Nebraska is running a mostly new formation on defense that almost every player in the front seven is either new or playing a different role than what was asked a year ago. I'm not sure Stephon Wynn nor Devin Drew are bonafide starters versus depth additions. Nash Hutmacher has a ways to go, but has a lot of upside. However, upside and potential doesn't necessarily beat a guard and stuff a running back in a critical situation. Curious if the inside transition is better for Ty Robinson. He was good last season, but I'm not so sure that he was a stand out beyond the fact the Huskers no longer have Ben Stille, Deontre Thomas and Damion Daniels.
I'm actually pretty confident Nebraska can rush the passer, but that's moot if it can't get going against the run game. The biggest story of Nebraska's entire season (to me) is if the Huskers can hold up against rushing attacks.
In addiiton to the defensive line I've got to see that Luke Reimer and Nick Henrich can make plays behind the line of scrimmage too. I like both players quite a bit, but 200+ tackles and only 9.5 tackles for a loss is a little disappointing.
I'm actually pretty good with the secondary which is saying a ton given the losses sustained there.
Over on the offensive side of the ball only tight end isn't in flux. That's not exactly a selling point for a team that's not likely to have a dominant defense. Nor can I just assume Mark Whipple is going to have Casey Thompson humming the ball all over the yard. It took Kenny Pickett three seasons and an all-world receiver to breakout into the type of player he was in 2021. Thompson has to do it in a much shorter time frame with no Jordan Addison.
This, of course, assumes it is Thompson over Chubba Purdy.
The receivers are interesting, but for as much excitement as there seems to be about Trey Palmer, he's got to prove he's a top option at receiver. I'm probably irationally high on Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda, but he's been a workhorse before and I think he ends up Nebraska's best receiver. Marcus Washington was fine at Texas. Not sure what he'll be in Lincoln but he's going to get to play. Oliver Martin and Omar Manning are Nebraska's best holdovers. Alante Brown still has less career yards than Marcus Fleming but I'm excited about him. Freshmen Decoldest Crawford and Janiran Bonner are possibly ahead of three guys who've been in college longer.
Travis Vokolek could end up being the most dependable person in this offense. He's also never had 200 yards receiving in a season or 20 catches. And there's nothing proven behind him, though I'm excited about some AJ Rollins action.
At running back I like a lot of individual pieces. I like what Rahmir Johnson can be if used correctly. I like his toughness. I think Nebraska's offense needs to feed off his personality. Fearless. We'll see how it falls out and what Johnson does relative to Anthony Grant, who had a strong spring and has a good pedigree. I expect Ajay Allen plays this season.
The offensive line has a lot of talent. If Bryce Benhart can be average to above average it'd help give them an ideal lineup that puts Corcoran at guard. I don't know what Donovan Raiola brings as an assistant. Frost can’t stop talking about his attitude. We'll see if anything looks different and I suspect we'll know by the end of the North Dakota game if there was anything in those comments or if it was something to sell about a guy who's never coached at this level.
Special teams should be better by virtue of getting some guys who are competent and battle tested. I like where things are going with both return and coverage as well.
Honestly if this was the first or even the second season under Scott Frost I'd be on here saying the arrow is pointing up. However it's the fifth. And a lot has to work for there to be a sixth.
To recap: The run defense has to improve, the pass defense has to stay steady, Nebraska has to create turnovers or defensive pressure to get off the field and neither has been a strong point so far AND this is a new scheme. On offense the Huskers have to come together quickly under an altered system with new pieces everywhere and needs to do this in a short time frame. Northwestern might have stunk in 2021, but that's still a Power Five defense and a coach known for toughness waiting in Ireland. Nebraska doesn't get a chance to ease in really and a stubbed toe in Europe will tank whatever mental toughness Nebraska players have built.
Lastly until further notice Nebraska takes a hit every week in the head coaching department. Frost has tinkered and tinkered but he hasn't found the blueprint he needs for success against these teams. This is where the changed coaching staff could really help IF Frost actually allows and IF they can make the adjustments to do so with the roster they have.
I don't think 6-6 is an unreasonable position given all the change, all the uncertainty and the cloud that hangs over this team. For Nebraska to get to 6-6 it has to do things it's never done, like win multiple conference games, be able to win on the road, win three games in a row.
There's no Crystal Ball. You can ask Scott Frost, Turd Alberts or Madam Rue on 34th and Vine and no one actually knows. But for this to work a lot that hasn't happened before has to break just right. It can. But I'm not expecting it.
