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It’s a new beginning for Nebraska football. Bo Pelini is out, Mike Riley is in, and the 2015 season highly anticipated in Lincoln. The Huskers were off to a Big Red-hot 8-1 start last season but lost three of their last four games. But Husker fans should feel good about the upcoming season under Riley. He was like a kid in a candy store during the Nebraska spring game. During his time at Oregon State, it was difficult to have a two or three-deep roster for spring ball, so the spring game wasn’t a big deal. With the numbers that Nebraska has year in and year out, it will be easier for Riley to execute his coaching philosophy down the road. But right now, the focus is on who will replace whom in the voids on both sides of the ball.
The Husker offense took two big hits this offseason as running back Ameer Abdullah and receiver Kenny Bell were lost to graduation. But the rest of the offense is still pretty much intact. The offensive line returns two leaders in left tackle Alex Lewis and center Paul Thurston. Those two will be essential in getting the run game going as well as protecting veteran quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. The run game will be headed up by junior Terrell Newby. With Thurston and Lewis leading the way, Newby’s transition into the starting role will be made easier, and thus will make an instant impact. At the receiver position, Jordan Westerkamp is back for his senior year and may become the primary target in the Husker offense. De’Mornay Pierson-El will likely see more playing time at receiver as well, along with continuing his duties as a lethal kick and punt returner.
On the defensive side of the ball, replacing All-Big Ten defensive end Randy Gregory is a tall task. The Huskers are also without Zaire Anderson, one of the leading tacklers on the team last season. The good news is that defensive lineman Greg McMullen leads a group of three returning defensive linemen with veteran experience (Maliek Collins and Vincent Valentine). In the secondary, the Huskers lost Corey Cooper and Josh Mitchell to graduation, but junior Nate Gerry led the team with five interceptions last season. He anchors a veteran secondary that will improve as the season progresses.
Nebraska’s non-conference schedule consists of only one road game when the Huskers travel to South Beach to take on the Miami Hurricanes. Other than that, it’s not what you would call a gauntlet. It opens the season with back-to-back home games against BYU and South Alabama. The BYU game could be tricky since Riley suspended five players for that game, though he won’t specify whom. Southern Mississippi comes to town before the Huskers open Big Ten play on the road at Illinois. Nebraska has a little bit of a break in the conference season, as they host two of their toughest opponents at home: Michigan State and Wisconsin. Their toughest road game will be at Minnesota in the middle of October.
Nebraska has bright days ahead with Riley at the helm. But for this season, I see them going 5-3 in the conference with an 8-4 overall record and finishing second in the Big Ten West.
Brooks Hooley is a Junior Big Ten Football writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @brookshooley.
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