The Nebraska football team practiced for 90 minutes Monday afternoon in sweats, getting ready to begin Big Ten play. The offense practiced outside on the Ed and Joyanne Gass Practice Field while the defense practiced inside the Hawks Center.

Defensive Coordinator Mark Banker spoke with the media following practice and spoke about some of the defensive strengths during last Saturday’s game against Southern Mississippi.

“Chris Weber played a hell of a game, Banker said. “Freedom [Akinmoladun] for the third game in a row now has just continued to improve, he had two sacks, he has four sacks [on the season]. Those two guys played outstanding.

“I thought Greg McMullen played the best game that he’s played so far this season. He did a lot of good things out there on the field. Guys just continued to improve.”

But Banker was not afraid to admit that his team still has things they need to work on.

“What we’ve got to do is continue to just grind at better technique and get the pass game in control,” Banker said. “We’re going to get a great chance this week because they’re going to throw the ball 900 times until we play well enough to win the game.”

Banker also mentioned that although this Saturday’s game marks the first Big Ten game of the season, some parts of the game plan won’t change.

“Our message is about us. Our message is discipline, discipline in everything that we do,” Banker said. “It’s the next game, but it’s more important that we are focusing on us and how we play, practice and then specifically what the next opponent has in store for us.”

According to Banker, Illinois has quite the load in store for his Husker defense.

“What impressed me about [Illinois] is the speed at which they do things [and] execute their offense, they have a lot of it,” Banker said. “The running back particularly, it seems like a lot of things go through him, whether it’s in the run game or getting him involved also in the pass game.  I think their wide receivers are good. They’ve got a couple of guys that are exceptional. They’ve got a good command of what they’re trying to do on offense.  The quarterback is very efficient as well. I think the offensive line across the board is solid. They look like a very polished offense right now, executing at a very high rate, and we’ll have our hands full.”

A highlight in Monday’s practice was that Akinmoladun was awarded a Blackshirt and Banker was quick to compliment his efforts.

“We talked about earning it and I think he’s an epitome of really what a Blackshirt is,” Banker said. “He earned it. This is a guy that came in as a tight end, didn’t have any idea of what he could or couldn’t do [and] he worked hard throughout spring and summer. I mentioned it many times that [he] comes in with Coach Hughes and asks all the important questions, and he just wants to be as good as he possibly can be.

“He played nearly the whole game, had great effort the whole game and he’s done that and shown that and that’s why we gave him a Blackshirt today.”

The Huskers will resume practice tomorrow afternoon.  For more information, check back to huskers.com.