STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 6:00 pm
Oklahoma is “tenacious” on offense, Nebraska cornerbacks coach Phil Elmassian said Wednesday, emphasizing the Sooners’ ability to pound the ball on the ground at defenses.
“That’s kind of fun to see,” Elmassian said. “I like watching them play. They’re my favorite team to watch, both sides of the ball, because they get after it. They’ll knock the crap out of you. They will flat turn you upside down.”
Given Oklahoma’s strong running game, Saturday night won’t be fun for Nebraska’s defense if it doesn’t improve its tackling, a recurring issue throughout this season.
Elmassian was critical of the defense’s tackling. He said it’s “been good enough at times — good enough to win the amount of games we’ve won. That’s not the rose-colored-glasses B.S. … you know me. But it’s been good enough to put us where we’re at right now.
“Obviously, yeah, there are times you look out there and you do want to throw up when you watch it,” he added. “But, you know, some of those tackles, when we’ve made them, have been at the right time. … Nobody wants to hear that, I know.
“It ain’t like they’re trying to miss them. Despite what people think, we tackle every day (in practice). It’s worked on very hard. And that’s not a cop out. That’s just what is it is.”
Does Elmassian grow tired of hearing about the tackling issue?
“Not really,” he said. “Hell, I get tired of looking at it. (The fans) see what I see. Do you think we’re happy with it?”
Against Oklahoma’s straight-forward approach on offense, Nebraska’s alignments and schemes on defense won’t be nearly as important as simply making tackles, Elmassian said.
“The only adjustments for this game is your chin straps, brother,” he said. “You tighten it up just a little more. This ain’t about X’s and O’s.”
The Blackshirts need to rise to the occasion to match the prowess of Oklahoma’s vaunted defense, Elmassian said.
“When you play games like this, it’s like when you’re playing Michigan, Texas or Southern Cal — your defense has to outperform theirs, and that’s a tall order. If they make a play, you have to make a play.”
INJURY UPDATE: Nebraska backup I-back Marlon Lucky was limited Wednesday to a workout with team trainers because of a back injury aggravated in Friday’s win against Colorado. “I’m pretty optimistic he’ll play in the game,” coach Bill Callahan said. The coach also was optimistic about reserve I-back Cody Glenn’s chances to play. Glenn was in street clothes against Colorado with a foot sprain.
RECRUITING TRAIL: With coaches now in a period in which they can make in-home recruiting visits, the Husker staff finds itself particularly busy. “(Our assistants) went out right after the Colorado game,” Callahan said. “We recruited Saturday and Sunday. We flew them back in on Monday. We’ll be back out (tonight) and the following nights. We’re encouraged by the way our staff is working. They’ve done a tremendous job.” Callahan hasn’t made any in-home recruiting visits at this point, he said. “I’ll be on the road as soon as I can,” he said.
QUOTABLE: Callahan, on Nebraska’s bowl fate being finalized Wednesday (either the Fiesta or Cotton, both on Jan. 1): “I don’t even want to talk about that kind of stuff. I just want to focus on this game and focus on what we have to get accomplished at Arrowhead.”