'Different attitude' for Husker secondary

[Husker_Power]

NU Football: 'Different attitude' for Husker secondary

BY NICK RUBEK

WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

 

LINK

 

 

Andre Jones heard it. He read it, too.

 

 

The criticisms of Nebraska's secondary used to get to him, the senior says. But not anymore.

 

Jones and fellow cornerback Cortney Grixby took much of the heat for an NU secondary that struggled at times last season. They were too small to cover big-bodied receivers, people said. They'd be the Achilles' heel again if something didn't change.

 

"Something did change: We quit worrying about everything else and just worried about playing football," Jones said. "It's hard to sit here and say you don't think about it when you're getting just dogged through the media, because you are a human being and you do think about stuff like that. That's like life: You're going to have people that criticize even when you do good."

 

The 6-foot, 190-pound Jones is in the starting lineup again. Zack Bowman, a 2005 starter, is slowly returning from a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee after missing the entire 2006 season with a blown ACL in the left knee.

 

Bowman's injury took its toll on everyone, Jones said. "But we had to keep moving, trusting and believing that he'd come back, which he is."

 

Jones' troubles last season began in the week leading up to the USC game. He was quoted as saying, "When we beat USC . . ." setting off a media firestorm that didn't let up much when the Trojans beat NU 28-10.

 

"Last year was a learning experience for a lot of us," he said.

 

Later, the NU secondary was torched by Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. A defensive backfield that Jones said was still learning how to play together without its top player took the brunt of the blame.

 

"We watch film, we play the game," Grixby said. "People that don't play the game, they're not in the film room and don't see what goes on when the play happens and when the play breaks down. All they see is the final finish. They have their own perception."

 

Jones came to Nebraska highly regarded out of Fresno City Community College. His second and last go-round as a Husker is under way, and the Florida native says he's ready to make the most of it.

 

"Each day we get up, we don't get that day back," Jones said. "We've got to take it in stride, take everything we can learn and go with it and try to be productive with it. This year we have a different attitude about this team."

 

Both Grixby and Jones said there's been more emphasis on getting physical in the secondary, something most critics thought was lacking last season.

 

"We've been practicing, and busting our behinds in the summer," Jones said. "This year we want to be more physical out there. Make plays. That's what it all comes down to, bottom line. You've got to make plays out there regardless."

 

Jones said he's consciously taken on more of a leadership role in the secondary. Both he and Grixby said they're expecting "big things" out of their senior seasons. A quick scan of the schedule provides plenty of opportunity.

 

USC visits Lincoln Sept. 15. The Huskers host Oklahoma State and Texas A&M. They'll get Texas in Austin. But don't expect any big predictions out of Jones.

 

"There's not a day that goes by, a second of the day where we're not amped up," he said. "I've never been so proud to be a part of something like this.

 

"This is a new year."

[bennychico11]

Jones' troubles last season began in the week leading up to the USC game. He was quoted as saying, "When we beat USC . . ." setting off a media firestorm that didn't let up much when the Trojans beat NU 28-10.

 

I still don't understand why this got so blown out of proportion. Everyone was freaking out about a kid being confident in his team and in himself. I was glad to hear someone finally cut through the bull sh#t and tell how he feels about an upcoming game. The fans can talk like that, why can't the people who actually play that games?

[Husker_x]

Jones' troubles last season began in the week leading up to the USC game. He was quoted as saying, "When we beat USC . . ." setting off a media firestorm that didn't let up much when the Trojans beat NU 28-10.

 

I still don't understand why this got so blown out of proportion. Everyone was freaking out about a kid being confident in his team and in himself. I was glad to hear someone finally cut through the bull sh#t and tell how he feels about an upcoming game. The fans can talk like that, why can't the people who actually play that games?

 

Because arrogance and cockiness only reap ONE POSSIBLE result. And that's embarrassment. You gain absolutely jack by mightily prophecying your own victory beforehand and then getting it. But you end up looking like a complete idiot when you claim victory and then don't secure it. Let your actions dictate how you feel, not your words. For a corner with his record of "Restoring Order" last season, I don't think he has any reason to be telling anyone anything.

 

Also, fans aren't a part of the team. They don't represent the team mentality. Fans represent a million viewpoints on any one given subject. If a player in a press conference says something it reflects differently on the team than if a fan says something. Maybe it was a bit out of proportion, but we are Nebraska. We don't need to tell people we're going to hammer them and "Restore the Order." They should already know that's what we're going to do. And if they're in doubt, then by God we'll teach them.

 

And USC must be razed to the ground.

[Offspring2099]

I don't want to sound like a player basher and I'm saying this in the nicest way possible. I hope that Jones will let his actions speak for him when we play SC instead of his mouth.

[bethelbacker]

I don't believe in overt cockiness, but I do believe that the more self-confident a player is, the better he plays. Straddling the line between arrogance and self-belief isn't easy, but it is that type of athlete who makes the plays (a perfect example being Michael Jordan. He KNEW he was the best, and when it came down to it, he made the play). I'm not saying that it was a smart move on Jones' part to say that last year, but I did like the attitude, and it's encouraging to me that it has been bolstered this off season. I hope that they all believe they are going to beat SC, but at the same time, hopefully they keep it in the locker room and out of the papers.

[bennychico11]

I don't believe in overt cockiness, but I do believe that the more self-confident a player is, the better he plays.

 

 

 

that's how I perceived it...no only as self confidence in himself, but confidence in his team, in the way the program was progressing and in the coaches. He didn't say "we're gonna slaughter USC because they suck!"...he simply stated that he felt we were going to win and afterwards Nebraska would start getting the respect he believed the program deserved.

 

Did anyone here used to play sports in college or high school? No one here has ever said "I love my team, I love the players I play with...we're can beat every team that comes to challenge us! GO US!"

Cockiness is one thing, but these kids bleed more red than we ever will....so I think it's great they take pride and expect a lot of themselves to go out and beat top notch programs. It just fuels them as a team, it fuels us as fans...and it pisses off our rival teams even more! We can still respect them, but also still piss them off by telling them we're gonna win!

[HuskerJosh82]

He can say what he want's but he better be sure he does what he say's or the media and opposing fans will fry him if he doesn't.

[skersOVRsc]

I understand the viewpoint of let your actions do your speaking for you, but I guess I didnt think he was going overboard in what he said.........I'd rather have the attitude of "When we win" as opposed to the Stanford coaches approach of "kneel and bob" USC is the greatest and it will be an honor to have them kick our a$$ .

[BIGREDIOWAN]

I just hope the secondary is ALOT better than it was last season!!!!

[HuskerJosh82]

I just hope the secondary is ALOT better than it was last season!!!!

 

 

It will be

[huskerdude171]

I don't think their attitude was the problem, I think the problem was that they suck.

[skersOVRsc]

I don't think their attitude was the problem, I think the problem was that they suck.

You mean they "sucked"...........please be past tense