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After Critique, Defense Steps Up at Nebraska Football Practice
Coordinator Tony White praises players' response after substandard scrimmage performance
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
- HuskerMax | One-minute report
- Husker247 | Blye Hill building a solid spring; Tony White’s defense sees benefits of tweaks after Rhule feedback
- Husker247 | Tony White and Husker defensive coaches trying to build the habits to be country’s best defense
- Husker247 | Van Poppel looking to build on strong freshman campaign
- Inside Nebraska | Tony White doubles down on goal of NU forming “best defense in the country”
- Nebraska Athletics | White speaks on defensive intensity
- Video | Tony White, Rob Dvoracek, Riley Van Poppel, Chief Borders, Mikai Gbayor
- Omaha World-Herald* | John Bullock, Nebraska linebackers looking to ‘break through’ as focal part of defense
- Omaha World-Herald* | Husker notes: Veteran Nebraska linebackers stepping into leadership roles
- Lincoln Journal Star* | Why defensive coordinator Tony White apologized to the Nebraska defense after a scrimmage
- Lincoln Journal Star* | How Riley Van Poppel is preparing to become the next face of Nebraska’s D-line
