Some quotes, notes and thoughts on the post-game press conference – what I’ll be focusing on here was what stood out in the moment post-game (quotes which really stood out will in italics for emphasis):
HEAD COACH MATT RHULE
On Dylan Raiola using multiple checks to Emmett Johnson’s 42-yard-run
“The best one was that he three way checked the long run by Emmett, right? Like, he checked it and then they kind of moved, and he checked it back, and so then he checked it again and (he) got us to that run. When you have a freshman that’s checking and reloading things, that’s an unbelievable job….Great job by Glenn teaching it. Great job by Dylan learning it.”
Love seeing this after Rhule commended Raiola’s understanding of running back assignments and RB checkdowns as one of the strengths which won him the job last week. His brainpower and football IQ are what will make his elite arm strength truly dangerous.
On Dante Dowdell’s first game as a Husker
Dante had that fumble, but he was really running well. Dante’s done such a good job. Like at the end of the spring, I would probably put him at fourth, right? And he’s really brought himself where I think he was second back in the game today (on the opening drive). And it’s not really like, hey, this guy’s there first. It’s (not) “Hey, Rhamir, do the same thing.” So it’s kind of the different thing. But Dante, I thought he was really playing well, running the ball well, and then had that fumble, right?
So while Coach wasn’t thrilled with the fumble, he thought Dowdell still looked very good overall. And after seeing the final stats and carries, my assertion Dante was put in “fumble jail” was obviously in error as it simply appeared he’d gotten his share of carries for the day. It’s not gonna be my last idiot blast of the season.
Steve Bruce
On winning the turnover battle, and, honestly shouldn’t safeties be a turnover?
What is plus one on the turnover margin today? Let’s do this. Did they count the safety as a turnover? That seems like a turnover, does it not? I mean… because we were minus one, and then we did that, and I was like okay, we’re even right now.
(And) that was good to be plus one….sometimes you guys have heard me say (we want to be) plus seven. What I really would like to do is be plus one plus two every game. I don’t want to have (us) get seven in one game. And, excuse the numbers, I just want to come out every game plus one because all these games you come down the last possession. If you can steal a possession…you have a chance. And I think the safety is a way of stealing the possession.
Coach makes a good point. A safety is literally an immediate +2 turnover which has the potential to be +5 or +9 if the team converts to another score which Nebraska did.
On the effort and sportsmanship displayed by both teams in the second half.
I thought they (Nebraska) played right…I thought our guys played hard to the very end. I thought their team (UTEP) played hard at the very end. I mean, I really respect that, you know? And …sometimes you get those games, right? Everyone starts throwing punches and it gets chippy and ugly. And (today), that was two teams that respected each other. So that’s what Nebraska football is about, to me. And it was good to be a part of it,
Think that can happen two weeks in a row?
QUARTERBACK DYLAN RAIOLA
On dad Dominic’s reaction to Dylan’s first game as a Husker:
“He had glasses on, so I couldn’t see if he was crying or not, but yeah, that was a special moment. You know, it’s always a ritual of ours to have a pregame prayer on the field, but to have it on (my) first college game (with) my family there, it meant a little more, especially my dad going to the school, and the marquee left with (his) name of the stadium. So, yeah, it was a great, special moment for our family.”
The line about Dominic and his sunglasses got a laugh, but of course it had to be a little dusty when seeing his young man in the scarlet and cream for the 1st time.
On both he and Jalyn Gramstad having their first day in uniform as Huskers
“So you got Jalen, getting in, he joins your team late and gets out (there). Yeah, it’s awesome seeing those guys get in. They put a lot of work in. They do a lot of work for us and, and that was our goal in this game, was to, you know, handle our business, so the guys that busted their tail for scout team or second team, (you get get those guys in). And I just shared a special moment, you know, both our dreams came true. His as to play here, and obviously my dream was to play for Nebraska. So you have a special moment for both of us.”
From NAIA to getting to run a series in the opener, you almost wonder if that’s a movie of the week in a few years.
CORNERBACK MARQUES BUFORD JR
On the Blackshirts’ reaction to Dowdell’s fumble inside the UTEP 10 & appearing to have words with Secondary Coach John Butler before taking the field
“I told him, you know we’ve been preparing for this all off season. I seen him walking over, like I could see it in his face. He was getting ready to try to get us riled up. But as soon as we saw it happen, everybody popped up off the bench super fast, stormed out on the field ready to go. So I just love to know like, hey, we good. We know exactly what to do right now. And it just falls back on everything that we’ve been speaking about this this offseason, leading up into this game, about just playing great, complimentary football and always having your brother’s back.”
I won’t lie. This one gave me chills.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
WIDE RECEIVER JAMAL BANKS
On what he saw in Dylan Raiola’s eyes in the first huddle of the game”
“Since he got to campus, he’s like “I’m humble, but I’m him,” you know, and he just comes to kill. So, I see the fight. He’s on.”
When this is how a senior (who chose Wake Forest over Harvard and the USMA) talks about his true freshman QB, there’s something special going on.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25600709/IMG_0603.jpeg)
#huskers
#gobigred
#mattrhule
#dylanraiola
#isaiahneyor
#tyrobinson
#jhamalbanks
You must be logged in to post a comment Login