Rhule Explains Message to Team Ahead of Spring Game

Nebraska Head Coach Matt Rhule met with members of the media following Saturday's spring practice, as the Huskers wrapped of their 12th of 15 spring practices.  Rhule discussed what was accomplished today, a week ahead of the Red-White Spring Game.
 
"We got a lot done," he said. "It was significantly improved by the defense. I was disappointed we put the ball on the ground too much offensively and special teams-wise. As you install sometimes and put new plays in, guys start to focus on the plays and not the details and fundamentals which is kind of my job.
 
"I was really happy to get out there and scrimmage in that weather. I told the guys on offense, 'In your minds, you're at Michigan State late in the year and it's cold.' On defense, I told the guys 'Hey you're playing Iowa at home the day after Thanksgiving.' I am always trying to cast a vision… I was really happy with their demeanor and the way they attacked it. I just didn't love the fact that the offense put the ball on the ground too many times… happy that the defense knocked the ball out though."
 
Rhule explained his message to the team ahead of the spring game.
 
"I talked about the spring game today with the guys," he said.  "I wanted to make sure they understand that this is not a show…I expect them to get better until whatever time the spring game is. Whenever that is over, they can relax and that is when the coaches can relax. I expect us to go out there and accelerate and put our foot on the gas pedal this entire week. I am kind of one of those guys where I always have themes. I am just trying to push these themes on the guys of just continuously grinding.
 
"It is a very happy place. We have a great fan base. We have a great everything. I just want to make sure they understand that we are 4-8. It is not a negative thing. We have to earn the right to say we are a good team. We have to fight to be a good team. I tell the guys sometimes that the hardest thing to do is to stay the heavyweight champion. You fight and grind to get there and you are so hungry to get there and sometimes you get there and you relax. I don't want our guys relaxing. I don't want our staff relaxing. Whether that's recruiting, whether that's football, I think we have a tendency to be like, 'Well things are going to be better now.' You have to make them better. You have to fight. We are not a great team yet. I want us to be a great team and they want to be a great team. That is my message."  
 
Rhule emphasized the importance of ball security in overall success.
 
"I think we are further ahead than I thought we would be," Rhule said.  "If everything is important then nothing is important. You make an emphasis early on on ball security and on taking the ball away and everyone is doing it at a high level. Then as coaches, you watch the tape and keep correcting all these little things and sometimes forget the big things and the things we say really matters. We won't win at the level we want to win if we turn the ball over. We will win if we don't turn the ball over and vice versa on defense."
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
The Huskers will take the field on Saturday for the annual Red-White Spring Game presented by FNBO. The scrimmage is set for April 22, at 1 p.m. (CT). Tickets for the Spring Game can be purchased on Huskers.com or by calling 1-800-8-BIG RED.