All Huskers

After Critique, Defense Steps Up at Nebraska Football Practice

Coordinator Tony White praises players' response after substandard scrimmage performance

Joe Hudson

Nebraska Athletics

Matt Rhule wasn't happy with the defense's play in Saturday's scrimmage, and he let defensive coordinator Tony White know about it.

He got results.

"After the scrimmage when we came back and watched it, coach got on me because it wasn't good enough. It just wasn't good enough," White said after Thursday morning's Nebraska football practice.

"This group of guys in the locker room, they do what you ask. These guys are blue collar. They make coaching fun. I looked at it and we went back as a defensive staff and asked ‘how can we do this?’ We tweaked some things on defense and explained to them. I apologized and said, ‘Hey, guys, this is my fault. This is what we want to look like, this is what we want to do’ and showed them, actually showed them.

"Tuesday, they went out there and they ran around with their hair on fire, and I was like ‘wow.’ I think everybody was like ‘holy cow, what’s going on?’ Then today, to start off, they had the same attitude.

"When coach jumped us for that, it was a great thing. We were able to redefine some things."

The team will scrimmage again Saturday. After that, there will be two more practices before the April 27th Red-White spring game.

Scroll past the video for more coverage from Thursday's post-practice media availability, which also featured linebackers coach Rob Dvoracek, defensive lineman Riley Van Poppel, and linebackers Chief Borders and Mikai Gbayor. Refresh this page to see the latest content. Asterisk indicates item may require a subscription.

Coverage

More info

Published |Modified
Joe Hudson
JOE HUDSON

Joe Hudson has operated a Husker-related website since 1995 and joined forces with David Max to form HuskerPedia (later renamed HuskerMax) in 1999. It began as a hobby during his 35 years as a newspaper editor and reporter, a career that included stints at the Lincoln Star, Omaha World-Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer and Denver Post. In Denver, Joe was chief of the copy desk during his final 16 years at the Post. He is proud to have been involved in Pulitzer Prize-winning projects in both Philadelphia and Denver. Joe has been a Nebraska football fan since the mid-1960s during his childhood in Omaha. He earned his bachelor of arts degree in journalism and economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1976. He resides a few freeway exits north of Colorado Springs and enjoys bicycling and walking his dogs in his spare time. You can reach him at joeroyhud@outlook.com.

Home/Football