Countdown to Football is On

It has now been nearly three months since Nebraska lost a heartbreaker to Iowa to close the 2018 season. Now the countdown is on to 2019, and with spring practice commencing in the coming weeks, it is a good time to look at the state of the program. With only 191 days until kickoff against South Alabama, Scott Frost’s program is building towards year two with him at the helm. 

The Offense 

Last season, true freshman quarterback Adrian Martinez completed one of the most impressive seasons in program history as he accounted for over 3000 all-purpose yards. He also threw 17 touchdown passes and ran for 8 more. Martinez capped off his remarkable season by earning freshman All American honors. He will continue to be the main story of the offense heading into 2019. Joining Martinez in the backfield, another true freshman standout from last season is the favorite to get the starting job at tailback. Maurice Washington was the team’s third leading rusher last season, behind outgoing senior Devine Ozigbo and Martinez himself, and is poised to have a big 2019. Washington had nearly 500 rushing yards last fall, and fits perfectly into Frosts up tempo offensive scheme. Washington is also dangerous in the screen game, and accounted for over 200 receiving yards in 2018, including over 100 in the finale against Iowa. A few weeks later, Nebraska signed prized wide receiver Wandale Robinson to the program. He will join a receiver corps that has the potential to be one of the best in the country. Even though the Huskers lost record setting wideout Stanley Morgan last year, the Huskers still have JD Spielman, who through his sophomore season, is on track to break all of the records Morgan set. He had over 800 receiving yards in 2018, despite only playing in 10 games due to injury. The junior fits perfectly into Frosts offense and is going to be a nightmare for opposing defensives, epically with the jet sweep, and shallow crossing routes, when he becomes a great yards after catch player. In the rugged Big Ten, the offensive line is the most important part of any offense, and it will be a question mark for this unit going forward. Nebraska lost three really good offensive lineman last year in Jerald Foster, Tanner Farmer, and Cole Conrad. Juniors Matt Farniok, Boe Wilson, and Brendon Jaimes are solid lineman that join prized recruit Bryce Benhart who should start immediately. Getting one more solid starter and depth at that position will be key in coming months, although winter conditioning should certainly help the cause. Overall, offense coordinator Troy Walters and his unit have tons of momentum heading into 2019, and the trio of Martinez, Washington, and Speilman will one of the most dangerous in the Big Ten, and the country.  

The Defense 

For the first time since 2016, Nebraska will not have a new defensive coordinator (DC). That statistic is welcome for a group that had an up and down first campaign under DC Erik Chinander. The Huskers gave up 56 points to Michigan and sacked Colorado quarterback Steven Montez seven times in the span of two weeks. It was that kind of year. The Blackshirts lost Luke Gifford, Antonio Reed, Aaron Williams, Tre Neal, Mick Stoltenburg, Dedrick Young, and Freedom Akinmoladun last season. How to fill the gap they left will be the story of spring practice. Up front, Carlos and Khalil Davis are arguably the two best defensive linemen currently on the team. Their development will this spring will be key to the 2019 season. Sophomore Damian Daniels should also see more game action than last year, as he is the perfect nose tackle Chinander needs in his 3-4 scheme. At linebacker, Nebraska returns their best defensive player from 2018, Mohamed Berry, but loses Young and Gifford. To fill that void, the Huskers have many promising young players. Junior JoJo Domann played really well towards the end of 2018 and should be a starter come August. Also, sophomore Caleb Tannor made some impressive plays last year, and has the potential to be really good. In the secondary, Lamar Jackson was the story of last season, and in 2019, expect that to remain the same. The senior was benched midway through the season but played the best football of his career down the stretch. He will lead a secondary that includes Cam Taylor, Dicaprio Bootle, and Eric Lee Jr. Despite losing Neal, Williams, and Reed, this is the part of the defense that can improve the most. A lot of talent is still there, so this unit should be vastly improved. As a whole, another eight months learning Chinander’s scheme will be helpful to a defense that should improve. They will not be the 1985 Bears, but the group should hold the opponent to less points than what Martinez and the offense score, and Nebraska will thus win more games. 

Special Teams 

The all-important Special Teams will hopefully not be as big of a story as it was in 2018. Sophomore kicker Barrett Pickering had a shaky start to his career, but rebounded well in second half on the season. His progress last season was highlighted by kicking 3 fourth quarter field goals in the snow to beat Michigan State, and by making big kicks during a furious second half rally against Iowa. Pickering should be able to continue his good run into next year. One thing the Huskers need to work on is returning kickoffs and punts. For the last several years, Nebraska has not done well in that area, but with dynamic playmakers such as Spielman and Washington on the roster, that area will hopefully improve. Last but not least, Nebraska seemed to have found its punter last season. Senior Isaac Armstrong established himself as Nebraska’s best punter towards the end of 2018, and he should be the starter come August. In Big Ten, pinning your opponent deep, can significantly impact a game.