Tyler Fisher has contributed not only as a back-up and on special teams but also in the development of freshman Leon Jackson, who moved from running back to free safety early in training camp. Though the other defensive backs helped him adjust, "I think he's helped me the most," Jackson said.

"He spends the time with me to go over the plays, and I thank him for that."

Fisher takes such compliments in stride. "It's not easy when you come into a new system," he said. "The coach tells you the way to do it, but if a player tells you, it makes more sense sometimes."

Fisher came into a new system four years ago, transferring from Wayne (Neb.) State, where he played as a freshman. His decision to transfer was based on Nebraska's exercise science program, however, not football. He wanted to enhance his chances of becoming a strength coach, he said.

Since he had played football at Wayne State, after playing eight-man football at Anselmo-Merna (Neb.) High School, he figured he "might as well walk on here."

After four years in the program, and having to learn a new system with each coaching change during that time, "I feel old sometimes," he said. "I graduate in a month and a half, and I've got to get a job.

"That's what makes me feel old, more than anything."

He's also engaged to be married on June 2; his fiancée is a student at Texas Christian.

What's the best thing served at the training table?

"Philly steak and cheese, you get them hot off the grill. It's made right there in front of you. You can put whatever you want, peppers, onions, mushrooms . . . everything but mushrooms. I leave the mushrooms off usually, sometimes throw a little bit on there. I see them about once every two weeks."

If your life were made into a movie, who would you pick to play the part of you?

"That's a tough one. I might have to go with Matt Damon."

If you could eat only one thing for a month, what would it be?

"I'd probably go with spaghetti, spaghetti with meat sauce. I'm a big fan of the Olive Garden. They've got some good pasta out there. Go out there and fill up."

Who is the funniest guy on the team?

"Besides myself? I'm not the funniest guy; that's for sure. I don't know, probably Corey McKeon. You never know what he's going to say. He's always got something good, though. I know him well enough to know it's going to be some type of answer like that (to reporters), so I'm just always curious to see how funny it is."

Would you rather go bungee jumping, hang gliding or rock climbing?

"Can I go sky diving? Put that in there. My best friend told me that's what he's going to get me for a wedding present. So we're going to go at the end of May or the first of June."

What football team other than Nebraska has the best helmets?

"I'd have to go with Oregon. I like their colors, the way they match up. I'm talking about the green ones with the yellow O. They're good."

What's the best movie you've ever seen?

" 'Braveheart.' I like action movies like that, 'Braveheart,' 'Gladiator,' 'The Patriot.' I'll watch movies more than once. I have 'Gladiator' (on DVD). I don't have 'Braveheart' or 'The Patriot.' "

What's the most important thing to remember when playing on a kick coverage team?

"It's a long play, a 10-second play. We have a philosophy that's going to be a minimum of 10 seconds, so you have to be ready to go for a while. You can't ever quit. I play on kickoff and punt block. I wouldn't say I prefer one over the other. They just both have their unique qualities. You don't want to get blindsided (on the kickoff team). We have some kick returns set up, our team does, so if a guy doesn't have his head on a swivel, he's going to get knocked out. It kind of teaches you to have your head on a swivel."

If you could excel in any sport at the collegiate level except football, what would it be?

"Track and field, maybe the 100 or the decathlon. Maybe the decathlon because you've got to be an all-around athlete, good at a lot of things."

What do you remember about your first season at Nebraska?

"Probably the first time I came out of the tunnel, what an amazing thing it was to see from a player's perspective. I had sat in the crowd before at games when I was growing up, just a few, probably three games and then watched them on TV a lot. But actually coming out of the tunnel and to see the sea of red, everyone, about 80,000 people just screaming, it's an amazing sight. It gives you chills every time, if you truly love the game, absolutely. I'm early. I'm right up at the front. I'm always getting out of there as fast as I can."