Opening games set the tone for process as much as result

I have never been big on a team looking great on opening day (unless they are playing a Top 10-15 team). Let’s face it, getting a group of 18-22 year olds to pick up the offense or defense in fall camp after a summer off etc. Also, the fact they scrimmage each other and not another team makes it hard to get up to “game speed.”

You have to look at the process as much as the result. Remember 2004? Nebraska kicked off the Bill Callahan era with a 56-17 win over Western Illinois but the process was anything but good as the Huskers turned the ball over six times, which was a problem through a 5-6 season. In 2006 and 2007, Nebraska looked smooth in a 49-7 win over Louisiana Tech and 52-9 win over Nevada but had 9-5 and 5-7 records respectively.

We have heard a lot about how players are making each other more accountable on and off the field. Besides head coach Bo Pelini’s persuasive personality and running back Rex Burkhead leading by example, leadership has been lacking. I am interested who steps up on offense and who steps up on defense. Leading by example is great but at some point you need a couple of players that will grab the team by the scruff of the neck.

Untimely penalties and turnovers have prevented the Huskers from making the jump from good to great in the Bo Pelini era. The first place to start is getting the plays in on time, players in the right position and turning the right direction to catch a pass. On defense, that means no misreads by defensive backs leaving a wide receiver running free. That also means wrapup when you tackles as opposed to giving a shoulder block tackle. Oh yes, and no injuries.

On offense, seeing an improved Taylor Martinez as a passer would be nice as well as seeing other weapons besides running back Rex Burkhead emerge. However, it is equally true that receivers need to hang on to the ball and show skills of running after the catch. Of course, the offense’s success also comes down to the offensive line developing cohesiveness.

The Huskers enter their second year of employing a more “up-tempo” offense, which means to run it at its intended purpose, the ball should be snapped off before the play clock even gets under 15 seconds.

On defense, forcing turnovers would definitely be nice, preferably a few forced and recovered fumbles. Those type of takeaways show more desire than interceptions but I won’t turn those down either. It all starts with the pass rush, which the Huskers seldom generated last season.

Linebacker Will Compton has demonstrated more leadership, how does that translate as a player? How much will cornerback Andrew Green improve as a junior? Green was brutal to watch at times early last year but improved markedly in the second half.

 

New DBs coach has some talent to work with

Given that Nebraska football landed its replacement for Corey Raymond as defensive backs coach much sooner than anticipated, the picture for the last line of Husker defense does not look so bad.


Are things perfect? Far from it. When are they? However, given head coach Bo Pelini’s ability to land Tennessee defensive backs coach Terry Joseph, who also has five years of experience as a recruiting coordinator, just a few days after Raymond’s departure, things could be much worse.

What’s nice is that Joseph is not walking into a bare cupboard. Damion Stafford will be a constant at the strong safety spot. There are a number of capable - and experienced - players to compete to play alongside him. P.J. Smith and Courtney Osborne are the first names that come to mind, but I will be curious to see if Corey Cooper remains at safety and makes the most of a chance to compete.



At corner, there is potential but a lot of unknowns. Andrew Green improved as the year went along. He’s the only one fans may be able to count on at corner. Ciante Evans was inconsistent to the end. The coaches moved a wide receiver (Stanley Jean-Baptiste) and now a running back (Braylon Heard) to the spot. That tells me they aren’t in love with the talent there now. Fans can be optimistic about Mohammed Seisay’s ability but he’s a newcomer that must learn quickly. Seisay will be given every chance to make an impact right way because team’s don’t bring in JC transfers just to be a body on the roster.



The X factor is the possible addition of freshman Charles Jackson, who could give the coaches another option. Jackson has the talent to be a game changer at NU and get on field.



I’m hopeful the staff can coach them up, but the team needs a good surprise by Seisay and Jackson to make the secondary good this year. Otherwise, Green is an adequate starter and the Huskers have a huge question mark on the other side.



Last year, the experience was sparse, but there are guys with promise returning this year. The talent level could not do what Raymond wanted them to do. Good coaches are able to adjust to the abilities of their young or undeveloped players to compensate for perceived deficiencies. I’m not a fan of a coach who disparages the players under his command, so I will happily blame some of the problems on Raymond last season.



Hopefully, Joseph can bring aggressiveness that the secondary lacked last season because there were so many receivers running loose. Stafford and Osborne would be the ideal safety tandem. You know Green will man one corner spot; the question becomes who takes the other? Evans was beat more than any other DB last year.


Whether it’s Seisay, Jackson or Jean Baptiste, Nebraska needs one if not two of those guys to elevate their performance because last season the unit’s inexperience really showed. Evans was a disappointment and the defensive line was no better without Jared Crick.

Despite the losses of Crick, linebacker LaVonte David and cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, the 2012 Husker defense is not void of talent but is lacking in terms of impact players.

For what it’s worth, Seisay’s JC coach was quoted as saying Seisay was a better player than Zack Bowman, at that level.


With so many prospects on campus and arriving over the summer, there’s got to be enough players to replace Dennard and compete for the opposite side and third corner.


I was thinking this is similar to the 2003 defensive backfield, which had a new DB coach, a walk-on corner and some young players. Then I realized the young players turned out to be the Daniel Bullocks and Josh Bullocks, who had NFL talent and Fabian Washington, who was a multi-year starter in the NFL.


At the moment, Safety looks like the strongest position, talent and experience. Which is key because good Safeties can make up for a lot.