE YEAR, THAT WOULD BE A BONUS, TOO.

>> I KNOW YOU PLAYED WITH GUYS LIKE THIS, MALCOLM HARTZOG AND BILLY KEMPER ARE BOTH ABOUT 5'3."

BOTH OF THEY PLAY AS TOUGH.

BOTH OF THEM THINK THEY'RE 6'4."

>> LIKE CORTNEY GRIXBY.

>> YEAH.

>> HE COULD JUMP OUT THE GYM.

WHAT DO THEY CALL IT, THE NAPOLEON COMPLEX?

>> YEAH.

>> MULTIPLE GUYS.

YOU HAVE THEM EVERYWHERE.

THOSE GUYS ARE FUN TO PLAY WITH.

THEY'RE LIKE LITTLE PITBULLS DOWN THERE ALWAYS BITING AT YOUR ANKLES BUT YOU WANT THEM ON YOUR SQUAD.

>> THERE'S A LOT OF LITTLE IMPROVEMENTS THAT LED TO THE BIG WIN ON SATURDAY.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAME AND WE START OFF WITH ONE OF THE BEST IN BETWEEN THE THIRD AND FOURTH QUARTER.

IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE LIGHT SHOW INCLUDING THE DRONES UP THERE AS WELL.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WONDERING WHAT IT WAS, BUT THE DRONES WERE REALLY INCREDIBLE.

LET'S GET TO THE HIGHLIGHTS.

HEINRICH HAARBERG CAME OUT EARLY ON HIS FIRST THROW AND HAD, AGAIN, EIGHT YARDS OF RACK ON THIS ONE.

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE A LOT, WHEN YOU GET THE BALL IN YOUR PLAYMAKER'S HANDS, THEY CAN GET SOME EXTRA YARDS.

THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU SAW WITH JEFF SIMS.

>> NO, WE HAVEN'T.

THAT'S IN THOSE FIRST TWO GAMES.

>> AND THE PHYSICALITY BY HAARBERG, HE LIKES TO HIT PEOPLE.

HE REALLY DOES.

>> YEAH, HAMMER AND THE NAIL, HE'S DEFINITELY THE HAMMER.

>> I NOTICE HE THROWS A LOT OF SIDEARM.

DID HE PLAY BASEBALL IN HIGH SCHOOL?

>> HE WAS A BASEBALL PLAYER.

>> HE CAN STEAL OFF SECOND BASE.

>> HE CAME FROM NASHVILLE.

YOU KNOW, THEY MOVE TO KEARNEY FROM NASHVILLE PROBABLY JUNIOR-HIGH AGE.

>> YEAH, LOOK AT HIM DOWN AND MAKE THAT THROW FOR THE TOUCHDOWN TO BILLY KEMP.

JUST LIKE HE WAS TURNING A DOUBLE PLAY WITH THAT.

LOOKS GOOD.

IT WORKS, THOUGH.

AND THEN HERE'S YOU'RE MISSING A MESSUP ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE.

>> YEAH, MISCOMMUNICATION I'D HEARD.

BEN HART THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A RUN PLAY FOR SOME REASON BUT YEAH, IT WAS NOT CLEAN AND JUST, MAN, TIP OF THE HAT HERE TO THE DEFENSE FOR HOLDING THE THREE POINTS TO GET THE BALL TO THE 4 YARD LINE.

>> YEAH, YOU TALK ABOUT -- THIS IS THREE OR FOUR TIMES NOW NEBRASKA HAS BEEN PUT IN TOUGH POSITIONS WITH THEIR DEFENSE AND THEY FORCE FIELD GOALS.

>> THAT'S A WIN FOR THE DEFENSE.

THIS IS MOMENTUM KEEPER.

NEBRASKA HAD MOMENTUM, NOW YOU STILL GET TO KEEP IT.

AND SOME MUST-HAVES.

AGAIN, THEY DID IT IN COLORADO AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO KEEP DOING IT MOST OF THE YEAR.

>> IT DID HELP THAT THAT ROCKY LOMBARDI JUST FELL DOWN.

HERE'S A RECOVER AGAIN.

RUNNING 21 CARRIES, 98 YARDS.

HE SAID AFTER THE GAME HE LIKES TO BE PHYSICAL DURING THE GAME.

AFTER THE GAME IT HURT A BIT MORE, AND HERE'S THE POP PASS I WAS TALKING ABOUT, THAT THE BIG TARGET IN THOMAS FIDONE.

>> JUST A GOOD LITTLE ACTION, LITTLE POWER POP PASS.

I'LL BREAK IT DOWN IN THE HUDDLE HERE IN A LITTLE BIT.

>> 14-3.

ALL ABOUT COMING, DIGGING THAT ACTION.

GET YOUR BIG GUY BEHIND IT.

THE JASON WILL BREAK THAT DOWN.

THEN ANOTHER RUN BY HEINRICH HAARBERG PUTTING HIS HEAD DOWN AND THIS THROW.

>> 34-13 THROW.

>> GOT THEM GOING ON THIRD DOWNS WITH THAT THROW, GREAT THROW THERE.

THIS IS ANOTHER SCREEN.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE OF THESE SCREENS AS WE GO ALONG.

>> I THINK SO.

THEY'RE LOW RISK.

GET PRETTY HIGHLY REWARDED HERE.

NEBRASKA HAS BEEN TRYING TO RUN THIS FOR MANY YEARS.

ALWAYS BEEN SLOPPY.

THE TIMING WAS PERFECT.

>> PERFECT TUNNEL SCREEN THERE.

GET A LITTLE PHYSICAL AT THE END.

KNOCKS THE HELMET OFF.

PIPER WITH A HIT.

GOT A 15-YARD PENALTY BUT THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE THEY TOOK ADVANTAGE WITH BEHIND RICK NOT BEING HERE.

PRETTY GOOD WITH THAT AS WELL.

THEN ANOTHER HANDOFF TO GABE IRVAN.

>> I SAW HIM ON CRUTCHES.

MY HEART BREAKS BECAUSE HE HAS WORKED SO HARD TO GET BACK TO THIS POINT.

ANOTHER SETBACK FOR THIS GREAT YOUNG MAN.

>> WE SAW HIM, RUN BEING UP THE MIDDLE FOR AN 11-YARD RUSH.

THIS IS WHEN I THOUGHT THEY WERE GETTING PHYSICAL ON THE GROUND AND WERE WEARING DOWN NORTHERN ILLINOIS.

>> I AGREE.

I WAS SITTING TOWARDS THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF THE STADIUM.

LEANING ON THEM, HOLES GOT A LITTLE BIGGER.

>> THIS IS A GUY WHO'S RUN THAT A LOT, GOING BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL.

THE BALL HANDLING IS PERFECT.

HE HAS THE DEFENSIVE END COMMITTED AND RIGHT WHEN 97'S COMMITTED THERE, PUTS IT IN HIS BELLY AND PULLS IT OUT OF HIS MESH.

BY THE WAY, 96 TOTAL YARDS RUSHING IN THE FOURTH QUARTER.

BUDDHA GETTING AN INTERCEPTION THERE.

THE DIDN'T SEE UNDERNEATH COVERAGE.

>> HE HAD HIS OPPORTUNITY TO GET HIS HAND ON A COUPLE OF FOOTBALLS.

>> SECOND GENERATION HUSKER RIGHT THERE, GABE IRVAN, WAS REALLY GOOD.

HERE HE IS GETTING IN THE OPEN AGAIN.

FINISHING A RUN REALLY HARD AND, AGAIN, THEY'RE GOING TO MISS HIM A LOT.

>> HEINRICH HAARBERG.

MORE WAGGLE, MORE BOOT.

>> THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS ANTHONY GRANT DOES IN THE BACKFIELD.

HE'LL TAKE THE QUICK HOP, SKIPPED, MADE IT LOOK GOOD.

THIS IS THE GARBAGE TIME, JUST LIKE NEBRASKA DID THE WEEK BEFORE COLORADO.

ETHAN HAMPTON PASSED TO DAVE PARTRIDGE.

ONE OF THE GUYS I WORRIED ABOUT DIDN'T DO MUCH.

6'7" TIGHT END.

HERE IN THE BACK OF THE END ZONE RIGHT AT THE END OF THE GAME AND THEN DECIDES TO GO FOR TWO POINTS HERE TO MAKE IT A VERY -- I BELIEVE IT WAS A SCORIGAMI FOR NEBRASKA.

35-4, NEVER HAD ONE IN THE HISTORY OF THE PROGRAM.

>> OH, GOD.

>> FINAL STATS NOW, DOMINATED ON THE GROUND, 224 YARDS TO 6 YARDS.

IN TOTAL YARDS THERE WAS 75 YARDS.

OUR PLAYERS OF THE GAME FOR NORTHERN ILLINOIS.

HEINRICH HAARBERG AND HIS IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE ON DEFENSE ESPECIALLY IN THE FIRST HALF.

NOW I'M JOINED BY HANNAH.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE THIS WEEK?

>> ONE POST FROM KY.

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT A NEBRASKA BORN QUARTERBACK LEAVING THE HUSKERS.

AS YOU CAN SEE FROM BEHIND RICK, WITH OSBORNE WHEN HE WAS A CHILD.

>> THAT'S COOL.

>> A HOME GROWN HUSKER WAITING AT QUARTERBACK THERE.

THEN OUR OTHER ONE IS FROM NEBRASKA STATE PATROL.

A PRE-GAME VIEW AND THE SELLOUT STREAK CONTINUES.

>> THAT'S AN AWESOME PICTURE.

>> YOU HAVE THE FIREWORKS HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME.

>> YES.

>> NO DOUBT.

>>> AFTER THE BREAK JOINED BY FORMER HEAD COACH AND ASSISTANT COACH BAHRE RHUD.

>>> I THOUGHT IT WAS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE.

YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT IT WAS -- I THOUGHT IT WAS A TREMENDOUS CROWD.

I THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT FOR RECRUITING, OBVIOUSLY.

GREAT FOR PLAYERS, HOPEFULLY GREAT FOR FANS AND HOPEFULLY THEY LIKED THE WAY WE PLAYED.

>> JUST HEALING UP, GETTING BACK TO STRIDE.

HAD A GOOD WEEK COMING OFF THE LAST GAME.

TAKING IT DAY BY DAY TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

>> PLAYING GUYS, THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO AT PRACTICE.

THAT'S HOW YOU DEVELOP PLAYERS.

THAT'S HOW A GUY LIKE HEINRICH IS READY FOR HIS MOMENT.

IT'S HIS SHOW NOW.

IT'S TIME FOR HIM TO GO.

>> YOU COME OFF A WIN AND EVERYBODY'S FEELING GOOD AND ALL THAT STUFF, BUT COACH IS ALWAYS FIGURING OUT WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY ON THE TEAM IS MOTIVATED AND SEE THAT TRULY, RIGHT?

WE CAN GET A LOT BETTER.

>> A LOT OF THINGS TO WORK ON AND THAT'S WHY I LIKE OUR DEFENSE, GIF, THEY'RE NOT LIKE, WE JUST BEAT THESE GUYS, WE'VE GOT TO GET THE BALL OUT.

CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS COME OUT OF TEAMS THAT LEARN HARD LESSONS.

YOU HAVE TO LEARN THIS IS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO LOSE, THIS IS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO WIN.

THE MARGIN IS LIKE THIS FOR US.

WE HAVE KEEP ERRING AND KEEP MAKING THE MARGIN BETTER.

>> THOSE ARE A FEW COMMENTS FROM THE COACHES FOLLOWING THE NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAME.

NOW WE'RE PLEASED TO BE JOINED BY FORMER HUSKER AND PLAYER BAHRE RHUUD.

>> I NOTICE YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHICH DAY OF THE WEEK IT WAS.

>> I KNOW MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAYS.

IT'S SCHOOL DAYS.

IT'S CHAOS ALL THE TIME.

YOU WERE IN THE HOUSE FOR NORTHERN ILLINOIS.

WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE GAME?

>> SO FAR THEY'VE HAD A GREAT START TO THE YEAR.

THE NUMBER ONE THING THEY'VE DONE IS THEY'VE KNOCKED OUT THE RUNNING GAME.

SO WHEN YOU MAKE IT ONE DIMENSIONAL AND GET THEM SECOND AND LONGS CONSISTENTLY, THIRD AND LONGS CONSISTENTLY, THE WAY THEIR DEFENSE IS STRUCTURED, IT CAUSED PROBLEMS.

WHEN YOU GET OBVIOUS PASS SITUATIONS, THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF BEING MULTIPLE.

WHEN YOU PLAY THAT KIND OF THIRD LINEBACKER THAT'S ALSO A RUSHER, YOU CAN DROP AID AS YOU CAN ZERO BLITZ.

>> WHEN YOU HEARD NEBRASKA WAS A TRANSITION THREE-THREE-FIVE, WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES IT WORK SO WELL?

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK, WOW, WILL THIS WORK WITH THE PERSONNEL YOU HAD ON THE ROSTER?

WHAT'S MADE THIS TRANSITION WORK SO WELL?

>> I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE THREE, THREE STACK.

AFTER WATCHING AT LEAST THREE GAMES SAMPLE SIZE, IT'S MORE OF A PERSONNEL GROUPING.

I THINK HE'S DONE A GREAT JOB, COACH WHITE, THAT IS, OF BEING REALLY MULTIPLE UP FRONT.

YOU GET A LOT OF DIFFERENT LOOKS AND ON THE BACK END, THEY OBVIOUSLY TEACH IT WELL ENOUGH WHERE GUYS CAN PLAY MULTIPLE SPOTS.

THEY'RE VERY SUDDEN IN THEIR ASSIGNMENTS, TACKLING WELL.

WHEN THEY'RE TACKLING WELL, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, OUT OF POSITION.

IT'S BEEN AN IMPRESSIVE START THIS YEAR.

>> ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE THINGS, HOW MANY GUYS THEY PLAYED SO FAR ON DEFENSE.

25 GUYS HAVE SEEN SNAPS SO FAR THIS YEAR ON DEFENSE.

WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT THEM COACHING IT FROM A COACHING ASPECT AND BEING ABLE TO TAKE THAT FROM THE PRACTICE FIELD TO THE GAME FIELD FOR THE YOUNG PLAYERS THEY'RE PLAYING?

>> I DON'T KNOW COACH WHITE'S HISTORY.

I HEARD COACH RHUULE SAY, THEY WERE GOING TO PLAY THAT.

WE'RE USED TO SEEING THE FRONTS PLAY A LOT.

USUALLY "D" LINEMEN ROTATE IN AND OUT.

THE BACK SEVEN YOU MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A ROTATION BUT NOT AS MUCH.

THEY'VE MADE IT A PRIORITY TO GET GUYS IN ON THE BACK END AS WELL.

I THINK THAT'S -- OBVIOUSLY THAT'S GOING TO START AT THE TOP.

I THINK COACH RHUULE IS GOING TO START MORE GUYS.

MORE COMPETITION IN PRACTICE.

THERE'S NATURALLY GOING TO BE INJURIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

IT MAKES THE INJURIES A LITTLE BIT LESS IF YOU HAVE GUYS ALREADY HAVE SOME PLAYING TIME.

>> I WANT TO GO BACK TO WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, MAYBE SIX COME, MAYBE FOUR COME, MAYBE SEVEN COME, WE SAW THAT THIS PAST WEEK.

HOW MUCH OF A HEADACHE IS IT AS A QUARTERBACK TO READ THAT ON THE FLY?

>> WHAT I'VE ALWAYS HEARD, THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE ZEROES AND MAX DROPS.

IF YOU CAN DO THOSE TWO THINGS AND MAKE THEM LOOK SIMILAR, IF YOU START WITH THOSE CONCEPTS, THAT MAKES IT A LOT MORE DIFFICULT ON QUARTERBACKS.

IF YOU DON'T STOP THE RUN, IT'S SECOND AND 3, YOU CAN'T GET INTO THAT STUFF THAT MUCH.

THEY'VE DONE THE DIRTY WORK TO GET THEM IN THOSE TYPE OF SITUATIONS.

AS PLAYERS AND COACHES YOU CAN HAVE MORE FUN WHEN YOU KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO DROP BACK AND PASS, YOU CAN SHOW A LOT MORE LOOKS AND GO TO WORK TRYING TO CONFUSE THE SIGNAL CALLER.

>> SEEING A LOT OF GUYS EMERGE.

JAMON RICE IS ONE THAT'S JUMPED OUT.

WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT HE'S BEEN ABLE TO DO AND THE JUMP HE'S MADE THAT HE'S HEALTHY NOW.

>> THAT'S THE THING WITH BUDDHA, I'LL CALL HIM HIS NICKNAME.

>> YEAH.

>> HE'S HEALTHY.

ALL THE BLOOD CLOT ISSUES ARE DONE NOW.

SO HE'S ALWAYS HAD THAT KNACK FOR GETTING AROUND THE BALL.

HE'S EXTREMELY LONG.

HE'S LIKE A 6'5", WING SPAN IS LIKE A 7 FOOT WING SPAN.

HE HAS THAT RADIUS.

WHEN HE IS PLAYING ZONE COVERAGE AND HE CAUSES PROBLEMS.

IT DIDN'T SURPRISE ME.

>> MIKAI BAHRE, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HIM?

>> MIKAI, HE WAS A REALLY GOOD HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER OUT OF JERSEY.

A LOT OF PEOPLE FORGET HE HAD A KNEE INJURY THE SEMI-FINAL OF HIS SENIOR YEAR.

THAT'S ONE OF THE HARD PARTS ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO BE MID YEAR GUY, HE DIDN'T GET TO COME TO REHAB WITH US.

HE WAS A LITTLE BIT BEHIND BECAUSE HIS KNEE WASN'T RIGHT WHEN HE GOT HERE.

I THINK AFTER A YEAR HE WAS A LITTLE BIT BEHIND ON THE DEPTH CHART.

GREAT KID.

STUDIOUS, WORKS HARD.

AND I WAS REAL EXCITED.

LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE A PRETTY GOOD ROLE GOING FOR HIM.

PLAYING WHAT THEY CALL JACK LINEBACKER WHERE HE'S DOWN CLOSE TO THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE A LOT.

SAW HIM MAKE A GREAT OPEN FIELD TACKLE VERSUS COLORADO AND I'M HAPPY FOR HIM.

WHEN YOU KNOW HIM, YOU REALLY ROOT HARD FOR HIM.

I'M EXCITED TO SEE HIM OUT THERE.

>> REAL QUICK.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE HEARD FROM THE COACH AFTER THE GAME ON SATURDAY, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU GUYS.

TALKING ABOUT THE FORMER COACHES, BRINGING THEM IN, HAVING THEM READY AND BE ABLE TO GO INTO THE SYSTEM.

WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT HEARING COACH RHUULE PRAISE BUSH AND OTHERS.

>> NICE OF NUMBER ONE, DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT.

I DEFINITELY APPRECIATED IT.

IT'S ALSO A REAL TESTAMENT TO THOSE GUYS ON THE STAFF NOW BECAUSE ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS TO DO AS A PLAYER, I ALWAYS THOUGHT, WAS ONCE YOU -- YOU KNOW, YOU LEARN SOME TECHNIQUES AND YOU HAVE SOME SUCCESS WITH THAT, IT'S HARD WHEN MAYBE A NEW COACH COMES IN AND THEY'RE TEACHING SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

OBVIOUSLY WITH THE WAY THEY'RE PLAYING, THEY'VE EMBRACED IT AND THAT MEANS IT'S BEING TAUGHT REALLY WELL.

IT'S ANOTHER TESTAMENT TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING ESPECIALLY ON THAT SIDE OF THE BALL JUST TEACHING HOW THEY WANT TO PLAY DEFENSE.

I THINK IT'S BEEN REALLY GOOD TRANSITION.

>> HAS IT BEEN HARDER BEING A PLAYER OR A COACH?

>> OH, WAY HARDER BEING A PLAYER.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

NO, I'M SORRY, COACH, COACH.

>> YOU HAVE THE CONTROL YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE ON THE FIELD.

>> YOU DON'T SLEEP AT NIGHT WHEN YOU'RE A COACH.

PLAYER, WHAT'S IN THE GAME PLAN?

GREAT, LET'S GO PLAY.

YEAH, COACH IS WAY, WAY HARDER.

AND, SHOOT, BEING A FAN ISN'T THAT EASY EITHER.

>> NO, IT ISN'T.

>> YOU GET NERVOUS.

BUT YEAH, BEING A COACH IS BY FAR THE MOST STRESSFUL.

>> WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES FOR NEBRASKA NOW IN THE BIG TEN?

AS THIS LEAGUE GROWS TO 18 TEAMS, AND YOU'RE SEEING WHAT OREGON AND WASHINGTON ARE DOING NOW, AND USC.

AS THIS PROGRAM MOVES FORWARD TO THE NEXT PHASE OF THE BIG TEN, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS THING, HOW HARD IS IT GOING TO BE FOR ALL THESE TEAMS IN THIS LEAGUE TO WIN AT A HIGH LEVEL?

>> I ALWAYS THOUGHT THE BIG TEN, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ALMOST LIKE PLAYING IN THE NFL.

BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE SPREADS, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S THREE TO SEVEN EVERY WEEK.

AND THOSE ARE THE GAMES YOU GOT TO GET REALLY COMFORTABLE PLAYING IN.

AND IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE WITH THE ADDITIONS OF THOSE TEAMS COMING FROM THE WEST.

BECAUSE USC, UCLA, WASHINGTON, OREGON.

THAT'S THE ELITE OF THE PAC-12 COMING INTO THIS LEAGUE.

IT'S GOING TO BE AT A PREMIUM.

EVERY SINGLE WEEK IT'S WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN A GAME.

THERE'S NO MORE STYLE POINTS ANYMORE.

IT'S WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO DO TO WIN A GAME.

IT'S GOING TO BE THE EXACT SAME PRODUCT THAT YOU SEE ON SUNDAY, I THINK.

>> AS A PLAYER IN THE NFL, YOU HAD TO DEFEND SOME PRETTY GOOD TIGHT ENDS.

YOU SAW A LOT OF GOOD ONES IN THE BIG TEN.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THOMAS FIDONE, WHAT YOU SEE OF HIM IN TERMS OF HIS POTENTIAL?

>> YEAH ANOTHER GUY WHO, I'M EXCITED THAT HE'S JUST HEALTHY.

IT'S UNFORTUNATE WHEN GUYS COME IN AND GET THE INJURY BUG RIGHT OFF THE BAT.

AND HE HAD TWO KNEE INJURIES.

BUT NOW I THINK HE'S JUST ABOUT COME OUT OF THAT.

ESPECIALLY THIS LAST GAME, TO SEE HIM CATCH ONE IN THE END ZONE.

WE GOT TO WORK ON THE CELEBRATION A LITTLE BIT.

I THINK THAT'S BEEN DOCUMENTED.

DON'T SHUSH THE HOME CROWD.

BUT HE LOOKS GOOD.

THE BIGGEST THING WITH THOMAS IS HE HAS A GREAT DESIRE.

HE REALLY WANTS TO BE A GOOD PLAYER.

AND HE PUTS THE TIME IN AND, YOU KNOW, SEEING HIM OUT THERE ON THE FIELD, IT MAKES ME EXTREMELY HAPPY BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT HE BATTLED BACK FROM THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.

>> A LOT HAS BEEN MADE WITH HEINRICH HAARBERG, JEFF SIMS.

BUT THE AMOUNT OF RUNS THEY'VE UTILIZED THEM IN THE RUN GAME.

I ALWAYS SAID, WHEN YOU'RE NOT AS GOOD AS UP FRONT, YOU GOT TO USE THE QB IN THE RUNNING GAME, THE PLUS ONE.

AND JUST EXPLAIN THAT FROM A DEFENSIVE SIDE, WHERE, IF YOU'RE -- ESSENTIALLY YOU HAVE A FREE HITTER, RIGHT?

IF IT'S 10 ON 11, YOU HAVE THAT FREE HITTER.

BUT THE STRESS A MOBILE QUARTERBACK IN A RUN GAME PUTS ON A DEFENSE.

>> SURE, YEAH.

JUST LIKE WE SAID, THE MATH, IT GOES FROM BEING 10 VERSUS 11, YOU KNOW, TO 11-11.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU ARE PLAYING A SINGLE HIGH DEFENSE, MIGHT BE COVER 3, MIGHT BE COVER 1.

THE POST SAFETY CAN'T JUST RUN TO THE POST ANYMORE.

HE'S GOT TO BE PART OF THE RUN GAME.

SO WHEN YOU CAN RUN THAT QUARTERBACK, IT'S KIND OF THE ULTIMATE.

BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU DON'T ALWAYS RUN HIM, WITH THE THREAT OF HIM BEING ABLE TO RUN, SOMEBODY HAS TO HAVE HIM ACCOUNTED FOR.

WHETHER IT'S YOUR TOO HIGH DEFENSE, THOSE SAFETYS BEING TIED IN.

EVERYBODY SLOWS DOWN.

AND HOPEFULLY, IF YOU KEEP DOING IT ENOUGH, THAT'S WHERE YOU GET SHOTS BEYOND YOU AS WELL.

WHAT KIND OF JUMP HAVE YOU SEEN FROM HAARBERG?

YOU SAW HIM IN '21 AND '22.

OBVIOUSLY, HE'S REALLY RAW.

COMING FROM CLASS C1, KEARNEY CATHOLIC.

WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN FROM HIM HERE THIS YEAR?

>> THE BIGGEST THING IS, HE JUST GOT TO FINALLY PLAY IN SOME REAL ACTION.

I LOVE THEIR OPENING DRIVE SEQUENCE.

THE BEST THING FOR HIM TO EARLY ON WAS TO GET HIT.

I THINK A LOT OF QUARTERBACKS -- I REMEMBER ANDREW LUCK TALKING ABOUT IT ONE TIME.

HE SAID, "I LOVE GETTING HIT EARLY BECAUSE IT WAKES ME UP.

IT GETS ME GOING."

SO, THEY RAN HIM EARLY, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS SMART.

AND WHEN HE HAD A CHANCE TO THROW THE BALL, HE WAS PRETTY GOOD.

I THINK HE HAD ONE THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO GET BACK.

TRYING TO FORCE INTO BUDDY THOMAS.

BUT OVERALL HE WAS PRETTY SAFE WITH THE BALL.

AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD START FOR HIM, FIRST TIME UNDER THE LIGHTS.

>> DO YOU THINK YOU SHOULDN'T LOSE YOUR JOB BECAUSE OF INJURY?

I KNOW SOMETIMES THE OTHER PERSON COMES IN AND PLAYS WELL ENOUGH, MAYBE THAT'S THE ONLY DECISION YOU CAN MAKE.

BUT A LOT OF COACHES HAVE THAT AS A RULE.

>> I DON'T THINK THAT'S A RULE, PERSONALLY.

I THINK IT'S WHOEVER GIVES YOU THE BEST CHANCE TO WIN A GAME, YOU GO WITH THAT.

KIND OF LIKE WHAT JAY MENTIONED, WHEN YOU RUN THE QUARTERBACK A LOT, SOMETIMES THOSE GUYS GET DINGED UP, TOO.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH PLAYING A COUPLE QUARTERBACKS IF THEY'RE BOTH SIMILAR SKILLSETS, TOO.

STEVE SPURRIER USED TO ROTATE THEM IN AND JUST BRING THE PLAY IN THAT WAY.

SO, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIONS WITH WHAT THEY GOT GOING FORWARD.

>> I WANTED TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN COLORADO WITH DEION SANDERS AND BRINGING IN ALMOST 70 NEW PLAYERS FOR A TEAM, THE WAY THEY DID IT.

HOW SURPRISED HAVE YOU WITH WHAT THEY'VE DONE IN THE FIRST THREE WEEKS, AND THE TV RATING.

THE WHOLE THING.

>> I'M SURE I'M LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

NOBODY THOUGHT THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN YEAR ONE.

BUT THE GUY, YOU KNOW, HE'S KIND OF CHANGING COLLEGE FOOTBALL.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE SAME AFTER THIS YEAR.

I THINK EVERYBODY'S -- YOU KNOW, NUMBER ONE, EVERYBODY'S PATIENCE IS GONE A LITTLE BIT DOWN.

THEY SEE WHAT HE'S DOING UP THERE, CHANGING WITH THAT TRANSFER MENTALITY.

I ALSO GOT TO GIVE HIM A LOT OF CREDIT.

YOU SEE DEION, YOU SEE THE GLASSES, YOU SEE ALL THAT STUFF.

BUT I THINK HE'S BEEN REALLY DETAILED, REALLY DISCIPLINED WITH HIS GUYS.

AND HE'S GOT THEM PLAYING HARD.

THEY PLAY CLEAN FOOTBALL.

I ALSO DIDN'T REALIZE HOW GOOD OF A QUARTERBACK HIS SON WAS, TOO.

THAT WAS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST THING THAT JUMPED OUT TO ME, IS THAT HIS SON CAN REALLY PLAY.

AND HE'S GOING TO BE AN NFL QUARTERBACK, SO THAT DEFINITELY HELPS WHEN YOU GET THE PORTAL STARTED WITH YOUR OWN KID.

>> HE HADN'T LOST THE GAME LAST YEAR AT JACKSON STATE.

HE BENCHED HIS KID FOR ONE OF THE GAMES BECAUSE HE WAS LATE FOR PRACTICE.

AND THEY GOT BEAT LIKE, 38-3.

AND I WAS LIKE, "WELL, HE MUST BE PRETTY GOOD."

TALK ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE ON A DEFENSE, AND YOUR DEFENSE IS PLAYING REALLY WELL, THE OFFENSE IS STRUGGLING.

WE WERE CHATTING WITH JAY ABOUT THAT AND DAMON LAST WEEK.

IS IT DIFFICULT?

I MEAN, YOU LOOK OVER ACROSS AND YOU'RE LIKE, "YOU GUYS HAVE TO PICK UP THE SLACK A LITTLE BIT."

>> YEAH, IT'S ALWAYS DIFFICULT.

IS THAT AN EXCUSE?

NO.

BUT YOU ALWAYS FEEL THAT.

THE SAME WAY YOU FEEL THE TEN-MINUTE DRIVE OR THE EIGHT-MINUTE DRIVE THE OFFENSE HAS.

YOU GET ENERGIZED FROM THAT.

AND THERE'S NO DOUBT, WHEN YOUR OFFENSE IS STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT, YOU START GEYOU KNOW WHATING JUMPY, YOU START GETTING ANTSY.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THAT'S NOT AN EXCUSE.

FOR YEARS IN TAMPA BAY WE CALLED IT BUCK BALL.

YOU HAD TO FIND A WAY TO GET 17 POINTS, BECAUSE IT WAS OUR JOB.

THEY GOT 17, WE HAD TO WIN THE GAME.

SO THERE'S A -- THERE'S SOME FRUSTRATION AT TIMES AS A DEFENSIVE PLAYER BUT ALSO A LOT OF PRIDE SETS IN, TOO.

WHERE, HEY MAN, OFFENSE NEEDS US.

THIS IS WHERE IT'S ON US TO WIN A GAME.

>> LOOKING NOW, LOUISIANA TECH, OBVIOUSLY AFTER THIS THE BIG TEN SCHEDULE COMES INTO PLAY.

WHAT YOU'VE SEEN NEBRASKA NOW FROM THE FIRST THREE GAMES, OBVIOUSLY WITH THIS WEEKEND, HOW DO YOU THINK IT SHAKES OUT NOW?

OBVIOUSLY INJURIES.

THE RUNNING BACK ROOMS ARE VASTLY DIFFERENT NOW.

BUT JUST THE BIG TEN HAS LOOKED HERE IN THOSE FIRST THREE WEEKS?

IT'S QUITE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE EXPECTED IT TO BE.

>> YEAH.

I THINK IT SHOULD GIVE NEBRASKA SOME CONFIDENCE GOING FORWARD THAT IF THEY CAN PLAY CLEAN FOOTBALL, THEY CAN BE IN EVERY GAME ON THEIR SCHEDULE.

THEY REALLY CAN.

YOU DON'T WANT TO JUMP AHEAD TO MICHIGAN ALREADY, THEY'RE NUMBER TWO IN THE COUNTRY.

BUT, SAME DEAL.

IF YOU'RE REALLY CLEAN WITH YOUR FOOTBALL, THE DEFENSE KEEPS PLAYING AT A HIGH LEVEL, STOPPING THE RUN, BEING TIMELY WITH THEIR PRESSURES ON THE QUARTERBACK.

I HEARD THE COACH SAYING IT ON THE PRESS CONFERENCE.

THEY GOT TO FIND A WAY TO GET THE BALL OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE.

TURNOVER IS USUSALLY WHAT DICTATE REALLY CLOSE GAMES.

TIF YOU CAN TURN THE BALL OVER AND YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF THE BALL, IF IT'S GOING TO BE CLOSE, USUALLY IT'S GOING TO GO YOUR WAY.

WHEN YOU FIRST SAW LUKE REIMER PLAY, WHEN YOU GUYS GOT HIM FLIPPED OVER BACK TO NEBRASKA.

DID YOU THINK HE COULD BE A GUY THAT COULD END UP THIRD ALL TIME TACKLER?

BECAUSE HE'S ON THE WAY TO MAYBE GETTING THERE.

>> IT SHOWS HOW GOOD OF A RECRUITER I WAS.

I DIDN'T EVEN OFFER A GUY IN MY OWN CITY THAT ENDED STARTING FOR ME FOR THREE YEARS.

NO, WHEN HE GOT THERE AS A WALK-ON, I REMEMBER THE FIRST DRILL OF TWO-A-DAYS, I WAS LIKE, "OKAY.

PROBABLY GOING TO GIVE HIM A SCHOLARSHIP RIGHT NOW."

BECAUSE YOU COULD JUST SEE IT.

AND HE JUST HAD A NATURAL KNACK FOR GETTING TO THE FOOTBALL.

THERE'S ALWAYS THE PHRASE, "LAVONTE DAVID, YOU'RE THE ALL TIME FOOTBALL PLAYER."

THAT'S KIND OF WHAT LUKE IS, TOO.

HE JUST HAS A KNACK OF, "HEY, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO GO THERE, YOU'RE SUPPOESD TO GO HERE."

BUT HE SLIPS A BLOCK AND MAKES A PLAY.

SO I'M EXCITED.

I'M EXCITED FOR HIM THIS YEAR, AND TO SEE WHAT HE CAN DO IN HIS LAST YEAR HERE IN NEBRASKA.

>> WHAT ABOUT NICK HENRICH, TOO?

THAT'S ANOTHER GUY THAT YOU REALLY HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH.

AND HE LOOKS FASTER.

HE HAD THE ANKLE INJURY BUT YOU SEE HIM TURNING IT UP AS WELL, RIGHT?

>> YEAH, SAME, SAME.

WITH NICK, IT'S ALWAYS, IF HE CAN STAY HEALTHY AND STAY OUT THERE, HE JUST MAKES SUCH A DIFFERENCE TO THE ENTIRE DEFENSE.

I COMPARE HIM TO A GREAT POINT GUARD.

THE COMFORT LEVEL WITH EVERYBODY IS BETTER WHEN NICK IS ON THE FIELD BECAUSE HE'S SUCH A GOOD FIELD GENERAL.

HE'S SUCH A GOOD TEAMMATE.

HE GUIDES GUYS AROUND, TELLS GUYS WHERE TO GO.

I JUST THINK HE BRINGS A TON TO THE TABLE FROM THE INTANGIBLE SIDE OF THING, AS WELL AS BEING ABLE TO BE REALLY PRODUCTIVE AND MAKE A TON OF PLAYS, TOO.

SO, HOPEFULLY THAT ANKLE IS ALL GONE NOW AND HE CAN ROLL THE REST OF THE YEAR.

>> WE APPRECIATE IT.

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE SIDELINE COACHING AGAIN.

>> YEAH, I HOPE SO.

IT'S FUN TO BE HERE, GUYS.

I'LL BE WATCHING THIS YEAR FROM THE STANDS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

>> SOUNDS GREAT.

THANKS, BARRY WE APPRECIATE IT.

>>> THIS WEEK'S GAME DAY PHOTO WINNER IS BARRY AND BARRETT WHO SHARED THIS PHOTO OF THEM WATCHING THE GAME IN THEIR SWEET GARAGE SETUP.

THANKS FOR SENDING IT TO US, BARRY AND BARRETT.

DON'T MISS OUT ON YOUR CHANCE TO SEND US YOUR BEST GAME DAY PHOTOS FOR CHANCES TO WIN GREAT PRIZES LIKE THESE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.

YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR GAMEDAY BEST.

SO MAKE SURE YOU SEND IN THE PHOTOS FROM YOUR TAILGATE, INSIDE YOUR STADIUM OR EVEN YOUR WATCH PARTY IN YOUR HOME.

LET'S TOSS IT OVER TO JAY MOORE NOW WHO'S IN THE HUDDLE.

>>> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE TWO OFFENSIVE PLAYS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER IN THE VOTE.

THE FIRST ONE IS THE POP PASS TO FIDONE OVER THE MIDDLE THAT WE SAW IN THE SECOND QUARTER HERE.

SO, I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT FIDONE.

THE SAFETY GETS IN THE SITUATION WHERE HE'S NOT QUITE SURE WHAT TO DO.

HE DOESN'T TRUST HIS EYES, DOESN'T SEE THE FIELD VERY WELL AND DOESN'T FEEL THE PLAY.

SO I ROLL THIS, NEBRASKA IS GOING TO GIVE A POWER LOOK.

A DOWN, DOWN, POLAR.

FIDONE DOES A GOOD JOB.

THE TIGHT END DOES GET PRETTY GOOD HANDS ON HIM.

IS ABLE TO SLIP, GET UNDERNEATH.

I'LL HIGHLIGHT HERE.

YOU CAN SEE EVERYONE'S EYES IN THE BACKFIELD.

THEY'RE LOOKING, TRYING TO SEE THAT MESH POINT.

THE SAFETY GETS SUCKED UP IN THAT POWER LOOK.

FIDONE IS ABLE TO POP RIGHT OUT HERE IN THE MIDDLE.

A REALLY GOOD THROW, A REALLY GOOD CATCH.

AS BARRY SAID, WE GOT TO WORK ON THAT CELEBRATION NEXT.

LET'S LOOK AT THE HAARBERG TOUCHDOWN FROM LATER IN THE GAME.

NOW, NEBRASKA IS GOING TO GET A LITTLE DOUBLE-TEAM HERE.

CENTER WORKING UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

THE DEFENSIVE END ON THE END HERE IS GOING TO BE PUT IN A TOUGH SPOT.

HE'S LOOKING AT THE MESH POINT.

I TALKED ABOUT PLAYING WITH EYES, GOOD EYE DISCIPLINE.

HE SEES THIS.

BALL HANDLING BY HENRICH HERE IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD.

HE PUTS IT IN HIS CHEST, AND THEN AS HE COMMITS, BOOM, HE PULLS IT OUT.

HE STILL THINKS HE'S GOT IT.

HE KIND OF GIVES THE OH, CRAP, MOMENT.

BOOM, TRIES TO COME OUT OF IT.

MARCUS WASHINGTON DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB OF RUNNING THE SECONDARY GUY OFF AND MANNED SO THAT CREATES MORE ROOM FOR HAARBERG HERE.

HE TURNS ON THE JETS.

GUY HAD AN ANGLE TOO, AND HE'S ABLE TO UNRUN THEM.

AND THAT WAS SOME GOOD COUPLE GOOD OFFENSIVE PLAYS, THERE.

>> NOT A BAD THING, THEY GOT A GUY WHO'S LIKE, 6'4", 6'5", 230, AND RUNS LIKE THAT.

>> NO.

>> YOU DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THAT.

>> NO, THAT'S A TOUGH GUY TO TAKE DOWN FOR ANYBODY.

>>> NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

WE'LL HAVE MORE HUSKER FOOTBALL COMING UP OUR WAY.

NEXT UP, SEAN CALLAHAN TALKS RECRUITING, AND THEN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM'S NATION LEADING SELLOUT STREAK.

I KNEW I WAS GOING TO MESS THAT UP.

MORE PHOTOS FROM SATURDAY'S GAME, COURTESY OF HURRDAT SPORTS.

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

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

WHAT WAS YOUR TOP PLAY FROM NEBRASKA'S WIN AGAINST NORTHERN ILLINOIS?

RIGHT NOW, STILL LEADING, HEINRICH HAARBERG'S 20-YARD RUSHING TD IN THE FOURTH QUARTER, 53%.

FIDONE'S 16-YARD TOUCHDOWN CATCH AND SHUSH, 30%.

AND BUDDHA WRIGHT'S INTERCEPTION AND 12-YARD RETURN IN THE FOURTH QUARTER GETS 17%.

WITH ME NOW, OF COURSE, IS SEAN CALLAHAN TO TALK SOME RECRUITING.

LET'S TALK ABOUT BRANDON BAKER VISIT.

>> YEAH, NEBRASKA HOSTED ONE OF THE TOP, IF NOT THE TOP, OFFENSIVE LINEMEN IN THE NATION.

BRANDON BAKER, 5-STAR OUT OF LOS ANGELES.

MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL.

>> GOOD SCHOOL.

>> ONE OF THE TOP PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY.

THE TOP RUNNING BACK.

ARGUABLY THE TOP "D" LINEMEN AND "O" LINEMEN IN THE NATION ON ONE TEAM.

BRYCE YOUNG IS FROM THERE, MATT LEINART.

SO A LOT OF HISTORY.

THIS IS BRANDON BAKER'S THIRD VISIT TO NEBRASKA SINCE MARCH.

HIS MOM AND DAD HAVE BEEN ON ALL THREE TRIPS.

HE'S GOING TO MAKE HIS ANNOUNCEMENT SUNDAY.

NEBRASKA, I THINK, IS IN THE DISCUSSION.

TEXAS IS PROBABLY CONSIDERED THE LEADER.

I KNOW GOING INTO THE WEEKEND, THEY WERE THE LEADER.

MY QUESTION IS, HOW MUCH SHOULD THIS VISIT IMPACT HIM AS HE MOVES INTO THIS DECISION HE MAKES ON SUNDAY> >> HE'S A GOOD LOOKING GUY.

THE SIZE OF HIM ON THE FIELD WHEN WE WERE DOWN THERE, HE'S HUGE.

HOW'S ABOUT CALEB PYFROM WHO'S OVER AT OMAHA CENTRAL.

I'VE WATCHED HIM PLAY A COUPLE TIMES IN PERSON.

HE'S AN ATHLETIC KID.

>> YEAH, CALEB PYFROM, OMAHA CENTRAL, COMMITTED TO ILLINOIS.

HE HAD MINNESOTA, NEBRASKA, SOME OTHER TEAMS ON HIM.

HIS DAD, LIVAN PYFROM PLAYED FOR DANA ALTMAN AT CREIGHTON YEARS AGO.

THEY'VE LIVED IN OMAHA, OBVIOUSLY, HIS WHOLE LIFE.

SO, HE'S A BASKETBALL PLAYER.

HE'S BEEN A GREAT PLAYER FOR THE EAGLES ON THE COURT.

AND I REMEMBER SEEING HIM, OH MY GOD, WHO IS THIS GUY?

HE'S A SOPHOMORE, HE'S A FRESHMAN, HE'S BIG, HE CAN RUN, HE HAD GREAT FEET, AND NOW HE'S ADDED SOME WEIGHT.

YOU LOOK AT HIM NOW -- >> HE'S A BIG MAN.

>> HE'S WAY BIGGER THAN HE WAS TWO YEARS AGO AT THIS POINT.

HE'S PROBABLY 50 POUNDS PLUS BIGGER THAN HE WAS TWO YEARS AGO.

AND IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW HE DEVELOPS NOW MOVING FORWARD.

HE'S GOT FEET THOUGH.

>> YEAH.

>> AND THAT'S THE ONE THING YOU CAN'T COACH.

>> HE PLAYED WELL AGAINST GRETNA WHEN I SAW HIM.

AND HE WENT TO ILLINOIS BECAUSE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY RIGHT AWAY.

HE THINKS HE CAN PLAY AS A FRESHMAN, SO.

LET'S HEAD TO THE PHONES NOW.

LANDEN DAVIDSON, WHO IS A HUSKER COMMIT FOR 2024, JOINING US HERE ON THE PHONE.

LANDEN, HOW ARE YOU DOING?

>> I'M -- I'M -- I'M DOING GREAT TONIGHT.

>> HOW'S THE SEASON GOING SO -- >> HOW ARE YOU?

>> WE'RE DOING WELL.

HOW'S THE SEASON GOING SO FAR?

>> SEASON'S -- SEASON'S GOING ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE RIGHT NOW 2-2 HEADING INTO OUR NEXT GAME.

WE'RE GOING AGAINST BRIGHTON.

IT'S A 3-1 TEAM.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST PREPARING.

WE'RE GETTING READY, COMING TOGETHER AS A TEAM.

I'M EXCITED.

>> LANDEN, DESCRIBE YOUR RECRUITING PROCESS WITH NEBRASKA.

YOU CAME TO CAMP.

DID YOU HAVE ANY IDEA IT WAS GOING TO LEAD TO WHAT IT ENDED UP LEADING TO, WITH YOU COMMITTING TO NEBRASKA.

♪ >> IT KIND OF -- IT KIND OF SURPRISED ME A LOT, HONESTLY.

BUT, NO, HEADING INTO CAMP, I HAD HIGH HOPES.

COACH SATTERFIELD CAME AND VISITED ME TWICE AT MY HIGHSCHOOL, THROUGH MY JUNIOR SEASON.

SO, I HAD HIGH HOPES GOING INTO THE CAMP.

AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH COACH DONNY'S COACHING STYLE.

AND THE OFFICIAL VISIT JUST KIND OF SOLD IT FOR ME.

JUST THE FAMILY FEEL DOWN THERE.

YOU KNOW IT'S -- IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

I FELT LIKE I WAS ALREADY A PART OF THE TEAM.

>> NEBRASKA'S GOT A LOT OF PLAYERS, OF COURSE, OUT OF COLORADO.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT NEBRASKA, YOU THINK, FOR THE COLORADO GUYS, THAT IT'S SUCH AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE?

>> THE STRONG RIVALRY.

YOU KNOW?

I'LL BE -- I'LL BE WEARING MY NEBRASKA SHIRTS JUST WALKING AROUND.

AND I -- I ALWAYS -- I ALWAYS HEAR COMMENTS, YOU KNOW?

NOT ONLY THAT, BUT, I WALK AROUND WEARING A NEBRASKA SHIRT, I JUST HEAR "GO BIG RED" EVERYWHERE I GO.

>> NOW, WERE YOU AT THE GAME IN BOULDER WHEN NEBRASKA PLAYED AT COLORADO?

>> YEAH, I WAS AT THE GAME.

>> SO YOU WORE YOUR HUSKER GEAR TO THAT GAME, TOO?

>> YEAH.

>> WOW.

>> I'M GUESSING NOBODY MESSED WITH LANDEN DAVIDSON >> NO -- AT 6'4", 295.

IT WAS AN AMAZING ATMOSPHERE, WASN'T IT?

AND -- AND I'M ASSUMING THAT JUST THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE FOOTBALL TALK THAT'S HAPPENING IN COLORADO RIGHT NOW IS REALLY AMPED UP WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING AT BOULDER.

>> YEAH.

I'VE NEVER -- I'VE NEVER SEEN IT LIKE THIS.

YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S GOT THE -- GOT THE FLAGS FLYING.

AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S WEARING THE PRIME SHIRTS.

AND, YEAH, I'VE -- I'VE NEVER SEEN COLORADO LIKE THIS.

>> AS -- AS WE WRAP IT UP WITH YOU, LANDEN, WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS OF THE PERFORMANCE?

WE FINALLY SAW NEBRASKA KIND OF GET OVER THE HUMP.

A LOT OF THINGS JUMPED OUT IN THAT WIN OVER NORTHERN ILLINOIS.

>> OH, IT WAS AWESOME.

I WAS WATCHING IT WITH MY MOM.

AND AS SOON AS THEY WON, WE -- WE JUST STARTED JUMPING AROUND.

IT WAS EXCITING.

>> THAT'S AWESOME!

HEY, LANDEN, WE APPRECIATE IT.

STAY HEALTHY THE REST OF THE SEASON.

>> YES, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING ME.

>> APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU, AS WELL, SEAN.

BEFORE WE PREVIEW THIS WEEKEND'S GAME AGAINST LOUISIANA TECH, LET'S LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SELLOUT STREAK IN HONOR OF MEMORIAL STADIUM'S 100th YEAR.

♪ >> A MECCA OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL, NEBRASKA'S MEMORIAL STADIUM CELEBRATES ITS 100th YEAR AS HOME OF THE CORNHUSKER FOOTBALL TEAM.

SINCE 1923, FANS HAVE MADE THE STADIUM HOME DURING SATURDAYS EACH FALL.

THE WONDER OF EXPERIENCING A GAME INSIDE THIS VENUE HAS BECOME A TRADITION PASSED DOWN TO EACH GENERATION OF NEBRASKANS.

>> IT'S AN IMPORTANT PLACE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL OR PROFESSIONAL SPORTS ON THE FOOTBALL LEVEL IN THIS STATE.

AND I'M TALKING NFL AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MINOR LEAGUE TEAMS AROUND, BUT LIKE SOMETHING TO COMPETE WITH THAT.

SO, THAT -- THAT IS -- THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO BE, AND YOU'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO MAKE IT THAT WAY.

>> DESPITE A SLIDE IN THE RESULTS ON THE FIELD, THE HUSKERS CONTINUE TO BOAST AN NCAA LEADING SELLOUT STREAK THAT DATES BACK TO 1962.

THAT SEASON WAS THE FIRST FOR HALL OF FAME COACH, BOB DEVANEY.

♪ >> THE GAME THAT STARTED THE SELLOUT STREAK IRONICALLY WAS THE FIRST LOSS FOR BOB DEVANEY.

IT WAS THE MISSOURI GAME, 16-7.

♪ >> WHEN BOB CAME HERE IN '62, UNTIL FRANK SOLICH LEFT HERE, WE WON 82% OF OUR GAMES, WHICH WAS ABOUT 60 MORE GAMES THAN ANYBODY ELSE.

I THINK OHIO STATE WAS SECOND AT 75%.

AND SO WE WENT THROUGH A PRETTY GOOD PERIOD OF SUCCESS ON THE FIELD.

AND THAT CERTAINLY HAD TO BE A PART OF IT, TOO.

AND IT REALLY TURNED AROUND WHEN BOB DEVANEY CAME HERE.

>> SINCE THEN, THE BIG RED FAITHFUL HAVE SOLD OUT EVERY GAME.

AS THE STADIUM HAS GROWN AND EXPANDED, MORE FANS HAVE TAKEN PART IN THE TRADITION.

[ FANS CHEERING ] >> HUSKER FAITHFUL, TO JUST SHOW UP WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT, TO THE POINT WHERE, IN MY FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, I GOT TO KNOW THE PEOPLE, LIKE, RECOGNIZE THE PEOPLE THAT HAD THE SEASON TICKETS RIGHT BEHIND THE BENCH, OR THE PERSON THAT STOOD AT THE SAME CORNER OF THE TUNNEL WALK EVERY SINGLE WEEK, AND WITHOUT FAIL, DID NOT MISS, OR SEEING THE YOUNG KID, WHEN YOU RUN OFF THE FIELD, THAT'S ASKING FOR A PAIR OF GLOVES, OR FOR AN ARMBAND OR SOMETHING, AND TO ALWAYS MAKE SURE, LIKE, YOU FIND THOSE KIDS TO HAND TO THEN BECAUSE THEY'RE THE NEXT GENERATION THAT ARE GONNA FILL THE SEATS, OR THEY'RE THE NEXT GENERATION THAT'S GONNA PLAY FOR THE HUSKERS.

>> THE NUMBER OF SELLOUTS IS EXPECTED TO HIT 400 IN 2024, AS LONG AS FAN INTEREST CONTINUES IN THE HUSKERS.

>> YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHAT MAKES NEBRASKA NEBRASKA, IS THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE SELLOUT STREAK.

IT'S THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THESE TRADITIONS THAT WE HOLD REALLY NEAR AND DEAR.

>> I THINK THE SELLOUT STREAK IS IMPORTANT TO OUR FANS.

I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE REALLY PROUD OF.

BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FACT THAT THEY'RE REALLY PROUD OF OUR STADIUM.

I MEAN, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE GROWN UP HERE AND THEY'VE SPENT A LOT OF THEIR LIFE HERE.

THIS PLACE -- A LOT OF THEIR MEMORIES HAVE HAPPENED IN THIS PLACE, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PRESERVE THAT.

>> GO BIG RED!

>> IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND ONE OF THE DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA ATHLETIC PRO -- PROGRAM.

>>> FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE, THERE REALLY IS NO PLACE LIKE MEMORIAL STADIUM ON SATURDAYS, AND THE SELLOUT STREAK PROVES THAT.

AND LET'S LOOK AT SOME FUTURE GAMES AND FUTURE SELLOUTS.

TAKE A GLANCE AT THE WEEKEND PERFORMANCES OF SOME OF THE FELLOW BIG10 TEAMS COMING UP LATER IN THE SCHEDULE.

YOU GOT MICHIGAN, WHO ROLLED OVER BOWLING GREEN.

GOT OFF TO A SLOW START, BUT AFTER HALFTIME TOOK CARE OF BUSINESS.

FIGHTING ILLINI FELL AGAIN.

PENN STATE IS REALLY GOOD.

THAT DEFENSE IS REALLY GOOD.

AND DUKE BEATS NORTHWESTERN.

I'M NOT SURE NORTHWESTERN GETS ANOTHER WIN THIS YEAR AFTER GETTING THEIR ONE WIN AGAINST UTEP.

LOUISIANA TECH, WE MENTIONED THIS.

WE WERE TALKING EARLIER.

A LOT OF SPEED, A LOT OF TALENT.

BUT SMOKE HARRIS, HE'S -- HE'S THE GUY, WHETHER IT'S KICKOFF RETURN, PUNT RETURN, CATCHING THE BALL.

>> YEAH, THEY'RE GONNA TEST NEBRASKAN SPACE.

THE GOOD THING IS, THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN TESTED BY PLAYING COLORADO EARLIER IN THE YEAR.

SO, I THINK, FOR NEBRASKA'S DEFENSE, CAN THEY PLAY FUNDAMENTAL, WIN THE FIELD POSITION GAME?

BECAUSE THIS OFFENSE, IF YOU GIVE THEM FIELD POSITION, THEY'RE IN GOOD SHAPE.

BUT IF THEY'RE PINNED BACK DEEP, WE KNOW THAT'S NOT REALLY A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS RIGHT NOW FOR NEBRASKA ON OFFENSE.

>> NOT SURE WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AT QUARTERBACK.

HANK BACHMEIER, FROM BOISE, GOT INJURED IN THE GAME.

JACK TURNER CAME AT THE BEGINNING OF -- END OF THE THIRD QUARTER, BEGINNING OF THE FOURTH QUARTER, ACTUALLY SCORED 17 POINTS TO TIE IT.

AND THEN THEY LOST IN OVERTIME.

SO WE'RE NOT SURE WHERE TO GET THEM.

I DESCRIBE THEIR DEFENSE AS VERY ATHLETIC BUT NOT FUNDAMENTALLY SOUND, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

THEY COME AFTER YOU, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM TO DO THINGS.

>> THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM.

SO YOU'RE SAYING SOME BIG PLAYS.

>> SOME BIG PLAYS ARE POSSIBLE.

>> THEY GIVE UP SOME BIG PLAYS.

>> THEY GIVE UP A LOT OF THEM, YEAH.

>> SOME GASH YARDAGE, YEAH.

IT'S GONNA BE INTERESTING TO SEE, BECAUSE, OBVIOUSLY THE STRENGTH OF THEIR TEAM IS THEIR OFFENSE.

THE STRENGTH OF OUR TEAM IS OUR DEFENSE.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND OUR WEAKNESS IS OUR OFFENSE.

SO IT'S GONNA BE A VERY COOL MATCH-UP TO SEE HOW -- HOW IT PLAYS OUT.

RATHER -- I GUESS NOT QUITE LIKE THE NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAME.

I THINK NORTHERN ILLINOIS' DEFENSE WAS -- WAS OKAY, FOR THE MOST PART.

BUT I THINK, LIKE YOU SAID, IF THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THE FOOTBALL LIKE THEY DID AGAINST NORTHERN ILLINOIS, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO GET SOME BIG PLAYS GOING THAT WE HAVEN'T QUITE SEEN SO FAR THROUGH THE FIRST THREE GAMES.

>> YEAH, SPECIAL TEAMS WILL BE BIG, BECAUSE LIKE, SMOKE HARRIS IS -- WAS ON THE WATCH LIST FOR THE JET AWARD LAST COUPLE OF YEARS BEING REALLY GOOD -- ONE OF THE BEST PUNT AND KICKOFF RETURNERS.

YOU GOT TO WATCH OUT FOR HIM EVERY TIME ON THE FIELD.

>> YEAH, AND IT WAS GOOD TO SEE BUCCINI COME BACK.

>> YEAH.

>> I MEAN, I THOUGHT HIS PUNT TO THE ONE-YARD LINE HELPED TURN THE GAME.

IT WAS A 7-3 GAME.

THAT PUNT RESULTED IN POINTS FOR NEBRASKA TO MAKE IT 14-3.

SO, THEY NEED THAT KIND OF PERFORMANCE AGAIN OUT OF BUCCINI TO, YOU KNOW, GET SOME POINTS OUT OF THE KICKING GAME.

>> COACH KNOW -- THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GONNA GET FROM THE COACH.

COACH CUMBIE WAS AT TCU.

AND, OF COURSE, TEXAS TECH BEFORE THEN.

♪ YOU KNOW THIS IS A GUY WHO WANTS TO THROW IT AROUND.

>> YEAH, HE DOES.

SPREAD YOU OUT.

HIGH TEMPO.

THEY WANT TO STRETCH YOU AND TRY TO TAKE THE TOP OFF.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO TEST US.

THEY'RE GOING TO TEST US EARLY AND OFTEN.

AGAIN, LIKE BARRETT TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, YOU STILL GOT TO BE ABLE TO STOP THE RUN.

YOU STILL GOTTA TAKE -- WIN ON FIRST DOWN, WIN ON SECOND DOWN.

FORCE THEM TO THIRD AND LONG, OBVIOUS PASSING SITUATIONS.

AND THAT'S WHEN YOU CAN GET MULTIPLE.

>> YEAH.

>> THAT'S WHEN YOU CAN START SHOWING SIX OR SEVEN GUYS AT THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.

YOU CAN BRING THEM, OR YOU DROP BACK AND YOU SIT EIGHT IN COVERAGE AND SAY, "OKAY, PICK YOUR POISON, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO."

SO, THAT'S GOING TO BE FUN TO SEE THAT WHOLE MATCH-UP AND THAT CHESS GAME GOING FORWARD ON SATURDAY.

>> SEAN, ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE QUESTIONS LAST WEEK, AND THIS ONE COMES FROM GREG IN GRAND ISLAND.

DID NEBRASKSA EVER REACH OUT TO DEION SANDERS TO BE HEAD COACH?

>> NO.

>> HE WAS NOT HIRING SOMEBODY WHO HAD NO DIVISION I EXPERIENCE, RIGHT?

>> I JUST -- KEVIN KUGLER SAID THIS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO ON THE SHOW.

DEION'S STYLE JUST WOULD NOT HAVE WORKED HERE AT NEBRASKA.

I MEAN, YOU CAN'T JUST WIPE OUT A WHOLE ROSTER OF LOCAL PLAYERS HERE AND EXPECT THE PEOPLE IN THE STATE TO BE BEHIND THAT.

I MEAN, IT WORKS IN COLORADO.

>> SURE.

>> IT'S FINE.

BUT THAT STYLE JUST WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A FIT AT A PLACE LIKE NEBRASKA.

IT WORKS WHEN YOU'RE 1-11.

>> SURE.

>> THEY LOST GAMES BY 30 POINTS ON AVERAGE.

>> LIKE, HIGH SCHOOL COACHES IN DENVER AREN'T FURIOUS THAT A BUNCH OF LOCAL AREA HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS GOT RAN OUT OF COLORADO.

BUT HERE, IF YOU DID THAT -- >> YEAH.

>> -- WITH A BUNCH OF IN STATE KIDS, IT WOULD JUST -- I MEAN, IT JUST WOULDN'T WORK.

>> IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MESS.

>> YEAH, THAT'S NOT THE NEBRASKA WAY.

DEREK ASKS ON FACEBOOK, YOU THINK BONNER AS AN H-BACK TIGHT END COULD SERVE MAYBE IN A FULLBACK ROLE WHERE HE RUNS THE BALL SOME.

>> YEAH, I THINK SO.

IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE JUST WITH -- WITH THE RUNNING BACK ROOM, YOU KNOW, BEING DEPLETED NOW, THEY MIGHT UTILIZE A FULLBACK MORE.

YOU START SEEING SOME I-FORMATION, 21, 22 PERSONNEL 2 BACKS, 1 TIGHT END, 2 BACKS, 2 TIGHT END, START SEEING SOME FULLBACK TRAP.

JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP YOU HONEST AND RUNNING SOME OPTION OFF OF IT.

LIKE WE -- LIKE WE SAW FOR YEARS, AND YEARS, AND YEARS HERE.

BUT I THINK THAT'S A GOOD OPTION.

INTERESTING TO SEE IF YOU SEE HAARBERG AND SIMS ON THE FIELD AT THE SAME TIME, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SAW AGAINST MINNESOTA ON THAT ONE PLAY TOO.

>> BESIDES EMMETT JOHNSON AND KWINTEN IVES, WHO ELSE YOU MIGHT SEE, YOU THINK?

>> WELL, TREVIN LUBEN IS THE OTHER GUY.

>> NEXT GUY.

>> I MEAN, HE'S REALLY THE ONLY OTHER GUY THEY HAD IN CAMP, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, BACK IN AUGUST, SO -- >> RIGHT.

>> YOU KNOW, THEY HAD SOME ATTRITION OVER THE OFFSEASON.

I MEAN, GUYS THAT MAYBE COULD HAVE COME BACK, BUT THOSE ARE -- THAT'S -- LUBEN WOULD BE YOUR NEXT MAN IN THE ROTATION RIGHT NOW.

>> YEAH.

AJAY ALLEN HURTS.

>> WHAT'S YOUR BURNING QUESTION?

>> MY BURNING QUESTION IS, "WHAT IS JEFF SIMS ROLE THIS WEEK?"

DOES HE START?

IF HE DOES START, DOES HE PLAY THE WHOLE GAME?

THAT IS -- I THINK JEFF SIMS IS REALLY MY BIGGEST QUESTION OF THE WEEK.

>> SURE.

>> TURNOVERS ON DEFENSE.

I THINK THEY'RE GONNA GET OPPORTUNITIES.

THEY'RE GONNA TRY TO TAKE THE TOP OFF FROM THE SECONDARY.

GET TWO PLUS TURNOVERS IN THIS GAME TO SETTLE THIS OFFENSE.

>> YEAH, IT'S A SIMPLE QUESTION, "CAN YOU STOP SMOKE HARRIS?"

HE'S THE BEST PLAYER ON LOUISIANA TECH'S TEAM.

IF YOU CAN SLOW HIM DOWN, YOU CAN SLOW DOWN THE WHOLE TEAM.

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

JAY, SEAN, AND I WILL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT ON SATURDAY WHEN NEBRASKA TAKES ON LOUISIANA TECH FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT WEEK AT HOME.

KICKOFF FOR THAT GAME IS AT 2:30 P.M. CENTRAL ON BIG TEN NETWORK.

NEXT TUESDAY WE'LL RECAP THE GAME, RIGHT HERE, WITH ROBIN WASHUT FROM HUSKERONLINE.

OUR THANKS TO BARRETT RUUD, LANDEN DAVIDSON, AND OUR STUDENT VOLUNTEERS IN THE CALL CENTER, FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

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

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

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪