SB Nation - Quentin Castille

Should Shawn Watson and Barney Cotton Be Fired?

Jon Johnston — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:03:22 -0000

More photos » by Amy Gutierrez - AP

I know one of our guys is somewhere down at that end of the field.... here goes.....

Before I start, let me note that it's always an easy proposition to suggest firing people, especially when you're not the one that has to pull the trigger. If you've read my writing long enough, you know that I have a weak spot for firing people - I'm not part of the crowd that's constantly asking for someone to be shot in the head. It's too easy a solution, although I admit, a popular one.

I like the Shawn Watson's philosophy of a "multiple offense". I'm not ignorant of the fact that a powerful running attack is part of Nebraska's heritage, but the ability to shift into a spread and use the zone read and spread option plays give us a huge advantage over our opponents - we just didn't execute them well this season.

I disagree with the notion that Nebraska can't recruit skill position players that can run anything other than a power running game. If Bill Callahan could recruit decent quarterbacks (Zac Taylor, Joe Ganz) and receivers (Maurice Purify, Nate Swift), then why can't this staff?

You can write off some of the offensive problems as turnover in players, but only some. Still, the West Coast offense is largely dependent upon timing and that timing has to be developed between a quarterback and his receivers. We knew it would be tough to replace Joe Ganz, Nate Swift, and Todd Peterson, but I don't think anyone could have foreseen the difficulties Watson faced early in the season when the receivers were not performing as well as was needed. Menelik Holt started the first five games, then disappeared along with Curenski Gilleylen and Chris Brooks. Holt had 15 receptions for 175 yards, none after the Iowa State game. Brooks had 13 receptions for 177 yards, but none since Texas Tech when he had five receptions for 66 yards to lead the receivers. Gilleylen had 16 receptions for 299 yards, none after Iowa State.

They were replaced by Khiry Cooper and Brandon Kinnie. Kinnie finished the regular season with 13 receptions for 129 yards, with 12 of those receptions coming after Iowa State. Cooper's receptions were split throughout the season, as he finished with 13 receptions for 80 yards, with seven coming after Iowa State.

The only consistent receiver all season was Niles Paul and even he had problems (turnover at the goal line, Iowa State). Paul finished with 36 catches for 673 yards to lead the receivers, having six receptions against Iowa State and 13 the rest of the season.

That level of turnover doesn't allow a quarterback to develop the much heralded "chemistry" with his receivers. Granted, Lee's accuracy didn't seem to improve over the season, so you could argue it didn't make much difference as to whom he was throwing the ball.

As for Barney Cotton, the offensive line did progress somewhat throughout the season although the offensive output did not. The number of holding calls and false starts dropped as the season went on, and the line was asked to do a lot with defenses stacked against them to stop the run.

Add to that a general lack of depth. Jacob Hickman played well at center, and Ricky Henry started every game at right guard (the position that was unsettled before the season began). Marcel Jones and D.J. Jones played in rotation at right tackle while Mike Smith started every game at left tackle. Derek Meyer started when Keith Williams was injured, then Williams took over the starting left guard position for the final ten games. The loss before the season of Jaivorio Burkes at tackle and incoming freshman Brent Qvale certainly didn't help the depth issue. Off the top of my head, what we didn't see is the level of in-game rotation that we've seen in past seasons. (I"ll look into this more in the off-season.)

I suspect that most people would like to see Cotton fired because of his association with failed coaching regimes of the past (Solich at Nebraska, McCarney at ISU) rather than knowing much about offensive line coaching. In his defense, keep in mind that, other than Ricky Henry, these are still Bill Callahan's offensive linemen (In other words, Callahan's preference for size over speed still plagues the offense).

Going back to Watson, I'm not 100% sure what to think, other than he got hit with a perfect storm this season - a new starting quarterback, inconsistent receivers, and an offensive line that, well, had its problems. Add to these the fact that one quarterback left before the season started (Patrick Witt) while another was lost to injury at the start of the season (Kody Spano). Running back depth was severely hampered by dismissal (Quentin Castille) and injury (Roy Helu, Rex Burkhead).

A counter argument would point out that every team has to deal with injuries and then list all of the teams that did well despite them. For that, I have a response: Oklahoma.

The biggest problem with firing a coach, especially an offensive coordinator, is that you're going to throw away a year while the new guy implements his system. The counter argument here (I assume) is to bring in someone who runs a much simpler offense, so easy that you and I and a trained monkey can run it. Or perhaps magic happens and everyone instantaneously learns the new offense by having chips implanted in their brains or something like that. (If you're voting for a simplified offense, I vote for Texas Tech's then, because they replace quarterbacks and receivers year after year and seem to get the same fantastic results.)

So, give me your answer to the title question. Does one of these guys need to answer for this season? Or maybe both?

Blogpoll Roundtable #1 - Sleepers, Statement Games, and Spending Money.

Jon Johnston — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 03:43:22 -0000

Corn Nation participates in the CBS Sports Blogpoll, and part of the responsibility of the Blogpoll is participating in roundtables with the other voters. Some may take these serious, but it's darned hard to be serious about every question that gets asked, otherwise you end up sounding like Dennis Dodd and get on your high horse every time someone farts too loudly.

So - some is seriousness, some is not. I'll leave you to determine the difference.

1. Without naming names, a few teams seem to have popped up frequently on everyone's "overrated" lists in the preseason, so let's forget about them for the moment and concentrate on a different group: sleepers. Which currently unheralded team are you currently putting at least a few of your chips behind in the hopes that you'll be able to say "totally called that" once they've accomplished big things by the end of the season?

Baylor. Baylor will be better than everyone thinks, beating either Texas, Oklahoma, or Oklahoma State and taking them out of the national title picture. The Cowboys would be the most likely victim given their consistent state of ‘nearly being there'. If Baylor wins five games this year, does that qualify?

Clemson, much like Oklahoma State, everyone's annual 'sleeper' team. Both schools feature classes in 'failing to meet expectations' as part of project management study.

I keep seeing the Colorado Buffaloes as a sleeper, mostly because the Big 12 North is a wide-open race between four teams, but if Colorado becomes that sleeper team I'll be very upset and will be force to disclaim every decent thing I've ever said about them. With this paragraph, that'll be two.

Speaking of sleepers, I'm trying to write this while ESPNU is talking to every coach in the nation on their college preview. It's as exciting as watching the Public Service Announcement channel, and it's killing me. I can't wait for the Bill Snyder segment, perhaps it'll kill me and provide a release from the pain.

2. In a similar vein, pick a sleeper player on your team whom nobody's talking about right now and tell us why we will be talking about them by December.

Everybody's talking about Nebraska's loss of Quentin Castille, but nobody outside Nebraska and Plano, Texas is talking about Rex Burkhead. Burkhead is a true freshman who's already worked his way up to number two on the depth chart at I-back behind Roy Helu Jr. Burkhead will be the next guy who makes plays in every position, and by his sophomore year he'll be being talked about for the Hesiman.

Rex Burkhead - Kryptonite is a myth. Superman is not.

3. Florida is about as big a consensus favorite as we've seen in recent years, but remember, USC got 62 out of 65 first-place votes in the AP's 2007 preseason poll and still managed to lose to Stanford. Given how difficult it is to go undefeated period these days, where do you think the Gators are most likely to stumble in the regular season?

There aren't a lot of options on the schedule with the exception of the SEC title game, which is why people are favoring the Gators to repeat as national champs. SEC schools have the advantage in that they can lose a game in the regular season, win the conference title game and still make the BCS National Title game. It's not fair, but it's true. It's also why the rest of us hate the SEC.

However, stumble the Gators will, as it's rare to repeat. The stumbling will come when Tim Tebow gets injured, the offense loses their identity, the media is forced to talk about someone else from Florida, confusing everyone including the Gators. They then lose to Vanderbilt.

4. Which regular-season game not involving your team or conference are you most looking forward to this year?

If anyone outside the Big 12 doesn't say Texas - Oklahoma, they need to be shot. Otherwise, it's a toss up between the Alabama - Virginia Tech or USC - Ohio State. Both games have national title implications. The first will feature two defensive teams who beat each other up on their way to a thrilling 10-7 finish, something you don't see so often anymore so it'd be a refreshing change of pace.

Another great change of pace would be Ohio State beating USC early in the season because it would make the Big 10 relevant once again. Would that be so bad? It's not that I have some hidden love for these people, especially Ohio State, but at least they had the guts to schedule a big game in non-conference, unlike, say, Texas.

There's a benefit to having the Big 10 be relevant, the biggest one being that we'd hear less about the mid-major conferences that don't belong in the BCS. Instead, we'd hear more about big schools with big stadiums that feature big games between teams that don't run as fast as they do in the South or the West. That'd make for a fun season, eh?

5. In honor of Georgia's opening-weekend opponent and their most prolific booster, let's say you somehow come into T. Boone Pickens money and can buy anything you want for your program -- facilities upgrades, an airplane for recruiting, buy out the contract of that coach you hate, you name it. Where does your first check go?

I'd build a big fake city right in the middle of Nebraska. Expand Kearney about ten times it's normal size so all those people flying over the state would look down and wonder what the hell was going on. I'd buy up all the newspapers and have them write articles about how Nebraskans are breeding like bunnies just to increase the population and create more football players. At the same time, I'd put together a enormous dummy army like the Allies did to fake out the Germans about the Normandy invasion, and I'd put it around the Nebraska - Colorado border. Both states would benefit as all the hippies in Colorado freak out and start moving back to their native states where they belong.

Hippies Won't Know the Difference And No One Else Will Tell Them.

Oh, was this supposed to be about football?

Well, then, I'd heavily increase funding for genetics research at the University of Nebraska. I'd have them figure out to breed giant, super-human freaks so we could run the football on every play, win every game, and irritate the entire nation by making them watch us win five national titles in a row. Hey, maybe I'll do that anyway.

Countdown to Husker Football Season: #7 - Dale Klein Boots Seven Field Goals In A Game, October 19, 1985

Jon Johnston — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 19:59:01 -0000

Yesterday was not a good day for me, so #8 never got posted. #8 was, of course, the good ol' Big Eight conference. Oh, how we miss thee. Not really - the only thing that's missing is the annual game with Oklahoma - a big deal considering most Husker fans believe we no longer have a rivalry game. But what do you think would have happened to the Big Eight teams if they had not joined with the Texas half of the old Southwest Conference and formed the Big 12.

We'd be nothing more than mid-majors now. That's a fact.

Today is lucky number seven - ONE WEEK away from Husker football season! W00T!

Scott Frost was #7 - but he's not the seven I chose. Instead, I'm going with the school record for the number of field goals in a game, set by Dale Klein in a win over Missouri on October 19, 1985.

The Tigers were winless at 0-5 and on a nine-game winless streak as the Huskers came into Columbia. Nebraska had lost the home opener to Florida State 17-13, but had since been on a tear, squashing their next three opponents and then beating fifth-ranked Oklahoma State 34-24. There was nothing to indicate that Mizzou would put up a fight.

Kicker Dale Klein had only kicked six field goals in his career going into the game, yet he tied a NCAA record by kicking five in the first half. The Husker offense could score only one touchdown but due to Klein's kicking escaped an upset, embarrassment, and left with a 28-20 victory. Klein's five field goals in a half stands as a NCAA record, as does his seven for the game, tied with Mike Prindle of Western Michigan who made seven in a game against Marshall in 1984.

I remember my hometown newspaper editor writing an editorial stating that if that was how the Huskers had to win games, it'd be better if they'd not win them at all. Four of the seven field goals were over forty yards - maybe that old dolt should have tried to kick a 20 yarder without a rush just to get an idea of how hard it might be.

Someone asked me during a radio interview a couple of weeks ago what kind of a weapon I thought Alex Henery would be this coming season. My first thought was that it would be best if Henery's services weren't used very often, but given the injury to Kody Spano and the dismissal of Quentin Castille, it's best not to get too cocky about the Husker offense.

Alex Henery's accuracy does get Nebraska a nice weapon on special teams. I've stated previously my belief that this year's Husker team could resemble Virginia Tech - so we're potentially going to face a number of very tight games.

This season the Huskers offense won't be manhandling their opponents, but our defense should keep us in every game. Should one or two come down to seven field goals, five or more in a half, I'm not going to complain about it too much.

A win is a win, just the same as it was in Missouri nearly 24 years ago, and the Huskers are going to have to get them any way they can.

Dennis Dodd's Nebraska Cheap Shot - Let's Not Kid Ourselves About Media Standards

Jon Johnston — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:33:12 -0000

As a Husker fan, you had to know this was coming, the only question was from where. That question has been answered now, as CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd takes a shot at the latest Husker misfortunes:

Meanwhile at Nebraska, backup tailback Quentin Castille has been kicked off the team for a violation of team rules. That news came on the same day that former tailback Thunder Collins was convicted of murder.

Some quick research showed that there was a small window there in the late 90s when Nebraska actually didn't have a future inmate at tailback. Lawrence Phillips last played in 1995. Collins arrived in 2000. Things are getting better. It took until 2009 for Castille to smoke/drink/flunk (pick one or all) his way off the team.

(I'm going to be nice and not mention that Collins and Phillips were both convicted this month, roughly within two weeks of each other. What serendipity.)

Forget that Dodd has to go back 14 years for his cheap shot - only a flippant boob would compare Collins' murder conviction and Phillips' felony conviction with Quentin Castille getting thrown off the team because of a violation of Bo Pelini's rules. Compare this to the way Husker Mike handled the news about Collins' conviction - with the recognition that murder isn't something you joke about.

But wait, I get it, it's okay because it's (hyuk) on Dodd's blog and that's where flippant boob things are supposed to go. In case you're wondering about the format between "blog" and "article", I'll offer an explanation just to make things clear. The "blog" is where media types like Dodd get down in the internet goo with the rest of us, sometimes taking their pot shots, while the "article" is where they get on their high horse and take shots AT us, just like Dodd did a couple of weeks ago when he got all up in the air about Clay Travis asking Tim Tebow whether or not he was saving himself for marriage.

If you're detecting a double standard at work here, you'd be only partially right. Go a step further and realize - there's no standard for credentialed media. They get to be as dirty as they accuse bloggers of being, shower, put on their white robe and then glare down from on high as if they're guarding the gates of the kingdom against an unwashed mass of blubbery men living in their mother's basements and writing in their underwear (actually I look like Tom Selleck in the 80s, if you're someone who visualizes this stuff, eh?)

I've stayed away from criticizing sportswriters I don't care for because I see it as a no-win situation. The links only bring more traffic to their site, along with more comments and the two combine to keep them employed. I learned this lesson years ago from a friend at the Daily Nebraskan who, with his writing, pissed off the entire greek community in Lincoln. When told of how angry the fraternity boys were, he merely remarked "Great! Now more people will read my articles!"

Nebraska media folks rarely write anything negative, whether about the Huskers or other teams. Entering into the fourth year here at Corn Nation I've concluded the reason being that most Husker fans don't really like or want that kind of writing with regards to their football coverage. Given that the regular media has to earn a living at this, it's understandable that they're driven in the direction they are.

We are not driven by the same requirements here which gives us more freedom than the regular guys. I'm not going to turn this place into some pot-shot taking free-for-all, but I'm not going to stand on the sidelines anymore either. Next time an ass like Dodd takes a lazily-written pot shot at Nebraska or Husker football, we'll have some fun with them.

Monday Buff Bites - Waiting On the University to Confirm Simmons' Clearance

irish1611 — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:34:20 -0000

Report: CU's Simmons cleared to play - The Denver Post
All that remains to guarantee WR Andre Simmons has qualified and is cleared to play for the Buffs this season should come tomorrow when the Buffs return to the practice field. Kyle Ringo of the Daily Camera confirmed this morning that Simmons has indeed been cleared to play this year but Dave Plati of the CU sports information department would not confirm the report from Ringo. The guess is the news will be made official from the University tomorrow when the Buffs resume practice at 4:30 pm . Stay tuned

Colorado spokesman David Plati said the athletic department would not confirm the report but said an announcement could come as early as Tuesday. Players had off on Monday, the first day of classes. Practices resume Tuesday. "Until he is approved and full go, we cannot say anything," Plati said Monday. "Hopefully, (an announcement) will be sooner than later."

Buffs Commit Mister Jones Video - Channel 7 Denver
Great piece on Mister Jones from channel 7 Denver, talking about his name, his family life and why he chose the Buffs. Check it out!

Decisions on future of CU-CSU series likely soon - Rocky Mountain Independent
The Rocky Mountain Independent says expect a decision to play the CU-CSU series in Denver next Monday at the Denver Metro Sports Commission luncheon. With over 5,000 tickets remaining unsold for the game in Folsom right now, the argument for the game to be played in Denver is even stronger.

The biggest indicator that the CU-CSU series will return to Denver in 2011 at the latest is a CU official’s comment this weekend that an announcement is hoped for during the Aug. 31 Denver Metro Sports Commission luncheon. The DMSA essentially puts on the game, and the luncheon seems an odd place to announce that the game is not coming back to Invesco.

Right recipe for Buffaloes Versatile Nate Solder figures large in CU’s seasonal mix - The Longmont Times-Call
Offensive line coach Denver Johnson calls Nate Solder the most God-gifted guy he has ever coached:

Guys like Nate Solder don’t come around very often. In Denver Johnson’s eyes, they come along perhaps only once. "He’s really the most God-gifted guy I’ve ever coached — just really gifted with ability," said the new Colorado offensive line coach — who has 12 years of college coaching experience — about Solder.

Three-point stance: Patience in Ann Arbor - College Football Nation - ESPN

3. Observations from the new AP poll. Florida gets a record vote for No. 1, which means the Gators won't finish there. The Big Ten has three teams in the Top 25, same as the Pac-10 and the Mountain West. However, that's three more teams than the Big East. Nearly half of the FBS population (54 of 120) received at least one 25th-place vote. The biggest surprise? Colorado, a legit Big 12 North dark horse, got no votes, as in one fewer than Troy.

Give me Kansas in the North after Castille's abrupt departure - Big 12 - ESPN
Tim Griffin now thinks Kansas will win the Big 12 North after former Nebraska running back Quentin Castille was kicked off the team by Bo Pelini last week.

Los Gatos quarterback Nick Hirschman gearing up for big season | After School
A little blurb about 2010 Buff commit, QB Nick Hirschman.

Countdown to Husker Football Season: #12 - The Grace Of Turner Gill

Jon Johnston — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:17:20 -0000

I've been run over by a flu bug since posting the article about Quentin Castille, hence missing the postings on #14 and #13, which were, respectively two other quarterbacks, #14 Jerry Tagge and #13 Zac Taylor.

Coming in at #12 as we continue our countdown to the 2009 Husker football season is my favorite Husker player of all time - Turner Gill. Perhaps I was influenced by the fact that I saw him play live during my tenure at Nebraska, or perhaps it's the fact that I've heard heard Gill speak an ill word of others, nor heard an ill word said about him as well.

He never won a national title as a quarterback (oh, but for a two-point conversion), but Gill ran Tom Osborne's offense with a beauty and grace that has yet to be repeated. He had a 28-2 record as a starter, and was 20-0 against the rest of the Big Eight.

Gill did win national titles as an assistant coach, serving as the quarterbacks coach from 1992-2004, while tutoring greats Tommie Frazier, Scott Frost and Heisman winner Eric Crouch.

I believe that Gill will be a tough act to follow for some time to come - who's your favorite all-time Husker and why?

Husker’s Quentin Castille Dismissed - What Does it Mean to the Offense?

Jon Johnston — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 21:09:02 -0000

More photos » by STEVE POPE - ASSOCIATED PRESS

Nebraska's Quentin Castille was dismissed by Bo Pelini from the team today after a "clear violation of team rules". No further explanation was given. He will be tough to replace.

Browse more photos »

Earlier today, running back Quentin Castille was dismissed from the Nebraska football team for a "clear violation of team rules", and whatever that means, doesn't matter now. I'm sure many Husker fans will have that same attitude towards the situation - that it doesn't matter and that another back will step up and take Castille's place. Human beings, especially football fans in August, are good at rationalization, if nothing else.

And perhaps that's not a bad attitude to have - after all, that's what's going to have to happen if the Huskers are going to proceed to their goal of winning the Big 12 North and having a shot at the Big 12 title. Sad fact is, Castille will be hard to replace. He came of age in last year's Gator Bowl against Clemson and showed that he could be a starter. This season he would have been a great complement to Roy Helu Jr, providing a bigger, more powerful back to Helu's breakaway speed.

With Castille gone, Helu is clearly the number one guy. He has an incredible amount of potential and showed it late last season, as we pointed our in our SB Nation Nebraska team capsule. The downside to Helu is the injury factor. He struggled with injuries early last season, and again during spring ball when he had a hamstring injury. He's sat out part of fall camp.

This leaves the Huskers with the need to find at least two running backs who are going to have to step up. The candidates are:

Rex Burkhead - true freshman - nicknamed "Superman" in high school because of his playmaking and his versatility. Bo Pelini stated Saturday that Burkhead had moved into the number two position behind Helu.
Lester Ward - redshirt freshman - good size and speed, more athleticism than Okafor with a good set of hands. More of a breakaway threat than Okafor.
Collins Okafor - redshirt freshman - probably more in the mold of Castille, a powerful running back with a straight North-South running style than Ward.
Austin Jones - walk on sophomore - looked decent in the past two spring games, but is most likely at the bottom of the depth chart at running back.
Dontrayevous Robinson - true freshman - another back in the power mold, again more like Castille than Helu.

The bad news - all of these guys have yet to take a snap in a college game. No one knows what they're capable of, nor how they'll react to playing in front of 80,000 people. That fact alone makes it wishful thinking that Castille will be easily replaced.

The good news is that we start with two home games against Sun Belt teams. The first of those teams, Florida Atlantic, has had a tough time defending against the run the past several seasons and this year should be no different.

The Huskers were faced with replacing a record-setting quarterback, the all-time reception leader, the right side of the line, and another receiver who was a major part of the 2008 offense. Now we're faced with replacing a talented, experienced running back. That's a pretty steep hill to climb.

Earlier this year, I pointed out that 2009 Nebraska might resemble Virginia Tech. With Castille's dismissal, that prediction looms even larger. If the Huskers are to win the Big 12 North, it will have to up to the defense to create more turnovers and score non-offensive touchdowns. It's a distinct possibility, given last season's low turnover output and Pelini's progression with the defense.

That's the "safe" way to look at the upcoming season. Makes me feel better just thinking about it.

SB Nation 2009 Big 12 Preview: Nebraska Cornhuskers Team Capsule

Jon Johnston — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 02:32:52 -0000

The SB Nation Big 12 preview will post on Friday at The Ralphie Report. The following is the Nebraska team capsule for the conference-wide preview piece in conjunction with CBS Sports.

Expect the Blackshirt defense to be much improved in Bo Pelini's season. They should carry Nebraska to a Big 12 North win this season. Photo by Dennis Hubbard

The Outlook

Anything less than winning the Big 12 North will be a disappointment. The success of the 2009 Husker offense will depend on Nebraska establishing a firm ground attack, providing time for Lee and the receiving corps to develop into a balanced attack. If the Huskers find themselves one-dimensional, they'll have to rely on their defense to carry them to the Big 12 Championship game, but the margin for error will be very thin.

Offense

In 2009, the offense begins with I-backs Roy Helu Jr. and Quentin Castille. In 2008, Helu was bothered by a shoulder injury at the start of the season, but emerged as a star in November, rushing for 510 yards and five touchdowns in the final four games. For the season, he averaged 6.4 yards per carry, which is the highest of any returning back in the North division. Castille was the third back most of the season, but rushed for 125 yards in the Gator Bowl.

Replacing Joe Ganz at quarterback will be junior Zac Lee. Lee, who played sparingly last season, might be Nebraska's most talented quarterback since Eric Crouch. At San Francisco City College in 2006, Lee threw for over 3400 yards and 35 touchdowns. Lee is mobile as well, with 4.6 speed.

Nebraska's top returning receiver is tight end Mike McNeill, who'll probably be the best tight end in the conference not named Jermaine Gresham. Menelik Holt and Niles Paul look to be the top two wide receivers in 2009. Holt was hampered by a knee injury that caused him to miss most of four games last season. Paul's biggest contributions to date have been on kick returns, with an 85 yard touchdown return against San Jose State last season. A group of inexperienced but talented receivers will fight for playing time and to fill out the remaining positions.

Three starters return up front, including honorable mention all-Big XII center Jacob Hickman, who may move to guard this season. Juniors Keith Williams and Mike Smith return to anchor the left side of the line. If Hickman moves to right guard, sophomore Mike Caputo will take over at center. Other candidates for the right side include tackle Marcel Jones and guards D.J. Jones and Ricky Henry.

Defense

The defense is lead by pre-season All-American defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who is also a top-ten NFL draft prospect. The defense will be dependent upon Suh to make plays or occupy enough blockers to make them better. Expect sophomore Jared Crick to start alongside Suh, with redshirt freshman Baker Steinkuhler in the rotation.

Defensive end Barry Turner returns this season after breaking his leg in early 2008. Pierre Allen did an excellent job filling in his position last season. Between Suh, Crick, Turner and Allen, Nebraska's defensive line should be one of the best in the conference this season.

At linebacker, no fewer than ten players are fighting for three starting positions. Phillip Dillard returns as the most experienced of the bunch, but after a lackluster spring must fight his way back into the starting rotation. Pelini has so far refused to name starters to keep the competition going, but you could expect redshirt freshmen Will Compton and Sean Fisher to win some starts, along with sophomore Matthew May.

The secondary returns with much more depth than the previous season. Prince Amukamara and Anthony West return as starters at the corners. Anthony Blue returns after sitting out 2008 with a knee injury. Lance Thorrell should reprise his role in the dime package. Larry Asante is the top returning starter at safety, and should make the All-Big 12 list by the end of the season. Eric Hagg should keep his spot as the other starting safety, splitting time with Matt O'Hanlon. Rickey Thenarse must have a good fall camp to fight off redshirt freshmen Courtney Osborne and P.J. Smith. The defensive secondary had too many break downs last season, but that should be much improved this year.

In a single season, Bo Pelini turned around a defense that finished near the bottom of the nation in several categories, and had them playing well enough to finish as one of the top defenses in the Big 12 by season's end. With a year of understanding Pelini's system behind them, expect the Blackshirt defense to become the bright spot for Husker fans this season.

Special Teams

Alex Henery returns as one of the most accurate kickers in the nation. In 2008, Henery went 18-21 in field goals and made 56 of 57 PATs. The Huskers will have to replace holder Jake Wesch and long snapper T.J. O'Leary, who have handled those duties over the past three seasons.

Kickoff specialist Adi Kunalic returns after finishing fifth the nation in touchbacks last season, giving the Huskers a formidable weapon in the kicking game. Henery may pull double duty and handle punting duty, a task for which he was originally recruited.

Nate Swift was the team's primary punter last season and must be replaced after having moved on this season. Niles Paul showed some promise returning punts, and should be more consistent this season. Newcomers Rex Burkhead and Antonio Bell will be considered as will redshirt freshman Tim Marlowe.

Niles Paul looks likely to replay his role as a kick returner after having a decent year in 2008. Two of the top five plays last season were Paul kick returns, including a 85-yard touchdown return against San Jose State. Alfonzo Dennard was one of only three true freshman to play last season and should handle return duties again this season. Sophomore Curenski Gilleylen and newcomers Burkhead and Antonio Bell may get their chance as well.

Kickoff coverage must get better as Nebraska finished 105th in the nation in last season. Watch for Bo Pelini to include some talented newcomers to the coverage team this season as the Huskers look for every edge possible to win the Big 12 North.

Key Losses

Joe Ganz, QB - The former bench warmer that nobody believed in until Sam Keller injured his collarbone. He came in and promptly put up three straight 400 yard games and showed a gritty resolve that endeared him to Husker fans. He leaves after setting 23 school records, including season records for passing yardage.

Nate Swift, WR - Departs as the Huskers record holder for career receptions, and ranks second for yards receiving all-time. Some might consider him a "possession" receiver, but he also had decent speed. In his senior season, he ranked 2nd in the Big XII and eighth nationally in punt returns.

Todd Peterson, WR - Along with Swift, gave Joe Ganz two dependable receivers. The pair combined for 125 receptions and over 1,700 yards.

Marlon Lucky, IB - The former five-star recruit never quite lived up to the hype from his high school days, but was a versatile weapon in all facets of the passing game.

Matt Slauson, OL - The anchor of the Husker offensive line the last few years, Slauson was drafted in the 6th round by the New York Jets, where he'll be reunited with Jets offensive line coach Bill Callahan.

Lydon Murtha, OL - Murtha was an enigma for the Huskers, as he had all of the measurables to be an impressive offensive line prospect, but never developed the consistency to be that dominant lineman that some projected. The Detroit Lions were impressed enough to take him in the seventh round of the NFL draft.

Zach Potter, DE - Potter became a dominant end in his final two seasons, showing a knack for deflecting passes and kicks. Last season, he blocked three kicks and deflected two passes to Ndamukong Suh, who returned both for touchdowns.

Ty Steinkuhler, DT - Steinkuhler was a bit of an unsung hero until the Gator Bowl last season. His presence prevented offenses from double-teaming Ndamukong Suh, as Clemson quickly learned.

Armando Murillo, CB - Nebraska's lone loss in the secondary, he was the Huskers most consistent performer in the secondary.

Dan Titchener, P - Three year starter who averaged 39.9 yards per punt in his career.

Newcomers

Pelini has already shown his penchant for retaining redshirts, so you shouldn't expect to see a lot of brand new faces this year.

Baker Steinkuhler, DT - Another Steinkuhler, the departing Ty's little brother. Should see plenty of playing time this season.

Will Compton, LB - the most likely middle linebacker of the future for the Blackshirt defense.

Sean Fisher, LB - having a break-out fall camp, should be expected to get a lot of starts this season.

Rex Burkhead, RB/KR/PR/? - Burkhead was a ‘do everything' guy in in high school, playing running back, quarterback, receiver, returning punts and kicks, along with taking out the trash. Truly a versatile player, probably too skilled to remain on the sideline this season as a true freshman.

Antonio Bell & Brandon Kinnie, WR - A pair of young wide receivers that should make some contributions and break into the starting rotation by the end of the season.

Big 12 Projected Order Of Finish:

North

Nebraska
Kansas
Colorado
Missouri
Iowa State
Kansas State

South
Oklahoma
Texas
Oklahoma State
Texas Tech
Baylor
Texas A&M

2009 Opponent Previews

Atlantic Owls
Arkansas St. Red Wolves
Virginia Tech Hokies
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns
Missouri Tigers
Texas Tech Red Raiders owa St. Cyclones
Baylor Bears
Oklahoma Sooners
Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas St. Wildcats
Colorado Buffaloes

Countdown to Husker Football Season: #19 - Quentin Castille Will Pack A Big Load This Season

Jon Johnston — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:52:45 -0000

#19 comes to you by way of our ‘backup' running back - Quentin Castille. Castille enters his junior season having already played quite a bit during his first two seasons. As a sophomore last season he was the third-leading rusher behind Roy Helu Jr and Marlon Lucky. As a freshman, Castille was the second-leading rusher behind Marlon Lucky.

With the 2009 Huskers starting a new quarterback, you can bet that Castille will be a huge part of every game plan going into this season. It is imperative that Nebraska establish a strong running game early in the season, and Castille provides a perfect complement to starting running back Roy Helu Jr. Castille does not have Helu's break-away speed, as is evident in the video on the next page, but he is a more powerful back than Helu and hasn't had issues with injuries.

After the jump - the video may take a while to load - which is why it's not on the main page.

Castille has progressed significantly over the past two seasons - when he arrived at Nebraska he was primarily seen (and used) as a power back for goal line and short yardage situations. He proved himself capable of being a featured back when he took over full-time duties in last year's Gator Bowl against Clemson after both Marlon Lucky and Roy Helu were sidelined due to injury. Castille's two long runs of 58 and 40 yards were responsible for setting up ten of the Husker's points in the 26-21 come from behind win. His 20-yard pass reception came on a third and long play - Joe Ganz found Castille as a check down receiver, and Castille did the rest to pick up the first down. Those three plays alone show how far Castille has progressed as a back.

The greatest thing about Castille is that he's the backup. The fact that the Huskers have a backup who has two seasons left and has shown the abilities that he has bodes well for the running game this coming season.

(Clips were taken from last season's Gator Bowl DVD as part of the 2008 season package from bestofbigred.com. Clips require the Quicktime plug in.)

I look for great things from Castille this season. He's consistently improved his game, become a complete back, and shown the toughness required for his position. I have a hunch that he'll have a better season than Helu. I'm curious as to whether CN readers care to make any predictions about his 2009 season.....?

Texas Tech Opponent Prospectus // Nebraska Cornhuskers

Seth C — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:00:10 -0000

2009 Texas Tech Opponent Prospectus

Game 1: North Dakota Fighting Sioux // Game 2: Rice Owls // Game 3: Texas Longhorns // Game 4: Houston Cougars // Game 5: New Mexico Lobos // Game 6: Kansas State Wildcats // Game 7: Nebraska Cornhuskers

The Cornhuskers are in year two of the Bo Pelini experience and from all accounts, Nebraska appears to be headed on the right path. Most are picking Nebraska to win the Big 12 North, which would be an impressive feat for just about anyone in their second year rebuilding a program. I can't say that I followed the Nebraska program as close as others, but from all accounts, Bill Callahan left the Nebraska program in shambles and Pelini has done an excellent job of getting back to "Nebraska football" which I think is great for the Big 12.

Join me after the jump for a closer look at Nebraska.

General Information

Opponent	University of Nebraska
Nickname	Cornhuskers
Location	Lincoln, NB
Enrollment	17,371 (Undergraduates)
Conference	Big 12
Head Coach	Bo Pelini
2008 Record	9-4 (5-3)
Starters Returning/Lost	13/9
Blogs	Corn Nation Big Red Network Double Extra Point
Links	2009 Roster 2009 Spring Fan Guide

Statistics


Statistic	Nebraska	Texas Tech
Pass Offense	281.00 (15)	413.15 (1)
Rush Offense	169.77 (37)	117.84 (94)
Total Offense	450.77 (12)	531.00 (4)
Scoring Offense	35.38 (17)	43.77 (3)
Pass Efficiency	154.46 (15)	158.76 (9)
Sacks Allowed	1.62 (43)	1.00 (4)
Pass Defense	233.38 (89)	242.23 (94)
Rush Defense	116.46 (21)	140.38 (61)
Total Defense	349.85 (55)	382.62 (79)
Scoring Defense	28.54 (80)	27.85 (74)
Pass Efficiency Defense	133.95 (82)	130.56 (72)
Sacks	2.69 (14)	2.62 (18)
Tackles For Loss	6.31 (40)	4.85 (95)
Turnover Margin	-0.85 (107)	0.62 (22)

Top Returners

Category	Player
Rushing	Roy Helu, Jr. (125 / 803 yds / 7 TD)
Passing	Zac Lee (1-2 / 5 yds / 0 TD / 0 Int)
Receiving	Mike McNeill (632 rec. / 442 yds / 6 TD)
Tackles	Ndamukong Suh (76)
Sacks	Ndamukong Suh (7.5)
Interceptions	Ndamukong Suh and Anthony West(2)

A Few Things

Quarterbacking: It's not a stretch to say that there's not a ton of experience at the quarterback position. It appears that Zac Lee is going to be the starting in 2009 and I think it's safe to say that two passes does not constitute a lot of time on the field. That certainly doesn't mean that Lee can't play, but rather, Nebraska is one of a few Big 12 North teams (Missouri and Kansas State off the top of my head) replacing a quarterback this year. Lee was pretty good in the Nebraska spring game, and I'd be willing to bet that NU is going to take advantage of the short to intermediate passes, until Lee gets fully acclimated.
Suh Does It All: There's a reason that Ndamukong Suh was voted as the preseason defensive player of the year. When you lead your team in almost every statistical category, you're doing pretty good. The guy is flat-out dominant, and although the interior of the Texas Tech line generally does a pretty good job, Suh is going to be the player to watch for in in the 2009 game.
Finding Receivers: Nebraksa also faces the task of replacing their top two receivers from last year in Nate Swift (63 / 941 / 10 TD) and Todd Peterson (62 / 786 / 4). That's quite a bit of production to replace and I thought they were perfect receivers for Nebraska's passing offense in that they were tall, lanky guys that were all about keeping the chains moving. The 14 touchdowns are going to be difficult to replace, and NU's biggest returning receiver is TE Mike McNeill, who may is certainly one of the best tight ends in the Big 12.
I Think Nebraska is Just Fine at Running Back: Nebraska loses Marlon Lucky, who rushed for 517 yards and 7 touchdowns, but I don't think there's much to be concerned about as returning rusher Roy Helu, Jr. (839 yds; 7 TD) and Quentin Castille (467 yds; 6 TD) represents a formidable 1-2 punch. Castille looks to have some fairly serious break away speed as he averaged over 4 yards a carry, but in games where Castille had some opportunity, he produced, including games of 125 yards against Clemson.
Surprising TO Margin: I never would have guessed that Nebraska was this deficient in the turnover category, 107th in the nation. I would guess that this is something that's going to change this year. The surprising statistic is that the Cornhuskers dropped 17 fumbles on the carpet in 2008, which is a ton. I can't imagine that this trend will continue in 2009, and although Ganz threw 11 interceptions, I don't think he was the problem.
Replacing LB's: It doesn't take a seasoned blogger to notice that Nebraska has over twenty linebackers on their opening roster. That's just crazy. It appears that Nebraska will be replacing some depth at linebacker, but when you have over twenty possible replacements, I don't think that finding candidates will prove to be that difficult. Besides, for a team that was 21st in rush defense, this is likely to be an area where Nebraska will be just fine.

Poll

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most worried and 1 being the least worried, how worried are you about the Nebraska Cornhuskers?

1

19 votes

2

45 votes

3

107 votes

4

161 votes

5

139 votes

471 votes | Poll has closed