Nebraska Football: Top 25 Cornhusker 2010 Season Performances
The Nebraska Cornhuskers’ final season as a member of the Big 12 conference was interesting, to say the least.
Nebraska opened the year well, but eventually struggled midseason and found themselves amidst controversy and rumors as the year came to a close.
That didn’t stop several players from having impressive performances in all three areas of the game.
Which players capped off their careers with style?
Who has set up his future with the Cornhuskers as a potential star?
Just how much respect will Alex Henery get?
25. Ciante Evans
1 of 25
Season Stats: 9 TKL (6 solo), 2 PBU
While Ciante’s statistics are far from eye-opening, it’s the athleticism and talent that he displayed as a true freshman that gets him recognition.
When Alfonzo Dennard suffered a concussion during the Cornhuskers’ game against Missouri last October, the Nebraska defensive staff threw Ciante into the fire.
"We knew he was a good player and didn't hesitate to put him out there,” defensive coordinator Carl Pelini told the Lincoln Journal Star at the time.
24. Anthony West
2 of 25
Season Stats: 13 TKL (10 solo), 1 PBU, 1 INT
West was part of one of the best defensive backfields that Nebraska has fielded in easily a decade.
The most remarkable fact about his play was that he only started one game for the Cornhuskers in 2010.
West’s veteran knowledge of Marvin Sanders’ teachings and expectations made him a superb substitute.
23. P.J. Smith
3 of 25
Season Stats: 38 TKL (17 solo), 3 INT, 1 PBU
Smith’s physical style made him a natural in Nebraska’s secondary.
He tallied a personal-best 11 tackles in the Cornhuskers’ loss to Texas and provided excellent support at the safety position.
Smith had a disappointing end to his season, only credited with two tackles following 36 in Nebraska’s first seven games. But his future shines brightly.
“It sucks. But what can I do but keep practicing and let things take care of themselves,” Smith told the Lincoln Journal-Star.
22. Ricky Henry
4 of 25
Henry was critical in several big-time performances for the Cornhuskers in 2010.
He helped the Nebraska offense to its best season-opening performance in four years.
Nebraska piled 536 yards of offense and 49 points on Western Kentucky.
He also helped pave the way for teammate Roy Helu, Jr.'s record-breaking day versus Missouri.
“I was scared of Ricky Henry," receiver Niles Paul told the Lincoln Journal-Star, recounting his high school football career in Omaha, Nebraska.
21. Will Compton
5 of 25
Season Stats: 15 TKL (8 solo), 1 TFL, 1 SCK
Compton missed a good chunk of the 2010 season with a foot injury.
His absence helped make way for the rise of Lavonte David.
Upon his return later in the year, Compton provided serviceable play, but it was clear that David had supplanted all other linebackers as top dog.
20. Jeremiah Sirles
6 of 25
If you never looked at a program or checked the Cornhuskers’ roster on the Internet, you would never have thought that Jeremiah Sirles was a redshirt freshman.
That would explain his struggles against FBS competition.
But for the majority of the season, Sirles more than held his own.
Sirles’ skills were considered being put to use as a true freshman.
An injury ensured that he would spend his first season at Nebraska sitting on the sidelines, but he exceeded expectations in 2010.
19. Terrence Moore
7 of 25
Season Stats: 16 TKL (4 solo), 3 TFL, 1 SCK, 1 PBU, 1 FR
Moore came into the 2010 season battling for the vacant spot next to Jared Crick following the graduation of Ndamukong Suh.
While eventually bested by Baker Steinkuhler, Moore would relieve the starter on many occasions and shined brightly when he did.
Steinkuhler was suspended for the Holiday Bowl, allowing Moore a one-game spotlight to potentially pull even with Baker in the coaches’ eyes.
Due to his late-season surge, Moore will continue to battle Steinkuhler for the spot opposite the returning Crick.
18. Courtney Osborne
8 of 25
Season Stats: 41 TKL (21 solo), 5 TFL, 1 SCK, 1 INT
Osborne made his first career start versus Missouri and did not disappoint.
He tallied a personal-best six tackles, decked Tiger quarterback Blaine Gabbert with a picture-perfect tackle and helped to hold Missouri to 199 yards through the air.
Osborne’s imposing size at 6’3”, 200 pounds makes him a likely candidate to start for Nebraska in their inaugural Big Ten conference campaign.
17. Mike Caputo
9 of 25
While not ideally sized for the center position, Caputo played admirably taking over for the departed Jacob Hickman.
Caputo was able to tackle the position with impressive strength, positioning and perseverance.
He spent a good portion of the season injured, much like Hickman did in 2009, but did not let that lessen his impact while anchoring Nebraska’s offensive line.
16. Cody Green
10 of 25
Season Stats:
Passing: 33-of-60, 340 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: 37 carries for 96 yards, 1 TD
It's likely that few Cornhusker fans expected Green to take the reins as the starting quarterback for Nebraska.
Martinez’s rise and Green’s eventual demotion left some stunned, but he took it in stride.
Due to injury, Zac Lee was essentially forced into the No. 3 spot.
With Martinez out, Green had to carry the load at times, specifically against Iowa State and Colorado.
Green easily played the best game of his career in the Cornhuskers’ final Big 12 meeting with the Buffaloes.
Still showing a slightly slow first step and mechanics issues, it’s a wonder if Green may not entertain a position switch in the offseason.
If not, some heavy tutoring by offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Shawn Watson may be in the cards.
15. Niles Paul
11 of 25
Season Stats:
Receiving: 39 catches for 515 yards and 1 TD
Kick returns: 19 returns for 464 yards and 1 TD (100-yard long)
Punt returns: 14 returns for 160 yards
If you told Nebraska fans that Paul would have even been considered for middle-of-the-pack performance consideration before the 2010 season, they may have laughed.
No one’s laughing now, especially not Paul.
High expectations and poor ball control led to a disappointing season.
While putting up at least half of what he likely expected in terms of receiving yardage, Paul did do a fair job of returning kicks.
Paul has quite a bit of natural talent, so while he may not be the first day NFL draft pick many thought he would be, he will likely get picked up to see what he can do.
14. Baker Steinkuhler
12 of 25
Season Stats: 46 TKL (15 solo), 4 TFL, 3.5 SCK, 2 PBU, 4 QBH, 1 FF, 1 FR
Jared Crick slid over to make room for Baker and the results were encouraging.
While Steinkuhler has yet to live up to the hype coming out of high school, he did play well as sophomore and paved the way for a potential breakthrough junior year.
He was suspended for the 2010 Holiday Bowl after being charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.
Steinkuhler was ordered to pay a fine and sentenced to nine months probation.
13. Adi Kunalic
13 of 25
Season Stats: 86 kickoffs for 5,896 yards (68.6 YPK), 39 TB (54% of all kickoffs)
The student section held its shoes toward the heavens when Adi Kunalic took the field.
Kunalic's goal was always the same: Nail a touchback.
He did so over half of the time, rendering some of the nation’s top kick returners useless.
Kunalic’s had a pretty sweet gig during his time at Nebraska.
Show up, kick touchbacks, have a seat.
Game in and game out, his scholarship was proven well-deserved on each booming kickoff.
12. Cameron Meredith
14 of 25
Season Stats: 64 TKL (34 solo), 8 TFL, 1.5 SCK, 1 PBU, 10 QBH
Nebraska’s defensive ends didn’t seem to have as much freedom as they did in 2009, but they still managed to do quite a bit of damage.
Meredith was a terror in opposing backfields, allowing interior linemen and linebackers to make plays when he broke the pocket down.
He continues to refine his skills and will be a likely starter yet again in his junior season.
11. Pierre Allen, Sr.
15 of 25
Season Stats: 65 TKL (25 solo), 11 TFL, 3.5 SCK, 2 PBU, 12 QBH, 1 FF, 1 FR
Allen, Sr. was a wild card entering the 2010 season but answered all critics in violent fashion.
As the year went on, Allen, Sr. stepped his game up, mauling offensive linemen and opposing backfields opposite Cameron Meredith.
He will be participating in the East-West Shrine Game on January 22nd to showcase his skills to NFL scouts.
Look for Allen, Sr. to be a second day pick and potential steal for some lucky NFL team.
9. DeJon Gomes
16 of 25
Season Stats: 99 TKL (51 solo), 4 TFL, 1 SCK, 3 INT, 7 PBU, 1 QBH, 2 FF, 1 FR
DeJon Gomes proved his mettle in 2009 as an enforcer for the Nebraska secondary.
What could he do for an encore in his senior season for the Cornhuskers?
He unleashed a physicality that became the cornerstone of one of the nation’s premiere secondaries.
Gomes’ nature made him an excellent complement to the speed and power of Nebraska’s cornerbacks.
He roamed the defensive backfield, switching from one position to another with ease.
8. Alfonzo Dennard
17 of 25
Season Stats: 30 TKL (18 solo), 4 INT, 7 PBU, 1 QBH, 1 FF
Perhaps the most physical defensive back on the Nebraska roster, Alfonzo Dennard made quarterbacks regret throwing at him and receivers shutter at the idea of lining up against him.
His ability to jam receivers so well at the line of scrimmage helped disrupt nearly every passing game Nebraska came across.
Dennard also cherry-picked telegraphed passes and muscled his way into the hearts of Cornhusker fans across the country.
Due to his ruthless play, Huskers everywhere worried that the dominant defensive back would turn pro.
Luckily for them, he will return to lend his veteran leadership and physicality to Nebraska’s secondary yet again in 2011.
Big Ten offenses should take note: Dennard isn’t satisfied with his current output.
“I've got a lot of work to do,” he told the Omaha World-Herald. “Next year, I'm going to work hard in the spring and try to be the best corner out there.”
8. Prince Amukamara
18 of 25
Season Stats: 59 TKL (36 solo), 1 TFL, 1 SCK, 13 PBU
Amukamara will likely be the first or second defensive back taken in the 2011 NFL draft, depending on how cornerback combine grades shake out.
How did he slip to No. 8?
First, those in front of him had exceptional seasons as well.
Second, no one dared throw at the deadly Amukamara.
The only receiver who seemed to have much success against him was Biletnikoff Award-winner Justin Blackmon.
Depending on team need, do not expect Amukamara to last past the 13th pick of the NFL draft.
If no one else will take him, the Detroit Lions will.
7. Eric Hagg
19 of 25
Season Stats: 49 TKL (39 solo), 3 TFL, 1 SCK, 5 INT, 4 PBU, 2 QBH, 1 FF, 1 FR
All eyes were on Prince Amukamara, which may have allowed Eric Hagg to slip in under the radar and post the best season of any Cornhusker defensive back.
The hybrid defender in Nebraska’s new Peso look in 2010, Hagg played the role of a linebacker/safety and proved more than qualified for the job.
Hagg also returned a punt for a school-record 95 yards for a score against Texas.
Thanks to a fantastic senior year, look for Hagg to be a first-day selection in the NFL draft.
6. Jared Crick
20 of 25
Season Stats: 70 TKL (36 solo), 17 TFL, 9.5 SCK, 2 PBU, 10 QBH, 1 FF
Could Crick pick up the slack for Ndamukong Suh?
The junior defensive tackle had the weight of that task on his shoulders in 2010.
He did his best to equal the production of his former quarterback-crushing ally.
While Suh’s statistics weren’t reproduced, Crick had a special season just the same, nearly matching the numbers that he had with the assistance of the current Detroit Lion.
Along with Dennard, Crick was another veteran that Cornhusker fans were hoping would return for his senior season.
The mammoth defensive tackle obliged.
"Playing at Nebraska for Coach Pelini is a great opportunity, and I am looking forward to continuing that in 2011," Crick told the Lincoln Journal Star this past Tuesday.
"Hopefully, I will have the chance to play at the professional level in the future, but my focus right now is on the start of the semester and beginning winter conditioning next week.”
5. Taylor Martinez
21 of 25
Season Stats:
Passing: 116-for-196, 1,631 yards, 10 TD, 7 INT
Rushing: 162 carries for 965 yards (6.0 YPC), 12 TD
To say that 2010 was rocky for Taylor “T-Magic” Martinez would be an understatement.
An injury to his ankle in Nebraska’s final Big 12 game versus Missouri would ensure that he wouldn’t be able to regain his quick-cutting ability for the remainder of the season.
A media darling early in the season, tensions mounted before things truly soured in College Station.
Martinez’s verbal, and nationally televised, dressing-down by head coach Bo Pelini led to rampant rumors of a transfer, which were quickly laid to rest.
Further injury after having his foot stepped on accidentally by center Mike Caputo didn’t help matters.
While Martinez had a rough second half of the season, his talent is unquestionable.
He returns in 2011 as the clear front-runner for the starting role going into the spring.
4. Rex Burkhead
22 of 25
Season Stats:
Rushing: 172 carries for 951 yards (5.5 YPC), 7 TDs
Receiving: 15 catches for 148 yards (9.9 YPR)
Passing: 3-of-4 for 35 yards, 3 TDs
The very definition of a “do-it-all back,” Burkhead stepped in when injury hobbled Nebraska’s quarterbacks.
He found himself at the head of an offense based largely on the Wildcat formation, where he and fellow running back Roy Helu, Jr. pummeled opposing defenses.
While not a true bruiser, Burkhead did provide Nebraska with the ability to move the pile a bit more than Helu, Jr.
It seemed like when he ran, Burkhead always managed to gain an extra yard or two.
He enters 2011 as the only known commodity at running back.
3. Alex Henery
23 of 25
Season Stats:
Field Goals: 18-19, long of 53
Punting: 69 punts for 2,982 yards (43.2 YPP), 26 inside the 20, 5 TB
Alex Henery spoiled the Nebraska Cornhuskers, coaches and fans alike.
Ever since he stepped onto the field and hit a 57-yard field goal against Colorado in 2008, his accomplishments have been the stuff of legend.
The most accurate kicker over a career in FBS history, Henery cemented his legacy as the best kicker in Nebraska football history by becoming the school’s all-time leading scorer in 2010.
Cornhusker fans will fondly remember the ice that flowed through Henery’s veins when he walked out onto the field for 40-plus yard attempts.
It was as if he challenged himself to a game of one-upmanship.
Some lucky NFL franchise gets to save itself a roster spot with a proven talent at both the kicker and punter positions.
2. Lavonte David
24 of 25
Season Stats: 152 tackles (84 solo), 15 TFL, 6 SCK, 10 PBU, 7 QBH
When Sean Fisher and Will Compton went down in fall camp, Lavonte David didn’t have a choice.
He had to step up and become a leader immediately.
David not only responded to the challenge, he set a single-season school record for tackles while doing so.
The 2010 Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year thrust himself into the spotlight and opposing backfields, single-handily solidifying Nebraska’s second level of defense.
Once Compton returned to the field, he was too far behind the eight ball to pass David.
Fisher and Compton return in 2011, but they have their work cut out for them if they want to unseat No. 4 from his starting spot.
1. Roy Helu, Jr.
25 of 25
Season Stats:
Rushing: 188 caries for 1,245 yards (6.5 YPC), 11 TD
Receiving: 5 catches for 46 yards (9.2 YPR)
Roy Helu, Jr. enjoyed a banner year in which he became the first Cornhusker to have back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons since Calvin Jones in 1992-1993.
He gave every team a blueprint for defeating the Missouri Tigers after rushing for a single-game school-record 307 yards.
Helu, Jr. isn’t necessarily a back that can take a pounding during the course of a game, but with proper blocking, that isn’t even an issue.
He showed off his astonishing speed, quickness and vision as he turned corners with sharp cuts, often resulting in long touchdown runs.
Helu, Jr. is currently projected as a second-day draft pick by CBSSports.com.
If he shows that he can remain durable throughout postseason workouts, he may very well slip into the first few rounds.
Don't let the offseason get you down.
Football news, reviews and much more awaits! Follow Brandon on Twitter (@eightlaces) for the all the latest and other general football goodness.
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