Nebraska Football: What Huskers Must Do to Prepare for USC Trojans

Practice has begun again for the Nebraska football team. This time, the Huskers are preparing for the Holiday Bowl, where the team will face the USC Trojans on December 27 at 8 p.m. on ESPN.

It's hard to predict how Nebraska's players will respond on the field to former head coach Bo Pelini being dismissed. Under the direction of interim head coach Barney Cotton, the Huskers will have a lot to prove in San Diego. So, what exactly must the Huskers do to prepare for the Trojans?

First and foremost, the Huskers offensive line needs to prepare for USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams. ESPN.com's Kyle Bonagura summed up Williams best:

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Despite being possibly the best pro prospect in the country -- ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has him No. 2 on his latest Big Board -- Williams has managed to fly somewhat under the radar. While other players in the Pac-12 put up massive sack numbers, the shared opinion among coaches and scouts is that Williams is the best defensive lineman.

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Nebraska is going to need to run the ball in order to win. That means both I-back Ameer Abdullah and quarterback Tommy Armstrong will need a strong performance from the offensive line to make that happen.

After all, in 12 games only three opponents rushed for more than four yards per carry against USC, per Michael Castillo of FanSided. Williams will be out to limit Abdullah especially, so this is an immediate area that the Huskers should focus on in the next couple of weeks.

As for Armstrong specifically, he has the next couple of weeks to continue improving. There are no guarantees that he will be the starting quarterback next season, so a strong performance in the bowl game would be beneficial.

He primarily needs to work on having confidence and becoming more sound in his passing abilities, especially if USC forces him to win with his arm.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Nebraska secondary will have to prepare for USC's offensive game plan. Per NBC Nebraska, the Trojans are averaging nearly 300 passing yards per game. That means players like sophomore defensive back Nate Gerry will have to be able to make the necessary plays.

Gerry, for instance, has five interceptions on the season. To beat USC, the secondary will have to support Gerry and make those big plays. Failure to do so could result in a big night for USC quarterback Cody Kessler and his wide receiver Nelson Agholor.

Nebraska also must quickly adjust to the new leadership. The benefit is that the Huskers are familiar with and used to Cotton. That will help make things a littler easier.

However, it's unclear what fans can expect from Nebraska just yet. ESPN.com's Garry Paskwietz compared the Huskers' current situation to the one USC was in just one year ago:

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From the outside looking in, it's hard to know if the response to the firing of Bo Pelini at Nebraska was as emotional as it was for the USC players when Ed Orgeron was let go, but it sure sounds like both teams took the news in similar fashion.

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In USC's case in 2013, the Trojans easily handled Fresno State 45-20, proving the team could overcome all that had happened.

The Huskers must do the same. Failing to move beyond all that has happened could guarantee a loss for Nebraska.

The Holiday Bowl isn't going to be an easy victory for the Huskers. However, there are things Nebraska can do to get prepared. That preparation starts now.