Mark Whipple compares relationship with quarterbacks vs wife

Nebraska offensive coordinator Mark Whipple is not known for being cuddly, as he’s clashed with a number of bosses and co-workers in recent years. He’s not much different with his quarterbacks, either — or, apparently, sometimes his wife.

When Whipple was asked recently about motivating and getting on Nebraska’s backup quarterbacks — who have played in lieu of the injured Casey Thompson — he dropped a doozy of a quip.

“It’s a marriage,” Whipple said. “You know, I don’t hug my wife all the time. I don’t hug those guys all the time. But, you know, sometimes you gotta get a message across and they’ve been really good.”

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Whipple’s approach to marital spats aside, he went on to praise how both Chubba Purdy and Logan Smothers have risen to the occasion.

“We have a good room and those guys have been a lot of fun to be around. I’ve seen them grow and seen them take steps forward,” Whipple said. “So, this is the biggest step of their career and going in to Michigan’s not an easy task.”

Whipple continued on the Wolverines, sizing up the task at hand for the Nebraska offense.

“Obviously, this kind of game you probably don’t have, you hope that you don’t have to try to motivate somebody as much. You put the tape on, you watch their numbers, you look at how they play. They’re fast and they’re physical and they have a solid scheme they believe in and playing with a lot of confidence so we gotta find a way to put our best game together on offense,” Whipple said.

He continued: “Probably the disappointing thing last week was the dropped balls in crucial situations that cost us points. If we do that, we won’t have a chance. But if we execute and operate at a good level, then we’ll have a chance to see where this thing goes.”