Red Report: It's a chess game
digg it!
Facebook
del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit
While Southern California is much closer to Nebraska’s offensive style than Wake Forest, Bill Callahan said there are plenty of differences.
“It’s always fascinating, kind of the chess game involved, the game inside itself,” the Husker coach said Thursday. “In watching SC, we’re similar but there are differences in route structure and protection philosophy.”
Maybe the routes are different, but Callahan is certainly familiar with many of the names on USC’s roster. Nebraska offered scholarships to more than 50 players who committed to the Trojans between 2004 and 2007.
“I went to high school near Venice Beach, and it was pretty neat having the beach right there by your high school,” said the 6-foot-4, 180-pound junior. “After school we’d walk down to the beach and have some fun.”
He sometimes misses the Pacific Ocean.
“When I go home, I go back and see the ocean because I kind of forget what it’s like,” he said.
Coming to Nebraska obviously was “a big changeup,” he said.
“It seems like out here people are more likely to ask how you’re doing,” he said. “In L.A., everyone’s moving around and trying to do their own little thing. You’re kind of overwhelmed with it all. People are kind of caring out here and worry about what’s going on in your life.
“It’s a lot slower here. It’s calm. I mean, I really do love it out here.”
Does that familiarity with players help in preparing for Saturday’s game against the No. 1 team?
“I think we know ’em, but I don’t know if that plays into anything, because they develop and they grow and mature over the years,” Callahan said.
“Kids change. Players change during the course of three, four, five years. It’s kind of fun to watch those guys grow and develop just like I’m sure they’re watching our guys out here.”
No muzzles: Several Huskers have been noticeably guarded in their comments this week leading up to the USC game.
Senior linebacker Corey McKeon, a favorite of reporters, has even declined interview requests this week.
Callahan was asked if he told players to take such a silent approach.
“Oh, no,” he said, laughing. “I’ve never, ever done anything of that nature.
“This is a mature team. It’s a team that has a good focus and a concentrated effort. I’ve never put a muzzle on our football team, or an individual, for that matter.”
Of course, Husker fans are likely to remember the bold prediction that came from cornerback Andre Jones before last year’s USC game.
“When we beat USC, it’s going to slingshot our whole season,” Jones said prior to the 28-10 loss.
By The Numbers -- 1: Number of ESPN “College GameDay” stages seen under the northwest stands of Memorial Stadium during Thursday’s practice.
Lee Corso and his mascot head were not yet in the building.
Scouting Report -- WR Nate Swift: Don’t ask junior wide receiver Nate Swift what’s wrong with his Minnesota Twins this year. He doesn’t know.
Figuring out USC’s defense can be equally as confusing.
“They’ve just got great players all over the place. Their defense is stacked with great players,” he said. “But every team has holes and flaws in it. It’s just watching film and trying to find the holes.”
And though Nebraska quarterback Zac Taylor only passed 17 times last year, Swift fully supported last year’s run-heavy game plan.
“After we played them, a couple teams pretty much had the same game plan as us and came up a couple points short, too,” Swift said. “It’s a good way to play them and keep the score low and have a chance in the fourth quarter.”
In the first two games this season, Swift has seven catches for 73 yards. On the negative side, he was involved in a third-quarter interception against Wake Forest.
“We had an interception and (Nate) played a role in that, had a bad route,” Husker receivers coach Ted Gilmore said. “It wasn’t just (quarterback Sam Keller) throwing a bad ball. There’s always room for improvement.”
Gilmore acknowledged that Swift slipped on the interception.
Even though Swift slipped, that counts as a bad route?
“Yes.”
Why?
“If he gets his chest over to the side and gets out of his break like he’s taught, he wouldn’t slip.”
Opponent Watch -- Southern Cal: Word in Tinseltown is that C.J. Gable will be USC’s starting tailback Saturday, with Stafon Johnson getting another good dose of carries for the second straight game.
That’s according to the L.A. Daily News. The sophomore Gable rushed for 68 yards on just eight attempts in the Trojans’ 38-10 season-opening win against Idaho. Johnson added 64 yards on 12 carries.
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Chauncey Washington, who missed the opener with a sprained shoulder, also could see some action against the Huskers. Washington led USC in rushing last season and had 52 yards on 12 carries against Nebraska.
— Brian Christopherson, Brian Rosenthal and Curt McKeever
Most Commented news