The rallying cry when the Huskers took the field against Illinois was to just play like it was Sunday night. Play with the same passion as the now well documented padded practice a day after Nebraska got humbled by Michigan.
Husker head coach Matt Rhule thought Nebraska answered the effort challenge put forth during that week in the 20-7 win over the Illini.
«Now what I’m trying to explain to our guys is they have to re-answer it. They have to answer it every week,» Rhule said this week during an appearance on 365 Sports Radio in Texas with hosts he had a long relationship with from his time coaching down there. «But what was really great was the ability to sit there after the game and say, (Last) Sunday night, guys thought it was the end of the world. I said, ‘I guarantee in 10 years it will be one of your best memories from your time at Nebraska.
You’ll be talking about it. It will be a tall tale. But after winning that game, was it worth it?’ And they said, ‘Yes.’ Well then, why don’t we just do that (practice effort) every week?”
During a 7 a.m. practice this week the Huskers put the ball down and «just flat competed,» with the central focus simply on playing hard before getting into any prep work for the next opponent, Northwestern.
«I told the guys I didn’t even care about the outcome,» Rhule said heading into that Illinois game. «To me it’s about what does the tape look like. You can sometimes lose to a better team and play a good game. You can sometimes beat a team that you’re better than and not play a good game. We’re in the building process here. So I wanted the effort and the physicality to be at the level it’s supposed to be.»
Rhule said it’s not like the effort hasn’t been there previously but felt in the 45-7 loss to Michigan after Nebraska fell behind early the Huskers resigned themselves to losing and had an «oh, here we go again» manner to their play.
«As a coach, I have to cut that out. I can’t let myself to do it, I couldn’t allow us to do it as a team. So we went out and played football again to remind ourselves: ‘This is what we do. We play football.'»
>>> Asked about building a team equipped for not just the league you’re currently in, but knowing USC and Washington are joining the Big Ten next year, Rhule said it’s «vital» to put together a squad equipped for your league’s setting.
Of course the Big Ten now stretches everywhere.
Rhule has spoken often about the wind in the Midwest, and finding a style of play that can win in those conditions.
«I think we played three games now with like 15-plus mph winds. We played in 25 to 30 mph winds at times in the game at Illinois,» Rhule said. «So to be an Air Raid offense, I don’t know would work out great for us. Playing defense, playing special teams. We blocked a kick and stole a possession on kickoff team in that (Illinois) game. Being a team that can run the ball and run the option, I think that’s smart for us.»
>>> While the reductions on roster limits allows you to bring in a bunch of players if needed, Rhule noted Nebraska added 40 new guys last offseason, but also doesn’t think the answer is huge roster turnover year after year.
«It’s not the answer in the NFL, free agency. It’s not the answer I don’t think in college. You still have to grow and develop your players, and then you have the ability when you lose somebody to go out and get somebody equally as good.»
>>> Rhule said playing home games at Nebraska even exceeded his expectations.
He was particularly impressed how the stadium gets so full even during warmups. And it was a shot of college football history to the veins walking out of the first postgame press conference at Memorial Stadium and having Tommie Frazier and Eric Crouch waiting outside the door to congratulate him.
Rhule also continues to pick the brain of Tom Osborne.
«We came in this Monday and Coach Osborne came in and watched film with us because we’ve been running some option plays, and we asked him him to come in…» Rhule said. «You get to do a film session with Tom Osborne, it’s like the relationship I had with Grant Teaff (at Baylor). Those are coaching icons. When they’re willing to look over your shoulder and help you but never want to step on your toes, it’s really special.»