The second half of the alligatorSports’ preseason top 10 poll begins with our No. 5 team, the Nebraska Huskers.
Last year, Nebraska went 10-4 and came within seconds of winning the Big 12 Championship game against Texas before a trip to the Holiday Bowl.
The most impressive thing about the Huskers in 2009 was their defense, which finished as the No. 1 scoring defense in the nation, allowing just 10.4 points per game.
That defense was anchored by Ndamukong Suh’s pass-rushing , but he was drafted No. 2 overall by the Detroit Lions, leaving a clear void on the line. They also lost safety Larry Asante, who was third on the team in solo tackles (42) and broke up seven passes while intercepting two.
However, the defense does return cornerback Prince Amukamara (41 solo tackles, five interceptions) and defensive linemen Pierre Allen and Jared Crick, which should help the Huskers remain among the nation’s best defenses.
On offense, Nebraska ranked 75th in the nation but returns its leading rusher in Roy Helu Jr. (1,147 yards and 10 touchdowns) and leading receiver in Niles Paul (796 yards and four touchdowns).
Helu will be joined in the backfield by Rex Burkhead, who will be used as a change of pace for the Huskers’ run-heavy offense, but a second receiver will need to emerge.
The biggest question on offense will be whether or not senior quarterback Zac Lee progresses from last year’s up-and-down performance. If he can’t, sophomore Cody Green will be asked to step up.
If Nebraska can pull everything together, Bo Pelini and his team will again be vying for a conference championship, and perhaps even more.
