Hawkeyehusker
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Q&A with Bill Callahan
Sunday, Mar 18, 2007 - 12:29:25 am CDT
Bill Callahan
The Nebraska football team begins spring practice this week intent on improving on last year’s 9-5 record, which included a 17-14 loss to 10th-ranked Auburn in the Cotton Bowl. The Huskers experienced the satisfaction of winning their first Big 12 North crown in seven years and the frustration of going 0-4 against top 10 teams. Fourth-year coach Bill Callahan expressed confidence in the direction of his program last week in an interview with the Journal Star’s Steven M. Sipple.
Is a breakthrough triumph against a highly ranked team especially crucial as the program works to take the proverbial “next step?”
“I think we’re on course. Here’s what I would say to you. I would say that there are some vital factors that have validated what we’ve achieved and how we’ve improved and how we’re progressing. I think if you look at the offensive side of the ball alone, and you look at just about every area of offense, and you compare it to our first year here, it’s not even close. I would tell you from just the standpoint of consistency, you know, if you looked at points, we had 275 our first year and 428 in ’06. That’s the No. 1 stat to me, is scoring points. We’re up there.
“I look at our quarter breakdown. I look at the composite of our offense by quarter. I know we didn’t have a very good third quarter last season (49 points total). But our first, second and fourth quarters in the ’06 season were better than any quarter of football that we’ve had since I’ve been here. We yanked out 117 points in the first quarter, 135 points in the second quarter. And in my opinion, that’s the best quarter of football that we’ve had in the three seasons that I’ve been here.
“We’ve got to improve in the third quarter. ... (However) we had 120 points in our fourth quarter. So we started fast and we finished strong. You compare 120 points in the fourth quarter to the 64 and 68 in the ’04 and ’05 seasons, respectively, and it’s not even close.”
How do you feel about the defense’s progress?
“Defensively, the No. 1 stat — the telltale to me — is scoring defense. We were 24th in the country last season (allowing 18.3 points per game). We can get better there. Of course, that has an impact on everything. We were down a little bit in our rush defense. Obviously, we were down in our pass defense. We want to shore that up.”
You have said that your objectives this spring are to achieve a higher level of consistency and refine details, in addition to becoming a smarter and tougher team. Are those the things that will push the Huskers to the next level?
“There’s no question. Here’s what you see. Here’s where we’re at in the Big 12 North. We come in and we don’t do well in our first year. Our second year, we do a little bit better. This year, we went 5-0 in the North. In the last two years, we’re 8-2 in the Big 12 North. I think that’s huge. As I’ve said to you many times, it all starts within your own division and doing the best you can to be as productive as you can in your own division. I just look at where we’re at there. I think we led the Big 12 offensively in three categories. And then you look at the Big 12 North, I think we led the North in five areas on offense. So, we’re making those strides to become a better football team consistently, year in and year out. I’m not a stat freak, but I’m just telling you, if you study it, the numbers validate where you’re at.”
Will there be a period of adjustment this spring for Shawn Watson, who recently was promoted to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach?
“We’ve hit the ground running. We’ve had ample opportunity to address the transition.
“I think it’ll be a very natural progression for coach Watson with the quarterbacks. Having been on the field on the offensive side of the ball (as tight ends coach last season), having been actively engaged with the quarterbacks during the course of practice, I don’t see it to be any problem. I think it’s a plus that we have a system in place where it’s not only quarterback-friendly, but the coaches, you know, with no egos being involved, can approach the quarterback and talk to him.
“I think Shawn’s had great dialogue with Zac Taylor and kind of talked to him about some things from last season — what he felt, what he thought. I think he’s watched a little film with Zac as well.”
Your team lost to graduation some strong leaders, some strong personalities, especially on defense. Who takes over?
“We’ve been really proactive in terms of senior leadership. Right after we got back from the bowl, I grabbed Tim McFadden, who does our senior leadership seminars with our players on a weekly basis, and I got him attached and integrated immediately to our seniors. And he has done just an outstanding job of just visiting with our players on a consistent basis and really showing them the different types of leadership profiles that are out there and trying to develop the leadership from within. Empowering the senior class is important.
“So what I’m saying is this: We are not waiting for summer to arrive and all of a sudden crown the senior class as the leaders of the team. This has been a real proactive approach empowering these seniors now. We did it in January and February. And we’re continuing to do that and filter down that leadership into the junior class. We see that beginning to emerge as well.
“Leadership isn’t for the seniors only. It’s everybody’s responsibility, and everybody can be actively engaged. And I think we’ve done a good job of that. We hope to improve it and make it better.”
In which particular areas of defense do you want to see improvement?
“You know, the big thing is, I looked at our stats — we have them all documented — and the big thing I look at is our pass defense. I think we’ve gone to considerable lengths to try to improve our coverage schematics and really protect ourselves against the pass with better coverage, better pass rush, better scheme, tactics — whatever we can do to improve team pass defense.
“We’ve been consistent against the run the last two years. I really felt it was a strength of our football team late in the season, especially in the (Big 12) Championship Game and the bowl game. I thought we defended the run outstandingly against some good running teams. I’m not saying (pass defense) is the sole, exclusive area. But that is one of the areas that we want to get better at, is pass defense. Become more consistent, become more productive.”
Q&A with Bill Callahan
Sunday, Mar 18, 2007 - 12:29:25 am CDT
Bill Callahan
The Nebraska football team begins spring practice this week intent on improving on last year’s 9-5 record, which included a 17-14 loss to 10th-ranked Auburn in the Cotton Bowl. The Huskers experienced the satisfaction of winning their first Big 12 North crown in seven years and the frustration of going 0-4 against top 10 teams. Fourth-year coach Bill Callahan expressed confidence in the direction of his program last week in an interview with the Journal Star’s Steven M. Sipple.
Is a breakthrough triumph against a highly ranked team especially crucial as the program works to take the proverbial “next step?”
“I think we’re on course. Here’s what I would say to you. I would say that there are some vital factors that have validated what we’ve achieved and how we’ve improved and how we’re progressing. I think if you look at the offensive side of the ball alone, and you look at just about every area of offense, and you compare it to our first year here, it’s not even close. I would tell you from just the standpoint of consistency, you know, if you looked at points, we had 275 our first year and 428 in ’06. That’s the No. 1 stat to me, is scoring points. We’re up there.
“I look at our quarter breakdown. I look at the composite of our offense by quarter. I know we didn’t have a very good third quarter last season (49 points total). But our first, second and fourth quarters in the ’06 season were better than any quarter of football that we’ve had since I’ve been here. We yanked out 117 points in the first quarter, 135 points in the second quarter. And in my opinion, that’s the best quarter of football that we’ve had in the three seasons that I’ve been here.
“We’ve got to improve in the third quarter. ... (However) we had 120 points in our fourth quarter. So we started fast and we finished strong. You compare 120 points in the fourth quarter to the 64 and 68 in the ’04 and ’05 seasons, respectively, and it’s not even close.”
How do you feel about the defense’s progress?
“Defensively, the No. 1 stat — the telltale to me — is scoring defense. We were 24th in the country last season (allowing 18.3 points per game). We can get better there. Of course, that has an impact on everything. We were down a little bit in our rush defense. Obviously, we were down in our pass defense. We want to shore that up.”
You have said that your objectives this spring are to achieve a higher level of consistency and refine details, in addition to becoming a smarter and tougher team. Are those the things that will push the Huskers to the next level?
“There’s no question. Here’s what you see. Here’s where we’re at in the Big 12 North. We come in and we don’t do well in our first year. Our second year, we do a little bit better. This year, we went 5-0 in the North. In the last two years, we’re 8-2 in the Big 12 North. I think that’s huge. As I’ve said to you many times, it all starts within your own division and doing the best you can to be as productive as you can in your own division. I just look at where we’re at there. I think we led the Big 12 offensively in three categories. And then you look at the Big 12 North, I think we led the North in five areas on offense. So, we’re making those strides to become a better football team consistently, year in and year out. I’m not a stat freak, but I’m just telling you, if you study it, the numbers validate where you’re at.”
Will there be a period of adjustment this spring for Shawn Watson, who recently was promoted to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach?
“We’ve hit the ground running. We’ve had ample opportunity to address the transition.
“I think it’ll be a very natural progression for coach Watson with the quarterbacks. Having been on the field on the offensive side of the ball (as tight ends coach last season), having been actively engaged with the quarterbacks during the course of practice, I don’t see it to be any problem. I think it’s a plus that we have a system in place where it’s not only quarterback-friendly, but the coaches, you know, with no egos being involved, can approach the quarterback and talk to him.
“I think Shawn’s had great dialogue with Zac Taylor and kind of talked to him about some things from last season — what he felt, what he thought. I think he’s watched a little film with Zac as well.”
Your team lost to graduation some strong leaders, some strong personalities, especially on defense. Who takes over?
“We’ve been really proactive in terms of senior leadership. Right after we got back from the bowl, I grabbed Tim McFadden, who does our senior leadership seminars with our players on a weekly basis, and I got him attached and integrated immediately to our seniors. And he has done just an outstanding job of just visiting with our players on a consistent basis and really showing them the different types of leadership profiles that are out there and trying to develop the leadership from within. Empowering the senior class is important.
“So what I’m saying is this: We are not waiting for summer to arrive and all of a sudden crown the senior class as the leaders of the team. This has been a real proactive approach empowering these seniors now. We did it in January and February. And we’re continuing to do that and filter down that leadership into the junior class. We see that beginning to emerge as well.
“Leadership isn’t for the seniors only. It’s everybody’s responsibility, and everybody can be actively engaged. And I think we’ve done a good job of that. We hope to improve it and make it better.”
In which particular areas of defense do you want to see improvement?
“You know, the big thing is, I looked at our stats — we have them all documented — and the big thing I look at is our pass defense. I think we’ve gone to considerable lengths to try to improve our coverage schematics and really protect ourselves against the pass with better coverage, better pass rush, better scheme, tactics — whatever we can do to improve team pass defense.
“We’ve been consistent against the run the last two years. I really felt it was a strength of our football team late in the season, especially in the (Big 12) Championship Game and the bowl game. I thought we defended the run outstandingly against some good running teams. I’m not saying (pass defense) is the sole, exclusive area. But that is one of the areas that we want to get better at, is pass defense. Become more consistent, become more productive.”
