In the summer and fall, Husker Locker created its “50 Huskers to Know” list for the 2009 season. We now review our list by examining production, injuries and depth chart position.

We’ll present these in five-player increments. Here we go!

No. 20 Mike Smith: Battled all kinds of injuries after left, struggled with false start penalties for a second straight year, but generally protected Zac Lee’s backside through the last half of the year. Smith isn’t an elite left tackle right now. But he’s the best Nebraska’s got.

No. 19 Terrence Moore: A bust in 2009 because of a turf toe injury, Moore better step up quickly in 2010, because his frame and speed is NU’s best fit for the nose tackle position. Moore cannot waste any more time on poor technique and fundamentals. He’ll be pushed fiercely in the spring.

No. 18 Chris Brooks: Got hurt midway through the season late in the Texas Tech game, which derailed a promising year. Brooks probably had the best hands among NU’s receivers. He rarely got to show them off in five years. Chalk that up to whatever you want.

No. 17 Will Compton: A little too much too soon for Compton, who started through the Texas Tech game, suffered some lumps and then watched Phillip Dillard take over in the dime defense and excel. Compton stuck his nose in there pretty well between the tackles; he could have been better on sideline-to-sideline pursuit. Compton has a bright future at NU, but there will be no Dillard in 2010.

No. 16 Cody Green: A maddening season for fans, to some extent. And a maddening season for Green, to be sure. From the highs of terrific running plays in the Florida Atlantic and Lafayette games to the lows of bad passes thrown in Baylor, Oklahoma and Arizona games, Green was the epitome of a roller coaster on the field. Off it, he was humble, smart and humorous. He handled every press situation with intelligence and grace.

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Air Raid. Spread. No huddle. Zone read. Fly sweep. Wildcat.

After years of offensive fads in the Big 12, get ready for a defensive one: The Match Read Zone. The name that’s been given to Bo Pelini’s spread-killing defense. A system that’s not easy to get down but - much like a match-up zone defense in basketball - can be hard to crack.

You can be plenty sure league defensive coordinators have been paying attention to Pelini since he arrived in the Big 12. You can also be sure they took notes as Bo dismantled Texas and Colt McCoy with it.

Why does it work? Because it’s zone, masquerading as man, taking away the simplest throws for a quarterback. Because it’s aggressive against bubble and tunnel screens. Because Nebraska has the back seven personnel - and the four-man pass rush - to pull it off.

It’s a perfect storm of sorts that met the two perfectly vulnerable - though normally productive - spread offenses - Texas and Arizona - at the end of the season.

Bo’s the new fad of the Big 12. With two of the offensive gurus - Mike Leach and Mark Mangino - floating away on rafts made of their own egos, the problem to solve for 2010 won’t be how to stop their passing games. But how to crack Bo Vinci Code.

Two-tight end formations - which forces Nebraska to replace corners with linebackers - might be part of the solution. Straight power football might be another. With a full season of tape to view, offensive coordinators will begin to chip away at the few weaknesses the Blackshirts possessed in 2010. Washington, armed with a good quarterback (Jake Locker) and even better playcaller (head coach Steve Sarikisian) will pit its West Coast principles vs. Match Read excellence.

Much like he declared the Huskers back for good after the Holiday Bowl, Pelini has set the bar for his defense, at, oh, only “five times better” than it was this year. Statistically, trust us, it’s basically impossible. So we can presume Pelini is talking experience, expertise and playmaking ability.

Nebraska looks to have the nation’s best secondary in 2010. Credit Pelini and position coach Marvin Sanders for just about all of it, as Prince Amukamara and Eric Hagg were merely raw prospects in spring 2008, and Alfonzo Dennard, Dejon Gomes and P.J. Smith - all projected starters - weren’t yet on campus. Is it on par with the 2003 unit, Pelini’s first college secondary, that featured three future NFL starters in Fabian Washington, Josh Bullocks and Daniel Bullocks, and led the nation in interceptions? Potentially.

The front four loses Ndamukong Suh. He will be sorely missed - and don’t let pundits or even the Brothers Pelini attempt to sweep his departure under the rug. Suh was arguably most valuable on screens, draws, shovel passes and backside running plays. A stat nobody kept track of: How many first downs Suh - and Suh alone - saved by peeling back to make downfield tackles. And you can’t teach his instincts for pass defense and finding the ball. What’s left is pretty good. But Suh made that unit dynamic and versatile.

The warning flags appear to be at linebacker. It was telling that, in the last half of the season, Gomes and Hagg were serving as de facto linebackers on key downs, as opposed to Will Compton and Sean Fisher. Spread passing teams carry light cargo, and allow Nebraska to get away it. But almost half of NU’s opponents in 2010 can and will go heavy. And if Pelini found it necessary to pick up JUCO linebacker LaVonte David, it speaks, potentially, to the health and inexperience of some of the guys behind Compton and Fisher. Eric Martin is a exciting playmaker as a sophomore, but he won’t see the field until he knows the defense.

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Can NU keep its defensive staff intact for one more season? After 2010, all bets are off, because Carl Pelini, Marvin Sanders, John Papuchis and Mike Ekeler could easily be headed for head coach/coordinator roles somewhere. Can Bo Pelini convince them to see through one more potentially championship-winning season? We’ll know for sure in the next two weeks.

How does Bo adjust to life without Suh? No. 93 can’t be replaced, so that option is out. But the remaining pieces on the defensive line - Jared Crick is chief among them - are pretty solid. Of course NU retains a base four-man look, with Crick at his spot, Terrence Moore plugging the nose, and Pierre Allen and Cameron Meredith crashing on the ends.

Do Sean Fisher and Will Compton keep developing? We have no reason to think they won’t - but, with at least five offenses on the 2010 schedule requiring a nickel-or-base defense - Washington, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Colorado and Kansas State fit that bill - NU needs two - not just one - of Mike Ekeler’s guys to perform at the level Phillip Dillard reached in 2009. And it doesn’t appear JUCO linebacker LaVonte David will hit the scene until fall.

How do Mathew May and Matt Holt fit back into the defense? Both injured in 2009 - May played mostly on special teams, Holt didn’t play while recovering from a torn ACL - these two walk-on breakout players of 2008 will have to fight for time in what’s become one of the nation’s defenses. They’ll get a look, because they have the size - and speed - to stay on the field in a dime set as a hybrid linebacker/safety.

What defensive wrinkles get unfurled in 2010? One option just to chew on: A three-man line that kicks Crick out to a hybrid tackle/end, uses a heftier Meredith at the other end, and sticks Moore - or maybe true freshman Jay Guy at that true nose tackle spot. We suspect Bo and Carl get creative with the players on hand.

Does Eric Hagg stay at nickel, or rotate back to free safety? And, if the latter, does Rickey Thenarse shift down into Hagg’s role? Thenarse is a wild card best used 10-15 times per game then he left on the field for 60 minutes. The rest of the secondary - Prince Amukamara and Alfonzo Dennard at the corners, Dejon Gomes at slot corner, P.J. Smith at strong safety, Austin Cassidy, Lance Thorell and Anthony West as priority backups - seems pretty set. Our take: Keep Hagg where he is, pick your spots with Thenarse, and give Cassidy a long look at Matt O’Hanlon’s starting job.

Who is this year’s Dejon Gomes? Thad Randle? Alonzo Whaley? Courtney Osborne? Smith? Cassidy? Andrew Green? Jason Ankrah? That’s what’s fun about prognosticating, isn’t it?

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As we delve back into one of the more painful losses in Nebraska football history, I want to step away from the field of play for a minute. Let's head, instead, into the homes of interested viewers.

What do you suppose Syracuse fans, mired in another ugly losing season, thought as they watched NU's defense thunder away at Texas? The Orange could have nabbed Bo Pelini in 2004, you know. Chose Greg Robinson instead. What do you suppose Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne was thinking? He could have taken a run at Pelini in 2006 or 2007. How about Arizona State, which recycled Dennis Erickson? Or UCLA, which tried the Skippy? Or even Michigan, which fixated on Les Miles and forgot to notice the defensive coordinator who delivered all of the crucial wins?

How about Steve Pederson? What do you suppose his thoughts were, after Pittsburgh's miserable defense blew a 31-10 lead over undefeated Cincinnati in the snow? As he watched the Huskers grind down UT quarterback Colt McCoy, who surely is as good as Cincy's Tony Pike, and the Longhorns, who are, in many ways, a mirror image of the Bearcats' offense.

What do you suppose Gary Pinkel, whose Missouri team has been repeatedly humiliated by Texas and Oklahoma, was thinking? Mike Gundy, whose OSU bunch got butt-thumped by both teams? What do you think Turner Gill, prepping for an interview at Kansas, was thinking?

Maybe they were thinking what Alabama, the odds-on favorite to win the national title, already knows: If you can ever manage to acquire primo defensive mind – my goodness, hold onto him and pay him what he needs to succeed.

Amidst all this offense in college football, the story of Championship Saturday was Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban, who finally stopped Florida's trickery-based attack, and Pelini, who reduced McCoy, quite frankly, to a child lost in a supermarket. It was akin to Kubrick and Spielberg directing movies on the fly, back-to-back. You couldn't slow down the action to appreciate all the tiny quirks, but you knew it was brilliant, and you knew you couldn't stop watching. Seven hours of guts and gamesmanship worthy of NFL playoff games.

I have debated, with myself, the validity of Florida's offense; it is strangely and powerfully methodical, and yet couched in fakes and feints and funny business, too. Alabama exposed it Saturday night as an elaborate three-card monte, and Tim Tebow as more of an athlete than a quarterback. There are 10 or 15 Sabans in the NFL; I don't know Tebow survives at that level. The more motions and fakes and H-backs the Gators threw at the Tide, the more desperate and gimmicky it seemed, the more Tebow looked rudderless.

Robbed of his dive-and-counter game, UF's Urban Meyer prowled the sidelines – frantically, it seemed - and kept dialing Tebow's number – to no avail. Tebow was given every chance to win the Heisman Saturday night, and he kept double-clutching most throws, second-guessing most decisions. He was initially defiant, then frustrated, further confused and, finally, broken. When Saban takes a player of Tebow's sheer, raw athleticism and turns him into the lead actor of a “Happy Feet” sequel, he's really done something.

The Brothers Pelini produced an incredible encore. They dialed up aggressive blitzes, called for twists and stunts along the front four, and kept daring McCoy to throw it deep. The few times Texas did, it actually paid off with a nice gain or a pass interference penalty.

Both defenses proved this truth: Most college quarterbacks, good as they may be, have been coached within an inch of their life to make the smart, safe throw. McCoy, Tebow, Sam Bradford, Tony Pike, Andrew Luck, Greg McElroy, any of them. It takes a lot of NFL experience, or foolish moxie, to play otherwise.

If you take away that safety blanket - it you can get a 22-year-old to think in the pocket, instead of reacting – you have him dead to rights two downs out of three. So it went for Alabama and Nebraska.

NU did more than that, though – at least in terms of the Big 12. The Huskers stood up to Texas and Oklahoma like no other league team has in the last decade.

The secret is out. The gig could be up. The Russian is cut.

Nebraska didn't knock him down or out – some fans (not I) would argue the Big 12 politburo made sure of that in the final seconds of Saturday night – but the Huskers blazed a path through a dark forest, and left some crumbs behind to consider.

It's up to the rest of the league to wake up and smell the victories. The rest of college football, too.

Defense is back. And Bo is in the vanguard.

Now...about that offense...

Five Players We Loved

Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh: A performance we'll never forget. Worthy, by itself, of the Heisman.

Now, this week, you're going to hear that Toby Gerhart, in a series of relatively meaningless games, getting the ball in every obvious goal-line situation, somehow earned it instead. Well, folks, he didn't. What he did do is beat Notre Dame on national television. And since the East Coast Heisman voters don't generally know their rear ends from their elbows when it comes to college football, they'll alight on the nearest relative of anything Fighting Irish.

Just one question: If Gerhart is bounding through a hole, Suh is there to meet him and it's one yard for a first down – who wins?

Cornerback Dejon Gomes: Twelve months ago, this kid wasn't even on NU's roster. Ted Gilmore recruited him. Marvin Sanders coached him. Some recruitniks like to bag on Gilmore and Sanders' efforts in this area, but they got this one right.

Cornerback Prince Amukamara: He needs to come back for one more season, and polish off his considerable potential. But Amukamara has turned into everything Sanders hoped he would become.

Defensive end Barry Turner: The quiet man of the Blackshirts – nary an interview during the 2009 season – looked strong and fast Saturday night, consistently collapsing the pocket on McCoy. In the last month of the season Turner finally seemed at full confidence.

Safety Matt O'Hanlon: The back middle was closed for business, and he made some key open-field tackles. Does Matty O get a free agent look from an NFL club? We say yes. There's more than a little Scott Shanle – who starts at linebacker for the New Orleans Saints - in the kid. He could, at the very least, be a valuable special-teamer at the next level – if that's what he wants.

Three Concerns We Have

Quarterback Development: Hello? McFly? Where is it? Most Husker fans wouldn't trust Zac Lee to run a band saw in shop class right now. The coaches apparently don't trust Cody Green to do the same.

Lee made one poor read after another Saturday night. He's entirely too skittish under pressure. Twice, he jumped and rifled screen passes to Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead, too hard for them to do anything with it. His second interception – to Niles Paul – was underthrown, off his back foot. A crossing route to Paul that would have gained big yards was thrown before Paul was looking.

On Nebraska's best shot a touchdown – after Paul's punt return – Lee immediately tossed an ill-advised fade pass to Brandon Kinnie – who wasn't open – instead of waiting for Mike McNeill's slant route to clear over the middle. As Lee released the ball, McNeill broke open for six. One problem: Lee never looked at anyone but Kinnie.

That's development. First – why is Kinnie is the isolation fade route – and not Paul? Second – did Lee have a hot read based on Texas blitzing (UT brought six, which is why McNeill was open). Third – why, if he didn't have a hot read, did Lee ignore McNeill? The QB has to wait for the route to clear. Has to. Even if you get knocked into next week.

Against Missouri, you'll recall, Lee did just that on two touchdown passes. Against Texas, Lee chucked the ball at first sign of danger. And many of his throws were chucks – high, wobbly balloons without precision or placement. Green's lone pass – a bottle of gas thrown into a lake of fire – looked just the same: High, wide, uncertain.

Who coaches those guys, anyway?

No Push: Nebraska's offensive line may look very different in a month, when certain players have had a chance to heal and rest. For now, it's a broken pipeline, and no match for Texas' front seven. Most disappointing: The backside leaks, which eliminated any chance of Helu and Burkhead cutting their runs back to the field. With zone blocking, you have create a crease or a wall for a running back to read and attack. Helu and Burkhead were perpetually caught at the top of a Tetris stack, with pieces piling on faster and faster.

Untimely errors: Adi Kunalic's kick out of bounds. Larry Asante's horse-collar tackle. Eric Hagg, failing to look back for the ball on a third down pass. Nebraska blowing a timeout because Roy Helu didn't know the audible. Blowing another one because Cam Meredith wasn't sure if he should be on the field. Little mental stuff that you can't afford.

Reviewing the Five Keys

Right Break, Right Time: Nebraska got them early. But not in the game's final seconds.

Beyond the Comfort Zone: Oh, Nebraska and Texas' offenses were certainly in that stage of life on Saturday night. But not by their own choosing. NU and UT both stuck much too close to the offensive script when attacked by superior defenses.

Stop Shipley: In relative terms, Shipley's catches – five for 50 – were absolutely huge. He got Texas out of the shadow of its own goal line once, and set up field position for the game-winning field goal, as well. The kid's gamer. I was more impressed with him than McCoy.

The Stage: Nebraska more than embraced the moment. Texas shrunk from the pressure, but benefited from an awful NU offense.

The Heisman Boys: Covered in depth, I believe.

Three Questions We Still Have

Cody for the Holidays? Green deserves at least a shot to start in San Diego. Nebraska has little to lose, and Lee's had plenty of chances. With three weeks to retool, you'd hope NU can shape a gameplan around its talented freshman.

Does Nebraska have a No. 2 receiver? Is it Kinnie now? He played OK Saturday. Is it Khiry Cooper? Is it whomever Gilmore tabs as his best blocker during bowl preparation?

Other than Suh, who leaves the biggest shoes to fill? I'd argue it's Phillip Dillard, who played linebacker with speed, spirit and toughness over the last ten games, collecting 76 tackles and three sacks. Will Compton played quite a bit this year – but, in terms of play recognition and sideline-to-sideline pursuit, he wasn't in Dillard league. Then again, one year ago, Dillard wasn't in Dillard's league. One player I'm not worried about: P.J. Smith, who takes for Larry Asante. Word is, Smith is a smooth, confident player who may lack Asante's thumping skills, but has a better nose for the ball.

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Nebraska tight end Mike McNeill isn’t getting Facebook messages anymore telling him how much better Missouri’s Chase Coffman is. So there’s that.

Of course, Coffman graduated, having finished 3-1 in his career vs. NU.

And McNeill? The junior from Kirkwood, Mo., is still looking for victory No. 1 against the Tigers. He’d sure love one, especially in Columbia, in front 70,000 gold-clad crazies who cursed out his parents in 2007.

“It’d be big, obviously,” McNeill said. “I can’t lie and say it wouldn’t. The last two years, they’ve really stuck it to us. So that’s been really tough, going home the last two years, having to hear about that. It’d be nice.”

Maybe then the have-you-talked-with-Jeremy Maclin questions can die down. Or the Blaine Gabbert queries. Yes, McNeill is buddies with MU’s starting quarterback, too. Hosted him on his recruiting trip to Nebraska, in fact. Went to a baseball game with him this summer.

This week, the Missouri connection is a big story, and McNeill, always a smiling, reliable quote, is right in the center of it. He trudged over reporters Monday in the press box, wearing a smirk that said “here we go.”

“Well, it’s the Missouri game now,” one reporter said.

“I guess,” McNeill said, not exactly enjoying his role as “official Missouri correspondent.”

Said senior receiver Chris Brooks, who’s from St. Louis: “We just want to win. Whether it’s by one point or 30 points, a win is a win. Playing Missouri – most people, when it comes around, look at me and say ‘You’ve got a chip on your shoulder.’ But I try to approach the game like that each and every day.”

McNeill and Brooks are two of four players from Missouri who could start in Thursday’s 8:15 p.m. game. Junior left guard Keith Williams is from Florissant in the St. Louis metro. Redshirt freshman Will Compton lives about an hour away, in Bonne Terre.

“I’d like to play in Columbia every year,” Compton said. “I’d like to play in front of everybody I know.”

Every one of them, not surprisingly, has some connection to the Missouri roster.

Brooks is friends with Mizzou defenders Jaron Baston and Hardy Ricks, and expects to “chop it up” before the game with some good-natured trash talk.

Compton is another of Gabbert’s friends; they committed around the same time in 2007 to NU, in fact, and were in competition to see who could help lure more players to Nebraska.

“We’d hang out, spend time with each other’s families, and, at the time, talk about Husker football,” Compton said.

Gabbert pulled his commitment when it became clear that Bill Callahan was going to be fired. But Compton stuck with Nebraska.

“He knew I’d make the right decision and do what I wanted to do,” Compton said. “I needed to have that patience. I committed here. Nebraska deserved patience like that. I just needed to wait to see who came in here and give them the chance.”

Days before Bo Pelini was hired, Compton said, athletic director Tom Osborne told the kid he would like who Nebraska was about to select. Roughly two months after that conversation, Compton stuck with his original decision despite a full-court press from Missouri and Illinois.

But it didn’t mean he severed ties with Gabbert, who didn’t pressure Compton to change his mind. After Mizzou hammered Illinois in its season-opener, Compton texted him. Good game. Gabbert texted back the same.

One might think Gabbert’s decommitment from NU would be a sore point with the Huskers. But emotions seem defused now that he’s Missouri’s quarterback, and not Chase Daniel, who relished needling the Huskers with his arm and his mouth.

For his part, Brooks isn’t too worried about any ill feelings –or lack thereof.

“At the end of the day, who really cares?” Brooks said. “Chase Daniel, Blaine Gabbert, whoever’s under center – it really doesn’t matter. We’ve still got to come out and make plays. Whether someone’s talking or not talking, I don’t think that makes a difference because they have to get between those white lines and back it up.”

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Our non-conference report card for the defense:

DEFENSIVE MVP: Ndamukong Suh Facing offenses that clearly mean to blunt his impact on the game, Suh still makes his presence known in the running game and with four pass deflections in the Virginia Tech game. We’d be lying if we didn’t think Suh couldn’t reach yet another level of play in 2009. But the level he’s at right now is All-American caliber.

Special Mention: Strong safety Larry Asante, nickel back Eric Hagg, weakside linebacker Phillip Dillard, middle linebacker Will Compton.

DEFENSIVE LINE: B+ This unit was a little slow to anger in the opening games of the season, but they sufficiently pressured Virginia Tech’s Tyrod Taylor and all of Louisiana-Lafayette’s signal callers. Suh is the anchor, obviously, but Pierre Allen, Barry Turner and Cameron Meredith have all been solid at the defensive end position. Meredith, in particular, is flashing some pass-rushing ability in the first month. Jared Crick continues to grow into his position; his technique can improve but his motor is top notch. Baker Steinkuhler flashes an impressive burst into the backfield, while Terrence Moore is finally recovering from a turf toe.

Best Game: Virginia Tech. Excellent throughout
Worst Game: Florida Atlantic. Played too high.

LINEBACKERS B- A bit of a roller coaster so far, but they’re hanging in there, and the move of Phillip Dillard to weakside linebacker should prove to be a key catalyst. In two games, Dillard has been aggressive and physical the ball in ways Blake Lawrence was not. Middle linebacker Will Compton had a few lapses in the Arkansas State game, but he’s active, quick the ball and willing to mix it up. Strongside linebacker Sean Fisher could stand to play a little lower, but he’s generally caught as well as Compton has; by this time next year, it could really be some unit. Lawrence looked tentative at times but has been battling injuries, as has Mathew May, who has a nasty stinger. Colton Koehler and Eric Martin have been used in backup roles.

Best game: Virginia Tech.
Worst game: Arkansas State. Communication issues.

SECONDARY: A- OK, so you can’t get that colossal breakdown out of your head. Well, get over it. Marvin Sanders’ unit has played well besides that play. Larry Asante, easily, is having his best year in run and pass coverage. In Prince Amukamara, Anthony West and Alfonzo Dennard, NU has three corners capable of starting, and Dejon Gomes is starting to heat up. Matt O’Hanlon, one play aside, has been sound and dependable by all accounts. Eric Hagg is a daring, successful wild card who can also cover. Lance Thorell has been fine in limited dime coverage and P.J. Smith, now filling in for the injured Ricky Thenarse, will be counted on back up Asante. This is a seriously strong unit – and it could be better in 2010 once Hagg moves back to safety.

Best Game: Lafayette. Two fumbles and a Pick Six
Worst Game: Virginia Tech.

GAME MANAGEMENT/PENALTIES: B- The penalties haven’t been too much of a problem since the first game, and the defensive calls seemed much smoother after the first two games. Bo Pelini wisely got some of his backups more playing time in the Lafayette game. NU continues to waste timeouts on defensive adjustments, however.
Best Game: Lafayette.
Worst Game: Florida Atlantic.

PLAYCALLING: A- The plan to shut down Tyrod Taylor worked perfectly until the final minute of the game; Taylor was frustrated and penned in like he hasn’t been in his entire career at Tech. Otherwise, The Brothers Pelini did a nice job of relying on their front four to generate a pass rush while the back seven covered. Far too often in 2008, blitzes were dialed up as a matter of course. This year, we’re seeing a little more selectivity, which is a good thing.

Best Game: Virginia Tech
Worst Game: Florida Atlantic.

See also: Offensive Report Card

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Driving home Saturday night from Nebraska’s blowout 49-3 win over Florida Atlantic, I couldn’t help but think of another blowout win to kick off a season: NU’s 52-7 romp over Nevada in 2007.

In both, the opponents’ reputations far exceeded their actual gameplans and execution. And both teams wilted in the second half against bigger, stronger NU.

Nevada just stunk on offense, and admitted as much after the game. Florida Atlantic was more of a quandary.

The Owls were supposed to be athletic and exciting; instead, their quarterbacks, Rusty Smith and Jeff VanCamp, played hot potato with the football, firing wild darts before their receivers even had time to look for the ball. Nary a trick play, or even a trick formation, from FAU. Smith looked jittery, nervous and slow. His backup was mysteriously inserted in the second quarter and just as mysteriously removed. Apparently FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger likes Smith to see a drive from the sidelines.

At any rate, it was hard to get a read on Nebraska Saturday night. That’s part of the trouble with “directional” – or in the case of FAU, “oceanic” – opponents. Expect a better, stiffer test from FAU’s Sun Belt counterpart, Arkansas State.

On with the review:

Five Players We Loved

Junior running back Roy Helu: A big back who still knows how to pick his way through holes and burst out the other end pulling away from defenders. If he can stay healthy, Helu’s big ride in 2009 is just beginning.

Senior left guard Derek Meyer: The native Husker with a great story just moved to left guard a few weeks ago after working at right guard and right tackle for spring ball. Meyer wasn’t perfect, but he held up well, especially in pass protection. NU lacks great depth along the line, but Meyer was blue collar as advertised.

Redshirt freshman linebacker Will Compton: He played nearly every defensive snap in the first three quarters, and fit right in. Compton had a busy night around the ball. He’ll only get smarter and better.

Sophomore wide receiver Curenski Gilleylen: Two of his three catches were adventures, frankly – but he caught them. Gilleylen’s best play of the night, though, was a bone-crushing block to help spring Menelik Holt on his 28-yard touchdown catch-and-gallop.

Senior defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh: Quick tackle for loss on the first drive, and he later saved a first down by peeling back on a screen pass and taking down FAU fullback Willie Rose one yard short.

Special Mention - true freshman linebacker Eric Martin: His energy and enthusiasm on the game’s opening kickoff is precisely what that unit needs.

Three Concerns We Still Have

Again With The Penalties: Nine more to open the season, for 86 yards. Two personal fouls, two holding calls, a couple false starts. Sloppy.

Not Enough Niles: Offensive coordinator Shawn Watson and wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore spent fall camp talking up the junior from Omaha. Well, fine: If he made plays in the practice, give him a chance to make them in the games. A reverse. A go route. Something. Gilleylen and Holt got most of the choice looks.

Blocked Punt: Not the best thing to see two weeks before Virginia Tech.

Reviewing the Five Keys

KIDS: Watson tried to go right at FAU, but Helu found the corners of the defense an easier go. And if Roy can make it work, so be it.

Truthfully, NU nicely blended some running staples of the West Coast Offense with some new counters, sweeps and even a veer play. The Huskers ran two options near the goal line. Neither worked very well, but Cody Green did score a 1-yard touchdown on his effort.

36 inches: FAU’s quarterbacks spent the entire night avoiding Suh and the rest of NU’s front four, and got nothing in return for their cowardice. You get out what you put in, and the Owls didn’t physically or strategically challenge Nebraska’s defense.

Attack Zac, Zac Attack: Once again, FAU was pretty tame in its blitzing of Lee. When the Owls did take a chance, Lee burned them with the touchdown pass to Gilleylen and a nice scramble for a first down. Lee wasn’t counted upon to win the game, but he held up nicely anyway.

Young Guns: The youngsters on offense and defense were terrific. Big thumbs up to Compton and Sean Fisher, plus redshirt freshman Cameron Meredith, who played a lot at defensive end, and recovered a fumble. On offense, Cody Green and Rex Burkhead both had their moments.

The Specials: Net wash here. Even with the blocked punt, NU’s net punting average was only one yard worse than FAU’s The Huskers did well on kickoff returns and kickoff coverage. Adi Kunalic booted two touchbacks, and a couple more bombs into the end zone were unwisely returned.

Three Questions We Still Have

Can NU get its goal-line package honed for game two? The Huskers used a couple fourth-down plays for touchdowns, but it shouldn’t have taken that long. Was Watson holding off on his pass packages to pound the ball on the ground? Probably.

How much better is Nebraska’s defense against the spread? We’ll find out when Arky State rolls into Lincoln. FAU’s pro-style attack wasn’t much of a problem.

Does Keith Williams return soon? Nebraska’s most skilled offensive lineman helps especially in the running game.

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Offensive Player of the Game: Roy Helu. A dazzling third quarter performance. Helu makes for a challenging interview – eccentric and mercurial are two words that come to mind – but he’s quicksilver on the field. He gained more than 100 of 152 yards pretty much on his own.

Defensive Player of the Game: Will Compton. No Husker had more stacked on his shoulders for Saturday’s game than Compton, who essentially played every snap for the first three quarters. He responded effectively and instinctively, and spent much of the night prowling around the ball.

GRADES:

Quarterback B+ Zac Lee managed the Huskers well after a shaky first-quarter start; he made several excellent throws downfield...and also one he’d like to take back. Let’s see what he does against a real pass rush. He didn’t look as composed or calm as Joe Ganz last night. But he did look more athletic. Cody Green's 49-yard run on a zone read was the best quarterback run we’ve seen around here since Jammal Lord.

Running back B+ Helu and Rex Burkhead got the bulk of the carries, and while they missed a hole here or there, you can’t argue with the overall body of work. Tyler Legate logged significant snaps at fullback, but didn’t blow us away with his blocking at the goal line.

Wide receiver B A couple drops by Meno Holt and Mike McNeill (who is essentially functioning as a wide receiver) but a nice breakout night Curenski Gilleylen. Where was Niles Paul? If he's making plays all over in practice, you have to actually throw him one or two deep balls in the game. That's how good wide receivers earn their bacon.

Offensive Line/Tight Ends C+ Not having Keith Williams available hurt, and Derek Meyer filled in with effort and toughness. But the Huskers, frankly, missed some blocks, had some false start penalties and loafed a little to the line of scrimmage. Their pilot light needs to go on at opening kickoff, and stay lit.

Defensive Line B+ Better than the numbers might indicate. FAU wanted no part of that front four, and its quarterbacks spent most of the night running away, or throwing off their back foot. Ndamukong Suh made a lot of little plays, including a downfield tackle on a screen play that saved a first down – and possibly a touchdown.

Linebackers A Given their inexperience, what an excellent night for Compton, Sean Fisher and Blake Lawrence. They covered well, pursued well and tackled well. A proper, effective debut.

Defensive backs B A pretty fair night on the back end, with two interceptions and a glut of tackles. The Huskers didn’t let much get behind them. It was the best the secondary has looked since the Iowa State game in 2008.

Special teams C A partially blocked punt was a disappointment, and Paul took a pretty big injury risk on a punt return, drawing a penalty for his courage. We still don’t think much of Paul as a kickoff returner. Nebraska needs to get a little more daring with its return choices.

Coaching/Game Management B Some sloppiness in getting to the line of scrimmage and getting set on defense is to be expected, we suppose. The offense got a little cute at times with the shifts and audibles. Bo Pelini wisely kept the defense vanilla and let a cautious, conservative Florida Atlantic play itself out of contention. Which it did in the third quarter.

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Communication and execution improved in Wednesday’s practice for the Nebraska football team, defensive coordinator Carl Pelini told reporters after the Huskers’ roughly two-hour workout on the grass fields north of Memorial Stadium.

“Really good day,” Pelini said. “Both sides of the football. The whole staff is happy right now.”

NU’s defense turned the corner on its mental execution at just the right time. The Huskers will trot out two redshirt freshmen – Sean Fisher and Will Compton – and a sophomore – Mathew May – as its starting linebacker trio for Saturday’s season-opener vs. Florida Atlantic, which runs a complex, pro-style offense.

Fisher, Compton and May are about as green as linebackers could be.

“Anytime you’ve got young guys out there, there’s a little bit of anxiety on their part and the coaches’ part,” Pelini said. “But we talked to our guys going in. Communication has to be better. Our leaders who have played before – the safeties, the d-line, the corners – they’ve got to be talking back and forth with those guys. That’s what we saw today, and that’s what pleased us.”

The middle of the field should be a busy spot for Florida Atlantic’s offense. The Owls like to send wide-body tight ends down the seams, and receivers on short crossing routes. Both are prime responsibilities of the linebackers and safeties.

Pelini is aware of FAU’s advance strategy. NU has an effective weapon, of sorts, in combating it.

“They’ve got really athletic tight ends that get down the field in a hurry,” Pelini said. “The good thing for us? So do we. So we’ve been facing that all camp, the dilemma Mike McNeill, Ben Cotton and those guys give us every day. That’s nothing new for us. I think our linebackers are used to facing athletic tight ends.”

A handful of true freshmen could see the field Saturday for the Huskers. BUCK linebacker Eric Martin is the most likely candidate, but defensive back Andrew Green, defensive end Jason Ankrah and defensive tackle Thad Randle might play as well. Randle, an undersized spark plug from the Houston area, hasn’t been mentioned much in camp, but could factor into a pass rushing package for NU.

“He’s got a knack for it,” Pelini said. “He’s got fast feet and great speed off the ball and those are what you look for. The other things you can teach.”

NU will have a shortened practice Thursday and a walkthrough Friday.

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Bo Pelini called out his Nebraska football team after Wednesday’s practice. After Thursday’s , Bo’s brother, defensive coordinator Carl Pelini, said the Cornhuskers answered the bell.

NU pushed through with more aggression and concentration, he said, as fall camp nears an end, and Nebraska begins prep for Sept. 5’s season-opener vs. Florida Atlantic.

“You put in two hard weeks of camp, school starts, it’s not game week yet,” Carl Pelini said. “It’s always a week where, as a coach, you’ve got to anticipate you have to push them a little bit and they’ve got to find a way to motivate themselves. They’ve got to find a way to do it, and today they did.”

The Huskers seem to be narrowing on the guys who play significant snaps at linebacker, Pelini said.

Redshirt freshman Will Compton – a name heard more often last year than this camp – is currently No. 1 at the MIKE spot, while Phillip Dillard closely on his heels. Colton Koehler, who had been No. 1 at the start of camp, was not mentioned by Pelini.

“Every day he just gets better,” Pelini said of Compton. “More aware of what his responsibilities are. He’s communicating better with the front four and the secondary. Still not perfect, but we’re happy with his progress.”

Sophomore Mathew May and junior Blake Lawrence continue to have a “good battle” for the starting role at WILL. Pelini said May’s athleticism is impressive, but he needs to “slow down a little bit” in executing his assignments, while Lawrence knows the defense well.

“Both guys will see significant playing time,” Pelini said.

In the secondary, expect several cornerbacks and safeties to play – at least in the first couple of games. Pelini and secondary coach Marvin Sanders said Dejon Gomes and Alfonzo Dennard continue to press starters Anthony West and Prince Amukamara, whom Pelini said is “not quite 100 percent.” At safety, Larry Asante and Matt O’Hanlon should get the starting nods, but P.J. Smith and Rickey Thenarse should get some snaps, as well.

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Rocky Road ice cream. That was his weakness. And Lamar’s Donuts. Eating late at night. Maybe a little frustration and stubbornness.

It landed Phillip Dillard in the doghouse of Nebraska’s football staff. OK, so head coach Bo Pelini said at the Big 12 Media Days he doesn’t believe in the concept of a doghouse. But when Dillard reported to spring camp at 248 pounds – 15 pounds more than coaches believe is his ideal weight – he landed at the back at of the drill line, the bottom of the depth chart.

“We ask certain things,” linebackers coach Mike Ekeler said then. Dillard, meanwhile, wasn’t talking.

Just a few months before, Dillard had been Nebraska’s starting middle linebacker. Trailing 20-17 at halftime to Baylor, it was Dillard who addressed the locker room, who cut to the chase, who lit the Cornhuskers’ fire for a second-half comeback. And it was Dillard who helped make a crucial stop on third and goal when he tackled probably the fastest quarterback in the nation – the Bears’ Robert Griffin – on a speed option around the end. BU missed the ensuing field goal try, and NU scored 15 unanswered points for a 32-20 win.

Dillard suffered a severe ankle injury at the end of that win, and was sidelined for the rest of the season. He was cleared to suit up for the Gator Bowl, but got no action. In his absence, the “Farm Dog,” Hastings walk-on Colton Koehler, filled in, and played well.

And then, the spring. Koehler at the front. Dillard, the last guy through.

“This game will come up and bite you,” Pelini said after Saturday’s practice.

It sunk its teeth in hard on Dillard.

“It didn’t surprise me,” Dillard said. “I’m the one that came in and didn’t do exactly what they asked of me. It’s not like I was in trouble with the law, I just didn’t handle my business as far as taking care of business as a man should. So I got punished for it.”

And challenged. Ekeler preached a clean slate for his unit this fall. But for Dillard to earn even a shot at playing time, he had to drop the weight.

He talked to reporters Saturday looking more cut than he ever has. Almost small, if a 6-1, 234-pound rock can be considered small.

Dillard had a summer to rescue his career, apologize to teammates, and join the race for playing time at NU. He did it. On a day that probably would have finished off the Dillard of 2007, the Dillard of 2009 was smiling and seeming thankful he had a team to motivate him.

This is the best shape I’ve ever been in,” Dillard said. “I feel great out there, running around. I’m not tired, I wasn’t breathing hard or nothing. So losing the weight was for my good.”

Not that Dillard wasn’t a hard worker before. But the transition from Kevin Cosgrove to Pelini was arguably tougher on him than most defenders. Dillard, after all, was playing nose tackle in Cosgrove’s third-down defense. Like a lot of Huskers, Dillard was bigger by design. Nebraska was probably the paunchiest team in America in 2007. By design.

And so, when that switch flipped, and Pelini was suddenly playing safety-sized players, like Matt Holt and Matt May, at linebacker – and the smaller guys were flourishing - Dillard was on the heftier end.

A victim of the previous culture – and his own weaknesses. That’s the story of a lot of folks in and out of football.

So, too, is redemption, and credit a new system of player-driven accountability for Dillard’s new physique. He had to apologize to his teammates, and they, in turn, kept giving words of encouragement.

“They’d tell me ‘Man, just keep working hard.’ Because they’d see me working hard. You don’t want to let those guys down. Everyone works hard. But I wanted to work harder, and that’s where I got my drive from. I didn’t want to let them down.”

It’s feel-good story thus far. Yet it doesn’t mean Dillard is going to be handed his job back. Ekeler and defensive coordinator Carl Pelini both called the race for all three linebacker positions “wide open.” Koehler had a good spring, and while redshirt freshman Will Compton still has to nail down the playbook, he’s the fastest, and most physically gifted, of the three. Bo Pelini had to bite his tongue pretty hard not to burn Compton’s redshirt in 2008; if he had, the Bonne Terre, Mo., native would probably be the favorite to start.

But Dillard brings an important emotional element to the defense. Even with the tough spring, he’s still a leader, and he, along with returning defensive end Barry Turner, bring some personality back to the field.

“I want to play with a lot of emotion,” Dillard said. “I can’t just hit somebody and get up. I’m trying to run through somebody. Like I can’t stand the opposite person. That’s just the kind of spark defensive coaches have. You’ve seen Coach Pelini on the sideline. He’s got that fire and spark.”

Dillard’s off to a good start.

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After the Red's 31-17 victory over the White team, seven Huskers who impressed us on the white team:

Chris Brooks, wide receiver: Brooks made a number of difficult catches in the first half off of the arm of Latravis Washington, and hustled down on a Brett Maher punt to help down it at the one-yard line. Brooks finally looked ready Saturday to break the two-deep and be a capable backup to Menelik Holt. He hustled, ran good routes, and made tough catches.

"He played like senior today," offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said. "Really played big, which is good to see."

Latravis Washington, quarterback: By no means is Washington ready to lead the Cornhuskers. But, in a mop-up or limited role, he showed Saturday he can make a play or two. Washington played quite well against the red’s top defense.

"For where he started as a linebacker about a month ago, he came a long way," head coach Bo Pelini said.

Antonio Bell, wide receiver: Bell’s going to be a stud, Husker fans. He made an incredible catch to help set up the white team’s only touchdown, and he showed impressive burst on punt and kickoff returns. Bell’s ready. Now.

"He made a very competitive catch today, which was awesome to see," offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said. "He's really talented kid."

Keith Williams, left guard: Punishing performance from Williams. He helped open a lot of holes for the white offense early in the game.

"I always was going against Keith today," defensive tackle Jared Crick said. "Every play was just a battle. It's been a battle all spring inside. He's 330 and strong as an ox. So he's really taught me to play great technique."

Will Compton, linebacker: Compton got burned a few times in pass coverage, yeah, when Zac Lee threw right over his head. But Compton was very active against the run, and generally around the ball quite a bit.

Austin Jones, running back: It was Jones, and not Lester Ward, who received more carries Saturday and looked like the team’s No. 3 guy. Jones showed wiggle, toughness and good hands.

Baker Steinkuhler, defensive tackle: Obviously Ndamukong Suh was more dominating – pretty much unblockable for the first quarter – but Steinkuhler showed good technique and push, as well. He’ll challenge Jared Crick throughout the fall.

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By the time Zac Lee finally got the play, the route and the read he had been looking for, he had to deal with something that’s typical of just about any Red/White Spring Game: A player slightly off assignment, out of position. Only this time it was linebacker Will Compton, right in front Lee’s perfectly lofted ball to receiver Marcus Mendoza near the goal line.

For Lee, it figured. The first two drives of his debut as NU’s top quarterback had been unceremonious three-and-outs, punctuated with a “phantom sack.” Seems a ref thought somebody touched Lee’s emerald green jersey for a half second while Lee stood in the pocket.

Meanwhile, White team quarterback Latravis Washington had already spearheaded two scoring drives – helped greatly by good hands of receivers Chris Brooks and Antonio Bell - leading his bunch to a 10-0 lead. The White looked surprisingly in control.

Finally, the junior from San Francisco got some breathing room on the third drive. And as he watched his pass float toward Mendoza, he wondered, why was Compton so close to it? Mendoza wasn’t his man.

“Will was a lot deeper than I would have liked,” Lee said. “The ball was close to being tipped.”

But it wasn’t, as it landed right over Compton’s hands and into Mendoza’s waiting arms. It was first of three Lee touchdown passes, and the first six of the Red’s 31 consecutive points in a 31-17 victory over White Saturday in front of more than 77,000 fans who enjoyed a sunny, warm day at Memorial Stadium.

For the game, Lee completed 15 of 18 passes for 214 yards. He also threw touchdowns to tight end Ben Cotton (24 yards, on a similar route over the middle) and Wes Cammack (42 yards, with a perfectly thrown pass in between cornerback Anthony West and Larry Asante).

“I’d like to say it went pretty well,” Lee said. “I’m sure I’ll see some things on film that I’d like to get better at. It was good. We had some success.”

As did the White bunch, which controlled most of the first half until Lee’s first touchdown pass and a fumble on its following offensive drive by reserve running back Lester Ward. The White defense, led by Ndamukong Suh and a surprisingly quick and physical Barry Turner initially stung the No. 1 Red offense and its top offensive line. Quentin Castille was twice dragged down behind the line of scrimmage, and Lee was forced to throw the ball quickly.

On White’s offense Washington, a converted linebacker who’s been a quarterback for all of four weeks, started his day with an eight-minute drive, culminating in an Adi Kunalic field goal.

He completed of 9 of 13 passes in the first half for 112 yards and a touchdown to Brooks. The highlight play was a 27-yard fade route to freshman Antonio Bell, who leapt on one foot to make the catch and landed on his back. Washington found Brooks two plays later with a four-yard TD pass.

“Some of my passes, I was just jumping at them,” Washington said. “But after that first series, I calmed down and managed the game really well.”

Meanwhile, Lee was trying to dodge rushers and pick his spots wisely.

Surprising? Not necessarily. It was part of what head coach Bo Pelini envisioned in equally splitting up the teams for the game.

“We had a lot of guys playing next to people that they haven’t played next to before,” he said. “That takes some time. It’s not an ideal situation, but for what we wanted to accomplish today, it’s the right thing to do…you saw them get more confident and kind of get their feet underneath them.”

Once Lee hit Mendoza, the Red’s collective feet hit the ground rather quickly. They amassed 380 total yards in the game, almost all of it in the final seven or so drives.

Defensive tackle Terrence Moore stripped Ward on the White’s next drive. Tyrone Fahie recovered for the game’s only turnover. Lee took back over and hit Cotton for a touchdown two plays later. The Red led 14-10 at halftime. After the White team punted to begin the third quarter, Lee completed three consecutive passes, the last of them to Cammack, who badly beat cornerback Anthony West on a post route, then scooted around Asante at the five-yard line and dove into the end zone.

“We were moving in a good direction in terms of just being aggressive to the football and finishing plays,” defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said. “I just saw shades of last of year and I didn’t like that. That’s got to get fixed.”

The Red tacked on an Alex Henery field goal to begin the fourth quarter, then benefited from the day’s best run, a 33-yarder by redshirt freshman Collins Okafor, who cut back left into a wide hole, shimmied to his right, and accelerated through two tacklers on his way to the end zone. Okafor, who entered the game as NU’s No. 5 running back, led all rushers with 79 yards.

“Every day, he’s been getting better,” offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said. “Today was icing on the cake for him. He really stood out.”

Washington capped scoring for the White with a 71-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kyler Reed. Washington sidestepped the rush and found Reed, wide open, 15 yards away from him. Reed hauled in the pass and did the rest, outsprinting all of NU’s defensive backs to the end zone.

“He’s very explosive,” Watson said. “As he grows, he’ll really enhance us.”

Reed’s performance was part of a strong group showing from Ron Brown’s crew. In all, tight ends caught 17 passes for 255 yards - almost half of the passes caught in the game.

Quite frequently, they were wide open on short curl routes underneath the linebackers, who were often camped out in unusually deep Cover 2 zones. Lee and redshirt freshman Cody Green in particular feasted on throwing to them, while Washington was a little more apt to stretch the ball downfield.

“A lot of talent there, and some experience,” Bo Pelini said. “We feel real good at that spot. We’re deep at that spot.”

Overall, Pelini declared himself “happy” by the scrimmage, and the spring itself, which he called “long and physical.” Many of Nebraska’s practices dragged near the three-hour mark, and were longer than the Red/White Spring Game itself. NU’s coaches mixed and matched quite a bit throughout the spring, trying to find the right combination of players.

Players must now hone their talents on their own this summer, and prepare for an even more competitive fall before the Sept. 5 Florida Atlantic game.

“We got a lot accomplished in spring ball,” Pelini said. “We got a lot done. I’m happy. I’m not satisfied, but I’m happy with the progress we made. But we have a long way to go yet.”

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It's a little unusual to see Nebraska defensive coordinator Carl Pelini quite this pleased with an early-season practice, but he did like what he saw out of the Cornhuskers on day two of spring practice.

"The effort level was so much better," Pelini said after the two-hour workout. "I think they’re starting to understand what we’re after in terms of that. And we’re just further than we ahead than we were a year ago."

The Cornhuskers are trying a simultaneous installation this spring, with the offense and defense learning the same principles at the same time. It's part of Bo Pelini's "grassroots" approach to teaching the team this spring, after concerns that NU players might have been a bit overloaded to begin the 2008 season.

Because some of the basic practice essentials - like schedules, drills, locations - had the kinks worked out of them last spring, Carl Pelini said, it's become easier for the position coaches to lock in on fundamentals, correcting errors as they happen.

"I don’t know that anyone ‘knows’ what they’re doing yet, but it’s a lot better, we’re a lot further ahead right now," he said. "It’s just in terms of everything – what the coaches expect on the field, organization of practice – everything is running more smoothly. And so you find yourself able to spend more time correcting, teaching technique, teaching scheme, than trying work at practice organization."

Carl Pelini was asked about the four redshirt freshmen at linebackers - Alonzo Whaley, Micah Kreikemeier, Sean Fisher and Will Compton - and how NU plans to fill the defensive line spot left open by the graduated Ty Steinkuhler.

Of the linebackers, Pelini said: "They are still making some bonehead, rookie mistakes, but it just brings a level of intensity to the game. The renewed competition we have at all those positions and the excitement of the young guys, it’s just bringing a certain intensity to practice that wasn’t always there a year ago.”

Pelini didn't seem particularly concerned about the defensive line, either.

"We’re gonna fill that slot," he said. "We’re gonna fill it and we’re gonna fill it with more depth than we had a year ago."

NU next takes the field on Saturday, which practice culminating in the "Husker Youth Experience" at 10:30 a.m.

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Today, we take a look at the second part of NU’s 10 priorities for spring football. You can read part one here. Enjoy!

Casting calls at linebacker: Time to mix the redshirt freshmen in with the veterans and see which dogs get a spot on the porch. Knowing head coach Bo Pelini and linebackers coach Mike Ekeler, it will be a high-energy, spirited competition.

Last fall, Pelini clearly stated that some of his young pups, including Will Compton, Alonzo Whaley and Sean Fisher, could have helped the Huskers’ depleted linebacker corps. But he stuck to his plan to redshirt them – Fisher, after he sustained an early-season injury – to give the bunch four years to gel together.

Don’t think that means the jobs of Phillip Dillard, Blake Lawrence and LaTravis Washington – who hasn’t played any more at BUCK ‘backer than Fisher – are particularly safe. Dillard has been a leader in the past, but must show he’s fully recovered from a tough ankle injury that managed to keep him out of the Gator Bowl. Lawrence improved at WILL, but must hold off guys like Imperial sophomore Matt May, whose Superman leap in the Kansas State game turned some heads, and potentially Whaley, depending on where coaches put him. And it’s hard to know what Washington can or can’t do. And you can’t forget about walk-ons like Colton Kohler, Thomas Grove and Matt Holt, either.

It wouldn’t be fair to say linebacker play was a weakness of Pelini’s defense last year. Too many injuries and strange developments – like Cody Glenn’s suspension. But it needs to be a steadier force in 2009.

New guys in the offensive line rotation: Offensive line coach Barney Cotton has at least four guys – and maybe more – to help cover the departure of Matt Slauson, Lydon Murtha and possibly one other player who may not see much action in 2009.

The new guys are seniors Derek Meyer and Andy Christensen, junior Ricky Henry and redshirt freshman Brandon Thompson. Meyer, a transfer from Kansas State, won scout team award last fall, while Christensen returns after what can only be called a difficult year in 2008. Henry, tough and hungry, redshirted after transferring from a JUCO and Thompson worked out with the scout bunch after redshirting, as well.

Meyer and Thompson are probably tackles, while Christensen and Henry will fit into the guard rotation. Look for their names this spring.

Steinkuhler for Steinkuhler: Departing senior Ty Steinkuhler was one of the more pleasant surprises of the 2008 season; his terrific play beside nose tackle Ndamukong Suh made teams pay for double-teaming one guy or the other. Might his replacement be younger brother Baker Steinkuhler? Maybe. Baker is bigger and faster than Ty, and although sophomore Jared Crick is a perfectly good option at defensive tackle as well, Baker should figure prominently at the position.

The mental and physical recovery of Anthony Blue: If Nebraska can get this kid back on solid, confident ground, it would be like picking up a blue-chip recruit for 2009. Blue, a 5-10 cornerback who blew out his ACL last spring, is finally back to physical form, if recent reports are correct. Now it’s about trusting the knee in action. If healthy, Blue is the team’s most aggressive, most athletic cornerback. He’s not the biggest – but at cornerback, you don’t have to be. Here’s where a smart coach like Marvin Sanders helps. Sanders is a superior communicator, and getting Blue to buy into the strength of his knee is a big priority, and it helps Pelini moves the pieces around the chess board.

Finding the diamonds: With each spring practice, some Huskers emerge from the fray in a far better position than where they started. Last year, it was Matt O’Hanlon, Roy Helu and Mike McNeill who made big moves, setting themselves up for quite a bit of playing time in 2008. Who will it be in 2009, and how does Pelini and Co. bring them to the forefront? We’re about to find out.

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