Steven Sipple: Luke Gifford envies brother for “hard edge”; remembering Monte Kiffin; and Troy Dannen shows wisdom
Things I know, and things I think I know: If you listed reasons to have confidence in Nebraska’s defense in 2024, safety Isaac Gifford surely would be near the top of the list.
He arguably could be No. 1.
“I’ll tell you what, man, he’s just got an edge to him that a lot of guys don’t have,” older brother Luke Gifford said Friday during “Early Break” (93.7 FM). “The biggest thing he’s done is really learn how to lead, and I think it’s easy to follow a guy who does things the way he does them, and has that kind of edge.”
Luke Gifford, a former Nebraska standout linebacker (2015 to 2018), is set to enter his sixth season in the NFL. The 6-foot-3, 243-pounder joined the Tennessee Titans as an unrestricted free agent before last season after spending his first four seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. He pushed through an injury-marred 2023 campaign, but is healthy now, he said.
Playing five seasons in the NFL gives a player ample credibility when it comes to assessing others — yes, even if it’s a blood brother.
“He’s almost too edgy sometimes,” Luke Gifford said of his brother, in a burst of welcome candor. “I’m like, ‘Dude, you’ve got to chill out a little bit.’ I mean that in a good way. I wish I had that. I don’t have that. I have to turn it on and off. His is always on.”
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Isaac Gifford one of nine returning starters on defense
Isaac Gifford, Nebraska’s leading tackler last season by a long ways, is one of nine returning Husker defenders who started at least five games in 2023 for a unit that finished 13th nationally in average points allowed per game (18.2).
Four of those players are in the secondary.
No wonder Isaac Gifford is excited about the general feeling in Nebraska second-year head coach Matt Rhule’s program.
“He’s super pumped about it,” Luke Gifford said. “I’ve actually been down there working out quite a bit just because I wanted to check out the new facilities and be around a little bit. I’ve been impressed every time I’ve been in there — just the way they run things. With (head strength) coach (Corey) Campbell, they’re really on it in the weight room.
“Even just talking to the guys, you can tell there’s a different sense of confidence in their voice and what they expect out of the team. I’m pumped, man. I don’t want to say too much because I always drink the Kool-Aid just like everybody else. But I think they’re going to be pretty good this year.”
Isaac Gifford is obviously important in the conversation. I had him ranked No. 1 in our top 40 Huskers for 2024 feature. He has reached a level of play that his brother largely anticipated.
“I just kind of thought it was a matter of time,” Luke Gifford said of Isaac’s rise in the program. “He’s so mentally tough, and just a tough kid, and works so hard that it doesn’t surprise me at all. But it’s been super fun to just kind of watch everything play out for him. I’m excited.”
Kiffin turned to Carroll, and — voila! — Bo happened
I’m sort of disappointed to say that in 30 years of covering Nebraska football, I never interviewed the legendary Monte Kiffin or even met him.
I’ve interviewed both his sons, coaches Lane Kiffin and Chris Kiffin, but never the elder Kiffin.
Of course, I’ve heard and read a ton about him, and I knew he was heavily involved in bringing Bo Pelini into the Husker realm.
Our Sean Callahan did interview Monte Kiffin. It was in 2008. Kiffin, a legendary NFL defensive coordinator by that time — known for his Tampa 2 scheme — laid out for Sean how former Nebraska head coach Frank Solich discovered Pelini in late 2002. Following a rugged six-loss regular season, Solich felt the need to give the Blackshirts a jolt in the form of a new coordinator. Frank dialed up Kiffin for guidance.
Solich and Kiffin were teammates on Nebraska’s 1963 team.
After Solich phoned Kiffin, Monte turned to then-USC head coach Pete Carroll.
“I said, ‘Pete, who’s out there right now in college football that would be a really, really good coordinator at Nebraska?’” Kiffin recalled when retelling the story to Sean in 2008. “I told him, ‘I’m trying to help out Frankie Solich.’ And he told me, ‘There are a lot of good college coaches out there, but I’ll give you a guy that might just go back to college football and that’s Bo Pelini (who was Green Bay’s linebacker coach at the time but previously had worked for Carroll).’
“Pete said, ‘Let me call Bo and see if he’d have some interest.’ Pete called Bo and Bo called Pete back and they talked, and then Pete called me back and then I called Bo and then I called Frank. That’s how one thing led to another.”
Pelini’s defense in 2003 recorded a Big 12-record 32 interceptions — yes, 32! — as Nebraska finished with a 10-3 record. Safety Josh Bullocks had 10 of the picks.
Kiffin and Osborne were dream pairing for NU
The defense’s turnaround under Pelini was memorable. Nebraska finished 2003 ranked first nationally in pass efficiency defense, second in scoring defense and 11th in total defense. The Huskers tied a school record with 47 takeaways, helping NU lead the nation in turnover margin.
Of course, Monte Kiffin had served as Nebraska’s defensive coordinator during two national title runs — 1970 and 1971 — with Tom Osborne serving as the O.C. for those teams.
Kiffin calling the defense, and Osborne calling the offense.
My heavens. That’s a dream pairing.
Kiffin passed away last week at age 84. He was one of kind — others have made that eminently clear to me.
NIL becomes a legitimate strength for Nebraska
I’ve been saying for months, for essentially a year, that the least of Nebraska’s concerns as a football program is its NIL collective. It’s a well-heeled and extremely organized operation, its elaborate infrastructure bolstered by Sandhills Global.
It’s a legitimate strength for Nebraska football — has been from the start — and for Husker athletics in general.
That’s even more the case now that Nebraska, behind the leadership of new athletic director Troy Dannen, has formally announced 1890 as its official — and only — collective. It’s now called 1890 Nebraska (after being called the 1890 Initiative).
A development officer at another blueblood program told HuskerOnline last week that Nebraska’s NIL operation — what with its latest updates that will, among other things, benefit donors with Athletic Department priority points — has become something most of the nation will try to emulate.
“It’s been a big week,” said Matt Davison, president of 1890 Nebraska. “It’s been exciting for us. To work with Husker athletics as closely as we are now, and to have the support of Troy Dannen and (deputy A.D.) Haven Fields … just working with them more closely and really becoming united in what we’re trying to accomplish with NIL now, it’s been refreshing for us.
“Hopefully, it’s really good for our fans, and for our donors, too. To see that we’re all on the same page.”
Far too often during the past quarter century, Nebraska’s upper-level administration has been masterful at working against itself. Key personnel were too often at odds for a variety of misguided or flat-out idiotic reasons. It’s been astonishing to watch at times.
So, yes, this is refreshing.
Here and there …
***Most NFL training camps begin July 23, same day that Big Ten Media Days start a three-day run in Indianapolis. ACC Media Days begin a four-day run July 22 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Yes, we’ve essentially made it through the off-season. God Bless America.
***SEC Media Days begin Monday in Dallas.
***Dating to his days at Nebraska, Luke Gifford has played for seven head coaches — Pelini, Mike Riley, Scott Frost, Jason Garrett (Cowboys), Mike McCarthy (Cowboys), Mike Vrabel (Titans), and now Brian Callahan.
That’s simply ridiculous.
The post Steven Sipple: Luke Gifford envies brother for “hard edge”; remembering Monte Kiffin; and Troy Dannen shows wisdom appeared first on On3.
