2013 NEBRASKA FOOTBALL | INTRO | THIS IS NEBRASKA | COACHES | 2013 HUSKERS | REVIEW | RECORDS | HISTORY HISTORY | ADMINISTRATION | MEDIA | / / / / / / / / / /// // 10 \\\ \\\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ HUSKERS.COMHUSKERS.COM | INTRO | THIS IS NEBRASKA RETURNING PRODUCTION The Husker defense will feature plenty of young earned Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week honors in his Tackles 33.9% talent in 2013, as the unit must replace seven senior only start of the 2012 season against Michigan. Solo Tackles 38.7% starters from last fall. Nebraska returns a total of 10 Up front, senior Jason Ankrah returns to anchor Tackles for Loss 27.5% players who earned at least one start last season, and Nebraska’s defensive line. Ankrah posted two sacks Sacks 24.2% the Huskers have a strong group of young, athletic and six TFLs from his defensive end spot in 2012. Interceptions 30.8% defenders ready to make their mark this fall. Classmate Thad Randle, promising underclassmen Pass Breakups 51.8% The 2013 defense is led by a nucleus of five players Aaron Curry, Avery Moss and Kevin Williams and Fumble Recoveries 20.0% who were in the starting lineup together six times several talented newcomers should add depth and Fumbles Forced 30.8% last season. Included in those six games were holding contribute to a defensive line that has produced an Quarterback Hurries 31.8% | a potent Arkansas State offense to a season-low All-American in two of the last four years. Defensive Touchdowns 67.0% COACHES point total, limiting both Michigan and Minnesota to fewer than 100 yards passing and rushing and HIGHLIGHTING THE HUSKER holding a ranked Northwestern squad to 14 first DEFENSE downs, its second-lowest total of the season despite » Nebraska, which returns the majority of its RETURNING LEADERS extra possessions from three Husker fumbles. secondary, led the nation in opponent completion Tackles Ciante Evans (56) Solo Tackles Ciante Evans (38) | The strength of the 2013 Husker defense will percentage in 2012, allowing opposing 2013 HUSKERS be the secondary, the most experienced position quarterbacks to complete only 47.1 percent of Tackles for Loss Jason Ankrah (6) group. Nebraska must replace both starting their passes. Sacks Jason Ankrah (2.0) safeties from last fall, but the Huskers return every » The Huskers also ranked fourth nationally in pass Ciante Evans (2.0) cornerback who started a game in 2012, a group defense (168.1 yards allowed per game) and ninth Interceptions S. Jean-Baptiste (2) that includes four players who have combined to in pass efficiency defense (105.32) in 2012. Pass Breakups S. Jean-Baptiste (9) start 57 career games. » With the secondary coming in as the most Fumble Recoveries Harvey Jackson (1) The secondary is highlighted by senior Ciante experienced group on the Husker defense, Thad Randle (1) Evans, a first-team All-Big Ten pick in 2012 who is Nebraska will aim to rank in the top 10 nationally Fumbles Forced Jason Ankrah (2) one of the league’s most versatile defenders. Evans in pass efficiency defense for the fourth time in Quarterback Hurries Ciante Evans (4) | REVIEW (pictured) saw action at corner and as the Huskers’ the past five years in 2013. NU will also look to Defensive TDs Ciante Evans (1) nickle back in 2012, totaling 56 tackles, three TFLs, rank among the top 10 nationally in pass defense S. Jean-Baptiste (1) 3.0 sacks, eight pass breakups and one interception, this fall for the third time in the last five seasons. which he returned 29 yards for a touchdown. » Nine of the 13 members of Nebraska’s regular While Evans is NU’s top returning tackler, senior secondary rotation from 2012 are back, including | RETURNING CAREER STARTS RECORDS cornerback Andrew Green has started 22 career six players who started at least one game last fall. Andrew Green, CB 22 games in the Husker secondary, the most starts of » Nebraska’s defense had a knack for producing Ciante Evans, CB 20 any Blackshirt. He totaled 50 tackles last fall while points of its own last season, tying for the Big Jason Ankrah, DE 18 breaking up three passes and adding three TFLs. Ten lead with three interception returns for Josh Mitchell, CB 9 Senior Stanley Jean-Baptiste and junior Josh touchdowns. The Huskers hope that trend Stanley Jean-Baptiste, CB 6 Mitchell round out Nebraska’s group of talented continues this fall, as both Evans and Jean- Thad Randle, DT 6 | cornerbacks with starting experience. Jean-Baptiste Baptiste returned a pick for a touchdown in 2012. HISTORY Corey Cooper, S 4 intercepted a pair of passes and notched nine other » The Huskers return five players who intercepted a Harvey Jackson, S 1 pass breakups in 2012, while Mitchell added five pass or recovered a fumble in 2012, when Nebraska Zaire Anderson, LB 1 pass breakups and 29 tackles. ranked third in the Big Ten by forcing 23 turnovers. David Santos, LB 1 At linebacker, Nebraska must replace all three » Nebraska also led the Big Ten in pass defense and starters. Aiding that transition will be the return of pass efficiency defense in 2012, while ranking | Zaire Anderson, a junior college All-American who second in sacks (31). ADMINISTRATION played in just three games as a newcomer in 2012 » Overall, Nebraska returns 10 defensive players before suffering a season-ending injury. Sophomore with starting experience, including three players David Santos brings play-making potential to the who have made at least 18 career starts. linebacking corps, as he recorded 10 tackles and | “Nebraska is the best MEDIA place in America to | play defense. I can’t say more about our coaches than what I know in my heart— they are the best.” Ndamukong Suh 2009 Heisman Finalist / / / / / / / / / /// // 11 \\\ \\\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ 2013 NEBRASKA FOOTBALL | INTRO | THIS IS NEBRASKA | COACHES | 2013 HUSKERS | REVIEW | One of the Huskers’ most well-known traditions is the Blackshirts, which has become the NEBRASKA BLACKSHIRTS common nickname for Nebraska’s defensive unit. The term originally dates back to the early RECORDS The Blackshirt defense has thrived under the direction of Head Coach Bo Pelini and his | 1960s and refers to the black jerseys that Nebraska’s first-string defenders wear in practice. defensive staff. With the return of the two-platoon system in college football in 1964, Head Coach Bob » Pelini made his mark as defensive coordinator in 2003. Nebraska forced a school-record Devaney looked for a way to distinguish the defensive units on the practice fields. Devaney 47 turnovers that season, including a Big 12 record 32 interceptions. Nebraska finished dispatched Assistant Coach Mike Corgan to a local sporting goods store to find some second nationally in total defense in 2003, and 16 Blackshirts from that defense went on “contrast jerseys,” a sleeveless pullover that went on top of the players’ practice jerseys. to play in the NFL. While the top offensive unit practiced in red jerseys and the second-string offense worked HISTORY HISTORY » In Pelini’s first season as head coach in 2008, the Blackshirts were among the nation’s | in green pullovers, the first string defense wore black pullovers and the second string wore most improved defenses. The Huskers finished second in the Big 12 in total defense, the contrasting gold jerseys. allowing 126.9 fewer yards per game than in 2007. The term quickly caught on, and gained momentum during Monte Kiffin’s tenure as » In 2009, Nebraska had a dominant defensive unit. The Huskers led the nation in scoring defensive coordinator in the mid-1970s, before the Blackshirts earned national acclaim under defense, limiting foes to 13 or fewer points 10 times in 14 games. Nebraska finished Charlie McBride, who served as the Huskers’ defensive coordinator from 1982 to 1999. The seventh in total defense that season. Blackshirts will celebrate their 50th season in 2013. » The 2010 Blackshirts ranked in the top 12 nationally in four statistical categories, including third in pass efficiency defense, ninth in scoring defense and 11th in total defense. Blackshirt TRADITION » The 2011 Nebraska defense featured Lavonte David, who was named Big Ten Linebacker » Nebraska has ranked in the top 10 nationally in total defense 22 times since 1964. of the Year and Alfonzo Dennard, who was Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year. » Nebraska has ranked among the nation’s top 10 in all four major defensive categories » The 2012 Nebraska defense led the nation in opponent pass completion percentage at 47 ADMINISTRATION | (rush defense, pass defense, total defense and scoring defense) on five occasions, percent. Only one other school held its opponent below 50 percent passing. including 2009 and national title seasons in 1994, 1995 and 1997. from left to right: Grant Wistrom, Mike Brown, Ndamukong Suh, Barrett Ruud and Lavonte David MEDIA | / / / / / / / / / /// // 12 \\\ \\\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ HUSKERS.COM | Prominent Pupils Coached by Pelini THE PELINI Factor INTRO » Deion Sanders, CB, San Francisco 49ers Bo Pelini’s college defenses have a history of dominance, not only at Nebraska, but also in his time as defensive coordinator » Merton Hanks, CB, San Francisco 49ers at LSU and Oklahoma. Pelini-led defenses have been a fixture in the top 10 of numerous national categories. » Ted Johnson, LB, New England Patriots During his time as Nebraska head coach, Pelini and his defensive staff have helped re-establish the Blackshirts as one | » Tedy Bruschi, LB, New England Patriots of the nation’s top defenses. Nebraska’s combined defensive statistics from 2009 to 2012 stack up favorably in the nation. THIS IS NEBRASKA » Nai’l Diggs, LB, Green Bay Packers Pelini’s players have also flourished in the defensive system, including: » Demorrio Williams, LB, Nebraska » In the past five seasons, a Nebraska defensive lineman has topped 15 TFL in a season five times, including twice each by » Josh Bullocks, FS, Nebraska Ndamukong Suh and Jared Crick.