Fall 2008 Preview

“…something redemptive is in the air.”
- Oct. 18, 2007, Scarlet Commentary

The above words were written after what might have been NU’s darkest hour last season; the home loss to Oklahoma St. The good that came out of it is that we now have a new coach, new athletic director, many new players, and a new attitude. Something redemptive is indeed still in the air at Nebraska. I could sense it at the Spring Game. The coaches know it, the fans know it, the players know it. Somewhere out in New York, I suspect even Bill Callahan knows it.

Now that it’s fall and the season opener is only days away, one wonders: How quickly commeth the official on-the-field redemption?

I don’t know. But I do know what areas I’ll be watching most closely. Here are, in no particular order, the Scarlet Commentary’s Eight Keys for ‘08:

1. THE DEFENSE
Well duh, right? Yeah, I know this is the most obvious one. The thing is, in three games last year, the Huskers scored 31, 39, and 51 points…and still lost. Quite, ahem, unprettily as well. If the 2007 defense had been simply average instead of setting historic lows all over the stat sheet, the Huskers would’ve at least gone to a bowl.

On the other hand, Bo’s LSU squad gave up 50 and 43 points in two losses last year (granted, both were in triple OT). If last season’s Pelini-coached national championship defense was capable of these sorts of lapses, where could that leave the 2008 Huskers against certain teams? Fans might be wise not to expect instant dominance here. The good news is, even moderate improvement in this area could take the team pretty far.

2. THE TIGHT ENDS
It will be very intriguing to see if former receivers coach Ron Brown can turn this position into a more prominent part of the offense. In recent years, it seemed like the Huskers were more likely to get a penalty than a touchdown out of this position. I saw Mike McNeill in the Spring Game and he looked like the real deal. It sure would be nice to see more big plays out of the tight ends, and less of the odd, seemingly pointless, before-the-snap shifting of the past few seasons.

3. CORNERBACKS NOT NAMED ARMANDO MURILLO
Whoever lines up on the right side is going to be a target. The play here in the Spring Game, frankly, has me a bit concerned. Anthony Blue, who, if certain former coaches are to be believed, actually beat out Senior Zack Bowman toward the end of last season, will sadly not be available. He looks headed for a redshirt season while still recovering from an injury.

Not to take anything away from the other Anthony (West), but he struggled in the spring against what looks to be our fifth-best wide receiver (according to the latest depth chart). I’m assuming there’s a good reason West is listed as a starter ahead of Prince Amukamara. From seeing the two of them play, I just don’t know what it is. To quote Simon Cowell, “it’s just an opinion.”

[Now that I’ve referenced Simon Cowell, a quick aside: I happen to reside these days in Blue Springs, Missouri, the hometown of Season 7 American Idol winner David Cook. I wrote a blog entry recently “comparing” myself to Cook: It’s pretty fun and has a couple of Nebraska references, if you like that sort of thing. End of aside.]

4. NON-STARTERS WHO NEED TO BE ON THE FIELD
Here are a few I nominate: Menelik Holt and Curenski Gilleyen on offense. Major Culbert and possibly Terrence Moore on defense. It would also be good for Marcus Mendoza to get a few touches.

5. BLITZ PACKAGES
I still remember with fondness Pelini’s 2003 debut as a defensive coordinator, and all of the stuff he threw at Oklahoma St. and then-coach Les Miles. LB Demorrio Williams lined up as a defensive end and came flying off the edge. Cornerbacks and safeties came on blitzes. The timing was great, and the Cowboys had no idea what was coming.

So yeah, coach, send Cody Glenn on some blitzes. Have our former running back try to chase Chase Daniel. I’m looking forward to it. Send Thenarse or Asante or another fast defender. Hopefully this year’s group of players can get the timing down, get some sacks, and create turnovers.

6. CONTINUED GOOD HEALTH
Strength coach James Dobson seems to be doing something right, as the Huskers are trimmer and relatively healthy. No injury disasters during fall camp with key players lost for the season before it even begins. This is great, and I hope it stays that way.

7. SO GOES BARRY TURNER…
If Barry Turner has a good year, that, to me, will be an indicator of the overall strength of the defensive line. When he seemed to disappear last year, the line, well, you know where things went from there. Yes, there are three other positions on the line. But Turner is a prime example of what can happen when a player bulks up, then loses a bit of speed and firepower. If he can return to form, and some combination of Suh, Potter, Steinkuhler, Sievers, Moore, or Crick also step up, the D will be back.

8. THE SCHEDULE
Since the season hasn’t started yet, I’ll focus on the nonconference part for now. Much has already been written about Western Michigan, so I won’t dwell on them. Obviously, they’re a pretty solid team, one that narrowly missed out on bowl eligibility last year because of a series of unfortunate late-game events.

In past years when the Huskers have started with four or five straight home games, it hasn’t always added up the kind of momentum you might expect. They’ve had some shaky moments. That was all pre-Bo, of course, but we’ll see what kind of focus this year’s team can manage before the road tests begin.

After the opener, San Jose St. and their coach, Dick “Desert Swarm” Tomey will come to town for the next tilt. When we last saw Tomey, he was on the Arizona sideline in the process of winning the 1998 Holiday Bowl. Last season, Tomey’s Spartans played a then-undefeated Hawaii team extremely tough before falling by a TD in overtime. I’ll be in Lincoln for this game.

The second of the two WAC teams on our schedule comes in the following week: New Mexico St. They were 4-9 last year. Hopefully the Huskers won’t look past them to the next opponent…

Which leads me to Virginia Tech: The Holy Grail of the 2008 nonconference schedule. Virginia Tech has had a rough offseason with some player injuries and disciplinary issues. They still start the season ranked in the Top 15 (Coaches’ Poll). When the Hokies come to Lincoln, it will be their fifth game of the season (versus NU’s fourth). They will have already played Georgia Tech, plus road games at East Carolina and North Carolina. They’ll likely be ready.

THE CONCLUSION?

There’s more that could be said, and I’m sure I’ve left something out. The above list of eight is just a starting point. In any case, it should be a fun year. For fans, players, coaches, heck—even the media.

Let the on-the-field redemption process begin.
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The voice of the Scarlet Commentary is Jeffrey Leever, a Nebraska native who now writes for an advertising agency in Kansas City. He is a 1994 graduate of the University of Nebraska (Kearney) and author of the suspense novels Dark Friday and Even in Darkness. He has been known to include a tribute to Tommie Frazier and other Nebraska references in his novels. His website is www.jeffreyleever.com. Contact Jeff here.