Back to full pads in practice

[husker rob]

NU hopes changes lead to improvement

By STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star

Tuesday, Sep 18, 2007 - 03:08:11 pm CDT

Nebraska hasn’t practiced in full pads since the latter stages of preseason training camp last month.

 

That will change today, Husker head coach Bill Callahan said Tuesday.

 

“I think he wants a little contact, since we missed a few tackles in the game,” said Nebraska senior wideout Maurice Purify, referring to the Huskers’ 49-31 loss to top-ranked Southern California this past weekend.

 

Said NU quarterback Sam Keller: “They pounded us. We need to go back to the drawing board and pound on each other. Get our mojo back.”

 

Nebraska missed many, many tackles, resulting in a 313-yard rushing performance by Southern California. The manner in which the Huskers lost — their defense was physically dominated at times — left Callahan and the entire team disappointed.

 

On Sunday, Callahan called all Husker players and coaches together to watch film as a team instead of doing it by positions, as is typically the case. The team hasn’t been called together to watch film of a loss since a 40-15 setback at Kansas in November 2005.

 

Sunday’s gathering wasn’t a “rip session,” Callahan said. He simply wanted to provide an honest assessment of areas that require improvement.

 

“There was concern going into film study,” he said. “But after the film study, I came away encouraged that it’s correctable. There were a lot of areas where we’re a player off or a technique off, (when) we didn’t perform exactly correct.

 

“I’m not trying to deflect any criticism or blame to the players. I want to be very clear about that. I accept full responsibility in that regard. It still falls on my shoulders. I do accept that. We have some things to clean up.

 

“But it’s still a team effort, still a team game. We’re all in it together. We’re upbeat and positive as we go into this game against Ball State.”

 

Nebraska (2-1), ranked No. 24 by the Associated Press and No. 22 in the USA Today coaches’ poll, plays Ball State (2-1) at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

 

Callahan indicated he was open to the possibility of personnel changes.

 

“We’re going to compete this week for a lot of spots across the board, offensively and defensively,” the coach said. However, “It’s too premature to make any statement relative to changes in personnel. We’re going to get after it pretty good. We’re going to get a pretty good idea of where we’re at. We’ll let the week kind of unfold and evaluate, measure and assess everything at the end of the week. If there are changes to be made, there will be changes made.

 

“That’s competition. That’s life.”

 

Nebraska defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove has come under heavy criticism from fans.

 

“He’s hurt. He’s down,” Callahan said. “I tell him to keep his head up. He’s got my full support. He’ll do a great job this week as he hits the practice field . . . It just hurts. When you have a performance that you didn’t expect — that you never even think could happen — it hurts.”

 

Callahan anticipates a physical, up-tempo week of practices. He said donning full pads and pitting the first units against each other maximizes the competitive nature of practice.

 

“When you get out of (preseason) training camp, and you break down into scout teams, you don’t get that opportunity to go against each other as much as you’d really like to,” he said.

 

He said Ball State’s similarities to what USC does on both sides of the ball allow Nebraska to depart from its regular practice routine of working in half-pads against scout teams.

 

“There are instances where you have to break down and go against your scout teams to get certain looks that maybe your offense or defense doesn’t have,” Callahan said. “It’s different each week. You have to gauge it.”

 

Callahan said there were positives that came out of the USC loss. For instance, he mentioned defensive end Zach Potter, linebacker Steve Octavien and cornerback Cortney Grixby for their strong play. What’s more, the coach said, he was encouraged to see several players in the office Sunday and Monday watching film on their own.

 

“They do care,” he said. “They’re hurt. And they want to rectify the errors. They want the best. I appreciate that about our team, and I see nothing but positive efforts as we hit the practice field today.

 

“We still have our goals intact.”

[zoogs]

“I think he wants a little contact, since we missed a few tackles in the game,” said Nebraska senior wideout Maurice Purify.

 

Understatement of the new millenium.

 

Said NU quarterback Sam Keller: “They pounded us. We need to go back to the drawing board and pound on each other. Get our mojo back.”

 

You gotta love Sam Keller!

 

“I’m not trying to deflect any criticism or blame to the players. I want to be very clear about that. I accept full responsibility in that regard. It still falls on my shoulders. I do accept that. We have some things to clean up."

 

And Callahan as well.

 

Very good article, thanks husker rob.

[HuskerJosh82]

I'm glad to see something is being done. I don't think certain players will be starting again on Saturday.

[I See Red People]

I agree, everyone needs to kick each other in the junk. Problem solved.

[mjmartin1970]

I'm very encouraged to hear these statements. I want us to pound each, get ourselves "pissed off", and go out and just destroy Ball State - that is what we need - we need to get mad!!!!!!

 

I love Sam Keller's attitude. I wish we had him for more than a year.

[Husker_x]

I wonder––just WONDER now––if there hasn't been a kind of funny mentality that "we're Nebraska, we're destined to be on top" is the way the world actually works. If so, I think that was just obliterated on Saturday. It's very encouraging to hear that players are in the film room on their off days and are in a rage about what happened. I've heard somewhere on this board that Callahan absolutely tore up the defense in full team meetings at least once and possibly multiple times.

 

I think that the only thing that is going to drive us back on top is for our guys to show up on the field with more than red just on their jerseys. They need it in their eyes, too, because after Saturday, we've seen that it's going to take a lot more than schemes and chalkboards to give the black skirts their 'swagger' back.

 

Anyway, kind of like in bowling, it's all about picking up your spares. Even if you miss once, you gotta come back and pick up the rest. The USC massacre was unfortunate, but perhaps this could serve as the last lesson our team needs to learn before we see the real resurgance of the program. We have an opportunity this season to win out with questions at the Big XII championship and the bowl game. But a clean conference schedule would be a pretty diamond to show all the recruits Callahan and Co. are courting.

[papersun87]

“I think he wants a little contact, since we missed a few tackles in the game,” said Nebraska senior wideout Maurice Purify.

. . . why is Mo Purify saying this?

[Foppa]

I'm very encouraged to hear these statements. I want us to pound each, get ourselves "pissed off", and go out and just destroy Ball State - that is what we need - we need to get mad!!!!!!

 

I love Sam Keller's attitude. I wish we had him for more than a year.

 

I agree...he makes some mistakes, but who doesn't...and he doesn't even know this system as well as he could. Keller is a leader, though.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

1's vs. the 1's in full pads is exactly what we need to do!!!! I hope there are some personnel changes come Saturday!!!!

[hskrdedhed]

Will the D be wearing Kotex? They played like pad wearing women last weekend!

[Marf]

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!

 

WE HAVEN'T PRACTICED IN PADS SINCE PRESEASON?

 

God no wonder our defense blows. We need some trench drills, full out contact scrimmages. Get the killer instinct back. Practicing without pads is ridiculous, It may help the offense and avoid injuries, but in the long haul it does nothing.

[Hunter94]

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!

 

WE HAVEN'T PRACTICED IN PADS SINCE PRESEASON?

 

God no wonder our defense blows. We need some trench drills, full out contact scrimmages. Get the killer instinct back. Practicing without pads is ridiculous, It may help the offense and avoid injuries, but in the long haul it does nothing.

 

 

every coach does it differently, but i agree, you play like you practice. something in the routine needs to change!

[gamecocks]

You would think we would at least go full pads one day a week to get after each other.

[IlliniHusker]

I too was AMAZED by the revelation that the team hasn't had full pad practices since the start of the season. I'm not a football coach, but simple intuition would tell me that NO REAL HITTING AND TACKLING IN PRACTICE would translate to NO REAL HITTING AND TACKLING IN THE GAME. Maybe that's why the defense has looked worse with every game this year.

 

It could also be that I'm wrong and LSU, FLA, OU, etc don't practice in full pads and don't allow their players to really hit each other during the season. BUT EVERYTHING I READ ABOUT USC IS HOW THEIR #1 OFFENSE HAS TO COMPETE AGAINST THEIR #1 DEFENSE.

 

Also I speculate that this is NFL thinking that BC is applying to the college game. Anyway, I'm glad their are making some changes and hope they remember this in the future.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Yeah this should definately be a common practice with this team or any team for that matter. You play like you practice!!!!