HuskerfaninOkieland
Heisman Trophy Winner
NE Statepaper
Bo Pelini offered a pep talk after the Nebraska football team’s Monday afternoon practice.
By Tuesday, he was ready to deliver a promise to NU football fans worried that the Cornhuskers might suffer a hangover after last Saturday’s 16-15 loss to Virginia Tech.
“You’re going to see a bunch of guys playing with passion,” Pelini said at his weekly press conference. “You’re not going to see anybody crying about what happened last week. You’re going to see guys coming out and playing our tails off. That’s what’s going to happen. I vow that will happen on Saturday.”
The last-minute gut-wrencher in Blacksburg, Pelini said was “as hard of a loss as I’ve ever encountered” in his career as a player, assistant and head coach. After VT scored its final touchdown with 21 seconds left, Pelini pitched his headset into the bleachers. His postgame press conference lasted all of three minutes.
“It took me a little longer (to get over it),” Pelini said. “But I’ve moved on.”
And how. Pelini spoke for a full half-hour on Tuesday, smiling and joking at length with reporters. Aside from complimenting punter/kicker Alex Henery – Pelini’s favorite subject is the deadly-accurate, laconic junior - he was most interested in explaining how the bounce-back from such a loss will help define the program and his tenure as head coach.
“That’s the challenge,” Pelini said. “And I love those challenges.”
So do his players.
“We just realized the potential we have,” tight end Mike McNeill said. “On how good we can be. We just need to take it out this week and come out and finish the game.”
“We have a chip on our shoulder,” strong safety Larry Asante said. “(Virginia Tech) didn’t work out the way we wanted it to work out, so maybe people out there are still questioning ‘Are they that good?’ We know how good we are and we’re taking it upon ourselves.”
None of NU’s team goals – Pelini tends to be vague on the specifics – are out of reach after the loss, the coach said.
Bo Pelini offered a pep talk after the Nebraska football team’s Monday afternoon practice.
By Tuesday, he was ready to deliver a promise to NU football fans worried that the Cornhuskers might suffer a hangover after last Saturday’s 16-15 loss to Virginia Tech.
“You’re going to see a bunch of guys playing with passion,” Pelini said at his weekly press conference. “You’re not going to see anybody crying about what happened last week. You’re going to see guys coming out and playing our tails off. That’s what’s going to happen. I vow that will happen on Saturday.”
The last-minute gut-wrencher in Blacksburg, Pelini said was “as hard of a loss as I’ve ever encountered” in his career as a player, assistant and head coach. After VT scored its final touchdown with 21 seconds left, Pelini pitched his headset into the bleachers. His postgame press conference lasted all of three minutes.
“It took me a little longer (to get over it),” Pelini said. “But I’ve moved on.”
And how. Pelini spoke for a full half-hour on Tuesday, smiling and joking at length with reporters. Aside from complimenting punter/kicker Alex Henery – Pelini’s favorite subject is the deadly-accurate, laconic junior - he was most interested in explaining how the bounce-back from such a loss will help define the program and his tenure as head coach.
“That’s the challenge,” Pelini said. “And I love those challenges.”
So do his players.
“We just realized the potential we have,” tight end Mike McNeill said. “On how good we can be. We just need to take it out this week and come out and finish the game.”
“We have a chip on our shoulder,” strong safety Larry Asante said. “(Virginia Tech) didn’t work out the way we wanted it to work out, so maybe people out there are still questioning ‘Are they that good?’ We know how good we are and we’re taking it upon ourselves.”
None of NU’s team goals – Pelini tends to be vague on the specifics – are out of reach after the loss, the coach said.
Last edited by a moderator:
