Nebraska's Schedule, D Make Team a Good Bet For a National Title Run: Part 2

While the schedule figures to be the biggest factor in bringing the Huskers back to national prominence, the defense and ground game can not go unnoticed. A top-five defense and a top-20 running game are both realistic expectations for Big Red, and serve as Bo Pelini's foundation for a promising future.

If Husker fans were to ignore the void created by the graduation of Ndamukong Suh, they'd be doing a disservice to a player that will go down as one of the greatest defenders in college football history.

Suh single-handedly changed plays, and frequently took the entire defense on his back, while willing the unit to key stops. He can't be replaced by one man, and thank God for Husker fans, he won't have to be. In fact, because of Suh's absence, I think we'll see the Pelini run their defense the way they always planned, with lots of blitzes and disguised coverages that will be very tough for opponents to anticipate.

Every report coming out of Lincoln suggests that both Pierre Allen and Jared Crick are primed for All-American-type years. Neither may approach Suh's incredible numbers from 2009, but the combination of the two, along with a rotation that appears to be at least two deep across the board, figures to make up one of the best defensive lines in the country.

The linebacking core has been hit hard by injuries, and if one more key contributor goes down, it could damage the heart of the entire defense. Fortunately, the staff seems to be ahead of the curve, and has moved their often used but newly labeled Peso formation as its base defense.

For the sake of discussion, I'll lump Eric Hagg in with the linebackers and immediately label him the leader of the unit. Lavonte David appears to be the choice at the Mike spot, but Hagg is the player the coaches are constantly raving about. His size and speed define what Pelini wants from a defense, and his name will likely be called out on draft day next April (probably as a safety on the next level).

Until Compton can return, May, Whaley, and Martin should round out a solid, but very green crew that promises to be very physical and somewhat mistake prone.

The secondary lost two of its starters from last year, but figures to be much more athletic than Husker fans saw in 2009.

Amukamara and Dennard will form the best cover tandem in the conference, and possibly the entire nation. Gomes figures to benefit greatly from his combined role as a safety and dime corner, and the combo of Smith and West at the other safety spot should translate into a truckload of turnovers.

On to the running game.

Roy Helu has quietly put himself into position to crack the Huskers top five all-time rushers. Another 1,000-yard season seems more of a likelihood than a possibility and should serve as a security blanket for whoever lines up behind center. That being said, he may be the second most talented back on the team.

Superman, aka Rex Burkhead, flashed the same skills and grit as a freshman in Lincoln that had Texas fans drooling throughout his high school career. He'll take his place behind Helu on the depth chart, but count on 10-plus carries each game and at least a couple snaps a week out of the WIldcat.

I think he'll fall short of 1,000 yards in 2010, but don't be surprised if Rex makes his own run into the Husker record books before his career is over.

Dontrayevous Robinson seems to be the forgotten name in the running back race. He might not reach the yardage totals of Roy and Rex, but he's likely to be a feature on the goal line and a fixture in the end zone.

These three horses, behind an above average offensive line with legitimate depth, will lead to a slew of happy Saturdays over the next four months.

The pieces for a successful season are all lined up. Now it's time for Husker fans to red-out the world for 14 beautiful Saturdays.