Nebraska opens the season Saturday against Ohio, and there are a few things I’m zeroing in on right away.
1. The defensive line
We all know Ohio is probably going to line up and try to run it right at Nebraska early to test them. How does the defensive front look? Can they hold the point of attack and force Ohio into third-and-longs?
I expect Rob Aurich to keep the defense pretty vanilla in this one. Nothing too exotic. Just see if the guys up front can win their one-on-ones and set the tone.
2. Anthony Colandrea
Is he a smooth operator?
I want to see zero turnovers in this game. Clean football. But I also want to see him stretch the field vertically. Take a couple deep shots and show that the offense can go over the top when defenses load the box.
If he can protect the football and still make big plays down the field, that’s a really good first step.
3. The offensive line — the Geep Wade effect
This is the one I’m most curious about. Are we getting push… or are we getting pushed?
Geep Wade’s first game as the line coach. I want to see the Huskers move people off the ball and create running lanes. If the offensive line is physical and dominant, many other things fall into place.
Bonus
I want to see Nebraska rush for 200-plus yards in this one. Establish the run early and often. Make Ohio respect the ground game so Colandrea can work play-action later.
Simple checklist. Win the trenches on both sides of the ball, protect the football, and run it down their throats. Do those things, and it should be a solid start to the year.
