Huskers battling through the thick of preseason camp

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) - Nebraska wrapped up its 12th practice of August camp on Tuesday. While the season opener is in sight, with UTEP coming to Lincoln in just three Saturdays, the Huskers still have two and a half weeks of camp followed by a regular week of game prep before taking the field at Memorial Stadium.

“It’s just that week of camp where you’re trying not only to challenge them physically because you’re hitting that mark where their bodies are beat up,” said defensive coordinator Tony White.

The biggest test for players right now is managing their fatigue physically and mentally, just like they would have to in a game.

“This is when your body starts to shut down. [Camp] gets to playing with your head, your mind gets to wandering off, but like Coach Rhule said, you have to double down to the process, buy into what he’s talking about,” said sophomore linebacker Princewill Umanmielen.

“I do genuinely believe that this is the time when you find out who your real players are. Like who will really go to bat for you, who’s going to [on] fourth down get you a sack or a big TFL against Illinois on the one-yard line,” James Williams, defensive line.

After the Huskers’ first team scrimmage on Saturday, White was left less than impressed with the defense’s tackling.

“You want to see the things you practice and preach every day you want to see it show up on the grass live,” said White. “Get the coaches out of there, get all the cameras out of there and let them play ball and it didn’t show up like it needed to.”

“You see guys do things a little bit different when the lights come on,” said linebackers coach Rob Dvoracek. “It goes back to the training and putting them in those situations so that we allow them to execute when the time comes.”

Nebraska kicks off the season on Saturday, August 31st at 2:30 p.m. at home against UTEP.