Containing UCLA QB Brett Hundley will be a big challenge for Nebraska's defense. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
LINCOLN, Neb. — Bo Pelini has one idea of what could help his young Nebraska defense slow down fast-paced, quick-striking and high-scoring UCLA: Request that UCLA coach Jim Mora leaves some of his best skill position players back in Los Angeles.
“I could handle that,” Pelini joked at his weekly news conference.
That won’t happen, so the question remains: Can Nebraska handle UCLA’s offense?
It certainly didn’t in last season’s 36-30 loss to the Bruins in Los Angeles. UCLA, under a first-year quarterback and a first-year coach, besieged Nebraska to the tune of 653 total yards — the second-highest total ever allowed by the Blackshirts.
That was a sign of things to come for Nebraska’s defense last season, which allowed 1,229 yards over its final two games, and began this season by surrendering 602 yards to Wyoming. Of course, this year’s defensive unit has 10 freshmen on the two-deep roster, so growing pains are expected.
So, too, is improvement week-to-week, and Pelini saw it in last week’s 56-13 victory over a Southern Miss team that lost its 14th straight game. The Huskers started two true freshmen, Josh Banderas and Nathan Gerry, at linebacker.
“I thought especially the young guys were more comfortable, and they communicated better,” Pelini said.
The challenge will be significantly steeper against a UCLA team that will spread Nebraska out and try to use its speed at the skill positions to win one-on-one battles. One threat is quarterback Brett Hundley, who accounted for 353 total yards in last year’s game.
“We’ve got to lock up the receivers,” Pelini said. “We have to understand he’s going to get out some times, but as long as he’s behind the line of scrimmage, he’s a passing threat. If we’re staring back in the backfield too much, we’re going to get beat. We have to be disciplined in those situations.”
Pelini said he’s not playing the revenge card, and is advising his team to follow suit.
“This will be two different teams and these are two different times,” he said. “It’s really not going to impact this year. At the end of the day I would hope our team is motivated no matter what the situation. It just so happens that we played this team a year ago. If that provides our team with extra motivation, so be it. It’s not about wanting to (get revenge), it’s about doing the things to get prepared for the game.”
Notes: TE Sam Cotton has missed the first two games because of an ankle injury, that after the redshirted freshman from Lincoln was slowed in fall camp by a pulled hamstring. Nebraska, which graduated its top two tight ends from last season, has counted on senior Jake Long and true freshman Cethan Carter. … RB Adam Taylor will redshirt this season. The true freshman from Katy, Texas, had impressed coaches in fall camp, but asked to sit out his first season in the program. Another true freshman, Terrell Newby, has already played as the No. 3 running back.
