Video from Bo Pelini's Tuesday press conference:

LINCOLN — When Nebraska's two most-veteran players met during the summer to discuss ways to properly lead their team, both realized they wouldn't rely on the spoken word too often.

Seniors Jacob Hickman and Ndamukong Suh have never been characterized as heavy talkers.

But as it turns out, the quiet leadership they've displayed, their do-as-I-do approach, may actually have been the perfect method to reach a youthful group of Huskers still absorbing the philosophies of their demanding head coach.

It seems the legacy Suh, Hickman and 11 other seniors will leave is one of soft-spoken relentlessness. More than anything, they've tried to let their daily work ethic speak for itself.

And Pelini's hoping his underclassmen have caught on.

“It's not a lot of rah-rah guys in that senior group,” he said. “(It's) guys that for the most part do things the right way and they've practiced hard, and I think it'll make us better for years to come if our young guys follow suit.”

That's the idea, according to Suh.

When he met with Hickman in the summer, they decided they could make a more lasting impression on their teammates by never taking plays off, especially in practice.

“We've had talks about the way we play and how we help our other teammates do that,” Suh said. “Speeding up the momentum of practice. I'm sure if Jake picks up his tempo in practice, if he has a high motor and is running, they're going to follow him. I think that's the same way with me.”

Pelini appreciates their efforts, especially since he's constantly searching for new ways to motivate.

For this program to reach the level Pelini desires, he said, players must eliminate feelings of complacency.

Often, it's not easy to convey that message in a way that persuades college athletes to maximize their effort, the coach said.

“The biggest challenge is getting your team up for every day to practice and to get better every day,” Pelini said. “You can't waste an opportunity to get better.”

His team is beginning to understand that now. And some of the credit has to go to this relatively small senior class.

“I feel like the way we go about things and the approach we take day to day and the things that we stress as a football program are starting to take greater hold throughout the whole program,” Pelini said. “I think that's one of the reasons why I think we continue to get better, regardless of the circumstances.”

Of the 13 seniors, just six are expected to start Saturday. If the other seven make contributions, it'll likely come on special teams. “You don't really have a ton of other guys as natural leaders by age and experience,” Hickman said.

But that's why Hickman and Suh met last summer.

The efforts of Hickman, playing in the middle of the offensive line, and Suh, clogging up the middle of the defensive line, are visible on every snap. It's not hard for them to set the tone.

“For the most part, we really just kind of figured the best way for the two of us to do it was just to go out there and do what what we know how to do,” Hickman said. “And that's work hard and show guys what you're supposed to do.”

Contact the writer:

402-473-9585, jon.nyatawa@owh.com

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