Nebraska Football's Move From 2009 to 2010: What to Look For On Offense

While the 2009 season can be rendered as somewhat of a success for most Husker fans, we now have to look forward to 2010 with optimism and speculation.

Gone now are Ndamukong Suh, Phillip Dillard, Matt O'Hanlon, and Larry Asante on our championship-caliber defense.  Replacing them will be tough.  But part of filling their shoes is the emergence of others and the spotlight to be shone elsewhere.

So as we project forward to the 2010 season, what are the biggest position battles, coaching changes, and things we really need to look for as Husker fans on the offensive side of the ball?  

Without a doubt, the 2009 Husker offense was less than desirable.  Ranked No. 99 in the nation in total offensive yards and 75th in scoring, there is a lot to improve upon.

Quarterback

The incumbent, Zac Lee, was hurt early in the season during the Virginia Tech game.  Unbeknownst to most Husker fans, that injury stayed with him the entire season and his operation and recovery will occur during this year's spring camp. 

Ultimately, that leaves the QB position open for battle. 

With the staff's decision to eliminate the "no touch" green jerseys during this time, we are all looking forward to the battle between Cody Green, Kody Spano, Tyler Martinez, and even redshirt walk-on Ron Kellogg. 

This will get interesting, and come fall, we'll likely have a man or two seriously challenging Lee for the top spot.  Ultimately, I'm not convinced that any incumbent is guaranteed the position.  We should know more following the Washington game.

Running Back

If Husker fans learned anything last year, it is that the simplicity of supposed depth in college football can be reduced to a weakness in a mere matter of weeks. 

Rolling into last year, the Huskers were "set" with the shifty Roy Helu and the battering ram that was Quentin Castille.  Before the first snap of the season, the Huskers were already looking for a backup to Helu. 

While true freshman Rex Burkhead stepped in nicely, it was his injury and Helu's own that relegated the Huskers to true freshman Dontrayevous Robinson leading the way for a couple of games.  One of those weeks ended in a painful 9-7 loss to Iowa State.

So what does Nebraska have in store for 2010 at RB? 

Helu and Burkhead provide a nice combination up front, but as we learned in 2009, we need to be four solid players deep to consider attrition in the rough-and-tumble Big 12.  Enter in heralded recruit in Braylon Heard, along with the solid experience gained by Robinson last year.

On paper, we should be set.  But the 2009 season of injuries and "solidness" should always creep into the back of the mind for Husker fans. 

Wide Receiver

Belittled and heckled by many Husker faithful throughout the season, Niles Paul showed solid promise that he can become a true gamer if given a true chance to excel.  The growth of Brandon Kinnie was also good to see, but throughout the season, Husker receivers were responsible for many timely drops and poor route-running.  Especially when it mattered most. 

Not a lot changed on this front.  However, we should expect these guys to come back stronger after a lackluster season with an injured QB and hobbled OL.  The only new guy to be staking his claim in Lincoln is the unheralded recruit Quincy Enumwa.  Don't be surprised if he makes a contribution, but we can't expect greatness out of him.  At least not yet. 

In the end, the incumbents Paul and Kinnie must lead the way.  There is also talent in Antonio Bell, Khiry Cooper, and others that could turn solid springs, and expected development, into making this corps one of the most undersold in the entire Big 12.  Look for Paul to challenge for conference Big 12 honors in his senior campaign.

Tight Ends

Mostly reserved to blocking with three TE sets and little passing game, this crew was easily the best unit for the Huskers in 2009, at least on offense.  With no losses, look for these guys to get better in 2010, headed by Mike McNeill.

Ben Cotton looks like he'll contribute in the passing game this year, and McNeill will likely get catches down field above more than three or four yards from the line of scrimmage.  The injury of Kyle Reed looms, but these guys are as solid a crew as you'll find in the Big 12.  

Offensive Line

Thin and hobbled, you can easily point to this group as being the demise of the Husker offense in 2009.  In fact, this crew was injured so much that a guy who was invited to the NFL combine, Jacob Hickman, declined his invitation due to his rash of injuries during his college days. 

Jaivorio Burkes' expected departure from the team this offseason is also bad news, but Husker faithful should be excited about the solid 2008 and 2009 classes that were redshirted and are now ready for duty.  Or at least as any redshirt freshman or sophomore on the OL should be expected to be.  

Look for such guys as Qvale, Ash, Sirles, and Coffey to push for starting positions in the spring and fall; we also can't dismay what is likely to be the most impactful 2010 recruit in Jermarcus Hardrick at OT.

In a nutshell, the OL in 2009 can't get worse for Nebraska, and things are really looking up for this crew to be the most impressive change for the Husker team in 2010. 

Offensive Recap

While the Huskers return a lot of solid pieces at the specialty positions, it is the offensive line that should see the biggest advancement for the Huskers in 2010. 

With solid specialty players returning, and some possible new-found game-breaking additions, look for the Husker offense in 2010 to return to some respectability.  While this offense still might not scare defensive coordinators, it will not be the complete flop that it was in 2009.  

After all, didn't Alabama only needed a No. 42-ranked offense to win it all in 2009?