Head coach Scott Frost left the post-practice interview table after calling Wednesday’s session maybe the best day he’d seen during his 15 months at Nebraska.

A few minutes later, defensive coordinator Erik Chinander couldn’t have been much more displeased with the performance.

The Huskers held a “competition day” on Wednesday, and the offense edged the defense for a one-point victory when all was said and done. It wasn’t just the fact that his group lost the day that upset Chinander so much, but more so the uninspired effort the defense showed.

"We came out and got punched in the mouth a little bit, which was awesome for us,” Chinander said. “I don't think they were ready to play. I didn't like their attitude, and I didn't like how it was the first day (this spring) we had a breakdown in communication.

"But that's good for us and we need to get that fixed. I'm taking nothing away from the offense; they went out and executed today. But being a defensive guy, any time we walk out on the field, it ain’t about them, it's about us."

Chinander said Wednesday was the first time in 11 spring practices that the defense didn’t show up dialed in and ready to go. There was a point midway through that Chinander called his group together and told them they needed to snap out of whatever funk they were in and step up their play.

The good news was the defense accepted their coach’s challenge and finished the practice much better than they started. The problem is Chinander doesn’t want to have to be the one who always has to provide that kick in the rear.

"It got better as practice went on," Chinander said. "But I don't want to do that anymore. I don't want to have to call them up and be the one to do it, I want them to do it. Bad teams have no leaders. Good teams are led by the coaches and great teams are led by the players. If you want to be a great defense, you've got to be ready to go as soon as you walk across that line and strap it up."

Wednesday may have been a step back for the defense, but overall Frost said he had no complaints about the overall effort and energy Nebraska has shown on both sides of the ball this spring.

"I haven't seen it this year," Frost said of the usual mid-spring drop in execution. "We've had a couple little lulls. Maybe the defense didn't come out with quite the same intensity today as they did earlier on in spring, but they found it. Last year the drop-off happened quick...

“We just continue to be on the rise now. I think today was overall the best practice I've been a part of at Nebraska."