huskernumerouno Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 MUTigerFan,I did not write this, just making sure you understand that Huskers don't mind being cast as underdogs The 300-pound man says it’s not so bad over here in August — away from the preseason buzz and Herbstreit’s talking points. While pundits are losing their breath arguing if Missouri is for real or not, asking if Kansas is a one-year wonder or a bird to be feared, Husker players are finding there are advantages that come with going into a season as the hunters and not the hunted. “Actually, I kind of like it a little bit,” said big Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska’s junior defensive tackle. “It kind of leaves us under the radar a little bit, even though people are always going to want to beat Nebraska because of our tradition and what-not, even though we had a horrible year last year. View SlideshowTodd Peterson, shown making a catch against Kansas State last year, said there's a quiet confidence about this Husker team under new head coach Bo Pelini. (LJS file) :“I’m not really too worried about not being in the eye of the media or anything like that. We’re just going out there to take care of our business and go get our wins.” Nebraska is picked third by the media in the Big 12 North this year, 36th nationally in the preseason coaches’ poll and lower than that in plenty of preseason publications. Sports Illustrated puts Nebraska at 45th, eight years after the magazine had the Huskers as its preseason No. 1. After a 5-7 season and a coaching change, some publications are picking Nebraska as low as fourth in the Big 12 North, though that might be news to Pelini. “I read. I don’t read that stuff,” the coach said earlier this summer. “I have enough other stuff to read.” When it comes to the Big 12, most of the talk has surrounded the likes of Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, even Kansas. Fifty-one media types recently voted on who they thought would win the Big 12 North and 51 said Missouri. “We’ll be disappointed if we do anything less than we did last year,” said Mizzou’s sophomore wide receiver Jeremy Maclin at Big 12 media days. Hey, all the summer hype about Missouri is fair, say the Huskers. “They deserve it until we can knock them off and actually beat them,” Husker senior wide receiver Todd Peterson said. “There’s not much we can do about it really. There’s not much you can gain by getting into chatter with things like that. We’re going to try not to talk too much this season and prove ourselves on the field.” And while many outside the state might not be paying much attention to the Big Red, Peterson said there’s a quiet confidence about this team under new head coach Bo Pelini. “He’s got a passion about the game. Just (him) talking (Sunday) … you can see the passion he has for the sport of football,” the receiver said. “He believes in us and he’s telling everybody that we have the talent to play. And I don’t think there’s anybody on this team that shouldn’t believe that. We’ve got good, talented guys. He’s just excited. It’s good to be around a guy who’s exciting like that.” Husker junior safety Larry Asante said Pelini told the team the night before fall camp started that “the sky’s the limit.” “A lot of people say we’re not going to do this, we’re not going to do that,” added senior running back Marlon Lucky. “But it’s a new year, a new coaching staff, a new everything.” And, according to senior offensive tackle Matt Slauson, it’s a new defense, one unrecognizable to him from the one that finished 112th in the country in total defense last year. After Wednesday’s third day of fall practice and first in half pads, Slauson was grinning when he said: “I got to tell you what — the defense is coming out smacking.” As for Peterson, the Grand Island native has been through enough football summers to know that optimism is always along for the ride. There was plenty of it here last year before the ship went down, after all. “We’re not getting talked about and that’s a good opportunity for us to kind of break out and surprise people,” Peterson said. “But as far as a team, we’re just ready to start practicing, get down to business and do our thing. “You can say all that stuff and talk about it a lot, but talk is cheap I guess. We need to get out there and prove it.” Reach Brian Christopherson at 473-7439 or bchristopherson@journalstar.com Quote Link to comment
hack Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 bad huskernumerouno! no link to orginal story! no cookie for you! bad, BAD huskernumerouno! Quote Link to comment
huskernumerouno Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 bad huskernumerouno! no link to orginal story! no cookie for you! bad, BAD huskernumerouno! I like being accused of copywrite infringment Quote Link to comment
Husker_x Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 bad huskernumerouno! no link to orginal story! no cookie for you! bad, BAD huskernumerouno! I like being accused of copywrite infringment There are some weird fetishes out there. Is this the part where the sexy blonde defense attorney comes strutting in? Quote Link to comment
huKSer Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 bad huskernumerouno! no link to orginal story! no cookie for you! bad, BAD huskernumerouno! I like being accused of copywrite infringment There are some weird fetishes out there. Is this the part where the sexy blonde defense attorney comes strutting in? W/ fishnet stockings? Quote Link to comment
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