Joseph Sees Improved Tackling as Indiana Challenge Awaits

Husker defense is ‘bought in’ after coordinator change and ‘in a good spot right now’

Author:
Joe Hudson
Publish date:
Sep 29, 2022 1:42 PM EDT

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Nebraska Cornhuskers

Indiana Hoosiers

Immediately after he became interim head coach, Mickey Joseph added more live tackling to the Huskers' practices, and now he's seeing improvement in that department.

“We couldn’t do nothing but go up,” Joseph said after Thursday's Nebraska football practice.

"I think any time you do something that's new and you keep doing it, you're going to see improvement with it. ... We had a lot missed tackles. ... They're doing a very good job."

Saturday night in Lincoln, the Huskers will face an up-tempo Indiana offense that has been throwing the ball 50 times per game. "That's a lot of throws you have to defend," Joseph noted. Besides wanting to see fewer missed tackles all around, he said key for the defensive backs will be to "play the call and use your technique."

As for the defense overall, "we cut some calls out, we simplified it," Joseph said. "We're doing what they can do. And they've bought in and I think they're going to fly around. They're in a good spot right now, the defense."

On offense, Joseph said, the Huskers have continued to try to determine the "best five" on the offensive line. Creating running room won't be easy if the Hoosiers' rushing-defense performance last week against Cincinnati is any indication— 1.3 yards per carry.

"You don't want to sit back and let them hunt you," Joseph said. "You want to hunt as a football team. We want to be aggressive coming out."

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