Red Report: Watson says there were no communication problems
Ever hear the saying that the problem with communication is the assumption it has taken place?
Well, what if the assumption is it hadn’t taken place?
Then you might have an assistant coach who’s a little peeved.
Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson bristled when asked about any communication problems with head coach Bill Callahan, when Callahan took his headset off during the fourth quarter of last week’s game at Missouri.
“Whoever’s saying that, whatever’s going on with that, that’s ridiculous,” Watson said. “Because I know this: He talked to the offensive linemen, he talked to Sam (Keller), and he didn’t have those on. And he talked to Coz. That’s perfectly OK. I mean, a headset? To communicate?
C’mon. You know, it’s one of those deals. It’s Mickey Mouse. It’s unbelievable.”
Callahan said Monday he removed his headset to clear his head.
COMMENTS ON CRITICS: Callahan was asked Wednesday if it bothered him that some members of Nebraska’s 1997 national championship team — celebrating its 10-year reunion this weekend — have been critical about the passion, or lack of it, displayed by this year’s team.
“Everybody has an opinion,” Callahan said. “I think that’s just the way of the world. Everyone has a voice and has an opinion about certain things and those guys have a strong passion for this place and they’re going to voice it in different ways.”
Former Husker Matt Davison said during ESPN’s Nebraska-Missouri broadcast that the defense lacked chemistry, emotion and energy Saturday.
Other former Huskers, including Jason Peter on local radio, have had similar gripes about what they believe to be a lack of fire from this team.
“Does it affect us? No,” Callahan said. “I would just say this: That our players, our current players, they’re a part of this product. They’re a part of this university. And for them, it’s too bad that they would be criticized because they’re all part of the same brotherhood.”
The 1997 team will be honored during Saturday’s Nebraska-Oklahoma State game.
“The best thing we can do is honor them by winning the game,” Callahan said. “That’s the standard that they set, a standard of excellence that Nebraska’s all about.”
BY THE NUMBERS: 20
Nebraska’s highest national ranking in any of the 16 statistical categories. The Huskers are No. 20 in passing offense (293.2 yards per game) and sacks allowed (1.17).
SCOUTING REPORT: LB Blake Lawrence
A misprint in Tuesday’s original depth charts had true freshman Blake Lawrence sharing the No. 1 SAM linebacker spot with senior Bo Ruud and junior Tyler Wortman.
Actually, the starting position is still Ruud’s, while Lawrence and Wortman are battling for the No. 2 spot.
Still, Lawrence said he believes he could be on the brink of seeing more playing time.
“I think the coaches have kind of expressed some feelings toward that,” Lawrence said. “But I’ll just leave it up to them and leave it up to my performance in practice.
“I’m just working, man. I’m there when they need me. That’s my spot.”
Lawrence has seen little action and is still looking for his first career tackle. He was in on a few plays against Ball State ... one of them a Ball State touchdown, he said.
“I went in, and got where I thought I needed to be and did my assignment,” he said. “(The play) just went the other way, and they got in there. That happens. I was wondering if it was my fault or not, but I felt like I did my job.”
Lawrence said he needs to work on a few more things in practice, “but I can see my playing time increasing here pretty soon.”
Opponent watch: Kansas
Raimond Pendleton’s job as punt returner could be in jeopardy after he dropped two punts and had two more fall in front of him last Saturday during the Jayhawks’ win at Kansas State.
Kansas coach Mark Mangino said he’s not yet made a change.
“As I stand here now, I have not, but that could change,” Mangino told the Kansas City Star.
Pendleton has returned 14 punts for an average of 12.1 yards per return. He has one return for a touchdown — a 77-yarder that he capped with a showboating dive into the end zone that elicited a tongue-lashing by Mangino.
Also, Kansas officials announced Tuesday that the Nov. 3 game against Nebraska is sold out.
- Brian Christopherson and Brian Rosenthal
Well, what if the assumption is it hadn’t taken place?
Then you might have an assistant coach who’s a little peeved.
Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson bristled when asked about any communication problems with head coach Bill Callahan, when Callahan took his headset off during the fourth quarter of last week’s game at Missouri.
“Whoever’s saying that, whatever’s going on with that, that’s ridiculous,” Watson said. “Because I know this: He talked to the offensive linemen, he talked to Sam (Keller), and he didn’t have those on. And he talked to Coz. That’s perfectly OK. I mean, a headset? To communicate?
C’mon. You know, it’s one of those deals. It’s Mickey Mouse. It’s unbelievable.”
Callahan said Monday he removed his headset to clear his head.
COMMENTS ON CRITICS: Callahan was asked Wednesday if it bothered him that some members of Nebraska’s 1997 national championship team — celebrating its 10-year reunion this weekend — have been critical about the passion, or lack of it, displayed by this year’s team.
“Everybody has an opinion,” Callahan said. “I think that’s just the way of the world. Everyone has a voice and has an opinion about certain things and those guys have a strong passion for this place and they’re going to voice it in different ways.”
Former Husker Matt Davison said during ESPN’s Nebraska-Missouri broadcast that the defense lacked chemistry, emotion and energy Saturday.
Other former Huskers, including Jason Peter on local radio, have had similar gripes about what they believe to be a lack of fire from this team.
“Does it affect us? No,” Callahan said. “I would just say this: That our players, our current players, they’re a part of this product. They’re a part of this university. And for them, it’s too bad that they would be criticized because they’re all part of the same brotherhood.”
The 1997 team will be honored during Saturday’s Nebraska-Oklahoma State game.
“The best thing we can do is honor them by winning the game,” Callahan said. “That’s the standard that they set, a standard of excellence that Nebraska’s all about.”
BY THE NUMBERS: 20
Nebraska’s highest national ranking in any of the 16 statistical categories. The Huskers are No. 20 in passing offense (293.2 yards per game) and sacks allowed (1.17).
SCOUTING REPORT: LB Blake Lawrence
A misprint in Tuesday’s original depth charts had true freshman Blake Lawrence sharing the No. 1 SAM linebacker spot with senior Bo Ruud and junior Tyler Wortman.
Actually, the starting position is still Ruud’s, while Lawrence and Wortman are battling for the No. 2 spot.
Still, Lawrence said he believes he could be on the brink of seeing more playing time.
“I think the coaches have kind of expressed some feelings toward that,” Lawrence said. “But I’ll just leave it up to them and leave it up to my performance in practice.
“I’m just working, man. I’m there when they need me. That’s my spot.”
Lawrence has seen little action and is still looking for his first career tackle. He was in on a few plays against Ball State ... one of them a Ball State touchdown, he said.
“I went in, and got where I thought I needed to be and did my assignment,” he said. “(The play) just went the other way, and they got in there. That happens. I was wondering if it was my fault or not, but I felt like I did my job.”
Lawrence said he needs to work on a few more things in practice, “but I can see my playing time increasing here pretty soon.”
Opponent watch: Kansas
Raimond Pendleton’s job as punt returner could be in jeopardy after he dropped two punts and had two more fall in front of him last Saturday during the Jayhawks’ win at Kansas State.
Kansas coach Mark Mangino said he’s not yet made a change.
“As I stand here now, I have not, but that could change,” Mangino told the Kansas City Star.
Pendleton has returned 14 punts for an average of 12.1 yards per return. He has one return for a touchdown — a 77-yarder that he capped with a showboating dive into the end zone that elicited a tongue-lashing by Mangino.
Also, Kansas officials announced Tuesday that the Nov. 3 game against Nebraska is sold out.
- Brian Christopherson and Brian Rosenthal
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