Through the spring, summer and fall, Armando Murillo studied film, practiced route coverages and did just about anything else he could to get ready for the upcoming season.
His motivation? To gain some respect.
The end of the 2007 campaign was perhaps the worst ever for a Nebraska defense in the football program's long history. Included in the unit's long list of dubious statistical distinctions were last-place rankings in the Big 12 Conference in points allowed per game (37.9), rushing defense (232.2 yards allowed per game), total sacks (13) and opponents' third down conversion rate (50.3 percent).
Nationally, the Cornhuskers were ranked no better than 112th out of 119 teams in any of those areas.
Of course, that was all eight months and a coaching change in the past. With the new season's first game only a week away, the group formerly known as the Blackshirts is searching for redemption in the form of smart play, teamwork and, of course, big hits.
"I'm so ready. I can't explain it just because it's so emotional," Murillo said. "We're ready. We still got some preparation and stuff to put in and stuff to learn, but we're going to be ready. We want it."
Murillo, a senior who will likely start at cornerback, said the same mentality will apply to his personal play. He noted that he created no turnovers in 2007, something he plans to correct in the coming months.
The defense as a whole has shared similar sentiments, said junior defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. In many ways, he said, the vibe of fall camp has been more upbeat than in the past.
Suh said the preseason schedule has helped players enjoy practice more this year because it breaks up the weightlifting, practicing and meeting sessions with breaks and meals.
And with plenty of information yet to learn, a little vacation time for the mind never hurt anybody.
"It's just the way people learn," Suh said. "If somebody has to take a little bit longer to do that, they have to do that. But obviously you'll have to do it at a quicker pace because we don't have the luxury like we did in spring to take our time. We're in season right now, so you have to get it down and understand it.
"There's really not going to be too much time to wait to learn it, but (the coaches) are going to give you your opportunities to learn."
Carl Pelini, who will serve as Nebraska's defensive coordinator and defensive line coach, said the mental process is what coaches are stressing most in practice. The talent and effort is there, Pelini said. The understanding of why players do what they do is still a work in progress.
Specifically, he said, that means a defender has to be able to identify offensive formations and personnel and identify where the threats are.
"We want them to be out of their comfort zone," Pelini said. "And as soon as they're comfortable, we want to push them more. They're all progressing, but we're going to continue to push so that they never feel like they've arrived mentally, because they never will."
Yet optimism continues to run rampant. Even the linebackers - one of NU's biggest question marks heading into the season - are practicing with a renewed vigor, Tyler Wortman said. The senior has been working with the top defensive unit at the position after appearing in nine games in 2007. He said he's been encouraged by "very physical" scrimmages in the past week, highlighted by plenty of gang tackling.
Big hits charge a defense, the linebacker said. It doesn't hurt when a few helmets roll either.
"I think the mentality is a lot different," Wortman said. "The morale of the team is really up and everyone's really excited for the season."
In addition, the entire team has viewed highlights of past Nebraska teams and listened to advice from former football coach and Athletic Director Tom Osborne.
Murillo said the renewed emphasis on tradition - something former coach Bill Callahan and his staff shied away from - has been an incentive to work.
As if he needed another one.
"I can't believe they used to play football like that," Murillo said of the Blackshirts from the late 1990s. "It was like rugby or something. They were just smashing. We're trying to get there like that, just smashing people every play and going out on the field and having people scared of us."
evanbland@dailynebraskan.com
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