Lateef's Feet

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yeah, at six forty eight, it was Rady eleven to
ten kfab Sports Brief, the Husker Buzz edition where Sean
Callahan our Husker Insider live and Lincoln and in for
Rosi here Scott.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Moorhies, Sean, I've heard you say that there could be
a whole lot of UCLA fans at this game. How
come the Bruins aren't pulling fans?

Speaker 3 (00:17):
Well, they've never really pulled fans, and they play in
a stadium that's, you know, far too big, and they
got a fan base pride the size of Northwesterns. A
lot of weeks and you know, they play in one
hundred seed or ninety some thousand seed venue in the
Rose Bowl. There was actually even a report this year
they were trying to get out of their lease and
possibly play at Sofi Stadium, and they, you know, city

(00:41):
of Pasadena has bent over and really done everything they
can to upgrade the Rose Bowl and do all they
can for UCLA. But yeah, they play about an hour
forty five minutes from campus, which in LA traffic they
could be a lot worse, and they just never have drawn.
But especially right now with how they're struggling, the coaching change,

(01:03):
so it's kind of turned into one of these road
trip destinations. I use the Northwestern example. Back before Northwestern
was very good, you'd always see, you know, the big
fan bases fill their stadium like Nebraska. This will be
no different. And every time Nebraska guys has gone west,
whether it's Oregon, Washington, UCLA, USC, Fresno State, even cal

(01:23):
back in nineteen ninety eight, they have always traveled in
big numbers.

Speaker 1 (01:28):
Well, t J.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
Latif his family. If you're back home, they don't have
too far to go. He and I have a lot
in common. He's from Compton, California. I'm from Ralston, Nebraska,
practically the same upbringing. So are we expecting to see
a lot of Latifs.

Speaker 3 (01:45):
Yeah, sorry, yeah latif Yeah. I think they're going to
do what they can to build this game plan around
this strength. For you know, a week ago with Dylan,
they they they both build it for him and he
had to come in the game in that situation. So
now you know it's not Dylan, and I think for

(02:06):
Dana Holgerson, you can approach this week way different. Because
Dylan Royola could get up to the line of scrimmage,
he can make a lot of reads, checks and calls
on his own and and TJ is not going to
be able to do that at that level. So for
this game plan, I'd imagine it's going to be much
more controlled by Dana and and and what they're doing
in the checks and the reads. And you know, I'll

(02:28):
be interested how quick they get TJ up to the
line of scrimmage so the booths or sideline can kind
of interact with him, you know, just to kind of
put him in the right situations. But you know, UCLA
interim coaching staff on their own side as well. But
they've had a bye week, but part of that bye
week was probably spent preparing for Dylan Royola. So I

(02:48):
don't look at the bye week as a huge advantage
for them because they haven't had two weeks to look
or prepare for t DA latif Sean.

Speaker 1 (02:55):
You you track these guys through high school and recruiting process,
then they get on campus and you're close. How do
you read TJ Latief as far as his transition to
QB one, Well, he played.

Speaker 3 (03:07):
In a high level program Warns Lutheran in California, so
his level of play coming in was outstanding. He got
here a year Early graduated in December and was able
to arrive for the bowl game. So even this year's recruits,
the Early and Rollies, this year, they too will be
able to graduate and get here for a bull practice
for a few weeks. They can't play, whether they can

(03:29):
be a part of the week or two of practices
in Lincoln. So very mature has gone about his business
the right way and he played a high level football.
I think that's shown early on with how he's handled this.
You know, this is just not your typical true freshman,
and I think a lot of it's because of the
level football he's played.

Speaker 2 (03:48):
Well, you have to and this is going to show
the coaching. You've got to coach up your backup quarterback,
backup quarterback has to be ready to go in. It
seemed to me that he was so nervous after he
got in against USC in that second half that at
one point he had trouble getting his mouthpiece in. But
after that he kind of cal him down and showed
us as he has earlier this season. He's not only

(04:10):
a good runner, he's got a ton of arm strength,
doesn't he?

Speaker 3 (04:13):
Oh, no doubt. I mean our arm's not an issue.
I think it's just you know, the fear of reading
the defense correctly and in the field correctly, and you
know the deep shots that you saw him take or
plays generally where they pre snap red and single high
safety and he just threw it deep to the one
on one rattles or tough throws to make. But I

(04:34):
think they'll be careful. They're just going to put him
out there and have him throw it up over the safeties.
But I do watch. I think the safety is how
they play Nebraska should be different. With Dylan. The safety's
played deep a lot, making it hard to even get
down the field. I think with Latifa out, their respect
is running a little bit more, and watching the safeties
early in this game will be worth noting to see

(04:55):
kind of how they're defending Nebraska.

Speaker 1 (04:56):
He's our Husker insider Sean Callahan every morning