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LINCOLN, Neb. -- It was spring practice in 2015, Nathan Gerrys first with Nebraskas new coaching staff, when defensive coordinator Mark Banker pulled him aside one day and told him he should have been able to make a difficult play.He almost bit my head off, Banker recalled. He said, `How am I supposed to make that play?Because youre Nate Gerry, Banker replied.Sure, Gerrys reputation preceded him in the changeover of coaching staffs. He started every game in 2014 and was the teams defensive co-MVP.Even though he led the Cornhuskers in tackles and interceptions last year, Gerry admits he struggled to learn Bankers pass-coverage system. Banker has taken over coaching the safeties this season, and Gerry has thrived.He has four interceptions, including two on back-to-back series last week against Wisconsin, and his seven tackles for loss are second-most on the team. This week he was among three Big Ten players named semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award as the nations top defensive player.Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, whose sixth-ranked Buckeyes (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) host the No. 9 Huskers (7-1, 4-1) on Saturday night, said his co-offensive coordinator, Tim Beck, told him all about Gerry. Beck was the OC at Nebraska until Bo Pelinis firing in 2014.Hes a draftable player, very draftable player, and just real fast and physical, Meyer said.With at least five games left in his career, the senior from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is one interception from tying Dana Stephenson (1967-69) for most picks in a career (14) by a Nebraska player. Gerry already holds the school record for career tackles for loss by a defensive back with 19, and he needs five more to break the single-season record of 11 by Ciante Evans (2010-13).Me being a kid from South Dakota, given the opportunity from coach Pelini, just being able to get on the field and playing one of my years here, I thought that would have been cool for me, Gerry said. Im pretty excited for myself. I think its obviously a cool accomplishment. There is a lot more that needs to be done for this football team.Gerry is in his second year as a team captain and leader of a secondary that has allowed only seven pass plays of 30 yards or longer through eight games. Last season, the Huskers gave up 26 in 13 games.Gerrys first two interceptions of the season came against Wyoming, and he had a team-high nine tackles the following week against Oregon.He was even better the next week in his eight-tackle game against Northwestern. He made one of those exceptional plays Banker has come to expect from him when he walked up to line to cover the running back. He took two steps forward after the snap but noticed the quarterback looking to pass to a receiver cutting across the field behind him. Gerry backed up, stretched out and swatted away the pass with his left hand.Saved a touchdown, Banker said.In last weeks overtime loss at Wisconsin , Gerry was playing center field when Alex Hornibrook threw a ball right to him. Gerry showed excellent instincts on the second pick, getting in front of the intended receiver as the right-handed Bart Houston awkwardly threw back toward the middle of the field while moving left.When its pass coverage, Badgers coach Paul Chryst said, hes where he should be. Hes an opportunist.Banker said Gerrys game is similar to those of some of the top safeties he coached at Oregon State, including Sabby Piscitelli, a second-round draft pick in 2007 who played five years in the NFL.Im pleased with some of the things hes done, obviously. At the same time, there were three plays in the last game that I thought he could have made and made a difference on, Banker said. He along with everybody else, theres a ton of room for improvement.On that, Banker gets no argument from Gerry, who said hes determined to finish strong for the Big Ten West-leading Huskers.Last year I didnt fulfill my role how I wanted to, he said. This year Ive flipped the switch a little bit.---More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org Corey Dickerson Pirates Jersey . Louis. To which I would say two things: 1. Where there is smoke, there is or perhaps has been a little fire. Or, in other words, the two teams would appear to have at least spoken. 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"I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. No one ever said it was going to be easy for Leicester City following their rags-to-riches story of last season, and the Premier League championship hangover coupled with a deeper division from top to bottom has made for some tough sledding during their title defence.The Foxes hope to jump start their season as they come out of the international break to play Saturday at Vicarage Road against Watford, who have quietly enjoyed life under first-year coach Walter Mazzarri.The infusion of television revenue into the Premier League has been both good and bad for Leicester City (3-3-5). It allowed Claudio Ranieri to keep almost his entire starting XI from last seasons title-winners save NGolo Kante, but it has also given the potential for every opponent to strengthen a roster -- a big team can afford more superstars while a newly promoted side can find quality depth for the right price.Those two factors, coupled with Leicester now lacking the element of surprise of their dynamic counterattacking style which proved to be the linchpin of their title run, have seen the Foxes play uneven throughout their domestic season and enter this match 14th in the table. It goes in stark contrast to having a surprisingly easy time moving to the cusp of qualifying for the knockout round in their first Champions League appearance in franchise history while not conceding in any of their four matches.Leicester City went into the break on the heels of a 2-1 loss to West Bromwich Albion that ended their home unbeaten streak at 20 matches. Islam Slimani had pulled the Foxes level on 55 minutes, but Matt Phillips provided the winning margin for the Baggies in the 72nd minute.It was difficult because the opponent is organised defensively and perhaps we didnt shoot enough, forward Shinji Okazaki told LCFC TV.Ranieri also made note of the defence affecting his offence, saying, We made a plan to go on the flank and make crosses from the flank but we made very few. Also the end we made some long balls and for the central defenders it was too easy. To say something is easy to do it is more difficult.For the Foxes, the big issue is the lack of rapid transition from defence to offence in open space. Kantes ability to thwart any buildup in the middle of the park and then find Riyad Mahrez in lightning-like fashion would trigger the open style of play that made Leicester City so deadly last season.The Foxes have only 13 league goals, with Jamie Vardy scoring two and Mahrez only one. Through the first 11 contests of 2015-16, Leicester had 22 ggoals -- with Vardy in the middle of his record-setting goal-scoring streak while scoring 10 and Mahrez contributing five.ddddddddddddBut there is cause for optimism since Vardy returns to the Midlands after scoring for England and drawing the penalty that led to the other goal in their 2-2 draw versus Spain in a friendly Monday. He has as many goals for country as he does club in all competitions as the focal point of every opponent Leicester City and England face.As Leicester City look the role of Jekyll and Hyde with their contrasting domestic and Champions League results, Watford (4-3-4) have quietly found an elevated perch behind the big six and enter this contest eighth in the table.Last seasons FA Cup semifinalists have punched at their weight class save their famous win over Manchester United, but before the break, Liverpool ran riot and administered a 6-1 thrashing on the Hornets at Anfield. Four of the goals came after starting goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes was forced to leave through a leg injury suffered in the buildup of the second goal.Watford had shipped only 13 goals in their first 10 matches before being torn apart by Jurgen Klopps unorthodox arrangement that features seven midfielders all constantly on the lookout for an opportunity to press forward.This game is a lesson for the future, Mazzarri told the teams official website. I understand many things from this game and we will learn from this. I am convinced after the international break we will see a different performance.Gomes right now is questionable for this match, which leaves Costel Pantilimon in line for his first Premier League start of the season. The Romania international played well in a 1-0 loss to Russia in a friendly, making a string of quality saves before being let down by his defence deep in stoppage time.Like Leicester, Watford are missing offence from their dynamic duo of Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney. The duo, which combined for 28 goals in league play last season, has just four thus far, and Oghalo has found the back of the net just once. The Nigeria international has not scored since tallying against West Ham United on Sept. 10.Leicester City are 3-1-0 all-time in the top flight against Watford and took a pair of one-goal decisions last season. In the corresponding fixture, Mahrez let fly with a long-range strike in the 56th minute that accounted for the lone goal in a 1-0 Foxes victory. ' ' '