Tigers/Huskers news reports

[NamelessHusker]

[SIZE=14pt]Nebraska at Missouri[/SIZE]

WHEN/WHERE: 11:30 a.m. at Memorial Stadium in Columbia.

TV/RADIO: Fox Sports Net; KCSP (610 AM), KCTE (1510 AM)

SERIES: Nebraska leads 62-33-3

FAVORITE: Missouri by 2

THE KEY MATCHUP

Nebraska pass defense against Brad Smith or Chase Daniel

Missouri likes to run the ball. Quarterback Brad Smith is the Big 12 Conference¡¯s leading rusher at 103 yards a game, and the Tigers overall are No. 11 nationally with 235.8 yards a game. But Nebraska is also No. 1 in the nation against the rush, yielding only 65 yards a game. Missouri may have to go to the air, and that could mean more Chase Daniel for the Tigers.

THREE THINGS ABOUT NEBRASKA

1- Nebraska¡¯s offense has begun to jell after looking inept early in the season. ¡°They formation you to death,¡± Pinkel said. ¡°They do a million things, but very calculated and very well-designed.¡±

2- Short of Kansas, no visiting team gets the blood boiling for the Tiger faithful like Nebraska. Once upon a time it had to do with MU losing to Nebraska 25 million consecutive times. It didn¡¯t help when, once the Tigers broke that string in Columbia two years ago, one of the Cornhusker players treated a celebratory MU fan as a tackling dummy.

3- Nebraska had the top-ranked defense in the nation two years ago when Smith shredded the Black Shirts for four touchdowns and 303 yards of total offense. This time around Nebraska¡¯s defense is ranked No. 11 nationally.

MIKE DeARMOND¡¯S PICK

 

Missouri 27-24

MU offensive-line leader Tony Palmer grew up watching Nebraska mash people. ¡°That makes it special,¡± Palmer said of today¡¯s game. What would make it more than that would be to beat the Cornhuskers. ¡°We don¡¯t want anything less than greatness,¡± Palmer said. Don¡¯t know whether the Tigers can achieve that, but in what boils down to a near pick-¡¯em game, give the Tigers the slight home-field edge.

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THE NUMBER

That¡¯s the number of sacks MU defensive end Brian Smith needs to tie Justin Smith¡¯s MU career record of 22 1/2 sacks. Smith has 5 1/2 sacks this season. Previous opponents this season have combined for 11 sacks against Nebraska.

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THE WEATHER

Partly cloudy, high of about 60. Perfect football weather. At least Nebraska coach Bill Callahan is looking forward to the trip. ¡°It will be a fun environment,¡± Callahan said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who we play or where we¡¯re going to play.¡±

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A GOOD DAY?

Another one of those just win, baby games for Missouri. That would guarantee MU retaining at least a share of the Big 12 North lead ¡ª the same would be true for Nebraska if the Huskers win ¡ª and move MU within one victory of bowl qualification.

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A BAD DAY?

Frankly, a loss by any measure, from the perspective of both teams. Colorado probably isn¡¯t going to lose to Kansas on Saturday in Boulder. So the loser of this game drops a game back of the Buffaloes with a trip to Boulder still looming for both MU and Nebraska.

 

[NamelessHusker]

[SIZE=14pt]Nebraska (5-1) at Missouri (4-2), 12:30 p.m. (FSN) [/SIZE]

Opening Line: Missouri by 3.

Series Record: Nebraska leads, 62-33-3.

Last Meeting: 2004, Nebraska 24-3. Facts & Figures

Both teams are tied at 2-1 with Colorado for first place in the Big 12 North division. The Buffaloes play Kansas this week. ... The Tigers are coming off a come-from-behind win over Iowa State last week. With freshman QB Chase Daniel subbing for the injured Brad Smith, Missouri rallied from a 10-point deficit to force overtime before winning 27-24. ... Missouri coach Gary Pinkel is looking for his 100th career win in 15 seasons. He's 26-27 in his fifth season at Missouri. ... Nebraska won 24 in a row over the Tigers before losing in 2003.

Thanks Frankie and Bo <_<

 

[NamelessHusker]

[SIZE=14pt]Grixby playing big for Cornhuskers[/SIZE]

ERIC OLSON

AP Sports Writer

LINCOLN, Neb. — As a young Nebraska fan, Cortney Grixby looked up to diminutive defensive backs Barron Miles and Ralph Brown.

Like Miles and Brown, Grixby grew to be just 5 feet 9.

And like those two, Grixby plays deceivingly big.

Opponents regularly test him with much taller receivers, often with little success.

Almost every game, Grixby said, cornerbacks coach Phil Elmassian warns him: "They're going to look at the scouting report, see you're 5-9, and say 'You could eat peanuts off his head.'

"He tells me every week that they're going to come at me, so I expect it. I would expect our team to do the same if there was a 5-9 corner on the other team," Grixby said.

Grixby has more than held his own as arguably the Huskers' top performing cornerback. In last week's 23-14 win over Baylor, the sophomore from Omaha Central returned a fumble 33 yards, broke up two passes and would have had his first interception if a roughing-the-passer penalty hadn't wiped out the play.

"He was challenged greatly down at Baylor," head coach Bill Callahan said. "They went after him, and he knew they would. I think everybody knows that they try to pick on him because of his size, and he takes that personally."

Grixby also has proved valuable on special teams. He ran back a punt 48 yards to the Baylor 9, leading to a touchdown that gave Nebraska the lead for good in the second quarter.

"What he doesn't have in size, he makes up for in his athletic ability and his toughness and his tenacity," Callahan said.

Those are traits Grixby said he admired when he followed the careers of Miles and Brown. Miles, an all-conference pick in 1993 and '94, is a four-time all-star in the Canadian Football League. Brown, All-Big 12 in 1997, '98 and '99, is a sixth-year pro with the Minnesota Vikings.

Grixby appeared in 11 games as a freshman last season, starting twice in place of the injured Lornell McPherson. He is the most experienced cornerback on this year's team.

"I think every game I get better," he said.

Grixby, as usual, will be dwarfed by the receivers he faces in Saturday's game at Missouri. The Tigers' starters are the 6-2 William Franklin, 6-3 Brad Ekwerekwu and 6-5 Martin Rucker.

Grixby and his secondary mates also will have to be cognizant of Missouri quarterback Brad Smith, who is capable of making yards with his legs if his pass protection breaks down.

"This is going to be one of our most challenging games because of the run and the play-making ability of Brad Smith," Grixby said. "We just have to stay in coverage and be disciplined, because he can get out of the pocket and he can deliver."

 

[NamelessHusker]

[SIZE=14pt]Blake denies Internet report [/SIZE]

Nebraska assistant coach John Blake denied an Internet report Thursday that he had been contacted by Miami about the school’s defensive line coach vacancy.

“I have not been contacted by the University of Miami,” Blake said in a prepared statement. “I respect their program, but have no interest in any position there. I am totally committed to the Nebraska football program and helping us build a championship program here. My family and I are here at Nebraska as long as Nebraska wants us.”

Greg Mark was fired as Miami’s defensive line coach earlier this week. Blake is in his second season coaching the position at Nebraska.

Miami head coach Larry Coker and Blake were assistants at Oklahoma in the early 1990s.

Coker, asked about the Internet report following Thursday’s practice, said he knows Blake well but that the two “haven’t talked at all in a long time.”

“I will have a short list, but I’m not going to discuss that until the end of the season,” Coker told the Miami Herald. “I’m going to put it on the back burner and do everything we can to try to win these games as the season progresses.”

Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said he was surprised to hear about the report and the possibility of Blake being a candidate for a job.

“I didn’t even know there was an opening (at Miami),” Callahan said, adding, “I’m all for anybody advancing their career and helping them out, and things of that nature, but we certainly don’t want Coach Blake to leave.

“It’s all rumor and speculation, from what I’ve gathered

 

[NamelessHusker]

[SIZE=14pt]Welcome to the Cory Ross health watch[/SIZE]

BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star

It can be interesting these days making small talk with Cory Ross, the diminutive Nebraska I-back. He’ll tell you about his three classes and chat at length about his beloved reality television shows (Laguna Beach on MTV is a favorite).

How is Ross feeling physically?

“You know I can’t tell you the truth,” he says with a wide smile.

Ross is joking. Or maybe he’s only half-joking. Whatever the case, he practiced Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and will be in the starting lineup Saturday when Nebraska plays Missouri in a crucial Big 12 North showdown in Columbia, Mo.

Ross’ health has become a topic of discussion in Husker Nation because he’s limped to the sideline in the fourth quarter of each of the past two games. Last week against Baylor, he favored his right leg as he walked off the field. The previous week against Texas Tech, a hip was the issue.

“I’m just a little banged up,” he said this week. “Same old little stuff. Something’s always happening.”

And that’s probably all you’ll get from Ross and Nebraska’s coaches regarding Ross’ health. He’s just “banged up,” they say.

One can understand why Ross might be “banged up.” As was the case last season, the Huskers (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) are leaning hard on the

5-foot-6, 195-pound senior. He leads the team with 549 rushing yards, and his 128 carries are 100 more than anyone on the team. What’s more, he ranks second on the team with 21 receptions.

Ross insists he’s not changing his approach in practice to limit the amount of hitting he endures, though he did sit out Monday’s practice.

“I’m just doing the same things I’ve always done,” he said. “I think I’m trying to have more fun. I’m starting to realize (college) is coming to a close. I’m just going to keep practicing as hard as possible and have fun while I’m doing it.”

Ross notes that true freshmen I-backs Cody Glenn and Marlon Lucky have seen increased action of late. Last week against Baylor, the 6-foot, 230-pound Glenn carried 12 times for 41 yards, while the 6-foot, 210-pound Lucky had seven rushes for 18 yards.

Nebraska’s running backs could play a critical role against a Missouri defense that ranks 11th in the Big 12 and 89th nationally against the run, allowing 171.8 yards per game. In total defense, the Tigers (4-2, 2-1) are 10th and 77th.

Poor statistics notwithstanding, Mizzou’s defense plays aggressively, Ross said.

“They can bring a blitz from anywhere,” he said. “They’re so scattered around, you can’t ever tell what’s really going on. But you know they’re going to blitz, blitz, blitz.”

Missouri returns five starters from a defense that last season held Nebraska to 235 total yards, including only 26 passing (Joe Dailey was 4-for-18 and was sacked three times). Ross was a bright spot, rushing 19 times for 194 yards and two touchdowns, including an 86-yard sprint in the fourth quarter.

“We have to focus on our pass protection and definitely be able to pound the rock when we can to open up the passing game,” Ross said. “If we take care of all that, we should be OK.”

 

[NamelessHusker]

[SIZE=14pt]NU Football Notebook, 10/21[/SIZE]

BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star

Nebraska assistant coach John Blake denied an Internet report Thursday that he had been contacted by Miami about the school’s defensive line coach vacancy.

“I have not been contacted by the University of Miami,” Blake said in a prepared statement. “I respect their program, but have no interest in any position there. I am totally committed to the Nebraska football program and helping us build a championship program here. My family and I are here at Nebraska as long as Nebraska wants us.”

Greg Mark was fired as Miami’s defensive line coach earlier this week. Blake is in his second season coaching the position at Nebraska.

Miami head coach Larry Coker and Blake were assistants at Oklahoma in the early 1990s.

Coker, asked about the Internet report following Thursday’s practice, said he knows Blake well but that the two “haven’t talked at all in a long time.”

“I will have a short list, but I’m not going to discuss that until the end of the season,” Coker told the Miami Herald. “I’m going to put it on the back burner and do everything we can to try to win these games as the season progresses.”

Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said he was surprised to hear about the report and the possibility of Blake being a candidate for a job.

“I didn’t even know there was an opening (at Miami),” Callahan said, adding, “I’m all for anybody advancing their career and helping them out, and things of that nature, but we certainly don’t want Coach Blake to leave.

 

[NamelessHusker]

[SIZE=14pt]Blackshirts remain focused on Smith[/SIZE]

BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star

The Iowa State-Missouri football game offered one warning sign for the Nebraska defense as it prepares for the Tigers.

Be prepared for true freshman quarterback Chase Daniel, just in case.

Iowa State, it seemed, had little warning about Daniel. When senior starter Brad Smith exited Saturday’s game in Columbia, Mo., because of injury, Daniel led Missouri to a come-from-behind, overtime victory.

Over the final eight minutes of regulation and in overtime, Daniel completed 12 of 17 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown and ran nine times for 18 yards. The Tigers wiped out a 10-point deficit and won 27-24.

Does that mean Nebraska is keeping a close eye on Daniel this week?

“Not as much as we’ve been looking at Mr. Smith,” Nebraska sophomore linebacker Corey McKeon said. “He’s a lot bigger threat than the No. 10 kid is.

“You can’t sit there and game-plan a backup quarterback. You’ve got to game-plan the starter.”

True. Let’s not forget that Smith ranks 15th in the nation in total offense with 297 yards per game, or that he leads the Big 12 Conference in rushing. In fact, he broke Eric Crouch’s Big 12 career quarterback rushing record earlier this season against Oklahoma State.

“I think he’s one of the most outstanding players in the country,” Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said of Smith. “He can beat you with his arm, he can beat you with his feet, he can create outside the pocket.”

Smith, though, even before his injury Saturday, was struggling against Iowa State. His 84 yards of total offense through nearly 3½ quarters were the worst single-game output of Smith’s career.

Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said Smith is healthy and will start Saturday’s game against Nebraska in Columbia. But after Daniel’s performance against Iowa State, nobody should be surprised if the freshman gets a few cracks at the Blackshirts, too.

“We know he’s going to come in for a few series,” McKeon said. “They have to have him ready in case Smith goes down. They’re getting him prepared.”

That doesn’t mean Nebraska needs to overhaul its schemes or change strategy when, or if, Daniel enters. It’s still the same spread offense.

“I don’t think they’ll try to change things a whole lot when (Daniel) is in there,” Nebraska linebacker Bo Ruud said. “Of course, Brad Smith is one of the best running quarterbacks in the country. When Daniel comes in, they’ll try to keep that QB series, but I think they’ll lean more toward giving the ball to the running back.”

Callahan said he was impressed with what he saw of Daniel against Iowa State. A native of Southlake, Texas, Daniel ran the same spread-option offense in high school and has seemingly made the transition well.

“He’s got good poise in the pocket and he locates receivers well,” Callahan said. “It seems like he has a real good understanding of what he’s doing.”

Regardless of who’s at quarterback for the Tigers, the task remains the same for Nebraska’s defenders.

“Do your job. Do your responsibility,” McKeon said. “You can’t go out and try to be a huge play maker in games like this. The minute you leave your gap to help someone else, they’re going jump back in your gap. You’ve got to be real conscious of that.”

 

[NamelessHusker]

[SIZE=14pt]Meet the NU sack exchange[/SIZE]

LINCOLN - Just when you thought the kids of today couldn't identify with their predecessors, Jay Moore comes up with something like this.

The junior defensive end was a freshman at Nebraska when Chris Kelsay was a senior. Kelsay was a freshman when Mike Rucker was a senior. Rucker played with Grant Wistrom and Jared Tomich, who was a freshman when Trev Alberts was a senior.

Moore didn't map it out so nicely, but his point was clear. The Huskers, particularly those along the defensive front who have revitalized the NU pass rush this fall, play for more than just themselves and their teammates. They play for their program and all it means

And over the past 15 years, nothing has meant more to the Huskers than their ability to torment an opposing quarterback. Six times since 1990, Nebraska has recorded 40 or more sacks.

The Blackshirts of 2005 lead the nation with 34 sacks and remain on a school-record pace. They average more than six per game. They've yet to get fewer than four. Their dominance ranks as perhaps the most significant improvement over last season as 5-1 NU aims for its second straight Big 12 road win Saturday at Missouri.

"I think one of the main things was the embarrassment we went through as a defense last year," Moore said. "We were distressed so much in the offseason about how that could not happen again."

Nebraska recorded 25 sacks last year - a quarter-century low and a figure this defense surpassed in its fourth game.

Added depth on the line, a reinvigorated effort from the linebackers and an overall attitude adjustment contributed to the dramatic improvement. NU also ranks No. 1 nationally in rushing defense (65 yards per game), 12th in total defense and seventh in scoring defense.

Junior defensive end Adam Carriker leads the Huskers with six sacks. Sophomore sparkplug Corey McKeon adds five from his middle linebacker spot. Senior nose tackle Le Kevin Smith and true freshman defensive end Barry Turner have four apiece.

"I think they're playing faster," defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove said. "They're fresher, that's for sure. We're playing a lot of guys, and we weren't able to do that last year."

Carriker, like his partner Moore, is proud of the six-game sack attack. He grew up an NU fan in Kennewick, Wash., watching the likes of Wistrom, Rucker and Kyle Vanden Bosch.

"I know if my high school was leading the nation in sacks, I would be proud," Carriker said. "I would like to think those guys are watching."

They are.

"The statistics speak for themselves," said Chad Kelsay, a Nebraska defensive end from 1995 through 1998. "It's a lot of the same players who were on the team last year, but this year they're dominating.

"It was the same way when I played. We knew the (former) players were watching every week, and we felt like we had to uphold that Blackshirt tradition."

Kelsay's 1996 Huskers recorded 47 sacks. A year later, NU got 44 en route to a national title. The 1999 Blackshirts, paced by Vanden Bosch and Chris Kelsay, own the school record of 53.

This group is on an 11-game pace for 62.

Chad Kelsay described Moore as a "madman" on the field. At 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds, the Elkhorn High School graduate is the smaller of the Huskers' starting defensive ends. His three forced fumbles lead the team, and his eight tackles for losses rank third behind McKeon and Carriker.

Carriker, a high school quarterback who has grown to 6-6 and 280 pounds, has finally played up to his promise after battling ankle injuries for the better part of two seasons. Turner, Wali Muhammad and Kevin Luhrs give the defensive ends plenty of rest.

In the middle, junior college transfers Ola Dagunduro and Barry Cryer have eased the load for Smith and Titus Adams.

Head coach Bill Callahan said assistant John Blake has "done a great job" with the defensive line.

"Those guys are experienced players," Callahan said. "They're doing a much better job of using their hands. They know the techniques, and now they're stacking their moves. It's kind of like how a baseball pitcher adds a new pitch to his routine."

The defensive ends downplayed the importance of better technique.

"The most effective thing is just getting off the ball," Moore said. "Even if you've just got a half-step on the offensive lineman, you've got him beat."

The renewed attention to attitude may serve as the biggest factor in this group's metamorphosis. Moore said it began during offseason film-watching sessions, when Callahan "called out" the defensive linemen for their lack of a rush in 2004.

"Guys are just having more fun this year," Carriker said. "Obviously, winning has something to do with that. But we're more comfortable in rushing the passer. It makes you want to keep running when the play is nowhere near you. On this defense, you've got to keep running."

McKeon, as expected, plays a role here.

"I run my mouth," he said. "I talk. I jump up to the line of scrimmage and 'You and me, Carriker. You and me, right here.' We make that quarterback a marked man."

 

[NamelessHusker]

[SIZE=14pt]Like father, like son: MU's Coffman shining[/SIZE]

LINCOLN - He's 6-foot-7, runs like a deer, has some of the best hands you'll see and is the son of former NFL player Paul Coffman.

It might not be a stretch to say Chase Coffman was born to be a tight end.

"I actually played defense my freshman year in high school," Coffman said. "Ever since then, I was a receiver. But this is going great for me. This is just where I feel most comfortable."

Missouri already had a quality tight end in Martin Rucker when it signed Coffman in February. It even planned to redshirt the 225-pounder from Peculiar, Mo., and give him a chance to fill out.

But that changed when Coffman went from No. 4 to No. 3 to No. 2 by the Tigers' final scrimmage in August. When he started catching passes from the outset, it was hard to imagine that redshirting him was even a consideration.

After the Tigers' second game, Missouri coach Gary Pinkel called Coffman "as good as any freshman I've ever seen play."

He is one of the Big 12's brightest newcomers. Heading into the Missouri-Nebraska game on Saturday in Columbia, he leads all league tight ends with 24 receptions.

With Coffman and Rucker (20 receptions), the Tigers have a tight end combination that makes Husker defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove say, "Wow!"

Only Coffman doesn't seem wowed by his own success through six games.

"It's working out great," he said. "I'm just excited. But you can't go thinking that you're great now. You've just got to keep doing what got you here."

Trace that all the way back to playing catch in the backyard with dad.

Paul Coffman played tight end at Kansas State, then eight seasons with Green Bay and two with Kansas City in the NFL. Paul taught Chase how to look the ball in, how to catch the ball with his hands and not his body.

Chase Coffman has watched plenty of his father's old films. He's seen a quote from an NFL coach who said he never saw Paul Coffman drop a ball.

Chase Coffman, 18, is building such a reputation for himself, having caught at least three passes in every game so far for Missouri (4-2, 2-1 Big 12).

Because Missouri runs a spread offense, Coffman and Rucker don't line up at the traditional tight end spot. "Out in space," as Nebraska coach Bill Callahan calls it, they become quite dangerous.

"I don't look at them as tight ends, because they're not tight," Callahan said. "They're using their big bodies to create mismatches against linebackers and safeties. We're more conscious of that aspect."

Nebraska was in the race for Coffman, getting him on campus for last year's NU-Mizzou game. Losing out looks even bigger now that Matt Herian hasn't been able to return from a broken leg he suffered in that game.

Coffman narrowed his list to Missouri, NU, Iowa and Kansas State before picking the Tigers. They already had a commitment from flashy Texas high school quarterback Chase Daniel, who has teased Mizzou fans with some of his talents.

"They were always telling me they had a quarterback lined up for after Brad (Smith)," Coffman said. "I had heard about him on the Internet.

"Overall, I was just going to go where I felt the best. I think I'm fitting in great here."

 

[NamelessHusker]

[SIZE=14pt]Huskers say there's a new feeling of confidence[/SIZE]

LINCOLN - The last two Nebraska-Missouri football games have either started or preceded late-season tumbles by the Huskers

Two years ago, the 41-24 loss in Columbia was part of a 4-3 finish to the regular season. Last fall, the 24-3 win in Lincoln was NU's last before a 0-3 November.

The Huskers feel they're on the doorstep of something better this time.

"We're very close, I think, to really showing or getting something really special," junior defensive end Jay Moore said.

"I don't think last year we had that feeling. We were just trying to survive. This year, guys feel good about what we're doing. That just comes down to everybody has a better respect and better understanding for everything that's going on here."

Nebraska is 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the Big 12 Conference going to Missouri on Saturday. At stake in coming weeks are bowl eligibility and a Big 12 North title.

Coach Bill Callahan said Tuesday he wouldn't look that far ahead when asked if he thought NU was now better equipped to compete for those things.

"We're just focused on Missouri and that's where we're at as a team and that's where I'm at as a coach," Callahan said. "I don't worry about anything else besides what we've got to get done this week."

Nebraska was 5-0 and ranked No. 10 when it went to Missouri in 2003. The three losses from there came by 17 to the Tigers, 24 at Texas and 29 at home to Kansas State - costing coach Frank Solich his job.

Under Callahan, Nebraska came out of the Missouri game 5-3 last year. It then lost to Iowa State, Oklahoma and Colorado to finish 5-6 - the school's first non-winning record since 1961.

"Every game you didn't know how it was going to go," senior linebacker Adam Ickes said. "This year, everybody believes we're going to win every time we step on the field. I don't think we had that last year."

Nebraska already has won a few close games in 2005. Its defense is miles ahead of last season. The offense is better understood. Depth has developed at a couple positions.

The Huskers really think they can finish.

"This is a totally different year," sophomore cornerback Cortney Grixby said. "That year's really forgotten to us."

After 2004, Nebraska got its first full offseason under strength and conditioning coach Dave Kennedy. Callahan said the Huskers have practiced "a little more intelligently" this fall, and called them fresher for the stretch run.

But it's mind and not body that might be the biggest difference for a team that - judging by it remaining unranked - still hasn't made believers out of everyone.

"All you can do is win games," junior offensive guard Greg Austin said. "If they show you love, they show you love. But if you keep winning games, they have no other choice."

 

[NamelessHusker]

[SIZE=14pt]Grixby does more than measure up[/SIZE]

LINCOLN - When Missouri spreads the football field with its no-back offensive set, the lineup can include five receivers who stand 6-7, 6-5, 6-5, 6-3 and 6-2.

And the 6-2 guy's leaping ability has earned him the nickname "The Helicopter."

So which one does Nebraska cornerback Cortney Grixby, all 5-foot-9 of him, decide to cover?

It doesn't matter, Grixby said Tuesday. Bring them on.

And bring on the height jokes, too. He has heard all those wisecracks before - sometimes from his own position coach, Phil Elmassian.

"Coach E always says they are going to look at the scouting report and see I'm 5-9 and say they ought to be eating peanuts off my head," Grixby said. "He tells me every week they are going to come after me.

"I expect it. I would expect our team to do the same if the other team had a 5-9 cornerback."

After six games, those scouting reports are noting more than Grixby's height. They also contain high praise for his play.

"After the Baylor game, their coaches came up and said they respected me a lot," Grixby said. "I've been getting a lot of compliments."

The praise was well-deserved after the Baylor game, which Grixby called his most complete performance. The sophomore out of Omaha Central recovered a fumble, saw an interception nullified by a penalty and helped hold the Bears to a season-low 253 yards.

Nebraska head coach Bill Callahan said Grixby has turned heads with his play.

"Covering man to man, he has really improved his game," Callahan said. "He's only in year two of his collegiate career, and he has made tremendous strides.

"Everybody tries to pick on him because of his size, and he takes that personally. What he lacks in size, he makes up for in athletic ability and toughness."

To prepare for height mismatches, Callahan said, Nebraska's practices are designed to pair Grixby with "big-bodied" wide receivers.

"Cortney is the type of guy it doesn't matter how big or how small you are," the coach said. "He's going to challenge you."

Grixby, a Nebraska fan since childhood, said he has modeled his play after two smaller NU cornerbacks he remembers rooting for - Barron Miles and Ralph Brown.

Callahan said Grixby's "fiery nature every day in practice" also is appreciated.

"He prepares diligently," the coach said. "He's a meticulous, detailed player in terms of his technique. And he has excellent athletic ability."

The work on his position, Grixby said, has helped him improve every game this season. And the close games that the Huskers keep winning are making the team better, too.

"We're strong mentally," he said. "We've been tested a lot this season and been in a lot of games that went down to the wire.

"You've got to be mentally strong to get through them. So I think we're a tough, confident bunch."

 

[NamelessHusker]

[SIZE=14pt]Mizzou's Pinkel impressed with Nebraska's defense[/SIZE]

NU leads the country in sacks, rushing defense

By Terry Douglass

terry.douglass@theindependent.com

LINCOLN -- After manufacturing a mere field goal last season in a 24-3 loss at Nebraska, news of a Cornhuskers' defensive revival couldn't have sat well with Missouri coach Gary Pinkel.

A look at the stat sheet shows that Nebraska (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) comes into Saturday's game against Missouri (4-2, 2-1) the national leader in sacks (34) and rushing defense (65 yards per game). The Huskers are also tied for seventh in the country in scoring defense (14 points per game) and are 12th in total defense (289.2 yards per game).

"Their defense is absolutely outstanding," Pinkel said. "They're numbers are fairly staggering.

"When you look at the numbers and you watch the video, it's pretty staggering at how good they are in rush defense."

In college football, piling up sacks and lowering opponents' rushing totals go hand in hand. Nebraska's 34 sacks account for 262 yards in rushing losses.

Nebraska coach Bill Callahan made improving his team's pass rush a priority in the offseason. He said defensive line coach John Blake and his unit have delivered -- big time.

"That group has improved and they needed to improve for us to be successful," Callahan said. "That's an area that we pointed to early in the season that we said needed to perform well.

"We felt that it was a strength of our team and that we had to draw from it and that's what our players have done. They feed off the energy of our defensive line."

Nebraska's sack total through six games in nine more than the 25 sacks they recorded in 11 games last season. The Huskers already have as many sacks against Big 12 foes (14) in three contests as they did in eight league games in 2004.

Of Nebraska's 34 sacks, 22 1/2 have been credited to defensive linemen. Defensive end Adam Carriker has a team-high six sacks, while nose tackle Le Kevin Smith and back up defensive ends Wali Muhammad and Barry Turner have four sacks apiece.

Callahan said Nebraska's defensive linemen are doing a better job of using their hands this year and continue to improve each week.

"They know the pass-rush techniques that we want to employ and they're building off it," Callahan said. "Week in and week out, you see guys using a variety of moves and they're learning.

"They're stacking their moves, kind of like how a baseball pitcher adds a new pitch to his game, they're adding a new move to their pass rush."

Nebraska defensive end Jay Moore said increased effort has also played a part.

"Last year, guys were almost kind of lackadaisical getting back there," Moore said. "I wouldn't say that we were lazy. If we didn't beat them with the first move, it was like we couldn't get there.

"A lot of times, you're successful getting to the passer on your second or third move, so that's one of the main things -- effort getting to the quarterback."

Nebraska defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove suggests that added depth has been key to the Huskers' increased pass rush.

"They are fresher, that's for sure," Cosgrove said. "We're playing a lot of guys and keeping them fresh. We weren't able to do that last year. The same guys had to play every snap. We've changed up some things in our rush call, but I think the biggest reason is they are familiar with the system and keeping fresh."

Nebraska's strong line play has also led to opportunities for the linebackers. Middle linebacker Corey McKeon is second on the team with five sacks and has 11 tackles for loss.

"They have done a great job against the run keeping linemen from coming up to the second level," Cosgrove said. "You only usually have to worry about one blocker coming up at us and that's usually pretty good. They have been very good against both the run and the pass."

Moore hasn't been surprised with Nebraska's turn about on defense this year.

"We've got so much talent, especially with the front four," Moore said. "I watch other teams on film and I see us being one of the top units in the country. We feel pretty confident in what we're able to accomplish

 

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Blake responds

Nebraska defensive line coach John Blake responded to media reports Thursday that he has been offered a similar job on coach Larry Coker's staff at Miami (Fla.).

"I have not been contacted by the University of Miami," Blake said in a statement. "I respect their program, but have no interest in any position there. I am totally committed to the Nebraska football program and helping us build a championship program here. My family and I are here at Nebraska as long as Nebraska wants us. I am focused on helping our team prepare to play Missouri."

Blake, a former head coach at Oklahoma, joined head coach Bill Callahan's staff at Nebraska prior to the 2004 season. Blake is widely regarded as one of the top recruiting assistants in the country.

Playing it close

After playing in four consecutive games decided by nine points or less, Nebraska offensive coordinator Jay Norvell said the Huskers will be ready if things are tight in the fourth quarter Saturday at Missouri.

"We practice every situation that could possibly happen, from last-minute desperation to blitz pickup to Hail Marys," Norvell said. "We prepare our guys, talk about the situations on the sideline beforehand. Everything that has happened so far in these games we've practiced -- the overtime, the last-minute field-goal block -- all of those situations have been practiced."

Sox in the Series

Nebraska's 11:40 a.m. start time for Saturday's game at Missouri worked out particularly well for one big-time Chicago White Sox fan in Nebraska. A Chicago native, Callahan has always rooted for the White Sox and is looking forward to watching them in the World Series, which starts Saturday night.

"I'm excited. I'm a fan -- I've been a White Sox fan my whole life," Callahan said. "I've always followed them. I had a chance to see some great players come through there as a kid."

--Terry Douglass

Practice report

LINCOLN -- Nebraska coach Bill Callahan says the Cornhuskers will have to work plenty hard to block Missouri this weekend at Columbia, Mo.

Callahan made his comments after Nebraska's two-hour workout inside Memorial Stadium on Thursday.

Callahan said that, based on what he has studied and seen of Missouri's defense, the Huskers will have to work hard in Saturday's game.

"They're going to be a real heavy blitz team," Callahan said of Missouri. "That's what they like to do. They're a team that loves to pressure."

The Cornhuskers will hold a light walkthrough on Friday before leaving for Missouri

 

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Tigers big on pressure

WOWT news report

The Huskers will have an eye on the blitz Saturday. Coach Callahan says Nebraska needs to keep focused on the pressure from Missouri.

Speaking to reporters after Thursday's practice Callahan said, "They’re going to be a real heavy blitz team. That’s what they like to do. They’re a team that loves to pressure. It’s kind of like playing the Pittsburgh Steelers; they blitz every down. They have an amazingly high percentage blitz on first and second down. They’ll blitz you on third down. They come externally and internally.

"They mix it up. There’s a lot of variety in their package. They like the pressure aspect of the game, and they do it not only against the passing game, but they do it equally as well against the running game. We have our work cut out for us. We have to block a lot of movement this weekend.”

While Saturday’s game will be Callahan’s first trip to Columbia to face the Tigers as the Huskers’ head coach, it won’t be his first game at Faurot Field.

“I’ve been down there before,” Callahan said. “When I was with the University of Illinois we used to go down there in the early 1980s. We played down there when Warren Powers was the head coach. We had a natural rivalry between Illinois and Missouri. I understand their following and I know their fans pretty well, because we used to recruit through the St. Louis area. I expect a hostile environment. I wouldn’t expect anything less. Of course it is a Big 12 Conference game, so it’s a meaningful game for both teams involved.”

The Huskers will hold a light walkthrough at Memorial Stadium Friday morning before leaving for Columbia.