It's all good for Octavien, Blackshirts
Steve Octavien recalls one play from Saturday’s game where he “flattened” a Nevada offensive tackle.
“I don’t know what number he was,” Octavien said.
Didn’t really matter. All that Octavien knew is that it wasn’t Carl Nicks.
That’s who Octavien, Nebraska’s senior linebacker, has squared against in practice this fall camp … over and over and over.
Octavien raves about Nicks, Nebraska’s starting offensive tackle. He’ll be a high draft pick, he says.
“I know if I can do the things I do against Carl Nicks at times,” Octavien said, “there’s not going to be many tackles that can handle me.”
Tackles? No. Injuries? That’s been another story throughout Octavien’s career.
He’s happy to report he’s “100 percent” healthy after Nebraska’s first game -- a 52-10 pounding of Nevada, in which Octavien displayed his playmaking traits coaches have been so eager to use.
Eager, but not able. Two years ago, it was a broken leg in the season opener. Last year, an appendectomy in the preseason slowed Octavien. Then hamstring and ankle problems followed.
Saturday’s stat line for Octavien: A team-leading five tackles, including one for loss, a half-sack, two quarterback hurries and zero injures (save some minor cramping).
“He didn’t get completely hurt, which is the first time ever,” Nebraska linebacker Corey McKeon said. “He did well. Came out and played explosively. It’s been a long time waiting for him, coming out and just letting things go.”
Octavien did his most damage in Nebraska’s “30” package, when the Huskers go with three down linemen and can blitz Octavien off the edge.
It worked on Nevada’s first possession, when the Wolf Pack faced third-and-2 from near midfield. Enter Octavien: He broke through and dragged down Luke Lippincott for a 6-yard loss.
Octavien teamed with Barry Turner for Nebraska’s lone sack of the game on a third-and-8 play in the third quarter.
“We wanted him to be the playmaker that he is,” defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove said. “He was disruptive out there. You saw him flying around, as you did the rest of our defense.”
Cosgrove threw more bodies at Nevada than he’s been used to having available in recent seasons. When starting defensive end Ty Steinkuhler went out in the first quarter with a knee injury, the Huskers didn’t appear to lose much when junior college transfer Kevin Dixon entered.
Dixon, in fact, tipped and intercept a pass in the second half that marked Nebraska’s lone takeaway. The Blackshirts nearly had another; safety Larry Asante dropped a sure interception – and probably a touchdown – late in the second half.
“I wish I could have it back,” Asante said.
Asante was part of a Nebraska secondary that displayed its improved depth, too. Andre Jones, a starting cornerback last season, didn’t enter the game Saturday until the second quarter.
He, along with Cortney Grixby, Armando Murillo and Zackary Bowman, provided good coverage. Nevada was 9-of-27 passing, with its longest pass covering 21 yards. The Blackshirts held Nevada’s “pistol” offense to 185 total yards -- 77 rushing, 108 passing -- and three points.
Nebraska, Octavien said, can be better.
“I believe we can terrorize the offense a lot more,” he said.
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
“I don’t know what number he was,” Octavien said.
Didn’t really matter. All that Octavien knew is that it wasn’t Carl Nicks.
That’s who Octavien, Nebraska’s senior linebacker, has squared against in practice this fall camp … over and over and over.
Octavien raves about Nicks, Nebraska’s starting offensive tackle. He’ll be a high draft pick, he says.
“I know if I can do the things I do against Carl Nicks at times,” Octavien said, “there’s not going to be many tackles that can handle me.”
Tackles? No. Injuries? That’s been another story throughout Octavien’s career.
He’s happy to report he’s “100 percent” healthy after Nebraska’s first game -- a 52-10 pounding of Nevada, in which Octavien displayed his playmaking traits coaches have been so eager to use.
Eager, but not able. Two years ago, it was a broken leg in the season opener. Last year, an appendectomy in the preseason slowed Octavien. Then hamstring and ankle problems followed.
Saturday’s stat line for Octavien: A team-leading five tackles, including one for loss, a half-sack, two quarterback hurries and zero injures (save some minor cramping).
“He didn’t get completely hurt, which is the first time ever,” Nebraska linebacker Corey McKeon said. “He did well. Came out and played explosively. It’s been a long time waiting for him, coming out and just letting things go.”
Octavien did his most damage in Nebraska’s “30” package, when the Huskers go with three down linemen and can blitz Octavien off the edge.
It worked on Nevada’s first possession, when the Wolf Pack faced third-and-2 from near midfield. Enter Octavien: He broke through and dragged down Luke Lippincott for a 6-yard loss.
Octavien teamed with Barry Turner for Nebraska’s lone sack of the game on a third-and-8 play in the third quarter.
“We wanted him to be the playmaker that he is,” defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove said. “He was disruptive out there. You saw him flying around, as you did the rest of our defense.”
Cosgrove threw more bodies at Nevada than he’s been used to having available in recent seasons. When starting defensive end Ty Steinkuhler went out in the first quarter with a knee injury, the Huskers didn’t appear to lose much when junior college transfer Kevin Dixon entered.
Dixon, in fact, tipped and intercept a pass in the second half that marked Nebraska’s lone takeaway. The Blackshirts nearly had another; safety Larry Asante dropped a sure interception – and probably a touchdown – late in the second half.
“I wish I could have it back,” Asante said.
Asante was part of a Nebraska secondary that displayed its improved depth, too. Andre Jones, a starting cornerback last season, didn’t enter the game Saturday until the second quarter.
He, along with Cortney Grixby, Armando Murillo and Zackary Bowman, provided good coverage. Nevada was 9-of-27 passing, with its longest pass covering 21 yards. The Blackshirts held Nevada’s “pistol” offense to 185 total yards -- 77 rushing, 108 passing -- and three points.
Nebraska, Octavien said, can be better.
“I believe we can terrorize the offense a lot more,” he said.
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
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