Check here for live updates from Nebraska's press conference with head coach Mike Riley and new defensive coordinator Bob Diaco today at Memorial Stadium.
The press conference is scheduled to start around 4:30 p.m.
We will also be streaming the event live via Periscope and will have the link pinned to the board shortly before things get underway.
***Mike Riley is now up.
***Riley starts with explaining the decision to fire Mark Banker. He said it got to the point after looking at it "over a long period of time that change was needed" both production-wise and schematically. He said "I grew up in a 3-4" defense and he's excited to bring it to Nebraska.
***Riley said "I didn't like" the manner in which the firing/hiring was made, but it just came down to a timing issue where they had to act.
***Riley said all you need to do is look at Diaco's resume to know how good of a coach he is. Riley coached against Diaco when he was the DC at Cincinnati, so he's know of him for a while.
***Riley said Diaco "was a lot of fun" and a good teacher and coach. He said the decision to hire him "was pretty much a no-brainer for me." The fact that he was a head coach at UConn was a big selling point for Riley.
***Riley said over the next couple of weeks they will go over some names for the 10th assistant coach as a staff. He said he didn't want to get into the details of the process right now, but they have started gathering names and doing research on candidates.
***Bob Diaco is now up.
***Diaco thanks everyone at Nebraska for the opportunity and said this was as smooth of a hiring and interview process as he'd ever experienced. He said one of the most "shocking" aspects of Nebraska is how much of a family environment it was.
***Diaco called coaching at Nebraska was "a spectacular honor" and an "awesome responsibility."
***Diaco said he understands the Midwest and the Big Ten and what it takes to play defense in the Big Ten. He said he has a pretty good perspective on the state of Nebraska and the culture of the football program, particularly what people want from their defense.
***Diaco was asked about being fired at UConn on Dec. 26 and if he ever could have expected to be here today. "Well thanks for ripping that scab off on the first question," he joked.
***Diaco knew he would have opportunities to coach defense at a high level as a coordinator. He said one of the best parts of coaching was the teaching aspect, something that kind of got lost as a head coach. He's excited to get back to that at Nebraska.
***Diaco said he first heard from Nebraska on Wednesday or Thursday of last week. He said before that the only relationship he had with Riley was "just reputation." He said no one has anything but positive things to say about Riley in the coaching profession, so he knew it would be a good situation.
***Diaco said his characteristics as a coach were that he just believes things should be done a certain way, to the point where his family might say he's a bit obsessive-compulsive. He said he loves his players and loves his role as a coach/teacher/mentor. He loves what he does and he loves football, and he operates like that in everything he does. He said his style is detailed and intense, but he doesn't "try to tear people down" with his coaching, including no profanity.
***Diaco said he had other offers to coach after UConn, but didn't consider any of them seriously after he got the offer from Nebraska. He called Nebraska a pinnacle of college football, and then you add in the layer of the Blackshirt tradition, it was an easy decision.
***Diaco said he's watched a little film and started to evaluate the personnel, though admitted it's been a bit overwhelming trying to get to know everyone right away.
***Diaco said he gravitated to a 3-4 scheme back when watching the New York Giants' defenses of the late 1960s and 70s and then into the Bill Parcells era of the Giants. It grew more when he worked under Al Groh, and he also learned from 4-2-5 schemes, which he's blended with the standard 3-4 over the years.
***Diaco called the 3-4 "a fantastic system" that was both effective and efficient. He said it's easier to disguise blitzes, and his favorite part is "block destruction" on the edge.
***Diaco said he was "positive" there were players already in the program that would be excellent fits in his system right now. Obviously going forward they will continue to find guys who fit the traits they're looking for at every position.
***Diaco said he will oversee the entire defense, especially early on during the initial transition. That goes for both the coaches and the players. He said "this needs to be our defense, not just my defense." He said every coach will have a voice as they go, because it's going to take everyone on board to get this thing going.
***Diaco said he will specifically coach the linebackers on a day-to-day basis. The entire linebacker group will work together during "the classroom" and film sessions, but on the field they will likely split between middle and outside linebackers.
***Diaco said he will lean on Riley for how to handle the Blackshirt tradition. He said when the starters are declared at the beginning of the season, that's when the Blackshirts are awarded. He has no plans of changing that.
***Diaco said Bo Pelini was a grad assistant at Iowa when he played there, and he also took an official visit to Nebraska before choosing Iowa. Frank Solich was his lead recruiter, and he said it was basically a coin flip between NU and Iowa. The difference was Nebraska wanted him to play fullback and Iowa wanted him to play linebacker. He wanted to play defense, so he chose Iowa.
That's all for Diaco...
Much more coming from side interviews...
The press conference is scheduled to start around 4:30 p.m.
We will also be streaming the event live via Periscope and will have the link pinned to the board shortly before things get underway.
***Mike Riley is now up.
***Riley starts with explaining the decision to fire Mark Banker. He said it got to the point after looking at it "over a long period of time that change was needed" both production-wise and schematically. He said "I grew up in a 3-4" defense and he's excited to bring it to Nebraska.
***Riley said "I didn't like" the manner in which the firing/hiring was made, but it just came down to a timing issue where they had to act.
***Riley said all you need to do is look at Diaco's resume to know how good of a coach he is. Riley coached against Diaco when he was the DC at Cincinnati, so he's know of him for a while.
***Riley said Diaco "was a lot of fun" and a good teacher and coach. He said the decision to hire him "was pretty much a no-brainer for me." The fact that he was a head coach at UConn was a big selling point for Riley.
***Riley said over the next couple of weeks they will go over some names for the 10th assistant coach as a staff. He said he didn't want to get into the details of the process right now, but they have started gathering names and doing research on candidates.
***Bob Diaco is now up.
***Diaco thanks everyone at Nebraska for the opportunity and said this was as smooth of a hiring and interview process as he'd ever experienced. He said one of the most "shocking" aspects of Nebraska is how much of a family environment it was.
***Diaco called coaching at Nebraska was "a spectacular honor" and an "awesome responsibility."
***Diaco said he understands the Midwest and the Big Ten and what it takes to play defense in the Big Ten. He said he has a pretty good perspective on the state of Nebraska and the culture of the football program, particularly what people want from their defense.
***Diaco was asked about being fired at UConn on Dec. 26 and if he ever could have expected to be here today. "Well thanks for ripping that scab off on the first question," he joked.
***Diaco knew he would have opportunities to coach defense at a high level as a coordinator. He said one of the best parts of coaching was the teaching aspect, something that kind of got lost as a head coach. He's excited to get back to that at Nebraska.
***Diaco said he first heard from Nebraska on Wednesday or Thursday of last week. He said before that the only relationship he had with Riley was "just reputation." He said no one has anything but positive things to say about Riley in the coaching profession, so he knew it would be a good situation.
***Diaco said his characteristics as a coach were that he just believes things should be done a certain way, to the point where his family might say he's a bit obsessive-compulsive. He said he loves his players and loves his role as a coach/teacher/mentor. He loves what he does and he loves football, and he operates like that in everything he does. He said his style is detailed and intense, but he doesn't "try to tear people down" with his coaching, including no profanity.
***Diaco said he had other offers to coach after UConn, but didn't consider any of them seriously after he got the offer from Nebraska. He called Nebraska a pinnacle of college football, and then you add in the layer of the Blackshirt tradition, it was an easy decision.
***Diaco said he's watched a little film and started to evaluate the personnel, though admitted it's been a bit overwhelming trying to get to know everyone right away.
***Diaco said he gravitated to a 3-4 scheme back when watching the New York Giants' defenses of the late 1960s and 70s and then into the Bill Parcells era of the Giants. It grew more when he worked under Al Groh, and he also learned from 4-2-5 schemes, which he's blended with the standard 3-4 over the years.
***Diaco called the 3-4 "a fantastic system" that was both effective and efficient. He said it's easier to disguise blitzes, and his favorite part is "block destruction" on the edge.
***Diaco said he was "positive" there were players already in the program that would be excellent fits in his system right now. Obviously going forward they will continue to find guys who fit the traits they're looking for at every position.
***Diaco said he will oversee the entire defense, especially early on during the initial transition. That goes for both the coaches and the players. He said "this needs to be our defense, not just my defense." He said every coach will have a voice as they go, because it's going to take everyone on board to get this thing going.
***Diaco said he will specifically coach the linebackers on a day-to-day basis. The entire linebacker group will work together during "the classroom" and film sessions, but on the field they will likely split between middle and outside linebackers.
***Diaco said he will lean on Riley for how to handle the Blackshirt tradition. He said when the starters are declared at the beginning of the season, that's when the Blackshirts are awarded. He has no plans of changing that.
***Diaco said Bo Pelini was a grad assistant at Iowa when he played there, and he also took an official visit to Nebraska before choosing Iowa. Frank Solich was his lead recruiter, and he said it was basically a coin flip between NU and Iowa. The difference was Nebraska wanted him to play fullback and Iowa wanted him to play linebacker. He wanted to play defense, so he chose Iowa.
That's all for Diaco...
Much more coming from side interviews...
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