Lavonte David TOOK Will Compton's Job At Nebraska | Bussin' With The Boys

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 3:00: Levante, beat test, Sean Fischer, Coach Dobson
2. 3:00 – 6:00: Coach Eckler, Jim Epky
3. 6:00 – 9:00: Levante, Dejon Gomes
4. 9:00 – 12:00: Levante
5. 12:00 – 15:00: Big 12, Levante, Dejon Gomes
6. 15:00 – 15:41: Dejon Gomes, Levante

Notable quotes from "Lavonte David TOOK Will Compton's Job At Nebraska | Bussin' With The Boys"

• But Levante's practicing with the fours and then sure enough, injury after injury starts happening and he's starting week one of his for first year at Nebraska where it's not like he has.

  about Levante · at 0:00

• And Willy thing is when I first got there it's a it's a conditioning test called the beat test. And you know Dobby you know coach Dobson.

  about beat test · at 2:05

• Way in cuz, we in individual individuals, right? And, Coach Eckler was our lineback coach at the time. Coach Mike Eckler, he's the stud team coordinator at Nebraska right now.

  about Coach Eckler · at 4:17

• But it wasn't really like a crazy, crazy pass or whatever, but Jim Epky, Jim Epi, you remember Jim?

  about Jim Epky · at 5:48

• System worked, they lean more on dime packages and using more defensive backs. because Dejon Gomes was really good and so I just knew I'm like as far as playing time goes, I…

  about Dejon Gomes · at 8:31

• Like again, Levante, he got Big 12 newcomer of the year. He was an all-American the next year.

  about Big 12 · at 13:00

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Levante — Person · 14 mentions · first at 0:00
• Dejon Gomes — Person · 3 mentions · first at 8:35
• Sean Fischer — Person · 2 mentions · first at 0:17
  The installs and everything else. It's almost like he had to go out there because Sean Fischer tore his ACL there's a crack block that happened. You know when tempers get high…
• Coach Dobson — Person · 1 mention · first at 2:13
  There it's a it's a conditioning test called the beat test. And you know Dobby you know coach Dobson.
• Coach Eckler — Person · 1 mention · first at 4:22
• Jim Epky — Person · 1 mention · first at 5:54

Concepts & topics

• beat test — Concept · 2 mentions · first at 2:10
• Big 12 — Concept · 2 mentions · first at 13:00

Full transcript with timestamps

0:00 But Levante's practicing with the fours and then sure enough, you know, injury after injury starts happening and he's starting week one of his for first year at Nebraska where it's not like he has everything put together uh you know with the installs and everything else. It's almost like he he had to go out there because Sean Fischer tore his ACL there's a crack block that happened. You know when when uh when tempers get high in training camp, guys kind of start getting more physical. It's just offense versus defense every day. A crackback happens. A tough block happens. That dude falls into Shawn Fischer who was starting in the dime package at the time as the solo backer and he tears his ACL.

0:39 He gets carded off. I'm now the solo dime backer like Sean Fisher and I would be

0:44 I think Fish I think Fish broke his fibula. Oh, broke his fibula. That's right. You're right. You're right. He broke his leg.

0:49 Yeah. And then um in the in the when it was nickel and base like it'd be me and Fish and then when it was a a single backer it was Sean Fischer. Now I'm the single backer going into week one cuz I'm a sophomore at the time. Sean was a sophomore. And then the week of the opening week, who was the team that we played?

1:10 Western Kentucky. Western Kentucky. Opening week on Thursday in our just walkthrough jog through style practice. I break my foot on just a a little stick route. Earlier in the week, I took this wheel route up and I thought I like felt something in my foot, but they MRIed it and nothing or they x-rayed it and nothing was there. And turns out there was just like a hairline that you it's like hard to see.

1:31 Maybe hard to see, but I had like a hairline and then on Thursday I plant on the foot and it just my my foot just breaks.

1:40 So I just like drop to the ground. I try like taping. I just can't walk. Like minute by minute goes by and like I can't walk. I realize my foot's broken. So now Levante is the single backer going out there in opening week.

1:52 His first year at Nebraska. First year at Nebraska trying to keep his head above water. Had a summer with us.

1:57 You were playing in the kiddie pool starting to camp. Like you're over you're over in the rafters like yeah take them over there. They'll figure it out when they do to being a starter in week one.

2:05 Yeah. And Willy thing is when I first got there it's a uh it's a conditioning test called the beat test. And you know Dobby you know coach Dobson.

2:16 Yeah. He's the best. Yeah. And then uh I failed the beat test. So we have a uh meeting of all the new guys, you know, the uh incoming recruits. I mean, um the freshman in the transfers or whatever. And I'm getting chewed out. You know what I'm saying? Like, you know, they'll be telling me, you know, you supposed to be an example for the young guys. You out here failing your beat test and this and that and that. Chew me out. So, I'm already behind on that part. I'm like, dang, I'm making, you know, a bad first impression.

2:43 Yeah. So, I failed that beat test, too. What? What? Now, now explain explain the beep test for people that don't know the beep test,

2:50 myself included. So, beep test number one, you should be able to pass the beep test.

2:54 Okay. Okay. Let's just let's just get that out of the way. Just cuz you're hearing that me and Levante failed, it doesn't mean it's a hard thing cuz it's not.

3:02 What's up? Like the pacer test. Yeah. It's like this pacing test to where you you you run you run across however long it is. It's not like that far. Let's just say what like 20 to 30 yards.

3:13 Yeah. I think I I think mine it'd be like 32 yards or something like that. Something like that. And then like when that when it beeps, you run and then you reset and then when it beeps again, you run back. When you reset and then it just paces like it gets a little faster.

3:27 And it's truly like when I failed, I I failed as a freshman. There were maybe two or three guys that failed out of our entire class of like let's just say 25 30 guys.

3:36 So it's a it's a it's a tough feeling when you fail the beep test. But yeah, I guess

3:41 it's it's pretty embarrassing to be honest with you just to keep it real, you know. Uh

3:49 it's it's a strategy that goes into it. I didn't pace myself, you know. I thought it was a bit bad. Well, if I'm sprinting out there trying to, you know, look all good or whatever and it ain't caught up to me because I didn't know as you get closer to the end, it it goes faster. You have less rest time. So, you got to be able to pace yourself in it. So, um, you know, the second time I did it, I had to do it inside the weight room and I ended up passing it because I had better strategy. And then, uh, going on to training camp, I remember when I realized like, oh man, I got to work my way in cuz, um, you know, we in individual individuals, right? And, you know, Coach Eckler was our lineback coach at the time. Uh, Coach Mike Eckler, he's the stud team coordinator at Nebraska right now.

4:28 Oh, yeah. I'm very familiar with that. Yeah. It goes, you know, when you in a it goes one's up first and then two's everybody's behind each other. I'm like at the I'm like five behind everybody like dang. So like it it shows like man I got to work my way up and then you know training camp you uh split fields and you know all the ones and twos are on like the um the turf field or in was it the indoor or the turf field? It

4:54 it just depended on the day but yeah you guys would be over there on the grass field. We was over on the grass like I'm over there with, you know, with the walk-ons and the freshman.

5:08 I'm like, man, what is going on? I'm like the GA the GA is your coach. Yeah, the GA coaching and stuff like that. I'm looking like, dang, boy, I got some work to do. And then, uh, you know, as everything just kept on going, it kept on unfolding. I think it was uh it was you and Fish, Zoy, Eric Martin.

5:28 Yeah. Matthew May, uh Graham started and then it was uh then it was me. I was like way in the back and then uh I ended up just, you know uh trying to learn understanding and stuff like that. I remember I was getting special team reps. I went against I remember one day in practice. I don't know if I ever told nobody this story, but uh it wasn't really like a um crazy, you know, crazy pass or whatever, but Jim Epky, you know, Jim Epi, you remember Jim?

5:57 Oh, yeah. 13 ace and I had to block him on kick return and he was going crazy. I'm like, yo, like bro, like it's not like it it's a uh it's a walk through. Like, what you doing? He said, I don't care. This is what I do. I'm like, okay, okay. So I know I know what time it is now. So ever since then I used to be like just trying to go hard just because I used to go against him all the time and we just go at it and you know uh that's when I knew like okay this like this is this is real now. So, I got to I got to step it up.

6:30 And then, you know, uh that's when uh you know, Sean Fisher went down and you know, I don't know what happened with uh with Zo. And then

6:39 well they just it was like it was like we run two backer sets and then when we were in dime packages like you want you want an athletic cat like you want speed on the field like Zo was like in the conversation you and Zo started in base you guys started in nickel and then when it was when it was dime they're just like hey we're going to try we're going to keep it vanilla we're going to put Levante out there like let's see what the dude's got cuz he would flash like even though he was on the grass field they would still like EC would still show clips throughout the day of Levante kind of probably maybe just to keep his head in to his confidence high that he's still being looked at and he would flash like on the grass field. But again,

7:14 when I break my foot, it's Thursday, we play on Saturday. And so Levant is just getting thrown into the fire come game day and then game day happens, you have what, 13 tackles.

7:24 13 tackles. 13 tackles against Western Kentucky. Whales up in a suite with a scooter.

7:29 Yeah. Just sitting there standing up like [ __ ] Me and Fish Me and Fish is up there. Me and Fish is up there in scooters. And it wasn't just the 13 tackles, but he had one play where a dude comes over the middle and Levante tattoos this [ __ ] bro, and throws up. It's a photo that still just lives, but it was from his first game. And it's like he's in the middle of his leg kick. He's throwing the bones, everything. And I just remember just I was personally bummed cuz it was going to take me like at least eight weeks to get back. And I'm like, damn, this dude is flashing.

7:57 And then he continued to flash throughout the next uh seven, eight weeks. And um see what I did not say there.

8:04 Uh seven, eight weeks. And uh he baldled, bro. And it was one of those situations for me to where coaches aren't kind of telling you what's going to happen. I'm curious. I'm like, man, he he's been playing good. I I e we're like, you know how Ek and I are. This like father son, like best friend type of relationship. He's talking to me about how good Levante is. And I'm wondering in the back of my mind like, damn, am I going to have a job when I come back? Like I know I was going to be the guy that ran next to Levante, but I wonder what's going to happen with the dime package because the way the pini system worked, they they lean more on dime packages and using more defensive backs. Uh because Dejon Gomes was really good and uh so I just knew I'm like as far as playing time goes, I wonder who's going to have that dime slot whenever I do come back. And then when it when it happened, nobody kind of tells you. I'm

8:46 kind of just learning in real time. Levante ain't losing his spot. So first week, I'm assuming you're like, "Oh, I'm really happy for Levante." fired up for him and Zo too cuz Zo played well.

8:55 At what week were you like having this thought proc thought process of like I I don't know if I'm going to have a job.

9:02 I think it was Washington. I I when did we play Washington in week three or four?

9:07 Yeah, we played like week three. Yeah, like week three we went out to Washington. Awesome atmosphere. That was when T Magic was born. He was going off. He was starting to get in the Heisman conversation and Levante had a like a really good game and kind of sneaky too because you could see how and it's been his entire career. He's been like an undersized cat. Not like the most physical as far as going to the point of attack will knock your dick in the dirt, but as far as like taking on blocks and everything else. This dude was very good at at getting skinny or finessing or slipping blocks, which you just it's you can't teach it. You can't coach it. It's you just watch Levante and it's like he's just he's got something. Whether in my brain at the time I might be thinking it's lucky, but he's got something that he's able to just do. Whether he's blitzing and running right at a guard and just turns his shoulder or hits a

9:57 swipe at just the right time, he just had this ability. I just remember the way Eckler was talking about him on the flight home. I'm like, "Yeah, this dude is this dude is nice on the football field." But yeah, but the college mindset of you, Will Compton, is not this dude is nice. You're like, man, this guy's he's all right. I

10:13 It was It was like a song of dance because when Levante comes in, like he'll tell you, I I've just always been the guy even when Rashan got drafted in the first round. Like I've always been like a you know, I fight those demons on my shoulders as far as like the the the selfishness that does go into it. But I wanted Levante to to be a good I wanted him to be good for the linebacker room. It's not like I'm sitting there being like I want him to be better than me and everything else. So when he was coming along, it was kind of like, you know, you had to have a little bit of an ego death, but you couldn't just sit there and, you know, I'm thinking in my mind like what's going to come out? I can't sit here and project that this dude's being lucky and everything else. Like he was playing good. And every time we're in the room, like I I felt like a responsibility. Fish and I both felt like you have a responsibility to coach

10:56 the dudes up and whatever the game plan is, like getting Levante as well equipped as possible to go out there and play on Saturday. God. So it was like it it was tough. Like of course I wanted to play,

11:05 right? But the mental warfare internally. Yeah. And Levante and I were boys. Like he was again he didn't he didn't have a license. Like he rocked around with Yoshi. Like we had we had like a crew of guys. But Levante and I and Zo like we were boys. Like again Zo would always call him Boogie. My wife call me he's like that's just Boogie man. And I just be like whenever I have a dog I'm gonna name him Boogie because of our knucklehead tendencies in that back in that time. But we were all close. So it was like you know you had it was just it just was what it was. Damn.

11:32 Yeah. And I I honestly didn't expect them guys to like treat me the way they did. Like Will helped me learn the playbook like as soon as I got there, you know? We used to meet extra times. He used to watch film and stuff together.

11:42 Um him, Zo, all those guys. Fish was Fish was okay. He wasn't really Yeah. But Fish was going to be a doctor. He He is He is currently like dude's like a surgeon.

11:53 Yeah. So he was always studying 40, double major, everything. But Fish wasn't like, you know, when practice and everything was over, Fish was going to study hall. Fish was going to study.

12:04 Fish wasn't interested in NFL career. He was interested in a doctor. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

12:08 Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He was one of those guys. But they definitely welcomed me over arms, though. And um I just remember when Will first got hurt to go back, you know. Uh I remember, you know, he crying and stuff like that. you know, he kind of like just, you know, kind of like I I don't know what to say to him and things like that and stuff like that, but you know, um he kind of like kept on encouraging me and kept on uh you know, kind of you know, just giving me, you know, his best foot forward, you know. Um so, uh and then I just remember saying he kept on saying, "No, when I get back, you know, it's going to be us.

12:37 You got to take it over. You got to take it over." Like, I got you, man. I got you. You know what I'm saying? So, I know in the back of his mind he was kind of like obviously he was upset,

12:45 but uh when he seen me, you know, kind of like take off, he kind of like was just like, "F it." Like, "It's going to be me and you not."

12:53 Yes, bro. Cuz we had some moments, bro. We had some fun moments, man, with Penn State, Michigan State.

13:00 Yeah. Like again, Levante, he he got Big 12 newcomer of the year. He was an all-American the next year.

13:05 The the Sandy going to bowl games cuz we was roommates, too. I would always try and get I would always try and get Boogie. I would record him all the time cuz again, he was a hermit. He just didn't do a whole lot and he was just always like funny to us cuz he was just like he had like this Ed Reed mentality. But dude, we had a lot of good times in Nebraska. We had a lot of good times in Nebraska.

13:27 And just like also I remember um the next remember uh you know Coach B always like the D stuff and I was like I mean I'm talking about Coach B. I mean Coach Fellini Coach Fellini always like the D stuff. the one backer and I remember I'm telling you man I can't do the one backer no more like we got to be on the field together you know what I'm saying and then um that's when uh I ended up having a meeting with coach Bellini

13:47 and then uh he ended up changing it was dying necessarily but I was dying and Will was in so me and the next year me and Will was always on the field cuz I was like I can't I can't be the only backer out there no more I need other people out there with me

13:59 oh so you you gave you gave Will a step up in his career and you say that I mean you know I want

14:06 so we had we had a freak Dejon Gomes, he was a dog. He was a baller and he was somebody who could play like, you know, if you look back at the Texas game, he like he he stripped a dude and took a ball. Like the dude was very good, very opportunistic when it come to like getting his hands on the ball, right?

14:21 So he ended up rethinking the way, hey, if all these teams in the Big 12 that do spread, he was kind of a tweener to where he was physical enough, even though he was more of a DB, but you couldn't not have him on the field because we had cats everywhere in the secondary that was very good. But we've always had a very good pass defense and so and so when uh when Levante when he ever he has is here um and we're kind of every the packages are kind of mixing it up. You don't know who's going to be doing what. We had different stuff going on. But that next year I know they were trying to fast track Levante as the dime package because Levante again he was more of a backer but he was somebody who could cover everybody. So he was just he he was the piece he was the piece that the Nebraska defense loved because again you could have a smaller a more athletic body who was physical enough and then Levante was able to fill that in

15:09 whenever Dejon whenever Dejon Gomes went to the NFL. Gotcha. Got you. So I basically end up playing Dean Gome spot when he left.

15:17 And there was a pride factor in the linebacker room of just always hating when we would have to go solo backer. Always going. We took it as like a slight to where we had to figure out

15:27 like why is only one of us on the field. Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

Questions about this episode

What is discussed in "Lavonte David TOOK Will Compton's Job At Nebraska | Bussin' With The Boys"?

In order: 0:00 Levante, beat test, Sean Fischer, Coach Dobson; 3:00 Coach Eckler, Jim Epky; 6:00 Levante, Dejon Gomes; 9:00 Levante; 12:00 Big 12, Levante, Dejon Gomes; 15:00 Dejon Gomes, Levante.

What is mentioned in this Bussin' With The Boys episode?

8 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Levante, Dejon Gomes, Sean Fischer, beat test, Big 12, Coach Dobson. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Lavonte David TOOK Will Compton's Job At Nebraska | Bussin' With The Boys"?

The episode runs 16 min; the transcript is about 3,645 words in 58 timestamped sections.

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