Posted: Wednesday, October 6, 2004 7:00 pm
Although he won't start the game, injured Nebraska defensive end Adam Carriker said Wednesday he will play "a lot" against Texas Tech on Saturday night in Lubbock, Texas.
"Everyone's going to play a lot on the D-line," said the 6-foot-6, 275-pound Carriker, regarded as NU's most powerful defensive end.
Carriker said Nebraska will need a full stable of defensive linemen ready to play Saturday because of Tech's penchant for passing. The Red Raiders, 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the Big 12, are averaging 59 pass attempts per game.
Said head coach Bill Callahan, "We're going to bring eight or nine linemen down there with us we're going to need everybody to rotate into the lineup and rotate into the rush.
"It's great to have Adam back on the field, I'll tell you that."
Carriker missed NU's Sept. 18 win at Pittsburgh with an injured right ankle and was used sparingly in last week's home win against Kansas.
"It's frustrating, but a lot of it is just how you decide to handle it," Carriker said. "The same thing happened to me last year. I handled it the best I could. It was frustrating, but I didn't let it bother me."
Carriker sat out four games last season after injuring his ankle in the second game.
PRACTICE REPORT: Nebraska worked hard on third-down situations during Wednesday's practice in Cook Pavilion, Callahan said. The Huskers were 0-for-6 on third-down conversions in the second half against Pitt and just 3-for-12 last week against Kansas. Callahan said evolving defenses are making it increasingly difficult to convert third-down plays. "You don't know what you're going to get on third down anymore," Callahan said. "There's such a mix of coverages and pressures and blitzes and fronts. You have to be prepared for all of it. You try to go on the practice field and duplicate what teams are showing on film. But it changes. We try to get across to the players the importance of adjusting on the move."
INJURY REPORT: Husker senior fullback Steve Kriewald, who missed last week's game with a knee injury, practiced well Wednesday and might play Saturday. Callahan said he wanted to see how well Kriewald felt today after two full days of practice before making a decision.
ROAD TESTS: With his team preparing for its Big 12 road opener, Callahan was asked Wednesday which NFL stadiums presented difficult environments in which to win. He singled out the Coliseum in Nashville, Tenn., home of the Titans. "I thought it was the loudest place in the NFL," Callahan said. "You couldn't hear yourself think." Callahan, who spent three seasons as the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive line coach (1995-97), said Veterans Stadium was "an interesting place. They had a judge at the stadium on game days. There were some interesting stories there." Veterans Stadium has since been demolished.
THE BOSS: Husker sophomore quarterback Joe Dailey attended high school in Freehold, N.J., hometown of rock legend Bruce Springsteen. Dailey, in fact, once delivered trees to Springsteen's home. "He's a tiny guy. He has a lot of money, but it doesn't look like it. He's just a regular blue-collar guy," Dailey said. "That's exactly who he is, to be honest with you."
Steven M. Sipple