“I think the potential’s there,” Parrella said. “We just gotta keep developing that and we’ll find out here the next couple weeks where we’re going to settle in and with the young players, what they’re going to end up doing. I’m excited about our group and about their work ethic, how hard they’re practicing and their willingness to get better. We just gotta keep doing that every day.
“Depth’s always big in any defense. You’re one play away from a crisis, so to speak. So we’re just developing our young players and hoping that we can get them game ready so we have plenty of hats ready to go.”
On Tuesday, Diaco spoke of devising “participation patterns” — a detailed approach for how and when defenders will be on the field during games — and Newell said it’s up to players to impact those plans during practice.
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Depth through versatility is Nebraska’s approach, Khalil Davis said, adding that it’s not difficult to move around on the line once one spot is learned. Neal said he’s seen his “football IQ” grow after trying the different spots, and the frequent movement has strengthened belief among players that anyone can get the job done.
So feel free to critique the line’s lack of game experience, Neal said. Just know that doesn’t mean a lack of options for Nebraska beyond the established starting unit.
“Whoever they put out there on the field, we know we all trust them to go out and execute,” Neal said. “And we all rotate very well. We want fresh legs every time, and I like how Coach Diaco is doing that. He’s going to make sure the guys that get tired, we’ll have the best person out there on the field with the freshest legs out there every time. I like how we got a rotation going, and the depth should be good.”
