Nebraska College Sports

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Recruiting: Big weekend produces big results for NU football

They were two players Nebraska needed to raise their hands and say yes because of their potential as football players, sure. But, just as importantly, the Huskers needed them to say yes for perception’s sake.

When the Huskers offer two in-state kids like Lincoln Southeast’s D.J. Foster and Gretna’s Mick Stoltenberg, the expectation is that the deal will be closed.

Sometimes there’s a little waiting involved, mind you. In Stoltenberg’s case, the wait was just two days after he was offered. In Foster’s case, it was 14 months.

But on Saturday, both recruits provided the payoff, announcing their commitments to Nebraska, setting off celebratory “boom” tweets from Huskers coaches during the course of Big Red Weekend.

Add to it a late-night commitment from wide receiver Demornay Pierson-El and it was quite the day for Nebraska recruiting.

But no commitment was perhaps as crucial for Nebraska to land as D.J. Foster, who will join his brother, tight end Trey Foster, as a Husker.

The 6-foot-3, 310-pound Foster had other attractive programs courting him. And he was rather intrigued by a few of them, pondering potential future visits to their campuses. UCLA, Georgia and Florida especially had his interest.

“They all fit my requirements for a school that I’d want to go to,” Foster said. “But Nebraska, they had one thing everybody else didn’t, and that was relationships. To have my brother and a staff that I’ve known, it was just real easy.”

Foster said he didn’t know when he woke up to attend Nebraska’s second annual Big Red Weekend event that Saturday would be the day he'd put an end to his recruiting process.

But even during the busyness of Saturday he found a moment to sit down by himself and think things over. The relationships gave him his answer.

Trey’s reaction?

“Definitely ecstatic,” Foster said. “I’m happy that I’m going to be here to see him every day ”

Foster is the second commit from Lincoln Southeast in the class, joining athlete Luke Gifford, who was Nebraska’s first commit back in March.

Since 2010, five Southeast players have received scholarships from the Huskers.

“It feels great to be able to say that I’m somebody from Southeast that’s going to Nebraska, and to be able to play out that tradition,” Foster said.

Foster becomes the second guard prospect to commit to Nebraska this week, joining prospect Tanner Farmer of Highland, Ill.

When Pierson-El, a 5-foot-9, 175-pound wide receiver from Alexandria, Va., followed up with a commitment of his own, it marked Nebraska's fifth commitment in 48 hours, and seventh commitment in eight days.

"I just felt like it was home," said Pierson-El, who was also considering Boston College, North Carolina, East Carolina and Old Dominion.

Pierson-El said wide receivers coach Rich Fisher was so excited when he heard of the commitment that "he couldn't even sit down."

There's good reason for such excitement. It had taken a while for Nebraska to find momentum in this recruiting cycle.

Before the commitment of kicker Drew Brown eight days ago, Nebraska's class was ranked in the mid-70s nationally by the 247Sports recruiting site. By the time Foster committed Saturday night, the Huskers had climbed to 38th, moving up 18 spots on Saturday alone.

Nebraska jumped to 35th in Rivals.com's rankings and 42nd on FoxSportsNext.com, with Foster’s commitment vaulting the Huskers up nine slots.

While not holding an offer for near as long as Foster, Stoltenberg's commitment on Saturday afternoon may be no less significant over the long haul.

Stoltenberg’s versatility, among other attributes, grabbed the attention of Nebraska coaches.

The 6-foot-5, 255-pound Stoltenberg’s scholarship offer came Thursday just hours after he impressed coaches at the Big Red Football School.

The Husker staff, led by head coach Bo Pelini, worked Stoltenberg out as an offensive lineman, defensive lineman and tight end. It is believed he will begin his college career as an offensive lineman, most likely a tackle.

A three-star-rated high school defensive end, Stoltenberg spent most of his time last season at that position, said Gretna’s seventh-year head coach Chad Jepsen. Stoltenberg also played tight end at times.

"This year, he's going to play a lot more both ways," said Jepsen, noting Stoltenberg's development since last season and the change in makeup of the team. "He'll play offensive tackle and still defensive end. He probably won't play as much tight end for us, but he may play a little bit there, as well."

Jepsen didn't want to speculate which position Stoltenberg would play at the next level. Some schools looked at him as a defensive end, the coach said. Others saw him as an offensive tackle.

Having run the 40 in 4.75 seconds, Stoltenberg turned down offers from Ohio, Army, Tulsa and North Dakota State, among others. Stanford and Iowa also visited Gretna, Jepsen said.

The lineman's stock has risen significantly in the past few months, almost in a whirlwind manner. He gained his first bit of national recognition after a strong performance at the Rivals Camp Series near St. Louis in April, where he was named one of the top performers by Rivals.com Midwest analyst Josh Helmholdt.

Stoltenberg has worked out during the last two offseasons with former Nebraska standout lineman Steve Warren.

"He's gotten bigger, stronger, a lot more confident," Jepsen said. "I think you're going to see a big change in him as people watch him from last year to this year."

Jepsen thinks Stoltenberg will be in good hands at Nebraska.

"They have a great staff and great group of guys who I've met with numerous times," Jepsen said. "Barney Cotton's been out to recruit Mick numerous times. I think they have the best interest in Mick and all the (recruits) when they look at those kids.

"It'll be a good fit."

Foster thought the same.

And it seems the other in-state commit Gifford is happy to finally have some local company on the Husker commit list.

After Foster’s news, Gifford tweeted: “What a great night for Husker football!”

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Husker men: Building on ups, dealing with downs

From football to track to baseball, the Husker men's teams made strides — but also hit some rough patches in 2012-13.

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Football

Big Ten regular season: First in Legends Division (then lost 70-31 to Wisconsin in Big Ten championship game)
Preseason prediction: After being the consensus favorite to win the Legends Division in 2011, Nebraska was picked third last season (behind Michigan and Michigan State). The Huskers also were No. 17 in the preseason Associated Press poll.
How it played out: It was a strange trip to 10-4, including 7-1 in the Big Ten regular season, as Nebraska seemed to ride the wave of inconsistency for a second consecutive season. The Huskers never got higher than No. 14 in the AP poll, spent three weeks outside of the rankings and settled for No. 25 after their third straight bowl loss. NU did recover from a 63-38 loss at Ohio State on Oct. 6 to win six straight to finish the regular season, but only one of those came against a ranked opponent (23-9 vs. No. 20 Michigan). The postseason then was marred by losses to unranked Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game and No. 7 Georgia in the Capital One Bowl (45-31).
Success or struggle: There were highs thanks to a prolific offense and its knack for comebacks, and there were lows because of a porous defense that was often outmanned. Taylor Martinez led the Huskers back from second-half deficits of 27-10 vs. Wisconsin, 28-16 at Northwestern, 24-14 at Michigan State and 20-6 vs. Penn State. But the quarterback also had costly turnovers against the Buckeyes and Badgers (in Big Ten title game) that helped push the snowball down the mountain with the Husker defense ill-equipped to stop it. The last two regular-season wins weren't pretty over Minnesota (38-14) and Iowa (13-7), but they secured the first division title since Nebraska joined the Big Ten.
Standout/star: Martinez broke the Huskers' single-season record for total offense, completing his junior year with 2,871 passing yards and 1,019 rushing. He will head into his senior season already holding the school record for career total offense. Martinez also was voted All-Big Ten by the league's coaches as he completed a career-high 62 percent of his passes and posted his first 1,000-yard rushing season.
Season high: Don't underestimate the depth of the hole facing the Huskers, and the intensity of the pressure on coach Bo Pelini, had Nebraska lost at Northwestern and dropped to 4-3 overall last Oct. 20. Instead, NU rallied for two scores in the final six minutes to win 29-28 in front of a throng of red at Ryan Field in Evanston, Ill. That started the six-game winning streak, the Huskers' longest in a season since 2001.
Season low: All the good will that Nebraska had built during the previous six weeks disappeared in the ugly 70-31 loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis. The unranked Badgers were losers of four regular-season conference games, and they were at Lucas Oil Stadium only because Ohio State and Penn State were ineligible. They proceeded to score touchdowns on nine of their first 11 offensive possessions and also returned an interception for another score. The final damage was 640 total yards and 10.7 per play, leaving the Huskers without a bid to a BCS bowl for the 11th straight year.
Trending: Hard to tell. You might say up if you point to the return of Martinez and the many weapons that Nebraska will feature offensively. You might be skeptical until you see the Husker defense repaired and distanced from the meltdowns of the past two seasons (eight games of allowing 30-plus points and a 1-7 record in those matchups). It's just hard to see the Huskers in anything but neutral, however, until they solve their current run of failures in the postseason under Pelini — three straight bowl losses, three straight league championship game losses. But Pelini has delivered nine or more wins in five consecutive seasons, so there remains hope that the next step isn't that far off.
— Rich Kaipust



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Men's track and field

Big Ten indoor meet: Fourth
Big Ten outdoor meet: First
Preseason prediction: Nebraska traditionally invests more money and recruits more aggressively than any other Big Ten program. Thus, the Huskers are perennially a favorite.
How it played out: After a disappointing indoor season filled with injuries and missed opportunities, Nebraska dominated the Big Ten outdoor meet for its first league title. At the NCAA outdoor meet, NU had three All-Americans: discus thrower Chad Wright, hurdler Miles Ukaoma and long jumper Janis Leitis. Wright, from Jamaica, continued the Huskers' legacy of strong throwing performances. Nebraska finished 15th overall. In the indoor meet, the Husker men finished 32nd.
Success or struggle: By the end of the year, when the Huskers' 400-meter relay team was among the nation's best, the season rounded the corner into a success. The indoor season didn't meet coach Gary Pepin's expectations, and he said so after a fourth-place finish at the Big Ten indoor meet.
Standout/star: Wright won the Big Ten outdoor shot put title and finished second at the NCAAs in the discus — his top event — one year after winning the national crown. Though Wright was second, he threw a career best of 209 feet, 1 inch in Eugene, Ore., showing he had peaked at the right time. NU's 400-meter relay team won the Big Ten outdoor title, while the 1,600-meter relay team won the indoor crown. Leitis, a one-year athlete from Latvia and 2012 Olympian, provided a boost in the 1,600 relay and the long jump.
Season high: Winning the Big Ten outdoor title was a validation the Husker men had wanted for nearly two years.
Season low: Finishing fourth in the Big Ten indoor meet fell far below Nebraska's expectations. The Huskers considered themselves favorites to win.
Trending: Slightly up. Look for the relay teams to keep improving. Sprints, too. Wright returns for one more year, so he's worth points at the Big Ten and national meets. The progress Wright has made as a shot-putter makes him a rare dual-threat thrower. NU needs more out of its distance runners, high jumpers and pole vaulters.
— Sam McKewon



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Baseball

Big Ten regular season: Tied for second
Big Ten tournament: Runner-up
Preseason prediction: The Huskers wanted to reach an NCAA regional for the first time since 2008. And with a rigorous nonconference schedule, building at-large credentials would be tough. Still, the Huskers had enough talent to compete for a Big Ten title and make a conference tournament run to earn the league's automatic NCAA bid.
How it played out: Not by design early on — Nebraska lost its first seven games, the program's worst start since 1942. The Huskers never made it back over .500. But they managed to stay in contention for the Big Ten's regular-season crown. In the conference tournament, they won three straight elimination games but ended the year with a loss to Indiana in the championship game.
Success or struggle: Struggle. Nebraska spent far too long waiting on an offense to click while also searching for reliable arms. And just when the Huskers would display their potential, they'd falter back to inconsistency.
Standout/star: Senior Chad Christensen, who started every game in left field on his way to an All-Big Ten first-team season. He led the team in batting (.364) and runs scored (45), while ranking second in RBIs (39). The former shortstop looked surprisingly comfortable in the outfield, too, finishing with eight assists and no errors.
Season high: A doubleheader sweep of Arkansas on April 16 at Haymarket Park. The day began with a combined no-hitter and ended with a dramatic eighth-inning rally to clinch the nightcap.
Season low: With a shot at a conference title still on the line, Nebraska collapsed on Senior Day. Michigan won 19-9, scoring more runs and recording more hits (23) than any NU opponent in five years.
Trending: Up, but just slightly. The Big Ten tournament run was an encouraging sign, but the Huskers were in that must-win situation because of their up-and-down performances all year. Their weekend rotation appears to be intact, which would be a first after two years of uncertainty on the mound for coach Darin Erstad. Half of the offensive production is gone, though, and NU will have to rely heavily on its recruiting class to replace those departed veterans.
— Jon Nyatawa



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Wrestling

Big Ten regular season: Tied for sixth
Big Ten meet: Seventh
Preseason prediction: The young Huskers — just four seniors — were expected to compete in the Big Ten, but not win what might be the toughest league in any sport.
How it played out: Nebraska finished seventh in the conference tournament as 149-pounder Jake Sueflohn and 157-pounder James Green reached title matches. At the NCAA championships, NU was 13th with 174-pounder Robert Kokesh finishing third. Penn State won the national title, and three more Big Ten teams finished in the top six.
Success or struggle: Nebraska had a little bit of both. NU beat No. 5 Illinois in a dual, but lost to Maryland and Wisconsin, too. The Huskers weren't always healthy, which affected the lineup.
Standout/star: Kokesh, Sueflohn, Green and 184-pounder Josh Ihnen paced the program, finishing with 38-4, 24-7, 25-6 and 27-8 records, respectively. Only Ihnen used up his eligibility. Kokesh led the way with 63 dual points. He'll be a favorite for the national title.
Season high: An 18-15 upset of No. 5 Illinois at home showed that, when the Huskers wrestle their best, they're a top-10 team.
Season low: NU wasn't particularly competitive in dual losses at Penn State and Iowa, but not many teams are.
Trending: Upward. Nebraska returns the core of its squad and adds a recruit, Destin McCauley, who won five state titles in Minnesota and nearly made the 2012 U.S. Olympic team. It might be, top to bottom, coach Mark Manning's most talented team. But now the Huskers have to finish in the big meets, as they did when Jordan Burroughs wrestled for the team.
— Sam McKewon



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Men's basketball

Big Ten regular season: 10th
Big Ten tournament: Defeated Purdue 57-55, lost to Ohio State 71-50
Preseason prediction: The Huskers were picked last, and it wasn't close. They were cellar-dwellers on 23 of 24 ballots (the other went to Illinois). With a coaching change and eight scholarship players available, little was expected.
How it played out: In many ways, Nebraska was one of the league's positive surprises. The Huskers finished 10th instead of the predicted 12th, claimed five league wins and picked up a rare victory in a conference tournament game.
Success or struggle: There was some of both. Nonconference wins against Valparaiso, Tulane, Wake Forest and USC were hardly a given. Winning a conference road game (Penn State) was a plus. But the Huskers lost nine games by between 15 and 31 points, an indicator of the big gap in talent and depth.
Standout/star: Senior Dylan Talley, playing under a new head coach for the sixth time in five years, moved from wing to point guard and carried the Huskers most of the season. His averages of 13.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists were impressive but don't do justice to all he meant to this team.
Season high: Rallying from a 19-point deficit in the first half Feb. 23 to defeat Iowa 64-60. That upset knocked the Hawkeyes out of NCAA tournament contention.
Season low: The five-game losing streak to start the Big Ten season. Though they weren't all blowouts, those setbacks showed how far Nebraska has to go to become competitive, much less victorious.
Trending: Up. Seven new players are set to join the active roster, which will make the Huskers far more athletic though inexperienced. And all seats are sold at the new Pinnacle Bank Arena, showing fans have bought into second-year coach Tim Miles' enthusiasm and sales pitch. But the NCAA tournament drought has reached 15 seasons.
— Lee Barfknecht



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Men's tennis

Big Ten regular season: 10th
Trending: The Huskers finished the season on a seven-match skid, a disappointing end to a year in which NU cracked the top 40. With only two seniors leaving and three recruits coming — including a North Florida transfer — Nebraska should be stronger in 2014.



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Men's golf

Big Ten tournament: Ninth
Trending: Three of the top five NU golfers from the Big Ten championships return, and redshirt freshman twins Aaron and Nathan Wong should help the cause next year. After finishing last at the Big Ten tournament in 2012, Nebraska seems back on more solid ground.



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Men's gymnastics

Big Ten meet: Seventh (out of seven)
Trending: The Huskers had two seniors on a team that spent most of the season inside the top 10, so a push for the Big Ten and national crowns isn't out of the question next season. NU has to improve on the pommel horse, which hurt the team's score at the Big Ten championships.



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Cross Country

Men's Big Ten meet: 11th (out of 11)
Women's Big Ten meet: 12th
Trending: These freshman-laden teams took their licks last year. They'll get better, but Nebraska has lacked a superior cross country runner since David Adams graduated two seasons ago. The men have twice finished last in the Big Ten meet.

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Husker women: Go above and beyond
Related news
•Husker men: Building on ups, dealing with downs

During the 2012-13 season, the Huskers had a typical run in the NCAA volleyball tournament, but a young softball team reaching the WCWS and hoops making the Sweet 16 were pleasant surprises. And don't forget about the bowling champs.

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Volleyball

Big Ten regular season: Tied for second
Preseason prediction: After winning the Big Ten championship during the team's first year in the league in 2011, Nebraska was the preseason No. 1 pick, followed by Penn State, which ran away with the league title. Seniors Hannah Werth, Gina Mancuso and Lauren Cook were preseason All-Big Ten picks.
How it played out: The Huskers finished 15-5 in the Big Ten, tying Minnesota for second place behind Penn State. The Nittany Lions dropped just one match in conference play — the Huskers gave Penn State the black mark in a five-set thriller on Oct. 28 at the NU Coliseum. It was one of the Huskers' seven five-set matches last season.
Success or struggle: Nebraska played up to, and at times beyond, its talent level and fell just one win shy of a trip to the national semifinals. NU rebounded from a disappointing second-round exit in the 2011 NCAA tournament by reaching the Omaha regional final, where the Huskers lost 3-1 to eventual national runner-up Oregon. Four NU players earned All-America honors, led by setter Cook, who was named to the first team.
Standout/star: Cook, the daughter of coach John Cook, engineered a sterling senior season to secure her status as one of the finest setters in the history of a program that has seen plenty of talented distributors. Outside hitters Mancuso and Werth were named second-team All Americans after averaging better than three kills per set. Freshman middle blocker Meghan Haggerty was an honorable mention All-American.
Season high: Nebraska earned five-set wins over a pair of top-ranked opponents during the final season at the historic NU Coliseum. The Huskers trailed UCLA 13-11 in the fifth set before scoring the match's final four points on Aug. 25. Against Penn State on Oct. 28, Nebraska won a marathon second set 32-30 and held on to win in five games despite recording fewer kills, blocks and a much lower hitting percentage than the Nittany Lions. Mancuso starred with 16 kills and 17 digs versus Penn State.
Season low: Nebraska isn't used to dealing with three losses in four matches, but that's where the Huskers found themselves after being upset at home by Ohio State and losing five-set matches at Michigan and Michigan State in a nine-day stretch. Only the memorable win over Penn State salvaged what would have been a four-match skid.
Trending: John Cook knows his team is unlikely to be ranked high in preseason polls because of the sheer number of new faces on the roster this fall. Nebraska will likely have 10 players who were not on the team last season. NU graduated three All-Americans and had two more players transfer after last fall. Losing one of the Big Ten's top blockers in Hayley Thramer to a knee injury this spring is another big blow. But the Huskers bring in the nation's top-ranked recruiting class, headlined by outside hitters Kadie and Amber Rolfzen. The program also added a pair of offseason transfers who earned All-Southeastern Conference honors at Tennessee: outside hitter Kelsey Robinson and setter Mary Pollmiller.
— Jeff Sheldon



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Women's basketball

Big Ten regular season: Second
Preseason prediction: After a surprisingly good 2012 with a precocious roster that ended in a disappointing first-round NCAA tournament loss, the Huskers were picked to finish in the top three of the Big Ten and make a run in the Big Dance.
How it played out: According to plan — and maybe a bit more. NU won nine straight games during Big Ten play, finished second in the league during the regular season and advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament after an upset win at Texas A&M in the second round. Senior point guard Lindsey Moore got picked in the first round of the WNBA draft after her record-setting career.
Success or struggle: Success. The Huskers finished the season playing confident basketball. Even in a Sweet 16 loss to ACC power Duke, Nebraska competed as if it belonged — not like it was happy to merely show up.
Standout/star: Moore, who graduated as the best point guard in school history. Though junior Jordan Hooper made first-team All-Big Ten, Moore (15.1 points and 5.7 assists per game) was the straw that stirred NU's drink, finishing as the Husker career leader in assists, starts, minutes and, most important, wins.
Season high: Beating Texas A&M in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Connie Yori outcoached friend Gary Blair and the Huskers executed their offense with excellence each time the Aggies got close.
Season low: Though both programs advanced to the NCAA tournament, Nebraska doesn't want to make a habit of losing at South Dakota State and Creighton.
Trending: Upward. Though Moore graduated, Hooper returns, as does most of NU's roster. Furthermore, Pinnacle Bank Arena opens this fall, which should draw more fans to the program and appeal to top recruits. NU women's hoops has the chance to go into overdrive.
— Sam McKewon



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Women's soccer

Big Ten regular season: Eighth
Preseason prediction: Nebraska's eighth-place finish was actually a small step up from the Big Ten's preseason expectations. The Huskers were picked to finish 10th by the league's coaches.
How it played out: For the second straight season, NU went 4-7 in Big Ten play, en route to a 7-12-1 overall record. The Huskers started 2-1 in the conference but ended the season losing seven of their last nine matches. The Huskers dropped home matches against Penn State and Ohio State, the Big Ten's top teams, by a combined score of 8-0. The Buckeyes also defeated Nebraska 1-0 in the first round of the conference tournament.
Success or struggle: NU struggled to generate offense after losing forward Morgan Marlborough, who transferred to Santa Clara after the 2011 season. NU ranked in the bottom half of the Big Ten in shots and goals. But a leaky defense really hurt the Huskers — Nebraska allowed a conference-high 26 goals in 11 Big Ten matches.
Standout/star: Whatever offense NU generated was likely to come from sophomore forward Mayme Conroy, a second-team All-Big Ten pick. The Omaha Skutt graduate scored 14 of the team's 26 goals last fall, sixth most in the Big Ten. No other Husker found the net more than twice. Her 28 points were 18 more than any teammate.
Season high: NU strung together three straight wins in early September, two on the road. The Huskers won at Cincinnati 2-1, picked up a 4-0 win at home over Southeast Missouri State and opened Big Ten play with a 2-0 win at Northwestern.
Season low: on one weekend in mid-October, the cream of the Big Ten crop showed Nebraska just how far away it is from the class of the league. Penn State, which won the conference for the 15th straight year, beat NU 4-0 in Lincoln.
— Jeff Sheldon



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Women's track

Big Ten indoor meet: Second
Big Ten outdoor meet: Sixth
Preseason prediction: With the loss of long distance runner Ashley Miller heading into the season and no immediate replacement for her talents, Nebraska was not expected to win the Big Ten title. Miller played a big role in the Huskers' 2012 indoor title.
How it played out: The Huskers battled again through some injuries. A pleasantly surprising second-place finish in the Big Ten indoor meet was followed by no points at the NCAA indoor meet. In the outdoor Big Ten meet, Nebraska finished a disappointing sixth but, thanks to jumper Mara Griva, took 32nd in the NCAA outdoor meet.
Success or struggle: A little bit of both. Nebraska's had deeper, more talented, more experienced teams than the 2013 bunch. NU had only four seniors. But they were four of the team's top athletes, too.
Standout/star: Griva, the senior from Latvia who capped her career with a strong finish. She won the Big Ten indoor and outdoor long jump and triple jump titles and claimed All-America honors in both events. All told, she finishes with nine conference titles. NU keeps churning out great jumpers, and Griva's one of the best.
Season high: Griva's senior year. She'd battled injuries as a junior, but stayed healthy enough this spring to cap a memorable career.
Season low: Not scoring any points in the NCAA indoor meet is rare for the Huskers.
Trending: Upward because of a strong recruiting class. Nebraska landed one of the nation's top high school sprinters, Kadecia Baird of Brooklyn, who, so long as she stays healthy, can replace all of the points NU loses from Griva's departure.
— Sam McKewon



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Softball

Big Ten regular season: Second
Big Ten tournament: Lost in the semifinals
Preseason prediction: The baseline expectation for this program is always to make the NCAA tournament — even this spring, when the Huskers knew they'd be relying on a half-dozen freshmen after missing out on a regional bid in 2012.
How it played out: Better than most imagined. The Huskers gained some confidence during nonconference action, then found a rhythm in league play. They hosted a regional and breezed right through it. Then they won twice at Oregon, which hadn't lost a home game all year, to advance to the seventh Women's College World Series in school history. NU ended the year in heartbreaking fashion, losing two extra-inning games at the WCWS.
Success or struggle: Success, without a doubt. The young team handled the mental and physical demands of a full season, actually managing to get stronger as the year went on. The Huskers' longest losing streak was two games, showcasing some of that resiliency.
Standout/star: Junior Tatum Edwards, who took over for veteran ace and all-time NU strikeout leader Ashley Hagemann. Edwards did just fine in the new role. She was the Big Ten pitcher of the year, going 30-10 with a 1.91 ERA. She threw 61 percent of the Huskers' innings and started seven of NU's eight postseason games.
Season high: Celebrating NU's first WCWS berth in 11 years after a 4-2 win over Oregon on May 26.
Season low: The euphoria didn't last long. Nebraska lost its two WCWS games by one run in extra innings, despite holding leads in both. As thrilled as the Huskers were to be there, those near-misses revealed just how much talent they had.
Trending: Up. Perhaps this move to the Big Ten will work out favorably for Nebraska, which seemed perpetually stuck in the middle of the pack in the talented Big 12 during its last half-decade with that league. The Huskers must replace clutch-hitting senior Brooke Thomason, but the majority of their team will be back next spring. Plus, their new conference rebounded after a down year, which helps add national credibility to NU's climb back to powerhouse status.
— Jon Nyatawa



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Women's gymnastics

Big Ten meet: First
Trending: The Huskers narrowly missed out on a trip to the NCAA Super Six finals. Look for the Huskers to close the deal next year, as Emily Wong returns for her senior year after finishing third in the all-around competition at the NCAA championships.



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Women's golf

Big Ten tournament: 11th
Trending: Nebraska was breaking in several young golfers this year, including freshmen Cassie Deeg and Hannah Luebke. NU has no seniors, so look for an extra year of experience to pay off next year with stronger finishes.



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Women's swimming and diving

Big Ten meet: Ninth (out of 12)
Trending: The program has never really recovered from the NCAA sanction hammer 12 years ago, and NU is not likely to recover from it in a way that helps the Huskers compete for Big Ten and national titles. Still, this was NU's best conference finish, relative to the number of teams in the meet, since 2005.



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Women's rifle

NCAA championships finish: Seventh
Trending: The Huskers continue their run of success. Because so few teams nationwide compete in rifle, NU can recruit some of the nation's best.



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Women's tennis

Big Ten regular season: Tied for first
Trending: Nebraska enjoyed the best season in school history, advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament before losing to North Carolina. But singles player Mary Weatherholt — the best player in school history — trumped the team finish by making a memorable run all the way to the NCAA singles final before losing. Weatherholt was a senior, so NU will be a little weaker next year, but the impact of her run should benefit the Huskers for years to come.



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Women's bowling

NCAA finish: National champions
Trending: Can't beat being the best. NU won its fourth national crown in dramatic fashion with a comeback to beat Vanderbilt. Later, lone senior Kristi Mickelson won the X-Bowling Intercollegiate Singles Championships in Lincoln. Mickelson was a leader and key part of the Huskers' squad, but Nebraska considers itself an annual favorite to win a national title, and next year won't be any different.
— Sam McKewon

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Nebraska to wear black alternate jersey for home UCLA game:

www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=208505860

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Bigger venues fuel growth in Husker sports revenue
By Lee Barfknecht / World-Herald Bureau
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LINCOLN —

Nebraska is projecting a 9 percent increase in sports revenue for the coming year, which will make Husker athletics close to a $93 million enterprise annually.

The budget for fiscal 2013-14 is going through final approval, Husker Athletic Director Shawn Eichorst said Wednesday, but the expected revenue hikes of about $7.6 million are solid based on three things.

“Increased seating in football, increased seating in volleyball and increased seating in basketball,” he said. “It's going to be great come fall when we start setting all-time attendance records.”

Here are the numbers:

» Football: Memorial Stadium is in the final stages of a $63.5 million East Stadium expansion. That will boost the listed capacity to about 87,000 with attendance expected at 92,000. The stadium has been sold out for 325 consecutive games since 1962. Ticket seekers can ask for placement on a waitlist.

» Volleyball: Next month comes a move from the 4,030-seat NU Coliseum to the Devaney Center, remodeled at $20.5 million for volleyball to about 6,500 seats with potential for more for premier match-ups. The waitlist is closed until 2014 for a program with 181 straight sellouts, the longest streak in any American women's college sport.

» Basketball: The men and women will move from the 13,595-seat Devaney Center to the 15,200-seat Pinnacle Bank Arena. On May 3, public tickets for men's basketball sold out — a first in school history.

Nebraska's expected budget of $93 million puts it about 25th nationally (Texas is first at about $170 million) and in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten (Ohio State is first in the league and second nationally at about $150 million).

Where NU ranks financially is hardly front of mind for Eichorst.

“You've got to take care of your own business,” he said. “Every place is different because of the number of sports they have, the cities they are in and how far they have to travel.





“We stay within our means, but we're also able to be progressive.”

Eichorst, who succeeded Tom Osborne in January after 18 months as A.D. at Miami (Fla.), was pleased when first shown the NU athletic department's books.

“We're in really good shape financially,” Eichorst said. “Supporters of this university would be proud of how we have managed our business.”

The new boss's style isn't to hand out across-the-board increases or decreases in budgets and salaries. Each sport and coach will be evaluated case by case.

Will each of Nebraska's 24 sports get a budget increase this year?

“To the extent they need it,” Eichorst said. “I don't have any moratorium on increasing anyone's budget if they need it. I'll be supportive of needs, not luxuries. After needs are met, we'll look at other strategic spending.”

Nebraska Chancellor Harvey Perlman recently hinted that the Huskers may add sports soon, likely on the women's side. Eichorst said he hasn't discussed it with Perlman.

“I certainly don't want to drop any sports,” Eichorst said. “If we were going to add, we'd probably look on the women's side. But I like where we are right now.”

Nebraska's goal is to support all sports well enough to compete successfully, first in the Big Ten, then regionally and nationally.

“I think we have a little work to do there yet in some of our sports,” Eichorst said. “You've got to be fair to your student-athletes. You've got to give them a chance.”

So if Nebraska sponsors a sport, it plans to win?

“Darn right,” Eichorst said.

Other athletic department notes and quotes from Eichorst:

» Personnel: This week's hiring of Steve Waterfield from Miami as senior associate A.D. for performance and strategic research “filled a need.” Are other hires imminent? “As I assess our needs, we'll add people or maybe play to people's strengths differently. It will be important to go through the fall when the heavy lifting starts to get to know everyone better.”

» Facilities: “When you talk about bells and whistles, we're not at the bottom, and we're certainly not at the top. But functionally, I don't know if anybody has better facilities than Nebraska.”

» Booster relations: Eichorst has made 70 to 75 public appearances in his first six months. “I've really enjoyed talking to groups about where we've been, where we are and where we're going. I feel confident that they trust us with their donations to strategically spend them the right way.”

[crayon4600]

will the cornhuskers be able to recover from the beating they suffer from ucla on 9/14/13?

Do they have reserves that can be brought in before the Big 10 opener with Illinois on Oct 5?

[nu5ncbigred]

Memorial Stadium FieldTurf to Bear Name of Tom Osborne Again

The legend who cemented Nebraska’s place in college football history has his name back where it belongs, and that linked legacy to Big Red posterity will continue to inspire the hearts of Huskers on every Game Day, beginning this fall, throughout the next 50 years, and beyond.

In this the 90th anniversary season of Memorial Stadium, a legendary name that graced the field for all of one season will return in perpetuity. Nebraska is finishing the installment of new FieldTurf, and it’s stunning, but what makes it truly classy is the red name stitched on the white edges of the east and west sidelines ... Tom Osborne Field ... a name that has been absent on that storied field for 14 seasons, even though it has remained the field’s official name since the University of Nebraska Board of Regents’ approval in 1998.

It’s easy to understand why Osborne asked that his name be removed from the field after its first and only appearance in 1998 – the same year that he retired from football and became a rare accelerated member of the College Football Foundation Hall of Fame. Osborne asked that his name be removed because he didn’t think it was fair to Frank Solich, who succeeded him as head coach.

Senior Management Team Unanimously Approved

Nebraska Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst said the Athletic Department’s Senior Management Team unanimously approved returning Osborne’s name to the sidelines, and the decision was especially timely with the installation of new FieldTurf.

The East Stadium expansion will be complete this fall. The project not only will increase Memorial Stadium’s attendance to 92,000 fans, but also will feature the Nebraska Athletic Performance Laboratory (NAPL), designed to become a world-leading research and educational facility committed to enhancing the performance, safety, health and well-being of student-athletes and others of varying physical abilities. Osborne was a key catalyst for NAPL, which will be adjacent to the East Stadium’s Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior (CB3) – Nebraska’s new academic research lab.

In addition to returning Osborne’s name to the sidelines, Memorial Stadium will continue having “Nebraska” stitched in red in the South end zone and "Huskers" stitched in red in the North end zone. A block red “N” remains the stadium’s 50-yard centerpiece, and two Big Ten Conference (B1G) logos are stitched in the northeast and southwest corners of the playing field. The "Tom Osborne Field" inscriptions are placed on Memorial Stadium’s northwest and southeast sidelines.

Osborne Icon for Nebraska and College Football

“Coach Osborne is a true icon for Nebraska and for college football,” Eichorst said. “He’s inspired half a century of Husker teams to unparalleled excellence, and I think every Husker fan will be glad to see his name back on the field.”

Osborne served as Bob Devaney’s offensive coordinator for Nebraska’s first two national championship teams in 1970 and ‘71 and was head coach for the Huskers’ national title teams in '94, ’95 and ‘97. His 255-49-3 career record averages more than 10 wins and fewer than two losses over 25 consecutive years. Osborne became the first coach in college football history to retire as a reigning national champion. A member of Devaney's staff for 11 years before succeeding him as head coach, Osborne won .836 percent of his games at Nebraska.

In 2007, Osborne returned to Nebraska as Athletic Director and restored the order of Husker football with the hiring of Bo Pelini as head coach. Overall, Osborne played a significant role in Nebraska football’s success for 41-plus seasons. In the last 50 years, the Huskers have won a nation-leading 79 percent of their games and also own an ongoing NCAA record of 50 consecutive years of home-game sellouts.

[nu5ncbigred]

Huskers drop game in Chicago, add Cincinnati
Related news
•Big Ten, ACC partner with Music City, Gator bowls
•New Memorial Stadium turf like 'freshly mowed grass'
•Big Ten strikes deal for bowl game at Detroit's Ford Field
•McKewon: Ranking the Huskers' opponent QBs

LINCOLN —

Nebraska dropped a neutral site game at Soldier Field to fix an overbooked 2016 schedule and announced more plans Thursday for future nonconference matchups.

The Big Ten’s move to a nine-game league schedule beginning in 2016 forced the Huskers to remove one of the four nonconference contests they’d contractually agreed upon. With just four home games in league play, NU decided not to back out of hosting Fresno State, Wyoming or Tennessee.

Instead, the Huskers won’t be playing Northern Illinois in Chicago in 2016.

The two teams, however, will meet four times in six years starting in 2017. All of those games — Sept. 16, 2017; Sept. 14, 2019; Sept. 4, 2021; and Sept. 16, 2023 — will be played at Memorial Stadium.

Nebraska also added Cincinnati to its future schedule, an agreement that crosses two sports.

The Huskers are set to host the Bearcats on Sept. 12, 2020, before traveling to Cincinnati on Sept. 13, 2025. And in men’s basketball, as part of the contract, NU plays at Cincinnati on Dec. 28 this season and hosts the Bearcats in the 2014-15 campaign.

Cincinnati’s won all three games against the Huskers on the basketball court, most recently in 1996.

In football, Nebraska’s only meeting with the Bearcats was in 1906. The Huskers won 41-0.

So far, the NU-Cincinnati matchups are the only nonconference games in 2020 and 2025 that the Nebraska athletic department has announced. The Huskers have already released plans to play a home-and-home against Oklahoma (in 2021 and 2022) and a home-and-home against Colorado (in 2023 and 2024).

Starting in 2016, when the Big Ten adds a league game, Nebraska will host just four conference games every even-numbered year. And since seven home games is the desired minimum for fiscal stability, NU will likely play all three of its nonconference games at home during those seasons.

That’s what made the elimination of the 2016 trip to Soldier Field somewhat predictable.

It was supposed to be the start of a three-year contract between Nebraska and Northern Illinois. The deal was signed by representatives from the two athletic departments last year.

But the Big Ten announced in April that starting in 2016 it would add a ninth game to the regular season conference schedule. That forced Nebraska to adjust its plan.

The Soldier Field game was cancelled and the NU-NIU agreement was amended to add the 2021 and 2023 games.

[nu5ncbigred]

2013 Nebraska football's 10 things to know: Is good (again) good enough?

By Bill Connelly  @sbn_BillC on Jul 29 2013, 10:00a 61

USA TODAY Sports
Stay connected with SB Nation Follow @sbnation
Under Bo Pelini, Nebraska has established itself as a consistent top-25 team capable of winning nine to 10 games a year. With a wonderful backfield and disturbingly easy schedule, the Huskers could top that total this fall. But a sketchy defense could lead to an unhappy ending, just like it did last year. For more Nebraska, visit Corn Nation.

Tweet Share 61 Comments ⋆Rec (1) Confused? Check out the glossary here.

1. Still waiting for the breakthrough
The mid-1990s Nebraska Cornhuskers were efficient and brutal, predictable and unstoppable, wooing you with the option and taking your head off with the Blackshirts.

The early-2010s Cornhuskers, meanwhile, are solid. Good, even. But good is not elite, and aside from the devastating 2007 season -- a 5-7 campaign that got the Bill Callahan era labeled as an undebatable, miserable failure even though he had delivered a Big 12 North title the year before -- Nebraska has never felt further away from the game's true elite. The Cornhuskers have won either nine or 10 games in each of the last four seasons, they have a strong, fun offensive backfield, and they should once again have a deep, interesting defensive backfield.

Nebraska will absolutely be good in 2012 … but in Lincoln, there is little difference between good and terrible. It appears that only greatness matters.

That comes from last year's Nebraska preview. Nebraska has now won either nine or 10 games in each of the last five seasons. The Cornhuskers still have a strong, fun offensive backfield, and they still have a deep, interesting defensive backfield. In 2012, the defense avoided what would have been a third straight year of regression, and the offense took a lovely step forward behind a resurgent line and strong play-calling.

In 2013, Nebraska should have its best offense of the Pelini era. It should also have a defense that regresses just enough to offset offensive gains. In other words, the Huskers are looking at nine or 10 wins and an F/+ ranking between about 15th and 20th. Again.

Perhaps this is the blue-blood version of Glen Mason Territory, where a program is simultaneously successful and disappointing, and fans grow both impatient and guilty about feeling impatient. Nebraska is better than most programs and nowhere near as good as the dominant programs it seeks to emulate. And to the extent that anything actually needs fixing, there's no obvious fix in sight.

But if the defense can hold it together despite a lot of new pieces, the schedule is built for wins. Not only are there an always-obnoxious eight home games on the slate, but two of the four road games are against Purdue and Minnesota. If Nebraska can once again reach a top-15 or -20 level, the Huskers could be one solid road win (against either Michigan or Penn State) away from an 11-1 record, even without any major improvement. That could be exciting, but how would Husker fans view it if it ended in a conference title game loss and BCS bowl blowout?


More: Bill C. previewing every Big Ten team And every other team, too

2012 Schedule & Results
Record: 10-4 | Adj. Record: 11-3 | Final F/+ Rk: 19
Date Opponent Score W-L Adj. Score Adj. W-L
1-Sep Southern Miss 49-20 W 44.5 - 24.3 W
8-Sep at UCLA 30-36 L 32.0 - 33.6 L
15-Sep Arkansas State 42-13 W 48.2 - 13.3 W
22-Sep Idaho State 73-7 W 32.8 - 17.9 W
29-Sep Wisconsin 30-27 W 38.4 - 17.1 W
6-Oct at Ohio State 38-63 L 37.2 - 38.5 L
20-Oct at Northwestern 29-28 W 36.6 - 12.7 W
27-Oct Michigan 23-9 W 29.3 - 7.0 W
3-Nov at Michigan State 28-24 W 48.0 - 29.2 W
10-Nov Penn State 32-23 W 38.2 - 27.5 W
17-Nov Minnesota 38-14 W 30.4 - 14.9 W
23-Nov at Iowa 13-7 W 23.2 - 17.9 W
1-Dec vs. Wisconsin 31-70 L 37.0 - 60.1 L
1-Jan vs. Georgia 31-45 L 32.7 - 27.6 W
Category Offense Rk Defense Rk
Points Per Game 34.8 28 27.6 58
Adj. Points Per Game 36.3 10 24.4 30

2. A defining, and in no way indicative, performance
The defense really wasn't that bad. Honestly. For the season Nebraska ranked 30th in Def. F/+, not "Blackshirts" worthy, but not bad at all.

There was an artificial bump in there because of the Michigan game; Denard Robinson got hurt early, and Devin Gardner didn't take over at quarterback until the next week, so Nebraska got a few quarters of Russell Bellomy throwing incompletions, meaning the 188 total yards they allowed to the Wolverines weren't as dominant as the stats thought they were. But the Huskers did still allow only 295 yards (4.3 per play) to Wisconsin the first time around and 301 (4.0) to Northwestern. And they dominated bad offenses like really good defenses are supposed to, allowing 3.9 yards per play to Southern Miss, 4.1 to Arkansas State, 3.1 to Minnesota, and 3.2 to Iowa.

The defense really wasn't that bad. Honestly.So yes, while this certainly wasn't a Ndamukong Suh-level Nebraska defense, it was pretty decent. That Nebraska allowed 1,229 yards in just 131 plays (9.4 per play) to Wisconsin and Georgia to finish the season was the exception, not the rule. But wow, what an exception.

Adj. Points Per Game (first 6 games): Nebraska 38.9, Opponent 24.1 (plus-14.8)
Adj. Points Per Game (next 6 games): Nebraska 34.3, Opponent 18.2 (plus-16.1)
Adj. Points Per Game (postseason): Opponent 43.9, Nebraska 34.9 (minus-9.0)

That Nebraska takes the field in 2013 without its best defensive end, its two starting tackles, its top three linebackers, and both starting safeties is pretty scary. It's scarier, really, than it feels -- when you see a unit get vandalized like NU's did in the postseason, you tend to figure a blood transfusion is a good thing.

But again, with an offense that looks pretty outstanding, the Huskers can probably afford a bit of regression. Just don't make it a full-fledged collapse, because you'll blow a hell of a scheduling opportunity.

Offense

Category Yards/
Game Rk S&P+ Rk Success
Rt. Rk PPP+ Rk
OVERALL 26 7 2 9
RUSHING 8 3 1 4
PASSING 91 15 29 15
Standard Downs 4 2 8
Passing Downs 15 23 13
Redzone 25 7 67
Q1 Rk 4 1st Down Rk 7
Q2 Rk 13 2nd Down Rk 11
Q3 Rk 15 3rd Down Rk 19
Q4 Rk 26
3. Second-best play-caller in the country
I'm already on record saying Georgia's Mike Bobo was the best play-caller in the country last year. (It's fun saying something that is both true and confrontational -- "Fire Bobo!" was a long-serving meme in the Georgia crowd, but there's no denying he was ridiculously good at his job last year.) But Nebraska offensive coordinator Tim Beck may have been No. 2. He was definitely in the top five.

Whereas the persistent 2012 narrative during Nebraska telecasts seemed to revolve around tweaks to Taylor Martinez's mechanics and efforts to improve his passing ability, the fact was that his general throwing motion was very, very similar to what it had been in 2011. And Martinez was still horrific on any pass thrown further than 10 yards downfield. Martinez is a tremendous runner, and he has some of the best sleight of hand you'll ever see -- he seems to be able to make his give-or-keep decision about five yards past the option mesh point. But he's just not a passer.

Nebraska didn't improve from 33rd to eighth in Off. F/+ last year because Beck and his offensive staff turned Martinez into something he wasn't; the Huskers improved because Beck's play-calling philosophy catered perfectly to what Martinez actually was and is. Though the run percentages went up as the season progressed, Beck called a lot of quick, easy passes on first downs; Martinez is plenty accurate near the line of scrimmage, and the play-calling set up pretty consistent second-and-shorts, which Nebraska's efficient running game (as in, the most efficient in the country) was able to gobble up with ease.

Nebraska was one of the best in the country at taking free yardage. When things got tight -- as games progressed, or as Nebraska got closer to the end zone -- Beck leaned on the run a bit more, and the offense bogged down a hair. But first-quarter yards and points count just the same as they do in the fourth quarter. Beck milked the most possible production out of this unit; that's his job, and he was good at it. And there's really no reason to think he'll be any worse at his job in 2013.

Quarterback
Note: players in bold below are 2013 returnees. Players in italics are questionable with injury/suspension.

Player Ht, Wt 2013
Year Rivals Comp Att Yards Comp
Rate TD INT Sacks Sack Rate Yards/
Att.
Taylor Martinez 6'1, 210 Sr. *** (5.7) 228 368 2,871 62.0% 23 12 34 8.5% 6.6
Ron Kellogg III 6'1, 220 Sr. NR 4 9 22 44.4% 1 1 0 0.0% 2.4
Tommy Armstrong, Jr. 6'1, 220 RSFr. *** (5.7)








4. Taylor Martinez is never going to be a passer
He takes too many sacks, he throws too many interceptions, and his passes of more than 10-15 yards are basically mini-Hail Marys. But when you run like he does, you can get away with it. Again, Nebraska had the most efficient running game in the country, pulling that off with only minimal assistance from Rex Burkhead. He showed a level of explosiveness last year that he really hadn't hinted at much before, but he also missed six games with injury, leaving most of the carries to Martinez and Ameer Abdullah (the two combined for 28 per game). Neither Abdullah nor then-freshman Imani Cross showed an inordinate amount of explosiveness, but behind a resurgent line, they were able to take advantage of the decent creases in front of them.

Two four-star freshmen enter the mix this season -- Terrell Newby of West Hills, CA, was the No. 75 overall recruit in the country last year according to Rivals.com. The backfield is loaded, in other words. And if the line can sustain last year's surge despite the loss of two starters, then there's no reason why the running game won't be top-five again.

Two all-conference linemen return. In Spencer Long and Jeremiah Sirles, Nebraska has a hell of a right-side duo. The Huskers improved dramatically on the line, perhaps partly because of the same play-calling that helped Martinez -- Nebraska punished teams for over-loading against the run, and Long, Sirles, and company were able to take advantage.

Running Back
Player Pos. Ht, Wt 2013
Year Rivals Rushes Yards Yards/
Carry Hlt Yds/
Carry TD Adj.
POE
Ameer Abdullah RB 5'9, 190 Jr. *** (5.7) 225 1,151 5.1 4.3 8 +2.5
Taylor Martinez QB 6'1, 210 Sr. *** (5.7) 161 1,255 7.8 7.4 10 +42.9
Rex Burkhead RB 98 675 6.9 8.6 5 -0.4
Imani Cross RB 6'1, 225 So. *** (5.7) 55 324 5.9 4.6 7 -0.4
Braylon Heard RB 52 348 6.7 4.4 3 -0.4
Mike Marrow FB 6'2, 250 Sr. *** (5.5) 10 30 3.0 1.4 0 -1.7
Terrell Newby RB 5'10, 180 Fr. **** (6.0)






Adam Taylor RB 6'1, 210 Fr. **** (5.8)







Receiving Corps
Player Pos. Ht, Wt 2013
Year Rivals Targets Catches Yards Catch Rate Yds/
Target Target
Rate %SD Real Yds/
Target RYPR
Kenny Bell WR-X 6'1, 185 Jr. *** (5.7) 77 50 863 64.9% 11.2 21.6% 61.0% 11.2 134.6
Quincy Enunwa WR-Z 6'2, 225 Sr. *** (5.7) 69 42 470 60.9% 6.8 19.3% 58.0% 6.9 73.3
Jamal Turner WR-A 6'1, 185 Jr. **** (5.8) 53 32 417 60.4% 7.9 14.8% 52.8% 7.8 65.0
Kyler Reed TE 37 24 357 64.9% 9.6 10.4% 51.4% 9.4 55.7
Ameer Abdullah RB 5'9, 190 Jr. *** (5.7) 34 24 178 70.6% 5.2 9.5% 52.9% 5.2 27.8
Ben Cotton TE 30 18 239 60.0% 8.0 8.4% 86.7% 7.3 37.3
Rex Burkhead RB 13 11 92 84.6% 7.1 3.6% 30.8% 7.8 14.3
Steven Osborne WR-Z 11 10 91 90.9% 8.3 3.1% 54.5% 8.7 14.2
Jake Long TE 6'4, 240 Sr. NR 10 6 55 60.0% 5.5 2.8% 70.0% 5.2 8.6
Tim Marlowe WR-A 7 4 54 57.1% 7.7 2.0% 14.3% 12.2 8.4
Tyler Evans WR-X 6'1, 195 Jr. ** (5.4) 3 2 27 66.7% 9.0 0.8% 66.7% 10.6 4.2
Andy Janovich FB 6'1, 225 So. NR 3 2 13 66.7% 4.3 0.8% 100.0% 2.6 2.0
Taariq Allen WR-Z 6'3, 195 So. *** (5.5) 3 2 11 66.7% 3.7 0.8% 66.7% 4.1 1.7
Alonzo Moore WR-X 6'2, 185 RSFr. **** (5.8)









Jordan Westerkamp WR-A 6'0, 200 RSFr. **** (5.8)









Sam Cotton TE 6'4, 235 RSFr. *** (5.5)









Richard Mackson, US Presswire

5. Kenny Bell is terribly underrated
Another beneficiary of the early-down passing: Kenny Bell, Martinez's primary quick-strike target who posted stats I had to double-check to verify. I like to think I do a pretty good job of keeping tabs of who's doing well and who isn't throughout the course of a season. But if you'd asked me what Kenny Bell's stat line was in 2012, I'd have guessed something around 40 catches, 500 yards, and 8.0 yards per target. Sorry for underestimating you, Kenny. The all-Big Ten voters did, too, in choosing Penn State's Allen Robinson as a first-team receiver over you.

The top three receivers all return for Martinez, including all-or-nothing passing downs target Jamal Turner. I don't really see the passing game improving much -- Martinez's ceiling is pretty well-defined -- but I don't see why it would regress much either.

Offensive Line
Category Adj.
Line Yds Std.
Downs
LY/carry Pass.
Downs
LY/carry Opp.
Rate Power
Success
Rate Stuff
Rate Adj.
Sack Rate Std.
Downs
Sack Rt. Pass.
Downs
Sack Rt.
Team 119.9 3.19 3.68 46.7% 77.6% 18.5% 80.9 7.1% 7.9%
Rank 4 23 21 7 13 54 90 103 87
Player Pos. Ht, Wt 2013
Year Rivals Career Starts/Honors/Notes
Spencer Long RG 6'4, 315 Sr. NR 27 career starts; 2012 1st All-Big Ten
Jeremiah Sirles RT 6'6, 310 Sr. *** (5.7) 28 career starts; 2012 2nd All-Big Ten
Seung Hoon Choi LG 20 career starts
Brent Qvale LT 6'7, 315 Sr. *** (5.5) 13 career starts
Justin Jackson C 12 career starts
Andrew Rodriguez RT 6'6, 330 Sr. **** (5.8) 8 career starts
Brandon Thompson LT
Jake Cotton LG 6'6, 305 Jr. ** (5.3)
Mark Pelini C 6'0, 295 Jr. NR
Cole Pensick C 6'2, 275 Sr. *** (5.5)
Ryne Reeves RG 6'3, 295 So. **** (5.8)
Zach Sterup RG 6'6, 315 So. **** (5.8)
Matt Finnin OL 6'7, 305 Jr. *** (5.7)
Chongo Kondolo OL 6'4, 290 Jr. *** (5.5)

Defense

Category Yards/
Game Rk S&P+ Rk Success
Rt. Rk PPP+ Rk
OVERALL 35 24 14 42
RUSHING 92 36 20 51
PASSING 4 19 11 27
Standard Downs 41 18 55
Passing Downs 20 13 26
Redzone 31 32 32
Q1 Rk 35 1st Down Rk 64
Q2 Rk 54 2nd Down Rk 14
Q3 Rk 11 3rd Down Rk 27
Q4 Rk 38
6. A trade-off
Since ranking a perfectly mediocre 60th in Off. F/+ in 2009, the Nebraska offense has improved for three straight years. But it's been basically a zero-sum game for the Huskers, as a defense which ranked fourth in Def. F/+ in 2009 has fallen in two of three. After tumbling from eighth to 38th in 2011, the D did rebound a bit last fall, to 30th. But the line, once a massive strength, was still terribly mediocre; and now the front seven has been ravaged by turnover. Only two of last year's top seven linemen return, and the top three linebackers are all gone.

Defensive Line
Category Adj.
Line Yds Std.
Downs
LY/carry Pass.
Downs
LY/carry Opp.
Rate Power
Success
Rate Stuff
Rate Adj.
Sack Rate Std.
Downs
Sack Rt. Pass.
Downs
Sack Rt.
Team 101.9 2.90 3.22 35.3% 68.9% 16.9% 104.0 3.2% 9.5%
Rank 50 57 61 24 74 94 54 103 18
Name Pos Ht, Wt 2013
Year Rivals GP Tackles % of Team TFL Sacks Int PBU FF FR
Eric Martin DE 14 45.5 6.2% 16.5 8.5 0 1 2 1
Cameron Meredith DT 14 37.5 5.1% 6 5 0 0 0 0
Baker Steinkuhler DT 12 35.0 4.8% 6.5 2.5 0 0 0 0
Jason Ankrah DE 6'4, 265 Sr. **** (5.8) 14 21.0 2.9% 6 2 0 1 2 0
Thaddeus Randle DT 6'1, 290 Sr. *** (5.7) 13 15.5 2.1% 1 0 0 0 0 1
Joseph Carter DE 12 13.5 1.9% 1 1 0 1 0 0
Chase Rome DT 11 11.5 1.6% 0.5 0 0 0 0 0
Kevin Williams DT 6'2, 275 So. *** (5.7) 5 2.5 0.3% 0.5 0 0 0 0 0
Avery Moss DE 6'2, 270 RSFr. *** (5.7) 3 2.0 0.3% 0 0 0 0 0 0
Walker Ashburn DE 6'2, 260 Jr. *** (5.6) 2 1.5 0.2% 0.5 0.5 0 0 0 0
Aaron Curry DT 6'1, 280 So. *** (5.6) 4 1.5 0.2% 0 0 0 0 0 0
Greg McMullen DE 6'3, 285 RSFr. **** (5.8)


Vincent Valentine DT 6'3, 325 RSFr. *** (5.7)

Randy Gregory DE 6'6, 230 Jr. **** (5.8)







7. Weakness gets weaker
When you lose a lot of pieces from a mediocre unit, it only hurts so much. Nebraska ranked 50th in Adj. Line Yards and 54th in Adj. Sack Rate, and while end Eric Martin was outstanding and the tackles were actually solid in pass-rush situations, you're not exactly losing Grant Wistrom and Ndamukong Suh here. But somebody still needs to step up. Jason Ankrah, once a star recruit, was decent last season, and for all we know, two four-star newcomers -- redshirt freshman Greg McMullen and JUCO transfer Randy Gregory -- will not only hold their own, but thrive. But unless the newcomers are great, the end position has a pretty low ceiling. And it's the same story for the tackles.

The line has been a drag on the defense as a whole for a couple of years now. (While last year's postseason games were indeed mostly outliers, the front six/seven just got completely dominated in both games.) There is potential here, but almost none of it is proven. And it will be backed up by a linebacking corps with plenty of former star recruits and, yes, no proven studs. Nebraska frequently uses a nickel alignment -- five defensive backs instead of three linebackers -- by choice; in 2013, it might be out of necessity.

Linebackers
Name Pos Ht, Wt 2013
Year Rivals GP Tackles % of Team TFL Sacks Int PBU FF FR
Will Compton MIKE 14 73.5 10.1% 5.5 3 1 7 0 3
Alonzo Whaley WILL 14 44.5 6.1% 3 1 1 1 4 1
Sean Fisher BUCK 14 33.5 4.6% 2 0 0 1 0 0
David Santos MIKE 6'0, 225 So. **** (5.8) 13 17.5 2.4% 2 0 0 0 1 0
Trevor Roach MIKE 6'2, 230 Jr. NR 5 3.0 0.4% 0.5 0.5 0 0 0 0
Zaire Anderson WILL 5'11, 220 Jr. **** (5.8) 3 2.5 0.3% 0 0 0 0 0 0
Max Pirman BUCK 6'5, 230 So. *** (5.6)

Jared Afalava WILL 6'3, 230 RSFr. *** (5.7)

Michael Rose LB 5'11, 230 RSFr. *** (5.7)


Josh Banderas LB 6'2, 220 Fr. **** (5.8)


Marcus Newby LB 6'1, 210 Fr. **** (5.8)








Secondary
Name Pos Ht, Wt 2013
Year Rivals GP Tackles % of Team TFL Sacks Int PBU FF FR
Daimion Stafford S 14 73.5 10.1% 3.5 1 4 7 2 2
P.J. Smith S 14 66.0 9.1% 6 1.5 3 5 0 0
Ciante Evans NB 5'11, 190 Sr. *** (5.7) 14 47.0 6.4% 3 2 1 8 0 0
Andrew Green CB 6'0, 195 Sr. *** (5.7) 13 39.0 5.3% 2.5 1 0 3 0 0
Josh Mitchell CB 5'11, 160 Jr. *** (5.6) 13 25.0 3.4% 2 1 1 5 1 0
Stanley Jean-Baptiste CB 6'3, 220 Sr. NR 14 21.0 2.9% 0 0 2 9 0 0
Corey Cooper S 6'1, 210 Jr. **** (5.8) 14 12.5 1.7% 1.5 0.5 0 0 0 0
Harvey Jackson S 6'2, 210 Jr. *** (5.6) 13 11.0 1.5% 0 0 0 0 0 1
Courtney Osborne S 12 10.0 1.4% 2 0 0 1 1 0
Charles Jackson CB 5'11, 175 So. **** (5.8) 13 8.5 1.2% 0 0 0 1 0 0
Justin Blatchford S 13 8.0 1.1% 0 0 0 3 0 0
Daniel Davie CB 6'1, 185 So. *** (5.5) 13 5.0 0.7% 0 0 0 1 0 0
Mohammed Seisay CB 6'2, 200 Sr. **** (5.9) 12 5.0 0.7% 0 0 0 0 0 0
Wil Richards S 5'11, 190 Sr. NR 14 3.0 0.4% 0 0 0 1 0 0
Austin Williams DB 6'0, 205 Jr. NR 13 2.5 0.3% 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jonathan Rose CB 6'1, 190 So. **** (5.8)



8. Can't worry much about the secondary
I couldn't use "strength gets stronger" as the header here because both departed safeties, Daimion Stafford and P.J. Smith, were pretty damn good; they combined for almost as many tackles and tackles for loss as the top three lienbackers, and they defensed 19 passes as well.

That said, there are still a lot of exciting names here. I have no idea how Ciante Evans and Andrew Green still have eligibility left -- it feels like they have been in Lincoln since Frank Solich was there. But they're back, along with Stanley Jean-Baptiste (a stat favorite of mine -- he has defensed 13 passes in two years while only recording 28.0 tackles; that ratio means he's either an incredible ball defender or an awful tackler) and four former four-star recruits.

It's hard to say the secondary will even be as good as last year's without Stafford and Smith, but I just can't make myself worry about this unit. Nebraska's had good secondaries for a while now, and it will again in 2013.

Special Teams
Punter Ht, Wt 2013
Year Punts Avg TB FC I20 FC/I20
Ratio
Brett Maher 61 41.8 3 10 18 45.9%
Kicker Ht, Wt 2013
Year Kickoffs Avg TB TB%
Brett Maher 96 61.9 57 59.4%
Place-Kicker Ht, Wt 2013
Year PAT FG
(0-39) Pct FG
(40+) Pct
Brett Maher 59-59 13-15 86.7% 7-12 58.3%
Returner Pos. Ht, Wt 2013
Year Returns Avg. TD
Ameer Abdullah KR 5'9, 190 Jr. 17 21.2 0
Kenny Bell KR 6'1, 185 Jr. 14 23.2 0
Jamal Turner KR 6'1, 185 Jr. 7 22.1 0
Ameer Abdullah PR 5'9, 190 Jr. 16 13.1 1
Category Rk
Special Teams F/+ 103
Net Punting 88
Net Kickoffs 10
Touchback Pct 10
Field Goal Pct 54
Kick Returns Avg 64
Punt Returns Avg 53
9. Who's Nebraska's next great kicker?
Okay, that sounds like the worst reality show idea ever.

From 2007-10, Alex Henery made 183 of 184 PAT attempts, 42 of 43 field goals of under 40 yards, and 26 of 33 field goals of over 40 yards. In 2011-12, Brett Maher made 102 of 103 PATs, 25 of 28 field goals of under 40 yards, and 14 of 22 of over 40 yards. Both were excellent at booting touchbacks. You have to go back to 2006 (Jordan Congdon) to find when Nebraska was last iffy at kickoffs and 2004 (Sandro Deangelis) to find when the Huskers didn't have a reliable place-kicker. With Maher out of eligibility, it appears that either sophomore Mauro Bondi or redshirt freshman Spencer Lindsay will take over. Can they keep the streak alive?

And what of the Nebraska special teams unit as a whole? Long a strength (sixth in 2009, eighth in 2010, 14th in 2011), it already showed cracks last year despite Maher's general reliability. But Nebraska was average at returns and quite below average at punting last year. Can they right the special teams ship before it becomes an issue?

2013 Schedule & Projection Factors
2013 Schedule
Date Opponent Proj. Rk
31-Aug Wyoming 102
7-Sep Southern Miss 92
14-Sep UCLA 45
21-Sep South Dakota State NR
5-Oct Illinois 94
12-Oct at Purdue 80
26-Oct at Minnesota 72
2-Nov Northwestern 40
9-Nov at Michigan 28
16-Nov Michigan State 18
23-Nov at Penn State 24
29-Nov Iowa 44
Five-Year F/+ Rk 19
Two-Year Recruiting Rk 20
TO Margin/Adj. TO Margin* -12 / -4.6
TO Luck/Game -2.6
Approx. Ret. Starters (Off. / Def.) 12 (8, 4)
Yds/Pt Margin** +0.2

10. Just about the easiest schedule imaginable
Over the last four years, Nebraska has ranked 10th, 16th, 28th, and 19th, respectively, in the F/+ rankings. As one unit improves, the other regresses, and the overall product remains about the same. It has to be both pleasing and discouraging for Nebraska fans. This isn't the end of the Callahan years, but it isn't the Osborne years either.

But with this schedule, Nebraska really could rack up a serious number of wins without actually improving much over their recent product. Only one of the Huskers' first seven opponents is projected better than 70th, and only one all year (Michigan State at home) is projected better than 20th (and barely at that). Nebraska might not face an elite opponent before the Big Ten title game, and that's only if Ohio State or Wisconsin are actually elite.

Nebraska went 50-15 in Frank Solich's six years in charge (1998-03). The Huskers won at least nine games five times with Solich, but they were rarely elite, especially as Tom Osborne's influence officially faded. They were good to very good, winning a lot of games and occasionally losing in embarrassing fashion to top-tier teams.

Now they're in a similar situation. A startlingly easy schedule could allow for Nebraska to finish the year with some really, really big games. Will they break through, or will the 2013 postseason take shape like 2012's?

[nu5ncbigred]

New East Stadium a Unique Sell for Recruiting
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Eichorst: Project about More than Football Photo Album East Stadium Ribbon Cutting
Randy York's N-Sider

In giving the media a sneak peek of Memorial Stadium’s eastside expansion before it is fully unveiled in the season opener against Wyoming, The N-Sider points Husker fans to two important truths. Both promise to keep Nebraska at the forefront of college football’s top tier over the next 50 years after finishing the last 50 years with the most wins in NCAA Division I. The Huskers have won 40 games more than Oklahoma, which has the second-best win total over the last half century.

Paul Meyers, NU’s associate athletic director for the Husker Athletic Fund, said Thursday that he views the East Stadium expansion in two ways: 1) from an athletic perspective; and 2) from what made past success possible and how Nebraska can distinguish itself in the future to recruit the best student-athletes and continue its ongoing NCAA record of 50 consecutive years of home game sellouts.

“What this new East Stadium provides is an opportunity for us to sell something that no one else has,” Meyers said, pointing to the two research centers that will take up more than 52,000 square feet of space underneath the East Stadium’s 6,000 new seats and 38 new suites. In 90 years, Memorial Stadium has nearly tripled in size, growing from 31,080 original seats in its inaugural 1923 season to an expanded stadium that will increase average attendance to more than 91,000.

Research Labs Anchor Tenants for the Future

The new East Stadium has doubled in height from the 80 feet it’s always been to the 165 feet that will allow Big Red fans the same eastside perspective that the media sees on the west side. The new grand entrance that will welcome Husker fans through the original, historic Gate 20 screams history and trumpets tradition, and we’ll get to that later, but Meyers looks beyond what dazzles eyes and stirs hearts. He sees the academic Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior (CB3) and the Nebraska Athletic Performance Laboratory (NAPL) as a combined game-changing, recruiting rich force. The key to their joint success is the 100-foot skywalk that connects the two research facilities. “It’s their bridge to collaboration,” Meyers said, “and that’s what sets Nebraska apart – a shared vision to be great.”

Wind the clock back to 1970 and ’71 when Nebraska won back-to-back national championships in football. “Beyond winning, what helped our program most was the concept of weight lifting and how foreign it was to other universities,” Meyers said. “I think this facility and the research that will be done inside provides us with the same amount of enthusiasm and when that research is teamed up with a winning program, it can really propel Nebraska to new heights.”

Meyers’ group helped lead the charge to expand the student-athlete experience. “From a donor perspective, I believe there’s an important connection between being great on the field and being great off the field,” Meyers said. “The people that give to this project are trusting. They believe in the vision, and they believe in our leadership. When you combine quality people who want to help with being great, you get the kind of synergy that will really propel us in the future.”

Loyal Fan Base Paves the Road to Success

That synergy goes well beyond the generosity of donors. It spills over to the most loyal base of college fans who buy season tickets and support the cause in any way possible. “Football may not be the most important thing in Nebraska, but we’re right up there, and our fans have filled up the stadium for 50 straight years,” Meyers said, pointing out how other programs are experiencing declining attendance at the same time Nebraska’s attendance is increasing. “We’re sold out of the season in football, men’s basketball and volleyball,” Meyers said. “Anything you do in this program and any project that you build really comes back to the backbone of Nebraska, and that’s people. We’re fortunate in every side of that equation, and we’re excited to show this new stadium to all the people who helped us build it.”

Thursday, the media got a preview of the fan experience related to a new concourse showcasing Nebraska’s championship tradition. It features major displays for College Football Hall-of-Fame coaches Bob Devaney and Tom Osborne. There's Jerry Tagge sneaking over the goal to help Nebraska win its first national title in 1970 against LSU in the Orange Bowl. There's Johnny Rodgers on his miracle punt return in the Game of the Century against Oklahoma. And there’s Tommie Frazier running through, around Florida in the ’95 national championship game in the Fiesta Bowl. Mike Rozier and Eric Crouch join Rodgers in the East displays, which include team pictures that date back to the 1890s, plus 8-foot x 12-foot program covers for Nebraska's 49 bowl games – from the 1941 Rose Bowl to the 2013 Capital One Bowl.

John Ingram, project administrator, and Maggi Thorne, assistant project administrator for Nebraska Athletics, has watched their Capital Planning and Construction team go above and beyond to bring life to important details not only in the East Stadium, but also in the Devaney Center renovation and the new Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Media Tour, Ribbon-Cutting Launch the Future

“Everybody’s been working 12-hour days, and we’ve had many staffers going way beyond that,” Ingram said. “Everybody’s focused and on task and not only ready for today’s media tour and ribbon-cutting ceremony, but working hard to be 100 percent ready for game day. The overall scale and design of the building gives people a great first impression, but I think they’re going to be even more impressed when they get inside – from the time they step through the front door to looking down on that new turf and imagining all the touchdowns they’re going to see.”

Thorne doesn’t mind the long hours and the pressure push. “This is athletics,” the former Husker hurdler said. “This is what we do. It all comes down to the finish line, and we’re going to finish strong. Even when you think you’re tired, you’re not because we know how all of these amenities are going to help our fans have a better experience, and as an athlete, what really energizes me are the two research labs doing world-class work with leaders like Dr. Dennis Molfese and Dr. Judy Burnfield.”

Thorne also oversees the graphics, the history and the touchscreens that will entertain and inform fans about Nebraska’s rich heritage. “I love to see us honor the past and create a path that lives in the present,” Thorne said. “I love fans who have been so loyal for so long and how they will walk through these doors and see continue to grow in the next 50 years like we have in the last 50 years. I get excited seeing what we’re doing for the future generations of student-athletes who will become Huskers for all the right reasons.” Like Meyers, Thorne sees greatness as a pursuit that transcends winning. “We’re preparing our athletes for the future,” she said, “but we’re also giving our fans the perfect experience that they deserve, and I can’t wait to see them walk into this new, tidy, beautiful, amazing facility.”

[nu5ncbigred]

McKewon: Eager, young Husker defense is worth watching — growing pains aside
Column by Sam McKewon / World-Herald Bureau
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LINCOLN —

When a 4-month-old lab pup bolts from the back seat of a pickup, he wants to explore everything with abandon. He's eager to please — once you get his attention. And, boy, can he run. He may not be ready for a pheasant hunt — and he may tromp on the tomato plants — but he'll swipe a few bluejays out of the sky, too.

When Nebraska's young defense emerges from its 30-day “zero-distraction” chamber into a Memorial Stadium louder, bigger and more magnificent than it's ever been, expect wide-eyed grins, flashy plays and blunders. And if there aren't many of the latter, the Huskers are headed for my Associated Press top 10 soon, for they'd be way ahead of where logic tells you they should be.

So whether you pack into the newer, taller digs Saturday night or have the Huskers on the biggest of three TVs in your basement, keep the expectations in check. Knowing fretsome NU fans, they'll regard coordinator Tim Beck's explosive offense with a jeweler's eye — he has formations that resemble diamonds and rubies, after all — and pucker when Wyoming quarterback Brett Smith hits a 25-yard drag route in the first quarter. Air leaves the house of five national titles faster than that of a popped balloon.

NU coach Bo Pelini need only stick to the plan he and his assistants have consistently touted throughout training camp. Play a lot of guys, play them often, play them in different combinations. The chemistry experiments might produce a few smoking beakers, but this collection of athletes might make a few plays last year's defense didn't. Or couldn't.

“I like 'em — I like these kids,” linebacker coach Ross Els said. “They're tough. They run. If we get them going in the right direction — and that's my job — you're going to like what you see.”

That affinity is uniform among defensive assistants. Rick Kaczenski and Terry Joseph are building on a year of their teaching instead of introducing it. Defensive coordinator John Papuchis appears more comfortable with his role as Pelini's right-hand man. Pelini remains the architect of Nebraska's defense — he told Tom Shatel in Sunday's column he's paying more attention to the defense this year — but Papuchis shopped for more of these groceries.

Unlike the 2012 bunch — seasoned, a little starchy — this is a downhill, go-get-it front seven, no matter who's in the rotation.

Nebraska wants to play more on the other side of the line of scrimmage. The Huskers have two interior guys north of 300 pounds — Brodrick Nickens and Vincent Valentine — if they want to go especially big. They have long, lean, pass-rushing hybrids if they choose that route. NU's front four may at times be out of position — a danger in itself — but it shouldn't be static, four guys dancing with Cowboys.

Pelini publicly insists on projecting certitude about his players' ability to start this season fast — loyalty's not a fad with him — but he seems willing to explore the ceiling of his players, which takes some risk. The more acceptable, survivable risks Pelini and Papuchis take on the front end, the better Nebraska will be prepared for a November slate that's tough — not impossible — to navigate.

How they coach and develop this unit is the story of whether NU reaches the Big Ten title game, and whether it wins it. Because the NU offense will deliver the lion's share of victories needed to reach the threshold.

NU has a 40-point, 500-yards-per-game kind of crew. Beck is in his third year. Quarterback Taylor Martinez is in his fourth. The skill players, collectively, are the Big Ten's best. The offensive line is experienced and healthy. This is the attack Pelini, Beck and an oft-questioned offensive staff spent three years building in the rubble of Shawn Watson's tenure.

Has a split ever been better for both parties? Watson's landed in Louisville with the best quarterback of his career (Teddy Bridgewater) and a tofu-soft league. Nebraska got Beck — less prone to Watson's exclamatory spasms of praise, which led to Watson's scoldings of anyone who held him to his words — and an offense that's like a great cut of beef, grilled to pink. It looks good just trotting onto the field.


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The one concern — tight end — can be masked with more spread sets and more passing. If Martinez stays upright — he's taken every hit imaginable and started the last 29 games — few teams on Nebraska's favorable schedule should be able to keep pace.

If — if — the defensive pups play well in those few swing games, the Huskers could be in for the season few outside the state expect. As for the 90,000 packed into that walled city Saturday night, you know their standard. It's the same one that built that walled city.

On with the Rewind:


I See You

» Martinez: He'll throw more — passing for 3,000 yards — and run less. He averaged 14 carries last year. He cuts that to 10.

» Defensive tackle Thad Randle: Whether he ends up the best defensive tackle this year is immaterial to whether he leads the unit through good games and bad.

» Running back Ameer Abdullah: One of the Huskers' toughest competitors will be an asset as a receiver this season. His ball security will improve, in part because it's been poor.

» Wide receiver Kenny Bell: The media hopes to hear from the junior this week after he declined interview requests all camp. You see natural, vocal leaders sometimes go through this transition, of figuring out when and how to mete their words.

» Safety Corey Cooper: The defense's most important single player. Read that again. The line is more essential, but Cooper and whoever starts next to him are going to have to save some running plays that bust through the front seven from being long, debilitating touchdowns.

» Offensive tackle Andrew Rodriguez: If he's evolved into a complete lineman as a senior, big kudos will go out to John Garrison, who upon becoming the main line coach made it a point to get Rodriguez in position to start. Pundits have written off Rodriguez more than once. They've written of his resurrection more than once, too. That's what the media does. We're holding off to see how he plays.


Three Concerns

» Jake Long's health: It's rare that a guy misses an entire training camp but still starts. Rarer still that it'd be his first start as the No. 1 guy. But Long's smart, and Pelini said the tight end will be ready for game one.

» Zack Darlington's health: In Apopka's (Fla.) 51-36 loss to Duncan (S.C.) Byrnes, the Nebraska 2014 quarterback commit suffered a nasty concussion that many Husker fans watched on ESPN. Numerous reports out of Florida suggest Darlington is fine, but the Orlando Sentinel's report that Darlington suffered a concussion earlier this summer may slow the kid's return. Which is perfectly OK news for NU. Before the injury, Darlington had shown he was plenty tough as a runner. He's a resourceful enough passer, though Byrnes never allowed him to get in a rhythm.

» September recruiting: Though I expect Hiawatha (Kan.) defensive tackle Peyton Newell to commit to Nebraska on Friday, the Huskers are still piecing together their official visit list for the first four home games. Though NU believes in evaluating senior film and offering new players after the regular season — a policy I like a lot more than panting over 15-year-olds who aren't even juniors — it's hard to think lightning strikes like it did last year, when the Huskers plucked so many good recruits late in the process. So official visit season — that is, before it gets cold — is important.


Three Questions

» What's a reasonable goal for the Husker defense? The same output as 2011: 23.4 points and 350 yards. That's slightly better than the numbers (360 and 27.6) for last year's defense against a group of relatively poorer offenses than NU faced in 2011. Because the Huskers' offense is better in 2013, Nebraska's defense will face a few more possessions.

» Who's the backup quarterback? Because minor knee surgery set back redshirt freshman Tommy Armstrong's progress in the offense, it would appear that senior Ron Kellogg is currently the guy in a pinch until Armstrong's back up to speed. Kellogg didn't look sharp in spot performances last year — the fourth quarter against Minnesota isn't one to remember — but he wasn't working with the top unit, either.

Johnny Stanton seems headed for a redshirt. He's recovering from a torn ACL last fall, but he's also coming from a high school offense that operated out of one formation — Stanton under center, flanked by four wide receivers — most of the time. Beck's offense may be “user-friendly” but it's far more diverse than what Stanton experienced in high school.

» Who's your Heisman pick? Like The World-Herald's overall selection, I picked Jadeveon Clowney, the guy who tickles the fancy of SEC lovers and NFL draft wonks alike. Look for the narrative to be spun like so: In a year when the SEC had more top quarterbacks than ever before, only one guy — Clowney — could slow them down with his size and moves.


Two Stats

» Two: Number of Big Ten-area offensive line commits Alabama has for its 2014 class. When the Tide are willing to search Minnesota and Iowa for linemen, it should clue you into how good linemen are in this region, and how tireless Bama's recruiting efforts are to identify the best players.

» Seven: Walk-ons who got scholarships Saturday. A terrific day for those kids, but also a reminder that NU had a lot of open scholarships headed into the season — which means the Huskers can afford to be more aggressive on the recruiting trail for the 2014 class.

NU's committed to keeping a few scholarships open each year for walk-on upgrades. It's ingrained in Husker tradition, and it's proven to work. But seven — which doesn't count the two automatically set aside for Walker Ashburn (who retired) and Ernest Suttles (who was kicked off) — is one-third of a recruiting class.


Opponent Watch

» Iowa named its starting quarterback, sophomore Jake Rudock, by press release.

» The Los Angeles Daily News reported top UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr left the field vomiting last week after a big hit — a sure sign of a concussion. In the days after the injury, Bruins coach Jim Mora took to answering every question about Barr's injury with “he's fine.”

“That's my standard answer,” Mora said to reporters. “You can just keep asking, and I'll just keep saying 'He's fine.' … My job is to try and protect against our opponents getting information that can help them win.”

So long as coaches can get away with these kinds of answers in regard to concussions, how much progress, really, is the sport of football going to make toward better player safety?

» According to the West Lafayette Journal-Courier, Purdue coach Darrell Hazell gave his new team a 533-page players manual — it's called “A Player's Manual” — that covers a range of life topics. Hazell got the idea from Jim Tressel, who at Youngstown State started with an 86-page book.


Forecast

The folks at the very top of East Stadium keep wondering “when is the sun going to set behind the press box?”

[nu5ncbigred]

Seven reasons for a magnificent Husker season
Column by Lee Barfknecht / World-Herald staff writer
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Nebraska football fans, prepare to have a whole bunch of fun this season.

I see an 11-1 regular season and a Big Ten Legends Division title, with the only slip up in early November at Michigan.

I don't see an end to the conference championship drought. Ohio State will go undefeated again, win the Big Ten title and play Alabama for the national title.

The good news from that is with OSU in the title slot, the Huskers' 12-year absence from a Bowl Championship Series appearance will be history. Have a good time NU, as an at-large selection, in the 100th anniversary of the Rose Bowl.

Now, wait a minute, I hear a few of you saying. The conspiracy theorists who insist I'm a Husker hater must think this column is a plot to somehow subvert the season.

Not so.

Hard evidence exists that nearly every barrier that has stood in the way of Bo Pelini becoming a championship coach has been kicked aside. The pathway is the clearest it has been in many years. Here are seven reasons why:

1. Pelini no longer is a novice head coach.

He's entering his sixth season, has coached in three conference title games and five bowl games and led his team from coast to coast. (Though I recently heard a former player say Pelini is “only” in his sixth year. If he's still on training wheels, then his salary should be adjusted commensurately.)

2. Pelini no longer is involved in massive clean up of the mess left by Bill Callahan and the athletic director who shall not be named.

The losing culture has been reversed. The walk-on program has been put back together. The leftovers on the roster are gone. All the assistant coaches are his guys.

3. Pelini no longer has to deal with the transition into a new conference.


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The Huskers are entering their third season in the Big Ten. They've made the rounds. They've seen the major stadiums. They know the style of play, the officiating and the weather. And they've adjusted their recruiting. All the players are his.

4. Pelini no longer has key assistants learning new roles.

Tim Beck is in his third season as offensive coordinator. John Papuchis is in his second as defensive coordinator. Both have been on staff six years. And there are no rookie assistants this season to integrate into the system.

5. Pelini's focus will be sharper than ever.

Why? Having a new athletic director who didn't hire you tends to get your attention — especially after greeting the new hire last October with little warmth and acknowledgment.

6. Pelini has the most experienced quarterback in Nebraska history, one good enough to get Heisman Trophy mention.

Senior Taylor Martinez already has a school-record 39 starts at the sport's most important position. He'll end up at the top or near the top in many national statistical categories. He's already been voted first-team All-Big Ten by the coaches. If ever a coach were to have a breakthrough year, it's with a quarterback of that stature.

7. Pelini has a schedule so favorable that it would be difficult to hand-craft it much better.

Eight of 12 games at home — including the first five — which will allow for a young defense to deal with its growing pains. (A defense that Pelini has repeatedly reminded us that he's not worried about.) Also, the reshuffle of the Big Ten schedule produced games against Purdue (6-7) and Illinois (2-10) instead of Ohio State (12-0) and three-time league champion Wisconsin (8-6).

That's a lot of good news for Nebraska football.

Essentially, 2013 is the “No Excuses Tour,” which the players seemed to have embraced by adopting the motto R.A.C., which stands for “relentless, accountable and competitive.”

Check back every Monday through the season as Husker specialist Sam McKewon dissects NU and I report on my Big Ten travels (first stop: Iowa vs. Orange Bowl participant Northern Illinois).

Also, be careful about putting ultimate faith in predictions. I'm the guy who, in the Big Ten title game last year, picked Nebraska over Wisconsin.

[nu5ncbigred]

College football countdown | No. 11: Nebraska


Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports 2:12 p.m. EDT August 26, 2013


USA TODAY Sports' Paul Myerberg counts down to the start of the college football season team by team from No. 125 to No. 1.


2013-8-23-pelini

(Photo: Douglas Jones, USA TODAY Sports)

Story Highlights
Nebraska has the offense to win the Big Ten but faces concerns on the defensive side of the ball
The offense is headlined by senior quarterback Taylor Martinez, now a four-year starter
To reach the Rose Bowl, NU needs to land steady play along the defensive front seven




The irony shouldn't be lost on anyone: Bo Pelini, a lover of shutouts, leads a team almost wholly defined by its immensely talented offense. It's an offense to love, one with a senior quarterback, a 1,000-yard back, an elite receiver corps and a stout offensive front, but nevertheless – it's an offense, and Pelini viewed offenses with nothing short of disdain for every second of his pre-Nebraska career.

It's just one of the ways Pelini has grown since assuming one of the most prestigious coaching jobs in college football following the 2007 season. He's mellowed, for one, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. He's become more comfortable in his own skin. He has taken two hugely vital steps: one, he's admitted to his early regime's recruiting errors, and two, he's made efforts to amend his new-guy missteps. The only thing similar between the Pelini of 2008 and the Pelini of 2013 is the crewneck sweatshirt.

Well, that and the four losses. Half-full supporters will say: Nebraska is one of four FBS teams with nine wins in each of the last five seasons, joining Alabama, Boise State and Oregon. Half-empty detractors will note: Pelini has also lost four games in each of his five seasons. Nine wins are a birthright at Nebraska; four losses are new. Here's what should be remembered: For all its charms, Nebraska is no different than Notre Dame, Tennessee, Texas, Michigan and other bluebloods – football's the statewide diversion, but football's only fun if it's winning football. That plaque on the southwest corner of Memorial Stadium looks good on stone, but it's meaningless.

And the greatest irony is that every detractor who bemoaned the Cornhuskers' lack of offensive ingenuity in 2009 has since switched tunes, finding a new sticking point with Nebraska's unproven defense while praising this sublime offense. In a way, Pelini can't win for losing. Unless he wins, period, and wins big enough to silence the skeptics – so check back in four months.

NO. 125 TO NO. 1: College football countdown

LAST YEAR'S PREDICTION

So we're waiting to see improvement. And for Nebraska, improvement in these areas – passing, blocking, stopping the run, rushing the passer – would mean the difference between another 9-4 season and a Rose Bowl berth. Listen: Nebraska's not that far off. This team is one of four teams with a realistic shot at winning the Big Ten; I have them third in the league, just behind Michigan State in the Legends division, and right in the mix for an at-large BCS bid. It will only take a little push, a little nudge, for this team to start moving in the right direction. Can Pelini push the right buttons?

2012 RECAP

— In a nutshell: The season will be remembered for the four losses: UCLA (36-30), Ohio State (63-38), Wisconsin (70-31) and Georgia (45-31). Nebraska's failures loom larger than its successes. But the year still featured its high points, from five impressive league wins – Wisconsin, Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State – through the enormous growth of the offense, which gelled under coordinator Tim Beck; the Cornhuskers averaged 34.79 points per game and ranked 26th in the FBS in total offense, the latter a 40-spot leap from the 2011 season. Meanwhile, the defense held fast in victory: Nebraska allowed 214 points to the Bruins, Buckeyes, Badgers and Bulldogs but only 176 points against its remaining 10 opponents. What escaped the Cornhuskers was a complete game, one where an elite offense, a suffocating defense and the special teams worked in concert against a premier opponent. The marquee win continues to elude Nebraska's grasp.

— High point: The four-game winning streak against Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State. Topping the Wolverines handed NU the Legends Division. The remaining three victories came via some late-game magic; in each game, the Cornhuskers snatched victory in the fourth quarter.

— Low point: The four losses. There's no sugarcoating this fact: Nebraska needs to show up in prime time.

— Tidbit: The Cornhuskers have won at least nine games in every season since 1962 but six: 1967-68, 2002, 2004-5 and 2007. Just as a comparison, let's hold the rest of college football's historical elite to the same standard. Alabama has 31 such seasons, if you include 1993, over that same span; Georgia has 24; LSU 21; Michigan 30; Notre Dame 22; Ohio State 31, if we count the wins vacated in 2010; Oklahoma 28; Penn State 30, if you count each season since vacated by the NCAA; USC 24, if you include 2005; Tennessee 23; and Texas 29. Over the past 49 years, NU's five Legends Division brethren – Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Northwestern – have combined for 53 nine-win seasons, with 30 from the Wolverines; the Cornhuskers have 45 alone.

— Tidbit (200 edition): Last season saw the Cornhuskers buck a recent trend. Heading into 2012, Nebraska was 24-2 under Pelini was rushing for at least 200 yards. A year ago, however, NU gained at least 223 yards on the ground in each of its four losses.

FORMER PLAYERS IN THE NFL

— 32: CB Prince Amukamara (New York Giants), S Larry Asante (Indianapolis), CB Zack Bowman (Chicago), LB Stewart Bradley (Denver), K Josh Brown (New York Giants), RB Rex Burkhead (Cincinnati), DE Adam Carriker (Washington), LB Will Compton (Washington), TE Ben Cotton (San Diego), DE Jared Crick (Houston), LB Lavonte David (Tampa Bay), CB Alfonzo Dennard (New England), LB Phillip Dillard (San Diego), S DeJon Gomes (Washington), RB Roy Helu (Washington), K Alex Henery (Philadelphia), OG Ricky Henry (New Orleans), OG Richie Incognito (Miami), RB Brandon Jackson (Cleveland), OT Marcel Jones (New Orleans), P Sam Koch (Baltimore), K Brett Maher (Dallas), LB Eric Martin (New Orleans), TE Mike McNeill (St. Louis), OG Carl Nicks (Tampa Bay), TE Niles Paul (Washington), TE Zach Potter (St. Louis), C Dominic Raiola (Detroit), OG Matt Slauson (Chicago), S Daimion Stafford (Tennessee), DT Ndamukong Suh (Detroit), OG Keith Williams (Buffalo).

ARBITRARY TOP FIVE LIST

— Nebraska kickers

1. Alex Henery
2. Kris Brown
3. Paul Rogers
4. Josh Brown
5. Dale Klein

COACHING

— Bo Pelini (Ohio State '90), 49-20 after five full seasons in Lincoln. He has successfully led Nebraska out its lull period – from 2002-7 – and piloted the Cornhuskers to at least nine wins in each of the last five years; as noted, however, each season has also included four losses. But after scuffling at times through the program's first year in the Big Ten, last year's squad went 10-2 during the regular season, losing only to UCLA and Ohio State, before plummeting during the year's final two games – giving up a combined 115 points in losses to Wisconsin and Georgia. Such sour notes can lead in two directions: up, as motivation, or down, as the start of a trend.

PELINI: Crazy Cornhuskers prank

Pelini was 1-0 when he took over as coach in 2008, having replaced Frank Solich for Nebraska's 17-3 Alamo Bowl victory in 2003. That game concluded a one-year stint in Lincoln for Pelini, who was hired earlier in the year as the Huskers' defensive coordinator after nine seasons coaching in the NFL, most recently with the Green Bay Packers. Pelini also coached with the 49ers (1994-96) and the Patriots (1997-98) – both times alongside former USC coach Pete Carroll – before taking on a job with the Packers, coaching the linebackers, from 2000-2. Spurned by former athletic director Steve Pederson in his search for Solich's replacement, Pelini spent the 2004 season as the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma before taking the same position at LSU, where he spent three seasons (2005-7). LSU's defense finished among the top five in the FBS in each of his three years at the helm; in 2007, the title-winning Tigers finished third in the nation in total defense and takeaways.

Pelini might not have had the same impact on the Nebraska defense in 2008 as he had as the defensive coordinator in 2003, when he helped the Huskers finally rebound from its devastating finish to the 2001 season. His defense ranked second in the FBS in scoring defense and 11th in total defense in 2003, and made Pelini the fan's choice to replace Solich. Pelini's immediate effect on Nebraska's defense in his second go-round was equally impressive: the 2009 group was the best-coached defense in the country, without question, and the 2010 defense again ranked among the best in the nation – though the shift to the Big Ten has strained Pelini's personnel to the point of rupture, as evidenced by several conference losses. Now entering his sixth season, Pelini has his eyes on the Rose Bowl.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

— Offense: This offense will be one of the best in college football. The growth has been obvious: Tim Beck has rapidly and successfully rehashed NU's offensive mindset, turning a boring, plain-old unit into one with Oregon-like tendencies. What's the strongest unit? I'm willing to take arguments for quarterback, where NU returns a four-year starter; the backfield, which has impressive depth; the receiver corps, the best in the Big Ten; or the offensive front, which is plainly the best of Pelini's tenure. The Cornhuskers will tire you out with their speed and tempo; they'll also break your back with their physicality. This will be the Big Ten's top-ranked offense – yes, ahead of Ohio State.

Taylor Martinez returns for his final season after showing enormous growth in the passing game as a junior, setting new career marks in yards (2,871), touchdowns (23), completion percentage (.620) and quarterback efficiency (141.61). The numbers don't tell the story: Martinez's improvement altered the complexion of this entire offense, forcing opponents to pay attention to the pass and opening up wider room for the Cornhuskers' running game. While leaping forward as a passer, Martinez (1,019 yards and 12 touchdowns) continued to provide a spark on the ground; he has front-line speed and above-average elusiveness, though his ball-handling foibles remain a constant source of concern. He is what we thought he'd be: Martinez is the second-best quarterback in the Big Ten. And so, like Scott Frost before him, Martinez enters his final year having weathered storm after storm, negative lob after negative lob, and seems poised to play his best brand of football. How will he be viewed in Lincoln after he's gone? Let's revisit that topic in January.
2013-8-23-martinez
Senior quarterback Taylor Martinez returns for his fourth season as the Cornhuskers' starter.(Photo: Douglas Jones, USA TODAY Sports)


The silver lining behind Rex Burkhead's injury-ravaged 2012 campaign is that it opened the door to junior Ameer Abdullah (1,137 yards), who responded with six 100-yard games on the road to second-team all-Big Ten accolades. He's the headliner of a very deep group, even if untested beyond the starter: Abdullah leads, followed by sophomore Imani Cross (324 yards), followed by true freshmen Terrell Newby and Adam Taylor, followed by former walk-on King Frazier. Newby and Taylor are the unknowns, but each arrived in Lincoln with immense billing – Taylor as a bruiser, Newby as an electric change-of-pace option. Each can slowly work themselves into the offense while Abdullah and Cross shoulder the load. Fullbacks C.J. Zimmerer and Andy Janovich do the dirty work, and do it well.

The receiver corps is simply superb. From top to bottom, it's unmatched in the Big Ten; individually, junior Kenny Bell (50 receptions for 863 yards) may be the league's top target. Where this group excels is in its depth, with Bell, senior Quincy Enunwa (42 for 470) and junior Jamal Turner (32 for 417) – the top grouping – joined by juniors Tyler Evans and Tyler Wullenwaber, redshirt freshman Jordan Westerkamp and Alonzo Moore, sophomore Taariq Allen and true freshman Kevin Gladney. The two redshirt freshmen continue to impress. The best part? Receiving is only part of their appeal; this group also adopts a wonderful mentality on the perimeter in the running game, helping NU reel off seven gains of 50 or more yards a year ago. There are some holes at tight end, but the staff has confidence in projected starter Jake Long and the top reserves, David Sutton and true freshman Cethan Carter. Of this younger bunch, Moore is one player who continues to make a hard charge for a major role.

As noted, this is the best offensive line of Pelini's turn in Lincoln. Despite some fits and starts, let's give line coaches Barney Cotton and John Garrison some due recognition: They've done a nice job developing talent, particularly those who arrived with little fanfare, and have given NU eight or nine workable options along the two-deep. The star is a former walk-on, of course: Spencer Long has developed into an All-American at right guard. Long is one of five seniors with extensive game experience, joining Jeremiah Sirles, Brent Qvale, Cole Pensick and Andrew Rodriguez; while at least two of the quintet will sit in reserve, they form the backbone of this improved unit. A strong offseason has Rodriguez in a position to start at right tackle, though NU is loaded at the position – Rodriguez, Sirles, Qvale, JUCO transfer Matt Finnin and sophomore Zach Sterup could see time. The pressure is on these tackles: NU won't survive if its pass protection doesn't improve dramatically. Inside, Long and junior Jake Cotton will start at right and left guard, respectively, while Pensick should get the nod ahead of Mark Pelini at center. Picking starters at tackle seems like a waste of time: Garrison has said he'll rotate heavily, even if Finnin and Rodriguez eventually step forward as the best options.

— Defense: The season comes down to the play of Nebraska's front seven, a largely untested group reliant on the productive play of two returning starters and several new faces. One newcomer might dictate the season: Randy Gregory, a JUCO transfer, gives NU its best chance at a game-changing lineman in several years – the Cornhuskers have lacked a difference-maker up front since 2010, Jared Crick's final healthy season. Gregory has already slotted into a starting role at end despite a delayed arrival, and will join senior Jason Ankrah (26 tackles, 6.0 for loss) to bookend a largely new-look front. Behind this pair, NU has a pair of promising redshirt freshmen in Greg McMullen, who will play extensively, and Avery Moss.

Gregory's ability to bring heat off the edge could have a hugely positive impact on NU's biggest question mark: the interior of this defensive line. The one sure thing – if that's even the case – is senior Thad Randle, who has shown an ability to produce but only in short chunks, due to chronic knee ailments. To bolster depth, NU shifted offensive lineman Brodrick Nickens to tackle, adding him to a group of sophomore Aaron Curry, redshirt freshman Vincent Valentine and true freshmen Maliek Collins and Kevin Maurice – with both rookies slated for immediate playing time. In total, two linemen stand above the rest in overall importance to this defense: Gregory and Valentine. The former will be asked to double the impact Eric Martin brought to the table as a senior; the latter has immense potential, but will be asked to deliver slightly ahead of schedule.

The front seven as a whole could end up being NU's Achilles heel. The linebacker corps, which we'll discuss below, must replace three of last season's leading contributors. But the pressure is on the defensive line to hold strong against spread and pro-style teams alike, corralling the edges against Northwestern, UCLA and others while standing tall against Michigan, Michigan State and the majority of Big Ten competition. Can they deliver? I'll say this: NU has options. Whether a newcomer like Gregory or fresh-faced neophytes like Curry, Valentine, McMullen and Collins can produce under a spotlight will remain unanswered until September.

The secondary will be the absolute strength of this defense. Don't view the fact that NU continues to audition seven or eight defensive backs for three open spots as a negative; view it as an overwhelming positive, since it indicates the level of depth at the Cornhuskers' disposal heading into the final days of fall camp. The one sure thing: Ciante Evans (56 tackles) will earn all-conference honors. He's the elite member of what should be a very strong group; Evans will run with anyone on the outside but shine in NU's hybrid role, a spot he filled ably a year ago. With Evans spending much of his time inside, the Cornhuskers do need to settle on a starting cornerback pair from the group of Josh Mitchell, Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Mo Seisay and Jonathan Rose – with the latter trio bringing wonderful size to the position. It's similarly unsettled at safety, where NU could use all four of Corey Cooper, Charles Jackson, Andrew Green and Harvey Jackson. If anything, safety play will be drastically improved. Count 'em up: NU will have as many as 10 defensive backs in the rotation, with several capable of moving between safety, cornerback and the slot. I see no reason why NU won't again house one of the nation's best pass defenses.

— Special teams: You can set your watch to Nebraska's consistent excellence in the kicking game regardless of a changing cast of characters. This year will be no different, even if the staff is still auditioning sophomore Mauro Bondi and senior transfer Pat Smith for the kicking job left vacant by Brett Maher's graduation. Redshirt freshman Sam Foltz will punt, meaning the Cornhuskers will separate those duties for the first time since 2008 – Maher and Alex Henery handled both tasks during the last four years. The return game has unlimited potential even if the staff pulls Abdullah away to keep him fresh, especially with Turner itching for a chance for an increased role. The issue remains the coverage teams: Nebraska has the talent to make this a strength, so any excuses fall on deaf ears.

POSITION(S) TO WATCH

— Linebacker: Last year's senior-heavy group was long on experience, which counts in Pelini's system, but short on sideline-to-sideline athleticism – especially on the outside. A year later, the Cornhuskers' staff has done their part to ramp up the team's overall talent level; the drawback, continuing the trend from the defensive line, is that the second level is dangerously inexperienced. Look for two true freshmen to make an immediate mark: Josh Banderas has made a push for snaps in the middle and Nathan Gerry, who was recruited as a defensive back, has made waves on the outside. Both fit the prototype for Nebraska's ideal linebacker; both have the size to provide support, the speed to move in the coverage and the athleticism to remain on the field in the Cornhuskers' sup-packages. While Gerry could eventually start, he'll begin his career sharing snaps on the strong side with redshirt freshman Jared Afalava, another young linebacker with sizable potential. Former JUCO transfer Zaire Anderson returns on the weak side, backed up by sophomore Michael Rose, after missing most of last season with an ACL tear – actually playing on the bum knee for the first two games of last season before being sidelined permanently. In the middle, the Cornhuskers bring back sophomore David Santos (24 tackles), the lone underclassman to earn major minutes on the second level a year ago. So what's the story? Anderson and Santos are solid starters – Anderson perhaps more so, if he takes to the weak side like another former JUCO transfer, Lavonte David. The strong side is a concern due to the lack of experience, but the Cornhuskers have upgraded their options and overall energy at the position. Perhaps the best aspect of this grouping is its flexibility, with several linebackers interchangeable at each spot; the worst aspect, again, is the lack of experience. By year's end, you could see as many as four true freshmen in the two-deep.

GAME(S) TO WATCH

— Michigan: The game in Ann Arbor should determine the Legends Division; for Nebraska, anything less than a division title would be a disappointment. The Cornhuskers have that game circled, along with dates against Northwestern, Michigan State and would-be rival Iowa, not to mention one major non-conference test: UCLA. NU was embarrassed by last year's defensive showing, deservedly so, and need this sort of September victory to boost its national standing heading into Big Ten play. Take note that NU avoids Wisconsin and Ohio State from the Leaders Division.

SEASON BREAKDOWN & PREDICTION

— In a nutshell: Let's consider the positives, beginning with this superb offense. The Cornhuskers have a senior quarterback, a deep backfield, an elite receiver corps and the program's best line in a decade, give or take. Last year's offense was dramatically improved; this year's group, more experienced overall and more familiar with Beck's system, will take another significant step forward. What defines this offense: experience, depth, young talent, speed, athleticism and confidence. If – and this isn't a big if – NU does get into a shootout, it has the offensive electricity to survive 60 minutes of fireworks and come out clean on the other side. The gap between NU's offense and its Legends Division peers is substantial, and alone enough cause to pick the Cornhuskers to again represent the division in the Big Ten title game.

Another positive is this schedule, which features eight games in Lincoln and road dates with Purdue, Minnesota, Michigan and Penn State. Outside of UCLA, no opponent has the offensive wherewithal to hang with the Cornhuskers – even if Northwestern is always a handful, and Michigan State has the defensive intensity to bog down Martinez, Abdullah and the running game. The year comes down to Michigan, in a sense, since NU could be playing for an at-large BCS bid, but there's reason to think the Cornhuskers will still win the division even with a loss in Ann Arbor; unlike NU, the Wolverines draw Ohio State and face Northwestern and MSU on the road.

The issue is this defense – specifically, the new look at linebacker and the interior of the front four. Whether players like Gregory, Valentine, Curry, Santos and Anderson produce to their capabilities will decide NU's season, whether the year ends in Pasadena or the Capital One Bowl. And so push meets shove: Nebraska must solve this defensive conundrum to reach its full potential. What are the odds? Solid, though not great. But what if this team clicks? If it all clicks, if the offense thrives, if the defense lands steady play inside, if the coverage teams rebound, if the Cornhuskers find their complete game – if it all comes together, this team could tear 'em loose from their shoes.

— Dream season: Nebraska goes 12-0 during the regular season and knocks off Ohio State in the Big Ten title game, earning the program its first shot at a national title since 2001.

— Nightmare season: The Cornhuskers lose to UCLA, Northwestern, Michigan and Michigan State to head into the postseason on a very low note.

— All-name team nominee: LB Courtney Love.

UP NEXT

— Who is No. 10? The last coach to lead this program to the national championship was born on the same day, though a different year, as a former commissioner of Major League Baseball.

2013 TEAM OVERVIEW

— Conference: Big Ten, Legends

— Location: Lincoln, Neb.

— Nickname: Cornhuskers

— Returning starters: 13 (9 offense, 4 defense)

— Last year's ranking: No. 16

— 2012 record: 10-4 (7-1)

— Last year's re-ranking: No. 18

— 2013 schedule:

Aug. 31 Wyoming
Sept. 7 Southern Mississippi
Sept. 14 UCLA
Sept. 21 South Dakota State
Oct. 5 Illinois
Oct. 12 at Purdue
Oct. 26 at Minnesota
Nov. 2 Northwestern
Nov. 9 at Michigan
Nov. 16 Michigan State
Nov. 23 at Penn State
Nov. 29 Iowa

Paul Myerberg, a national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports, is on Twitter @paulmyerberg.

[nu5ncbigred]

Sean Callahan
HuskerOnline.com Publisher



Nebraska paid Southern Miss over $2 million to play in Memorial Stadium on Saturday, and it was worth every penny.

After giving up 602 yards and edging Wyoming by 3 points last week, the Huskers got a confidence boosting performance in every sense of way by taking down the Golden Eagles 56-13.



Nebraska had the feel good game they needed on Saturday against Southern Miss.
This was the absolute perfect prescription for not just NU, but the fan base as well. With UCLA coming into Lincoln next week, Saturday's game with Southern Miss had to have this type of feeling.

"It was extremely important," defensive coordinator John Papuchis said when asked how important it was for the Huskers to have a strong showing. "We wanted some momentum. We wanted some positive feel in our building in terms of what we are defensively.

"There's still a lot of improvement that needs to be made, but I think there's some significant progress from week one to week two and you can build on that on that momentum. If we do a good job as coaches, each week we should get incrementally better."

Before Saturday night, Nebraska's defensive had given up 1,831 yards over their last three games dating back to 2012. On Saturday the Blackshirts limited Southern Miss to 284 yards of total offense, including 162 over the final three quarters. Heading into the fourth quarter the Golden Eagles had just 9 yards rushing and finished Saturday with 62 yards on 27 carries.

However, maybe the most impressive stat of the night is the Blackshirts forced Southern Miss into four interceptions, including two that were returned for defensive touchdowns. It was these types of plays that set the tone for Saturday and gave the Huskers the momentum they needed heading into UCLA week.

"We all have a tremendous amount of pride and nobody likes to go out and perform poorly, whether you are playing or coaching," Papuchis said. "So yeah, there's some of that hurt that you carry. But bottom line is when you are in the fire you don't have time to feel sorry for yourself. You either get better or you don't. That's all there is to do. I didn't spend a lot of time licking my wounds, because I know this is part of the journey this team is going to take."

Sophomore defensive end Randy Gregory was one of the defensive stars for the Huskers on Saturday, finishing with four quarterback hurries, which totally disrupted Southern Miss's passing game.

Gregory said last week's win over Wyoming was an eye-opener for everyone, and it carried over to their preparation heading into this week.

"I know myself I did a better job of watching film outside of practice and outside of meetings," Gregory said. "I think we all did collectively and I think it showed on the field and it showed in practice. Whenever we messed up a play in practice we ran through it again. Overall our preparation for the game was just over the top - it was phenomenal."

On to the post game breakdown and grade out….


What I saw on Saturday



Freshman running back Terrell Newby got some more good work on Saturday against Southern Miss.
***As I reported in Friday's Tunnel Talk, sophomore linebacker David Santos was stripped of his Blackshirt on Thursday and freshman Josh Banderas got the start in his place. I thought Banderas played very well and clearly looks like the guy for the future going forward at Mike. He carries himself like a veteran player already.

***Joining Banderas as new starters on the defense on Saturday were Gregory and freshman Nathan Gerry. It looks like all three of these players will be fixtures in the defense going forward.

***Quarterback Taylor Martinez showed no signs of pain on his shoulder, and other than missing wide open touchdown pass to tight end Cethan Carter, he had a very solid day.

***After having just one tackle for loss last week against Wyoming, Nebraska finished with 12 on Saturday, including three from cornerback Josh Mitchell.

***It ironic to see Martinez connect with wide receiver Sam Burtch on Saturday for a 26 yard touchdown. If you remember last week, it was Martinez's pass to Burtch that got intercepted in the fourth quarter and it completely turned around the entire second half.

***Freshman running back Terrell Newby looked solid for the second week in a row, but had a freshman moment with his second half fumble.

****Loved seeing quarterback Ron Kellogg get a shot in the third quarter with the top offense. It was a nice reward for all of his hard work.

***Quarterback Tommy Armstrong impressed with his running ability. He runs the zone read very naturally and looked very comfortable for his first ever career playing time.

The final grades

Rushing offense: A

Nebraska rushed for 285 yards on 46 carries, including a game-high 114 yards on 17 carries by junior running back Ameer Abdullah. Not a lot to be critical about with the running game. Loved seeing Tim Beck go for the fourth down in the third quarter.

Passing offense: A-

It was an efficient day for the passing game. The only thing you can be critical of was Martinez missing a wide open Cethan Carter for a touchdown. In a big game, you can't afford to miss a throw like that.

Rushing defense: A

Heading into the fourth quarter Southern Miss had just 9 rushing yards and finished the game with 62 yards on 27 carries. NU only allowed one run longer than 20 yards and it was a night and day better performance from last week.

Passing defense: A+

The Husker secondary had four interceptions and returned two for touchdowns. Southern Miss only passed for 222 yards. What I like the most though was NU tackled in space and communicated much better on defense.

Special teams: A

Punter Sam Foltz had a long punt of 60 yards and finished with a 46 yard average. Wide receiver Kenny Bell added a 63 yard kickoff return.

[daleko]

If they don't win it all in the B1G, Bo's gone. And they won't even win the West. Adios Bo.