Husker Preseason Preview Revisited

Since I am new to the site (introductions slowly developing this week), I thought I’d share my (unedited) season preview write-up on the Nebraska Cornhuskers so everybody would have a good base of where I’m coming from this season. In the coming days, I’ll do a sort of review of the season before previewing the upcoming Nebraska-Kansas St game on Thursday. So, even though a small part of my season preview seems slightly embarrassing now, here goes…

(Written 9/4/10)

Two years ago, Nebraska was considered almost irrelevant amongst the national College Football scene.

Two days ago, Lee Corso picked Nebraska to defeat Florida in the 2010 BCS National Championship.

(More…….)

The man that Big Red Nation can thank for this is Sir Bo Pelini (is anybody named Bo ever not great?). I stated last year that I would take Bo over any coach in the nation aside from Nick Saban, Pete Carroll, Urban Meyer, Jim Tressel, and Bob Stoops. After Meyer’s health problems and uncertain future, Carroll’s departure from college, and reconsidering Saban’s nomadic ways, the list has been reduced to only Stoops and Tressel. And I wouldn’t instantly make those trades either, believing that Pelini’s upside could be higher. We really don’t know how good he could eventually become. Just look how downhill LSU has gone since he left. And if you don’t trust a biased Nebraska fan’s opinion on the matter, then take a look at this stat:

Defense PPG Allowed:
2007 (Callahan’s last year)- 37.9 PPG
2008 (Pelini’s first year)- 28.5 PPG
2009- 10.4 PPG- #1 in the nation

While many expect the defense’s dominance to continue, but are they underestimating the impact that Ndamukong the Great had? Not if you were to believe Pelini’s history of developing Defensive Tackles. While you couldn’t unanimously agree on the following matter at hand, few would take objection with the following statement: The three best Defensive Tackles in College Fooball of the last ten years were Ndamukong Suh, Glenn Dorsey (LSU), and Tommie Harris (Oklahoma). What did they all have in common? They were all coached by Pelini. Bo knows Defensive Tackles. Enter stage left, Jared Crick, who earns this quote from an opposing Big 12 assistant coach via Athlon Magazine:

"Suh, that dude was a manchild (I love that band!). The scary thing is the guy who lined up next to him, Jared Crick, has a different skill set but definitely is as hard to block."

The rest of the defense is stacked at the Defensive Line and Cornerback positions, while questions exist at Linebacker and Safety. Injuries have become a bit of a problem, already losing LB Sean Fisher for the season, and the loss of other starting LB Will Compton for part of the season with a bum foot. Look for them to be replaced by Special Teams madman Eric Martin and Ft. Scott CC product, Lavonte David.

A majority of the Blackshirts’ success on defense last year was their ability to shut down spread offenses, which had taken the Big 12 by storm. They did this with hybrid Cornerback/Safety players, Eric Hagg and Dejon ‘Bones’ Gomes, who excelled at stopping the run and the pass. Both players return. The secondary is captained by shutdown CB Prince Amukamara, who some 2011 NFL Draft rankings have rated as high as 3rd overall. Like 3rd overall pick. The highest drafted CB in the last ten years were Terrence Newman and Quentin Jammer, taken with the 5th overall pick. The secondary will be integral in continuing the Blackshirt Revivalist Party.

I have yet to touch on the most noteworthy aspect (biggest question) of the Cornhuskers, the QB position. All signs continue to point to a battle between incumbent Zac Lee, sophomore Cody Green, and redshirt frosh Taylor Martinez. I’m all for competition, but with hopes so high for this season, The Wildman (Lee) has got to get the call. There is too much to lose with an inexperienced QB. I would be shocked (and maybe somewhat disappointed) if he’s not the signal caller at least until a game is lost. The argument on his side is that he had a hurt shoulder all last year, and thrived in the bowl game once he received time to rest it. I look for The Wildman to be much improved, and think this issue goes rather quietly into the night.

Lee’s job should be made easier with the two-headed Roy-Rex monster in the backfield (Helu and Burkhead, respectively). Nebraska should field a run-first offense, with playaction passing mixed in at the right times. Defenses will be stretched by big play extraordinaire, Niles Paul (Holiday Bowl MVP). The offensive line returns 4 of 5 starters (but loses Mike Smith to season-ending injury). With little knowledge on the subject, my insider, John Clements, tells me to keep an eye on redshirt freshmen linemen Brent Qvale and Jeremiah Sirles, while undersized ass-kicker Mike Caputo will anchor the line at center. Now I must fulfill my Pat Summerall obligation with a big “Thanks Jaaaahn.”

Expectations are higher for the 2010 season than I could’ve imagined and it has me a little scared. Pelini’s teams have stumbled out of the gates in his two seasons, and an early season matchup at Washington could prove tricky if they’re not ready. If Nebraska continues to win, they should be favored in every game of the season prior to their bowl game (unless Texas overly impresses or Oklahoma is similarly undefeated going into the Big 12 Championship). I’m not sure how many teams can say that. Another interesting factor of the season will be the mindsets of other teams (and fans) when playing Nebraska. Gameday atmospheres will be raucous in opposing Big 12 stadiums, with Nebraska pinpointed as the villain from the near crumbling of the conference, and fans out for blood. Fans will get their chances in Manhattan, Stillwater, Ames, and College Station. The rest of the conference’s fans will have to settle for pouring their support behind any and every Husker opponent. Can Nebraska handle it?

Here’s to hoping that Nebraska takes the last Big 12 title and never gives it back (and beats Texas in the process). Upside down hook em horns.

Go Big Red