Nebraska...not feeling Frosty anymore

[Wild Hoss]

Btw... UNL went on a 40-10 run at one point.

That's a whole games' worth of points for the men's team.

[*JD*]

It looks like my future roomie is a Huskers fan. I'm subletting a place in mid-May.

[entropy]

UNL lost to Purdue in double OT. Heck of a run and playing 4 days in a row is tough

[SeanB]

Rob, I'd rather watch paint dry on the side of barn in NC in 98% humidity!

We could go on like this forever, you and I!

I'm not anti-women's sports. Just women's basketball! Snooooooooozzzzze.

[entropy]

http://kck.st/w4i8yn

Documentary on Nebraska fans

[entropy]

The secret's been out since late last week that Terry Joseph is the new secondary coach for the Huskers.

But absolute closure to that topic came Wednesday when Nebraska made official the new hire.

"Coming to a place like Nebraska was a great opportunity for me," Joseph said in a statement. "And then to throw in the chance to work with Bo again, it was the perfect fit. I am excited to get to work with our players and other coaches as we start spring ball and get prepared for the season."

It's expected that the 38-year-old coach will answer questions from the media after one of the spring practices next week.

Having spent the past two years as a the secondary coach and recruiting coordinator at Tennessee, Joseph takes over a Husker secondary that rode the roller coaster in 2011, with plenty of different lineup changes.

Nebraska's defensive backfield returns nine players who started a game last fall, including safety Daimion Stafford, and cornerbacks Andrew Green and Ciante Evans, who started at least seven games.

Joseph replaces Corey Raymond, who left for the defensive backs coaching position at LSU last week.

The cousin of former Husker quarterback Mickey Joseph, Terry Joseph was a graduate assistant at LSU in 2006 when Bo Pelini was the Tigers' defensive coordinator.

He's also familiar with Husker defensive coordinator John Papuchis, who was a defensive intern on that staff.

Pelini seemed pleased during Tuesday's press conference about how Joseph would fit on a defensive staff that added newcomer defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski in December.

"I love our staff on defense. I like what we're doing. I hire the best people," Pelini said. "Obviously you're looking for good football coaches, but good people, good communicators, guys that I obviously believe can recruit. And for the most part, guys that see eye-to-eye with the way I want to do things. And I'm also looking for guys that think outside of the box and are willing to speak up and disagree."

Joseph followed Derek Dooley to Tennessee in 2010 after spending three years under Dooley at Louisiana Tech.

Among his credentials, Joseph helped the Vols finish 12th nationally in pass defense last year. In 2010, Tennessee ranked in the Top 20 in interceptions with 18.

While working with Dooley at Louisiana Tech, Rivals.com ranked Joseph as the fourth-best recruiter in 2009 among coaches at non-BCS schools.

Papuchis said Tuesday that Joseph was at the top of the list of names he and Pelini discussed when met with the possibility that Raymond was leaving.

"Terry and I stayed in pretty regular contact. I consider him a friend, but I also consider him a very good football coach," Papuchis said. "Good teacher. Good communicator. Good leader. Good recruiter. In every way ... I feel very good about Terry being part of what we're doing."

[entropy]

By NU Media Relations
Press Release
Posted Mar 7, 2012

Nebraska Head Football Coach Bo Pelini has filled the vacancy on his coaching staff by hiring Terry Joseph as the Huskers’ new secondary coach.

Joseph comes to Nebraska following two seasons as the defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Tennessee on Coach Derek Dooley’s staff. The 38-year-old Joseph has helped the Tennessee defense rank among the nation’s top pass defenses each of the past two seasons.

“Coming to a place like Nebraska was a great opportunity for me,” Joseph said. “And then to throw in the chance to work with Bo again, it was the perfect fit. I am excited to get to work with our players and other coaches as we start spring ball and get prepared for the season.”

Joseph will take over a Nebraska defensive backfield that returns nine players who started at least one game in 2011, including safety Daimion Stafford, and cornerbacks Andrew Green and Ciante Evans, who each started at least seven games in 2011.

“Terry Joseph is a tremendous addition to our staff,” Pelini said. “I have worked with him in the past and he is about as perfect of a fit as you can have. He is a good football coach, a great person and will bring a lot to our staff.”

In 2011, the Vols finished 12th nationally in passing yards allowed with an average of just 177.8 yards per game. Joseph oversaw a young defensive backfield, including true freshman Brian Randolph, who earned SEC all-freshman honors last fall.

In Joseph’s first season in Knoxville in 2010, Joseph helped the Vols rank in the top 20 in the nation with 18 interceptions, and the group played a key role in a late-season run that earned Tennessee a trip to the Music City Bowl. Safety Janzen Jackson and cornerback Prentiss Waggner each earned All-SEC second team honors. Waggner returned three interceptions for touchdowns to set a school record.

Joseph joined the Tennessee staff after working under Dooley for three seasons at Louisiana Tech from 2007 to 2009, where he also served as the secondary coach and recruiting coordinator. Joseph played a key role in a defensive turnaround at Louisiana Tech.

The highlight of Joseph’s stint at Louisiana Tech came in 2008, when the Bulldogs finished second in the Western Athletic Conference and earned its first bowl trip in seven seasons. Tech completed an 8-5 season with a 17-10 victory over Northern Illinois in the Independence Bowl. Joseph also coordinated Tech’s recruiting efforts, and the 2009 class was ranked second in the WAC. Joseph was ranked as one of the top five recruiters in a non-BCS conference by Rivals.com.

Joseph worked alongside Pelini as a defensive graduate assistant at LSU in 2006. During his one season in Baton Rouge, he helped the Tiger defense rank third nationally in total defense, and LSU finished the year with a Sugar Bowl victory over Notre Dame.

Joseph began his coaching career in the Louisiana prep ranks, working as an assistant at two New Orleans area schools. Joseph worked at Archbishop Shaw from 1999 through 2002, and at Destrehan High School from 2003 to 2005.

Joseph earned his bachelor’s degree from Northwestern State in 1996. He was a baseball standout at the school, and is one of only 12 players in Southland Conference history to earn first-team all-conference honors three straight seasons. Joseph was the conference player of the year in 1995, when he was coached by former Nebraska baseball coach Dave Van Horn. A two-time Academic All-American with the Demons, Joseph owned 10 school records when he completed his collegiate baseball career.

Joseph was a 13th-round draft choice of the Chicago Cubs and played four seasons in the minor leagues with the Cubs and San Diego Padres.

Joseph and his wife, Amanda, are the parents of two daughters, Taylor and Lynleigh.

Joseph is the cousin of former Nebraska quarterback Mickey Joseph, who was a four-year letterman for the Huskers from 1988 to 1991.

[entropy]

Some truths come out

Posted by: Steve Sipple on March 7, 2012 at 10:40AM CST

A few thoughts from Nebraska's pre-spring football press conference Tuesday:

Senior defensive end Cameron Meredith had a telling quote in BC's story about the team's weekly meetings that have occurred since the Capital One Bowl loss to South Carolina:

"I think the connection between coaches and teammates has been kind of a problem in the past," Meredith said. "There's not been enough connection there as far as voicing our opinions. So I think it's really helped all of us closing that gap between coaches and players."

The long offseason can be interesting in that the truth about some key matters often comes out. You often find the players are more candid this time of year without the inherent pressures of the fall season.

Should we be surprised Nebraska's team chemistry wasn't perfect in 2011? Probably not. After all, you saw the meltdowns (vs. Wisconsin, Michigan, South Carolina). Will weekly team meetings in the offseason guarantee such losses won't happen in the future? No way. But a unified team definitely can help diminish the chances.

-- Braylon Heard's move to cornerback eases the logjam at running back. Senior Rex Burkhead, an All-Big Ten choice last season, obviously is the bell cow. But it'll be interesting to see what sophomores Ameer Abdullah (5-9, 180) and Aaron Green (5-11, 190) can produce with more opportunities. Both are smaller backs. Can they hold up physically if asked to frequently run inside the tackles? It also will be interesting to see where incoming recruit Imani Cross (6-1, 220) and junior transfer Mike Marrow (6-2, 250) fit in the RB picture. I tend to favor the thumper backs. Just sayin...

-- Was surprised to hear Bo Pelini say there are no plans to move right guard Spencer Long to center. Wow, what a huge spring for junior Cole Pensick, senior Justin Jackson, redshirt freshman Ryne Reeves and sophomore Mark Pelini. You saw those Big Ten defensive lines -- big, physical and skilled. If a team has a weak link in the trenches, it'll get exposed fast.

[entropy]

Ask Taylor Martinez the area where he thought he improved the most last year. He'll tell you it was in his role as a game manager.

The junior quarterback's offensive coordinator Tim Beck seems to agree, noting that Martinez seemed much more in command of the offense by late last season.

Now both player and coach are focused on the finer details that might take the quarterback's game to another level.

Martinez, for instance, said he wants to improve his footwork as a passer.

"We've had some people look at my footwork, and we know right now what to fix on it," Martinez said at a pre-spring ball Tuesday press conference.

It's a good spring assignment since, as the quarterback said, "it's kind of hard to change up your footwork when you're in the middle of the season."

Improving such techniques like footwork, Beck hopes, will help the quarterback become more consistent.

"It's just little things here and there with him," Beck said. "Anytime you build a foundation … it's from the inside out. You can't build a foundation from the outside in. So it was a lot more about how to play the position (last year), how to manage the game, be a leader, communicate, those type of things. And I thought he made a lot of strides in that area.

"… And I think for the most part he made pretty good decisions most of the year. Now you work on that other part. Now you're out of the foundation and you're building the walls and the roof and those other things … and I think he recognizes it."

Beck expects Martinez and the offense to make a jump given that it's Year 2 in the offensive coordinator's system.

Martinez does too. He said everyone on the offense has a fuller grasp of small details and the big picture of Beck's offense.

"Early on (last) season we really didn't have an identity, I'd say," Martinez said. "I think right now we actually get what our offense is."

Beck smiled when asked about how eager he was for his second spring running the offense.

He said the offense is "light-years" ahead of a year ago, a situation he described as a whirlwind that found him trying to teach his system to not only players, but also the staff.

"You felt like you were always chasing your tail," Beck said. "Having the same staff in place with the same system allows you to refine some of the detail we need to offensively."

Turner's main focus at receiver spot: Husker coaches know that Jamal Turner could be called on at quarterback if needed, but for now they're more interested in making him the best wide receiver he can be.

The versatile sophomore athlete saw all his game snaps at receiver last season — 15 catches for 243 yards — but also received some practice reps at quarterback.

Will he see any snaps at that position this spring?

"We'll see. That isn't something we're thinking about doing on the surface," Husker coach Bo Pelini said. "But we know he's a guy that can always move there and be over there if we need him for some snaps. But we feel good about the quarterback position and how we have it set up. And Jamal, first things first, we want to get him honed up at the receiver spot so he can continue to grow. He hasn't played there for a long time. So we want to give him the best chance to let that talent come through."

Beck echoed those thoughts later in the press conference.

"I think Bo makes a really great point when he says in order for the kid to be an electrifying, playmaking wide receiver/punt returner/kick returner guy, we've got to give him that chance first," Beck said.

Beck said he's still not afraid to throw Turner some quarterback reps during practices, but noted Nebraska doesn't have as "dire a need" at the position this year compared with last. The Huskers have more bodies at quarterback now because Bronson Marsh has decided to play quarterback and Tyson Broekemeier has recovered from a knee injury.

Taking his shot: Speaking of Marsh, the redshirt freshman from Millard South was working as a safety last season before taking snaps as a scout-team quarterback during bowl practices and showing some impressive flashes.

This offseason, Pelini laid out the scenarios he saw for Marsh at both safety and quarterback, then left it open for Marsh to pick a position.

"He said, 'I've always dreamed of playing quarterback at Nebraska, and I think I can do it and I'd like a shot at it,'" Pelini explained. "He goes, 'If I didn't give it this one chance, I think I'd be kicking myself.'"

Lessening the load: While Rex Burkhead will surely continue to be Nebraska's featured back, Beck said he would like to divide carries a little more evenly between his running backs this year to keep the senior from Plano, Texas, in good health.

"I think Rex took a beating at times," Beck said.

Burkhead carried it 284 times last season, including a 38-carry game against Iowa and 35 rushes against Michigan State.

With Burkhead getting so many carries, it meant less touches for freshmen Ameer Abdullah (42 rushes) and Aaron Green (24).

"You just got to sub them at times. You just got to give it to them," Beck said of those young backs. "You've got to let those guys play, too. It's hard to do that, I know, but you gotta do that."

Center of attention: This spring could go a long way in determining who will take over the center job left by two-year starter Mike Caputo.

Pelini listed Cole Pensick, Mark Pelini, Justin Jackson and Ryne Reeves as candidates for the job. He said the Huskers do not plan to move Spencer Long to center. Long was an all-conference guard for NU but has practiced at center in the past.

"We have four guys that we feel like are good football players," Pelini said. "There is a lot of potential there for competition, and I think competition makes you better. Now it is up to us to get them all reps and get them taught and give them a chance to put their best foot forward."

Replacing Lavonte: Pelini listed senior Alonzo Whaley and redshirt freshman David Santos as the two linebackers who will have the first crack at trying to fill the void left by Lavonte David at the WILL spot.

Pelini expressed strong confidence in both.

"Everything we thought he was when we recruited him, he has that potential," he said of Santos. "He is not the finished product and has a lot to learn, but the potential is there."

Injury rundown: The Huskers will be thin at defensive tackle to start spring ball. Chase Rome and Todd Peat Jr. (back) are expected to miss all of spring ball.

Kevin Williams and Thad Randle will also miss at least the first few practices of spring.

"It's disappointing that some of those guys aren't going to be here in the spring, but at the same time I'd rather them miss the spring than the fall," said defensive coordinator John Papuchis. "All of their rehabs are also on schedule. They're all in position where they'll be back in the fall. And what it's going to do, just like anything else, is present opportunities to other guys."

Also worth noting, offensive guard Jake Cotton is expected to miss all of spring ball with a knee injury.

Cooper departs: Senior wide receiver Khiry Cooper is no longer in the program, Pelini confirmed.

Cooper is set to graduate this spring. Pelini said "the door is open" for Cooper to come back if he chooses.

A televised spring game? It's anticipated that Nebraska's spring game on April 14 with be televised in some form on the Big Ten Network, though it's unclear if the broadcast will be live or tape-delayed.

The answer should come soon. The Big Ten Network is expected to announce its broadcast schedule for league spring games in coming weeks.

[geo weidl]

Documentary on Nebraska fans

I gotta visit this year.

[entropy]

geo.. you'll have a great time. I promise. I'll supply everything for the tailgate, take you out the night before and if you come to Nebraska on Thursday, I can get you a facilities tour. We can do the tour either Thursday afternoon or Friday morning. It's worth seeing.. and I like to brag about UNL.. so it works out for everyone. =)

[entropy]

the only downside will be my tailgate got moved. Long story short, with the east stadium expansion, a parking lot is closed down next to the stadium. The biggest boosters parked there.. so everyone was bumped around for a year. That means less traffic (good and bad) and no band. The band used to march buy us playing March of the Cornhusker.

But we'll still have a great time.

[geo weidl]

But we'll still have a great time.

Very much interested, very!

[entropy]

many times people think the experience opposing players, coaches and fans have in lincoln is bs.. it's fiction.. it's a myth based upon a pass. It's not. We, at our core, love CF and celebrating CF with others.

The last part of that link should be proof enough that it exists..

[entropy]

Tonight should be the end of the Sadler era at UNL. Nice guy, but it's time.