Harper Murray, Nebraska taking Kansas coach's 'Big Ten must be soft' comment to heart

Kansas coach Matt Ulmer might wish he hadn't opened his mouth about Nebraska and the toughness of the Big Ten on Thursday night. Even if the former Oregon volleyball coach was joking. The Huskers are as focused as they've ever been, and it's clear even something that was said in jest can be used as bulletin board material.

At the heart of the issue is Ulmer's comments as his Jayhawks get ready to take on Murray and her teammates on Friday night in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Volleyball tournament. In talking about facing off against the still undefeated squad, the Kansas coach joked that they were only 32-0 because the Big Ten wasn't a tough place to play anymore.

"It feels like a while since Nebraska's had some pressure put on them," Ulmer began. "I think the Big Ten conference must be soft." He added with a smile.

A joking comment gives an undefeated Nebraska Cornhuskers powerhouse extra fuel

He went on to joke that last year, the conference was tough (because he was in it) before he turned more serious and said that "Nebraska is just that good."

While it was clear that the Jayhawks' coach was not really intending to give Murray or anyone else on the Huskers even more reason to dismantle his team, the outside hitter didn't find the funny when she was asked about the comments.

"I know we've had a lot of success in the Big Ten the last few years, and I know it's looked a lot different this year," Murray said when asked about Ulmer's comments.

"But I don't think that's any discredit to how hard we've worked and how hard we've worked ... I've seen a lot of stuff about how he weren't pushed enough, but we push ourselves in practice so we're ready for that if it happens."

Whether Murray was asked a question about Ulmer's comments in a misleading way, or whether she simply isn't ready to play, it all looks like bad news for Kansas. The Nebraska volleyball team is all business and is taking an "unfinished business" approach to this year's tournament. And the Jayhawks' head man might have just given them the juice for extra motivation.

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This article was originally published on huskercorner.com as Harper Murray, Nebraska taking Kansas coach's 'Big Ten must be soft' comment to heart.