Nebraska will certainly face more stringent tests throughout the 2009 than the one it faced in Saturday’s 49-3 season-opening route over the Florida Atlantic Owls.
The next game, which is Saturday’s home contest against Arkansas State, might not tell us any more before the rubber truly meets the road one week later on Sept. 19 when Nebraska visits Virginia Tech.
Arkansas State routed Mississippi Valley State 61-0 Saturday but keep in mind it has been 25 years since Jerry Rice suited up at the college game. Then again, Arkansas State went into College Station and upset Texas A&M 18-14 last season, sending the Aggies reeling to a 4-8 season. Plus, College Station is on par with Nebraska as far as tough environments for a visiting club. The Red Wolves lost 35-0 at Alabama, also a hostile environment, later that season.
One game does not a season make but we learned a few things from Saturday and still need to learn.
-- The good news was that the Blackshirts had far fewer assignment busts that plagued them at times last season and also made the Owls settle for a field goal after reaching the Husker 3-yard line. Not recording a sack was a bit disturbing but producing three takeaways was encouraging. Nebraska faced a strong quarterback-receiver combo against Florida State. Arkansas State, meanwhile, will try to be more physical. To be fair, Nebraska was pretty basic in its game-plan Saturday and probably will be this week too before unveiling a few wrinkles for VaTech.
-- The Nebraska offense seems to be in solid shape with Zac Lee at the controls. Lee complete 15-of-22 passes and very easily could have had three more completions if not for dropped passes. Lee looked a little tentative early, which is to be expected from someone making their first Div. I-A but otherwise showed veteran-like poise. However, the question becomes, will he maintain that poise if Nebraska finds itself in a tight game be in this Saturday’s home game or in a hostile road environment?
-- Running back Roy Helu, who carried 16 times for 152 yards and three touchdowns, looks like Lawrence Phillips – minus the disgraceful baggage of course. Another difference too is that Phillips played behind an offensive line that was so good he was often 10 yards into the secondary before even being touched. In Helu’s career, Nebraska has had some good individual linemen but chemistry among that unit is still a work in progress. Point being, Helu is a slasher and can get eight yards when there’s only four.
-- Nebraska’s depth seems a lot better than last season. So much so that the team can probably survive an injury in some spots. Not that we are wishing of course. Don’t be surprised if senior Phillip Dillard is a factor at some point. Dillard slid on the depth chart after falling out of favor with the coaching staff but appears to be back in the staff’s good graces. Nonetheless, since the Husker linebacking unit is chock full of redshirt freshmen and sophomores, those individuals might have bumpy roads at some point.
-- Last season, the Huskers were a largely experienced club in that numerous seniors play key roles, which could be a plus or minus. Plus, because they were experienced but a minus because they were coached a lot of bad habits by the previous coaching staff. This year, the Huskers seem to be taking on a youth movement in that only six seniors are playing significant roles. Again, that can be a plus or minus. The plus side is that the players have potential. The downside, young players will make mistakes you have to live with. Another plus, the coaching staff will groom them their way from the beginning.
-- Speaking of two of those young players, quarterback Cody Green and running back Rex Burkhead got plenty of snaps, most of which were after the Huskers gained control of the game. However, both flashed some serious ability. Could that mean snaps with the game in the balance in the future?
Again, many positives out of the first game, they’ll need to continue.
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