OMAHA -- Organizers of the weekly Big Red Breakfast tossed out footballs as a door prize on Friday morning.
You guessed it. One of the fans -- dressed in red -- dropped his, and the response from others still enjoying their scrambled eggs and ham was a mix of jeers and groans.
It's been that kind of week since Nebraska lost its unbeaten record in a 20-13 setback against Texas on Saturday.
Speaking to fans Friday morning, secondary coach Marvin Sanders took responsibility for another of the fans' culprits from last weekend's loss -- poor tackling by the Blackshirts.
"Believe me, we work hard at it, and we'll continue to work hard at it," Sanders said. "It's on us as a coaching staff."
Sanders said Nebraska's players have bounced back from the setback and have turned their attention to Saturday's game at unbeaten Oklahoma State.
A light-hearted Sanders said he would remind Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy of a pass he intercepted when both were players in the 1980s.
"I'm a man, too, but I'm 43," said Sanders, spoofing Gundy's famous blowup of a few years ago.
Despite his age, Sanders joked of his own impending retirement, a plan set into motion with four key players in this year's secondary set to graduate after this year.
"The cupboard's not bare," he added, noting specifically P.J. Smith, Ciante Evans, Dijon Washington and Lazarri Middleton.
The fact that Alfonzo Dennard, too, will return next year should be comforting to Sanders, who noted some amazing statistics involving Nebraska's two highly touted cornerbacks.
Senior Prince Amukamara has had just 19 balls thrown his way this season. Of the total, two were completed.
Dennard has faced 41 throws. He's intercepted three while only four have been completed.
Other tidbits from Sanders:
* Zac Lee continues to prepare as if he were the starting quarterback. "He just as easily could have put a hat on, grabbed a clipboard and called it a year," Sanders said.
When Lee replaced Taylor Martinez against Texas, fans expected Nebraska would throw the ball more. But Sanders said the UT defense backed off, opening up more opportunities for Nebraska in the running game.
* Sanders said he didn't believe the loss had an impact on recruits in town for the Nebraska-Texas game.
"I think those kids were really excited," he said.
