LINCOLN The difference is apparent, as well it should be.
Barry Turner can see it when he looks in a mirror. Friends back home, those he hasn't seen in while, probably wouldn't recognize him.
He was 18 years old when he arrived at Nebraska. He's 21 now.
The time has passed quickly, as most seniors will tell you. "Guys, you always hear 'em talking in the locker room, 'It goes by fast. It goes by fast.' And it's the truth," Turner said recently. "It seems like a year ago I was a freshman."
He was a member of former coach Bill Callahan's second recruiting class, the one Rivals.com ranked No. 5 nationally, the one foreshadowing a bright future.
Three years later, Callahan is gone, back to the NFL, not by choice. And for a third consecutive season, Turner is playing for a new position coach.
John Blake recruited him and coached him for two seasons. Buddy Wyatt replaced Blake last season. And now John Papuchis is working with the defensive ends.
Turner was close to Blake and thought Blake would always be his coach at Nebraska. "When you get here, you understand it's a business," he said. "You can't be upset with stuff you can't control. You've just got to be able to adapt."
He has adapted. He's comfortable with "JP" (Papuchis) and defensive coordinator Carl Pelini as well as with coach Bo Pelini. "Everybody's cool," he said.
"It's a really good coaching staff, always communicating, wanting to know how you're doing. I'm really looking forward to this next year."
Turner is among the most experienced on defense. He played without redshirting, one of several in the 2005 recruiting class who did, earning freshman All-America recognition. He was credited with six sacks for 46 yards in losses.
He backed up Jay Moore, a three-year starter, his first two seasons, then started 11 of 12 games last season. Despite his experience, however, he'll have to compete for a starting job this spring like everyone else. There are no carryovers.
"Coach (Bo) Pelini made that clear from day one," said Turner. "That's fine with me. I feel like I've got the experience and the edge, but if a guy wins that spot, he wins that spot. I feel like the coaches are going to play the best players to win.
"It's a business of winning, so they're going to play the best ones. The coach will be replaced if he's not winning . . . obviously, you know that."
Nebraska started last season 5-1 but lost six of its last seven, as if Cornhusker fans need to be reminded. "A lot of problems are caused on and off the field just because of the losing," Turner said. "So I don't want to go down that route again.
"The coaches always wanted to keep it a positive environment. But when you're losing, it's hard to keep everybody focused and looking at the initial goal."
The environment is definitely positive now. And the focus has returned. Despite last season's collapse, players haven't lost confidence, according to Turner. "You've got to have swagger, a certain swagger to be able to play the game," he said.
And that swagger can be regained, with encouragement from the coaches.
"Coach Pelini is doing a great job of just saying there's no team on the schedule we feel like we can't beat," said Turner. "That's how your mind's got to be."
Turner's mind is focused on his senior season and beyond. When he finishes at Nebraska, he would like to continue playing in the NFL. That's been his goal for about as long as he can remember, of course, and it's realistic now.
His goals haven't changed. But he has. Though listed at 245 pounds when he arrived at Nebraska, he weighed 230 and maybe not even that. He reported for training camp last fall at nearly 270. He's about 260 now, and expects to play at that weight.
He can see it when he looks in the mirror, and when he looks at photographs from his senior year at Brentwood Academy in Antioch, Tenn.
"Whoa, it's a big difference," he said.
Mike Babcock is a freelance writer who covers Nebraska football for The Independent.
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