LINCOLN — Nebraska's ferocious defensive play against Oklahoma and intense atmosphere at Memorial Stadium in Saturday's 10-3 win helped land a trio of recruits for the class of 2010.

Defensive tackle Jay Guy of Aldine, Texas, accepted an NU scholarship offer Saturday night after the game. Cornerback Joshua Mitchell delivered an oral commitment to the Huskers on Sunday before leaving Lincoln for his home in Corona, Calif., as did defensive end Tobi Okuyemi of Plymouth, Minn.

All three defenders plan to sign letters of intent in February. Their pledges give Nebraska 14 for its current class.

“The play of the D-line made me think I can do that one day and dominate like they do,” Guy said. “I've been watching them all year. That defense is surrounded by the front four. Everything goes through them. That's the kind of defense I want to be a part of.”

Guy, 6-foot-1 and 300 pounds, described himself as “shorter than others” at his position, but said he gets good leverage and uses his athleticism to make plays.

College recruiters agreed. He turned down offers from Cal and UCLA after visiting the Pac-10 schools. He also picked NU over Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Baylor, Kansas, Missouri and Kansas State from the Big 12, plus Michigan, Arizona, Arkansas and Ole Miss among others.

He said he was surprised by the environment in Lincoln.

“I knew they sold out each game,” Guy said, “but I didn't know it really sold out like that. That was ridiculous.”

The 5-11, 165-pound Mitchell was just as impressed.

“It was insane,” he said of the game. “I just thought it was going to be loud. It was more than loud. Sitting out there and watching the game, that's when I decided.”

Mitchell also considered Colorado State, for which his brother, freshman Immanuel Mitchell, plays cornerback. But CSU recently filled its final scholarship that was saved for a corner. After Saturday, it may not have mattered.

“This is where I want to be,” he said. “I couldn't imagine myself playing for another school.”

Okuymemi, 6-3 and 250 pounds, visited Iowa last month and picked NU over offers from the Hawkeyes, Michigan, Michigan State, Kansas and others. He attended the Red-White game in April, but Saturday marked Okuyemi's first regular-season game in Lincoln.

“I had a feeling I wanted to be a Cornhusker since the moment I went to the spring game,” he said. “But that was crazy. It was a great game. The atmosphere was the loudest college football game I've ever been to. That got me excited.”

Year's worth of anger

Oklahoma's 62-28 victory last year against Nebraska in Norman made an impression on Husker Phillip Dillard. The linebacker from Tulsa, Okla., did not play in that game because of injury.

“I had a lot of anger built up,” Dillard said.

He played like it Saturday. The senior registered eight tackles, two for losses — including one sack — and an interception in the Huskers' upset victory. It ranks as the latest step in a turnaround for Dillard, who was all but forgotten among the linebackers earlier this season.

“Phil is a success story that I'll talk to my players about for 20 years,” defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said. “If you get beat out and you're not No. 1 on the depth chart, never give up. Just keep playing and keep battling. He earned the position back and is having a heck of a season.”

Linebackers coach Mike Ekeler went a step further.

“He's playing as well as any linebacker in the country,” Ekeler said. “I'll put my money on that right now.”

The change game

Oklahoma freshman Landry Jones threw five interceptions Saturday in part because of a Nebraska defense ready to adjust to the Sooners' adjusting offense.

“We've been working pretty hard since camp on that glance game, changing in and out of calls,” Carl Pelini said of the Oklahoma offensive system.

The Sooners regularly looked to the sideline for a play call based on the defensive look. Nebraska responded with changes of its own.

“I think we caused some indecision with that on Oklahoma's part,” Pelini said. “They were checking to a couple blitz checks, and we would go back to coverage. We were checking coverage, we were showing coverage, and then we'd check to blitz.”

Pelini said the Blackshirts cleared a hurdle against OU with their aggressive play.

“Our guys just played hard. They executed. They battled,” he said. “And they went to make plays, that's the best thing. I saw our secondary attacking the football instead of playing it safe. It's great to see.”

— Mitch Sherman and Nick Rubek

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