Nebraska football’s Tony White talks Colorado, green sleeves

The Husker defensive coordinator wore a long-sleeved neon green shirt under his Nebraska-branded attire on Saturday, a choice that helped impact NU’s defensive success.

Despite being allowed to use electronic communication devices to communicate play calls via helmets, Nebraska relied on hand signals and “went about business as usual” on Saturday, White said, as the result of a loud Memorial Stadium.

Players were easily able to spot White on the sidelines as a result of his neon green sleeves, a change from the 2023 season.

“Jimari and those guys, they had a hard time seeing me with all the colors on the sideline so they kept on pressing saying, ‘Coach, wear a different color or do something,’” White said.

What helped drive the change was the NU coaching staff’s participation in June football camps, where they wore neon shirts to identify themselves as coaches. When one camp date coincided with on-field work, White’s players liked the change in visibility — so NU’s defensive coordinator has stuck with it this fall.

“Green’s not my color, but for you guys I’m gonna do it,” White said.

A major test awaits the Nebraska defense this weekend when a high-powered Colorado offense comes to town, but White and the Huskers aren’t looking ahead.

“It’s just Tuesday,” White said.

* White is well aware of the talent present within the Colorado offense, especially when it comes to players like quarterback Shedeur Sanders and wide receiver Travis Hunter.

Hunter, who also plays defensive back, is a “special talent” with a love for the game according to White, who added that facing Sanders will mean finding new ways to attack the veteran quarterback and disguise defensive coverages.

“When you’ve got a quarterback of his knowledge, his experience, his talents, it’s gonna challenge the defense so we’ve got our work cut out for us,” White said.

* Nebraska’s ability to run the ball last week impressed offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield, who went into the game knowing NU would need to shy away from the quarterback run game.

“We were able to run the football by handing it off, and that’s something I wanted to see, not utilizing as much the quarterback run as traditionally handing it off,” Satterfield said. “I wanted to see what that would look like and I’m very pleased.”

Nebraska did utilize all four of its listed co-starters at running back, a situation that Satterfield hopes will be resolved in the coming weeks.

“The most productive guys that take care of the football are going to be out there,” he said.