Thursday, December 30
Cornhuskers say Tennessee offense is impressive
Associated Press
TEMPE, Ariz. -- There's very little trash talk between
Nebraska and Tennessee heading into the Fiesta Bowl.
In fact, the word coming from the players most frequently seems
to be respect, and not in the sense the teams aren't getting any.
"Off the field, football doesn't have an effect on either
team," Nebraska linebacker Eric Johnson said Tuesday. "For the
most part, they're cool and we're cool. We know that we're playing
each other and we're just going to leave all that up to what
happens on the field."
Tennessee, which lost to the Huskers 42-17 in the Orange Bowl
two years ago to give the Huskers a share of the national title,
isn't even talking much about revenge. Going undefeated last season
and winning the national championship helped the No. 6 Volunteers
(9-2) get over it.
"We've both been there before. We've both acquired a national
title," Johnson said. "There's no trash talking. We both respect
each other as teams."
The No. 3 Cornhuskers (11-1) say with All-SEC Tee Martin at
quarterback, a big and athletic offensive line and a running back
tandem of Jamal Lewis and Travis Henry, the Vols are more stocked
offensively than any team Nebraska has faced.
"They can run, they're strong. They're very, very physical,"
Nebraska defensive coordinator Charlie McBride said of Tennessee's
front five. "When you look at a team like Texas, you're looking at
guys who are 340 -- one guy is 6-6 and 365 -- but they don't have the
athletic ability that this Tennessee line has."
The Tennessee line protects Martin, who took over for Peyton
Manning last season and led the Vols to their second national
title. With close losses to Florida (23-21) and Arkansas (28-24),
Tennessee wasn't far from getting a shot at a repeat.
"A few breaks didn't go their way. I know that to be in a
national championship you've got to be lucky sometimes and we've
been lucky in doing that," McBride said. "When you look at five
or six points off of being in the big show, they have the definite
ability to be there. There's no question."
Nebraska is worried about Martin, who saw a little bit of mop-up
time two years ago in the Orange Bowl. Martin, replacing the senior
Manning, was 4-for-4 for 25 yards and a touchdown in that game.
"He moved the ball on us late in the game," Nebraska defensive
back Mike Brown said. "We talked about that after the game -- maybe
it would have been a different game if he was in the game."
Nebraska shut down All-Big 12 quarterback Major Applewhite in a
22-6 win over Texas in the Big 12 championship Dec. 4. The Huskers
sacked Applewhite seven times and held him to fewer than 200 yards
passing for the first time as a starter.
Applewhite is a drop-back passer. Martin can run.
"Tee's been the kind of guy that can come out of the pocket and
beat you that way," McBride said. "He's come around the corner
and if he doesn't see anything open, he's going to take off with
it.
"With the blitz package and things we've got to be careful,"
he said. "When you start putting pressure on people, you're liable
to hit the wrong button and they're out of the gate."
Nebraska is ready to get a shot at Martin, or anyone clad in
something other than scarlet and cream, linebacker Carlos Polk
said.
"We had some guys who were a little nicked up and it gave them
time to heal," Polk said. "It's been good in that sense of it,
but hitting each other every day -- it gets kind of boring.
"We're ready for some fresh meat."
