LINCOLN Four months later, the subject still elicits emotion.
"Last year was hard," Todd Peterson said following the Nebraska football team's sixth spring practice on Friday. "It's tough to think about that . . ."
Peterson hesitated, trying to find the right words.
"A lot of guys didn't take that as seriously as I did," he said, referring to the Cornhuskers' 5-7 record in 2007 and the attendant turmoil.
The particulars needn't be repeated here. But last season rem ains omni-present, if only in marked contrast to the mood surrounding the program now.
Enthusiasm and optimism are tangible at Memorial Stadium, which likely will be filled to capacity for the Red-White intrasquad game on April 19. Fans are buying into new coach Bo Pelini's system. And so, it appears, are the players.
"Our coaches are pushing us to work hard, which I really like to see. And they're not taking any crap from guys. They're saying, 'It's our way. We're going to do it our way or you're going to get out.' That's really pleasing to me," said Peterson. "Every team I've ever been on that's been successful that's the way it works."
Peterson, a three-year letterman at wide receiver, is preparing for his final season at Nebraska. He was 18-years-old when he walked on in the fall of 2004. He'll celebrate his 23rd birthday on the day after the Cornhuskers' game against Baylor.
"I've spent five years of my life here," he said. "I have to say I've appreciated all of it. Obviously, everything hasn't gone the way I'd like it to. But I've loved every moment of it. I still get chills whenever I come out here in the stadium.
"I'll walk through here going to class or in the summer and just imagine when it's full and rocking. That kind of gets my blood boiling still."
Peterson has seen dramatic changes. And he has seen some things come full-circle. For example, tight ends coach Ron Brown was the wide receivers coach when he was offered the opportunity to walk on, after attending Nebraska's football camp in the summer before his senior year at Grand Island Central Catholic.
His mom kept an evaluation sheet that Brown filled out on him following the football camp.
It "had some things on it she was real proud of," he said.
Brown wasn't retained when Bill Callahan replaced Frank Solich as coach. Turner Gill was the receivers coach when Peterson arrived and redshirted.
Ted Gilmore replaced Gill following Peterson's redshirt season. And Pelini retained Gilmore. So Peterson hasn't had to adjust to a new position coach.
With the return of offensive coordinator Shawn Watson, he also hasn't had to adjust to a dramatically different offensive system.
"The main change we've made in the offense is just terminology in the run game," said Peterson. "I think it's helped the linemen more than anything. But as far as the route schemes, really the protections and things like that, it's not all that different.
"We've scaled back a little bit, haven't put in as much as quickly. But we're starting to get to the point where we've got almost everything we want in."
The receivers are identified the same X, Z, E and Zebra.
"You can call them a million different things," Peterson said. "There's a ba-jillion letters."
He began as an X receiver, moved to Z as a sophomore, back to X last spring and now back to Z this spring. But he also is playing the X position, as well.
"I don't like to confine myself to one letter," he said.
Pelini was Nebraska's defensive coordinator his senior year in high school, and "I liked what I saw," Peterson said. "Coach Pelini was a high-energy guy."
That hasn't changed.
"I like how he gets his defense amped up," said Peterson.
Nebraska ranked 11th nationally in total defense and first in pass defense in 2003, intercepting a school-record 32 passes and recovering 15 fumbles.
All-Big 12 linebacker Demorrio Williams was a key player on that defense. Williams, who signed a five-year contract worth a reported $16 million with the Kansas City Chiefs in late March, spoke to the Cornhuskers on Friday.
"You could just feel the energy," Peterson said. "You could just feel the bond he had with Bo. You could tell there was communication between those guys.
"They both have passion for football, and that's good see."
Williams, who came from Beckville, Texas, by way of Kilgore (Texas) Junior College, still has passion for Nebraska, too.
"He's talking about how Nebraska feels like his home, (that) he loves Nebraska and what it means to him to come through the tunnel and to be back here, be a part of the tradition," said Peterson.
"For a kid growing up in Nebraska, that's exactly what you want to hear."
A writer from Sports Illustrated attended a recent practice, doing interviews for a story. Peterson was among those he interviewed.
Expressing the unique relationship between Cornhusker football and the state so the writer could understand was difficult, if not impossible.
"From the outside looking in you don't understand it. From the inside looking out you can't explain it," Peterson said. "Nebraska football's the culture here.
"They can laugh at us if they want. But that's the way we live."
And that's why four months aren't enough for the emotion of last season to subside. Six months won't be enough. And neither will nine months.
The only way it can subside is for next season to be better.
That's the focus for Peterson and his teammates this spring.
Huskers conclude week two of spring ball
The Nebraska football team continued to enjoy the mild spring weather on Saturday afternoon, going through a two-hour practice at Memorial Stadium. Like the Huskers' recent workouts, Saturday's practice included a limited amount of scrimmage work.
Coach Bo Pelini said he was pleased with the effort of his team on Saturday, following a workout on Friday that was not as productive.
"I like what I saw out there today," Pelini said. "I thought we took a step back yesterday, especially on the defensive side of the ball. But today we came back and got back on it. It was good to see the guys respond today."
Pelini commended the work of senior Cody Glenn who moved to linebacker earlier this week. Pelini called Glenn an "instinctive" player and said he has picked up things quickly. The coach also commented on the work of the offensive line and noted the progress of sophomore guard Keith Williams.
Saturday's practice was again well-attended as the Spring Coaches Clinic wrapped up in Lincoln. More than 700 coaches attended the three-day event, which included Saturday morning sessions with athletic director Tom Osborne and Appalachian State coach Jerry Moore, a Husker assistant from 1973 to 1978.
Nebraska will begin its third week of spring practice on Monday afternoon, and will also work out on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday next week. Spring practice concludes with the April 19 Red-White Spring Game. Fans are encouraged to purchase their spring game tickets soon, as less than 8,000 tickets remain for public sale.
Pelini said he would like nothing more than for the Red-White game to be played before a packed Memorial Stadium.
"I hope everyone is excited as we are about the spring game," Pelini said. "I would love to see this place full. That would send a message to everyone, not only in-state, but out-of-state as well. I hope everyone walks out of here that day and goes over to support our baseball team and the great things they have going right now."
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