It was a bold statement. But one that as a player, you probably get pretty fired up about when you hear your coach say it.
Nebraska cornerbacks coach Donté Williams was honest in his assessment of his unit's performance against Oregon. And he vowed it wouldn't happen again.
"As a secondary we're still learning. Even the guys how have played are playing new positions," the coach said Tuesday. "So that day we weren't ready. And we will be ready from now on. I promise you."
The chance for proof comes Saturday against an Northern Illinois offense that will run many of the same concepts that Arkansas State and Oregon gashed the Blackshirts with to open the season.
In case you need a refresher:
One week after Arkansas State's Justice Hansen went 46 for 68 and had two throws into the end zone at game's end to try and tie things up, Oregon's Justin Herbert went 21 of 25 for 313 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone as the Ducks took a 42-14 lead into halftime of a 42-35 win.
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It's been a learning experience, to say the least. And not just for the guys putting on the pads.
"Not just learning about your guys. You're learning about yourself as well," Williams said. "It's on me as a coach and us as a staff to keep making sure they're always prepared. That first half (against Oregon) should never happen. It should look like the second half, and it will from now on."
Now Northern Illinois, a program never afraid to cause a ruckus against Power Five opponents, rolls into town having seen Nebraska's defense film from those games.
The NU secondary will play without senior Joshua Kalu, who injured a hamstring against Oregon, and senior corner Chris Jones, who continues his recovery from a knee injury suffered in the summer.
That's two of the top players not only on the defense, but the entire Nebraska roster.
"We're pretty darn thin in the secondary," Husker head coach Mike Riley said Thursday.
Junior Antonio Reed will start in place of Kalu; his second career start and first since the Music City Bowl. He nursed a thumb injury during practice while fellow safety Aaron Williams worked through a thumb injury.
The bumps and bruises, both physical and mental, have done little to temper confidence.
"I think our confidence is extremely high now. Because confidence comes as you prepare," Aaron Williams said. "I feel like everybody's preparation is outstanding. So confidence is always there. That's something I never doubt about our team."
It's one thing to talk about confidence, and quite another to show it on the field.Â
"When you look back to Oregon, that game will make you grow up because of their skill-position players. When you go out there and go against people like that, that should give you all the confidence and game experience you need," Williams said. "Even Arkansas State, you look back at them and they had some good skill position players on their team too.Â
"So when you go against other great skill players, that will settle you in for the whole season."
Safeties coach Scott Booker said several players got more comfortable as the game against Oregon went on, which was encouraging. But, he quickly added, that comfort level needs to come much sooner.
"At the same time, we don't have the luxury of having those plays to get warmed up and get ready," Booker said. "We've got to go in the first play that we're in, and we've got to execute what we're trying to execute."
Booker has liked the attitude of Nebraska's secondary in practice. The players and coaches have said all the right things as game time nears. A strong performance Saturday morning could go a long way towards Nebraska's secondary backing up its words.
"We think we can be even better," Booker said. "This is a group that, quite frankly, we need to make sure that we do everything to prepare to be the best group for Northern Illinois. And that's where our focus is."