Nebraska Football: Underclassmen Who Need to Step Up Against Iowa

Against Minnesota, the Nebraska football team took a hit. It wasn't just the loss that stung. It was the injuries to upperclassmen like wide receiver Kenny Bell and center Mark Pelini.

When the Huskers walk into Kinnick Stadium to take on Iowa, underclassmen will be expected to step up. With players like Bell still "50/50," as head coach Bo Pelini told reporters, younger players will have to make the big plays necessary for Nebraska to win.

Who exactly are those underclassmen?

First, center Ryne Reeves is expected to start in Pelini's absence. However, it won't be the first time he's seen the field this season. As Rich Kaipust of the Omaha World-Herald pointed out, Reeves has had his fair share of snaps over the last 10 football games.

Against Minnesota, for instance, he had 57 snaps alone. That has to make the underclassman feel good about his role for Nebraska against Iowa.

Offensive coordinator Tim Beck is confident Reeves will handle the job just fine:

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We’ve been fortunate enough to give him a lot of reps through the course of the season — and he played well. Obviously having a senior like Mark — who’s a veteran player, who’s played in a lot of ball games — (get injured) is a big blow to us. But Ryne is capable of definitely handling the workload.

"

Reeves will still have to step up and be a leader for Nebraska. With the experience, he's on the right track.

As for the wide receiver position, Bell may not get a chance to play against Iowa. Because of this, there are two underclassmen who will need to fill the void he leaves behind. Those two players are freshman De'Mornay Pierson-El and sophomore Jordan Westerkamp.

Pierson-El has gained more and more playing time as the season has progressed. He had an opportunity to make the game-winning catch against Minnesota, but the Gophers stripped the ball from him and the rest is history.

"They know how hard it is on me," Pierson-El told Huskers.com. "I’m upset with myself and everything, but to know that they’re not upset and for them to come to me in that moment and still have a smile on their face and hug me, it just makes everything a lot easier on me.”

That attitude is a big part of why Pierson-El has earned the playing time he has. He summed up the reason why with a simple answer: “They just trust me more."

Westerkamp, on the other hand, had a stellar start to his season. He had a touchdown catch in the first three games of the year but has only had one against Rutgers since. Westerkamp will need to find his groove again.

With Bell potentially out, Westerkamp is in a position to be the leader the receivers need in his absence. That will require both big and smart plays.

However, to make those plays happen, he'll need to have good communication with a key person—none other than quarterback Tommy Armstrong.

Armstrong's sophomore season has been a rocky one. For fans, it hasn't always been what was wanted. However, Armstrong has had shining moments.

For instance, Armstrong had a good day against Minnesota, despite the loss. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 223 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for another 45 yards. If he can have a similarly good game against Iowa, he could very well lead the Huskers to a much-needed win.

That's the catch, though. Can Armstrong lead this group after back-to-back losses? The trick will be for him to stay relaxed.

"When he’s just relaxed and being himself back there he is an efficient quarterback," I-back Ameer Abdullah told reporters. "I’m sure this weekend will be another testament of how he is trying to take the pressure off himself and just let things go."

Nebraska is reeling from the losses to Wisconsin and Minnesota. Beyond that, there are serious concerns with the losses of upperclassmen who had led this team for a few years now.

That's why the Huskers will need the underclassmen to step up.

They're not just the future of this program. They're the ones who will determine the outcome against Iowa.