Marques Watson-Trent Discusses Nebraska's Mindset Ahead of Northwestern

In the wake of a tough loss, senior linebacker Marques Watson-Trent didn’t sugarcoat what went wrong. Standing in front of reporters earlier this week, the veteran defender spoke with the measured confidence of a player who’s experienced both the highs and lows of college football during his five years of making a living bringing down opposing players.

Now, ahead of his eighth game in a Nebraska uniform and coming off his most productive outing yet, Watson-Trent took the podium to discuss battling through adversity and helping reshape his unit’s mentality before arguably the Huskers’ most important matchup yet. The senior linebacker, who’s tallied over 390 career tackles, broke down the mindset shift needed to stop a 5–2 (3–1 Big Ten) Northwestern team determined to pound the rock. Here's everything he had to say.

Nebraska linebacker Marques Watson-Trent lines up against Michigan. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Watson-Trent didn’t shy away from acknowledging where things need to get better. He said stopping the run starts with the linebackers but extends to everyone wearing an “N” on their helmet, emphasizing that the unit’s attitude and effort must improve across the board.

“Anytime a team runs, it’s on the whole defense,” he said, noting he’s not afraid to speak up when standards need to be raised. Nebraska currently allows nearly 4.6 yards per rush, one of the weaker marks in the Big Ten, with missed tackles and poor pursuit angles often to blame.

As for the repeated success opponents have found in attacking Nebraska’s front, Watson-Trent pointed to recognition and preparation as key growth areas for his younger teammates. "This is a copycat league,” he said. “Everybody’s got to recognize it, communicate, and win our blocks.”

After five seasons of college football, there isn’t much that surprises Watson-Trent anymore. But helping the players who haven’t been around as long, particularly up front, could go a long way toward tightening a defense that’s shown flashes of both dominance and vulnerability. With that in mind, he hopes the lessons from Friday’s loss can become fuel moving forward.

Nebraska linebacker Marques Watson-Trent during the Huskers' 2025 game vs. Cincinnati at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City — Nebraska linebacker Marques Watson-Trent | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Few players on Nebraska’s roster bring as much perspective as Watson-Trent. The senior transfer has experienced the full spectrum of college football, and from his comments, made it apparent he can tell a lot about a team by how it responds to adversity.

“I’ve been a part of teams where losing really didn’t matter,” he said. “Here it matters — to an extreme.” That standard, Watson-Trent added, is what separates good programs from great ones. “We expect to win every game we play. When we don’t, it has to hurt. And it has to change how we practice.”

From his comments, it’s clear how much knowledge, maturity, and urgency he’s gained over his half-decade of college football, traits he hopes will rub off on his teammates as the season continues. For a team facing a heavy dose of adversity this week, following a loss in which Nebraska, as the clear favorite, was outplayed in nearly every phase, Watson-Trent shifted the focus toward how he plans to help his defense rebuild its confidence and edge heading into Saturday.

Nebraska linebacker Marques Watson-Trent sacks Houston Christian quarterback Jake Weir for a 6-yard loss in the first quarter | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Coming off an injury that sidelined him for the Michigan State game, Watson-Trent is back to full strength and intent on bringing more physicality to the final stretch of his college career. “Stopping the run is a mentality,” he said. “We’ve got to make our mind up throughout the week that we’re going to be more physical than [our opponent].”

Northwestern, he noted, plays disciplined, technical football, something Nebraska will need to match in their upcoming game. “We’ve got those same things,” Watson-Trent said. “We just have to prove it every week. The team that shows up is the team that’s going to win.” That mentality, he believes, will define how the Huskers finish their season.

“Sometimes when you’re winning, it’s easy to relax,” he said. “But when our best is required, we’ve got to be ready to deliver it.” From his words, it’s clear Watson-Trent is urging his teammates to grow up fast, knowing full well Nebraska’s success down the stretch could depend on how quickly that maturity sets in.

In his time at the stand, his message was simple, but one that clearly defines the moment for Nebraska. The team that shows up is the team that’s going to win, and if Watson-Trent has his way, the Huskers plan to be that team on Saturday afternoon.

Though the results will have to play out on the field, aided by his veteran presence, the Huskers could be primed to rebound in a big way. And, in doing so, show the younger players that real growth only comes through adversity.

For Watson-Trent, that’s what leadership is all about. And with confidence in his younger teammates to heed his warning, he expects no shortage of energy or effort from the Huskers this weekend. With that in mind, all that's left to do is handle business.

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