UCLA said to be especially fired up for Nebraska with old rival on other sideline

One of the big themes for the Nebraska football team ahead of Saturday's game has been to not underestimate the UCLA Bruins. It’s been such a key for the team that when linebackers coach Rob Dvoracek went on the Huskers Radio Network earlier this week, he laid out why the visiting, former Pac-12 team is dangerous.

As it turns out, another reason why the Huskers need to watch out and make sure they’re ready is because a UCLA assistant coach will be fired up to take NU down. And his former boss believes that assistant will get the Bruins plenty fired up to start up a conference rivalry on the level of Iowa these days or Colorado in the good old days.

Former Buffs coach Gary Barnett appeared on Hail Varsity Radio on Thursday and made it clear that this isn’t just another name for UCLA offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. The former CU running back during the period when the Nebraska football-Colorado rivalry was at its height will be spitting poison in his players’ ears too.

Nebraska football better be ready for angry UCLA

“Well, first of all,” Barnett said. “I can say there' s a bunch of expletives coming out of Eric Bieniemy’s mouth this week. And there's, first of all, you know, he's going to bring the Nebraska rivalry from Colorado to that UCLA locker room. I can guarantee you that.”

The UCLA OC won’t just be mad about being back in Lincoln since his CU days either. Barnett thinks he’ll be especially fired up to see the offese produce more on the ground.

“You know, for him to sit there and say our team is only rushing for 64 yards a game, I mean, that's got to eat at him like crazy. So he's going to be a one-man wrecking crew at practice this week. I can guarantee you that.”

Nebraska football’s opponent seems ready for a slobberknocker game on Saturday. Here’s hoping the Cornhuskers are as well.