Quinton Newsome says Nebraska defense has handled install well

One of the first big moves Matt Rhule made after getting hired as the Nebraska head coach was bringing in Tony White from Syracuse to be the defensive coordinator and run the 3-3-5. It’s been a schematic pivot, but one that has gone smoothly, according to veteran defensive back Quinton Newsome.

Speaking with media after the Nebraska spring game, Newsome explained how such a drastic scheme overhaul has been relative painless. Mostly, he said, it stems from a willingness to grind film and study the nuances with coaches.

“I would say everybody is very comfortable with the install, all the new things we have going on. Whether it’s the young guys who need to watch more film and get in more with their coaches, that’s not a problem for this team right now. A lot of people are wanting to watch film and learn the things that they don’t know that’s going on. So, I would say if somebody makes a mistake, the next day they’re going to have it fixed,’ Newsome said.

With the 3-3-5, the hope is that the Cornhuskers can be more disruptive on defense. In 2022, in 12 games, Nebraska gave up 414.4 yards per game in total defense, ranking No. 100 nationally. The defense generated just 21 sacks, tied for No. 99 in the country. They had just 16 takeaways, setting up a -3 turnover margin on the season.

If all goes well and the talent falls into place, the 3-3-5 scheme can have the Nebraska defense making a bigger splash in 2023.

Transfer EDGE MJ Sherman weighed the balance of scheme vs. talent making an impact on the field

With the ability to be multiple and attack offenses from unorthodox spots and angles, the 3-3-5 can be a highly effective scheme.

But Sherman knows it really comes down to players making plays on the football field. No amount of scheme overcomes that.

“To be frankly honest, the coaches can only do so much when it comes to scheme and everything like that. You can have the best defensive scheme, you can have the best game plan for any offense, but if the players ain’t there to execute, it wouldn’t mean nothing,” Sherman said. “So it really just boils down to execution. I think that’s why I really just pride myself on making sure I’m in the right spot, right alignment, making sure I do everything right.”