It's the final season for Nebraska to play a Big 12 schedule before moving to the Big Ten. Bo Pelini and the Cornhuskers would like to make it a memorable farewell.
When Bo Pelini took over as head coach at Nebraska in 2008, he said fixing the defense was his top priority. Well he not only fixed it but he made it a top of the line model in the process.
Pelini took a defense that ranked 112th in 2007 and in just two short years transformed it into one of the top units in the country. At the same time he resuscitated a once storied football program and made it relevant once again in the Big 12. The Cornhuskers have gone from bullied to bully practically overnight and are even money college football betting favorites to win the Big 12 North this season.
Nebraska’s once proud Blackshirts defense surrendered 455 points in ’07 for an average of 37.9 points per game ,prompting athletic director Tom Osborne to make a much needed change. Bill Callahan was fired and Osborne set his sights on Pelini, who was the architect of LSU’s defense during their banner years of 2004-2007. Less than two weeks after LSU won its college football title, Pelini was hired and the ‘Huskers program has been on the upswing since.
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Last season Nebraska’s defense, led by Player of the Year Ndamukong Suh, was the stingiest in college football allowing just 10.4 points per game. The unit ranked seventh in yards allowed per game (271.7) and ninth in rushing yards with 93 yards per game. With numbers like those it’s no surprise that the 'under' cashed in 11 of the 14 games. Nebraska was also 7-1 at home to the low side.
Nebraska has 18 returning starters from a team that went 10-4 in ‘09 (9-5 ATS). Eight of those players return for a defensive unit that will likely do the heavy lifting again this season. The offense figures to have an improved rushing attack and is spearheaded by quarterback Zac Lee and tailback Roy Helu Jr.
Lee, the junior from San Francisco, had 2,143 passing yards and 14 touchdowns. He’s expected to run a bit more this season to try and keep defenses from keying on Helu who averaged over six yards per carry, finishing with 1,147 yards and 10 touchdowns. What the offensive line lacks in quality they make up for in size, experience and depth. Helu and his running mate Rex Burkhead should find plenty of running lanes.
How important is Lee to the whole operation? Last year Nebraska QB’s had one touchdown pass and 15 interceptions in the four losses. In the 10 victories, the 'Huskers had a touchdown to interception ratio of 15/3. Nebraska won't beat any of the national powers throwing the football; that’s why it’s imperative that the running game show a dramatic improvement from a year ago. Overall Nebraska’s offense was 75th in scoring (25.1), 99th in total yards and 101st in passing.
Nebraska enters the new campaign with high hopes and plenty of momentum. The Cornhuskers finished on a 6-1 run with the only loss coming to Texas, 13-12, in the Big 12 Championship. The Cornhuskers wrapped up the season with a 33-0 rout of Arizona in the Holiday Bowl. It was the first shutout in Nebraska’s 45 previous bowl games. Nebraska might be the best team in the Big 12 North, but is still considered only the third best team in the conference behind Oklahoma and Texas. However before bolting to the Big Ten in 2011, Nebraska would like to think they’ve got one memorable season left in the Big 12.
Any team with title aspirations needs that mixture of cupcakes and contenders on its schedule. The Cornhuskers' non-conference slate unfortunately is heavy on the pastries with the exception of a visit to Washington in September.
They’ll get Texas and Missouri at home, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State on the road and if they sweep those games, then Pelini can start making bowl plans for the first week in January.