LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said he believes bigger is better in the secondary against seventh-ranked Wisconsin.
The No. 8 Cornhuskers made changes at three of the four positions in last week’s 38-14 victory at Wyoming, hoping it will help shut down the Badgers’ receivers Saturday night.
The receiving corps include 6-foot-3, 220-pound star Nick Toon, who matched his career high with seven catches for a career-best 155 yards and two touchdowns against South Dakota last week. Jared Abbrederis, at 6-2 and 180, has 15 catches for 233 yards and 6-4, 220-pound tight end Jacob Pedersen has 11 for 175 yards.
“These coaches aren’t scared to switch it up,” Huskers free safety Austin Cassidy said. “If something’s not working, or something’s not working as well as they want it to, they’re going to be willing to switch it up at any time.” And they did.
Corey Cooper is the Huskers’ new right cornerback, a position he has never played. At 6-1, 210 pounds, he is an inch taller and 20 pounds heavier than the guy he replaced, Andrew Green.
At left cornerback, 5-10, 205-pound Alfonzo Dennard, who missed the first three games because of injury, replaced 5-11, 185-pound Ciante Evans in a move that was expected.
Daimion Stafford, at 6-1, 210 pounds, started last week’s game at nickel back for the first time. His spot at strong safety was filled by 6-2, 210-pound P.J. Smith.
The Huskers were 80th in pass efficiency defense after the first three games, giving up 233 yards a game and six touchdown passes. Green was beaten repeatedly, and Evans played extremely soft coverage.
Pelini said he wants his defensive backs to challenge receivers.
“You put Dennard and Coop and Daimion out there together, that’s a pretty physical defensive backfield,” he said. “That’s what we lack at times is aggression — getting on bodies and getting hands on people.”
Wisconsin’s balanced offense presents a huge challenge.
Montee Ball and James White are averaging 90 and 76 yards a game, respectively, after each went over 900 yards last season. Quarterback Russell Wilson, a North Carolina State transfer and former Rockies minor-leaguer, is second nationally in pass efficiency and is an explosive runner.
“Anytime you have a great running game, if you have a quarterback who is as good as he is, they force you to defend the run and put a lot of pressure on your defensive backs,” Pelini said. “You need them in run support but at the same time they have to be disciplined in their keys and cover their guys.”
