Getting Back-in-Black!

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hey guys, do you think i should have a blog?

 

link.

 

Getting back in black: Turner thinks Pelini's aggressive style will revive NU's defense

By Terry Douglass

terry.douglass@theindependent.com

Posted Jul 24, 2008 @ 12:10 AM

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —

 

Nebraska defensive end Barry Turner says more aggression should lead to more success for the Cornhuskers' defense.

 

Last season, perhaps lost among the mind-numbing statistics was the number 13. That was how many sacks Nebraska managed in 12 games as the Huskers finished 5-7 and broke nearly every school record for defensive futility.

 

While Nebraska's defensive shortcomings were many under former coordinator Kevin Cosgrove in 2007, the situation was inflamed by an almost complete inability to mount any type of pass rush. This season, Husker defenders are eager to improve vastly in that area under first-year head coach Bo Pelini's guidance.

 

"Coach Pelini is more aggressive," Turner said at this week's Big 12 Conference preseason football media days. "It's attack mode and go get the quarterback (now).

 

"At times, Coach Cosgrove, he was aggressive, but it was more, ’Let's play base (defense), then let's blitz.' With coach Pelini, you never know. He might blitz first, second and third down and come back the next series and blitz them all again."

 

A change in philosophy probably can't hurt Nebraska. Last year's defense gave up more points (455) and yards (5,722) than any other team in the program's history, finishing No. 112 in the country in total defense, No. 114 in scoring defense, No. 116 in rushing defense and No. 117 in turnover margin.

 

The lowlight, of course, was a 73-31 loss at Kansas that marked the most points ever scored against Nebraska. By season's end, the Husker defensive players had been stripped of their traditional Blackshirt practice jerseys.

 

Turner, for one, said he couldn't argue with the decision.

 

"That's the responsibility you intake when you become a Husker football player," Turner said. "The importance of being a Blackshirt is high."

 

Extremely high.

 

Nebraska has finished among the top 10 nationally in total defense 21 times since 1964, including being ranked in the top 10 in the country in all four major defensive categories (rushing defense, passing defense, scoring defense and total defense) four times. Among them were the 1994, 1995 and 1997 national championship seasons.

 

As for how far away the Husker defense is from playing at a level befitting the Blackshirts, Pelini said he isn't quite sure yet.

 

"I think that our kids right now are at the stage where they're trying to learn the system," Pelini said. "I thought we accomplished a lot in the spring. We're nowhere near where we need to be yet, but we'll get there. There's plenty of time."

 

The timetable equates to 29 preseason practices prior to the Aug. 30 season opener against Western Michigan. That might not seem like much time to work miracles, but to his credit, this isn't Pelini's first rodeo.

 

In 2003, former Nebraska coach Frank Solich brought Pelini in to fix the defense, albeit to a lesser degree.

 

Still, Pelini managed to take a Husker unit that was ranked middle of the pack in the country in total defense in 2002 to a No. 1 ranking in pass efficiency defense, a No. 2 ranking in scoring defense and a No. 11 ranking in total defense. The Blackshirts also set a Big 12 record with 32 interceptions and tied a program mark with 47 takeaways, helping Nebraska lead the nation in turnover margin.

 

Pelini admits that Nebraska's defensive psyche was damaged last season. However, he contends that by cleaning the slate, teaching and allowing his players to have some success, they'll quickly regain confidence.

 

That process, Pelini said, will be ongoing throughout the season.

 

"Fortunately, I've been in this situation a number of times over the last couple years where we've installed a defense and are trying to get game-ready," said Pelini, who coached at Oklahoma in 2004 and spent the past three seasons at LSU. "I feel that we're right on track with where we want to be."

 

Turner said there's a lot more to Pelini's defensive philosophy than just the scheme alone.

 

"Football is more about fellowship with your brothers, your teammates and being able to bond with them in practice and on the field as well as off the field -- and with the coaches, too," Turner said. "A guy will go the extra step for the coach if he knows they're going to care about him, not just football."

 

Despite last year's performance, Pelini said the Huskers aren't without defensive talent. Six full-time starters return, including Turner, defensive end Zach Potter, nose tackle Ndamukong Suh, defensive tackle Ty Steinkuhler, safety Larry Asante and cornerback Armando Murillo.

 

Nebraska will be breaking in three new linebackers after graduating four experienced players at the position. Grand Island Central Catholic graduate Tyler Wortman is listed as the preseason starter at the strong-side or "Buck" linebacker spot, Phillip Dillard brings a decent amount of experience at middle linebacker and former I-back Cody Glenn will get a shot to start at weak-side linebacker.

 

"There's a lot of learning and a lot of things that we need to get done and I think that the kids are committed to doing that," Pelini said. "We're just going to measure ourselves against ourselves and just try to keep getting better every day."

 

Nebraska senior quarterback Joe Ganz said Pelini brings "instant credibility" to the defense. While he's heard talk of the Huskers simplifying their defensive approach, Ganz disagrees.

 

"It's more complex, really," Ganz said. "It's a pro-style defense that he sort of brings and looking at it as a quarterback, it's really confusing on the back end, reading the safeties and seeing who's spinning where.

 

"It's going to be tough on Big 12 quarterbacks."

 

Ganz said it took him four or five practices this spring before he was able to start figuring out what coverage Nebraska's defense was throwing at him.

 

"Obviously, Coach Pelini's had good success wherever he's been," Ganz said. "He knows what he's doing."

 

 

[BOBELIEVER]

ooooohhhhh i can't freakin wait !!

[Back In Black]

**Cough** username**Cough**

 

anyways... looking forward to see the D to get back in black

[jjamuss]

Is AC/DC going to be played when the D gets their first sack?

[Drowning_in_the_Sea_of_Red]

Is AC/DC going to be played when the D gets their first sack?

No...

 

But this will.

 

mWwyjmSbJPs

[huzkerbob]

Oh god! Please anything but THAT! Intresting fact: The Tonight Show's Paul Shaffer's only major hit.

[HuskerTrucker]

Is AC/DC going to be played when the D gets their first sack?

No...

 

But this will.

 

mWwyjmSbJPs

 

 

It will be halftime before the damn video is over...too long!!

[HUSKER 37]

Is AC/DC going to be played when the D gets their first sack?

No...

 

But this will.

 

(youtube.)"It's raining men"(/youtube)

 

It will be halftime before the damn video is over...too long!!

 

 

Plus..Traffic around the "fruit loop" South of the Capitol Bld. will be at a standstill.