Yeah, my strong level of confidence in this year's D is in part due to the type of offenses NU will largely be facing throughout. Given that Bo's Defensive implementation was able to throttle the Big 12 within a couple seasons - producing the best ppg defense in the country, in a league which, at the time of his entry into it, was by far the most prolific scoring league amongst the BCS majors - I, and many others, find it hardly likely that the more traditional offenses and slower game speed of the big ten will pose any threat whatsoever.
This is Nebraska we're talking about. The home of :bonesflag: , one of the greatest traditional institutions in all of college football. Nebraska
is Defense.
Combine the logjam on the D line + returning LB's + Dennard
alone(eliminate the best opposing receiver), and the loss of several prolific big ten QB's, + the lack of big time receiver corps in the conference, + ohio state's controversy, + wisconsin losing their o-line, etc. etc. etc............... and hot damn its gonna be a freakishly dominant Blackshirt D this fall.
One of the most likely scenarios in all of college football this upcoming season, is that the Blackshirts are Top 5 in total D & PPG allowed by the close of the 2011-2012 season.