Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbooks) - 2007 SEASON IN REVIEW: 2007 turned out to be the final year of Bill Callahan's tenure as Nebraska's head coach, and longtime fans of the program will tell you it was well overdue. The Cornhuskers had long been one the Big 12's top teams, but during Callahan's reign the team had continually underachieved. The '07 campaign started out well enough with the Huskers beating both Nevada (52-10) and Wake Forest (20-17). A 49-31 loss to USC followed, but Callahan's troops rallied to win their next two against Ball State and Iowa State, respectively.
At 4-1 (1-0 in conference), things were looking pretty good for Nebraska but three straight blowout losses (Missouri, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M) sent the team reeling. The Huskers managed to put a scare into Texas but lost that one as well, 28-25. Another embarrassing defeat followed as the soaring Kansas Jayhawks put a hurting on the Huskers, 76-39. NU's final win of the season came the next time out as it put up 73 points in a 42-point rout of Kansas State. With a potential bowl bid on the line, the Huskers couldn't get past Colorado, falling to the Buffs on the road in a wild 65-51 final.
At 5-7, it was another disappointing season in Lincoln and it was time to say goodbye to Callahan. Enter former NU Defensive Coordinator Bo Pelini, a choice that has made more than one Husker backer very happy. Time will tell if Pelini is the right man for the job, but early indications are that he has the players believing that a return to greatness isn't far away.
2008 ANALYSIS:
OFFENSE: The offense wasn't really the problem last season, as the Cornhuskers averaged 33.4 points and 468.3 total yards per contest. Having abandoned the smashmouth style that served them well for so many years under former coaches Tom Osborne and Frank Solich, Callahan's version of the West Coast offense was effective and certainly provided some highlight-caliber plays.
Pelini is expected to maintain some of the same offensive strategies while also paying homage to the old days by utilizing the run a bit more. Fortunately both QB Joe Ganz and RB Marlon Lucky are back to help in that effort. Ganz played second fiddle to Sam Keller to start the season but got his chance to shine late in the year when he threw for 410 yards against Kansas followed by a school-record 510-yard, seven-TD effort in the 73-31 pasting of Kansas State. Not finished yet, he put up 484 yards and five scores in the tough loss at Colorado. Pelini loves Ganz's mental makeup and ability to direct his team. "He's a dynamic leader, somebody who plays with a tremendous amount of confidence and has that toughness about him, attitude. The kind of guy you want leading your offense."
As for Lucky, he rushed for more than 1,000 yards and nine TDs in '07. He is solidly built at 6-0, 215 pounds and averaged nearly five yards per carry. Lucky caught a club-best 75 balls last year and may be asked to do even more in the passing game as there isn't a proven down field threat on the roster, although the aptly named Nate Swift could turn out to be that guy.
The offensive line features four returning starters, lending credence to the fact that experience is a huge factor in determining a team's overall success. It's not the be all to end all as you absolutely must have talent, but with nearly 70 combined starts between the returning quartet, Pelini is optimistic about his offense.
DEFENSE: A long-time defensive coach, Pelini's first priority is revamping a defense that allowed nearly 38 points and 480 total yards per game last season. Lacking the same talent and intensity the "Blackshirts" had when Pelini last roamed the sidelines in Lincoln (2003), a return to a more physical, attacking style is what fans can expect. "I think we have some talent on the defensive side of the ball but there's a lot of learning and a lot of things that we need to get taught." Pelini continued, "We are nowhere near where we want to be yet. But we'll get there."
All four down linemen are back for redemption after giving up more points and yards than any defense in school history, and the group should be better given Pelini's expertise. Linebacker is an area of serious concern as there is very little experience and practically no depth. Junior safety Larry Asante is the leading returning tackler (78 tackles) and senior CB Armando Murillo is the only other defensive back with starting experience so it could take some time for Pelini to see exactly what kind of players he has and mold them into a cohesive unit.
SPECIAL TEAMS: The Huskers are fortunate to have both kickers back for another go, as sophomore PK Alex Henery really excelled in his rookie year and senior punter Dan Titchener simply continues to get the job done. Henery set a school record by converting every kick he attempted last season (45-of-45 PATs, 8- of-8 FGs). Add kick-off specialist Adi Kunalic to the mix and despite some questions about the return game, Nebraska has one of the more solid special teams in the Big 12.
OUTLOOK: Nebraska opens the season with five straight home games, the toughest of which are against Virginia Tech and Missouri. Hitting the road for four of their next six, we will find out just what this crop of Huskers is made of at that point. Taking on the likes of Mizzou, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Kansas this year means NU will have a tough time finishing with a winning record in conference. Tasting victory early will help the team in its bid to reach the postseason, but an awful lot needs to go right for this team to challenge for the Big 12 North title.
