1-on-1 with DP – 93.7 The Ticket KNTK - January 18th: 10am - Kobe Webster (Nebraska Mens Basketball PG)

Episode Date: January 18, 2022

Kobe Webster joins the show to talk about their last game (a loss to Indiana 78-71 at home)Whats going on with the team?Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It's time to go one-on-one with D.P. Coming at you live from the Coppull Chevrolet GMC Studios, here is your host, Derek Pearson, presented by Beatrice Bakery, on 937 The Ticket and The Ticket FM.com. We are going to have Jay Foreman in the studio with us for this first segment. We have Kobe Webster Husker basketball. We appreciate him making time for us. 42464-6-4-685, start a hand-me-text line and the Honda Lincoln Hotline.

You could follow live on a video stream. Get to it. Facebook, YouTube, Twitch. Do that, do that, do that, do that. Chat rooms are open. Let's bring in point guard. And look, I think behind the scenes, a more important piece of the roster than given credit. because you are a peacekeeper and a placekeeper on this team.

And I think that is a part of why I'm excited about having this conversation with you. Let's bring in Kobe Webster. Kind sir, how are you this morning? Good, man. How are you doing? It's been a minute. It's been a minute. Well, you know.

Y'all are back Thursday. Yep. Yep. Y'all are back Thursday. You figure out with Buzzie, what the rotation is going to be. I was just talking to CJ about on the way here. Yeah. So, yeah, no, we're going to be back.

To get in, it's got to be difficult. because I know how much you loved the game. But it gives me faith that because you're a student of the game, you're constantly searching for ways to get better and to make things better. Not only for yourself and for everybody. Let's go through last night first, right? You guys were familiar with the Hoosiers. You knew what they were going to run coming out.

What was the attack point? What was the thing that you thought? What was the offensive focus? Top of the list. How were you going to approach this thing? We had to play with a lot more pace in the half court. I think when we get out in transition, we're pretty good. But when a team scores, we needed to make sure that we were cutting with pace.

Screening bodies, not just going through the motions because they're a physical. I mean, just every team is in the big team. Defensively, everybody's physical. You know, they have seven footers at the rim, guards that like to get up into you, whether it's full court or they're meeting you a half court. So I think cutting with pace, making sure we were starting our offense, you know, around a three-point line, not getting pushed out. I think that was the big key for us.

And then defensively, it was obviously just trying to keep Trace Jackson Davis from doing what he does. Do you guys ever go into a game and think like, all right, Trace is going to get off? but then let's pluck this guy off. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. You ever say like, okay, we're going to,

we understand, now we ain't going to let him score 40, you know, but we're going to like, we got a high and low that we're going to get him. But we're going to get that guy, get him, kind of, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, I think recently, especially playing against the bigs,

I mean, Kofi, Coburn, Zach Edia at Purdue, and then Trace. Back to back to back, yeah. Yeah, three games in a row. So I think that's sort of something we've done, running those three games by letting Derek Walker and Wardo play one-on-one more in the post instead of going double because we found when we went doubled against Ohio State, E.J. LaDell,

that's when, I forget his name, he had 35. He ain't hit over 13 before that, right? Literally. So I think he had zero the game before. So it was just like when you give guys rhythm threes, you know, that confidence can come back to bite you even if they're. someone like that when they aren't really a score. Right, because everybody's going to be able to hit open shot.

Yeah, exactly. Big Ten basketball, you can hit an open shot. And if you get a couple of them, you know, now you're on a roll and it's hard to stop that. So I think that's kind of been our game playing in the past few games, just trying to, you know, just stay solid with the bigs down there, understanding that, you know, it might be a little bit of a mismatch in terms of the height. But we also know we got Derek on the other end who can, who can defend. them but also he can make them work on the offensive end too which he's done a great job of so

on a night like last night um with the with the enhanced focus on derrick offensively he gets three shot attempts how does that happen um there's a there's a lot that goes into that um i would say you know just everybody has his nights you know i talked to derrick and uh he had he sent a text and we kind of talk before the game about some stuff, but, you know, I think it's just one of those nights. You know, we obviously have been going through him a lot more in recent games. I think last night it was just, I don't know, he didn't really get a whole lot of plays called for him,

but that's something, I think being close in the game, kind of played a part in that, because a lot of times when teams go on runs, we slow the ball down and like, okay, we're going to get Derek a touch. And we're going to play through Derek because we know Derek not only can score and make that big work, but he's going to find the open man. He's going to come set a screen. He's going to get a hand off whatever case may be.

And so Indiana didn't really go on a huge run like we've seen. And so that could have played a little bit of a role in that. But I definitely, I mean, with the dude shooting, whatever it is from the 70s. whatever from the field. It's like, yeah, we got... He's awful efficient. Yeah, and he's effective around the rim. Yeah, I mean, his touch, I mean, his footwork,

and being somewhat undersized against a lot of bigs we've played, like, to be shooting 70 plus percent from the field, like, yeah, he got to, we got to play through him. Like, why not? Right, yeah, for sure. One thing I wanted to ask, because being, I was at the game, the way, I felt like the way the game was called, made the game, and you just, you know more.

because you were there and both playing and obviously when you're watching. It felt like the refs made the game kind of junky. It was very slow. Right. It was a very, very slow game. You could never get in a sweat.

But they always were calling. Everybody was watching, like, what call are you calling? Then they kept having to go, do that. How do you guys be able to? How do you guys, you can't practice for that? Right. But how do you maybe adjust your mindset to the way that they're calling?

in these games because it affected, I think, us as Nebraska more than affected Indiana. One, because they had the lead, but then two, you know, once they, it seemed like once we kind of got in the rhythm, then it'd be like, okay, now we got a two-minute break or something like that. So how do you try to adjust that as an athlete? For me, I would just, you know, huddling up is a big, big thing. That's something that coach has been preaching for since the beginning of the season, you know, whether it's on a free throw, dead ball, whatever. And just continuing to talk.

I think it's easy during those stoppage just to lose the energy, to lose your vibe. Like, man, come on, like whatever. So I think, you know, huddling up, bringing guys over to the bench, talking out, you know, all right, what happened on this play? What player we're running, you know, next time our offense? What can we do to stop this, to stop trace from going? Like, just little stuff like that, just keeping guys engaged. And that sort of, you know, for me, I guess I kind of embraced that role of just, you know, like I said, observing, making sure I know the game plan.

Like, I think when I'm on the bench, like, I know their plays just from, you know, working against our scout team and understanding coverage and stuff like that. So it's like making sure guys are engaged, not only an offense, but defensively. So I think just keeping that talk up is the biggest thing during those stoppages. You mentioned being undersized, and Jay and I have talked about it several times. brought it up in his show as well. What's the possibility or the thinking that may be running Eduardo and Derek together

some of those times? Is that ever been worked? Has it ever been run at practice? Does it ever happen? A little bit. But that was really just when Will got hurt. And so it kind of just had to happen for the sake of practice. I'm not sure if the coaches have talked about that or thought about or whatever, but, um, I mean, why not?

I mean, we're here now. So, you know, I mean, I mean, we're going to keep it real. Like, I mean, we're, why not? Right. But, um, like I said, I don't know if that's something that's been discussed. I know that coach likes having, um, I was the shooters, four shooters on the court. Um, so that may be, you know, part of reason that he doesn't want to do that. But, um, for me, it's like, why not?

I mean, try something. I wanted to ask as a leader on the team, like you and Trey, when you have a, and I played with football players like this, so I have a, I think Eduardo Andre has a ton of potential, right? Yes, yeah. And then you just need the, I don't know, I hate the maturity, right, to come with it. But I don't, because people will hear it and be like thinking like, oh, you're dogging it, but just people mature at different rates, right? So you're very mature.

You've been through some battles. you're just more mature. And I always say there's a maturity where they come in. If you meet Eduardo, he'd be, yes, sir, no, ma'am. But I always think there's a sports and athletic maturity, right? Which is every single day being consistent. Yep. What's your job?

Because I know you see some of the things I see, and you see it way more than I do, right? Right, right. Both good and bad. But I'm focusing on the things that you see that could be like, man, if he could do that every single game, you know, that would add. What is your job as a leader to try to get?

get that to be more consistent because you know if he's more consistent. Yeah, for sure. It's better for everybody. I think for me it's just talking to him. He's on, you know, that's set. He's with the second group. Right. So he's with me.

Sure. Majority of time of practice. And so, I mean, I talk to him both on the court and outside of practice just about, you know, being mentally, like you have the physical ability. Yeah. You have it. I promise you do. Right.

I've seen you work out. I've seen what you were capable of in a scrimmage, in a game. But like you said, being consistent, I think just talking to him. And a lot of people may not have noticed, but he didn't start playing basketball. Right. That's what I'm saying. 14, 15 years old.

The lack of experience is too. It's like you can get on him, but it's like you got to be realistic too. Yeah, you got to understand. Like, okay, he's been playing basketball for like six years. Right. That's it. Yeah. Even.

And so. He's still learning stuff you learned back in club basketball. Yeah, exactly. I know a lot of stuff. But the thing with him is there's, I guess, a respect level between me and him. And this kind of started, I think I kind of. like God has respect. Two summers ago when he first got here,

I kind of humbled him. Right. You know, he came in, he was talking crazy. We were playing like two on two or three on three. He can attest to this. I'm not just out here talking. He, um, and like I, I was like, he was on the other team and I was giving him the business. Right.

And I'm talking crazy. Like, yeah. I'm like, dude, like, trust me, I've been here. I know, you knew this. And so I think that's sort of where it started, but there's just a respect level in terms of, you know, if I'm coming up to pick him, I'm like, set it here and then roll,

or stop right here in the pocket so I can get it to you, or make sure you're on balance when you, just little stuff like that. And Coach Nate, Coach Gates, all the coaches do a great job working with him on his full work, on his touch around the rim. And so when I'm watching, I try to pick up the same sort of,

sort of sayings or phrases that they use. Keep it consistent. Yeah. And so when he hears it, it's basically just re-emphasizing what you just worked on for 30, 45 minutes. So I think for me, that's just, like I said, he's young. He's going to be good. Right, yeah.

So I'm excited for him, really. We're talking to Kobe Webster, Husker, basketball. We've talked about lineups and a way that some coaches and some programs will change the motivation, ambition, attitude of its squad is a change of starting lineup. We've pondered what happens in keeping the second group together. There's value in keeping the second group together,

but also we're also aware the offense runs differently when you're in the game. How much of that is because you sit and watch with the sole purpose of knowing what a team does so that you can get out on the floor and one, communicate it, but two,

be able to effectively do the things that are required for you to be successful? I would say that's a, it's not a huge part. It's definitely a small part, but I think for me, the days before a game, we go over a scout report, we watch film, we have a scout team that runs their plays. So for me, it's like, if I were starting, it would be the same thing. I'm not out there to score. I'm not out there to press nobody. I'm not out there to do nothing but win the game.

And so whether that if that means me going in the game and getting a bunch of buckets in a row like I did against Creighton, okay, if that means me going in and getting too quick assist like I did last night and bringing us and getting somebody else going, I'm out there to win. That's the sole purpose. And so for me, being on the bench, I think it does give me a little bit of, you know, the vibe of the game, you know, when I do get in, okay, do we need to slow down? Do we need to pick up the pace? Do we need to pick up the pace? Do we do. We need to, whatever. But I also feel like, you know, when I'm starting to come off the bench, I know exactly what the other teams doing. I've been around way too long to not pick up on, okay, when he passed the ball this way, he going to cut through this way, he's getting a back screen. I know all that. And so, and I really study those scound reports.

I know who can shoot. I know who I can close out short to whatever case may be. So it definitely plays a part, you know, being able to observe the game helps. But I think either way. you know I'm I'm good yeah I think it's an important and always we were talking earlier I always kind of watch the interactions TV timeouts or whatever I always try to tell people whether you're playing basketball or football you always because when you're in the moment when you're out there playing I know like when I was out there playing like maybe I'm seeing

something maybe because sometimes I think you kind of condition yourself this is what I'm seeing yeah but you always got to have somebody there that's really your set of eyes they're like hey you know hey, they're hedging really, really hard. And then I might not be thinking they are. Well, then if they're hedging really hard, then you've got to be looking maybe to the left pocket or whatever because that's open right away because the other rotation is a little slow. So I think it's really good that you take that role because I think even towards the end of last year,

the way that you played towards the end of the season, I wanted to ask like how hard has it been? I know you had the injury to start out the season, but now you know that when you come in the game, and I'm a big proponent and when you play point guard or quarterback, you got to play the position first versus playing basketball.

Yeah. You know, and people don't understand that. You know what I'm saying? I've never heard anybody said that, that hit right there. Right, because at the end of the day, if you ain't playing them positions,

it's just like you ain't got no engine in your car, you up there rolling, you know, you ain't with no, they ain't no metro in my metro, you know what I'm saying? So how hard is it for you to, because sometimes I think you know,

things and then you're like man i wish because sometimes people just don't think like yeah like you do and then you're like man if you only would think this way then it would be a lot easier you know i'm saying that's been a little bit hard for you um a little bit i think um with a new roster it's definitely tough to just jump into it yeah people don't understand man so it's definitely tough um and like you said the way i played last year the end of season last year that gave me like the utmost You know, and especially after going through like a little low idea. So I feel like I got my, I got my swagger back in those moments last season. But this year it's just been like I go out there to win.

Right. And so, you know, if we're down 15 or whatever, okay, I got to find a way to get us within four. Right. Five, whatever. And so it's definitely a little tough trying to reiterate different stuff. stuff or whatever just because people wire different, you know, and so, but like I said, I think talking to guys and not only talking negative, you know, let dudes know when they did something good, you know, if you've made a good pass, I'm going to let you know that too, but I'm going to

let you know if you miss this block out. Right. And so, but I think, you know, reemphasizing all the good also helps in, okay, he's going to do it again. Right. Because I told him that was a good past or I told him that was a good play whatever. And so I think just talking to guys and embracing that leadership role is what has really kept me mentally, I guess, locked in. Talk about, like, I always say about this basketball team and the football team, and they kind of kind of go like parallel, right? Whereas people look on paper like, oh, you got a veteran team, but I was like, man, they're

inexperienced because you haven't played together. You get what I'm saying? Yeah, yeah. And I don't think the everyday fan that's never, and I've been blessed enough to be in situations like that. You too. Just explain the difference because being a veteran team and been together for, say, like, two seasons, right?

Versus just kind of, all right, we just got together and then now we're about to play. It's one thing to kind of go through workouts, but another thing you were playing through the Big Ten grind. Just explain the difference because I don't think people really understand the difference between being experienced on, say, like, paper more experience of being together, traveling together, eating together, knowing what, knowing if, you know, say me and your teammates, I can see Jay just ain't in the mood today.

I can mess with him today or his shots off or, you know, I could talk to him about a shot or just let him be. That's just experience. And it's not months. It's actually years. I think, so the difference I would say between having, you kind of touched on it, like having an experienced team, which we do. do is having individuals who have been around college basketball for a long time. People like me, like Derek, Trey, Latt, Alonzo, like guys like that who have been in situations. Like you said, we haven't been in those situations together.

And so I think Trey coming back last night, me and him on the floor together, me and Latt on the floor of me and Derek on the floor together. We have that season on our belt where it's like, okay. I know exactly. I know what he's going to. So when I passed, well, I told him shoot. I said shot, shoot it. Like step into it.

You've been working for two months on this. Like I literally watch you in the gym. You ain't been trying to dunk and all it. No, you've been working on your shot. I've watched you make that shot a hundred plus times in a workout. I know you've made it plenty more than that that I haven't seen. Shoot it. Yeah.

And so it's like little stuff like that like and obviously, I mean, me, Latin, and Trey all room together last. sure so that combination is always going to be there that connection is always going to be there but even with guys like cj who i haven't been with him for a long time we have a radio show together i'm with this dude if you see one of us you're bound to see the other one you know and so that connection is always there and whether we're on the court together and not like there's always interaction if he's on the court if he you know missed a shot i'm i'm in his ear like next one next one, next, whatever.

And so having that is always appreciated, always good for a team because it makes things easy. Right. Like you said, you know when to get on somebody, you know, okay, he's not feeling today. Let me let me let him just chill, whatever. So we're getting there. And I mean. It's a process, man.

Yeah, it is. And it's hard when you're playing, you know, in the Big Ten. Exactly. Yeah, it's no joke. You don't have no off night. Yeah, you ain't playing in the meat low league. Yeah, exactly. You ain't got no off night.

So, um, yeah. So, you know, um, here's a, hey, here's a more important question, man. And this is the honest of God truth, man. Okay. I'm just going to ask you just because the way I like, I used to play basketball. Here we go. Y'all playing Ohio State next, right? Yeah.

Okay. 32? I don't care if you, I got some NIL money. He comes down the lane. There's got to be somebody on this team, okay, that just accidentally places a forearm elbow right here right we saw this coming right we saw this coming because hey because I'm gonna tell you why though he thinks he Debo sir sir they cannot do this oh yes you can't because I'm gonna tell you this now correct me if I'm wrong he thinks he's Debo he really isn't though

you get what I'm saying and you know that right well I seen it right I see how Derek right because because that's what he he'd pick his and chooses who he's gonna try to punk but then when D Walker came over there now then all of a sudden now you want to be hey man man, you know, that's what I'm saying. You get what I mean? That when I'm talking about, you got to pick somebody off. You got to let him know what type of party it is, right? Just like when, oh, boy, when he drove baseline and he tried to raise up last night after.

You're on your back. Full disclosure. Now you're hip hurt. Those were the opinions of Jay Foreman. The opinions and values, the opinions and values discussed by Jay Forman do not represent 93-7. Listen here, you're just not going to come in here and just disrespect. my teammate and think you're going to do it again. Yeah, nah.

And the best thing I liked about D. Walk, though, he did it. And he knew it was a TV timeout. He walked right to the bench and somebody had it. Somebody had a seat for him. He just gave me some water. Yeah. That's what it is. It's all good.

Yeah. I feel you. I feel, yeah. Sometimes you got to do something that you normally don't do. Establishing a presence. Right. and he was talking about playing against Hornacek and Stockton, and they run the pick and roll.

And he was asking, I forget who the veteran was at the time that he was playing behind, and he was like, man, I can't do it. I think he might have been asking Isaiah Thomas. And so Isaiah Thomas said, listen here, here's what you need to do against Jeff Hornacek. When he comes off that pick, you jacking what your, now you can't do it now, jacking with that forearm, and he'll never do it again. And every Johnson, he said, you know, he probably wasn't. He was a rookie.

He probably wasn't thinking. He said he laid him down. He said for the rest of his career, he didn't have. I'm good on that screen. He was good on that screen. And that sometimes you got to do that. Yeah, no, I learned from Kobe, Kobe, Brian, when he played T-Mack.

I guess T-Mack had like a small, like a back injury a little, like, early in the season. Yep. Went on T-Mack, I guess, went up for, I'm trying to think. It was one-on-win-for rebound. T-Mack landed, Kobe, like. Yep, yeah, I remember hearing this story.

Straight in the elbow, or in his back, elbow in his back. and Team Macs stiffened up and walked over to the bench and Kobe was like, all right, now they're best part of going. I'll tell you what, when I used to see somebody with an injury, oh yeah, and I'll never forget this. I was a rookie or second year. I was playing with Sam Gash, and we were playing against Zach Thomas, who should be a Hall of Fame linebacker.

He was playing with the Dolphins at the time. And back then, they didn't have concussion protocol. You get knocked out, you get smelling salt, you back in there. But I guess Zach had a bad. bad one right and so we were getting ready for the game and we used to call sam big cuss and he he would actually play football with a big old dip in his mouth and he had this big old neck brace and he was just he was just like breathing heavy i was like what's up big cuss he's like yeah he's like i got to take him out by the second quarter and i'm like what you mean he's like yeah he got a concussion

he's like he's going to be sleep by the second quarter when i got them yo so i'm like i told one my line back i said yo big cuss said he got a take out order right we're looking out there he came through on this first ISO and he raised up like it was like you ever see two Rams he hit this dude Bam hey talking about exact time of sleep for real and I'm like dude he I mean that's it but that's it

but it was just the mindset you had you don't want to ever hurt anybody Yeah we're not trying to hurt game now like you got But the whole point of it is It's a mental thing though it's a mental thing It's letting somebody know right I'm here I'm here and there is no easy way

that you're going to get anything Creating his office right now writing letters. Fredson, he's like, son of us. Any chance that I was going to get to come to practice, it's done. I've been asking Buzzy. And Buzzy must have heard like when me say it the other time. He's like, yeah, we got to keep him away. Because I'm talking about, hey, I'm coming out.

I told you what they said when I told them to run out the stadium with the baseball bat. They's like, listen, here. You're going way too far. You can't do it. Okay, we got all these little donors and kids around here. Any questionable anything that happens against. Ohio's sake and be like damn it Jay Foreman

Jack they're going to be like it was him well we we appreciate the first thing Jay appreciate you yeah man I got to get out there before you get in trouble yeah yeah he closed line it he closed line of version

practice yeah they're all coming out just like that's for you Jay yeah they're all coming out to wrestling music man they're all like they're all coming out all right we'll throw it a break more and one I'm on a goby website

when we come back hey you can't start showing up download our app by searching 93.7 a ticket in your app store you're listening to one on with DP on 93-7 the ticket and the ticketfm.com.