Let’s be honest: It’d take some kind of disaster not to beat Western Kentucky, the first team in Steve Pederson’s parting gift to Nebraska fans. (Just wait until next year! Ha!)
So the first five keys of the 2010 season would be wasted on the Hilltoppers. We’ll take the longer view, and provide five simple goals for the year as a whole. That is - if Nebraska wants to live up to realistic expectations.

And what are those?

In ascending order of difficulty: 11-1 regular season. A BCS Bowl. A Big 12 Championship.

Yep. No kidding. And barring some cataclysmic injuries along the offensive line - no excuses.

This year is the perfect storm of comfortable schedule, Bill Callahan’s best recruits and Bo Pelini’s development.

The defense is stocked with NFL talent coached by one of the game’s best defensive minds. The senior class is young, but big. The lines are deeper. The special teams units are among the nation’s best. And whether he plays nice with the media or he doesn’t, Bo has a team sold on his culture. For them and for him, it works.

It took a couple different guys to build it - but Nebraska, in 2010, is indeed back.

Now - five keys to proving it:

*A quarterback who wins games instead of not losing them: Bo’s a bit stuck here and I think we know it. In Taylor Martinez, he has a potentially explosive playmaker who will - because they all do - make rookie mistakes. Cody Green has the talent, but occasionally seems to distrust it and hesitate. Zac Lee throws the ball with gusto and can generally move the chains, but he’s an imperfect fit for the Bo’s vision. Plus, there were times in 2009 when he made utterly perplexing decisions.

If Bo knew Lee could handle the play-in, play-out pressure, I think, over the long haul of the season, he’d win the job. Initially, Husker fans can expect Martinez and Green to get a shot making a big splash in the dress rehearsals before Seattle.

*An offense that willingly throws on first down and purposefully runs on third and short: Shawn Watson should be creative, yet forcefully simple in certain moments. It’s not easy - but Watson knows how to do it. And if he needs to scheme around some weaknesses at quarterback, he does so with a passing game that zigs when the defense zags, and a running game that picks up tough yards when it must. Yes, you need depth and health on the offensive line to do that. For the first time since 2004, NU truly has it. Now - rebuild that Pipeline.

*Beating Texas: It’s damn important. Nebraska’s season leads up to and falls away from that mid-October game. The boost of confidence and momentum these still-wondering Huskers would get from upending the Longhorns could carry them through the end of year. UT, no matter what its record going into Oct. 16, would be a marquee win. It’s more been more than a decade. It’s time. A loss there, on national TV with the whole RedOut thing, will make for a testy last half of the season.

*A middle that can stop the run: NU’s cornerbacks are too experienced and athletic to consistently burn, and I think the front four, as a group, will rush the passer better in 2010 than it did in 2009. But Nebraska plays enough power football teams - Washington, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Colorado - that the central core of the Huskers’ defense - especially linebacker LaVonte David and safeties Anthony West and Dejon Gomes - will be tested. Nebraska’s D is among the fastest in the country. But it is nowhere near the biggest.

*The season Niles Paul’s been waiting for: And beyond Paul, the NU receivers as a whole. The senior from Omaha is unquestionably one of Nebraska’s leaders. The better he goes, the more effective his leadership is. As a triple threat - receiver/returner/ball carrier - Paul only has one equal in the Big 12 - Oklahoma’s Ryan Broyles - but he needs to ratchet up his game one more notch. And Nebraska has to get him the ball. Mike McNeill and Brandon Kinnie need to a solid, smart supporting cast. Kinnie’s time is still to come 2011. In 2010, he needs to exploit defenses that choose to double Paul.

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Our 50 Huskers to Know series returns for the fall, as we count down the key players on Nebraska’s 2010 team. Check back throughout fall camp for the countdown, and scroll to the bottom for links to the whole list.

No. 9 Zac Lee, 6-2, 215, QB, Sr.

The known quarterback quantity who fought through a painful elbow injury last year, Lee is one of NU’s more intriguing players. Skilled passer. So-so runner. Iffy decision-maker. A little headstrong. He doesn’t necessarily fit the prototype for Nebraska’s offense going forward in 2011 and beyond.

But he just might the guy on whom Nebraska leans by the time this year is up.

Green is a wild card talent who hasn’t proven himself in a game. Taylor Martinez is a complete unknown, promising as he may be. Neither can pass as well as Lee. And if Nebraska’s running game isn’t a complete juggernaut by the time Texas rolls into town, can Pelini really trust the young pups to make the passes he knows Lee can make?

We’ll just see. Lee may not be the guy who starts on Saturday. But he just might the guy who finishes the Big 12 Championship. The latter matters much more than the former.

See all of the Huskers: No. 50, No. 49, No. 48, No. 47, No. 46, No. 45, No. 44, No. 43, No. 42, No. 41, No. 40, No. 39, No. 38, No. 37, No. 36, No. 35, No. 34, No. 33, No. 32, No. 31, No. 30, No. 29, No. 28, No. 27, No. 26, No. 25, No. 24, No. 23, No. 22, No. 21, No. 20, No. 19, No. 18, No. 17, No. 16, No. 15, No. 14, No. 13, No. 12, No. 11, No. 10

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Here are offensive coordinator Shawn Watson's comments following Tuesday practice.

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Bo Pelini finally dished the dirt on his tenth-string quarterback.

“It’s a lefty who’s the head coach,” Bo joked, in one of his rare moments of levity this August.

And he explained why he hasn’t announced a starter between Zac Lee, Cody Green and Taylor Martinez yet, too.

“I don’t want it to become a circus,” he said.

Three rings. Clever, Bo.

More: “I don’t want them to deal with the scrutiny and all the other things that are going to go on. . If and when the announcement is made we handle that so we do the right thing by the kids. Not only the kid who’s going to be the starter but the kids who aren’t going to walk out there the first time. Because the competition’s ongoing.”

Well, OK.

Except that Lee is a senior who started 12 games last year. This isn’t his first, you know, circus.

And Green’s so chatty he could run for head antler down at the Elks Club. Even if Green uneasily wears the quarterback crown - his jittery play last suggested it - he doesn’t show it with the press.

That leaves, fittingly, the elephant in the room. The SoCal mystery magician.

I’m not calling Bo’s shot here. But you can damn well bet there’d be some message board clowns and bearded ladies chatting up the ascension of Taylor Martinez until the wee hours of morning, if that, indeed, is the direction Bo wants to head.

What to make of Martinez? Well, he wasn’t shot Tuesday, as some fans mistakenly believed after some genius editor at ESPN.com ran a Web headline that read “Taylor Martinez’s shot in Lincoln.” (You want evidence of the decline in education? Apparently some have forgotten the art of the apostrophe.) He can’t talk to the media, so we hacks can’t roll our bones or pass our tea leaves over his answers. He had a handful of nice plays in the Red/White Game, but that was at least two Texas ultimatums and three Missouri moans ago.

Is he that much more than a wild card? He must be to keep Bo from tabbing Lee, an eminently safe, solid pick, as Saturday’s starter. But what has he proven, really?

Maybe that’s why you start him Saturday.

Make Martinez produce right away, in a game that’s theoretically still in doubt. Put the pressure on. If Lee starts and stakes NU to a 14-point lead, Martinez has a built-in comfort level. Scoring the opening touchdown of the season, in front of 85,000 expectant fans, is different from scoring the third one.

That’s a risk of course. More for Martinez. But for Bo, too.

Green is now the wild card. He was last year’s version of Martinez as he dazzled reporters early last year with big runs and great quotes. Then Pick Six at Baylor and a shaky start vs. Oklahoma soured us on his prospects. Green needs time - more than Lee, and perhaps more than Martinez - to settle in and run the offense consistently.

He’s not a “quick twitch” guy. Give Green a six games to learn from his mistakes and he may be more the complete package than either one of them. But how much time does a national title contender have?

This we know: Bo is the Big 12 outlier when it comes to picking a starting quarterback. Colorado, Kansas, Kansas State and Texas Tech all had competitions during fall camp. All of them picked a starter last week. Tech’s Tommy Tuberville - selecting Taylor Potts over fan and team favorite Sticks Sheffield - took a ton of heat for basing his decision off of what amounted to one scrimmage. And yet, he pulled the trigger.

Bo will wait, the better to delay the circus. That may still, I suspect, come to town.

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Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson Thursday didn’t a drop even the hint of a hint on Nebraska’s three-man quarterback as fall camp comes to a close.

He frequently used two phrases: “We’ll wait and see” and “we’re still evaluating.” A few times during the 15-minute conversation with reporters - almost solely focused on the signal caller - Watson joined the two phrases together in a marriage of ambiguity.

Leaning against a table lined with flavored water and milk cartons shaped like bloated Hi-C boxes, Watson laughed and seemed at ease as a crush of media grew around him.

Tired of the QB subject, Shawn?

“I haven’t had to talk to you guys,” he joked.

Just ten days. Probably felt longer. We missed you, too.

“Everybody thinks you’ve got to do this thing like now,” Watson said. Deciding a quarterback.

Well, most teams do that at the end of the camp. Kansas, Colorado and Texas Tech did in the last week. CU tried the mystery reveal last year, with head coach Dan Hawkins waiting until game night, only to watch Buffalo fans boo his son.

Western Kentucky named its guy, and the head coach was furious with the kid three months ago. Nebraska did in 2007, choosing Sam Keller over Joe Ganz after two scrimmages.

OK, so maybe Watson makes a point.

He continued: “You don’t have to. You want to make sure you’re making the right decision and you’re giving it the time it needs.”

And how much time is that?

“We’ll decide when we decide,” Watson said.

So the OC is bullish on keeping a poker face. He was equally assertive about the progress of senior Zac Lee, sophomore Cody Green and redshirt freshman Taylor Martinez.

“They’ve all gotten better,” Watson said. “A lot better.”

To test their skills, Watson said, NU “turned it loose” threw the book, the kitchen sink and the Pelini Package of weird blitzes at them. Live rounds. Big hits. Let’s see who’s standing.

“We haven’t coddled them at all,” Watson said.

He insisted that the offense doesn’t have to change much, either, depending on which quarterback plays. Although Lee and Martinez, for example, appear to land on opposite sides of the quarterback spectrum, Watson said all three had to “strengthen their weaknesses” to stay in the hunt.

Lee became a better runner. Green improved his game management. Martinez polished up on his passing.

“It’s worked out good for us,” Watson said. “And it’s worked out good for them.”

The offense could look more like it did in 2008 with Ganz dipping and darting around, making plays. It could more closely resemble the 2009 Holiday Bowl plan - more conservative, but daring when necessary. Watson did not appeared worried, adding “we have lots of stuff.”

On the offensive line, Watson said he’d like to develop 12 guys who could play this year. One plugged in right after another when injuries strike. NU appears on course, he said, despite a season-ending injury to Mike Smith. Bo Pelini reported no serious injuries Thursday, despite several players not practicing.

In Smith’s wake, true freshman guard Andrew Rodriguez is, Pelini said, “working with the varsity” and seems a candidate to torch his redshirt. At left tackle, Watson said the position battle between redshirt freshman Jeremiah Sirles and junior Yoshi Hardrick remains ongoing. Hardrick missed practice Thursday, but Watson said he hasn’t missed a beat on the field, and players gush about his physicality.

“He gets everybody going,” said wide receiver Brandon Kinnie, one of Hardrick’s best friends.

Of Sirles, who’s never taken a snap in a college football game, Watson said, “Awesome. He’s good.”

Even Pelini partook in the communion of praise for the offense.

“I like what we’re doing scheme-wise,” he said. “I like what we’re doing personnel-wise. I feel real good about where our offense is.”

NU returns for another heavy practice Friday before, Pelini said, the Huskers will “back down” physically in preparation for Western Kentucky, which hasn’t won a game since Sept. 20, 2008 and has beaten exactly one Division 1-A team - Middle Tennessee State - in three years.

“We kind of doing some homework,” Pelini said. “Some of it’s guesswork.”

You want a report? You got it.

Particulars: Nebraska practiced for two-and-a-half hours on the fields east of the Hawks Championship Center.

What’s New: Camp is coming to a close, the most physical one in recent memory. NU will begin preparing for Western Kentucky, inasmuch as a team that’s lost 20 in a row warrants an extreme degree of preparation. Although a handful of players were spotted in gym clothes as the Huskers filed out of the Hawks, Bo Pelini reported no injuries.

Coach Quote: “It’s hard to let go of the position you coach. I always have an eye over there and I’m sneaking into their meeting rooms and stuff. I’m probably driving JP crazy.” - Defensive coordinator Carl Pelini on becoming more of a “walk around” DC. Pelini was joking. He seemed quite comfortable with his defensive coaching staff, in reality.

Player Quote: “I haven’t worked split out as a receiver at all this camp. I’ve worked strictly on the line. I’ve gained weight so I’m able to hold my own a little better.” - Sophomore tight end Kyler Reed

Notes:

*Nebraska fans won’t get a glimpse of him until next Saturday. But make no mistake - they will get to see junior linebacker LaVonte David, who has leaped the depth chart and is in the running to start despite being at NU for just one fall camp.

“He really gets the game,” Carl Pelini said. “He’s got an instinct for it. Not perfect. It’s not an easy system to learn. But he’s very instinctive with it. And that’s given him an opportunity to progress rapidly…we’ve been able to throw a lot at him and he’s really absorbed it well.”

David, of course, assumed a shot at the starting job when Sean Fisher went down with a season-ending injury. Behind him is junior Mathew May and sophomore Alonzo Whaley.

*His development is nowhere near complete, but left guard Andrew Rodriguez appears ready to burn his redshirt for 2010 as a backup for Keith Williams. Others who may: Defensive tackle Chase Rome and wide receiver Quincy Enunwa, of whom wideout coach Ted Gilmore is quite pleased.

“He’s turned some heads,” Gilmore told several reporters.

*Safety is a vastly different position for senior Anthony West, Carl Pelini said, but he’s found his natural spot and is hustling to get caught up on the mental aspect of the game.

“He can’t get enough route combinations thrown at him,” Pelini said. “Every time he gets a new one, he learns from it.”

*With depth on the defensive line, Carl Pelini expects to be tougher and more aggressive early in the season.

“We’ve started slow on the defensive line for a couple years - statistically speaking,” he said. “We didn’t have a lot of depth and in those hot, early games we got gassed. And that’s not going to happen. We’re eight, nine deep and I’m going to be comfortable rolling those guys through.”

Next Practice: Friday. It is closed to the media.

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Welcome to Husker Heartbeat - a sampling of links and quick wit to start your morning! Keep checking each morning, Monday-Friday, for new links! We look for the offbeat as well as the straightforward - so don’t just think of us as a typical link farm!

A quick abbreviation key FYI: OWH=Omaha World-Herald, LJS=Lincoln Journal-Star, CN=Corn Nation, BRN=Big Red Network, HI=Huskers Illustrated, BRR=Big Red Report. If we need to add more - we will. Others, like ESPN, are self-explanatory.

*LJS: Sipple asks whether Nebraska wants a game manager or game changer?

*OWH: Shatel doesn't think Taylor Martinez will start - but he will get time.

*Missouri linebacker Will Ebner arrested for DWI.

LJS: Doc Sadler likes Caleb Walker's athleticism.

*Ricky Henry has his moments, but he's improved his ability to the control the fury.

*What's in store for USC?

*Only 14 schools profited from campus athletics in 2009. Nebraska was one. So was Missouri.

*Tom Osborne opposes a 2 a.m. last call for alcohol in Lincoln.

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Is the heat ever going to stop? Ugh! OK, six takes:

*My view on the now-ended Nebraska media ban: I held off on commenting until Bo Pelini publicly offered his side Saturday, in part to see if he addressed the basic incongruity of having media availability at practices when he didn’t speak.

Pelini did resolve it by reducing access to those days when only he planned on chatting with the media in the first place. I think it’s better that he’s around after each practice, however briefly, to discuss injuries - if there are any. When game week rolls around, perhaps that will be the plan.

I was more surprised by the crush of media who surrounded Bo on Saturday and then rattled off a bunch of roster questions when even Bo himself, I suspect, figured he’d kick off the post-practice presser by explaining the ban. I dunno. Maybe he didn’t expect it. He certainly had an answer for the query when it came nearly ten minutes into the conversation.

To the point: Nebraska football is a massive operation that pays for nearly everything that is NU’s athletic department, and it is the key reason why the Huskers had a chance at joining the Big Ten and tapping into its massive academic resources.

More than that, it’s a cultural icon. As an expert fly fisherman finds a perfect rhythm to his cast, so too does college football move among us in mid-August. In the midst of a state budget crunch, the Gulf oil spill, boring summer movies, politics as usual and battles over abortion and immigration bills, by God, Nebraska football is one of the few pleasurable things around.

So it’s kind of a big deal. Bo is the program’s chief steward. So he’s kind of a big deal, too. Whether he fully appreciates his value to the state or not yet, the line “How did Bo think practice went yesterday?” is probably the breakfast routine of many Nebraskans, along with their danish and coffee. Whether they thumb to the sports page of their newspaper, turn on talk radio or log on to their favorite Husker Web site, mild-mannered folks in these parts live a little vicariously through the no-nonsense Pelini persona.

Bo should try to see Nebraska football as a regional phenomenon - not merely one bound by state borders. Like the Boston Red Sox or Atlanta Braves or Utah Jazz. The absence of competition for fans’ time and money generates cultural intensity worth preserving and nurturing.

Injury report concerns are duly noted. Breathless reports or camera shots of kids being loaded into an ambulance? Not the way I’d play it. We get a little bogged down in the details and sometimes miss the forest to examine a blemish on one tree. That’s a flaw of the press, nurtured by this belief that toil and trouble fundamentally tells an equanimous, objective truth. It can but only in context - which we can lack or fail to apply because that would violate the brevity cause.

And we’re walking here…we’re walking…

*Accepting former Washington tight end Kavario Middleton onto the team - it’s not a done deal as of last Saturday, but it’s expected to happen soon - is the right kind of risk. Nebraska gets a proven pass-catcher at tight end; Middleton gets a second chance.

Now, can he block? Ron Brown - the red courtesy phone.

*Based on what I’m hearing, the quarterback race will head into the season, potentially through several games, with the timetable being when one QB clearly identifies himself as the consistent, dependable guy, drive after drive. I’d give Zac Lee the edge, but he has to prove it in a game, on the road, with the pocket collapsing around him. See you in Seattle.

One notion worth repeating: Lee has the best arm on the team. Offensive coordinator Shawn Watson raved about Lee’s “arm talent” early last season, and he threw deep passes in the Florida Atlantic and Arkansas State games that Joe Ganz, Zac Taylor and Sam Keller couldn’t throw. After his elbow injury got worse, however, the zip he could put on the deep out or that lovely fade pattern wasn’t there.

“There were times I’d watch the tape last year and I’d just know: That wasn’t me,” Lee said. Lee insists he’s all the way “him” now.

I think what became “clearer” in the QB race was the separation between No. 2 and No. 3. Which, in practical terms, has to happen. It’d be terribly hard, for game prep, to keep splitting repetitions between three guys.

*Teams that try to throw the ball on Nebraska will do so at their own peril. The Brothers Pelini have assembled one mean unit. With Anthony West and Dejon Gomes potentially starting at both safety spots, NU’s base defense will have five natural cornerbacks on the field. And while the front four is down a Ndamukong Suh, the pass rush - from a pure attacking standpoint - could improve.

This does not bode well for Missouri, Oklahoma State and Texas, which, by the time it plays the Huskers, is likely to have abandoned its quest for a power offense.

But running teams - and Nebraska faces more than a few - will test the middle of NU’s defense pretty well. West and Gomes aren’t big guys. They’re not likely to support the run as well as Larry Asante and Matt O’Hanlon did by the end of their senior years. And while junior college transfer LaVonte David may be the goods at linebacker, he’ll still get tested.

*Boise State surging for a national title may make the best case imaginable for a playoff. If that seems backward, just remember: What makes a good case to members of BCS-autobid conferences isn’t the same as what makes a good case to us.

The third-ranked Broncos are, by all accounts, a pretty darn good team. But few seriously think that Boise could withstand the week-in, week-out pounding of, say, the Pac-10. In a one-game vacuum, sure. A whole conference slate? Doutbful.

So if BSU waltzes its way into the BCS national title game having been tested exactly once - in its season-opener vs. Virginia Tech - taking a big wad of cash and media attention with it, rest assured: The powers that be won’t like it. That is, after all, their money, not Boise’s money. And now that ESPN has reclaimed the BCS contract, it will wage a war on two opposites fronts: Pumping up the BCS because it has to, while showing journalistic “integrity” by undercutting it with the views of its on-air talent. Goldman Sachs comes to college football.

There is, by the way, a distinct possibility that Boise State and TCU could square off for the national crown. The Horned Frogs have by and large humiliated the Mountain West over the last two years, and its season-opener, vs. Oregon State, is the precisely the kind of game the Beavers - sporting a new quarterback - tend to throw away.

*Five Heisman favorites (and a sleeper) not named Mark Ingram, who will not repeat as the winner because, well, only one guy ever has.

Adrian Clayborn, Iowa: If Ndamukong Suh cracked the door open a bit for defensive players, Clayborn - an absolute beast of a defensive end for the Hawkeyes - could crack it open a little more. It’ll help that Iowa’s defense as a whole is one of the nation’s best.

Dion Lewis, Pittsburgh: He’s a throwback, able to carry the ball 40-50 times per game in the Panthers’ run-heavy attack. If he goes north of 2,000 yards, he’ll get a hard look. Especially if Pitt wins the Big East. It’s been 35 years since Tony Dorsett won the Heisman.

Kellen Moore, Boise State: Presuming the Broncos get by Virginia Tech, Moore will spend the rest of the season chalking up big numbers in low-pressure environments, often on Friday night national TV. That’s a perfect recipe for a Heisman campaign.

Christian Ponder, Florida State: An early game at Oklahoma is key. The best quarterback prospect for the 2011 NFL Draft - just watch, he will be - Ponder is mobile, armed with a cannon, surrounding by an experienced offensive line and three of his top four receivers from last year. He’ll have a huge year. If he stays healthy.

Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State: All eyes are on college football’s chosen one, who’s been so since Tim Tebow’s final pass in the Sugar Bowl. Pryor’s wonky throwing motion is less of a big deal because of his height, and he’s just a notch below Vince Young in terms of mobility. Moreover: This is OSU’s year.

Sleeper: DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma: You’ll notice that Murray is not my Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year - that’s Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert - but he shows up here because of OU’s apparent willingness to let Murray return kickoffs. He’s a real threat to go over 2,000 total yards in that case.

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Though cooler temperatures finally blew into Lincoln Tuesday, it was not a faint-hearted afternoon practice for Nebraska’s football team.

“It got a little heated,” running back Rex Burkhead told the Lincoln Journal-Star. “A few fights got out of hand.”

The sophomore was referring to a variety of competitive scuffles that occurred during the workout. Enough that head coach Bo Pelini cleared out the practice of the few visitors he does allow - to dole out a little extra conditioning at the end of practice.

Many players, tired, quickly filed for the skywalk that connects the Hawks Center to the locker room. Most of the Huskers who stayed behind were on the offensive side of the ball.

Offensive coordinator Shawn Watson certainly was upbeat.

“We’re making plays against a great defense,” he said. “It’s exciting to see how far we’ve come.”

And he’s still vague about the three-man quarterback race that reached Day Ten Tuesday. The media can’t watch practice

“Competition is really close,” Watson said. “I feel like they’ve all really gotten better…the battle wages forward.

Watson praised the management skills of senior Zac Lee, sophomore Cody Green and redshirt freshman Taylor Martinez.

“They know what each other’s doing - yet they’re taking care of their job,” he said.

NU’s offense continues to hum in the run game, according to several Huskers. Running backs coach Tim Beck said he’s seen a distinct improvement in the offensive line’s run blocking.

“I love our mentality,” Beck said. “We’re really being physical.

On with the report:

Particulars: Nebraska held a spirited workout two-hour workout inside the Hawks Championship Center, its cargo bay doors flung open to let in an unseasonable - and much needed - cool breeze. The practice itself was anything but cool, as players confirmed that enough scuffles broke out that head coach Bo Pelini ordered disciplinary runs at the end. The offense appeared in a decidedly happier mood than the defense.

What’s New: Several news outlets reported that linebacker Sean Fisher suffered a leg injury. To what extent is unclear. Pelini will address the issue Wednesday morning. Dreu Young and Austin Cassidy did not practice. Freshman wide receiver Kenny Bell was in full pads for his first day after recovering from a hamstring injury. Scouts from several NFL teams were on hand for the workout.

Coach Quote: “He plays big, and he plays fast. He’s got ability to get in and out of a cut. He functions very well in space and in tight proximities. He’s really a complete player. We’re really pleased with him.” - Offensive coordinator Shawn Watson on freshman wide receiver Quincy Enunwa

Player Quote: “It’s different for me coming from corner. We had our opportunities where we had to get into the run fit and give our support, but at safety there’s a lot more opportunity. It’s really big. We’ve been talking about throughout camp and even in the spring. - Senior safety Anthony West on stopping the run.

Notes:

***The best thing about former Nebraska quarterback Joe Ganz being back as an intern? Quarterback Zac Lee said it’s the value of talking to a guy who “just got done doing this.”

“There’s some little tricks of the trade that maybe he’s been forced to use that we haven’t used,” Lee said. “He’ll say ,‘Hey, try this.’ He’s good for the little extra stuff.”

And it hasn’t been awkward, Lee said, having the guy who started in 2008 back as a coach. When Lee transferred to NU in 2007, it was Ganz and Beau Davis who tutored him then, too.

“It’s just been a continuation of that,” Lee said.

***Lee said mentioned four areas of improvement he focused on in the offseason: Running the zone read better; pushing the pocket; throwing on time; and anticipating breaks and throws. We’ll have more on Lee in a few days.

***West doesn’t look a thing like former strong safety Larry Asante did - he’s a good 20-25 pounds lighter - so it would hard to expect the same production as a run stopper. Yet West is counted upon to fill up holes and support linebackers when necessary. He spent all summer watching Asante - and former NU free safety Matt O’Hanlon - to pick up tackling tips.

“The main we stress is: Just get the guy down,’” West said. “Coach (Marvin Sanders) always says there’s no bad tackles, just get the guy down. That something I try to keep in my head.”

***Beck said Lester Ward, Austin Jones and Collins Okafor are in the running for the No. 4 tailback job. Just how much they’ll be needed, of course, depends on whether Roy Helu, Rex Burkhead and Tray Robinson stay healthy. They didn’t have much luck in 2010.

***Watson said Enunwa - a California native who drew little interest from Pac-10 schools during the recruiting cycle but looks like a prototypical West Coast Offense receivers, has “put himself in the hunt” at playing this year. Enunwa, at 6-2, 205 - he’s all of that - has a natural talent for receiver.

“Some kids, you throw the ball out back and they start making plays,” Watson said.

***Junior fullback Ryan Hill Tuesday confirmed that he changed numbers from 80 to 33 last week, in part to make way for Kenny Bell to wear No. 80, and in part because 33 is his mother’s favorite number, along with several close friends and family.

Next Practice: Two on Wednesday, morning an afternoon.

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Here's a six-pack of Monday takes:

*The Nebraska quarterback race isn’t over. But know this: By all accounts, Zac Lee had a good first week. It’s never a bad thing when a senior finds a sense of urgency.

*One question I keep getting in the email box: What impact will Mike McNeill have at the “adjuster” position?

My cryptic answer: Don’t define “impact” too narrowly. McNeill may not produce eye-popping numbers, but if he’s a dependable target on third-and-medium, and he’s able to stretch defenses up the seam, he’ll have a quality impact.

Good passing offenses often rely on their two outside receivers. In Nebraska’s case, that’s Niles Paul and Brandon Kinnie. Although McNeill will see some time on the outside, his size and athleticism is a good fit for the middle of the field.

*If Nebraska were an NFL team breaking in what amounts to a rookie left tackle, it’d be the biggest question mark on the offense. In college football, of course, the relative inexperience of such players can be hidden a bit by sheer skill and athleticism. Nevertheless - is anyone else supremely curious to see how Jeremiah Sirles and Yoshi Hardrick protect the blind side against Big 12 pass rushers like Missouri’s Aldon Smith and Kansas State’s Brandon Harold?

NU coaches appear confident in Sirles, who’s yet to take a snap in college game. Sophomore defensive end Cameron Meredith, who faces Sirles every day, gave me and a few other reporters the seal approval last week. Hardrick might be the nastier run blocker of the two, but I wonder about his footwork against a hard outside pass rush. I wonder, too, if he’s as slim as he should be. Hardrick is listed at 320 pounds, but his 6-foot-7 frame seems slighter than Sirles, who carries his 310 better.

*How good is Nebraska’s secondary? Better than 2003 bunch, which featured the Bullocks brothers and Fabian Washington? Better than the 1999 bunch headed by Mike Brown and Ralph Brown with sophomore Keyuo Craver? Or the 1997 squad with Mike, Ralph and Eric Warfield? How about the 1995 crew that featured Michael Booker, Tyrone Williams and Mike Minter?

The 2010 bunch is athletic as any of them, frankly - especially Eric Hagg and Prince Amukamara. The gaudy stats of the 2003 bunch - earned against, let’s face it, pretty average teams - probably can’t be matched, but the versatility of this current unit slots it only behind the 1999 unit in my recent memory. This Nebraska version lacks a sheer, stone-cold intimidator/playmaker of Mike Brown’s caliber at safety. Although Dejon Gomes could, by the end of the year, be pretty close. What a JUCO recruiting coup he was for NU.

*Now that Ndamukong Suh’s brute strength in the middle is gone, you might expect Nebraska’s front four to rush the passer outside in; that is, the ends trying to get on the edge, attacking the quarterback from all sides.

Here’s Meredith: “What we’re looking for is to close that pocket. You don’t want throwing lanes for that quarterback. Every day Coach Carl (Pelini) says it, if I’m rushing too wide. He likes that once in awhile, but, for the most part, we’re trying to close that throwing lane. Not only a sack matters. It’s closing the pocket and making that quarterback throw the ball away.”

So more bull rushes and more collapsing pockets that hopefully work, as they did last year, as quarterback quicksand.

*I’ve made my Big 12 picks already; here’s the rest of my conference winners:

ACC Coastal: North Carolina ACC Atlantic: Florida State Overall: Florida State
Big East: Pittsburgh
Big Ten: Ohio State
CUSA: Tulsa
MAC East: Temple MAC West: Northern Illinois Overall: Temple
Mountain West: TCU
SEC East: Florida SEC West: Alabama Overall: Alabama
Sun Belt: Troy
Pac 10: USC
WAC: Boise State

Look for the Heisman top ten next. No, don’t plan on Mark Ingram repeating as the winner.

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Six strong takes as fall camp gathers steam:

*Zac Lee’s back in the Nebraska quarterback race, and that’s a good thing, but don’t read too much into the comments of wide receivers who, after all, like to catch passes, and probably have the best chemistry with No. 5. If you asked Lee, Cody Green and Taylor Martinez to throw 50 passes of all varieties, Lee, with his training and background, probably wins that battle going away, even after elbow surgery.

Would NU run that offense in 2010 if Lee’s performance is too uneven to pull it off? No. And 40 passes per game isn’t the eventual direction of the Huskers’ attack anyhow.

Offensive coordinator Shawn Watson left the door open to using two quarterbacks “if it’s one tweaked toward talent and tweaked toward a special situation.”

“I’d be willing to think outside the box,” said Watson, who is nothing if not flexible.

Now - which of the three quarterbacks would most likely have a series of packages tailored to their skills?

*If you think Lee has motivation, try on Will Compton, who talked first in front of the media after Fan Day and had to answer questions about the loss of Ndamukong Suh, LaVonte David, Eric Martin and Sean Fisher before the sophomore got to mention what he’d been working on in the offseason (shedding blockers more quickly).

Compton got a bit of a bad rap from fans last year, in part because Phillip Dillard had to run through the doghouse two games too long before and Bo and Co. gave him a chance to play. Dillard was better player than Compton in 2009, and frankly should have been: That’s the difference between a fifth-year senior with something to prove and a redshirt freshman learning the ropes.

But the Bonne Terre, Mo., native is not far removed from being one of NU’s most sought-after recruits, and in 2010, you may see why. Compton’s plenty frisky and athletic; he just failed to read and react quickly enough against the spread to be effective last year. With a spring and summer full of technique and film work, Compton’s the guy to beat at linebacker - even over good friend Sean Fisher.

*Roy Helu’s been the most talented back since the day he walked on NU’s campus; even as a freshman, he had a step and burst that Marlon Lucky lacked.

But Rex Burkhead - who perhaps isn’t as talented, but is more versatile and tougher - is the right kind of guy to push Helu in his senior year. Good to hear, too, that Helu tweaked his summer training regimen just enough to stay on the field more in 2010. At full strength, he’s one heck of a sports car. Burkhead’s drive will help Helu stay tuned up.

*The absence of several scholarship players on the 105-man roster proves just how competitive Nebraska’s become under Bo Pelini.

Should NU force attrition this offseason to balance out class numbers and perhaps open up more scholarships for the 2011 and 2012 recruiting classes?

That’s not a pleasant thing to suggest, and not something that should become a habit. But if Pelini has the chance to hit the recruiting jackpot over the next two years, can he turn that down to keep certain non-contributing veterans on the roster? There is a particular logjam at receiver, where there are 13 scholarship players - and only three seniors - if Antonio Bell sticks at the position.

*With the release of the preseason top 25, I’ll say this: 2010 is the year that a number of established powers - Texas, LSU, Oregon and Florida among them - take a bit of a tumble, while teams like Arkansas, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Stanford inch upward. And TCU needs only to get past a game with Oregon State before it is on a collision course with an undefeated season. Ditto for Boise State’s game with Virginia Tech. Love it or leave it - both teams belong inside the top five, and would if coaches didn’t swing their votes toward conference foes.

*NU volleyball practice kicks off Monday, and here’s a bold prediction: Nebraska rolls through the Big 12 undefeated for its last run around the conference. Combine the returning experience with the trip to China, a new right side weapon in Megan Broekhuis and a slight rebuilding year at Texas, and you have the formula for a brilliant Big Red send-off.

And you’ll have more proof that while, yes, NU Coliseum is a perfectly cozy venue for college volleyball, it’s the team - not the arena - that makes the home-court advantage. When the rest of your single-game tickets sell out in an hour, as they did last week, it’s time to make your product accessible to more fans, and use the Coliseum for special games in the season ticket package.

The Bob Devaney Sports Center can be retrofitted to make for an excellent home, and while Husker volleyball will probably prefer in a survey to stay in the NU Coliseum, these aren’t the days to be looking hundreds of thousands of dollars - potentially a half-million in gate receipts - and saying “no thanks.”

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A funny and rare thing happened to Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini after his football team’s first practice of fall camp. Shortly after he started his chat with a caravan of cameras and reporters, half of those beatniks began to peel off, darting for one three guys stationed in a triangulation of fire around Bo.

Zac Lee. Cody Green. Shawn Watson.

The two NU quarterbacks and their offensive coordinator were the main attraction Saturday night, even if the biggest story of 2010 had barely scratched out a few paragraphs in its first chapter. Unsurprisingly, Watson - looking even trimmer than usual - declared the race between Lee, Green and Taylor Martinez “dead even” through approximately 150 minutes of football practice.

Shocker, huh? Here’s another: The trio will share the repetitions like three triplets divide the last scoop of lasagna.

“Even Steven,” Watson said.

Watson means it. Early in Saturday’s practice, Lee and Martinez alternated snaps at one station while Green took some inside the Hawks Center. The drills - indecipherable, really, while one stands there like stump on the sideline - shifted subtly from one to another.

“Hey” Watson yelled at some runner dressed in a breathable red shirt. “Get Cody Green out here! He needs to be a part of this!”

As if an advertising exec, Watson later talked of putting the quarterbacks in situations where they could test their “intelligence” and “resourcefulness” to “play big in big moments.”

Can a kid like Martinez, who’s never taken a snap in a college football game, really do that without, as Pelini calls it, “live bullets?”

Watson put this spin on it: “Cody’s played in a game, but I don’t think he’s played in a game the way he’d like it to be represented. I would say the same thing about Zac.”

In an ironic twist, the intrigue was the best-known quantity, Lee, the senior returning from elbow surgery that kept him out of spring practice. He started throwing full-bore three weeks ago in 7-on-7 drills. In Lee’s words, that’s when he really began to “torque it.” Before that, he was on “a pitch count,” which is explanation enough.

“I always felt pretty good throwing,” Lee said. “It was more what I was allowed to do.”

And yet, the expanse of summer meant “there was no reason to force it or accelerate the rehab,” Lee said. So he didn’t. And when he came back, he said, the arm felt good. Strong.

Wide receiver Brandon Kinnie called it “man, a rocket.” But it’s no great secret, at this point, that Lee has one hell of a fastball.

Where teammates noticed Lee had grown the most was in his command of the huddle and film work. Out for spring, Lee spent hours watching tape of his games to critique his play. Kinnie was surprised when, during 7-of-7 drills, Lee approached him with mistakes the quarterback made in 2009, and an explanation for how to get on the same page.

“I see a different person,” Kinnie said.

Watson agreed: “There’s purpose in his play. In everything that he’s doing.”

Said Lee: “I grab whatever I can and use it as motivation.”

Green finds himself in familiar territory.

“When I was a sophomore in high school, we had a little quarterback controversy-type deal - with a senior,” Green said. “So it’s basically the exact same thing here.”

With a dash of Martinez, the slender, quick redshirt freshman who can’t talk to the media until he plays a game.

This could be a long month of progress reports. Pelini said at Big 12 Media Days that he’s prepared to take this debate until the first conference game.

Said Watson: “Everything we do is centered around the quarterback anyway, and it’s even more so when you have a situation like we do now. But we are going to make sure that guy earns the job and clearly walks away from the others.”

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The Nebraska offense has experience and talent. But production, at a number of positions, left a lot to be desired in 2009. Here’s seven Husker offensive players who have plenty to prove in 2010. You’ll notice a heavy emphasis on two positions.

Center Mike Caputo: While the former walk-on capably filled in for Jacob Hickman at times in 2009, injuries prevented the Millard North grad from maximizing his potential. This year, he’ll have to fend off challengers for his job and use his strength to overcome being slightly undersized. He could be snapping to more than one quarterback, too.

Wide receiver Khiry Cooper: This kid has all the tools to be a terrific slot receiver. Speed, quickness, hands. Now he needs to work on running better routes and playing “football smart;” not easy when he spends all spring playing baseball. Still - Cooper has raw potential off the charts.

Wide receiver Curenski Gilleylen: He still might be too big and muscled to move with the quickness he needs in the slot, but Gilleylen needs to be a better deep threat, run without getting tripped in traffic and go after balls.

Quarterback Cody Green: Big, sturdy, smart and a good leader. Now - Green has to make the quarterback position look more natural by sitting in the pocket, processing reads and trusting the play to open up. As a runner, Green has to realize he can no longer outrun so many defenders to the corner. Get north/south.

Offensive tackle D.J. Jones: He lost the weight and tightened the screws on his assignments. Now a senior, D.J. Jones will battle Marcel Jones for the starting right tackle job, and perhaps win it. But he must follow through on a strong spring camp.

Wide receiver Brandon Kinnie: The junior practices hard, says the right thing, and wears a trademark smile almost all of the time. He’s easy to like. Now he needs to become a legitimate No. 2 receiver aside Niles Paul, not some guy who catches the ball once a game. Kinnie has the tools and the hype. Now - he just has to do it.

Quarterback Zac Lee: While head coach Bo Pelini wants to transition to a more balanced offense, Lee is still the best throwing quarterback on the team - and, if healthy and confident, the best option for Nebraska in 2010. He needs to be make better and quicker decisions with the ball, and run the zone read effectively, if not perfectly.

Tight end/H-back Kyler Reed: Reports are that the light went on for the ultra-talented sophomore during the spring, and he's more vocal and eager to mix it up with the defense. Reed isn't yet an every-down player, but he can create mismatch problems once or twice a game for some unsuspecting linebacker. Time to step forward.

See also: 7 Prove-It Players on Defense

Check Out Our Full Big 12 Preview: Big 12 Coaches, Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers, Offensive Lines, Defensive Lines, Linebackers, Defensive Backs, Commentary, 12 Best Players, Ten Overrated Players, Ten Underrated Players

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The golden era of Big 12 quarterbacks is drawing its curtain.

What a magnificent decade for the league’s signal callers. Three Heisman Trophy winners - Eric Crouch, Jason White and Sam Bradford. Two more runner-ups - Josh Heupel and Vince Young - won national titles in 2000 and 2005, respectively.

Texas’ Colt McCoy - also a Heisman runner-up in 2008 - became the winningest quarterback in college football history. Mike Leach disciples Kliff Kingsbury and Graham Harrell rewrote the record books at Texas Tech. Brad Smith and Chase Daniel altered the destiny of Missouri. Todd Reesing reinvigorated Kansas. Ell Roberson delivered Kansas State and Bill Snyder its only Big 12 title.

No lead was too big for them. No time remaining on the clock was too little. When their aim was on, these pistoleros left a lot of dead defenses in their wake.

But injuries to Bradford and Baylor’s Robert Griffin took two of the stars off the stage. Tougher league defenses - spearheaded by Nebraska’s Bo Pelini - initiated a subtle change in 2009. Reesing suffered through his worst season right when he should have peaked. Oklahoma State’s Zac Robinson struggled through injuries and inaccuracy. Ndamukong Suh wrenched Blaine Gabbert’s ankle so badly the Missouri sophomore wasn’t the same for a month. In the Big 12 Championship, Suh also reduced McCoy to a big-eyed, fast-footed Colt on the run. Tech sampled three different quarterbacks, settling on none. Then Leach was fired and a defensive-minded replacement, Tommy Tuberville, was hired in his place.

With that change as a backdrop, and in a year of transition - the last for Nebraska and Colorado - here are our rankings for Big 12 quarterbacks.

1. Missouri
Projected Starter: Blaine Gabbert (3,593 yards passing, 24 TDs, 9 INTs)
Strengths: Gabbert is our preseason pick for Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. When healthy, he’s mobile enough to evade a pass rush and he already possesses the league’s best arm. Gabbert also has the bulk of his offensive line returning. We see 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns for the junior. Weaknesses: Zero proven depth. The backup is likely to be true freshman James Franklin.

2. Oklahoma
Projected Starter: Landry Jones (3,198/26/14)
Strengths: Bradford’s injury opened the door wide for Jones to get a full year of relatively low-pressure experience. He has a good arm, guts and pocket presence. He’ll also have his four top receivers back. Weaknesses: Jones was an iffy decision-maker at times, and he seemed to hurried by OU’s no-huddle offense. The Sooners also have no proven backup.

3. Texas Tech
Projected Starter: Taylor Potts (3,440/22/13) or Sticks Sheffield (1,219/14/4)
Strengths: The Red Raiders have two proven starters, each of whom have played in, and won, important games. In a limited sample, Sheffield was brilliant, arguably the Big 12’s best quarterback. But he got hurt during a win at Nebraska and played sparingly thereafter. Potts looks more the part, but throws balls into coverage. Weaknesses: Two potential starters doesn’t necessarily make one great player. Plus - what does Tech become without Mike Leach to coach the offense? The “Air Raid” system wasn’t complicated, so perhaps Potts and Sheffield don’t miss a beat.

4. Texas A&M
Projected Starter: Jerrod Johnson (3,579/30/8)
Strengths: A senior, Johnson has all the tools - size (6-5, 243), arm strength, mobility (506 yards rushing). On occasion - such as in a 49-39 loss to Texas - he’ll throw passes so pretty and perfect you wonder if he’s the nation’s best quarterback. Weaknesses: But other times, he locks in on his target, or throws wildly high or wide of his intended receiver. Johnson passed roughly 40 times per game, and dropped back to pass 50 times per game, so he had tons of opportunities afforded to him by the Aggies’ terrible defense.

5. Baylor
Projected Starter: Robert Griffin (2,090/15/3 in 2008)
Strengths: Griffin tore his ACL in the third game of the 2009 season, but if he’s healthy, he’s one of the fastest, most exciting athletes in the Big 12. He limits mistakes, too, rarely throwing interceptions. Backup Nick Florence played pretty well for a freshman, completing 62 percent of his passes and engineering a 40-32 upset of Missouri. Weaknesses: Griffin will have to trust his knee, and that may take several games - or perhaps as long as a season. In 2008, he scrambled around too much and took bad, drive-killing sacks.

6. Iowa State
Projected Starter: Austen Arnaud (2,015/14/13) or J.T. Tiller (376/1/4)
Strengths: Both players are mobile and capable of creating plays on the run. Tiller is more dynamic and has the bigger arm. Arnaud is smarter and manages the offense better. ISU only took 16 sacks last year because of their athleticism. Weaknesses: Both throw interceptions and complete fewer than 60 percent of their passes. The Cyclones’ real strength in 2009 was their defense; the offense will be more exposed in 2010.

7. Texas
Projected Starter: Garrett Gilbert (310/2/4)
Strengths: Gilbert is a sturdy, big-armed talent who impressed UT coaches in the spring with his leadership. In the BCS title game loss to Alabama, he took some awful licks and still threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes. Weaknesses: Gilbert is a pocket quarterback with little experience, and Texas has been giving up an average of two sacks per game for the last three seasons - and that was with Colt McCoy in the shotgun! Bottom line: It’ll take time for the Longhorns to adjust to Gilbert’s skills and develop a running game. It’ll be a rough first half for the sophomore. Texas has no depth behind him, either.

8. Colorado
Projected Starter: Tyler Hansen (1,440/8/7) or Cody Hawkins (1,277/10/11)
Strengths: Hansen shows flashes - brief, mind you - of becoming a pretty good quarterback. He’s mobile, athletic and can throw a good deep ball. A full season with a solid offensive line would do him good. Hawkins, as a backup, is smart and capable of leading a touchdown drive. Weaknesses: Hawkins just isn’t tall enough (5-11, and that’s pushing it) or mobile enough to excel in a West Coast Offense; he took a ton of awful sacks in 2009. So did Hansen, for that matter. Accuracy is a problem for both.

9. Nebraska
Projected Starter: Zac Lee (2,143/14/10) or Cody Green (317/2/2) or Taylor Martinez
Strengths: Variety? Options? On a serious note - Lee, if healthy after elbow surgery, has a strong, reasonably accurate arm and throws a good-to-very-good deep ball. Green possesses a lot of raw tools, plus some running ability. Martinez is a mystery, an X-factor who could end up as Wildcat quarterback some of the time. Weaknesses: Lee was an iffy decision-maker at best. His running style opens him up for knockout shots from safeties. Green didn’t look ready for primetime in 2009, and there’s no guarantee he will now. Martinez hasn’t taken a snap. Finally, there’s this question: Are they all really suited for the same offense?

10. Oklahoma State
Projected Starter: Brandon Weeden (248/4/1)
Strengths: Weeden, a former professional baseball player, will bring maturity to the role, and OSU’s new offense, based on the “Air Raid” attack, should produce some gaudy numbers for the junior. We’re walking a bit out on a limb here, but we think the Cowboys lucked into a pretty good quarterback. Weaknesses: Aside from a fourth-quarter comeback over CU - Weeden did look pretty darn good - he’s obviously unproven. There is no Plan B who isn’t a freshman.

11. Kansas State
Projected Starter: Carson Coffman (860/2/4)
Strengths: Coffman had a good spring and he seems to be a good playaction passer. Good arm. Weaknesses: Struggled with accuracy early in the season. He’ll be throwing to all-new receivers. KSU is a running team -despite the Wildcats’ gaudy spring passes stats - so Coffman will be asked to manage the game, limit turnovers and let Daniel Thomas do the rest. Behind Coffman, the backup is a converted wide receiver and possibly a true freshman.

12. Kansas
Projected Starter: Kale Pick (22/0/0 167 yards rushing)
Strengths: Pick is mobile and has a sturdy size (6-1, 208). He worked as an option back next to Reesing in some games last year. He appeared to surge ahead in spring camp. He’ll enjoy KU’s best offensive line in several years, if that’s any consolation. Weaknesses: Little experience and his backups, Jordan Webb and Quinn Mecham, don’t have any.

Check Out Our Full Big 12 Preview: Big 12 Coaches, Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers, Offensive Lines, Defensive LinesCommentary, 12 Best Players, Ten Overrated Players, Ten Underrated Players

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Welcome to Husker Locker’s “30 Best Games since 1980” portion of the Summer 30 series. Check throughout June to see our updated rankings; the previous rankings will be housed at the bottom of this blog post.

Like or dislike our pick? Comment on it below. One key to remember throughout the “best game” portion of this series: Not every selection in this list is a win. In fact, more than a handful are losses. In gauging the “best” games we were not only looking for quality of play, but significant and memorable aspect. Hence, there are not a bunch of 58-3 wins over the Little Six on this list. Instead, it’s 30 games that mattered over the last 30 years - and some of those games NU didn’t win, although it played well.

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Remember, too, to weigh in on the Best Individual Performances and also stay tuned for our ranking of every team, 1980-2009, at the end of the series!

Enjoy!

Dec. 5, 2009 - Texas 13 Nebraska 12 (Big 12 Championship)

It’s among the most painful losses in NU football history, and easily the toughest to swallow among the recent losses to Texas because of the controversial 0:01 put back on the clock so Hunter Lawrence could make a 46-yard field goal to send UT to the BCS National Championship game.

And yet, no one can deny the great pride NU fans had to feel that night, slugging it out with the Longhorns, who thought the game in the bag before it started.

Nebraska humiliated Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, intercepting him three times and sacking him nine others. McCoy made his share of big throws for 184 yards but he spent much of the night running around dazed, confused and worried. Ndamukong Suh made his strongest case for the Heisman Trophy with 4.5 sacks and 12 total tackles.

If only the Huskers had a better offense. NU compiled only 106 yards and rarely made good on its terrific field position throughout the game, having to settle for four Alex Henery field goals. Nebraska’s offensive line simply couldn’t block Texas’ front seven, and Zac Lee’s arm wasn’t up to the challenge of beating UT’s secondary.

Nevertheless - it’s the game that said to Husker fans: Nebraska’s back. And it’s here to stay.

Check out the whole list!

Honorable Mention, No. 30, No. 29, No. 28, No. 27, No. 26, No. 25, No. 24, No. 23, No. 22, No. 21, No. 20, No. 19, No. 18, No. 17

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Following the 2010 spring camp, Nebraska now looks back at the progress made by each position group - and what progress is yet to come.

Position: Quarterback

Spring Summary: As Zac Lee walked around the practice field in khaki shorts for all of spring, Cody Green and Taylor Martinez worked with the No. 1 and No. 2 units while Kody Spano and LaTravis Washington worked with the lower units. In the Red/White Spring Game, Martinez flashed his running talents while hitting a few big passes while Green hit a few bigger passes. Read more about it here and here.

Big Mover: Martinez. Against conventional thought and odds, he’s made his move in the quarterback race. He still has to fix his throwing mechanics a little more and manage the offense in a game situation, but his biggest boosters - The Brothers Pelini - are the right guys to have in his corner. T-Mart is open for business.

More to Prove: Lee. Let’s set aside his one decent game in the Holiday Bowl and get right down to it: Is he willing to conform to the new mold of NU’s offense and run the ball consistently and effectively, or does he want to hang in the pocket and play NFL quarterback? It does matter to his future at Nebraska. Lee has to execute the offense as scripted and called. Is he ready to run the ball ten times per game?

Wild Card: Martinez. With his throwing mechanics, he’s a risk in this offense right now. But we’re betting he gets a good, long look at the position.


Freshmen to Add: Brion Carnes, who is mobile enough and shows some pretty good talent as a passer. Carnes is a true dual threat, but he’s not the runner Martinez is.


Injuries: Lee is rehabbing from elbow surgery. Kody Spano continues to make the mental and physical return from two ACL tears.


How to Spend Summer Vacation: Martinez has to continue to polish his throwing motion. Green has to get in the film room and work on his accuracy. Lee has to get ready to be tested in the fall. He will be the frontrunner for the starting job, but the coaches will make their expectations of him very clear as it pertains to running the ball.

Spring Reviews on Quarterback, Offensive LineRunning Back, Wide Receiver, Tight End

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A dose of coachspeak or pigskin prophecy?

Time will tell, but Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini pointed Monday to a three-man quarterback race at NU between Zac Lee, Cody Green and Taylor Martinez that could extend well into fall camp - and potentially into the season.

And Pelini appeared comfortable with that reality.

“It’s a good position to be in,” Pelini said during the Big 12 Coaches’ spring teleconference. “We have three guys who we feel are capable and good football players. Competition will hopefully bring out the best in everybody. I’m looking forward to the race. Let the best man win. It possibly could be a combination of guys.”

Pelini said the QB competition “could go on for awhile.”

“I don’t know how it’s going to play out,” Pelini said. “We’re going to do what we feel is necessary to win football games.”

Sophomore Green and redshirt freshman Martinez dueled throughout spring, culminating with their performances in the Red/White Spring Game. Martinez flashed as a talented runner, gaining 60 yards on nine carries. Green threw for 155 yards, with a 72-yard touchdown to Will Henry.

Lee, a fifth-year senior, sat out spring rehabbing from elbow surgery. Pelini said Lee should be throwing “soon.”

“I don’t really know the timeframe,” Pelini said. “It’s for the doctors. When’s he able to go, he’s able to go.”

Although Lee watched “a lot of game film” and took mental repetitions in practice, Pelini said “there’s no substitute for actually doing it yourself.”

Pelini’s comments were a part of ten-minute interview that will likely serve as Bo’s parting shot for spring. Not one to give frequent interviews in the offseason, Pelini will be heading this week with offensive coordinator Shawn Watson to speak at Ohio State’s coaching clinic.

Other thoughts on Bo’s mind:

On using the loss to Texas as motivation for 2010: “Obviously we were close. I think guys are just hungry. People are anxious. They came here to win championships. That hasn’t happened yet…I look at the things we didn’t do in that game. We didn’t win because we didn’t earn it. In the end, I’m hungry to win a championship.”

On linebacker Alonzo Whaley, who led all tacklers in the Spring Game with nine: “He had a good spring. He’s in the mix. Just like all of them, he’s got a ways to go. He’s doing good things.”

On the Big 12 North rising to challenge the South: “All the recent Big 12 championships have been won by the South, so until the North does something about it then we’re not going to be all the way back. We’re about winning championships.”

Who do you think will win the job? Talk about it here!


See also: Spring Reviews on Running Back, Wide Receiver, Tight End

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School’s out for sum-mer! School’s out for-

Well, not really. There’s still classes and stuff for the Nebraska football team. But the pigskin version of school turns into an independent study until August.

So pardon us a moment of Alice Cooper. Even if, we’re sure, Husker football players will be carrying around pencils and playbooks every day, all the time, until fall.

Here’s five questions to ponder over pool and park season in Nebraska. Maybe, if we remember, we’ll bother to revisit these after we’ve seen “Inception” a couple times (look it up.)

When does Zac Lee return to throwing full-time, and how well does he throw? Two questions for the price of one! We presume the answers are “next month” and “just fine.” Then again, it’s elbow surgery. It’s a serious enough to await the final results.

Whither attrition? Players leave. It’s part of the college football business. But that number may be small, given an exciting 2010 to come. Don’t expect Bo Pelini to kick anybody out of the door. He may not exactly bar the door, either, for a few players buried on the depth chart.

How hotta the blotter? It’ll be a summer of expectant electricity in Lincoln regarding the Husker football team; players could make their rounds about town like once and future mini-kings. Bo would prefer - and I suspect he’ll get - a quieter profile from them.

Does Nebraska keep the recruiting momentum? Last summer, NU hit the recruiting doldrums in June and July. The Huskers have retooled a bit in the recruiting office, and the next three months could bring 3-5 verbal commitments. Watch the defensive side of the ball.

Who’s the workout warrior? No way to know that, of course, until players reconvene in August. But some player - maybe several of them - will take James Dobson’s teachings to the next level, and return to fall camp like the next coming of Phillip Dillard.

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SPRING GAME COVERAGE: Game Story, QB Commentary, Red Team Standouts, White Team Standouts, Photos

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Call Clint Eastwood. Nebraska’s offense has a couple of shotguns - the regular 12-gauge and a nasty little sawed-off version - to sell him. And the occasional fullback belly.

You didn’t see a bunch of NU’s retooled running attack in the Red/White Spring Game. But you saw enough to know this much: It’s quicker, more aggressive and more dangerous than last year. It’s power spread stuff, a hybrid of Florida, Oregon, Baylor, West Coast stuff and old-school Tom Osborne.

“And then we’re coming up with our own twist,” offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said.

The line splits are wider. The targets and blocking assignments are simpler. The running backs - especially Rex Burkhead but even Roy Helu - are more decisive. Sweeps and veer plays and counters. A seven-yard shotgun formation and a quick-hitting four-yard formation, which offensive line coach Barney Cotton wanted to make sure was not called the Pistol.

Well, call it effective, either way, for the Red/White Spring Game - to the tune of 259 rushing yards.

“We studied football hard this winter,” Watson said. “We had a great winter. Our kids are grasping it. We sat down to make things easier, faster. More aggressive attitude. They did a great job. I’m talking our offensive line, our tight ends. Our receivers are huge.”

And when redshirt freshman Taylor Martinez is the guy running the zone read, that defense is on skates. Heck the White Defense, for several drives, was doing the roller derby, waiting for Martinez to finish his three-card Monte with Burkhead before picking a poison to tackle. More often than not, Martinez was a step ahead of the defenders, scampering with his short, choppy strides into green space.

“We had him 3rd-and-7, 3rd-and-8, and he just kept drives going,” safety Rickey Thenarse said.

“Very explosive,” cornerback Prince Amukamara said “I love when the ball’s in his hands. It’s really exciting.”

Said Watson: “He can put a foot in the dirt and go.”

But can Martinez win 10 or 11 in 2010? Can he win a Big 12 Championship? Can he, with his quirky throwing motion and chasm of inexperience, really storm the fortress and win the starting job?

Maybe. But he’ll have to storm uphill to do it.

Watching Martinez force two passes into coverage - one of which was intercepted, while the other should have been - gives any frequent shopper at T-Mart pause. Plus: Is he a leader? Can the team follow him into a national title chase? The kid won’t talk to the media once before the 2010 season opener - how does he handle the camera and tape recorder crush?

Martinez is a weapon. No doubt. But is he the side dish? Or the whole side of Big Red beef?

Cody Green’s play raised more questions than it answered. Green tossed two decent deep balls to Niles Paul and Will Henry, but otherwise looked like the same shaky passer from the Holiday Bowl. Too often with Green, it’s Niles or bust. Great when Niles gets open. Not so much during the season, while No. 24 is bound to get double coverage every time he smells a slant pattern.

Unfair? Maybe. Green’s a high-energy guy who’s better when he gets in a rhythm. But he struggles to find the rhythm. Green rushed five times for 12 yards. His zone read fakes were fine; his ability to elude tacklers was not.

Fans who expected a dazzling, confident Green didn’t get one.

Which leaves Zac Lee.

He dressed in a jersey and khaki shorts Saturday, and spent the day with headset watching from the sideline. Rehabbing this spring after elbow surgery, he didn’t give interviews this spring; if Lee has his way, he won’t be giving any this summer, either.

“I think Zac feels like he missed a lot,” Watson said. “When you miss reps, you miss a lot. He’ll have to make up for it. And he knows it.”

And yet the San Francisco senior remains the leader at the summer turn. He’ll have to earn the starting job, but, based on the current evidence, he’s the only passer in the lot who can win a game when the defense puts a plug in that shotgun run.

“You’ve got to be able to throw the ball,” Watson said. “Balance comes from throwing the ball.”

That’s Lee.

In his next breath, Watson said this: “But you have to be able to run, too. Because that gives you another element. It’s just a simple game of math, really. With the quarterback added to the running game, defensively they’re down a hat.”

That’s Martinez.

Green appears to be a blend of both.

If Lee could sharpen his running skills. If Martinez could somehow read and process coverage he won’t see until the fall. If Green could simply play to the level of his tools and personality.

If.

See you in August.


SPRING GAME COVERAGE: 5 Questions for Summer, Game Story, QB Commentary, Red Team Standouts, White Team Standouts, Photos

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Five questions worth asking - in hopes of an answer - heading into Saturday’s Red/White Spring Game:

Just how vanilla? Is there a hint of flavor in Nebraska’s offensive plays, or does NU offensive coordinator Shawn Watson rest on what the Huskers were able to accomplish in a couple scrimmages. The blocking schemes and philosophy have changed since we last saw this team. Nebraska can’t simply ignore all of what it’s been working on for the sake of privacy. Or can it?

Does the empire strike back? NU’s defense took its licks in the spring scrimmages; does a dialed-down offensive package allow Carl Pelini’s bunch to deliver a few licks of their own? Nebraska’s new-look offensive line is bigger, stronger and more athletic than the 2009 version, so it may not be so simple.

Which quarterback makes a statement? And by “which” we mean Cody Green or Taylor Martinez. There is a chance - remote, but plausible - that Martinez blows the doors off with some spectacular run, but our money is on Green having the best chance to step forward - or fail to close the gap on Zac Lee, who, in our eyes, is still the starter of this team.

Does Nebraska have two starting linebackers worthy of Phillip Dillard’s one-year legacy? Yes, two. NU plays enough pro-style teams on the road in 2010 (Washington, Texas A&M, Kansas) that it can’t just rely on its dime defense. With Texas reconsidering a power game and Colorado building what could be a very potent offense, the play of Will Compton, Eric Martin, Sean Fisher and Alonzo Whaley should be of some interest to Husker fans.

Is the Peso a pretty picture? Moreover: Will you even notice if it isn’t? Count on Eric Hagg to get the job done. We’ll see about Austin Cassidy.

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Sporting an Abe Lincoln beard and his trademark big smile, Nebraska quarterback Cody Green walked off the practice field Saturday morning sporting a cut-off Superman t-shirt.

How’s that for symbolism?

I can hear the OC’s groan from North Stadium. Shawn Watson wants no part of a depth chart, an anointing, or anything else. Nor should he. The quarterback question is arguably the last one he needs to answer right now.

Who be the QB? Well, who be the WR? And who be the LT? Where be the depth? What be the identity?

As followers of Nebraska’s 2009 team know: Surround the captain with iffy-or-broken parts, and give him ever-changing directions to port, and you’ll get a sinking ship. As lovely as the Holiday Bowl looked, don’t kid yourself: Arizona wasn’t NU nasty. And the Pac 10, save USC, is still a chummy little brother to the Big 12.

So Watson has to keep one eye on the whole franchise. The other eye is on the quarterbacks. With a focus on Green.

Frankly he’s hard to miss right now.

He’s bulked up to 230 pounds, and all the extra weight appears to be muscle. His deep ball has more zip and accuracy in practice drills. Green said he’s done a “180” in managing the offense.

“I watched every play we had at least three times,” Green said.

Watson even showed him some 2008 cut-ups featuring Joe Ganz, now a NU intern.

“He studied, and you can see it out here on the field,” Watson said. “He’s got a long way to go, but you can see it, the time he’s spent.”

And Green tied Steve Taylor’s quarterback record for a 10-yard dash at 1.5 seconds.

“I kind of got upset when I found out I actually tied it,” Green said. “I wanted to go out there and break it.”

Taylor, though, was four inches shorter and probably 30 pounds lighter.

But the best part of Green - his likeability, his confidence - did not change. Some players - even great ones - turn sour after a year in the fishbowl. Those smiles become contempt for the criticism - or even the attention - that comes with playing at a school like Nebraska. Some get that edge from their coaches. Some develop it on their own.

Green freely admits his errors in 2009 - nerves and game management - and his strides to correct them. He still has a sparkling confidence about his ability as a runner - underused by Watson last season - to the point where he welcomes a spring without green jerseys.

“I’m a big guy. I like to run and hit people” Green said. “…I’m 230 now. I’ve got a lot body to throw around.”

With incumbent starter Zac Lee on the shelf for the spring, Green can’t wrest away the starting job.

Head coach Bo Pelini regards spring practice as one phase of the offseason, which includes winter conditioning and a long summer of chemistry-building and self-scheduled workouts away from the coaches. Don’t discount May-August. Niles Paul made that leap last summer from a kid who missed the last week of spring practice to Nebraska’s lone playmaker at receiver.

So Lee has four months to make his case. Plus, he left his best impression in the Holiday Bowl.

Green made no impression in San Diego. But he didn’t spend January and February mourning his mistakes, either. A week in spring is worth, what, half of a scrimmage in the fall? So praise must be tempered. But Green, for now, has set the right tone.

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It’s all of three practices into the Nebraska football team’s spring camp, and coordinator Shawn Watson is still installing the very basics of the 2010 offense.

“We’re not trying to scheme each other, just trying to introduce guys to plays,” Watson said after Saturday’s two-hour workout in the Hawks Championship Center.

It was the first day the Cornhuskers were allowed to don pads, so Watson, naturally, wasn’t about to hand out any blue ribbons for performance.

And yet, well, inquiring minds, cameras and tape recorders…

Watson obliged with a brisk eight minutes of cautious optimism after a rocky 2009 that, at very least, ended well: 396 total yards in a 33-0 thumping of Arizona in the Holiday Bowl.

“It’s a fresh start,” Watson said. “We’ve got some new things we’re doing, tweaking ourselves, that have been fun to do.”

Nebraska finally has a little depth at the offensive line to tinker and experiment. Two-deep across five positions, Watson said. Three-deep at some spots.

Senior Mike Smith is working at guard and center after starting for two years at tackle. NU wants “guys inside who can run,” Watson said, because the Huskers pull and trap so often.

Junior left tackle Yoshi Hardrick has a “hot motor,” while redshirt freshmen Jeremiah Sirles (left tackle) and Brent Qvale (right guard) possess “natural talent” that belies their youth.

“There’s a skillset there,” Watson said of the duo. “We’ve got to develop it.”

Not surprisingly, Watson said little of the quarterbacks. Senior Zac Lee, out for spring while recovering from elbow surgery, can still improve his footwork and take mental reps.

Sophomore Cody Green remains a “work in progress,” Watson said. But film study in January and February has helped.

“We watched the offense over and over and over again,” Watson said. “It helps the learning curve. He studied, and you can see it out here on the field. He’s got a long way to go, but you can see it, the time he’s spent.”

Watson applauded the extra weight put on by running back Rex Burkhead. And he acknowledged that senior Joe Broekemeier, a former Husker baseball pitcher, has “flashed” at wide receiver despite converting to the position late last fall.

“He’s got an instinct, a presence,” Watson said.

A fourth practices awaits Monday, with Bo Pelini and probably defensive coordinator Carl Pelini, sharing their thoughts.

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Quick hits from Tuesday’s presser:

*Call Mike McNeill the “adjuster.” That’s what the 6-foot-4, 240-pound senior and head coach Bo Pelini called his new position on Tuesday. No, he won’t be reassessing property values. He will be on the field more often, in positions where he’ll be matched against linebackers and nickel backs in the slot, rather than trying to wend his way through traffic on third down.

McNeill had the idea in his mind when offensive coordinator Shawn Watson pulled him aside.

“He said exactly what I wanted to say to him,” McNeill said. “…if you the concepts and know our offense, you can play anywhere. After four years, I think I know most of the routes.”

Pelini said Nebraska should have thrown the ball to McNeill more often. McNeill demurred to Pelini, adding “coach said it - I’ll just go with that.”

McNeill said he was a 15-pound weight range that he must hit to play wide receiver.

“The name sounds different, it doesn’t really change that much,” McNeill said. “It creates mismatches.”

*Ben Martin and Cruz Barrett are no longer on the roster, having taking medical redshirts. Neither were significant contributors in the Pelini era; their absence opens up two scholarships for the 2010 season that could be filled by walk-ons, a potential transfer, or perhaps 2010 grayshirt Bronson Marsh.

*Zac Lee is doubtful to return during spring practice, and redshirt freshman corner Andrew Green will be held out of the first week of spring practice with a “nagging injury,” according to Pelini.

*Left tackle Yoshi Hardrick was expected to compete immediately for a starting job on the NU offensive line, but Pelini put the brakes on the hype:

“He’s got a long way to go as far as getting up to speed on conditioning,” Pelini said. “He got a lot to learning to do…hopefully in the future Yoshi will be in there and get a chance to show what he can do and see how he progresses.

In other words, current left tackle starter Mike Smith isn’t sampling guard and center because of Hardrick can step right in.

*Nebraska might put a green jersey on quarterback Kody Spano, who suffered two torn ACLs last year. That’s more “to give me a little peace mind,” Pelini said, than anything else. Spano has full range and mobility back and doesn’t want to wear a knee brace in spring camp - a good sign.

*Pelini was adamant about keeping Taylor Martinez at quarterback - and solely at quarterback - for the spring. During fall practice, Martinez had worked extensively at wide receiver.

“He has a lot to bring to the table,” Pelini said. “He’s a quarterback. Period. End of story. Until further notice. This guy is a tremendous talent. We’re looking forward to getting him taught. It’s not the time and place to mess around with moving him here and moving him there…he needs all the reps he can get.”

*Prince Amukamara briefly considered the NFL Draft after hearing he might be selected in the first round, “but my parents were in Nigeria at the time.”

“They weren’t here to make the decision with me,” Amukamara said, “so I didn’t think it was right. It didn’t feel right.”

*Some thought tight end Kyler Reed might play some fullback for Nebraska, but it appears Ryan Hill - who caught the touchdown vs. Oklahoma - may get the nod to compete with Tyler Legate, Mike Hays and C.J. Zimmerer. Hill’s hands are almost as good as Mike McNeill’s, who formerly played the position. Hill’s move opens the door more clearly for Dreu Young and Ben Cotton - who served as a captain during winter conditioning - to be NU’s top two tight ends on running downs - with JUCO import Chase Harper arriving in the fall.

What's your take from the Nebraska press conference?

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The air is still cold and smells of the Canadian northland. There’s still that grating noise of gravel - or ice - crunching beneath your boots. The sun still isn’t showing up much for work, and we’re all carrying around five extra pounds from holidays. The ground is spongy and mucky and unfit for the hands of children. It also smells like worms.

Spring in Nebraska isn’t precisely romantic like autumn is. Harvest season is a blazing sunset set to country music. Planting season is a weak, soupy sky accompanied by Neil Sadaka.

And, thus, spring football - even at NU - shouldn’t be confused with a season-opener. September is Miller Time in these parts. Spring is, frankly, a trip to the driving range.

For coaches, it’s a time to go to the lab. Experiment. Tinker. Mold.

For seniors, it’s finally their time to lead - to put on the blazer and tie and ask their teammates to follow.

For underclassmen, it’s another chance to make a lasting impression before summer.

For Cody Green, it’s money time.

For Jared Crick, it’s his trench to dig and hold.

For P.J. Smith, Cameron Meredith and Mike Caputo, it’s shoes, sitting on the welcome mat at the front door, waiting to be filled.

For us, it’s time for six questions heading into spring football. Here they are, in ascending order of importance.

6. How quickly can Nebraska replace Larry Asante and Matt O’Hanlon? Smart, rangy and most, importantly, confident, sophomore P.J. Smith could fill Asante’s shoes next week and handle the responsibility. When NU coaches wanted to send Asante a message during a few Big 12 Conference games, Smith capably filled in - and perhaps played assignment-football even better than Asante did. While Smith isn’t quite the freakish athlete Asante was at Nebraska, he’s a natural, intelligent safety out of the Bo Pelini mold.

At free safety, senior Rickey Thenarse returns from a torn ACL and should be the odds-on favorite to win the job; he was pushing O’Hanlon for the starting role, in fact, when he got hurt in the Lafayette. But O’Hanlon saved his best football - against the run especially - for the last five games of the 2010 season. Thenarse would do well to match it. In run support, with his speed and playmaking skills, we don’t doubt Thenarse can fit the bill. It’s in pass coverage where, in the past, Thenarse got crossed up and seemed a step behind the play.

If Thenarse can’t, look for Austin Cassidy or potentially Courtney Osborne. Eric Hagg would be a candidate, but defensive coordinator Carl Pelini appears committed to keeping Hagg at nickel back.

5. Which pass-catcher compliments Niles Paul? Junior Brandon Kinnie, the positive-thinking, popular JUCO transfer, will get first the scoop of lasagna. While he’s tapping some parmesan on his slice, converted tight end Mike McNeill and Curenski Gilleylen will polish their roles as slot receivers down the seam. After that - it’s anybody guess. Khiry Cooper is playing baseball. Taylor Martinez will start at quarterback. Antonio Bell needs to bulk up and get better separation. Tim Marlowe will get a look, but, with his size, it’s hard to say how much the West Coast spread can utilize him.

4. Who fills the shoes of Phillip Dillard? Who knew, at this time last spring, we’d even be asking such a thing. After clawing his way out of the doghouse, Dillard wrestled the dime linebacker role away from Will Compton, put it in the bank, and watched it turn into a potential NFL Draft pick. Compton would appear to be the favorite, but he has to erase some of the negative plays from the middle of the 2009 season. Charging hard would be sophomore Eric Martin, who makes mistakes, sure - but does them at 100 miles per hour. At nickel linebacker, 6-foot-5 sophomore Sean Fisher has to get lower and more aggressive at the line of scrimmage. After a year of injuries, junior Mathew May and junior Matt Holt are back, too.

3. Can offensive coordinator Shawn Watson settle on a flavor? Only Watson can answer that one with his actions next fall; this spring he’ll put together a plan that, presumably blends the versatility of 2008 with the simplicity of 2009. Nebraska can’t be every offense all the time, and while it’s neat to pull out the kitchen drawer and dump every formation - from the Wildcat to ace flex to five tight ends - onto the counter, Watson still has to create a core set of plays from which he can build. NU’s OC is a smart guy, skilled in positivity and coach-speak, so the players, and their comfort and confidence, will be more telling.

2. How does the coaching staff balance a physical camp with staying healthy? Bo Pelini wants the green jerseys stripped off the quarterbacks and the competition dial turned up to 11 along the offensive line. Those two decisions only bear much fruit if the Huskers involved get up close and aggressive. But if Pelini desires the toughest team in the nation, if he wants to chat with old-guard types Milt Tenopir and Charlie McBride in the offseason, then he’d best be prepared for the physical pounding his troops are about to endure. It’s a fine line to walk with the young, talented hogs, many of whom are recovering from injuries suffered last fall.

1. Does Zac Lee’s absence for spring open the door for Cody Green to make “The Leap?” Don’t kid yourself: The coaches desperately want Green, an incredible package of speed and size, to master the offense, hang in the pocket with poise, and, most importantly, become a more accurate passer. He’s the guy Watson wanted before Pelini Era officially began, the guy whom Nebraska sent its entire offensive coaching to watch in high school, the guy who, when given his chance as a true freshman, apparently let his emotional cup runneth over in the Oklahoma game, never to regain the mojo.

Hey - it’s a ton of pressure. Green makes it harder by being so likable, actually. NU fans want that big smile and big talent to produce some big wins. Lee’s shadow looms over the spring only to the extent that Green can’t make it go away. If Green dazzles over the next four weeks, he’ll make Lee play catch-up in the fall.

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Zac Lee holds a baby on a charity trip to St. Elizabeth's. Enjoy the photo album and upload your own photos today!

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QB Zac Lee, 6-2, 215, Sr.

Isn’t it funny how Lee went, in the course of one month, from the most-maligned Nebraska quarterback since Joe Dailey in the Big 12 Championship to a gritty leader in the Holiday Bowl who toiled with an undisclosed injury for most of the season?

He’ll sit out all of spring football rehabbing his throwing elbow, and there’s no certainty he’ll regain that strong arm, and yet - eyes will be watching him, and he’ll be watching quarterbacks Cody Green, Kody Spano and Taylor Martinez try to catch him. Lee will have to settle for learning by watching, and who knows? Maybe it’s the best medicine for a player who frankly struggled with decision-making last year.

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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. 5 Keith Williams: Poised for a breakout year, Williams tore his pectoral muscle in fall camp. He played through excruciating pain anyway, and had his moments. In 2010, provided he’s healthy, look for him to be an all-conference pick. He’s still Nebraska’s best.

No. 4 Niles Paul: It was almost like his two colossal blunders of the fall - failing to catch a backwards pass vs. Texas Tech, then failing to recover the ball that Tech returned for a touchdown, and that fumble-recover-fumble vs. Iowa State that cost NU the win - actually set Paul free. Over the last five games of the year, including the Holiday Bowl, Paul became a new man - a different player, returning one punt for a score, almost returning another vs. Texas, making clutch third-down grabs vs. Colorado, making huge plays vs. Kansas and Kansas State, and displaying an all-around game in the Holiday Bowl to earn MVP. He caught 40 passes for almost 800 yards, and became the big-play most hoped he would be.

No. 3 Roy Helu: More brilliance in games vs. Virginia Tech, Oklahoma and Kansas, and more perplexing injuries in many of the other games. Helu’s a tough guy to figure out on and off the field. Talent and instinct to burn, but there seems to be times when Rex Burkhead is the more consistent option. Still - it says something about a guy when he rushes for 1,137 yards, and you barely noticed him over the last four games of the year. He’s still a big-time weapon.

No. 2 Ndamukong Suh: Arguably the best player in Blackshirt history - remember, that doesn’t include Train Wreck Novak - and certainly the most decorated, Suh became the poster child for the emerging Bo Pelini era. He worked hard, excelled in the classroom and dominated on the field. A unique, game-changing talent in ways defensive linemen usually aren’t - pass coverage, downfield tackling. Hopefully NU fans enjoyed the show. He isn’t coming through that door again.

No. 1 Zac Lee: As great as we knew Suh was, Lee occupied the top spot for the obvious reason: He’s the only guy with the ball in his hands every play. So much has already been written about Lee, so let’s merely say one more thing: He turned a corner in his attitude and belief in himself as the year went on, and he doesn’t have a lot to fear in 2010. Bo likes him. It’s his job to lose.

The list is now complete! Check out the full list!

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Six strong takes, just as you like them, Husker football right at the top.

*One week ago, I mentioned heightened expectations for Nebraska’s football team. The definition of being “back.” Now that the Cornhuskers are beginning to appear in the top ten of various (and ridiculously early) top 25 rankings, you can begin to get the picture.

NU will be playing a 365-day season in 2010 - not 150. In recruiting, offseason development, spring football, the summer police “blotta” and all the rest, the Huskers will get more play - good and bad - from the national media outlets that control, to some extent, preseason perception and placement. Those things are important, understand, when it comes to bowl pairings later in the year. Possibly even BCS bowl pairings.

In a sense, that’s just another challenge for Bo Pelini and his staff. Whether or not Bo sees himself as a creature of the media - he’s going to become one. There’s something attractive - authentic - about his occasionally explosive sideline style, the emotions worn on his sleeve - hell, his bare arms. Bo isn’t prone to quotables, but his confidence plays well on talk shows and TV programs that crave black/white statements.

Bo has some acolytes in the national media. Jim Rome is one of them. Kirk Herbstreit, a former teammate, is another. Throw Andy Staples of SI in there, too, for all the positive pub he’s given the Big Red. Here’s a New Year’s resolution hoping he reaches out to those guys before spring ball, during spring ball, and throughout the summer. The recruitiniks at Rivals and Scout, too. Hey - those guys know how faithfully Husker fans follow Signing Day in February. Then - you post every one of those appearances and articles on Bo’s personal Web site.

Bo may not personally want that kind of hyper-attention. But it’s the kind Nebraska needs to keep up with the Big 12 South’s primary outpost, Texas.

*Would I put NU in the top ten right now? Upon further review, I guess not yet. Not until Zac Lee’s rehab points toward full recovery.

If Lee rehabs OK, I’d look hard at top 5-7, along with Alabama, Boise State, Virginia Tech, Ohio State and a few surprises.

If not - I’d need a crystal ball detailing Cody Green’s development. Green will never get a better chance at taking the reins than this offseason - his second at Nebraska. These three months - that’s his window, whether he officially beats out Lee or not. If Green makes the leap, he’s the guy, at the very least, in 2011. If not, there will be some freshman nipping at his heels.

*And that freshman, if I had to play a hunch, will be Brion Carnes, Bradenton (Fla.) Manatee quarterback who will take a visit in January. If he can get past being “Tommie Frazier’s nephew” - a hurdle in Lincoln - Carnes possesses many of the skills a new, more physical NU offense desires. Carnes - who was committed to South Florida, but has wavered with the firing of Jim Leavitt - is mobile, has better-than-average footwork, and knows how to make throws on the run.

If not Carnes, than possibly Kain Colter out of Colorado. If not, Colter, then the mystery man, Darian “Stump” Godfrey, the Gilmer, Texas product who accounted for 64 touchdowns and more than 4,400 yards in leading his team to an undefeated season and a 3A championship.

NU is trying to put some tasty frosting on its 2010 recruiting class, as Chicago-area safety Corey Cooper and Portland defensive end Owa Odighizuwa are the biggest names the Huskers continue to pursue, and both seem intent on waiting until Signing Day to make their decisions. If Nebraska gets both, the class becomes a nice comeback after a slow summer. If both go elsewhere, you get the sense that NU may make changes in its approach for 2011. More changes, I mean, than the ones that have already been made.

The best potential recruit of the 2010 class? Jermarcus Hardrick, if he morphs into a Phil Loadholt clone and mans the right tackle spot for the next two years. Among the four-year recruits, Columbia (Mo.) product Chase Rome jumps out as a major defensive tackle in two years, with potential for Jared Crick numbers. Landing Odighizuwa - a bright, athletic end whose background, demeanor and intelligence is eerily reminiscent of Ndamukong Suh - would trump them all.

My sleeper? A guy Nebraska landed almost a year ago - offensive tackle Mike Moudy. A 6-foot-7, 300-pound rock. I just like the way he attacks defenders on film.

*So the SEC won its fourth straight national championship. It has to say something, right? Sure. But I’m not sure it’s saying the same things, year after year.

In 2006, Florida’s speed and defensive aggression forced an over-hyped quarterback, Ohio State’s Troy Smith into a game-long meltdown.

In 2007, LSU was simply better than Ohio State, and everybody knew it. Throw the statistics out the window. The Buckeyes actually competed more in that game than I anticipated.

In 2008, Oklahoma controlled the first half, threw the game away with its insistence on the no-huddle offense at the goal line, and wore down in the second half as Sam Bradford wasn’t protected by penalty flags like he was in the Big 12.

In 2009, you know the ugly story.

The binding statistic - SEC teams all rushed for more yards than its opponents - reflects a consistency of style, a commitment to traditional football, albeit from unconventional (or shall we just say old-fashioned) means: The single wing, the option, the counter trey. Three of the four opponents (Ohio State in 2006, OU and UT) were spread/shotgun offenses that routinely used four and five wide receivers. All of them were stymied in one way or another by the SEC‘s defensive speed, and unable to adjust.

Trends can be tough to detect. Was Nebraska a trend in the 1990s? Not on offense. On defense, though, absolutely: Following in the footsteps of Miami, Washington and Florida State, NU got smaller, faster and more aggressive. That trend remained true until Michigan and Tennessee won national titles with more traditional base defenses/pro-style offenses in 1997 and 1998.

Is there a SEC method that Bo’s trying to copy? You’d hope so, because it seems to work. It’s not exactly foolproof - goodness, look at LSU, post-Pelini, and South Carolina, since forever - but it puts Nebraska in a unique position in the Big 12.

*USC is panicking for the moment, but Pete Carroll’s departure from the program is precisely what it needs. That’s right. Carroll, for all his considerable strengths, was beginning to construct a team of diminishing returns, choosing transfers and freshmen over more seasoned position players, and a green staff over assistants who, like Norm Chow once did, might steal Carroll’s thunder.

While he was far from losing control of the Trojans’ program, Carroll had lost track of it, to a certain extent, and his hubris over Mark Sanchez’s timely departure last year, coupled with his various shrugs at off-the-field issues in 2009, suggested he was as committed to his highly-laudable work in the Los Angeles community as he was to game-planning and roster management. Nowhere was that more evident than in a game vs. Oregon - a team Carroll typically owned - in which the Ducks so badly out-schemed the Trojans that it looked as though USC was back in its Paul Can’t-Hackett days.

The Trojans ought to hire Carroll-lite - Stanford’s Jim Harbaugh, whose shoulder chip is similar to Carroll’s in 2001, with equal charisma and passion to burn - now that Mike Riley is no longer available. Harbaugh has the ego, NFL background and sheer personality to deal with USC athletic director Mike Garrett, who has a history of rubbing folks a certain way.

*Excellent debut for Christian Standhardinger, who scored 13 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in a 64-53 loss at Texas A&M Saturday. He got to the line five times and made four free throws. Expect those numbers to continue, and increase.

I know it’s not easy for head coach Doc Sadler to sacrifice defensive possessions and potentially wins in developing Standhardinger and center Jorge Brian Diaz as NU’s primary offensive threats, but everything I saw vs. the Aggies confirmed, again, that putting those two on the floor at the same time represents NU’s best long-term interests. Standhardinger provides at least some resistance on the boards, and Diaz really does have a deft touch around the basket. Plus - they can draw fouls. Right now, who among Nebraska’s true guards - be it Brandon Richardson, Sek Henry, Lance Jeter or Eshaunte Jones - is consistently doing that.

Sadler wants the Huskers to work for better shots instead of settling for long 3-pointer. But I’m not seeing any guards with a first step quick enough to do it. I am seeing two post players, now that Standhardinger is in there, who can create their shots and are serviceable from the foul line.

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Shotgun to stay? Whether we or you or any Husker fans prefers an under center power game is immaterial to what offensive coordinator Shawn Watson’s players can actually execute. And the Huskers look better in a shotgun spread offense. They just do. It suits the quarterbacks, the running backs, the offensive line, the receivers and the Wildcat formation.

How long does it take Zac Lee to recover - and is recovery successful? Funny that Nebraska fans would pin a potential national title run on the health of No. 5, but, after seeing Cody Green’s wobbly work in the Holiday Bowl, so be it. Lee is unquestionably the No. 1 guy going into spring practice - and he still isn’t very good. So not only does he have to rehab after surgery on his right torn flexor tendon, he has to find a way to improve without throwing the ball - possibly through all of spring camp.

Can Cody Green capitalize on Lee’s absence to develop for 2010 and beyond? We can’t ignore his struggles during the last half of the season - but we also can’t take too much from them, either. Green hasn’t been allowed to grow into a starter - too much attention for a handful for a good plays, too short of a leash for a handful of bad ones - and he should make “the leap” in the spring. Well, he’d better, anyway.

Whither Kody Spano? The things Spano reportedly did best - throwing those skinny slants and posts, and hanging in the pocket when bullets started flying - are attributes Watson appreciates most. Can he come back from two ACL tears? Can he trust his knee enough to make plays. It’s rare - but possible.

Is there a No. 2 receiver in the building? Some Husker - Brandon Kinnie, Khiry Cooper, Antonio Bell, Curenski Gilleylen - has to take the heat off of Niles Paul. And receivers coach Ted Gilmore has to stop sampling every guy on the roster for the role. Find two or three complimentary receivers, stick with them, and develop chemistry with Lee - when he returns - Green and whoever else tries out at QB.

How much can the redshirt freshmen - plus Jermarcus Hardrick - push the vets on he offensive line? Hardrick will push Marcel and D.J. Jones at right tackle - and potentially win the job. As for the redshirt freshmen, we’re talking about Brent Qvale (guard), Jeremiah Sirles (tackle), Jesse Coffey (guard) and Nick Ash(guard/center). At the very least, Qvale (huge, and nimble) and Sirles (looks the part) were slated for the two-deep before injuries tilted the risk/reward scale against burning their redshirt. Neither will likely start for NU in 2010, but they can provide important depth every third or fourth series, or serve as injury protection. At any rate - they sorely need experience for the future.

Where does Taylor Martinez fit in? We dug around in the few weeks after the Big 12 Championship game about Martinez, and found he was more feared as a receiver than he was at quarterback. And yet he’ll start at QB - potentially as a Wildcat guy - and take a run at the backup job. Either way - the kid needs to see the field, and get the chance to make plays. He’s among the fastest players on NU’s roster and he’s big enough to take some licks. T Magic is more like T Mystery.

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The story of Nebraska’s offense in 2009 turns out to be a crackerjack courtroom drama, complete with compelling characters, riveting testimony and a twist ending - touched off by a surprising revelation - that has some Cornhusker fans sailing out of theater satisfied, and others wondering if all plot threads meet up.

The men on trial - offensive coordinator Shawn Watson, his staff and quarterback Zac Lee - won acquittal in a 33-0 thumping of Arizona, returning to the shotgun, unveiling an effective version of the Wildcat - which running backs coach Tim Beck correctly described as an offense, not merely a play - and getting Lee to a point where he can run the zone read competently - if not beautifully - for yards and first downs.

Everything you could have hoped to see vs. Arizona - third-down efficiency, big running plays, Niles Paul, Mike McNeill, a dominant offensive line - you saw. Roy Helu got hurt early, but Rex Burkhead capably replaced him.

For the first time since the Kansas game, Lee looked like the solution instead of the problem. Afterward, when he revealed he’d been playing with a torn flexor tendon in his throwing arm, which requires surgery and nearly three months of rehab, it was like that beer glass in the novel “Presumed Innocent” that nobody could find - because nobody ever asked the guy who took it from the evidence room to return it.

“It was them that (screwed) up,” Lipranzer tells defendant Rusty at the end of Scott Turow’s best book.

In this case, the few left in Watson’s corner could say the same of his many naysayers. If you only you knew of all the injuries on the offensive line, at running back, in Lee’s right arm.

You can see how the arguments set up.

Credit where it’s deserved: Watson crafted a good plan, and called an even better game. He and Barney Cotton got their offensive line to fire off the ball. He trusted Lee on third-and-long to extend drives. Lee did. In short, Watson seemed to be returning to midseason 2008, when Nebraska sliced and diced Iowa State, Kansas and Kansas State with a dizzying array of formations and plays.

Lee was a poor man’s Joe Ganz, which, with Bo’s defense, was more than enough. He’s a tough kid who chooses to struggle with injuries and inconsistencies in relative silence. Commendable enough.

But “Holiday Bowl scoreboard” isn’t a sufficient salve for every offensive problem in 2009.

“Torn flexor tendon” isn’t a sufficient answer for why Watson had Lee throwing the ball in the Missouri rain, or why Watson couldn’t bear to call a trick play - just one! - vs. Texas in the Big 12 Championship.

“O-line injuries” doesn’t explain why the wide receiver corps fell apart, with two starters apparently so unmotivated and disinterested that they spent two weeks on the scout team.

No, Watson didn’t suddenly forget how to call plays.

But we can’t suddenly gloss over real struggles, either.

The offseason, beginning with Lee’s surgery and rehabilitation, will be a test of patience, creativity and coaching for Watson and his assembled crew. I look forward to watching skilled - but embattled - guys whittle away the problem, with a prominent chip on their shoulder, I suspect, and something to prove.

*At quarterback, Watson will have to play it by doctor and trainer as to when Lee can return. Then he’ll have to develop quarterbacks Cody Green, Kody Spano and Taylor Martinez in three distinctly different places in their career. Will Ganz, a new graduate assistant, help? Sure. But even that’s a adjustment, for these Huskers know and respect Ganz quite a bit, and may initially see Lee - or any signal-caller - in stark relief of the former No. 12. When a former teammate suddenly becomes a mentor, it’s can be an interesting transition. Ganz isn’t going to sugarcoat anything, nor should he.

*At running back, Tim Beck has to manage Roy Helu’s health, devise new ways to exploit Rex Burkhead’s skills and find a No. 3 running back between Traye Robinson, Lester Ward and Austin Jones.

*At offensive line, Barney Cotton gets to integrate young pups Brent Qvale, Jeremiah Sirles, Jesse Coffey and Nick Ash, get JUCO signee Jermarcus Hardrick quickly up to speed, break in center Mike Caputo, wait out the recovery of Keith Williams - who has a torn pectoral muscle - and hone the games of Ricky Henry, Mike Smith, Marcel Jones and D.J. Jones. Cotton has the most important - and arguably toughest - job of the bunch. As goes the offensive line, so goes NU.

*At wide receiver, Ted Gilmore needs to build around senior-to-be Niles Paul, with an emphasis on guys who can actually catch, run and keep their balance on a wet field. Gilmore has to put a better product on the field than NU offered up in 2009, when Menelik Holt’s drops cost the Huskers at Virginia Tech, and Paul’s midseason lapses in concentration contributed heavily to losses vs. Texas Tech and Iowa State.

*At tight end, Ron Brown just needs to keep doing what he’s doing, juggling time and snaps for a gifted unit.

Presuming he has enough healthy pieces, Watson then gets to play chemist. Which combination of formations, plays and players make the best brew? Injuries, execution and “inexperience” - plus Bo’s intervention right around the Oklahoma game - prevented him from figuring that out in 2009.

What are the key questions for this offseason? Click here.

Otherwise, continue the debate. Does the Holiday Bowl resolve your concerns? Does the end of the movie forgive its dull middle?

In 2010 - a national-title contending season - we’ll have the sequel.

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