Springtime in Nebraska: 5 Questions for the Huskers as Practice Begins
While Jim Tressel is explaining himself in Columbus, there are some less dramatic subplots occurring within the Big Ten's newest member, Nebraska. The Cornhuskers opened strong and finished weak, prompting changes in Lincoln. In addition to a slate of unfamiliar conference foes, there are a number of other questions as Nebraska conducts its spring practice. Here are five pressing questions.
Who's in the Retooled Secondary?
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The Huskers allowed an average of 153.6 passing yards per game last year, one of the lowest figures in the nation. But three of their top defensive backs are gone. Prince Amukamara had no interceptions, but that's because opposing quarterbacks rarely challenged him. He's likely to be a top 10 pick in the NFL Draft. Safeties Eric Hagg (team-high five interceptions) and DeJon Gomes (99 tackles) are gone as well.
The lone returning starter is Alfonzo Dennard, who had four picks. Dennard is considered a first-round talent as well, so expect him to get treated like a Prince in 2011. That means a lot of pressure on a new corner.
Ciante Evans had some moments to remember (vs. Missouri) and forget (at Iowa State) last season. Evans showed promise as a true freshman in 2010, so he's still learning. Expect competition from Antonio Bell and Dijon Washington.
At safety, Austin Cassidy, like Hagg, is the kind of heady player that always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Courtney Osborne shows promise as a blitzer that could thrive in coordinator Carl Pelini's aggressive scheme. Expect P.J. Smith to see plenty of time as well.
Switching to the run-heavy Big Ten could buy the Husker secondary some more time to gel.
Can Rex Burkhead Carry the Running Game?
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For Husker fans, the only thing that could rival the frustration of watching Roy Helu Jr. getting tripped up after a minimal gain was the euphoria of watching him break a long scoring run. The Nebraska workhorse netted 1,245 yards last season, but he left to chase down a job in the NFL (he's a potential late-round steal, but let's stay on topic).
Rex Burkhead is the Huskers' most versatile back. He's tough, nearly unstoppable in short-yardage situations and is a threat to throw when running the wildcat. But he lacks the breakaway ability of Helu and many of the Huskers' legendary offensive backs. At least in the early going, don't be surprised to see Burkhead get a ton of carries, which is a testament to the lack of depth at the position.
The Huskers may have to turn to a pair of, albeit talented, freshmen.
Aaron Green was a highly sought after four-star recruit from San Antonio. He has 4.4 speed and could be the kind of threat the Huskers desperately need. Ameer Abdullah eluded a host of SEC recruiters to land in Nebraska. Though a bit undersized at 5'9'' and 177 pounds, he could get plenty of early looks as well.
Has Bo Pelini Learned from His Mistakes?
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Call Huskers' head coach Bo Pelini the anti-Tom. Whereas Nebraska coaching legend Tom Osborne rarely showed emotion on the sideline, Pelini wasn't shy about showing his emotions during a trying season. During a particularly tough loss at Texas A&M, television cameras caught Pelini going too far. He was reprimanded by his bosses (Osborne, now the athletic director, and chancellor Harvey Pearlman) and seemed determined to toning down his sideline demeanor.
The players said they had no problem with Pelini's behavior. But Pelini has a history of drawing unsportsmanlike penalties. And when he lost his cool against the Aggies, his team seemed to crumble.
Few question Pelini's fire and emotion, but his decisions on Saturday did give his critics some fodder. The quarterback situation could have been handled better, and some questionable decisions allowed Oklahoma to dominate in the second half of the Big 12 Championship Game.
Pelini's teams also have the tendency to start some games as flat as the Nebraska landscape. In the biggest game of the year, at home against Texas, the Huskers sleepwalked their way to a 17-3 deficit midway through the second quarter. They never recovered in a 20-13 defeat.
But for all his faults, Pelini is regarded as a top-tier coach. He was rumored as a candidate for the jobs at Miami and Michigan. The ex-Buckeye has been mentioned as a possible replacement for Jim Tressel at Ohio State. But Pelini has consistently voiced his commitment to Nebraska. If he makes solid decisions during what could be a turbulent season, it will certainly polish his reputation.
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What's the Status of Quarterback Taylor Martinez?
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For the first five games, Taylor Martinez, a redshirt freshman, looked unstoppable running the Huskers' read-option attack. He totaled 886 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in the first eight games.
Then Texas committed two men to take away his threat as a runner, forcing Martinez to beat them with his arm. Martinez was almost up to the task, but several dropped passes erased certain points in the 20-13 loss.
Against Missouri, he left with an ankle injury. He missed time in an effort to heal. When he did return, he was ineffective and looked confused and panic-stricken in the pocket. He was on the receiving end of a very public tongue-lashing from Bo Pelini at Texas A&M. There were rumors he quit the team. He tried to come back, but that explosive first step was gone and the whole offense suffered as a result. Over the final five games, Martinez had 79 net rushing yards and no rushing touchdowns.
There is plenty of blame to go around for the Huskers' offensive woes, but Martinez seemed to take more than his share. He weathered the criticism. He's back now. He's matured, and more of a leader. He said the rumors of him leaving were just that—rumors. He said he's not 100 percent healthy yet, but he's getting close. He'll need to be at full speed to help the running game. And to keep a pair of prized recruits (Jamal Turner and Brion Carnes) from taking his job.
Can Tim Beck Revitalize the Offense?
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There's no denying that the Huskers' offense hit a wall down the stretch of 2010. The season was capped with a 19-7 loss to Washington in the Holiday Bowl, where the Huskers gained just 189 total yards. In a September game at Washington, Nebraska (in a 56-21 win) rolled up 533 total yards.
Many Husker fans were undoubtedly hoping that offensive coordinator Shawn Watson, a holdover from the disastrous Bill Callahan era, would receive one of several head coaching jobs that were available. But Watson's stock plummeted, and he was replaced with Tim Beck in February.
Beck, the former running backs coach, now has to figure out why the Big Red Machine ran out of gas. Head coach Bo Pelini wants a fusion of a spread look and power running. Beck wants to simplify the offense, reduce the complexities of the playbook and infuse more speed and power.
Speed and power. It's a simple strategy that's worked at Nebraska before.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
