Nebraska Spring Football March 5 Press Conference

The schedule for today’s press conference is that players will be up first followed by Coach Frost. The words in quotes are my best attempt to capture what was being said in real time. I didn’t listen back to make sure they were verbatim.

Lamar Jackson

“It is my first year to play for the same DC for two years in a row...”

“This year we knew going in that practice was going to be fast...it was a lot better than last year”

Lamar Jackson talks really fast. He said a lot of good things, but I couldn’t keep up.

Adrian Martinez

“I feel like as a team, we’re in a different place...knowing the offense...we’re able to move a lot quicker.”

On whether being in the second year is helpful “I think knowing the offense, knowing what to expect...has helped me make strides as a leader.”

He indicated he was impressed with the new guys (receivers) and is helping them get their feet as fast as possible.

“I can’t promise I won’t make a mistake, but I’ll try not to make the same mistake twice.”

On Luke MacCaffrey, “Real good dude. He fits in well in the quarterback room. He’s real fast, he’s going to be a real good quarterback.”

On what he’d take back from last year. “The Colorado injury to be honest. They way it came about...I made a decision and I got hurt...”

“I believe leadership is performance and performance is leadership...”

On Nebraska’s never ending winter...”I just hope this weather gets better soon...”

We all do Adrian. We all do.

DiCaprio Bootle

He also expressed how helpful it is that they don’t have coaching turnover.

The word “attack” kept coming up over and over when the players were asked about conditioning and practice. Bootle also used that word in talking about conditioning.

On Cam Taylor “High energy guy...we love him”

“Personally I just want to be the best I can be for the team, get more takeaways for the team, be a positive role model for the team, just help anybody in need really.”

On Lamar Jackson...Bootle indicated that he was really proud of how Jackson handled criticism and continues to be himself.

Mohamed Barry

On what he’s seen so far. “Consistency. That’s what I’ve seen. We came out and attacked...” (there’s that word again) Barry used ‘attack’ more than the other players, but I think we’ve already picked up on the theme of Husker spring ball.

On the team mentality, “There’s not a lot of selfish people, they understand where they’re at and strive to be better...when they’re criticized, they take it and want to get better, they want to fix those problems.”

“Technique allows us to win one-on-one battles”

“They younger part of our group is comfortable making calls, like quarterbacks...technique-wise we have a better starting point than last year but we have to get better every day.”

“If we can play fast and physical versus any team, that’s a recipe for success...how fast and physical can I be on each play?”

On the defensive backs, “I just love seeing how bought in as a collective group, from top to bottom...the leadership is where it needs to be.”

“I put on some weight. I was at 225 and now I’m at 232. I feel more explosive...” (On the live stream, he looked the part of the rocked-up explosive linebacker)

Ben Stille

On the new coach “Yeah, Coach T’s been good. We had out first meeting last week...awesome energy guy...brings new techniques and ideas.”

On whether the weight training has changed him...”I was the smallest one playing d-line..”

For reference, take a look at Stille’s 247 sports profile page. He was listed at 235 lbs coming out of high school.

Stille says he’s now 288.

On Darrion Daniels, “He’s big and he moves well...he brings maturity and knowledge...”

When asked about the newcomers, he mentioned Wan’dale Robinson, “He did really well on Monday...he hits the hole really fast. I didn’t get a chance to watch any of the others [early enrollees]”.

Head Coach Scott Frost

On Maurice Washington, “Maurice will be a limited participant in practice this spring...I’m troubled anytime someone takes actions that shed poor light on our team...university...state...”

“anyone who takes negative actions puts their status for playing time or with the team in jeopardy...that decision isn’t made by me, that is made in conjunction with others including administration”

“I knew very little about this in the fall...the extent of what we knew is that a member of our staff was contacted for an interview by the Attorney General of Nebraska...at that time we had a relationship with the former Attorney General and we asked him to represent him...I don’t know what anybody could have done any differently.”

“I don’t think it is my place to do investigations, as a matter of fact, that’s where people get in trouble.”

On if they got off to a faster start...”Yeah, we didn’t have to teach them where to go, where to line up...we didn’t have to teach them the names of the plays...”

“We’re not as deep as I’d like at some spots and won’t be until we get the freshman in here...even then there’s a few positions that will be thin...”

He did single out the defensive backs as a position group where the depth and leadership has improved.

On Adrian Martinez as a leader...”Adrian has to be the leader of the team, he can’t back into that.”

He said he talked to a group of players he expects to be leaders, “Any team is stronger when the loudest voices are the voices in the locker room...the more problems get fixed before they get to the coaching staff, the better.”

Inside linebacker was one position that Frost mentioned needs more depth. He’s hopeful some of the young guys can step up.

On JoJo, “We saw it last year, when he came off the edge, we got sacks, fumbles...we saw it again yesterday...he’s a guy that can play”

Just like the players kept using the word “attack”, Coach Frost kept bringing up Cam Jones’ name - even when not prompted.

“Luke McCaffrey had about as good a first day as a guy could have...Matt Masker did some good things...we have a lot more depth and I feel more comfortable there than last fall”

On the O-line, “we’re going to be young, one of the guards and center will be new players.” Hixon and Farniok were mentioned by the coach as working at center.

On the receivers, “Losing Stanley Morgan was a big hit for us...he was one of my favorite players to work with...it is great having JD back...we got a ton of talent around JD. I don’t need those guys to be All-Americans overnight, I just need them to improve....that’s one of the jobs that’s wide open.”

“It was important to me before I came to Nebraska that there was an athletic director that was going to give football...and all the sports...what they need to succeed...I might not be here if it wasn’t for him” (I especially paraphrased that last part - don’t take that as an exact quote AT ALL)

On Jovan DeWitt, “He’s certainly fighting a fight that’s going to be bigger than any game we play this fall.”