BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Saturday, October 2, 2004 7:00 pm
It's sometimes tough to discern a cocky guy from merely a confident guy late on a Saturday night.
But this is certain. Nebraska junior cornerback Fabian Washington is one of those, and you best believe that isn't a bad thing.
If the Florida native plays like he did in the Huskers' 14-8 win against Kansas at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, more power to his bravado.
Washington, with his three pass breakups and one interception, was a standout in a Nebraska secondary that, well, stood out.
"I'm like Gilligan. Just put me on the island and I'm going to have fun," said Washington, whose secondary mates only gave up 200 yards through the air despite being tested 49 times.
It was Washington who matched up almost all night long on KU's big gun, senior wide receiver Brandon Rideau.
And it was Washington who drew an important offensive pass-interference call on Rideau with 15 seconds left as the two battled for a deep pass on Nebraska's 10-yard line.
Rideau was blanked on the play and had no choice but to grab Washington to stop the Husker from intercepting a pass. The penalty moved the ball from the Nebraska 43 to the KU 42.
"I want them to come at me," Washington said. "I love seeing the No. 1 receiver across from me, because I know that's where the ball's coming. They ain't going to be throwing the ball to the No. 3 and 4 receivers."
Said Husker defensive back Kellen Huston: "Fabian's just always around the ball. He really is a cover-down corner. There are not many that are going to be completed on him when he's on his A' game."
At the very least, the Husker secondary was at least on its "B" game.
"I was just shaking my head in the press box," said NU secondary coach Phil Elmassian. "This defense has just been fantastic."
With No. 1 corner Lornell McPherson still held out because of a hamstring injury suffered against Southern Mississippi, the Huskers again counted on freshman Cortney Grixby, who relented in giving up the big pass play that had found him in the previous two games.
Nebraska also gave Kansas a heavy dose of safety Shane Siegel in an effort to match more defensive backs against the Jayhawks' spread offense.
KU quarterback Adam Barmann was held to 24-of-49 passing.
"We knew from film they were going to do a lot of quick stuff," said Washington, whose first-quarter interception set the Huskers up at the KU 31. "We were there jumping on their slants.
"This was really the first big challenge of the year for our secondary and we played great."
The Blackshirts said they felt like they used about a 50-50 combination of man and zone defenses. Washington said he thought Kansas was often confused at what the Blackshirts presented them, and that Nebraska was prepared for everything it saw from the visitors.
And playing man defense? That's the stuff Washington said he lives for.
"If there's a corner out there who doesn't want to play man, he ain't a corner. He's a safety," Washington said.
While confidence is heavy among members of the Nebraska defense, they know their toughest challenge of the year awaits when they travel to Texas Tech next Saturday.
Tech is thought by most to be an improved version of Kansas. And the way Nebraska's offense is struggling, the Huskers might even enter the contest as an underdog.
Just not in Washington's eyes.
"I really think we're about ready to explode for a big game," he said. "It's about time for our special teams, defense and offense to put it all together. To just explode."
Reach Brian Christopherson at 473-7438 or bchristopherson@journalstar.com.