2009 Record – 10-4, 6-2 Big 12
Bowl Game – Holiday Bowl – Beat Arizona 33-0
Letterman Returning: 59
Stadium – Memorial Stadium (81,067)
College Location – Lincoln, NE
Coach – Bo Pelini 20-8 (3rd year)
OFFENSE: (9)
Key Returnees – WR Niles Paul, RB Roy Helu (below), G Keith Williams, RB Lex Burkhead, QB Zac Lee, QB Cody Green
Key Losses – C Jacob Hickman
- Where can the Nebraska offense really go but up from last season? A 128 average yard drop off from the 2008-to-20009 seasons came last year for the Big Red offense. The dreadful option style offenses of the past are gone and so are the rush yards since the loss of the option game. An identity for the Nebraska offense since then has failed to illustrate itself, however, leaving behind shaky offensive production year after year. A power rushing game did get established in Lincoln last season, with senior Roy Helu carrying the load. As a junior last season Helu brought in a team high 1,147 yards and 10 scores, leading the Huskers in rushing for the 
second consecutive season. Depth behind Helu was sparse after the dismissal of running back Quentin Castille, leaving the No. 2 workload to youngster Rex Burkhead. As a fresh off the bus freshman last season Burkhead rushed for 346 yards and three scores. Burkhead, who missed five games last season, saw his workload increase as the season went on last year, receiving 52 of his 81 carries in the last three weeks, with rushing performances of 100 yards against Colorado and 92 against Arizona in the bowl game. With Helu healed of a nagging shoulder injury and a season under Burkhead’s belt, the Cornhuskers should be able to use a power running game to carry the offense this season. The quarterback situation in Lincoln is a bit of a question heading into 2010, with head coach Bo Pelini not releasing the name of the starter until kickoff of week one. The Huskers return 12 game starter from a year ago in senior Zac Lee, but sophomore Cody Green is clearly the future of the Big Red program. Lee completed 58 percent of his passes last season for 2,143 yards and a 14-10 touchdown to interception ratio. Green, who brings a dual threat option to the offense, saw action in six games last season, passing for 317 yards with a two-to-two ratio. The freshman also rushed for 158 yards and two scores. The smart money is on Lee to start the opener, but it’s not a big gamble to bet on Green to take the job. Redshirt freshman Taylor Martinez is not out of the question to take the job just yet either. The receiving core for the Huskers brought in minimal success last season, outside senior honorable mention All-Big 12 wideout, Niles Paul. Paul is a physical receiver at 6’1’’ 220 pounds, and gives the Huskers a reliable threat in the passing game when needed. The Big Red three wide set all weigh in at 215 pounds or more, which also works out well in the rushing game.
DEFENSE: (8)
Key Returnees – DT Jared Crick (below), CB Prince Amukamara, DE Pierce Allen, S Eric Hagg, MLB Sean Fisher, S DeJon Gomes
Key Losses – DT Ndamukong Suh, S Larry Asante, MLB Phillip Dillard, S Matt O’Hanlon
- How does a defense lose its best player, who happened to be the second overall pick in the NFL Draft and Heisman trophy finalist, and suddenly become a better unit? I don’t know, I was actually asking for help on that one, but frankly the Huskers defense is expected to be even a better overall group in 2010. The Big Red’s best player un-doubtfully was Ndamukong Suh last season, who led the team in tackles with 85, sacks with 12, tackles for a loss with 24 and finished second in pass breakups with 10. Replacing a player like Suh is out of the question, it doesn’t happen. Moving on after the departure of a player like Suh is what needs to happen. The defense does still return a talented group of defensive lineman led by pre-season All-American, Jared Crick. 
Crick’s production at defensive tackle last season was not far behind Suh’s, finishing fourth on the team with 73 tackles, with 9.5 sacks and 14 tackles for a loss. The junior could have just as dominating a season Suh had last year, with a much bigger load on his shoulders. Senior Pierre Allen returns to his end position after finishing ’09 with five sacks. Sophomore defensive tackle Baker Steinkuhler will fill in for the departed Suh, inside. Steinkuhler, a former five star prep All-American, plays with a mean streak and could surprise a lot of people this season. Sophomore linebackers Will Compton and Sean Fisher return to the second level for the Huskers. A bigger load is also expected from both of the young stars. Three starters return to a secondary that may be the best defensive backfield in the country. All-American Prince Amukamara anchors one corner position where he brought in 16 passes defended and five interceptions last season. Amukamara is a big corner at 6’1’’ 205 and should be thrown at far less this season if quarterbacks are smart. That leaves more pressure on returning starter, Alfonzo Dennard, at the other corner position. The Huskers run deep at the safety position with the return of senior DeJon Gomes and Eric Hagg, who plays more of a rover position in the Big Red D. Gomes is an above average pass defender finishing with five takeaways last season, while Hagg gives the Huskers defense a little bit of everything, making numerous plays over the field. Sophomore PJ Smith, who played sparingly last season, is expected to take over starting duty at the other safety position. The defense held opponents to 179 yards through the air last season and quarterbacks to a 47.6 percent completion percentage. With eight starters returning and a couple of All-Americans to go around, there is no reason the Big Red defense can’t improve upon their violent 2009 campaign.
SCHEDULE:
- A few things have to go right for a team to walk away with a National Title. One of those things is a schedule which makes it possible to be challenged but easy enough to make it standing for the final dance, something the Huskers have in the 2010 season. The Big Red open the season with a home meeting against newly acclimated FBS school, Western Kentucky, Sept. 4. Idaho, Sept. 11 leads into the Huskers first test against PAC-10 sleeper Washington, in Seattle, Sept. 18. It should be a tale of stopping Huskies quarterback Jake Locker and the Huskers have just the defense to do so for four quarters. Conference play opens Oct. 7 with a trip to Kansas State on a Thursday night. A rematch of perhaps college football’s best game of 2009 against Texas, is set for a Lincoln matchup, Oct. 16. Last season’s one point loss to the Longhorns you can believe still burns in the memories of Husker players. What should be a walkthrough at Oklahoma State, leads into a tough test against fellow Big 12 North member, Missouri, Oct. 30. The Tigers have beat Nebraska three out of the last five years. Two more Big 12 North games follow in at Iowa State and Kansas at home. A Nov. 20 meeting at Texas A&M could pose as a late season test for the Huskers defense, facing a powerful offense led by quarterback Jerrod Johnson. A Friday night meeting against Colorado ends the season Nov. 26. With a solid rushing game and a quarterback that won’t make dumb mistakes on offense and a defense that attacks like feeding time in a shark tank, the Huskers could, and will, open a lot of eyes in the college football world come fall.
Schedule rating: B-
Red = Toughest Game. Blue = Pivotal to conference.
Top Incoming Freshman:
1.) Chase Rome, *#22 DE, 6-3 280 Columbia, MO
An early enrollee for the Huskers, Rome is a strong and physical end who could work his way into the rotation this season.
2.) Corey Cooper, #12 S, 6-2 200, Maywood, IL
Cooper is an aggressive player from both his safety position and at wideout in high school.
3.) Andrew Rodriguez, #13 OT, 6-6 300, Aurora, NE
Rodriguez should see action in the near future on a Big Red line which features three senior starters.
4.) Braylon Heard, #34 RB, 5-10 180, Youngstown, OH
A member of Cardinal Moody HS, Heard offers speed to a power backfield.
5.) Mike Moudy, #30 OT, 6-7 290, Sugar Land, TX
Moudy moves like a tight end and blocks like a guard making him a perfect fit at tackle for the Huskers.
*Rankings according to scout.com
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