Daily Nebraskan
When Bo Pelini first came to Lincoln, he was charged with a monumental task: revitalizing a defense that was one of the worst in college football.
Although he won't say the process is complete, the second-year Nebraska coach certainly has his defense on the right track.
"I think (in 2008) we were trying to learn what guys could do — what our strengths and what our weaknesses were," Pelini said. "I saw a pretty slow gradual progress last year. I think at the end of the year, we got better, (and) I think that continues now."
Pelini has been able to mold some of the best defenses in the nation almost everywhere he's been. His coaching career has led him all over the country, from the NFL to the college ranks, and his unforgettable defensive schemes have followed him.
It's been no different during his first few years as a head coach.
At the end of 2007, the Cornhuskers were ranked in the bottom 25 of nearly every defensive category: rushing defense, passing defense, scoring defense, turnover differential and so on. It's been a mere two years, and NU now ranks 10th in rushing defense, 21st against the pass, and second behind No. 1 Florida in scoring defense.
The defensive evolution has somewhat surprised NU defensive coordinator Carl Pelini. He said he thought his defense had a lot of potential, but recently he's seen his players reach an even higher level.
"Our Achilles heel has always been lapses in concentration, and in the last few weeks, we haven't had those lapses. So to me, that is a big step forward," Pelini said. "I think we are a pretty good defense, but we have to stay focused every play."
The NU defensive coordinator said he was happy with the consistent focus against Oklahoma last Saturday night, but it can't stop there. Last season, the coaching staff and players preached a "three-game season" at this point in the year, and 2009 is no different.
With games against Kansas, Kansas State and Colorado ahead, Nebraska is looking to do exactly what it did last year: earn a 3-0 finish.
With the defense being much more experienced in the new system, the Pelini brothers have been able to really open up their playbook, and the results are surprising more than just Husker fans.
"You do see the numbers, and it's amazing, but that's all due to great coaching," NU defensive tackle Jared Crick said. "Ever since Bo and Carl got here, the mindset and mentality changed, and guys have a lot more confidence in each other. It's just a whole mentality thing that differs from 2007."
Several players have said the level of trust was at rock bottom in 2007. By the time the Huskers reached their fourth season under former NU coach Bill Callahan, players said it was difficult to completely trust the schemes they were being taught.
In turn, it reduced the confidence the players had in each other and eventually led to some players not even trusting themselves. Once Callahan was fired, many players expressed relief and willingness to grow under the Pelinis.
Star defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has grown the most over the last few years, from a respectable force on defense to the potential No. 1 draft pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. Other players, such as Crick and many in the secondary, have benefitted greatly from their coaches.
"I don't believe it's what you do. It's how you do it," Head Coach Pelini said. "In football, it's about fundamentals, technique and teaching, and developing each guy individually. Also, I think it's about creating an attitude and culture and certain way about going about things. I think all those things go into it."
That culture has landed the Huskers' defense on top of the charts in several categories, none of which the coaches or players claim to be aware of. It took just two years for the Pelinis to turn the ship around defensively, and now the Huskers have another challenge in the form of the Jayhawk offense.
Although the program has been revitalized under the new coaching staff, Carl Pelini said that not much has changed in the way they've approached things day in and day out at practice.
"I tell them (every) Monday, every time we play a little bit better, we just raise our expectations a little bit," he said. "I think we're pushing them as hard now as we were two years ago when we first got here to keep getting better. Trust me, we got a long ways to go to where we want to be."
spencerschubert@dailynebraskan.com
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