Nebraska Football Practice Report August 19

It’s a big day in Husker land. The Big Ten crew was at practice, alternate uniforms dropped, the first AP poll included the Huskers and defensive coordinator Erik Chinander discussed situational football, leadership (giggles at the “nuggets” of wisdom “dropped” by coach) and the energy from the team.

Alternate uniform news!

No date has been announced for when the Huskers will wear these. Assuming it is a home game (and it may not be), what are the best candidates in your opinion? (let us know in the comments)

Personally, I like them. An uni honoring the Blackshirt tradition will probably need to be accompanied by a strong defensive performance (and hopefully a win) to be remembered fondly over the long term.

Big Ten Network

The Big Ten Network was in Lincoln and offered some tweets during practice. Here’s a tweetcap - although there is nothing very exciting or new in these. As you’d expect, practice was largely drills and nothing very telling was on display while the BTN crew was tweeting.

Defensive Coordinator Erik Chinander

Alternate uniforms

I haven’t seen them up close yet, other than some pictures...I think it’s pretty cool that Coach Frost has embraced that tradition...I don’t know when we’re wearing them...

Practice energy

There hasn’t been one day where I’ve been disappointed with the energy...

He also talked about needing to clean up little things, but that he really enjoys the energy that has been maintained even though they practice fast and expect a lot.

Situational scrimmage (over the weekend)

I thought we were really good with the ones and two units. With the threes, kind of had that half football at the end we’ve got some work to do to develop those young guys... With the ones and twos, we made some good plays. We made some dumb plays in situations...for instance, we picked off a ball to end the game and we didn’t get down with it, we tried to run it back for a touchdown...that can, I mean that’s happened here before...those guys just have to learn those things...I think its really important Coach puts in some situations so we can have it happen on August 18 rather than September 30 or whenever...

On a player or position group that is a surprise or has it been like their projections

I think everybody knows who Mo Barry is...I’m happy with the way Will and Colin are playing right now...fighting for that other spots...we’ve got three really solid guys that can come in right now [inside linebacker]...and obviously some of those young guys...we’ll get a fourth guy...Marquel Dismuke has done an unbelievable job from the time we got here until now...the whole defense I’m pleased with where they’re at...we gotta keep going...

On if there was a moment it “flipped” for Marquel

I don’t know if I can pinpoint a moment, it was probably after the season last year...maybe when he knew it was going to become a little more like “it’s my time” or when he knew that position was up for grabs...he’s been an unbelievable teammate and an unbelievable player here in the spring and fall practices

On practice philosophy

This coaching staff, starting with Coach Frost likes to have ones on ones and twos on twos. Coach Chinander indicated that he really likes that for development of players and making the team better.

On linebackers (the battle between Honas and Miller and their strengths)

Both are moving so much better and they have a good grasp of what’s going on...they can make the calls if Mo’s not in there...but I think those two have done a really good job...Barrett Ruud has done a good job...they look like the way Big Ten linebackers are supposed to look...

On Jahkeem Green starting to practice

He was in full pads today and taking full reps...I think we knew what kind of talent he was, he’s just got to play himself into shape and get to know the scheme...no matter how much you do between your last game in December, everyone else has 15 practices, you need to get in shape...he’s going to be really good player for us

On JoJo Domann

You don’t know what to expect...we throw him in a couple days ago and there was no let off from the spring...you put a true cover guy in there and they can do some things..you put a true backer in there and they can be physical...JoJo has got a good mesh of both

On position battles and if deciding on starters will be difficult or if it’s clear

I think there’s some hard decisions going on yet. The DBs, there’s 5 or 6 guys that could be starters...That d-line is pretty deep...what do you do with JoJo?, is he ready...inside linebacker, there’s three guys...those are good problems...what you’re going to see is a lot of guys rotating in...I’d love to have 22 starters to roll guys through as we play so many snaps on defense...there’s going to be some hard decisions on who walks out there for the first snap

Improving situational football

I think holding hurt us on third down last year (defensive backfield)...trying to get the d-line where they’re not jumping on obvious situations for hard counts...and those are the things we have to get instilled now...

On the overall team mood (and the grind of fall camp)

It’s hump week...the week before you get to game prep...I didn’t see anyone with gloomy faces, everyone was smiling, laughing, ready to play football...I think it is the culture Coach Frost wants...everyone loves football and loves to come to work

On 6 or 7 upperclassmen on the defensive line

This is what it’s supposed to look like, once you get four or five cycles in....we’re not quite there but on the d-line we happen to have that...it’s good and bad, it’s bad I suppose because some of the young guys have to sit...it’s a constant battle with the transfer portal, some guys might not think they get to play right away and wait anymore, it’s just what we deal with in today’s world...it’s awesome right now to have that senior d-line to show those young guys...if I want to be a great player, I need to act like a great player...

BEST QUOTE OF CAMP INCOMING

If your great players are turds, then the young guys are going to act like turds...you know what I mean? We say it all the time...there’s two types of turds, a sinker or a floater, but you’re still a turd, right? When you have really good people that are the best players, that helps the locker room tremendously.

National perception of Nebraska (the news dropped that Nebraska was ranked 24 while Coach Chinander was doing his presser)

It’s cool because of how the program is perceived, how Coach Frost is perceived...but we haven’t done anything yet...so I just as soon we weren’t ranked, I hope none of those guys think we’ve made it because we haven’t done anything yet

On Ty Robinson (young d-lineman) and if he’ll play

He’s big and strong...I think you’ve got enough that you don’t need to, but you’d like to ...once he gets reps and learns how to do things...with those big guys, d-line and o-line are the hardest to get them to this level, there’s no one in high school that can touch them...and they get up here and they got to deal with Farniok and Jaimes and those boys...technique and getting valuable reps is so important for a guy like that

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