NU coaches emphasize takeaways
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BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
Larry Asante blitzed Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, tipping the ball as McCoy hurled it. Zach Potter, a defensive end, snagged the ball near the line of scrimmage for an interception.
Oct. 27, 2007. Austin, Texas. Nebraska’s final forced turnover of the season.
In fact, it was Nebraska’s only forced turnover over the Huskers’ final seven games. Fumbles? Opponents dropped the ball just four times in that span, losing none.
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And would you believe, with that one catch, Potter is Nebraska’s returning interceptions leader?
Potter would’ve shared the honor, but the only other returning Husker with an interception last season was dismissed from the team. Kevin Dixon, too, was a defensive lineman.
Nebraska’s entire defensive unit enters 2008 with a combined three career interceptions: Potter last year, and Ndamukong Suh and Rickey Thenarse with one apiece in 2006.
Three. Two by linemen.
“It’s embarrassing,” second-year senior cornerback Armando Murillo said. “I’m not going to lie. It is.”
Enter a new coaching staff, led by turnover master Bo Pelini. Remember his 2003 Nebraska defense — the one that set a school record with 32 interceptions, and tied a school record with 47 overall takeaways? His defense last year at LSU forced 36 turnovers.
Nebraska had 11 a year ago — the fewest turnovers by a Nebraska defense since at least 1946.
Three fumbles, eight interceptions
“Things are going to be different,” Murillo said. “There are going to be more turnovers, like all over the field.
“We’re going to be in position to make turnovers. (The coaches) will put us there, and we trust them to do that.”
Here’s a little bit of what Murillo and other Husker defenders have been hearing from coaches: Play with effort. Attack the ball. Don’t just knock it down. Go get it.
And for heaven’s sakes, don’t be scared to turn around and look for the football.
“It’s totally, totally different,” Murillo said. “They’ve got a go-attack-the-ball kind of attitude. That’s what I like. That’s what we’re doing.”
Coaches, though, are still trying to eliminate players’ hesitancy to make such plays. Instilling belief is of utmost importance.
“You can’t be afraid to make a mistake,” Nebraska secondary coach Marvin Sanders said. “I think sometimes when a young man plays hesitant, ‘Oh, I could get it, but if I don’t get it, he could get a touchdown,’ — we can’t play like that, and we won’t play like that.”
Pelini, Nebraska’s defensive coordinator in 2003, preaches effort, attitude and a willingness to know not only what to do, but how to do it, and understanding why.
“We don’t talk about turnovers. We talk about takeaways, and having the attitude to go take the ball from the offense,” said Pelini, entering his first year as head coach.
“We’ve always had success in that aspect, because we emphasize it. You get what you ask for. We emphasize it, and I think that will always be a characteristic of the defenses I’m around.”
The emphasis on creating turnovers began the first day of spring practice, said cornerback Anthony West.
“You could see a major difference,” West said.
Soon, everybody, from converted linebacker Cody Glenn to walk-on cornerback Lance Thorell, were knocking down balls, intercepting passes, or generally causing disturbances.
Well, almost everybody. Murillo said he had no turnovers in spring practice. He made up for it with an interception of Patrick Witt in the Spring Game.
“I’ve been very impressed with Armando,” Sanders said. “I’ve seen a 180-degree change in him. His attitude, his willingness to learn new things.
“These guys have to believe that they can make plays on the football. That’s huge. That’s one thing when you look at any great D-back or talk to any D-back, they’ll tell you when that ball is in the air, it’s meant for them anyway. That’s the sign of a great defensive back.”
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
