LINCOLN, Neb.—Nebraska coach Bo Pelini’s rebuilding job at Nebraska isn’t done, but it appears the foundation is set after four straight wins to finish the season, including the gritty Gator Bowl victory over Clemson.
The Cornhuskers’ 9-4 record in Pelini’s first season marked a four-win improvement over the final year of the Bill Callahan regime.
“Now we just have to keep it going and pick up that torch that the seniors left and keep running with it,” Pelini said.
If the Huskers can find a capable replacement for quarterback Joe Ganz, they’ll be positioned to continue their rise in the Big 12. They’ll go into the spring also needing to develop a couple new starters on the right side of the offensive line and a big-play receiver or two and to shore up some spots on defense.
The offense will return six players who started the 26-21 Gator Bowl win, and the defense will bring back seven if star lineman Ndamukong Suh follows through with his plan to forgo the NFL draft.
The schedule toughens in 2009. All four nonconference opponents, including three from the Sun Belt Conference, finished .500 or better.
The Huskers open against Motor City Bowl winner Florida Atlantic (7-6), then play Louisiana-Lafayette (6-6) before traveling to Atlantic Coast Conference and Orange Bowl champion Virginia Tech (10-4). Tech beat the Huskers 35-30 in Lincoln in September.
Nonconference play wraps up against Arkansas State, which, like Louisiana-Lafayette, wasn’t invited to a bowl even though it was eligible with a 6-6 record.
The Big 12 portion of the schedule has Nebraska playing at Missouri and hosting Texas Tech and Oklahoma.
The positive vibes around the program follow a tumultuous period a year ago when the program was beginning a coaching—and cultural—transition.
Callahan, who had no ties to Nebraska and came from the NFL, brought a pro football mentality that was foreign to the program. Pelini’s first task after four seasons of Callahan was to resurrect the old-school Nebraska way established by Bob Devaney and fostered by Tom Osborne. Pelini welcomed back former players who had been shunned by the previous staff, and he preached passion and work ethic. He also renewed the emphasis on the walk-on program.
The 2008 Huskers were not significantly more talented than in 2007, if at all, but their higher level of effort was apparent, even when they were getting blown out by Missouri and Oklahoma.
Nebraska got off to a 3-3 start but won six of its last seven games and clearly was playing its best football at the end.
“We had a long way to go when we first got together,” Pelini said. “You try to institute a different type of culture, get everybody on the same page, develop trust, build relationships between the players and coaches—which I think is No. 1—and that doesn’t happen overnight.”
Pelini said the turning point of the season was the 37-31 overtime loss at Texas Tech, which was ranked No. 7 at the time. The Huskers outgained the prolific Red Raider offense and held almost a 21-minute advantage in time of possession. The Huskers lost when Jamar Wall intercepted Ganz in overtime.
“When we walked off that field, I don’t think there was a guy in that locker room who didn’t feel like we were a better football team than the team we lost to that day,” Pelini said. “I think at that point, the team started coming together and realized how good we could be.”
Three weeks later the Huskers were hammered 62-28 at Oklahoma to an Oklahoma team that scored at least 58 points in each of its last six games on its way to next week’s meeting with Florida for the national championship.
“There were some bumps along the road, and you’re going to have that, especially the first year together,” Pelini said. “But no one ever panicked, no one ever pointed fingers.”
Patrick Witt and Zac Lee will get first crack at the quarterback job this spring, with Kody Spano also getting a look. Cody Green, an incoming freshman from Dayton, Texas, is enrolled for the spring semester and will be at practice in March.
Roy Helu Jr. and Quentin Castille, who ran for a career-high 125 yards in the Gator Bowl, return at I-back. Mike McNeill and Dreu Young make a solid tandem at tight end, and Menelik Holt, Chris Brooks and Niles Paul will see more opportunities with the departures of receivers Nate Swift and Todd Peterson.
Tackle Mike Smith and guard Keith Williams come back on the left side of the offensive line, and Jacob Hickman returns at center. Marcel Jones is set to replace Lydon Murtha at right tackle and D.J. Jones is in line to take over for Matt Slauson at right guard.
Pierre Allen, Shukree Barfield and Barry Turner, who’ll be coming back from injury, are the top returning defensive ends. If Suh returns—and the big nose tackle said he’s leaning that way—he’ll probably work with Jared Crick on the inside.
Phillip Dillard, who missed the last five games with an ankle injury, returns at middle linebacker and will have Blake Lawrence and Latravis Washington on either side of him. Armando Murillo is the only major contributor in the secondary who will be leaving. Eric Hagg, who made big plays late in the Gator Bowl, is in line to replace him.
The Huskers also bring back strong-legged place-kicker Alex Henery, who aced a game-winning 57-yard field goal against Colorado and made nine straight to end the year. There will, however, be an audition for punter.
“People are excited,” Pelini said. “Our kids are starting to believe and showing how good they are. It’s fun to see.”
———
On the Net:
University of Nebraska-Lincoln athletics:
