Notebook: Ryan Walters doesn't 'like that N' on Nebraska's helmet, 'can't stand that color'
Nebraska. The name. The school’s red primary color. The block “N” on the helmet. The entire Cornhusker visage makes Ryan Walters uneasy.
Can you blame the Purdue first-year coach?
Walters grew up in Boulder, Colo., the son of a former football player at Colorado, whose chief Big Eight tormentor often was Nebraska. Walters went on to play for the Buffaloes, too, where his ire for Nebraska grew in Big 12 battles.
“Obviously, grew up a fan at Colorado, my dad playing there, and that was the hated rivalry, right?” said Walters. “And so you remove yourself from that as a coach, and the first time I got to play against Nebraska again was in 2021, my first season at Illinois. I just remember them running out of the tunnel in Champaign and the feelings just come back, right?”
Walters will have those feelings again when he faces off vs. the Cornhuskers as a head coach on Saturday in Lincoln at 3:30 p.m. CT on FS1.
“It’s like, man, I really can’t stand that color,” said Walters. “Don’t like that ‘N’ on the helmet. And so definitely this has been a big week. We’ve explained to the guys how crazy it gets out there. They are die-hard fans, win, lose, or draw, so we’re looking forward to a great venue to play a competitive and tough football game.”
• Devin Mockobee has some mojo going.
He’s coming off his first 100-yard rushing effort of the season, running for 110 yards vs. Ohio State. In the last three games, Mockobee has rushed for 266 yards. He ranks No. 5 in the Big Ten in rushing (68.9 ypg), finding his groove after dealing with fumbling issues early on.
“I feel like I found my rhythm, just day-to-day especially going into practice,” he said. “We’re falling back on fundamentals, it’s been doing me really well. Just hope to continue from here on.”
He’ll look to pick up where he left off vs. Nebraska last year, when he ran for a Purdue freshman single-game record 178 yards as the Boilermakers finished with 217 yards on the ground in a 43-37 win in West Lafayette.
“Hopefully, we can have another repeat,” said Mockobee. “That’d be pretty nice.”
Is Mockobee worried about facing a Husker defense that ranks No. 4 in the nation vs. the run (76.6 ypg)?
“It’s never really been an issue for me, personally,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “because that’s not something I ever focus on because I think at the end of the day, football is football.”
• Purdue DC/LB Kevin Kane has a good memory from playing Nebraska.
Back in 2005, he was a Jayhawk linebacker who rambled 40 yards with a pick-six of a Zac Taylor pass, the final punch in a 40-15 KU victory that ended the Cornhuskers’ 36-game winning streak vs. Kansas.
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“My roommate tackled me in the end zone and I got flagged for doing a somersault,” said Kane. “I got a personal foul. Coach (Mark) Mangino, actually he didn’t care at that point.”
Said Mangino this week: “True. That about put the game away. I did remind him in the Sunday meeting!”
• Purdue has won its last two games at Nebraska, the last two meetings overall and four of the last five encounters.
• S Cam Allen picked off a pass at Nebraska in Purdue’s last trip to Lincoln. He’s No. 3 all-time in picks for the Boilermakers with 12.
• Has Mockobee–a noted gear head–done any auto work for teammates of late?
“I’ve done a couple batteries,” he said. “I’ve done a brake job. Someone did ask me about their spark plugs, but they were fine.”
• Ryan Walters coached against Matt Rhule in 2014 when Walters was cornerbacks coach of Memphis and Rhule was head coach of Temple. The Owls won, 16-13.
• OLBs Kydran Jenkins and Nic Scourton have combined for the most sacks (9.5) of any duo in the Big Ten.
MORE: Purdue freshman S Dillon Thieneman plays with senior savvy | Matchup preview: Purdue at Nebraska | In the huddle: WR Mershawn Rice | Opponent view: Nerbaska | Move to Purdue, Big Ten not too big for former NAIA golfer Ben Farrell | The 3-2-1: Peek at future | Coming off bye, Purdue in ‘playoff mode’ as it makes postseason push | First and 10: Purdue at Nebraska | First look: Nebraska
