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Friends could clash when Huskers play Tigers
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
By Bob Hamar
bob.hamar@theindependent.com
Two friends could collide on Faurot Field on Thursday night in Columbia, Mo.
Nebraska redshirt freshman linebacker Will Compton and Missouri sophomore quarterback Blaine Gabbert will be on opposite sides of the ball when the Nos. 21- and 22-ranked Huskers (3-1) play the Nos. 18 and 24 Tigers (4-0) in the Big 12 Conference opener for both teams.
Compton and Gabbert became friends while both were being recruited by Nebraska during the Bill Callahan era. Both committed to the Huskers, but when Callahan was fired following the 2007 season, Gabbert changed his commitment to Missouri.
“We became pretty good friends,” Compton said. “I’d go to his place for a weekend. He’d come to mine. We’d hang out, spend time with each other’s families and at that time talk about Husker football. It ended up being something different, but no hard feelings.”
Both players are making their mark early in their college careers. Gabbert has completed 87 of his 131 passes (66.4 percent) for 1,161 yards with 11 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Compton is sixth on the Husker team in tackles with 19 and has become the No. 1 linebacker in NU’s dime package.
Compton said he never considered going somewhere else after Callahan was fired. NU athletic director Tom Osborne helped convince Compton to stay with is commitment.
“When I was getting recruited by Nebraska during the coaching change, Coach Osborne assured me they were going to get somebody in here that I would like,” Compton said. “I needed to have that patience.
“Nebraska deserved patience like that. I just had to wait and see who came in here and give them a chance. I didn’t have to commit until February so I wasn’t going to rush anything.
Gabbert went the opposite direction. The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder from Ballwin, Mo., decided to sign with his home-state Tigers.
It was a decision that worked out well for both parties. Gabbert has stepped in for the graduated Chase Daniel and the Tigers have hardly missed a beat.
“I think he’s done a good job,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said of Gabbert. “We kind of watch what we do with him. He’s made some plays. I’ve been very pleased with his poise, his competitiveness and how he handles adversity.
“He can do a lot of little things better, but overall I’m pleased with his progress.”
Pinkel said the Tigers’ offense is a little bit different with Gabbert a the helm. With Daniel, it didn’t matter what the defense would do. The Tiger offense would just take what it was given.
“With this offense there is a lot of different ways to look at it,” he said. “When we had Chase Daniel, if they overloaded on the run we’d throw it 15 times in a row until the backed out.
“We want to run the ball so there’s a little bit of a conflict there from a strategy standpoint. The spread offense is designed to open up running lanes, but then it’s how much you want to throw your young quarterback.”
The problem for the Tigers is that they really haven’t gotten the running game going this year. They have rushed for 572 yards (3.8 per try, 143 per game), but a few big plays may have skewed those numbers a bit.
“We’re going to try and work on it and make it better, but I’d agree that we haven’t run the ball as well as I would like,” Pinkel said.
Gabbert would appear to the the key to the Missouri offense. Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said the Huskers need to get pressure on the young quarterback. The Tigers have given up five sacks in their four games this season.
“I’d like to get to him every play. In fact I hope their offensive line just lays down,” Pelini joked. “He’s going to make plays. They’re good up front. That’s all part of it. It’s all part of disrupting his rhythm and giving him different looks.”
Nebraska senior defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh will be one of the players trying to put pressure on Gabbert. Suh said there are some differences between Gabbert and Daniel.
“I think he can throw the ball just as well as (Daniel),” Suh said “I don’t think he’s as mobile, but he definitely can still move and use his feet to beat you a little bit. He’s obviously a great fit for them and that’s why he’s starting.”
Compton is also a good fit for the Huskers. Nebraska of defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said Compton has improved a lot through the early part of the season.
“When we started this season he wasn’t our No. 1 dime linebacker but he’s worked his way into that role because of his coverage and just his command out there on the field,” Carl Pelini said. “He’s like a veteran out there. I can compare his progress to Gabbert on the other side.”
Compton, who is from Bonne Terre, Mo., is looking forward to the game in his home state.
“I’d like to play in Columbia every year if I could and play in front of everybody I know,” Compton said. “I definitely have higher emotions for this game, but I’m going to go about it like I do every week in practice. It’s not going to be any different from that point of view, but as far as knowing I’m going to be playing in front of people I know is exciting.”
Nebraska redshirt freshman linebacker Will Compton and Missouri sophomore quarterback Blaine Gabbert will be on opposite sides of the ball when the Nos. 21- and 22-ranked Huskers (3-1) play the Nos. 18 and 24 Tigers (4-0) in the Big 12 Conference opener for both teams.
Compton and Gabbert became friends while both were being recruited by Nebraska during the Bill Callahan era. Both committed to the Huskers, but when Callahan was fired following the 2007 season, Gabbert changed his commitment to Missouri.
“We became pretty good friends,” Compton said. “I’d go to his place for a weekend. He’d come to mine. We’d hang out, spend time with each other’s families and at that time talk about Husker football. It ended up being something different, but no hard feelings.”
Compton is sixth on the Husker team in tackles with 19 and has become the No. 1 linebacker in NU’s dime package.
Compton said he never considered going somewhere else after Callahan was fired. NU athletic director Tom Osborne helped convince Compton to stay with is commitment.
“When I was getting recruited by Nebraska during the coaching change, Coach Osborne assured me they were going to get somebody in here that I would like,” Compton said. “I needed to have that patience.
“Nebraska deserved patience like that. I just had to wait and see who came in here and give them a chance. I didn’t have to commit until February so I wasn’t going to rush anything.
Gabbert went the opposite direction. The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder from Ballwin, Mo., decided to sign with his home-state Tigers.
It was a decision that worked out well for both parties. Gabbert has stepped in for the graduated Chase Daniel and the Tigers have hardly missed a beat.
“I think he’s done a good job,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said of Gabbert. “We kind of watch what we do with him. He’s made some plays. I’ve been very pleased with his poise, his competitiveness and how he handles adversity.
“He can do a lot of little things better, but overall I’m pleased with his progress.”
Pinkel said the Tigers’ offense is a little bit different with Gabbert a the helm. With Daniel, it didn’t matter what the defense would do. The Tiger offense would just take what it was given.
“With this offense there is a lot of different ways to look at it,” he said. “When we had Chase Daniel, if they overloaded on the run we’d throw it 15 times in a row until the backed out.
“We want to run the ball so there’s a little bit of a conflict there from a strategy standpoint. The spread offense is designed to open up running lanes, but then it’s how much you want to throw your young quarterback.”
The problem for the Tigers is that they really haven’t gotten the running game going this year. They have rushed for 572 yards (3.8 per try, 143 per game), but a few big plays may have skewed those numbers a bit.
“We’re going to try and work on it and make it better, but I’d agree that we haven’t run the ball as well as I would like,” Pinkel said.
Gabbert would appear to the the key to the Missouri offense. Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said the Huskers need to get pressure on the young quarterback. The Tigers have given up five sacks in their four games this season.
“I’d like to get to him every play. In fact I hope their offensive line just lays down,” Pelini joked. “He’s going to make plays. They’re good up front. That’s all part of it. It’s all part of disrupting his rhythm and giving him different looks.”
Nebraska senior defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh will be one of the players trying to put pressure on Gabbert. Suh said there are some differences between Gabbert and Daniel.
“I think he can throw the ball just as well as (Daniel),” Suh said “I don’t think he’s as mobile, but he definitely can still move and use his feet to beat you a little bit. He’s obviously a great fit for them and that’s why he’s starting.”
Compton is also a good fit for the Huskers. Nebraska of defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said Compton has improved a lot through the early part of the season.
“When we started this season he wasn’t our No. 1 dime linebacker but he’s worked his way into that role because of his coverage and just his command out there on the field,” Carl Pelini said. “He’s like a veteran out there. I can compare his progress to Gabbert on the other side.”
Compton, who is from Bonne Terre, Mo., is looking forward to the game in his home state.
“I’d like to play in Columbia every year if I could and play in front of everybody I know,” Compton said. “I definitely have higher emotions for this game, but I’m going to go about it like I do every week in practice. It’s not going to be any different from that point of view, but as far as knowing I’m going to be playing in front of people I know is exciting.”
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