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Heisman Trophy Winner
'09 Opponent Preview: Nebraska
The Sooners and Cornhuskers renew their storied rivalry in Lincoln.
Huskers at a Glance
NORMAN, Okla. -- SoonerSports.com continues its 2009 football season preview with an in-depth look at OU's Week 9 matchup with the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Game Buildup
With the conference's rotating schedule, fans cherish each meeting between these two traditional powers. Come November 7, the Husker faithful will certainly be fired up with OU coming to town.
This matchup promises to be much different than the lopsided contest in Norman in 2008. Both teams hope to be in the Big 12 Championship picture at the end of the season, making this another pivotal game along the way.
Season Outlook
Second-year head coach Bo Pelini has quickly guided the Huskers back to the top of the Big 12 North. Reminiscent of the good old days of Nebraska football, Pelini emphasizes defense and running the football.
The philosophy paid dividends as Nebraska went from worst to first in the division in 2008, tying Missouri for the Big 12 North crown a year after finishing tied for fifth.
After winning six of their final seven games to end the year, the Huskers look to carry that momentum into this season. Anything short of a conference title game appearance will be a disappointment as NU continues to build toward becoming a perennial power once again.
Player to Watch
Ndamukong Suh | DT | No. 93 | Senior
If anyone could actually pronounce it, Ndamukong Suh (En-dom-ah-ken Soo) would be a household name.
All he did last season was lead the Huskers in tackles (76), sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (19) while tying for the team lead in interceptions (2), both of which he returned for scores. Further illustrating just how athletic he is, Suh even caught a touchdown pass during one of his occasional goal line shifts on offense.
The 2008 First Team All-Big 12 selection would likely have been a first- or second-round NFL Draft choice but elected to come back for his senior year instead. Look for him to be all over the field once again as he builds on one of the greatest statistical campaigns for a tackle in college football history.
Other Key Players
SS Larry Asante, Sr. | TE Mike McNeill, Jr. | RB Roy Helu, Jr. | DE Pierre Allen, Jr. | DE Barry Turner, Sr.
LB Phillip Dillard, Sr. | WR Niles Paul, Jr. | DT Baker Steinkuhler, R-Fr. | OT Mike Smith, Jr. | K Alex Henery, Jr.
Scouting Nebraska's Offense
Nebraska didn't get the attention of some other schools in the Big 12, but they were still very effective at moving the football last season. And while the rest of the conference is going aerial, the Huskers are committed to the running game.
They have a proven commodity in the backfield in Roy Helu. After taking over as NU's full-time starter late in the season, Helu ended up leading the team in rushing with 803 yards in 2008. He will be spelled this year by Quentin Castille, a big back who gives the Huskers a formidable 1-2 punch.
The strength in the running game will be to the Huskers' advantage early in the season as they break in a new quarterback and try to replace three other skill position players gone from a year ago.
With an inexperienced group of receivers, Nebraska's tight ends will play a prominent role in the passing game in 2009. Junior Mike McNeill is the team's top returning pass-catcher after setting a school record for receptions by a tight end last season. The Huskers are also high on redshirt freshmen Kyler Reed and Ben Cotton, both of whom look to make a significant impact this fall.
Scouting Nebraska's Defense
On the defensive side of the football, Nebraska boasts a veteran unit that is loaded with playmakers, especially up front.
The anchor is Suh, who did it all for the Huskers in 2008. Opposing offense's can't just focus on Suh, however, as he is surrounded by talent. Sophomore Jared Crick and redshirt freshman Baker Steinkuhler are both very capable of holding down the other tackle spot. Flanking them are a pair of ultra-talented defensive ends in Pierre Allen and Barry Turner. Allen was one of the team's breakout performers last season, while Turner, a regular in Nebraska's DE rotation since he was a freshman, returns for his senior year after missing most of last season with a broken leg.
Another senior, Phillip Dillard, leads a young, inexperienced linebacking corps which features sophomore Matthew May, redshirt freshman Will Compton and Alonzo Whaley, and a former walk-on fullback in Colton Koehler.
In the secondary, Nebraska returns three of four starters from a year ago. Strong safety Larry Asante headlines the group after earning honorable mention All-Big 12 recognition each of the last two years. Also back are Rickey Thenarse, who took over as the starter at free safety near the end of last season, and Anthony West, who started 11 games at cornerback and tied for the team-lead with two interceptions.
Game Implications
Another critical game in the Big 12 race, both teams look to position themselves for a run to the conference championship game, where, if all the pieces fall into place, they may even meet again.
The Sooners and Cornhuskers renew their storied rivalry in Lincoln.
Huskers at a Glance
NORMAN, Okla. -- SoonerSports.com continues its 2009 football season preview with an in-depth look at OU's Week 9 matchup with the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Game Buildup
With the conference's rotating schedule, fans cherish each meeting between these two traditional powers. Come November 7, the Husker faithful will certainly be fired up with OU coming to town.
This matchup promises to be much different than the lopsided contest in Norman in 2008. Both teams hope to be in the Big 12 Championship picture at the end of the season, making this another pivotal game along the way.
Season Outlook
Second-year head coach Bo Pelini has quickly guided the Huskers back to the top of the Big 12 North. Reminiscent of the good old days of Nebraska football, Pelini emphasizes defense and running the football.
The philosophy paid dividends as Nebraska went from worst to first in the division in 2008, tying Missouri for the Big 12 North crown a year after finishing tied for fifth.
After winning six of their final seven games to end the year, the Huskers look to carry that momentum into this season. Anything short of a conference title game appearance will be a disappointment as NU continues to build toward becoming a perennial power once again.
Player to Watch
Ndamukong Suh | DT | No. 93 | Senior
If anyone could actually pronounce it, Ndamukong Suh (En-dom-ah-ken Soo) would be a household name.
All he did last season was lead the Huskers in tackles (76), sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (19) while tying for the team lead in interceptions (2), both of which he returned for scores. Further illustrating just how athletic he is, Suh even caught a touchdown pass during one of his occasional goal line shifts on offense.
The 2008 First Team All-Big 12 selection would likely have been a first- or second-round NFL Draft choice but elected to come back for his senior year instead. Look for him to be all over the field once again as he builds on one of the greatest statistical campaigns for a tackle in college football history.
Other Key Players
SS Larry Asante, Sr. | TE Mike McNeill, Jr. | RB Roy Helu, Jr. | DE Pierre Allen, Jr. | DE Barry Turner, Sr.
LB Phillip Dillard, Sr. | WR Niles Paul, Jr. | DT Baker Steinkuhler, R-Fr. | OT Mike Smith, Jr. | K Alex Henery, Jr.
Scouting Nebraska's Offense
Nebraska didn't get the attention of some other schools in the Big 12, but they were still very effective at moving the football last season. And while the rest of the conference is going aerial, the Huskers are committed to the running game.
They have a proven commodity in the backfield in Roy Helu. After taking over as NU's full-time starter late in the season, Helu ended up leading the team in rushing with 803 yards in 2008. He will be spelled this year by Quentin Castille, a big back who gives the Huskers a formidable 1-2 punch.
The strength in the running game will be to the Huskers' advantage early in the season as they break in a new quarterback and try to replace three other skill position players gone from a year ago.
With an inexperienced group of receivers, Nebraska's tight ends will play a prominent role in the passing game in 2009. Junior Mike McNeill is the team's top returning pass-catcher after setting a school record for receptions by a tight end last season. The Huskers are also high on redshirt freshmen Kyler Reed and Ben Cotton, both of whom look to make a significant impact this fall.
Scouting Nebraska's Defense
On the defensive side of the football, Nebraska boasts a veteran unit that is loaded with playmakers, especially up front.
The anchor is Suh, who did it all for the Huskers in 2008. Opposing offense's can't just focus on Suh, however, as he is surrounded by talent. Sophomore Jared Crick and redshirt freshman Baker Steinkuhler are both very capable of holding down the other tackle spot. Flanking them are a pair of ultra-talented defensive ends in Pierre Allen and Barry Turner. Allen was one of the team's breakout performers last season, while Turner, a regular in Nebraska's DE rotation since he was a freshman, returns for his senior year after missing most of last season with a broken leg.
Another senior, Phillip Dillard, leads a young, inexperienced linebacking corps which features sophomore Matthew May, redshirt freshman Will Compton and Alonzo Whaley, and a former walk-on fullback in Colton Koehler.
In the secondary, Nebraska returns three of four starters from a year ago. Strong safety Larry Asante headlines the group after earning honorable mention All-Big 12 recognition each of the last two years. Also back are Rickey Thenarse, who took over as the starter at free safety near the end of last season, and Anthony West, who started 11 games at cornerback and tied for the team-lead with two interceptions.
Game Implications
Another critical game in the Big 12 race, both teams look to position themselves for a run to the conference championship game, where, if all the pieces fall into place, they may even meet again.
