Lincoln, Neb.- The Nebraska football team continued its preparations for its Saturday morning Big Ten conference showdown with Rutgers University on Tuesday afternoon, as the Huskers practiced for nearly two hours inside of the Hawks Championship Center and outside on the Ed and Joyanne Gass practice fields.

Defensive Coordinator John Papuchis met with media after practice, announcing that 16 Husker defenders were awarded the coveted Blackshirt jersey today before practice.

“We decided to after the game on Saturday, based on the challenges we faced at halftime, and the way they came out and corrected what we needed to be corrected and go out and play a good half to win the game,” Papuchis said. “I thought based off of that, they were deserved to be handed out.”

As for the players selected to be a part of the Blackshirt tradition in 2014, the list goes as follows.

Upfront defensive ends Randy Gregory and Greg McMullen both were selected as ends in the Blackshirt group. Gregory, the 6-6 dynamic pass rusher has recorded 28 total tackles, 13 of which were solo, adding six tackles for loss, four and a half sacks and nine quarterback hurries in his junior season. McMullen has also terrorized opposing teams’ backfields, as the sophomore from Akron has seven tackles for loss with two and half sacks.

Defensive tackles selected in the Blackshirt group were sophomore Maliek Collins, and juniors Kevin Williams and Vincent Valentine. All three have produced valiantly for NU, with Williams rejoining the trio after battling minor injuries in the early part of the ’14 season.

Four linebackers were awarded Blackshirts, with seniors Zaire Anderson, Trevor Roach, junior David Santos and sophomore Josh Banderas being the recipients. One of the most improved defensive units from 2013 to 2014, Roach, a former walk-on has led the unit with 42 total tackles (26 solo), with six tackles for loss and one sack.

A total of seven defensive backs were selected to be a part of the Blackshirt group, with veteran corners Josh Mitchell, Daniel Davie and Jonathan Rose being selected. Mitchell, a senior has recorded 19 tackles with one fumble returned for a touchdown against Miami. Davie has also shined, as the junior from Beatrice has two interceptions on the season.

Newcomers Byerson Cockrell and Joshua Kalu also were awarded Blackshirts for the contributions made at the nickel and dime cornerback position. Cockrell, a junior college transfer, and Kalu a true freshman have combined for seven pass breakups.

Finally two safeties were awarded Blackshirts, with senior Corey Cooper and sophomore Nate Gerry being the recipients. Cooper has led the back end of the Husker defense totaling 33 tackles, with one interception.

 

The Nebraska football team will continue its preparations for its Saturday morning game on Wednesday afternoon. The Huskers Big Ten conference clash against Rutgers will be nationally televised on ESPN2 at 11:00 am (Central).

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Creating turnovers is a point of emphasis during Nebraska’s preseason practices.

The Cornhuskers have had one of the worst turnover margins in the nation the last two years. Defensive coordinator John Papuchis said it’s important for his charges to become a more ball-hawking unit.

The Huskers were tied for 119th out of 125 Bowl Subdivision teams in turnover margin. They gave up the ball 11 more times than they took it away last season. Their combined minus-23 the past two years is last in the Big Ten and seventh worst nationally.

Papuchis is tracking how many takeaways the defense generates in practice. He also is counting how many times his players miss opportunities to knock a ball loose or intercept a pass.

Lincoln, Neb.-  The Nebraska football team continued its week of preparation for Saturday’s Big Ten conference showdown with Michigan State on Wednesday afternoon. The team practiced in helmets and shoulder pads for just over two hours inside the Hawks Center and outside at the Ed and Joyanne Gass Practice Fields.

Defensive Coordinator John Papuchis addressed the media after practice, noting even though Michigan State is known for its nation-leading defense, their offense is still a huge threat for the Nebraska defense.

“I think they are a physical group. That has always been a trademark of who they are.” Papuchis said, “I like their young quarterback (Connor Cook), I think he does a good job. I think he has a strong arm and throws the outside throws really well.”

An Ohio native, Cook is the man under center for Michigan State. The sophomore first-year starter has been making Papuchis lose sleep at night, as Papuchis mentioned, he is deceptively athletic.

“There is not a lot of quarterback designed runs, but there is some. He is a good athlete.” Papuchis said, “I don’t know if that is a huge part in what he tries to do, but if he gets out and runs, he is a good athlete.”

Even though Cook may not be the most mobile quarterback in the country, he does present a lot of challenges to the Blackshirt defense. A main concern for the Husker defense is trying to take the ball away from Michigan State’s offense, especially Cook, who has thrown for 13 touchdowns with only three interceptions. According to Papuchis, forcing turnovers this weekend will be vital for the Huskers to succeed.

“We’ve got to take advantage of the opportunities. He hasn’t made a lot of bad decisions with the ball and hopefully we get enough pressure on him that guys are getting up in his face.” Papuchis said, “We are going to need some takeaways this game.”

Nebraska will hit the practice field again on Thursday as the team moves closer to its sixth conference game of the season. The Huskers will host the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast nationally on ABC.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — If Bo Pelini is worried about his defense, he isn’t showing it.

While fans of No. 22 Nebraska spent the week stressing over how easily Wyoming moved the ball in the opener, the Cornhuskers’ coach stayed positive. He said he expects the defense to be “significantly better” Saturday against Southern Mississippi (0-1).

The No. 22 Huskers (1-0) need to improve if they hope to hang with No. 18 UCLA next week in what should be their toughest game before November.

The Huskers defeated Wyoming 37-34 last week, but the Cowboys amassed 602 yards.

No one expected the defense to be dominant early this season. The unit is young, with a redshirt freshman and sophomore among the starting front four and four true freshmen playing a significant amount against Wyoming.

Lincoln  – The Nebraska football team continued its week of preparation for Saturday’s game against Southern Misson Tuesday afternoon. The team practiced in full pads for just over two hours inside the Hawks Center and outside at the Ed and Joyanne Gass Practice Fields.

Defensive Coordinator John Papuchis addressed the media after practice, initially focusing on the similarities between Southern Miss quarterback Allen Bridgford and Wyoming quarterback Brett Smith.

“Allen Bridgford and Brett Smith are both big, strong-armed guys,” Papuchis said. “I’ve been impressed with the way Bridgford throws the ball, and I walked away very impressed with Smith as well. We’re still doing some research on Bridgford from his time back at Cal, but I’d say he’s somewhat similar to Smith.”

Papuchis was pleased with the way that some of his younger players played, such as freshman linebacker Josh Banderas, in their first action at Nebraska.

“Last week, the plan was to get Josh Banderas in a little bit more than we did,” Papuchis said. “The game wasn’t ever comfortable enough to make us that eager to put in a freshman, but we kind of bit the bullet in the fourth quarter and said it was time to get him out there. He played well, and we have a lot of confidence in him, whether we’re up 16 or up three like we were at the end.”

Although the impact of freshmen like Banderas was noticeable, Papuchis also mentioned his desire to get junior linebacker Zaire Anderson more reps against Southern Miss on Saturday.

“With Wyoming being a four-wide personnel team, the initial thought was that we were going to play a lot more dime, which made Mo Seisay a lot more involved,” Papuchis said. “I’d like to see Zaire Anderson play a bigger role this week, but that’s going to be dictated by what kind of personnel groupings we see from Southern Miss.”

Finally, Papuchis noted the difficulties of scouting opponents in openers and his belief that the defense is more prepared for Saturday’s game against Southern Miss.

“Openers are always somewhat tricky in college football,” Papuchis said. “You run the fine line between preparing too much and overwhelming your guys with information and not preparing enough, leaving a lot of guesswork. We did some things on defense that they had never seen before, and they did some things on offense we had never seen before. We have a little bit more film on Southern Miss, and we have a better base idea of who they are.”

Nebraska will hit the practice field again on Wednesday as the team moves closer to its second game of the season. NU will face Southern Mississippi on Saturday at 5 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast nationally on the Big Ten Network.

Lincoln, Neb.-  The Nebraska football team continued its game one preparations for Wyoming during a two-hour practice held inside the Hawks Center and outside at the Ed and Joyanne Gass Practice Fields in half pads Wednesday evening.

Defensive Coordinator John Papuchis met with media after practice, announcing that seven Husker defenders were awarded the coveted Blackshirt jersey today before practice.

“We decided that some of the veteran guys–some of the leaders have done a tremendous job in helping some of our younger guys on our defense come along, and their effort on the field and their attitude and work in the meeting group.” Papuchis said, “Part of being a Blackshirt is being defined by your work ethic and your attention to detail and your leadership you bring to the team.”

As for the players selected to be a part of the Blackshirt tradition in 2013, the list goes as follows.

Upfront seniors Jason Ankrah and Thad Randle were selected as defensive lineman in the Blackshirt group. Ankrah has started 18 games over the past two seasons, including the final seven games of 2012 and will be a vital player on the defensive side of the ball.

Randle, a defensive tackle, will also be looked upon as a key player that could help solidify the Husker front four. Randle has fought through multiple injuries in his career, but was a bright spot for NU during 2012, playing in 13 games, including six starts. Randle recorded 21 total tackles, 10 of which were unassisted with two quarterback hurries.

Sophomore David Santos was the only linebacker selected to wear the prestigious Blackshirt jersey. Santos, the likely starter at Mike linebacker, recorded 24 total tackles last season as a freshman, 11 of which were unassisted, with two tackles for loss. It will be crucial for Santos to lead the young linebacker corps during the 2013 season.

Three cornerbacks were selected to be Blackshirts, seniors Stanley Jean-Baptiste and Ciante Evans, as well as junior Josh Mitchell. Much has been said about the stout secondary Nebraska returns in 2013, and these three are leaders of the group, all with potential to play at the next level.

After switching from wide receiver to cornerback in 2011, Jean-Baptiste has settled in well to his new position, recording 24 total tackles in 2012, with nine PBU  and two interceptions, one for a touchdown (Minnesota).

Nickel back Ciante Evans will look to lead the Blackshirt group from the secondary in 2013, Evans a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2012 by CBS and ESPN should have another tremendous season in store, being a potential All-American selection. Evans returns after starting 12 games last year for NU, recording 56 total tackles, 38 of which were unassisted. Evans also recorded one interception in 2012.

Junior Josh Mitchell will look to continue to build on his already strong career at Nebraska during 2013. The undersized but vicious cornerback will be among the leaders of the secondary in 2013, after compiling 34 total tackles, 23 of which were unassisted.

Last but certainly not least, one safety was selected to wear the Blackshirt jersey as well, with junior Corey Cooper getting the nod. Cooper, a Maywood, Ill., product recorded 17 total tackles last season, but will likely see his production levels come up during 2013 as he is expected to start for NU.
The Blackshirts being handed out was not only noteworthy news to come out of practice today. Running back coach Ron Brown also announced today that true freshman running back Adam Taylor of Katy, Texas is expected to redshirt during the 2013 football season. The decision to redshirt Taylor allows him to get more acclimated to the challenges Division I football presents.

Nebraska will continue preparations Thursday as the team moves closer to its season opener. NU will face Wyoming on Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. CST. The game will be broadcast nationally on the Big Ten Network.

Lincoln – The Nebraska football team continued its game-week preparations for Saturday’s season opener against Wyoming by practicing for a little over two hours in half pads on Tuesday inside the Hawks Championship Center and outdoors at the Gass Practice Fields.

With the season opener just four days away, second-year defensive coordinator John Papuchis said the Husker have made great progress in preparing for a productive Wyoming offense.

“Opening games, we usually get a bit of a jump (on opponent preparation),” Papuchis said. “On a Tuesday in a normal game week, today would be a big install day. Today was a little bit more of a review of the things we put in yesterday because we are a little bit ahead. I feel good about where we’re at. I like the way the guys approached today.”

Papuchis also offered some insight into players who could see significant playing time on Saturday, starting at safety, a position where Nebraska must replace both starters.

“I’m going to wait to say who we’re going to start, but I would imagine that (Corey) Cooper, Harvey (Jackson) and Andrew (Green) will all be playing a lot,” he said. “Charles (Jackson) is working hard. Charles is a talented kid.”

Papuchis then moved onto the linebackers, saying Nebraska’s rotation would depend largely on the type of offense Wyoming is running.

“This game is going to be a little bit unique in the fact that it’s going to be mostly spread stuff, at least that’s what we’re anticipating,” Papuchis said. “Our MIKE linebacker is going to be David Santos. We have a couple of guys that are working at that dime spot; Mo Seisay’s playing there, Nate Gerry’s playing there, Zaire Anderson’s playing there.

“It kind of depends on what we’re seeing. If there’s a tight end in the game for Wyoming, they’re going to see more true linebackers. If it’s four-wide, you’ll probably see more defensive backs.”

Finally, Papuchis was asked to breakdown the battle for starting positions on the defensive line.

“Up front, (defensive end) Jason Ankrah is going to start at one of the spots with (defensive tackle) Thad Randle. If we playedtomorrow, Vincent Valentine would start at the other tackle and the other end would be either (Avery) Moss or (Randy) Gregory.”

The Huskers are expected to feature plenty of younger defensive players on Saturday. All four of the linebackers Papuchis mentioned and two of the four defensive linemen are in their first or second year in the program. But while he’s anxious to see how the youngsters perform in a game, Papuchis said he’s more excited than anything at the arrival of the 2013 season.

“I’m excited for the season to be here,” he said. “Yes, I’m excited to see some of those young guys get their first opportunity to play, but in general, I’m just excited for the year to be here and to get it kicked off on Saturday.”

The Huskers will kick off their 124th season on Saturday from Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be televised live by the Big Ten Network.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska coach Bo Pelini expects Wyoming’s spread offense to offer a good test for the 18th-ranked Cornhuskers’ young defense on Saturday night.

Wyoming third-year starting quarterback Brett Smith is one of the nation’s top returning passers. He averaged 308 yards in total offense and threw 27 touchdown passes against six interceptions last season.

Two years ago, Smith threw for 166 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-14 loss to ninth-ranked Nebraska in Laramie, Wyo.

The Huskers’ biggest question marks are on the line and at linebacker. Coaches plan to rotate players in and out.