Nebraska running backs coach Randy Jordan talked for almost 90 minutes at Friday’s Big Red Breakfast.

In a break from the norm, Jordan took the microphone off the podium and walked through the crowd as he answered questions.

A couple times, he spoke of how he hopes to be back at Nebraska next season.

“The reason I came to Nebraska was because I was selfish,” he said. I played 9 or 10 years in the (NFL). I wanted to go somewhere where football was everything.”

Nebraska coaches are on the hot seat and the 4-6 Huskers are in desperate need of a win with Kansas State in town for the home finale.

Jordan said K-State’s defense does a great job of gang tackling.

“When they tackle guys, they don’t tackle you and just bring you to the ground. They tackle you like they’re mad,” Jordan said. “They tackle you like they’re (ticked) off because they have to tackle. I told my guys, ‘They play to the echo of the whistle.’”

Most impressive to him is K-State junior defensive end Ian Campbell, who he called “a freak of nature.”

HELU PRAISE: Jordan couldn’t say enough good things about running back Roy Helu.

The true freshman has 43 carries for 203 yards this season. In the 76-39 loss to Kansas on Saturday, Helu had a career-high 56 yards.

“Roy is a young man, that when we first recruited this kid, he knew the situation. At that time, we had Brandon Jackson, and (Helu) knew we had Cody (Glenn), knew we had Marlon (Lucky), but he never, ever, ever, ever, ever asked me about the depth chart,” Jordan said.

“Usually when you talk to kids, there’s a couple things they want to know: Are you going to redshirt me? Because I want to play early. Can you promise me playing time? … But that’s something (Roy) never asked me…  I asked him, ‘What are your expectations for the upcoming season?’ He said, ‘Coach, I just want to compete. Give me a chance to compete.’”

QUICK HITS: Jordan also heaped praise upon junior running back Marlon Lucky.

He said he recently called Lucky into his office. He put in a tape of the Texas game and told Lucky: “See how you’re running downhill? … See how you’re cutting? … You do it like that every time.”

* Jordan likes freshman Quentin Castille’s impressive frame. He says Castille just needs to get better at protecting the football. “He’s such a big-armed guy … but the way to the protect the ball is with your pads.”

Jordan said Castille could help himself out a lot by getting his pads down when he runs.

*  The coach said he doesn’t use the F word. “I don’t say fumble. Fumble’s a negative word.”

* Jordan got a little emotional when talking about linebacker Lance Brandenburgh not being able to play on Senior Day. “He’s what Nebraska’s all about.”

* Who’s the fastest guy on the team? Jordan thinks it’s freshman running back Marcus Mendoza. “Anywhere he touches the ball, he can pretty much score.”

* Jordan admitted that during these troubling times, a coach sometimes goes through a self-evaluation process and wonders if he’s coaching the right way. A phone call from former Husker Brandon Jackson, now with the Packers, recently lifted his spirits.

“He said, ‘Coach, listen to me … You coach hard. You coach true. Just keep doing it…’ That was a great conversation, a great way to reaffirm some things I’m doing as a running backs coach.”

* He said senior Maurice Purify is not only a great receiver, but “my best kickoff return blocking specialist. I can put him anywhere on the front line. I can go through the grade sheet. He’s probably graded out at 90 percent every (game). He’s a competitor. He wants to be on special teams.”

* He joked about a call he got from his grandma after the Kansas game: She told him, “Hey, boy, how’d you let those boys put up 76 on you? This ain’t basketball, this is football.”

Said Jordan: “I let her have her say because she is my grandma.”

—Brian Christopherson