Red Report: Wyatt disappointed in preparation for USC
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By BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON and BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
No one turned in a Blackshirt on Wednesday.
But there was first-year Husker defensive line coach Buddy Wyatt expressing disappointment in the way he prepared his guys leading up to Saturday’s 49-31 loss to Southern Cal.
Wyatt said, in hindsight, maybe Nebraska wasn’t as physical as it needed to be in preparations for the game.
“I feel like I let my guys down because I wasn’t as demanding as I needed to be on them that week of USC and obviously it showed in the game,” Wyatt said.
The lack of intensity during the game was what bothered him most.
“Kids are embarrassed by the way they played. I’m embarrassed,” Wyatt said. “I still have a lot of confidence in my guys ... Their mind-set and my mind-set is to come out here every day and work on our intensity, work on our fundamentals.”
One of the few bright spots in the loss was the play of junior defensive end Zach Potter.
“Zach, I thought, played really hard. Zach competed,” Wyatt said. “He was downfield making plays. He was snapping off blocks. He was doing things that more of us needed to do so we could play better defense.”
Unfortunately for the Huskers, Potter was one of two defensive players to miss practice Wednesday because of injury, the other being senior cornerback Zackary Bowman (hamstring.)
Potter hobbled off the field Tuesday. Husker coach Bill Callahan would not specify the injury, but said both Potter and Bowman were “day-to-day.”
Bowman, a team captain, didn’t wear his Blackshirt to practice Tuesday because he said he wasn’t playing like one.
Asked about that Wednesday, Callahan only said: “That’s his statement. You’d have to ask him. I can’t speak for him.”
Padgate: Wearing full pads vs. wearing half pads in practice has never been debated this much.
Nebraska, for the first time since fall camp, has practiced in full pads so far this week. The move was made following the loss to USC, when missed tackles and bad tackling were a major problem.
Callahan on Wednesday defended his position of normally going half pads for most in-season practices.
"When you're in half pads, you can get just as much done," Callahan said. "Every pro team in the NFL practices in (half pads).
"Everybody needs to know that when you go half pads, the only thing that you really don't get is the full scrimmage aspect," Callahan said. "I don't think every team can go out and scrimmage every day, or else you're going to lose half your roster.
"This is a little bit different than baseball, where you can go out and play games every day and get better. In football, you only have a week in between games, and practice time becomes vital."
Wyatt noted advantages of practicing in full pads.
“I like it, personally,” Wyatt said. “That’s just me, though. I’m a line coach. I can get a whole lot more done when we're in pads.”
When asked if he’ll continue with full-pads practices this season, Callahan said: "We'll see. We'll evaluate that as we move through the schedule."
By the numbers
400: Tickets returned by Ball State for Saturday’s 11:30 a.m. game. They’re available for $55 apiece at Huskers.com or by calling 1-800-8BIGRED.
Scouting report: RB Major Culbert
It appears Major Culbert has found a home on offense.
When asked Wednesday if Culbert, who moved from safety to running back at the end of last season, would remain with the offense, Callahan said: “Yeah, right now I do, at this point.”
Culbert, a sophomore, has not played since the first game, when he carried five times for 34 yards and a touchdown after Nebraska’s game against Nevada was well in hand.
Callahan, noting Culbert’s good vision and ability to make defenders miss, said there’s a “good chance” fans will see more of Culbert as the season progresses.
“I like him,” Callahan said. “He’s a strong guy, he’s tough, he’s quick. He made a couple moves on the practice field today that were eye-opening. He can catch the ball. He’s a smart guy. He’s learning the protection systems and getting more confidence in his pickups.”
Culbert’s shining moment last year came against Missouri, when he played a hybrid linebacker role in a 3-4 defense. He had six tackles, including four solo.
Opponent watch: Texas A&M
Aggies tight end Martellus Bennett last week switched his jersey number from 13 to 85 to honor former Hurricane Kevin Everett, the Buffalo Bills tight end who suffered a spinal injury on Sept. 9.
Bennett will wear his customary No. 13 tonight when the Aggies (3-0) play the unranked Hurricanes (2-1) in the Orange Bowl. But Bennett said he hopes to permanently switch to No. 85.
“He is an inspiration to me,” Bennett told reporters this week. “He gives hope and faith to people and, as he continues to improve, we all have a little more hope and faith.”
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