McNeil taking flak from home

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

St Louis Today

 

McNeill is hearing from folks back home

By Vahe Gregorian

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

10/01/2008

 

LINCOLN, Neb. — It would be one thing for Mizzou message board posters to take jabs at Kirkwood's Mike McNeill for choosing Nebraska over Missouri.

 

"I caught a little flak for that," said McNeill, who has scored three touchdowns this season as the Cornhuskers' starting tight end, adding, "Some of my relatives ... never let it live down."

 

But it's another when he finds trash talk on his own Facebook page, as he did earlier this week when a friend or relative apparently suggested MU tight end Chase Coffman was a better player, posting: "Coffman > McNeill."

 

McNeill didn't identify the culprit, but chances are it was "Uncle Ted" — the only identifying information he offered when asked which family members give him the most guff.

 

Uncle Ted is among those expected at Memorial Stadium on Saturday as the fourth-ranked Tigers (4-0) seek their first win at Nebraska (3-1) since 1978.

 

"He might have a red shirt on," McNeill said, grinning, "but I'm sure he'll have something that says Mizzou underneath it."

 

Between Coffman and Martin Rucker, the Tigers have had abundant production out of tight ends the last few seasons. They did offer McNeill a scholarship, he said, but he made his first official recruiting visit to Nebraska and was sold.

 

McNeill, who has known MU's Jeremy Maclin since they attended Westchester Elementary school, was in some ways a late bloomer. He didn't play football until ninth grade, and then only because friends he played backyard ball with were going out. He was about 6-foot-3, 165 pounds, but apparently meant to be an athlete.

 

"My parents said the first word I said was 'ball,' in the grocery store when I saw an orange," said McNeill, now a 6-4, 240-pound sophomore. "I don't even know if that's true, but they said I was destined to be an athlete."

 

And destined to be a Husker, much to Uncle Ted's chagrin.

 

"I don't think fans here will do anything to him," McNeill said, laughing, "so he'll be all right."

 

BITTER AFTERTASTE

 

Mizzou pummeled Nebraska 41-6 last season, a loss that started a five-game losing streak and still is described as embarrassing by NU players.

 

"That was a horrible, horrible, horrible thing to experience ... I don't ever want to see that again," said Nebraska nose tackle Ndamukong Suh.

 

For the Huskers, the damage was intensified by at least two developments. With a 34-6 lead in the fourth quarter, the Tigers faked a field goal for a TD.

 

"It bothered a lot of people, but they just kept playing their game," Nebraska defensive end Zach Potter said.

 

Then afterward, MU quarterback Chase Daniel ridiculed Nebraska's unwillingness to adjust.

 

"You can't just play one defense the whole entire game," he said. "That's like high school stuff."

 

While Daniel clearly was questioning the Nebraska coaching plan, not the players, they've been responding as if he suggested it was a high school-caliber defense.

 

This time around, Suh said he didn't expect Nebraska to even need to make adjustments — a curious statement considering Nebraska couldn't contain the nation's 112th offense, Virginia Tech, and now plays the second-best.

 

"I really could care less about (Daniel's) opinion, because I know what we have and I know what we can do against them," Suh said. "I'll talk when I'm on the field."

 

Suh may want to be ready to restrain himself. He committed a crucial personal foul late in the fourth quarter against Tech, explaining Tuesday that his momentum had caused the penalty.

 

BACKFIELD IN MOTION

 

Reserve I-back Roy Helu Jr. has outplayed starter Marlon Lucky, averaging more than 6 yards a carry to Lucky's 4.4. But at least based on a quirky exchange between a reporter and coach Bo Pelini, a lineup change could be coming Saturday.

 

Asked why Lucky is starting, Pelini said, "Is he?" When noted he had been, Pelini said, "I don't know." Finally asked if he anticipated a change, Pelini said, "Possibly. Find out on Saturday."

 

vgregorian@post-dispatch.com | 314-340-8199

[CENTEXHUSKER]

Yea, thats great Suh, but don't let the officials respond with a 15 yarder this time.........

 

GBR