LET’S LISTEN IN. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY, AND WELCOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. WHAT A GREAT TURNOUT. GIVE YOURSELF A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR BEING HERE. A LOT OF ENERGY IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE. I KNOW WE’VE GOT SOME OF OUR FOOTBALL TEAM HERE AND A LOT OF OUR STAFF AND OTHER STUDENT ATHLETES. SO WE’D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE HAWKS CHAMPIONSHIP CENTER. AND OF COURSE, WE’D LIKE TO WALK WOLF FAMILY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE SO WE WE’RE SO APPRECIATIVE OF THAT. TODAY’S A GREAT DAY. TODAY’S OBVIOUSLY A GREAT DAY FOR OUR FOOTBALL PROGRAM. IT’S GREAT FOR OUR ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT. I THINK IT’S GREAT FOR A UNIVERSE PARTY AND IT’S REALLY GREAT FOR ALL OF OUR ALUMNI AND THE ENTIRE STATE OF NEBRASKA. WE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TODAY OF INTRODUCING THE 31ST COACH IN THE HISTORY OF NEBRASKA FOOTBALL, ONE OF THE BEST OUT THERE IN MR. MATT RULE. SO WHAT I’D LIKE TO DO IS I KNOW YOU’RE NOT HERE TO HEAR ME. YOU WEREN’T HERE TO HEAR COACH RULE, BUT I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST WANT TO GO THROUGH A FEW THANK YOU’S. I WANT TO WALK YOU THROUGH A LITTLE BIT ON THE PROCESS OF HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE VISION THAT WE HAVE FOR THE HUSKER FOOTBALL PROGRAM. AND FINALLY, WHAT THOSE CHARACTERISTICS KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF OUR COACHES THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR THAT ULTIMATELY LANDED ON ON COACH ROLL. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO START BY THANKING COACH MICKEY JOSEPH. AND I’LL TELL YOU, MICKEY JOSEPH AND OUR STAFF AND OUR PLAYERS DID IN OUTSTANDING JOB. YOU KNOW, MANY OF YOU HERE RECOGNIZE NINE GAMES AGO WHEN WE MADE A CHANGE AND MICKEY JOSEPH WAS THE HEAD COACH, MICKEY DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB. I HAD A LOT OF RESPECT FOR COACH JOSEPH PRIOR TO HIM BECOMING OUR INTERIM COACH. I HAVE MORE RESPECT FOR HIM NOW. THE WAY THAT HE WORKED. CONTINUE WORKING, DOING THE RIGHT THINGS, FIGHTING HARD FOR THESE YOUNG MEN AND INVESTING IN THEM. WAS REALLY SOMETHING. AND TO SEE THEM HAVE THAT MOMENT AGAINST IOWA WAS REALLY, REALLY SPECIAL. SO REALLY, REALLY PROUD COACH JOSEPH AND HIS STAFF AND OUR PLAYERS. AND I WANT TO THANK THEM. I WANT TO THANK PRESIDENT CARTER. I WANT TO THANK CHANCELLOR RONNIE GREEN. I WANT TO THANK OUR BOARD OF REGION MEMBERS WHO WE HAVE HERE. I WANT TO THANK GOVERNOR ELECT PALIN. I’D LIKE TO THANK OUR STAFF. I’D LIKE TO THANK THE MEDIA. AND I’D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE SPACE TO RUN AN EFFECTIVE SEARCH. I KNOW IT WAS A LONG TIME. I THINK IT WAS THE LONGEST SEARCH IN THE HISTORY OF NEBRASKA ATHLETICS. PROBABLY. BUT IT WAS VERY MEANINGFUL TO ME THAT YOU ALL ALLOWED US TO DO A REAL SEARCH AND GAVE ME THE SPACE TO DO THAT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR FOR ALLOWING ME TO DO THAT. I’D LIKE TO THANK MY WIFE, ANGIE, AND I’D LIKE TO THANK OUR STAFF. THE FACT THE MATTER IS, FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, I’VE BEEN A LITTLE BIT REMOTE. THIS HAS CONSUMED ALL OF MY TIME AND I’M JUST SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE STAFF WE HAVE IN HUSKER ATHLETICS WHO WORKED HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS WAS MOVING FORWARD APPROPRIATELY. SO I WANT TO THANK THEM. I WANT TO THANK JULIE, BRIAN, VIVIAN, LEONA. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR YOUR HUSBAND AND YOUR FATHER TO BECOME THE HEAD COACH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA. YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE THIS PLACE. HUSKER NATION IS GOING TO LOVE YOU. AND WE’RE GOING TO SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. SO THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN US AND THANKING YOU. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HUSKERS. THIS IS AWESOME. I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS WE TALKED TO AND INTERVIEWS A WRONG WORD, BUT WE INTERACTED WITH 13 COACHES AS A RESULT OF THIS PROCESS AND SOME MULTIPLE TIMES, AS I TOLD YOU A LONG TIME AGO, WE WERE GOING TO DIVE INTO A REAL DETAIL ORIENTED PROCESS AND WE WANTED TO TALK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK ALL OF THOSE FOLKS WHO TOOK THE TIME TO TALK TO US. I LEARNED A LOT IN THAT PROCESS. OBVIOUSLY, WE’RE NOT GOING TO BE RELEASING THE NAMES OF ALL THE PEOPLE WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO. BUT I ALSO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT CANDIDATE ONE A FOR ME AND THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA WAS ALWAYS MATT RHULE FROM THE BEGINNING. AND SO WE’RE REALLY GLAD THAT WE ENDED AT THAT POINT. I ALSO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE TRIED TO USE ALL OF THE TOOLS AT OUR DISPOSAL POSSIBLE. AND ONE OF THE COOL THINGS YOU HAVE NOW IS ANALYTICS. AND SO WE REALLY WERE ABLE TO DIVE INTO A LOT OF ANALYTICS AND SOME OF THE DETAIL BEHIND THAT WE WERE ABLE TO USE A FIRM THAT HELPED US LOOK AT SUCCESSFUL BIG TEN PROGRAMS, LOOKED AT ALL OF THESE CANDIDATES AND TRYING TO MATCH UP. OBVIOUSLY, ANALYTICS AREN’T THE PRIMARY DRIVER, BUT IT’S A TOOL. AND SO WE TRIED TO USE ALL OF OUR TOOLS AT OUR FOR OUR BENEFIT. I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR VISION. IT’S REAL SIMPLE TO ME. THE UNIVERSITY IN NEBRASKA ALWAYS HAS BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE. THE PREMIER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IN THE COUNTRY. THAT’S OUR DNA. THAT’S WHO WE ARE. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DROVE UP, YOU SAW THE GO BIG PROJECT. YOU CAN SEE THE INVESTMENT OF OUR DONORS INTO THAT. THAT’S THE BRICK AND MORTAR BEHIND THE GREATEST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL. THAT WAS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME AS WE LOOK FOR OUR NEXT HEAD COACH. SECONDLY, A ON TOUGHNESS. IF THERE’S ANYTHING THIS PROGRAM’S BAD ABOUT THE LAST 30, 40 YEARS, IS THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT’S BASED ON TOUGHNESS. AND SO I WAS LOOKING FOR COACHES WHO UNDERSTOOD WHAT TOUGHNESS LOOK LIKE, WHAT PRACTICE LOOKED LIKE, AND ULTIMATELY GETTING BACK TO THE VISION OF BEING THE MOST TEAM ON THE FIELD ON SATURDAY. THAT’S NEBRASKA FOOTBALL. THAT’S HUSKER ATHLETICS AND TOUGHNESS WAS A KEY COMPONENT OF WHAT OUR VISION WAS GOING TO BE. THIRD, AND FINALLY WAS A CLEARLY DEFINED IDENTITY. IT’S SOMETHING THAT I REALLY BELIEVE IN. WE’RE GOING TO BELIEVE IN SOMETHING. WE’RE GOING TO DIVE INTO IT. AND WE’RE GOING TO PLAY COMPLEMENTARY FOOTBALL. AND I BELIEVE THAT’S WHAT COACH MATT BELIEVES AS WELL. HE’LL GET A CHANCE TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIS VISION. SO SOME OF THE QUICK COACHING CHARACTERISTICS THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR AND SOME OF THIS IS REDUNDANT, OBVIOUSLY WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT BEFORE, BUT AN AUTHENTIC LEADER. IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. WE NEED LEADERSHIP. WE NEED SOMEONE THAT OUR PLAYERS ARE WILLING TO FOLLOW AND OUR COACHING STAFF. AND WE HAVE THAT IN. MATT RHULE. WE NEED A MAN OF INTEGRITY. THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN BUILT ON INTEGRITY. WE DO THE RIGHT THING ALL THE TIME. AND SO HAVING A LEADER OF INTEGRITY WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US AS WELL. A CULTURE BUILDER, A PEOPLE MANAGER, SOMEONE THAT UNDERSTANDS HOW TO BUILD IT BRICK BY BRICK FROM THE BOTTOM WAS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. A PROCESS ORIENTED INDIVIDUAL. DETAILS MATTER. YOU THINK ABOUT THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE AND WHERE WE’RE GOING AND HOW USC AND UCLA AND PERHAPS OTHERS SOMEDAY COME INTO OUR LEAGUE AND THE LEVEL OF COACHING THAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE BIG TEN ATTENTION TO DE TAILS AND PROCESS ARE GOING TO BE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR FUTURE. BEING A GRINDER, AS I’VE TALKED BEFORE, IS REALLY IMPORTANT. YOU GOT TO WORK AT THIS JOB. YOU GOT TO BE PASSIONATE ABOUT WINNING. AND FINALLY, A STRATEGIC THINKER. AND AS WE SAID ABOUT OUR PROCESS AND TALKING TO THOSE COACHES, THERE WAS ONE COACH THAT CONSISTENT STOOD OUT FROM EVERYBODY ELSE, ONE COACH WHO WENT TO MULTIPLE PLACES AT MULTIPLE LEVELS AND HAD THE STRATEGIC VISION TO CREATE THE STRUCTURE AROUND WHAT IT TOOK TO WIN AT THAT PLACE, LET’S BE HONEST, WE’RE AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE. OUR IN OUR HISTORY AS A FOOTBALL PROGRAM AND HAVING SOMEBODY THAT HAS A TRACK RECORD OF UNDERSTANDING HOW TO BUILD A PROGRAM AT MULTIPLE LEVELS AND IN MULTIPLE LOCALES WITH MULTIPLE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES WAS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. MATT, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN ME AND BELIEVING IN THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA. I WANT YOU TO KNOW HUSKER NATION IS BEHIND YOU. WE’RE GOING TO SUPPORT YOU. AND I’M GOING TO WORK AS HARD AS WE CAN TO HELP YOU AND OUR PROGRAM BE SUCCESSFUL. AND SO IT IS NOW MY DISTINCT PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO GET TO INTRODUCE THE 31ST HEAD COACH OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA’S FOOTBALL PROGRAM, MR. MATT RHULE. THANK YOU. IT WAS 1983. I WAS 11 YEARS OLD. DIE HARD PENN STATE FAN YEAR BEFORE PENN HAD WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. NOW, SOME PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM MIGHT DISAGREE WITH THAT, BUT FOR ME, THEY HAD WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND MY FATHER, YOU KNOW, HE’S MY MY DAD’S A TEACHER AND MINISTER AND WE GREW UP WE WERE LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY, HAD A CHANCE TO GO OUT AND SEE THE KICKOFF CLASSIC, A CHANCE TO TALK TO COACH OSBORNE. I RELAYED STORY AND I WAS WATCHING THE PENN STATE LIONS TAKE ON THE NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS. AND ON THAT DAY, NEBRASKA WON 44 SIX. AND I CAN STILL REMEMBER WALKING BACK TO THE SUBWAY WITH TEARS IN MY EYES, WONDERING WHY NEBRASKA HAD TO DO THAT TO US. FAST FORWARD TO 1994 AND I WALKED ON AT PENN STATE AND FOUND A WAY TO FIND SOME WAYS TO GET ON THE TEAM AND PLAY. AND WE HAD AN UNDEFEATED SEASON AND THE BIG TEN BEAT OREGON 38 SIX AND NEBRASKA WENT OUT AND PLAYED THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI AND BEAT THEM. ONCE AGAIN, THERE WERE TEARS IN MY EYES AS WE FINISHED WITHOUT A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. AND NEBRASKA DID, AND I THINK ABOUT LAST SATURDAY, SATURDAY MORNING, AND MY WIFE. TREV TALKED ABOUT GRINDER’S, JUST SORT OF I KNOWS WHO MY WIFE JULIE IS. MY WIFE JULIE WOKE UP YESTERDAY MORNING AT SIX AND PUT THREE DOGS, THREE KIDS AND A SPRINTER AND DROVE 12 HOURS BACK TO CHARLOTTE, GOT THERE AT 11:00. I HEARD THE KIDS CLOSE TO 30, WAS UP AT FOUR AND SHE’S HERE SMILING. SHE’S A GRINDER. SHE’S THE BEST. AND UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA. THAT ONCE BROUGHT TEARS MY EYES WHEN I WAS 11. AND BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE. IT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES BECAUSE SHE’S BEEN TELLING ME THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS KNOW SINCE THE VERY FIRST DAY THAT I GOT A PHONE CALL ABOUT A JOB AND A UNIVERSITY AND DIFFERENT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMING AT US. SHE HAS SAID THIS PLACE, THESE PEOPLE, THIS IS THE RIGHT FIT FOR US. THIS IS THE RIGHT FIT FOR OUR FAMILY SO ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE WORLD TO ME, MY WIFE JULIE, MY SON BRYANT, MY DAUGHTERS VIVIAN, LEONA. THANKS FOR PAYING ATTENTION TO ME, GUYS. I WANT TO THANK HUSKER NATION. I WANT TO THANK THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA. I WANT TO THANK CHANCELLOR GREEN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. BUT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WOULDN’T BE POSSIBLE IF IT WEREN’T FOR PRESIDENT. TED CARTER. THIS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE IF IT WAS NOT FOR TREVOR ALBERTS, IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE IF IT WAS NOT FOR ANGIE ALBERTS BECAUSE THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS WE FOUND WHAT WE’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR. WE FOUND LEADERSHIP. WE FOUND ALIGNMENT LIKE HOW HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU PUT NUMBERS LIKE THIS UP ON THE WALL? HOW DO YOU HAVE THE GREAT SEASONS? HOW DO YOU HAVE FIVE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS? YOU NEED LEADERSHIP AND YOU NEED ALIGNMENT. AND I’VE LEARNED THAT LESSON. I’VE LEARNED THAT NO MATTER HOW FERTILE THE SEED IS, MAN HAS GOT TO BE IN GREAT SOIL FOR FOR THE PLANT TO GROW. I COULD HAVE TAKEN A YEAR OFF. SOME PEOPLE MIGHT THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, MY WIFE WAS TIRED OF ME AFTER SIX WEEKS. AND WHILE THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT TRUE, THAT’S NOT WHY I’M HERE TODAY. I’M HERE TODAY BECAUSE AS I TALKED TO TREV, THE PASSION FOR FOOTBALL WAS REBORN INSIDE ME. THE PASSION FOR A YOUNG WAS REBORN INSIDE OF ME. WHEN WE CAME TO LINCOLN AND WE SNUCK INTO LINCOLN AND WE DROVE AROUND, WE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS IS A PLACE THAT’S COMMITTED TO GREATNESS. THIS IS A PLACE THAT’S COMMITTED. LOOK AT THIS FACILITY THAT’S COMMITTED TO PLAYER DEVELOPMENT. THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT LOVE THEIR UNIVERSITY, THAT LOVE THEIR STATE AND LOVE THEIR FOOTBALL TEAM. SO AS PEOPLE ASK ME, WHY I AM HERE, BECAUSE THIS IS THE RIGHT FIT IT’S THE RIGHT TIME. AND IF I HAVE ONE MESSAGE FOR YOU, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DO IT. WE CAN ABSOLUTELY GET THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA FOOTBALL EXACTLY WHERE IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE. IT WILL BE HARD. IT TAKE TIME, BUT IT WILL BE DONE. SO THANK YOU, TREV. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT CARTER, FOR SETTING A VISION FOR US THAT MADE US MADE US DECIDE TO CALL THIS HOME. I WANT TO ECHO WHAT TREV SAID. I THOUGHT IT WAS AWESOME WATCHING THE TEAM ON ON FRIDAY PLAY AGAINST IOWA. AND I’M SITTING THERE WATCHING IT AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, HEY, IS THIS GOING TO BE THE TEAM THAT I COACH NEXT YEAR? COACH JOSEPH AND HIS STAFF JUST SHOWING TREMENDOUS LEADERSHIP. THE PLAYERS ON THAT TEAM. I’VE HAD A CHANCE TO MEET THE TEAM, TALK TO SOME GUYS, JUST SHOWING THE LEADERSHIP TO KEEP THAT TEAM TOGETHER. AND AGAIN, THAT’S WHAT I HOPE THAT I BRING. BECAUSE IF THERE’S ONE THING I’VE LEARNED IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AFTER MY MY FIRST DAY IN COLLEGE IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, IT’S THAT ANYBODY CAN LEAD WHEN THINGS ARE EASY AND THAT’S CONVENIENT LEADERSHIP WHO STEPS UP WHEN THINGS ARE HARD, WHO STEPPED UP FOR THIS TEAM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEASON WHEN THE COACH IS GONE AND GUYS CAN GO EITHER WAY, LIKE WHO STEPS UP WHEN WE HAVEN’T HAD THE SUCCESS AS A PROGRAM THAT WE WANT WHO’S GOING TO STEP UP AND FILL THE VOID, STAND IN THE GAP. AND I’M HONORED THAT I’VE BEEN CHOSEN FOR THAT. AND I’M JUST ONE SMALL PIECE OF IT. LEADERSHIP ISN’T JUST A POSITION. IT’S A WAY OF LIFE. AND I HOPE AND I’LL START TODAY, I CAN PROMISE YOU THIS I’M GOING TO RIP THIS SUIT OFF SOME TIME TONIGHT, AND I’M GOING TO GO BACK TO MY OFFICE AND I’M GOING TO START TO RECRUIT AND START TO DO ALL THE THINGS. BUT I AM HONORED TO SAY THAT I HAVE A CHANCE TO LEAD THIS FOOTBALL PROGRAM WHEN PEOPLE ASK WHY, BESIDES LIVING HERE IN LINCOLN, BESIDES THE LEADERSHIP THAT I FOUND, BESIDES THE OPPORTUNITY AND JUST JUST THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT MY SON, YOU KNOW, HE’S A HE’S THIS YOUTUBE GENERATION. I HAVE SEEN THE TUNNEL WALK MAYBE 5000 TIMES. I HAVE SEEN POST-GAME CELEBRATIONS. I’VE SEEN THE HYPE VIDEOS. I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE AND I DON’T KNOW, NEBRASKA WELL ENOUGH YET, AND I HOPE YOU’LL BEAR WITH ME BECAUSE I WANT TO EMBRACE EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE UNIVERSITY IN NEBRASKA AND THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA’S FOOTBALL PROGRAM. BUT I FEEL LIKE I FEEL LIKE THROUGH HIM AND THROUGH SOME SOME FRIENDS OF MINE WHO HAVE PLAYED HERE, THAT THIS IS EXACTLY RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME. AND LET ME SAY IT AGAIN, I BELIEVE WE CAN DO IT. SO THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ASKED ME WHAT OUR VISION IS AND OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO WE WANT TO HAVE HEISMAN TROPHY WINNERS. WE WANT A WOMAN MAJOR AWARDS. WE WANT TO WIN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS. WE WANT TO WIN NATIONAL BUT, GUYS, I’M A I’M A DAY BY DAY GUY. I’M A PROCESS GUY. I’M A WHAT’S WHAT’S NEXT PERSON? AND I CAN JUST TELL YOU THIS, THAT I WANT TO BUILD A TEAM THAT’S TOUGH. I WANT TO BUILD A TEAM THAT’S HARDWORKING. I TOLD THE TEAM THAT TODAY, LIKE THE PRICE OF GLORY IS PAID IN HERE AT 6 A.M.. THE PRICE GLORY IS PLAYED ON THE RECRUITING TRAIL LIKE WE ARE GOING TO WORK HARD. I CAN’T SAY THAT ANYBODY ELSE, BUT HARDER THAN WE’VE EVER ASKED OURSELVES TO WORK BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO THIS IS GOING TO BE HARD. YOU CAN’T WIN THREE GAMES AND THEN WIN FOUR GAMES AND THEY JUST COME TO WORK EXCITED ABOUT JUST, HEY, WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT? SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN. AND THAT PLAN INVOLVES WORKING HARDER THAN THE NEXT MAN. WE’RE GOING TO BUILD A TEAM THAT’S TOUGH. THAT’S HARD WORKING. WE’RE GOING TO COMPETE AT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO. THERE’S NOT A GAME THAT I EXPECT TO EVER WALK INTO WHERE WE DON’T EXPECT TO WIN. WE WANT TO HONOR THE PEOPLE WHO TAKE THEIR HARD EARNED MONEY LIKE IT IS SUCH IT IS NOT A BURDEN, BUT A RESPONSIBILITY ON ME AS THE COACH TO KNOW. THERE WILL BE PEOPLE FROM ALL ACROSS THE STATE WHO TAKE THE MONEY THAT THEY MAKE WITH THEIR HANDS AND WITH THEIR WORK AND WITH WITH WITH JUST THEIR DAILY TOIL. AND THEY SPEND IT TO COME WATCH OUR TEAM PLAY AND YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU CAN’T WIN EVERY GAME, EVERY YEAR. IT JUST DOESN’T HAPPEN. BUT YOU CAN CERTAINLY BE A TEAM THAT PEOPLE ARE PROUD TO WATCH. THAT’S THE TYPE OF TEAM I WANT TO BE FROM THE SPRING GAME TO A PRACTICE TO A MAT DRILL TO AWAIT LISTENING SESSION TO A MEETING. I EXPECT OUR GUYS TO BE TOUGH. I EXPECT THEM TO WORK HARD AND I EXPECT THEM TO COMPETE. AND I EXPECT THAT BECAUSE I AND MY STAFF WILL DO THE SAME THING EVERY DAY. THAT’S SORT OF OUR VISION FOR HOW WE ARE. YOU KNOW, WE’RE WE’RE WE’RE NOT GOING TO BE A NEW NO NEW SPREAD TEAMS AND WE’RE NOT GOING TO BE LIKE THAT. WE’RE GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN OLD SCHOOL TYPE OF A TEAM. WE’RE GOING TO BE A PHYSICAL YOU KNOW, WE’LL BE BALANCED. AND YOU GUYS I KNOW YOU GUYS LAST LOTS OF QUESTIONS. WE ALWAYS BETTER DO WHAT THE PLAYERS WELL BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY I DON’T BELIEVE YOU CAN WIN IF YOU CAN’T WIN THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE. WE WANT TO HAVE FAST PLAYERS, EXPLOSIVE PLAYERS. WE WANT TO HAVE SPEED, WE WANT TO HAVE GREAT QUARTERBACK PLAY. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THROUGH THE WEIGHT ROOM AND RECRUITING, WE WANT TO HAVE A PHYSICAL TEAM THAT CAN CONTROL THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE, CONTROL THE GAME. I BELIEVE THAT’S THE TYPE OF TEAM THAT CAN WIN IN THE ELEMENTS. THAT’S THE TYPE OF TEAM THAT CAN WIN ON THE ROAD. HAVE A LEAD AND KEY BELIEVE THAT’S THE TYPE A TEAM THAT NEBRASKANS WANT TO SEE. AND FINALLY, HOW BECAUSE IT’S ALL IT ALL SOUNDS GOOD. PRESS CONFERENCES ARE FUN. BUT HOW HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO IT BESIDES JUST THE WORK? AND I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO UNDERSTAND THAT FOOTBALL HAS CHANGED COLLEGE. FOOTBALL HAS CHANGED EVEN IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, SINCE I LEFT. AND I’LL PORTAL TRANSFER ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS. AND I THINK FOR ALL OF US, WE CAN WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT WE’VE DONE. WE CAN CELEBRATE THE PAST. WE CAN LEARN FROM THE PAST. BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE AN EYE TO THE FUTURE. THE GAME IS CHANGING AROUND US AND WE HAVE TO CHANGE WITH IT. WE HAVE TO RECRUIT PEOPLE THAT WANT TO BE NEBRASKA MEN. WE HAVE TO RECRUIT PEOPLE WHO WANT TO WEAR THE N. WANT TO PAY THE PRICE FOR THIS TEAM. YEAH, WELL, I KNOW THAT THERE’S, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME SALARY STUFF. NOW WE CAN GO THIS GUY CAN GET THIS. THIS GUY CAN GET THAT. AND WE’LL BE INVOLVED IN ALL OF THAT BECAUSE WE WANT TO BRING THE BEST PLAYERS HERE. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I WANT PLAYERS WHO WANT TO COME HERE, WHO WANT NOT JUST GRADUATE. THEY WANT TO BE EDUCATED. THEY WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES IN THE CLASSROOM, TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES TO EDUCATION. I WANT TO BRING PLAYERS HERE AND I WANT TO HAVE A PROGRAM THAT IMPACTS THE COMMUNITY THAT WHEN YOU SEE A NEBRASKA FOOTBALL PLAYER, YOU KNOW THAT WHEREVER YOU ARE IS BETTER FOR THEM. HAVING BEEN THERE, THAT THEY WILL ALWAYS LEAVE THE PLACE BETTER THAN THEY FOUND THAT. I WANT TO BRING PLAYERS HERE WHO MAKE THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY BETTER. LIKE YOU’RE YOU’RE NOT GOING TO SEE ME AND MY FAMILY HANGING OUT LIKE YOU’RE GOING TO SEE US AT THE LOCAL DINER. YOU’RE GOING TO SEE US AT THE SALT LAKE. THAT’S WHO WE ARE. WE DID NOT COME HERE TO LIVE IN SECLUSION. WE WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY. AND I WANT PLAYERS WHO WANT TO DO THE SAME THING, GET EDUCATE, GET EDUCATED, GRADUATE BUT IMPACT THE COMMUNITY, IMPACT THE CAMPUS, AND THEN PLAY GREAT FOOTBALL. AND I WANT GUYS THAT WANT TO BE PRO FOOTBALL PLAYERS. I’VE HAD A CHANCE TO COACH IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE TWICE. SO MANY PLAYERS HAVE LEFT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AND GONE ON TO THE NFL. AND WHILE TALENT GET YOU THERE, CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY AND WORK ETHIC AND PROFESSIONALISM WILL KEEP YOU THERE. IT STINKS. GETTING FIRED. BUT IF THERE’S ONE GREAT THING THAT CAME OUT OF THE DAY THAT I GOT THE PHONE CALL THAT THAT’S LONGER THAN WHAT THE CAROLINA PANTHERS IT WAS ALL OF THE PLAYERS WHO PLAYED FOR ME THAT ARE PLAYING IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE OR GOING TO MEDICAL SCHOOL OR GOING TO BUSINESS SCHOOL. WHO ALL SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, COACH? MY LIFE IS WORTH HAVING BEEN A PART OF THE PROGRAM. IT’S NOT ABOUT ME. IT’S ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT TOUCHED THEM. AND SO AS WE COME HERE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, IT IS MY INTENT TO LEAVE THE UNIVERSITY A BETTER PLACE FOR US HAVING BEEN HERE, IT IS MY INTENT TO MAKE NEBRASKANS PROUD. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, FOR EVERY PLAYER WALK ON OR SCHOLARSHIP, YOUNG OR OLD, FOR EVERY PLAYER THAT COMES TO PLAY FOR US, THAT COMES TO TO PRACTICE IN THESE FACILITIES AND SIT IN THESE MEETING ROOMS, I WANT THEM TO LOOK BACK SOMEDAY AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE, MY PERSONAL LIFE, MY FOOTBALL LIFE, IT WAS ALL BETTER FOR HAVING BEEN A NEBRASKA CORNHUSKER. I’VE GOTTEN CALLS AND TEXTS FROM GUYS KNOW WHO PLAY HERE, GUYS THAT I DON’T KNOW WHO PLAY HERE, AND THE PRIDE AND PASSION THAT THEY ALL FEEL FOR HAVING BEEN HERE, WORN THE JERSEY AND BEEN A CORNHUSKER. I WANT ALL THE FUTURE GENERATIONS TO FEEL THE SAME SO I WILL DO MY UTMOST BEST. I WILL DO MY UTMOST BEST TO RESPECT THE TRADITION, RESPECT THAT, HONOR. AND I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS WILL TRUST ME TO TAKE US TO ANOTHER PLACE, TAKE US INTO THE FUTURE, BECAUSE IT CAN HAPPEN. AND AS TREV SAID, THE TIME IS NOW. THE TIME IS NOW. AND IT’S NOT REALLY JUST ABOUT ME. IT’S REALLY ABOUT ALL OF US, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE ALL IN. IF YOU WANT TO SEE SOMETHING FAIL, HAVE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE STAND AROUND AND WAIT AND SEE IT FAIL. IF YOU WANT TO SEE SOMETHING SUCCEED, EVERYBODY SEE. EVEN WHEN YOU DISAGREE, JUST MOVE AHEAD AND PUSH AHEAD. IT’S GOING TO TAKE EVERYBODY. EVERYBODY WHO BLEEDS RED TO GET THE NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS TO WHERE THEY THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO BE. BUT WE WILL DO IT. BUT WE’LL HAVE TO DO IT TOGETHER. IT’S MY HONOR. IT’S MY FAMILY’S HONOR. I WANT TO ASSURE. I THANK THEM AGAIN. I WANT TO THANK MY MOTHER AND FATHER WHO COULDN’T BE HERE, BUT WERE SO CRITICAL OF MY LIFE. I WANT TO THANK ALL THE PLAYERS OF THE CAROLINA PANTHERS. THAT PLAYED FOR ME AT THE BAYLOR BEARS AND THANK ALL THE PLAYERS WHO PLAYED FOR ME AT THE TEMPLE OWLS. I WOULD NOT BE HERE IN THIS MOMENT, IN THIS ICONIC PROGRAM IF IT WASN’T FOR THEM. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL THE PICTURES IN THE BACK, WHOEVER THAT PICTURE OF ME WITH THE NEBRASKA RED, THAT’S GOT TO BE AT LEAST TEN OR 12 YEARS AGO. AND I DON’T LOOK THAT GOOD ANYMORE. I WANT TO THANK THAT PERSON. FINISHED WITH THIS AS WE WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND THERE WERE BUMPS AND HURDLES AND TREV HAD TO OVERCOME SOME THINGS, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTUALLY. AND THERE ARE A LOT OF FORCES AT WORK ANY TIME, ANY TIME THINGS GOT DIFFICULT. MY WIFE WOULD LOOK AT ME AND SHE’D SAY, ADMIRAL, SHE LOOK AT ME. SHE’D SAY, TREV, TRUST THE PEOPLE. I TRUST THEM. I’M JUST SO GRATEFUL THAT THEY TRUST ME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. YOU’RE. A STEVE SIMPLE HUSKER ONLINE. WELCOME TO LINCOLN, COACH. YOU TALKED ABOUT THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE AND I’M WONDERING A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT TREV DID THAT AT THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE COME UP IN, THE INTERVIEW PROCESS AND WHY ARE YOU CONFIDENT THAT YOU CAN FIX THAT PART? ENHANCE THAT PART? YEAH, I THINK WHEN I TALKED TO TREV, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT JUST, HEY, WHAT’S YOUR WHAT’S YOUR PHILOSOPHY, RIGHT? SO IF YOU IF YOU FOUND A PLAYER THAT PLAYED FOR ME AT ANY OF THE THREE PLACES, THEY’LL PROBABLY SAY, YOU KNOW FIVE OR SIX THINGS. YOU KNOW, DON’T BEAT OURSELVES WHEN THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE, YOU KNOW, WHICH MEANS RUN THE BALL AND STOP THE RUN PROTECTING AFFECT THE PASSER. SO THERE’S CORE TENETS THAT I IN HOW YOU GET THERE AT TEMPLE YOU KNOW WE WERE WE WERE A FULL BACK IN THE EYE FORMATION AND YOU KNOW OCCASIONALLY SPREAD OUT. WHEN I WAS AT BAYLOR, I HAD FOR THREE, FOUR NFL WIDE RECEIVERS. WE WERE SPREAD OUT. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE OFFENSIVE LINEMEN OF THE DEFENSIVE LINEMEN IN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL, COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND IN THE NFL, THEY DETERMINED IT. SO IN TERMS OF GETTING THERE, YOU KNOW, I’M WALKING IN A LITTLE BIT BLIND IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, I’VE SEEN THE GAMES ON TV. I’VE HAD A CHANCE TO WATCH THIS PROCESS HAVE GONE ON SO LONG. SO I’VE HAD A CHANCE. BUT, YOU KNOW, I’LL HAVE TO I’LL HAVE TO GET INTO SPRING, YOU KNOW, I’LL HAVE TO SEE WHERE WE ARE TO KNOW THAT. BUT FOR ME, IT’S JUST A VISION. YOU KNOW, A VISION DOESN’T MEAN THAT THAT’S WHERE THAT’S THE PICTURE THAT’S HERE. THE PICTURE THAT’S HERE. THAT’S BIG. I HAVE TO GET INTO THAT. BUT THE VISION IS TO TO BUILD UP. AND THAT’S THAT’S NOT JUST RECRUITING. THAT’S ALSO THE WEIGHT ROOM. THAT’S ALSO THE WAY THAT WE WANT TO TRAIN. AND I’M CONFIDENT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE’VE DONE THAT AT TEMPLE. YOU KNOW WHAT FOR? I THINK I THINK RIGHT NOW THERE’S 24 GUYS PLAYING IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE FROM TEMPLE AND BAYLOR COMBINED AND NONE OF THOSE GUYS WERE FOUR AND FIVE STAR RECRUITS. BUT WE WERE ABLE TO DEVELOP THEM. SO THAT’LL BE OUR PLAN HERE AS WELL. HEY, MATT. BRIAN CHRISTOFFERSON FROM HUSKER 24 SEVEN. WELCOME. THANK YOU. HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO TALK WITH MICKY JOSEPH? THERE’S A LOT OF INTEREST IN HIM AROUND HERE AFTER THE JOB HE DID. AND WHAT GOES INTO THE CONSIDERATIONS OF OF POSSIBLE RETAINING PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE STAFF? YEAH. YOU KNOW, I REACHED OUT TO MICKY RIGHT WHEN I GOT THE JOB. I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO TALKING TO HIM AT SOME POINT HERE AND TALKING TO THE REST OF THE STAFF. YOU KNOW, I’VE BEEN ON BOTH SIDES OF IT. YOU KNOW, I’VE BEEN AN ASSISTANT COACH ON A STAFF THAT’S BEEN LET GO. AND I AND I’VE ALWAYS APPRECIATED THE COACH COMING IN AND TALKING TO ME. SO, YOU KNOW, I’LL TRY TO BE THOROUGH WITH THAT PROCESS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY WILL GO BACK TOMORROW AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO ME RIGHT NOW ARE THE CURRENT PLAYERS. I NEED TO SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND TALK TO THEM LIKE THEY KNOW. THEY KNOW THE ISSUES IN THE PROGRAM MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE, GOOD AND BAD. AND I SAY ISSUES. I MEAN, LIKE GOOD THINGS. HEY, THIS IS GREAT. SO I TO TALK TO THE PLAYERS AND THEY DIDN’T AND I NEED TO TALK TO THE STAFF AND COACHES YOU KNOW TO ME IT ALL COMES DOWN TO FIT. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE TO WANT TO BE HERE, NUMBER ONE. THEY HAVE TO WANT TO BE IN THE ROLE THAT THEY’RE IN. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO ALL MOVE FORWARD AGAIN WHEN I’VE NOT HAD SUCCESS, IT’S WHEN, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE ARE PULLING IN ONE DIRECTION. THERE WILL BE A VERY CLEAR VISION, A VERY CLEAR PROCESS FOR HOW WE DO THINGS WITHIN THE WALLS OF, THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM AND THAT’S IN THE HOUSE. AND SO THAT’S DEFINITELY THAT’S PART OF THE TOO AND I AGREE. I THINK MICKY DID A FANTASTIC JOB AND I’VE KNOWN COACH JOSEPH FOR A WHILE BEFORE THAT, NOT PERSONALLY BUT PROFESSIONALLY. EXCELLENT RECRUITER PLAYERS LOVE THEM, SO I’M ANXIOUS TO HAVE A CHANCE TO VISIT WITH HIM AND THE REST OF THE STAFF. A COACH SEAN CALLAHAN WITH HUSKER ONLINE. I’M JUST CURIOUS HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS FIRST WEEK OBVIOUSLY TO GET THE ROSTER STUFF FIGURED OUT BUT TO LEARN THE INITIAL THE TRANSFER PORTAL DAYS DECEMBER FIFTH YOU GO ON THE ROAD ON FRIDAY TO START SEEING RECRUITS THESE FIRST FOUR DAYS. AND LINCOLN HOW BIG ARE THEY JUST TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHERE THIS IS ALL GOING FOR YOU? YEAH, YOU KNOW, I YOU KNOW. SO SO I, I LITERALLY I GOT HOME THAT FIRST DAY AFTER NO LONGER BEING THE IN CAROLINA AND HAD HAD A SCHOOL CALLED ME AND SO I’VE BEEN I’VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A WHILE. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THERE WAS A LOT OF THOUGHT IN OUR FAMILY THAT WE WOULD TAKE THE YEAR AND TAKE THE YEAR OFF. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST SPEND SOME TIME TOGETHER AND, UM, I THINK THAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT. I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT FOR RECRUITS TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, I TOLD EVERY RECRUIT I’VE TALKED TO LIKE, MAN, I, I WAS GETTING, I’M NOT MAKING MORE MONEY TO, TO WORK TODAY THAN I WOULD HAVE BEEN IF I WAS PLAYING GOLF BACK IN CHARLOTTE, LIKE I COULD BE ON THE GOLF COURSE, MAKING THE SAME MONEY TODAY. SO THIS WASN’T FINANCIAL DECISION. THIS WASN’T IT? THIS WAS OH, MY GOODNESS. I THINK I CAN FIT THERE. AND I THINK THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RIGHT. SO, UM, I SAY THAT TO SAY THAT I HAD ALL THAT TIME TO REALLY DIVE INTO THIS STUDY SOME THINGS AND I ALWAYS STUDY SOME THINGS. YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE PORTAL AND SO I THINK THIS WEEK’S IMPORTANT I MEAN WE’VE WE’VE GOTTEN GOING RIGHT AWAY WE HAVE A CERTAIN PROFILE THAT WE LIKE TO RECRUIT TO YOU KNOW, WE LIKE WE LIKE BIG FAST GUYS, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF THEY’RE A LITTLE BIT DEVELOPMENTAL. UM, SO WE WANT TO GET AS MUCH SPEED AS WE CAN GET ANY TIME WE CAN GET IT. SO WE’VE ALREADY GOTTEN STARTED WITH THAT. WE JUST NEED TO SIT DOWN WITH THE GUYS THAT ARE HERE AND SEE WHO ELSE THEY WERE RECRUITING BESIDES THE GUYS THAT ARE COMMITTED. SO THIS WEEK’S IMPORTANT I DON’T KNOW IF I’LL SLEEP VERY MUCH. YOU KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? NEXT WEEK WILL BE IMPORTANT IN THE WEEK AFTER. AND HERE’S WHAT I KNOW. THE FUTURE OF NEBRASKA FOOTBALL IS NOT HANGING ON ONE, ONE, ONE DECISION ONE. IT’S HANGING ON THE ACCUMULATION OF DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY. GREAT RECRUITING, GREAT DEVELOPMENT, GREAT COACHING, GREAT TEACHING. YOU KNOW, SO WE’LL JUST TRY TO MAKE SURE WE DO THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST SAY WHAT’S NEXT. EVERY DAY AND MATT, ERIC OLSON WITH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HAD YOU NOT COME TO NEBRASKA, DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO COACH ELSEWHERE? AND DO YOU HAVE SOME OF YOUR STAFF’S THAT ALREADY GOING TO BRING SOME GUYS WITH YOU? SO I’LL SAY THIS HUMBLY AND ONLY FOR RECRUITING, CAUSE NORMALLY I WOULDN’T SAY THIS, BUT I WAS OFFERED OTHER JOBS. YES. AND I YOU KNOW, I JUST DECIDED THAT THIS WAS THE RIGHT ONE FOR ME. SO YOU KNOW, THE CHANCE TO MAYBE SIT HERE. I HAD THE CHANCE TO, YOU KNOW, AT SOME OPPORTUNITIES, DO SOME TV, SOME BROADCASTING. I WAS OFFERED, YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES. SO I ONLY SAY THAT TO SAY HOW SPECIAL THIS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN’T SAY, HEY, WE BETTER GO TAKE THIS JOB. WE WE FELT LIKE THIS WAS A REALLY SPECIAL PLACE WITH REALLY SPECIAL PEOPLE, GREAT ALIGNMENT, GREAT RESOURCES AND A FAN BASE, UNLIKE ANY OTHER. YOU KNOW, I CAN’T WAIT TO BRING RECRUITS TO GAMES AND LET THEM SEE WHAT A GAME MEMORIAL FIELD LOOKS LIKE. MORE AS THEY AIMLESSLY. SAM MCEWEN FROM THE OMAHA WORLD-HERALD, WELCOME TO NEBRASKA COACH YOU’RE COACHING IN THE LEAGUE. IT’S SPECIFICALLY THE BIG TEN. IT HAS A CONTEXT. WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT LEAGUE HAVING GROWN UP WATCHING IT AND WHAT KINDS OF PLAYERS AND COACHES DO YOU NEED TO BRING HERE TO WIN IN THIS LEAGUE? YEAH, YOU KNOW, IT IS A GREAT QUESTION. YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, HAVING BEEN AT PENN STATE, THE BIG TEN WAS A DIFFERENT WAY AT THAT, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT AT THAT POINT AND A DIFFERENT TYPE OF A LEAGUE, BUT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO THE THINGS I TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE MARGIN FOR ERROR IN THE BIG TEN IN MOST GAMES IS PRETTY SLIGHT. YOU CAN’T BEAT YOURSELF. YOU HAVE TO BE A TEAM THAT EXECUTES. TYPICALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE BIG TEN, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER HAS THE BEST QUARTERBACK PLAYS TYPICALLY IN A WIN. SO YOU NEED TO HAVE NOT JUST A NECK, BUT A SIGNAL SYSTEM AROUND THE SIGNAL CALLER THAT LETS THEM BE SUCCESSFUL. AND YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WIN IN THE ELEMENTS. YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WIN WHEN IT’S, YOU KNOW, HOT EARLY IN THE YEAR OR COLD LATE IN THE YEAR. YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WIN ON THE EAST COAST PRETTY SOON. YOU HAVE TO WIN ON THE WEST COAST. AND SO I THINK HAVING DEFENSE THINK HAVING A RUN GAME, THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF YOU CAN’T PLAY DEFENSE IN THIS LEAGUE, THERE’S THERE’S THREE OR FOUR GAMES A YEAR, YOU’RE GOING TO GET RUN OFF THE FIELD. IN TERMS OF COACHES, YOU KNOW, I WANT YOUNG, ENERGETIC, DYNAMIC COACHES, WHEREAS THERE’S SOME THERE’S SOME LEAGUES WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO GO HIRE SOME NAMES AND THERE’S SOME GUYS THAT, YOU KNOW, HEY, HE’S A RECRUITER AND HE’S BEEN IN THAT AREA A LONG TIME. I THINK MY TIES RECRUITING AND OUR TIES RECRUITING IN TEXAS ARE SOMETHING THAT WE’RE GOING TO LEAN. I THINK OUR IF YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF NEBRASKA AND ITS TIES TO NEW JERSEY, SO WELL, OBVIOUSLY, THOSE ARE PLACES THAT WERE PRETTY WELL KNOWN. AND THEN FLORIDA. SO THOSE ARE THE DISTINCT AREAS. AND THEN TO ME, YOU KNOW, JUST STUDYING THIS JOB AND TAKING A LOT OF TIME TO STUDY THIS JOB, THE IN-STATE TALENT I’M EXCITED ABOUT. AND THEN YOU DRAW THAT 500 MILE RADIUS, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE BEST. YOU KNOW, THESE MIGHT BE A LITTLE THINGS. I WON’T HAVE THE BEST SUMMER CAMPS. YOU KNOW, I TO HAVE TWO OR 3000 KIDS A YEAR COMING TO OUR CAMP, NOT JUST PROSPECT CAMPS. I WANT KIDS WHEN THEY’RE EIGHT, NINE, TEN. I MEAN, EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO BE A HUSKER FOR A DAY. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT’S HOW YOU FIND THE THE PLAYERS THAT GO OFF AND GO TO SCHOOL. LIKE, I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY I’M IN THE DRAFT LAST YEAR LOOKING AT FIRST ROUND GUYS AT FCS SCHOOLS LIKE I WANT THEM HERE, I WANT, I WANT TO FIND THOSE GUYS. AND SO FINDING COACHES THAT ARE GOING TO I DON’T NEED CELEBRITY COACHES WHO ARE GOING TO GO SEE SCHOOL A DAY. I NEED COACHES THAT ARE GOING TO GO AND DO IT THE OLD SCHOOL WAY. GO SEE SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE SCHOOLS A DAY. SPEAK AT A CLINIC CALLED RECRUIT. SO WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A HARDWORKING STAFF IN TERMS OF DO I HAVE SOME GUYS LINED UP? THERE’S SOME GUYS I’D LIKE TO BRING WITH ME. I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF STAFF AND TALK TO THEM AS WELL. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING HERE SOON. JOE NUGENT, HOW ARE YOU DOING IT? GOOD TO SEE YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU, TOO. I’M CURIOUS ABOUT THE TO REBUILD THAT YOU’VE LED AT TEMPLE AND BAYLOR. WHY DO YOU THINK YOU WERE SUCCESSFUL THERE? WHY DO YOU THINK YOU’LL BE SUCCESSFUL HERE DOING SAME THING? AND WHAT DO YOU THINK IS A FAIR, TIMELY WIN FOR BEING SUCCESSFUL? YEAH, I THINK THE OTHER TWO PLACES WERE THERE WAS REALLY SIMPLE. WE FOUND THE RIGHT PEOPLE, FOUND THE RIGHT STAFF. THEN WE DIDN’T, YOU KNOW, WE FOUND PLAYERS THAT WE COULD DEVELOP, PLAYERS THAT LOVED FOOTBALL, THAT WANTED TO GET DEVELOPED. UM, YOU KNOW, WE TOOK, YOU KNOW, HASSAN REDDICK, WHO WAS A WALK ON, WHO HAD THOSE SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS AND HE’S LIKE, HE’S ALL THE TOP SACK GUYS IN THE NFL RIGHT NOW. SO WE PRACTICED REALLY COMPETITIVE, WE TRAINED AT A HIGH LEVEL. WE PUSHED THE GUYS. WE LOVED THEM. YOU KNOW, NOWADAYS A LOT OF COACHES I SEE I SAW ON THE OTHER SIDE, A LOT OF COACHES ARE AFRAID TO COACH THEIR GUYS BECAUSE THEY’RE AFRAID THAT THEY’LL TRANSFER. I REALLY FEEL LIKE IF A PLAYER KNOWS THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THEM, IF THEY IF THEY REALLY BELIEVE WHAT I SAID EARLIER, THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT, I WANT YOUR LIFE TO BE BETTER FOR FOR HAVING BEEN HERE, NOT JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE A GOOD PLAYER, THEN YOU CAN COACH GUYS HARD. SO I THINK THE OLD SCHOOL THINGS DEVELOP YOUNG GUYS AND PUSHING GUYS AND WANTING THEM TO BE BETTER IS WHAT GOT US THERE AT THOSE PLACES. AND THEN WE HAD GREAT SUPPORT. I WON AT TEMPLE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I HAD A GREAT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND PAT KRAFT, KEVIN CLARK. I HAD A GREAT PRESIDENT AND DR. NEIL THEOBALD AND SO WHEN PEOPLE WERE SORT OF SAYING LIKE, WHAT’S HAPPENING, THEY THEY WOULD COME THE WATERS. AND EVENTUALLY WE BROKE THROUGH AND THEN WHEN I WAS AT BAYLOR, I WENT TO BAYLOR IN AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME. YOU KNOW, I DON’T I DON’T I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT I WAS WALKING INTO WHEN I WENT INTO BAYLOR, BUT WE WERE SUCCESSFUL THERE BECAUSE OF DR. LINDA LIVINGSTONE, BECAUSE OF MAC RHODES, BECAUSE OF JEREMIAH DICKEY. AND, YOU KNOW, MAC ROADS ALREADY THERE WOULD WHEN THINGS WERE KIND OF LIKE, HEY, WHY ARE WE GOING ONE ON 11 CALM THE WATERS THIS THE PLAYERS GOT BETTER. PEOPLE CONTINUE TO BUY IN AND THEN EVERYONE, AS I SAID, WAS ALL IN AND PUSHING FORWARD. DO I THINK WE CAN DO THAT HERE? I WOULDN’T BE HERE IF I DIDN’T. I CAN’T I JUST CAN’T SAY THAT ENOUGH. I WOULD NOT BE HERE IF I DID NOT BELIEVE A IN THE PLAYERS THAT WE CAN GET HERE BE THE HISTORY OF NEBRASKA AND THEIR THEIR THEIR BELIEF IN IN PLAYER DEVELOPMENT BOTH ON AND OFF THE FIELD IN TERMS OF TIMELINES. UM, YOU KNOW, I LEARNED AT THE LAST PLACE, YOU KNOW, TO BE CAREFUL TO, TO, YOU KNOW, I PROBABLY DIDN’T WANT TO GIVE A TIMELINE. I WANT TO WIN TOMORROW. I WANT TO WIN RIGHT AWAY. YOU KNOW, IF, IF EXPECTATIONS SOMETIMES ARE UNREAL, PEOPLE GET FRUSTRATED. I JUST KNOW THIS. WE’RE GOING TO WE’RE GOING TO WORK OUR TAIL OFF STARTING, YOU KNOW, STARTING TODAY. AND WELL, WE’LL DO IT AS FAST AS WE CAN. MATT, WELCOME. MITCH, YOU’RE IN THE ATHLETIC YOU MENTIONED TREV AND ADMIRAL CARTER AND YOUR RESPECT FOR THEM CAN YOU, UM, CAN YOU GET INTO A BIT WHEN AND, AND HOW THE INTERACTION BEGAN WITH, WITH THEM AND WHAT YOUR, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT THAT CAME BACK TO HOW STRONGLY YOU FEEL ABOUT THEM AND HAVE IT’S GROWN THROUGH THIS PROCESS. YEAH. I’LL, I’LL, I’LL DEFER THE TIMELINE TO THEM JUST SO I DON’T GET ON THEIR BAD SIDE RIGHT OFF THE BAT. YOU KNOW, IF I SAY ANYTHING WRONG. BUT NO, YOU KNOW, IT’S FUNNY. I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I TALKED TO TRAVEL ON THE PHONE. MY WIFE WAS KIND OF NEARBY. WE WERE LOOKING AND I WAS LIKE A LITTLE BREAKFAST NOOK. AND I WAS TALKING TO HIM AND, YOU KNOW, WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT FOOTBALL AND TALKING ABOUT THE PROCESS AND TALKING ABOUT PLAYER DEVELOPMENT AND JUST A CONVERSATION AND AND MY WIFE, I LOOKED OVER AND SHE WAS KIND OF LIKE SHE’S LIKE, IT’S THE FIRST TIME I’VE SEEN YOU THIS HAPPY IN A LONG TIME. LIKE, I, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I’VE LEARNED YOU CAN WORK REALLY HARD, BUT YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE MISERABLE. YOU KNOW? AND, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPING PLAYERS AND AND BEING IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERYBODY LOVES EACH OTHER, LIKE THAT, THAT, THAT REALLY BROUGHT JOY TO ME. AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS I SAID, THERE WERE LOTS OF HURDLES, YOU I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WAS THE RIGHT PLACE FOR MY FAMILY. IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT ME, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE ELSE. EMILE MIGHT NOT SEE ME AS LIKE THAT. COACH MATT RULE ON TWITTER LIKE I’M DAD FIRST AND I DON’T WANT TO BRING MY KIDS AND MOVE THEM EVERY THREE YEARS. YOU I TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT LAST WEEK ON NETWORK LIKE IT’S MY SON WHO’S A SENIOR THIS YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL COMING UP WHO WAS THAT THE ONE WHO SAID NO, I WANT YOU TO I WANT YOU TO GO TO NEBRASKA. I WANT YOU TO DO THIS. I’M HE’LL MAKE WHATEVER SACRIFICE IF I HAVE TO STAY BACK THERE, DAD, I WILL IF I HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT TAKES. AND SO IT WAS BECAUSE EVERYONE REALLY, REALLY TRUSTED TREV AND HIS VISION. WE LOVED MEETING ANGIE. WE COULD TELL THAT THIS THIS WAS A GREAT FAMILY. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, PRESIDENT CARTER WAS A NAVY WHEN I WAS AT TEMPLE. SO WE HAD THAT CROSSOVER. SO PLAYED IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. SO YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I ALWAYS WANT PEOPLE TO KIND OF KNOW WHAT I’M GOING TO BRING, YOU KNOW, LIKE, NO HEY, THIS IS HOW I’M GOING TO DO IT. THIS IS THE WAY THAT WE’RE GOING TO DO IT. AND, YOU KNOW, PRESIDENT CARTER HAVING THAT HISTORY WITH ME WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME AS WELL, COACH JAKE BARTOWSKI, NEWS CHANNEL, NEBRASKA WELCOME, NEBRASKA, WELCOME TO LINCOLN. RECENTLY YOU’VE GONE FROM COLLEGE THEN FOUR YEARS IN THE NFL. NOW BACK COLLEGE AFTER LEADING A TEAM AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE BETTER PREPARED TO BE A COLLEGE COACH NOW? DO YOU FEEL LIKE IT MADE YOU A BETTER COACH A THOUSAND TIMES? A THOUSAND TIMES? 1,000%, I SHOULD SAY IT MADE ME A BETTER MAN. IT MADE ME A BETTER PERSON. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU’RE IN THE NFL AND VERY GRATEFUL TO THE CAROLINA PANTHERS AND THERE’S SO MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE IN THAT ORGANIZATION. BUT WHEN YOU’RE IN THE NFL, YOU KNOW, YOU’RE YOU’RE DEPENDING ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. YOU KNOW THERE’S SO MANY PARTS THAT HAVE TO COME TOGETHER AND SO RECOGNIZING THAT AND SEEING THAT AND BEING A PART OF THAT, I THOUGHT WAS GREAT FOR ME. LEARNING HOW TO DEAL WITH CHALLENGES AND ADVERSITY AND ALL THOSE THINGS WAS, WAS REALLY, WAS REALLY GOOD FOR ME. WELL, DEALING WITH THE PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE WAS PROBABLY THE BEST, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, GETTING GETTING A, YOU KNOW, DEAL, HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH AMIR ABDULLAH AND THEN HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY LIKE TWO GUYS, SAME POSITION, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PEOPLE. AND AS I SAID TO THE TEAM TODAY, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY TAUGHT ME AND COACH KOFF AND TRY TO TEACH THIS TO ME, BUT I, I RELEARNED THINGS BECAUSE I’M A LITTLE HARDHEADED AT TIMES IT’S NOT COACH PLAYERS, IT’S JUST PEOPLE. PEOPLE AND WE’RE JUST PEOPLE. WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT ROLES. I’M THE COACH. YOU’RE THE BUT JUST PEOPLE. AND SO I THINK THAT INTERACTION WITH THE PLAYERS REALLY, REALLY TAUGHT ME AND ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR, YOU KNOW, I WAS ON THE HOT SEAT FROM THE END OF LAST YEAR TO THE MIDDLE OF THIS YEAR. AND WHEN YOU’RE A COACH THAT’S ON THE HOT SEAT, THE PLAYERS REALLY HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOU. DO THEY REALLY HAVE TO BUY INTO YOU? AND IF I’M PROUD OF ANYTHING, IT’S THE RELATIONSHIPS AND THE GUYS, IT’S THE GUYS ON THAT TEAM THAT WENT OUT AND WON YESTERDAY. IT’S THE GUYS ON THAT TEAM THAT HAD MY BACK THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS, GUYS THAT CALL ME SINCE I GOT THAT JOB. I THINK THAT SHOWS ME THAT I CAN COME BACK TO COLLEGE, CONTINUE TO PUSH GUYS, HAVE THE SAME RELATIONSHIPS AND THE FINAL PIECES, YOU KNOW, WE’VE ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN AS A PLAYER DEVELOPMENT GROUP. I IT SO MUCH BETTER NOW LIKE YOU KNOW ANYBODY GET YOU TO THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. I WANT TO HELP GUYS GET TO THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE AND STAY THERE AND HAVE A SECOND CONTRACT? AND THE WAY THAT YOU NOTES, THE WAY THAT YOU PREPARE THAT, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT I KNEW THAT AND I ALWAYS PREACH THAT. BUT I KNOW IT BETTER NOW. AND THE FINAL PIECE, BECAUSE IT’S A GREAT QUESTION, IS I’M JUST SO MUCH MENTALLY TOUGHER. I MEAN, YOU KNOW WHAT? WHAT I WENT THROUGH WAS HARD AND IT WAS HARD ON MY FAMILY. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? WHEN THINGS ARE HARD IN LIFE, YOU EITHER BREAK OR YOU JUST LET IT LIKE BE A PURIFYING FIRE THAT TAKES AWAY THE IMPURITIES IN THE THE EGO AND THE AND THE ANXIETY AND, ALL THOSE THINGS. AND SO MY FAMILY AND I MADE LOOK, WE LOOK INWARD, WE LOOK TOWARDS EACH OTHER. WE LOOK OUR FAITH, WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE. WE WE STAYED FOCUSED ON THE PLAYERS. AND SO I COME HERE NOT BY THAT, BUT BUT BUT STILL STEELED BY IT. I FEEL I FEEL REALLY, REALLY STRONG. AND, YOU KNOW, I’M EXCITED, EXCITED TO GET STARTED WITH THESE EXCITED TO GET TO THE SPRING, TO BUILD A TEAM. HEY, MATT CARPENTER INSIDE. I THINK YOU SAID IN YOUR OPENING STATEMENT THAT YOU MET WITH THE TEAM THIS MORNING OR THIS AFTERNOON. CAN YOU GIVE US MORE DETAILS ABOUT WHAT YOU SAID TO THE CURRENT PLAYERS AND CURRENT COACHES, IF YOU MET WITH THEM TOO? I HAVE NOT MET WITH THE CURRENT COACHES YET. JUST THAT PLAYERS. UM, AND I REACHING OUT TO THE PLAYERS, YOU KNOW, AS I COULD OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS VIA TEXT AND SOME PHONE CALLS. AND THE MESSAGE I HAD FOR THEM WAS BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE POSITION THAT THEY’RE IN, NOT ONE PLAYER IN THAT LOCKER ROOM SIGNED UP TO PLAY FOR ME. NOT ONE PLAYER WAS RECRUITED BY ME, NOT ONE PLAYER CHOSE TO COME FOR ME. BUT I WANTED TO KNOW THAT, HEY, I CHOSE TO COME COACH LIKE I’M HERE TO BE YOUR COACH. I’D LIKE TO BE YOUR COACH. I’M NOT ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT COMES IN AND RUNS EVERYBODY OFF, YOU KNOW, I’VE NEVER DONE THAT. I COME IN, I TRY TO SET A HIGH STANDARD, A HIGH EXPECTATION. I HOPE THAT THE VETERAN PLAYERS ON THE TEAM TAKE MY EXPECTATIONS AND RAISE IT AND SO I SAID THAT TO THEM I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNEW THAT WHEN THEY GOT BACK IN THE SPRING THAT WE WERE GOING TO WORK A REALLY HIGH LEVEL AND HARD IS NOT PUNISHMENT PRACTICING PLAYING FOOTBALL IS NOT PUNISHMENT BEING PHYSICAL PRACTICE IS NOT PUNISHMENT. I WANTED THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE WAY THAT WE CAN GET TO WHERE WE WANT TO BE IS IS ON THE PRACTICE FIELD. IT’S THROUGH COMPETING THAT I WANTED THEM TO ALL BE A PART OF IT. YOU KNOW, I THINK IT’S AN HONOR. I THINK IT’S A PRIVILEGE TO BE IN NEBRASKA, A CORNHUSKER FOOTBALL COACH AND FOOTBALL PLAYER. AND I WANTED THEM TO APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEN FINALLY I TOLD THEM I’D BE HERE ALL WEEK AND I LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO EACH GUY. I WANT TO HEAR THEIR PERSPECTIVE. I WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM. I THINK THAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM RIGHT NOW. HEY, COACH STEVE MARK WITH INSIDE NEBRASKA, YOU’VE COACHED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL IS THERE ONE SPECIFIC SIDE OFFENSE DEFENSE YOU’RE REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT? NOT YOU KNOW, NOT REALLY. THAT’S A IT’S A GREAT QUESTION. YOU KNOW, WE’VE WE’VE ALWAYS HISTORICALLY, YOU KNOW, AT TEMPLE AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS, WE WERE IN THE TOP TEN. AND IN DEFENSE OF BAYLOR OUR LAST YEAR, I THINK WE’RE IN THE TOP FIVE. THEY WERE THE TOP FIVE. AND TAKEAWAYS ON DEFENSE AFTER ONE YEAR IN THE NFL CAROLINA WERE NUMBER TWO IN THE NFL IN DEFENSE. SO WE’VE ALWAYS A CULTURE OF I’VE TRIED TO ALWAYS OFFSET THAT, YOU KNOW, ON THE OTHER SIDE BY, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO RUN THE FOOTBALL AND BE PHYSICAL ON OFFENSE, THINGS THAT WE GOT DONE AT TEMPLE AND BAYLOR AT A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL. BUT I THINK EVERYTHING’S IMPORTANT. I REALLY DO WHEN WHEN TRUST SAYS COMPLEMENTARY FOOTBALL, I JUST THINK YOU’RE SAYING IS THAT EVERY SINGLE PLAYER COUNTS IN TODAY’S WORLD WHERE WE ALL GET PULLED IN SO MANY DIRECTIONS, TRYING TEACH THE TEAM THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY JUST NEEDS TO GO OUT AND WIN THE RAP. IF EVERYBODY WINS THE RAP FORGETS THE PLAY, WHAT’S NEXT? WHEN THE NEXT REP. SO, YOU KNOW I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT THE GAME I LOVE OFFENSE. I LOVE DEFENSE. YOU KNOW, I LOVE SPECIAL TEAMS. AND I THINK THAT’S WHY, YOU KNOW, I TRY TO HIRE STARS THAT ARE GREAT TEACHERS, HAVE LOTS OF ENERGY, CARE ABOUT THEIR PLAYERS. AND THEN I HAVE ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE, MAYBE ON BOTH SIDES TO TO SEE IF THERE’S A PROBLEM AND STEP IN, IF EVER NEEDED. AND KNOW MICHAELSON CAME HERE IN LINCOLN. YOU MENTIONED TALKING WITH TOM OSBORNE OVER THE WEEKEND AND A BUCKET ITEM FOR YOU. CAN YOU EXPAND ON THAT CONVERSATION AND ANY ADVANCE ADVICE HE SHARED WITH YOU KNOW, COACH? COACH WAS GREAT. GREAT. YOU KNOW, HE JUST YOU KNOW, HE JUST HE JUST WELCOMED ME. AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST TOLD HIM, I SAID, HEY, I WOULDN’T TAKE THIS JOB IF KNOW, IF I DIDN’T HAVE YOUR BLESSING AND HE KIND OF LAUGHED AND SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU DON’T NEED MY BLESSING. BUT, YOU KNOW, I TRUST AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT YOU’LL DO A GREAT JOB AND I’M THANKFUL THAT COACH GRANT TAFF, WHO’S A SPECIAL PERSON IN MY LIFE AND COACH OSBORNE, HAVE A RELATIONSHIP. SO I THINK THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO MAYBE VISIT A LITTLE BIT, BUT YEAH, IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK TO COACH OSBORNE. YOU KNOW, HE’S A HE’S SOMEONE, AS I SAID, THAT, YOU KNOW, I’VE LOOKED UP TO AS A COACH, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE A LOT OF THINGS ON SPORTS TODAY. YOU SEE A LOT OF THINGS ON ESPN TODAY. I GREW UP IN THE ERA. THE GENTLEMAN COACH, YOU KNOW, THE COACHES THAT WOULD BATTLE FOR 60 MINUTES AND THEN SHAKE HANDS AND GO CLINIC TOGETHER IN THE SUMMER. THAT WAS THAT WAS COACH OSBORNE WAS COACH PATERNAL. THAT WAS THOSE MEN. AND SO HE HE SAID HE’D BE HERE FOR ME IF I EVER NEEDED IT AND I’LL CERTAINLY TAKE HIM UP ON THAT. AMY JUST LINCOLN, A REAL STAR AS YOU STAND HERE TODAY. WHAT DOES SUCCESS MEAN TO YOU? LIKE WHAT IS A SUCCESSFUL TEAM LOOK LIKE AND HOW DO YOU GET NEBRASKA BACK TO THAT? YOU KNOW, I THINK I THINK THE FIRST STEP, YOU KNOW, I’VE SAID REALLY TALKING, YOU KNOW, AND I’M NOT SAYING THEY’RE NOT THERE. RIGHT NOW. SO I DON’T WANT TO EVER SAY THAT. I THINK THE FIRST THING IS THAT JUST THAT WE THOSE THREE THINGS THAT I TALKED ABOUT LIKE THAT WE ARE REALLY A TOUGH TEAM THAT, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER WHAT THE SITUATION, WE NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, WE DO WHAT WE SAY WE’RE GOING TO DO AND GET IT DONE THAT THAT THIS OFF SEASON THAT WE WORK REALLY, REALLY HARD AND THAT WE COMPETE. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN YOU CAN SOMETIMES IN FOOTBALL, UM, IT’S SO CAUGHT UP IN THE RESULTS THAT YOU FORGET THE PROCESS. AND SO I THINK, IF YOU’RE THOSE THREE TEAMS, THEN IF YOU LOSE BY TWO OR YOU LOSE BY 20, IT’S THE SAME THING YOU LOST. AND SOMETIMES WE, YOU KNOW, WE FOOL OURSELVES INTO LIKE I WAS A CLOSE LOSS HERE AS, A CLOSE LOSS THERE. YOU KNOW, THIS GAME YOU GO OUT WEEK WITH A MISSION, EITHER WIN OR YOU LOSE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO WIN AS MANY GAMES AS POSSIBLE, BUT I WANT TO WIN THE RIGHT WAY. AND SO THE WAY FOR ME IS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THE THINGS THAT I TALKED ABOUT IN THIS PRESS CONFERENCE, YOU KNOW, CONTROLLING THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE, NOT BEATING OURSELVES, YOU KNOW, I’LL TALK ABOUT WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE IF WE DO THOSE THINGS THEN THE RESULTS WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF. I LIKE EVERY OTHER CORNHUSKER FAN WANT TO GO TO A BALLGAME. YOU KNOW, I DON’T WANT TO PLAY JUST 12 GAMES. I WANT TO GO TO A 13TH GAME AND THEN THAT YOU KNOW, TO ME THAT’S THAT SHOULD BE THE BARE MINIMUM AND THEN I WANT TO COMPETE FOR THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP. I WANT TO COMPETE FOR NATIONAL. I JUST DON’T THINK WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW. HERE TODAY, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, TODAY, THIS TEAM AND I, WE’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, HEY, LET’S LET’S BE GREAT THIS WEEK. LET’S BE GREAT IN FINALS. LET’S BE GREAT IN RECRUITING YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO THREE AND NINE AND FOUR AND EIGHT, THEN THEN TO WE JUST HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE SPRING. LET’S BE GREAT. THE SPRING. AND SO THAT’S SOUNDS LIKE BORING COACH SPEAK BUT IT’S REALLY HOW I LIVE MY LIFE. IT’S HOW YOU KNOW WHEN I GOT FIRED A MONTH AGO, I SAID, OKAY, WHAT? YOU KNOW, I’VE BEEN TELLING PLAYERS FOREVER, NEXT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW THAN JUST DO THE SAME THING THAT WHAT’S NEXT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW, GET FIRED ONE DAY, TAKE YOUR TO SCHOOL. THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT’S WHAT IT IS. THAT’S HOW THAT’S HOW MOST PEOPLE LIVE THEIR LIVES. AND THAT’S HOW I WANT THE TEAM TO LIVE ITS LIFE. WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? I THINK IF THAT KIND OF TEAM AS THE PLAYERS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP, WE KEEP BRINGING IN GREAT TALENT. GUYS BUY IN THE WINS WILL COME. HEY MATT, KENNY, KETV AND OMAHA WELCOME TO NEBRASKA. I WANT TO ASK YOU, YOU MENTIONED NOW IN THE TRANSFER PORTAL, HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT BUILDING YOUR ROSTER AND MIXING THE PORTAL KIDS AND LAYING THE FOUNDATION WITH KIDS YOU RECRUIT AND DEVELOP? AND CAN YOU DO BOTH? YEAH, I THINK I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE GOOD ARE DOING BOTH. I THINK AS YOU’RE RECRUITING IMPROVE YOU SEE THE REALLY, REALLY STRONG TEAMS ACROSS THE ACROSS THE NATION THEY PROBABLY HAVE LESS TRANSFER KIDS BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW THE FIRST THING WE’LL DO IS CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THE ROSTER WE WILL LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED, FIND GOOD PLAYERS. THEY COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES. WE WILL TAKE THE WALK ON PROGRAM SERIOUSLY. WE’LL TAKE TRANSFER SERIOUSLY. WE’LL TAKE NIL. YOU KNOW, I TALK ABOUT ALL IN THAT’S THAT’S THAT’S MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE MONEY GO DO THE NFL AT THE LEVEL THAT THE TEAMS ARE COMPETING AGAINST DO IT THAT SO WE WILL LOOK AT WE WILL LOOK AT EVERYTHING JUST WON’T SACRIFICE THE IDEALS AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROGRAM. YOU KNOW THE GUYS THAT COME HERE YOU KNOW THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH A YOUNG MAN WANTING TO MAKE SOME MONEY. YOU KNOW, THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH A YOUNG MAN WANTED TO MAKE SOME MONEY OFF HIS ABILITY. EVERY ONE OF US, WE WANT TO BE VALUED. WE WANT TO BE COMPENSATED FINANCIALLY. THERE’S NOTHING WRONG IT. BUT THEY HAVE TO ALSO WANT TO BE HERE FOR NEBRASKA AND THEY HAVE TO WANT TO BE HERE FOR THEIR TEAMMATES AND THEY HAVE TO WANT TO WIN. AND SO WHEN YOU FIND GUYS WHO WANT TO COME HERE, WHO WANT TO DEVELOP, WHO WANT TO GET A DEGREE, WHO WANT TO SERVE AND IMPACT THE COMMUNITY, WHO WANT TO WIN, THOSE ARE THE GUYS THAT I WANT TO SURE THAT WE WE TAKE CARE OF FINANCIALLY WHEN WE CAN. AND I, I KNOW THE WAY IT WORKS IS THE COLLECTIVE, NOT ME. I DON’T MEAN TO SAY WE CAN GET IN TROUBLE, BUT YOU THINK YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I’M SAYING? AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I THINK IT’S A GREAT INCENTIVE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO COME IN AND PLAY WELL AND THE BETTER YOU PLAY, THE MORE THINGS THAT YOU DO, THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU HAVE. AND THAT’S KIND OF THE AMERICAN WAY. YOU KNOW, THE MORE DO, THE MORE YOU GET. AND SO WILL EMBRACE ALL OF THAT.