Isaac Gifford pulls back curtain on Nebraska's standard: 'We make it hard for a reason'

As Nebraska heads into Year 2 under coach Matt Rhule, the expectations have been established and the program is beginning to run itself.

Veterans are helping take on the burden of getting the team fully up to speed, whether that’s in the offseason strength and conditioning program or in the film room. All of it is designed to push.

To push players to their limits and beyond, so they can wring every last ounce of production out of the raw talent on the roster.

That can be especially challenging on the younger players and newcomers, who may not be used to the way Rhule wants to run things in his Nebraska program.

“I think they’ve responded in a great way,” defensive back Isaac Gifford said at Big Ten Media Days. “They bought in, right away. It’s not an easy thing to do, to come here to Nebraska and go through what we go through in the offseason. We make it hard for a reason. We make it so guys see, ‘OK, this is the kind of work we’re going to put in for the type of season we want to have.'”

Whether that comes to full fruition remains to be seen.

Gifford plans to do his part, an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection a year ago after leading the team in tackles in 2023. Of course, that example he sets will be just as key as what he does on the field.

Nebraska aiming to cut down on turnovers

There’s a relatively simple way for Nebraska to field a higher win total than it did a year ago, when it won five games. Just don’t turn the ball over so much.

The Cornhuskers finished second-to-last in turnover margin at -17, fumbling 30 times (15 lost) and throwing 16 interceptions. Those figures must improve if Nebraska hopes to make any sort of tangible progress under Rhule.

The good news is the team has harped on ball security relentlessly this offseason and Rhule sees signs of improvement already.

“The number one thing is the players believing,” Rhule said. “When the player starts seeing Gabe [Ervin Jr.] run with the ball like this — and they start saying like, ‘Oh, high and tight.’ That’s where it changes, or guys will even start getting on each other because we’re not punching at the ball. That’s what starts to change.

“And so I believe that our players — I keep telling them everything you go through in life prepares you for something unless you ignore it. Losing all those close games last year — and some of them have done in multiple years — and having a -17 turnover ratio. If that would have been even we might have won nine games. It’s ridiculous. And I don’t think we were necessarily a nine-win team, but that speaks to the credit of a lot of good things we did. But one thing messed it up. We’ll fix it.”