Here is a full recap of Nebraska's weekly press conference, as the Huskers get ready to take on Southern Miss this week.
Head coach Mike Riley will meet with reporters around 11:30 a.m.
***Jordan Westerkamp is up first.
***Westerkamp said the loss was obviously tough, but the key was putting the disappointment behind them and move on. He said they did some good things for Miami, but they obviously have a lot to clean up.
***Westerkamp said drops were something the receivers had to eliminate. He said they work on that every day.
***Westerkamp said the offense started slow and didn't have a lot of energy to open the game. Once they got settled in the offense improved, but they need to be ready to play from the beginning of the game.
***Westerkamp said he was a little surprised he wasn't on the field for the final pass in overtime, but he trusts the coaches that they know what they're doing. "It is what it is."
***Westerkamp said Stanley Morgan continued to show what he's been doing since he got here against Miami. He expects Morgan to only keep getting better as he goes. One thing that has always stood out about Morgan is his confidence for a true freshman.
***Westerkamp said Tommy Armstrong was "pretty upset" after the overtime interception. His message to Armstrong was that everyone made mistakes in the game, and it wasn't just that play that lost them the game.
***That's all for Westerkamp.
***Mike Riley is now up.
***Riley said there was a lot of mixed emotions after a loss like that. The bad start was frustrating, the comeback was encouraging, and the failure to get it done at the end was disappointing.
***Riley said the bad start could be a a result of number of different factors, but none were excuses. He said the fact of the matter was Miami started better and out-played NU right off the bat, and the Huskers were "not in any kind of attack mode".
***Riley said the penalties were maybe the most disappointing aspect of the loss because they are things NU should control.
***Riley said NU's first down defense was very poor, especially early on, but the third down and red zone defenses were actually pretty good.
***Riley said Andy Janovich was maybe "the best special teams player I've ever been around." Janovich had four tackles on special teams in the loss.
***Riley said Michael Rose-Ivey will be out at least four weeks with a groin injury. Vincent Valentine will be week to week with a high ankle sprain.
***Riley said NU is going to "sort this thing out" at cornerback this week. He said there are a handful of guys who can be moved around at CB, nickel and dime, but he isn't ready to name any starters right now.
***Riley said Rose-Ivey's loss was obviously big, but they should be OK with Josh Banderas and Dedrick Young in the nickel and the development of Luke Gifford and Marcus Newby.
***Riley said the penalties have been an on-going thing for NU, with "one group in particular" having more issues than others. The procedural penalties were the most frustrating.
***Riley said the play call on the interception in overtime "was a heck of a call" by Danny Langsdorf and didn't have any issue with the personnel on the field for the play. He said the issue came down to the protection breaking down and forcing him to roll the opposite end of the play.
***Riley said the coaches counted six drops against Miami.
***Riley said Langsdorf has called the majority of the plays this season, but Riley has interjected on a few of them. "I just can't help myself."
***Riley said he's talked with Alex Lewis about his social media blasting of Nebraska fans after the Miami game. Riley said Lewis felt bad about the mistakes he made in the game, but he can't handle things the way he did and "generalize" opinions about the fan base off of social media. Riley said Lewis was "sorry for his response".
***Riley said there is no rule about players not going on social media, but he said "there are consequences" for what he did. Lewis will remain a captain.
***Riley said Daniel Davie has to "fight this thing mentally" with his recent struggles, because confidence is invaluable at the cornerback position.
***Riley said De'Mornay Pierson-El is "getting close" to coming back. He said "everything is progressing without a hitch" and that maybe next Monday they can start talking about him potentially coming back.
***Riley said the best thing NU's team leaders can do right now is lead by example and show to the others that they are engaged in getting ready for Southern Miss. He said he was very confident they would do just that.
***Riley said Southern Miss' defensive line would be a big challenge this week. He said they're a 4-3 base that runs quarters coverage, and "what they do they do well." He said they let the front four do their thing and make plays. USM is a balanced offense that is averaging over 500 yards per game.
***That's all for Riley.
***Alonzo Moore is now up.
***Moore said the team is still all together despite two tough losses. He said the players can't hang their heads and need to get back to work this week.
***Moore said Morgan showed him a lot with his play against Miami. He said it was a great feeling to see a young guy step up in that situation and make the plays he did on Saturday.
***Moore said he's seen a big difference in Armstrong's confidence this year from last season. He said that leadership carries over to the rest of the team and was definitely there during the comeback against Miami.
***Moore said the Huskers "just got to drink our coffee earlier" with an 11 a.m. start. He said he likes the coffee that "wakes you up right away."
***That's all for Moore.
***Tommy Armstrong is now up.
***Armstrong said the team helped him a lot by picking him up after the loss. He said he felt he let the team down with his final interception and he told them he was to blame.
***Armstrong said that last throw was a throw he knows he can make, and he made similar passes earlier in the game. He said Miami's DB made a good play on the ball, but if it had more air under it it would have been a completion or at worst incomplete.
***Armstrong said Southern Miss' defense "threw a lot" at Mississippi State with coverages and blitzes, and NU would have to study them a lot to be prepared for anything.
***Armstrong said his cousin played at Southern Miss and was recent a S&C coach there.
***Armstrong said handling fan trash talk on social media was best done by ignoring it completely and not even responding to it.
***Armstrong said a lot of the times he improvises on plays and scrambles depends on whether the defense is in man or zone coverage. If they're in man, there are a lot more running lanes and opportunities to pick up big yards. Miami was in man a lot in that game, and he took advantage when he figured out they weren't respecting the run.
***That's all for Armstrong.
That wraps up today's press conference. We'll have much more up later on this afternoon as well as more updates from tonight's practice.
Head coach Mike Riley will meet with reporters around 11:30 a.m.
***Jordan Westerkamp is up first.
***Westerkamp said the loss was obviously tough, but the key was putting the disappointment behind them and move on. He said they did some good things for Miami, but they obviously have a lot to clean up.
***Westerkamp said drops were something the receivers had to eliminate. He said they work on that every day.
***Westerkamp said the offense started slow and didn't have a lot of energy to open the game. Once they got settled in the offense improved, but they need to be ready to play from the beginning of the game.
***Westerkamp said he was a little surprised he wasn't on the field for the final pass in overtime, but he trusts the coaches that they know what they're doing. "It is what it is."
***Westerkamp said Stanley Morgan continued to show what he's been doing since he got here against Miami. He expects Morgan to only keep getting better as he goes. One thing that has always stood out about Morgan is his confidence for a true freshman.
***Westerkamp said Tommy Armstrong was "pretty upset" after the overtime interception. His message to Armstrong was that everyone made mistakes in the game, and it wasn't just that play that lost them the game.
***That's all for Westerkamp.
***Mike Riley is now up.
***Riley said there was a lot of mixed emotions after a loss like that. The bad start was frustrating, the comeback was encouraging, and the failure to get it done at the end was disappointing.
***Riley said the bad start could be a a result of number of different factors, but none were excuses. He said the fact of the matter was Miami started better and out-played NU right off the bat, and the Huskers were "not in any kind of attack mode".
***Riley said the penalties were maybe the most disappointing aspect of the loss because they are things NU should control.
***Riley said NU's first down defense was very poor, especially early on, but the third down and red zone defenses were actually pretty good.
***Riley said Andy Janovich was maybe "the best special teams player I've ever been around." Janovich had four tackles on special teams in the loss.
***Riley said Michael Rose-Ivey will be out at least four weeks with a groin injury. Vincent Valentine will be week to week with a high ankle sprain.
***Riley said NU is going to "sort this thing out" at cornerback this week. He said there are a handful of guys who can be moved around at CB, nickel and dime, but he isn't ready to name any starters right now.
***Riley said Rose-Ivey's loss was obviously big, but they should be OK with Josh Banderas and Dedrick Young in the nickel and the development of Luke Gifford and Marcus Newby.
***Riley said the penalties have been an on-going thing for NU, with "one group in particular" having more issues than others. The procedural penalties were the most frustrating.
***Riley said the play call on the interception in overtime "was a heck of a call" by Danny Langsdorf and didn't have any issue with the personnel on the field for the play. He said the issue came down to the protection breaking down and forcing him to roll the opposite end of the play.
***Riley said the coaches counted six drops against Miami.
***Riley said Langsdorf has called the majority of the plays this season, but Riley has interjected on a few of them. "I just can't help myself."
***Riley said he's talked with Alex Lewis about his social media blasting of Nebraska fans after the Miami game. Riley said Lewis felt bad about the mistakes he made in the game, but he can't handle things the way he did and "generalize" opinions about the fan base off of social media. Riley said Lewis was "sorry for his response".
***Riley said there is no rule about players not going on social media, but he said "there are consequences" for what he did. Lewis will remain a captain.
***Riley said Daniel Davie has to "fight this thing mentally" with his recent struggles, because confidence is invaluable at the cornerback position.
***Riley said De'Mornay Pierson-El is "getting close" to coming back. He said "everything is progressing without a hitch" and that maybe next Monday they can start talking about him potentially coming back.
***Riley said the best thing NU's team leaders can do right now is lead by example and show to the others that they are engaged in getting ready for Southern Miss. He said he was very confident they would do just that.
***Riley said Southern Miss' defensive line would be a big challenge this week. He said they're a 4-3 base that runs quarters coverage, and "what they do they do well." He said they let the front four do their thing and make plays. USM is a balanced offense that is averaging over 500 yards per game.
***That's all for Riley.
***Alonzo Moore is now up.
***Moore said the team is still all together despite two tough losses. He said the players can't hang their heads and need to get back to work this week.
***Moore said Morgan showed him a lot with his play against Miami. He said it was a great feeling to see a young guy step up in that situation and make the plays he did on Saturday.
***Moore said he's seen a big difference in Armstrong's confidence this year from last season. He said that leadership carries over to the rest of the team and was definitely there during the comeback against Miami.
***Moore said the Huskers "just got to drink our coffee earlier" with an 11 a.m. start. He said he likes the coffee that "wakes you up right away."
***That's all for Moore.
***Tommy Armstrong is now up.
***Armstrong said the team helped him a lot by picking him up after the loss. He said he felt he let the team down with his final interception and he told them he was to blame.
***Armstrong said that last throw was a throw he knows he can make, and he made similar passes earlier in the game. He said Miami's DB made a good play on the ball, but if it had more air under it it would have been a completion or at worst incomplete.
***Armstrong said Southern Miss' defense "threw a lot" at Mississippi State with coverages and blitzes, and NU would have to study them a lot to be prepared for anything.
***Armstrong said his cousin played at Southern Miss and was recent a S&C coach there.
***Armstrong said handling fan trash talk on social media was best done by ignoring it completely and not even responding to it.
***Armstrong said a lot of the times he improvises on plays and scrambles depends on whether the defense is in man or zone coverage. If they're in man, there are a lot more running lanes and opportunities to pick up big yards. Miami was in man a lot in that game, and he took advantage when he figured out they weren't respecting the run.
***That's all for Armstrong.
That wraps up today's press conference. We'll have much more up later on this afternoon as well as more updates from tonight's practice.
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