The latest news about all things Husker, stop back throughout the day to get updates as they become available. Go Big Red!
What you'll find in today's news:
Tuesday's Practice notes
Hail Varsity breaks down Stanley, Tale of the Tape: Stanley Morgan Jr.
'Monster' Freshmen Having an Early Impact on D-Line
Diaco Discusses Hopes and Dreams, Blackshirt Tradition
Blackshirts bring new responsibilities to Huskers defense
What’s next for Nebraska, Bookie’s back, and Huskers get a big weekend visit
Red Report: Barry an extra starter; a tough week at Arkansas State; receivers to be challenged
Cook Encouraged Despite 0-2 Mark
Huskers Host Arkansas State for 2017 Season Opener
Student, Architect and now a Husker Wide Receiver
Why the Huskers Handed Out 16 Blackshirts
Energy drinks bring debate and laughs to defensive coaches
The Husker Schedule Breakdown
Arkansas State versus Nebraska: 5 things to watch for
Will Nebraska get over the hump and make a run for the Big Ten title?
ESPN Analyst Resigns Because He’s Disturbed By Brain Trauma In Football
Who is the dark horse contender in the Big Ten
Why Nebraska QB Tanner Lee’s game ‘speaks for itself’
Numbers to Know: Arkansas State is More than Just Sacks
What To Watch in Week One
New Blackshirt Mo Barry Aims to Uphold Husker Tradition
Replies
Energy drinks bring debate and laughs to defensive coaches
When it comes to the defensive staff’s energy drink of choice, there’s a little less harmony. With cornerbacks coach Donte Williams on one side and defensive line coach John Parrella on the other, energy drinks have sparked plenty of debate.
It even made its way to T
Williams is a Red Bull guy. Parrella prefers Monster. While both say they will drink the other if necessary, or even an occasional Rockstar, they prefer to stick with what they like.
Between the two, Parrella admits he consumes more energy drinks than Williams — two or three per day to Williams’ one or two. Parrella also starts early.
“We have 6:30 a.m. meetings and he’s drinking a Monster,” Williams said. “I mean, that’s why he’s a monster on the field because he’s drinking them all darn day.”
Parrella knows he can consume a lot of Monsters in one day. He jokes that it’s simply doing “whatever it takes” to get the job done. He wouldn’t encourage his athletes to consume energy drinks, though. In his opinion, it’s better to leave that to those who’ve completed their playing careers.
“We don’t want the kids drinking it obviously with the amount of work they put in on a daily basis,” Parrella said. “It’s not good for them. But for us coaches? Who cares? We’re old, right?”
For Williams, he also feels his players don’t need any additional energy. He watches them bounce off the walls with it already.
“For them, shoot, they feel like they’re 12 years old,” Williams said. “They have enough energy in the world. They don’t need it. I feel like I’m 80 so I need all the bit of energy I can get.”
But back to the topic at hand. Is Red Bull or Monster the better energy drink? More than half the respondents in Williams’ Twitter poll voted Monster, putting Husker fans heavily on Parrella’s side of the debate.
Williams isn’t worried about it, though. He feels like that might be temporary decision.
“Monster, I mean, I have nothing bad to say because I drink them sometimes, too, but it makes me crash,” Williams said. “Red Bull keeps me up. That’s why it says it ‘gives you wings.’
“I think everybody is a little confused. They’ll be Red Bull next week.”
One thing Parrella and Williams can agree on when it comes to energy sources is that neither prefers coffee. In fact, Williams swore off coffee after just one try.
“For me, I’ve never had a cup of coffee except maybe one time. It killed me,” Williams said. “I’m all energy drinks.”
Parrella grins thinking of coffee. With a slight sarcastic tone to his voice, he shares the real reason the duo stick to energy drinks.
“Old people drink coffee,” Parrella said. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding.”
Coffee may be for closers, but not around Nebraska. It’s all energy drinks.
As for what kind of energy drink, it all depends on who you talk to.
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Blackshirts bring new responsibilities to Huskers defense
Weber is humble about his Blackshirt, but he understands what it means. He grew up watching the Huskers and Blackshirts.
“When you grow up and you watch Nebraska football and you watch the defenses that played here, all you want to do is come here and earn a Blackshirt,” Weber said after practice Tuesday. “I think a lot of kids have that same dream in this state.”
And for Weber, that dream became reality on Monday.
“I don’t even know how to put it into words,” Weber said. “It’s a tremendous honor. You’re humbled by it and then you start thinking that you have responsibilities to uphold the tradition of the guys that came before you and have earned a Blackshirt. If you don’t do that, it’s just a shirt.”
Sophomore linebacker Mohamed Barry didn’t grow up in Nebraska, but he understands the magnitude of his new Blackshirt. When he saw it hanging in his locker before practice Monday, he immediately felt honored. He didn’t expect it though.
And now that Barry has it, he sees his Blackshirt as an opportunity to continue improving and giving his best effort.
“I’m so happy but I knew I had to work even harder,” Barry said. “Today and every day, this shirt means effort to me. You have to give your max effort every day. You have to get better every day.”
Defensive coordinator Bob Diaco agrees. While he sees the Blackshirt tradition as an exciting one, he also believes there has to be a bigger goal from it. He hopes all 16 defensive players who were awarded one will grow from it.
“If their goal was to get a shirt, then we’re going to have a learning curve,” Diaco said. “If their goal was to take on the responsibility and accountability of defending the hopes and dreams of the team, the university and the state, that’s super exciting.”
Diaco is the first to say he appreciates the Blackshirt tradition. In his opinion, it’s one of the more special traditions in college football.
But now Diaco hopes Weber, Barry and the others awarded a Blackshirt work to uphold it.
“It’s the beginning of a process,” Diaco said. “It’s the beginning of a responsibility and accountability to work, habits, leadership, strain, pain.”
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'Monster' Freshmen Having an Early Impact on D-Line:
At the nose tackle position, Nebraska has a Blackshirt-wielding junior in Mick Stoltenberg. After that, there are two true freshmen.
Before fall camp even started, Deontre Thomas looked out at the crowd that turned out for Nebraska’s Fan Day and was wowed by what he saw. “It just makes me happy and makes me want to play and make them happy and win,” he said of the support from the fans. Now, with the season opener against Arkansas State just a few days away, Thomas, and his buddy Damion Daniels, won’t just be playing, they’ll be seeing significant time.
“Those two are special,” linebacker Chris Weber said. And he’s not just talking about the frames – Thomas comes in at 6-foot-3, 280 pounds, while Daniels is listed at 6-foot-2, 310 pounds – but the attitudes.
“The way they’ve come in and put their heads down and made the most of their opportunities,” Weber said. “That’s what you love to see.”
For both guys, the opportunity came two weeks ago when Stoltenberg was sidelined with an injury.
“Some of them took advantage of opportunities where we weren’t real deep,” head coach Mike Riley said of his youngsters Monday, before explicitly referencing Thomas and Daniels. “They forged their way in, proved that they could be that guy and then were able to earn that spot on the depth chart where they would play.”
Where Stoltenberg is brute force, Thomas is quickness and mobility, then it’s back to pure strength with Daniels. Fire and ice, and fire again.
“They bring different things to the table,” Stoltenberg said. “Deontre is a little quicker, kinda more the pass rush guy. Damion, he’s a big plug in there in the ‘A’ gap.”
If and, really, whenever they want to, the Huskers and defensive coordinator Bob Diaco can switch things up on opposing offensive lines and throw out either of their two “monsters.”
“Physical monsters,” linebacker Mohamed Barry said of the co-No. 2 nose tackles. “They’re monsters. I’m talking about these kids are gonna be real good. [Defensive line] coach [John] Parrella did a great job in recruiting them. He had great taste when he recruited these athletes.”
Athlete feels like a good way to describe the pair. They’re both big, but they know how to use their size. Stoltenberg said there was no messing around once camp started, they were ready to go from the jump.
“I don’t know if I would have been ready to play right away, especially in the interior, the way they will,” he said. “They are really good competitors and are able to learn.”
There isn’t even one play that stands out either. No specific moment or blown-up play where the older guys have sat back in shock of what the two new guys are doing, and yet, they’ve still had “my goodness, these kids are freshmen” moments.
“I’m not sugarcoating it, they’re monsters and it’s great to see that play on the d-line, because you know when a d-lineman takes over, it looks amazing,” Barry said. “Like [former Husker Ndamukong] Suh and all them, it’s amazing.”
It’s probably too early to be comparing guys to a Heisman trophy-contending defensive tackle, but between Thomas and Daniels, they’re not hurting for love from their new teammates, or chances to play come Saturday for that matter.
“They both came in with the idea in their head they were going to play and contribute on Saturdays if things go well for them,” Stoltenberg said. “They will both end up doing that.”
By Derek Peterson
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THERE SHOULD BE A COUPLE JUNIOR'S OR SENIORS THERE AS BACKUPS
DIDN'T WE RECRUIT D LINEMEN A COUPLE YEARS BACK?
Anyone?
makes perfect sense to me, they were recruited specifically to fit the 3-4 nose tackle positions, all the others were recruited for the 4-3 and with the exception of big Mick have moved to Defensive end positions. It is not unprecedented in college for a lineman to start as a freshmen, we have seen it in numerous schools across the country. I'm just glad they found two guys that are good enough and big enough to make an impact early............Now quit yelling Nish!
Nebraska assistants and players met with the media one last time before the season opening game on Saturday against Arkansas State at home.
Here's what they had to say:
— Linebackers coach Trent Bray said Mohamed Barry's Blackshirt was the result of a strong camp and plans to get the sophomore linebacker on the field in certain packages and let him go to work. Barry will spell Dedrick Young and Chris Weber, and might even get the nod over one of those two at various times.
— Bray said for him the appeal of the Blackshirts was knowing the way his guys (Barry, Weber, Young, Alex Davis, Luke Gifford and Marcus Newby) worked throughout the fall camp. He felt like Monday's practice jerseys were vindication of the effort and work those individuals put in to get themselves and the team ready for Arkansas State.
— Both the assistant, Bray, and his player, Weber, said they expect the Red Wolves to test them with athleticism. Bray went so far as to say he thinks Arkansas State has some of the better offensive talents the team faces on its schedule.
— Stanley Morgan likes when the opponents come up to him in press coverage. He said he enjoys the challenge and knows that when he comes through, it'll mean there's going to be more space between him and the defensive back. Morgan anticipates teams will look to challenge him on the line.
— The junior wide receiver, who is listed as a backup punt returner to De'Mornay Pierson-El, said he likes the energy of Scott Booker on the special teams. Morgan said the Nebraska assistant brings a little more enthusiasm out of the group.
—Offensive lineman Nick Gates said the unit has spent a lot of pre practice time ironing out communications for pre-snap reads. The group anticipates Arkansas State to be creative in its pressures, looking to free up defenders and create rushing lanes. Gates said before practice the unit is working together on different looks that they're anticipating on Saturday.
— Gates said he was happy to see Jerald Foster named as a team captain, calling his fellow lineman a vocal leader and someone who the team looks to already.
-- They have their Blackshirts, but senior linebacker Chris Weber it's about more than just a cool look in practice. Now comes the part about meeting a certain standard.
"If you're not honoring the people that came before you and the tradition that is here, it's just a shirt," Weber said. "Now it's our job to come out and prove the Blackshirt way."
-- Three cornerbacks received Blackshirts, which isn't a surprise considering Donte Williams said he viewed Lamar Jackson, Eric Lee and DiCaprio Bootle as starters. But the shirts don't mean arrival by any means for that young group of corners.
"Those guys are still competing," Williams said. "They're going to continue to compete throughout the year -- including everyone else on our team. It's a game-to-game thing and the best players are going to play."
-- It's no use getting in too deep in conversation with defensive coaches right now about what to expect from Arkansas State's offense. Not many secrets are going to be revealed and it's a season opener. You have to sort of expect the unexpected from an opponent in some cases.
"Really, for us, it's more about, what we do," Williams said. "And make sure we continue to get better at what we do. That's our focus right now. There's really nothing to off of unless it's from last year, so everything for us is about making sure we're at our peak."
— Nebraska linebacker Mohamed Barry said he was ecstatic to get his Blackshirt to start practice this week. Barry mentioned that one of his first phone calls was to former Blackshirt Eric Johnson, who trained Barry in Atlanta. Barry said Johnson initially didn’t respond, but was very proud of his protege for the honor.
— Barry is working on Nebraska’s kickoff units and said he’s not sure what his role will be defensively for the Huskers at linebacker.
— JD Spielman said he’s eager to return kickoffs this year. He said often teams would do out of their way to avoid kicking to Spielman, who was a fantastic kick returner in Minnesota. Spielman said it got so bad that his high school started using an I-formation for kickoffs so schools couldn’t see which side of the field he was on.
— Defensive coordinator Bob Diaco said he had good knowledge of the Blackshirt tradition prior to coming to Nebraska.
“This isn’t the end for somebody who has been honored with that responsibility. It’s the beginning of a process and it’s the beginning of a responsibly. An accountability to work, habits, leadership, strain, pain.”
— Diaco said he expects his defense to continue to evolve as more players see playing time in games.
Author
Mike Schaefer @mikejschaefer