In 2008, Nebraska coach Bo Pelini sparked a change in the Cornhusker defense.
The team went from being ranked 115th out of 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in 2007 to 84th in 2008. According to his players, this was with base package material.
The Huskers expect to make a leap defensively in 2009 compared to what some saw as baby steps in 2008.
“(We have) experience,” senior safety Larry Asante said. “We’ve been through a lot, we’ve seen a lot. We understand the whole defense, so with experience and practice, it’s just coming together at the right time.”
Nebraska coaches spent all spring and early fall preaching the “why” aspect of the NU defense. According to Asante, each player is now comfortable and ready for bigger steps to be taken.
Secondary coach Marvin Sanders agrees. He said it was good to see his players get their feet wet in ’08, but he expects much more this season.
“Last year we put the system in, and they were just kind of picking their way through what they could understand,” Sanders said. “But now as coaches, what we are telling them is that we can go to level two.”
With several questions about NU’s defensive experience, primarily at linebacker, Pelini says not everything can be predictable come Saturday.
With the departure of linebackers Cody Glenn and Tyler Wortman from an already youthful core last season, Pelini knows some things just have to be played out in the heat of a Saturday game day.
“It’s part of the deal,” Pelini said. “You got to work the kinks out. I hope we light it up on both sides of the football and play a perfect football game, but I’m realistic enough to understand that none of that is probably going to happen.”
Pelini said he doesn’t concern himself with age or experience of a player as long as he feels he can get the job done. With new faces stepping into positions like linebacker, defensive tackle and in the defensive backfield, he said it’s on them to succeed.
“They are going to lean on themselves because no one will be out there helping them,” Pelini said. “There are going to be guys around them obviously, but they have to handle their responsibility. I have confidence in them, or I wouldn’t be putting them out there. It’s time for them to stand on their own two feet, be a man and show up.”
The defensive line is seen by coaches and players as the strength of the NU defense this season, and it will be led by preseason All-American defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
Suh comes in with larger expectations than ever before to lead this year’s defense, and he hasn’t backed down.
“The foundation is set, and the expectations are known,” Suh said. “Most of the people in starting roles understand what needs to get done. They know what the expectations are, or else they wouldn’t be there.”
The defensive improvements go further than just knowing the expectations and having the experience this year. Asante said much of the improvement will be seen in how the team communicates on every play.
“As long as we communicate, we will survive the down, and we won’t give up big plays,” Asante said. “We took that personally amongst us as a defense to get that corrected. We communicate, and we let each other know what’s going on just to make sure we’re all on the right page.”
Asante reiterated that the confusion is gone, which in turn leaves less room for excuses come game day. Each player knows what every other player is doing and why he is doing it, allowing players like Asante and Suh the opportunity to go after the ball more often.
The talking is almost over, and Pelini said Saturday will determine where this team is and how far it needs to go.
“There’s that little bit of the unknown,” Pelini said. “I feel like I’m confident in our football team, and I’m confident they will be well-prepared. That’s why you play the games, right?”
spencerschubert@dailynebraskan.com
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