Nebraska defensive coordinator Erik Chinander met with members of the media following Tuesday's practice. Chinander discussed the defense's solid performance in the Michigan State game and their leadership within the team.

"Pointing the finger is not solving any issues," Chinander said. "Helping others is solving a lot of issues. So I think those kids have to take it upon themselves to help spread what they are creating in that room and continue to get better on their end. We got good guys on the defense and they are not finger pointers. They are not complainers. They want to work they want to get better they want to do their job. They know that they can control their attitude they can control their effort and they can control the preparation and that is what they are going to do."

Chinander expressed his reaction when watching the defense during last Saturday's game in East Lansing, Mich.

"I told the guys that sitting up there in the box watching it brought a lot of joy to me to watch those guys play and like they did," he said. "I do not look at stats during the game because that screws up the way I call it. I call it like our plan says so I did not really know I just saw the emotion. I saw the violence and the speed and that made me very happy."

He was also asked how putting the defense on the field first has helped control the flow of the game.

"Each individual game plan has to be different," Chinander said. "The last two I think have been really good. I am very comfortable with going out first. I know our kids like it. They thrive on that getting out there first and making sure we can get off the field on the first series. That is a huge series for us and then giving us an opportunity to get the first possession in the second half."

The Huskers will return to action against Northwestern this Saturday, Oct. 2 at 6:30 p.m. on BTN at Memorial Stadium, and radio coverage will be provided by Huskers Radio Network.