LINCOLN — Nebraska has an important week ahead, not just because Big Ten play starts with Rutgers visiting but also what the Huskers need to fix before Saturday.
Including, perhaps, their own psyche.
“You wouldn’t be human if doubt didn’t creep in after something like that,” Riley said Monday at his weekly press conference. “That’s where the adults, the coaches in the room, have to help these guys.”
Nebraska slipped to 1-2 after being upset 21-17 at home by Northern Illinois on Saturday. That followed the disappointing loss at Oregon in which NU fell behind 42-14 at halftime.
The 1-2 start is the second in three years since Riley replaced Bo Pelini as head coach. But the loss to Northern Illinois definitely could land a heavier thud than what happened at Oregon.
“The big battle, as everybody knows, is getting the mind in the right place,” Riley said. “We’ve got a great, great group of kids – they have the best of intentions – and we just have to help them in how they’re doing, and give them concrete stuff to get better.”
Riley came back to that later, saying: “The biggest motivator for these guys right now will be information on how this thing will work.”
Among the things that Nebraska will evaluate this week, Riley said, is how it prepares for a game. When something falls apart, he said, you go back and look at how it was put together.
In addition to having a great support system around him in the NU football office, also of value to Riley, he said, will be his many years in the coaching business.
“I have been around a while, so I’ve seen good times and I’ve seen hard times,” he said. “I feel good about that, that we can do better. We can help these kids, we can play better than that, and that can result in winning.”
Other notes and items from Riley on Monday:
>> Although Nebraska has struggled in the first half, Riley said a slow start wasn’t the problem Saturday. It was an interception return for a touchdown by NIU – at the end of a promising drive – that put the Huskers in a 7-0 hole instead of possibly taking a 7-0 or 3-0 lead.
> Two things that stood out to Riley: Nebraska not getting the stop it needed after taking a 17-14 lead, and then not being able to put together a winning drive after the Huskies scored. “All hard, rough stuff we need to fix,” he said.
> Riley said he will not be taking over the play-calling duties.
>> Speaking about offensive line play, Riley said it comes back to technique of play and/or assignment.
>> Riley said he didn’t have any specific thoughts on Athletic Director Shawn Eichorst’s interview and comments after the game Saturday. Riley said it was probably just an “honest reaction” to what he saw. “None of us like this, right?” Riley said.
>> Asked about any possible shakeups to the NU lineup anywhere, Riley said that would only be “by injury right now.” But, Riley added, “We’re certainly looking at anybody who’s competing to get in and play. That is kind of always the case.”
>> On the injury front, outside linebacker Marcus Newby is dealing with a hamstring injury and won’t play Saturday. Also, Riley said offensive tackle Matt Farniok has a broken bone in his wrist, but might be “available for some duty” through the week.
>> I-back Tre Bryant and safety Joshua Kalu remain questionable. Offensive tackle David Knevel also sat out against Northern Illinois, but Riley said there’s a chance the right tackle is able to do some things this week.
>> With Knevel and Farniok both banged up, Riley said true freshman Brenden Jaimes and sophomore Christian Gaylord become options at tackle.
>> Getting more from the run game, I-back Mikale Wilbon said, is very important after the Huskers were held under 100 yards by Northern Illinois.
