Huskers Welcome The Vandals After Sending Western Kentucky Running For The Hills

Husker fans have no intention of tempering the excitement of a new season by acknowledging a little detail like inferior competition. 

Everyone knows the National Champion won't be decided until January, and by that time the Hilltoppers will have etched themselves into the bottom portion of the NCAA's 120 teams; but that doesn't mean last Saturday's 49-10 victory can't be a building block for successes to come.

Western Kentucky provided the perfect stage for Taylor Martinez to usher the Cornhusker's QB position back from the doldrums. He's transformed the position from that of a game manager into a game changer.

As the competition level increases, fans won't be able to bank on the same 18 yards per carry average from game one, but the playmaking ability of T-Magic has been lauded since the spring, and he was making those big plays against a legitimate defense, the Blackshirts.

There are holes to fix, and there are reasons to worry, but coach Bo Pelini and his staff can handle that. For Husker fans, it's time to gush a bit.

Many fans were just hoping for an average offense to accompany the powerful Pelini defense. What they may be seeing instead, are glimspes of the 2007 and 2008 offensive units that were top 15 in the nation. Watson now has the option of being creative, and just may have the horses to expose mismatches all over the field.

The next test will come from in the form of the Idaho Vandals, and once again shouldn't amount to more than a small hurdle. The Vandals are definitely a step up from the Hilltoppers. They have a pro prospect at QB (North Platte's Nathan Enderle) and a defense with eight returning starters, combined with the confidence of a week one shutout.

Enderle is a legitimate threat at QB, but he's also playing behind a line that gave up four sacks to North Dakota State. That stat alone should bring a smile to a Husker D-line that was victimized by poor communication, and in all likelihood, a lack of motivation during last week's blowout. Jared Crick and company will be in the backfield all day, and the Vandals simply won't be able to stop them.

Count on the game experience from week one helping the linebacking corps into a better performance in week two as well. Fans saw a potential stud in Lavonte David, and solid contributor in Alonzo Whaley. The Big Red nation is crossing it's fingers for the return of Will Compton, but the good news is that this Saturday they won't need him.

As for the secondary, look for Amukamara, Dennard, and Gomes to give Enderle flashbacks to his turnover filled freshman year. He likely hasn't seen a secondary this good since USC back in 2007, and won't face a challenge again this year that compares to this group.

If the Huskers truly have championship aspirations, they need to build on their successes and improve on their failures from week to week. They need to realize that balance is essential, and a team with a big "D" and a little "o" will only go so far. Most importantly, they need all three units to excel.

Bring on the Vandals, and another Saturday full of celebration!