4. NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS
Coach: Mike Riley, third year, 15-11
2016 record: 9-4, 6-3 (T-second)
Returning starters: 15 (7 offense, 6 defense, 2 kickers)
Overall: Predictions for the Huskers are all over the map again — with good reason. No quarterback has taken a game snap. The defense has a new coordinator and scheme. The top two rushers and three of the four top receivers are gone. That’s a lot of drywall to put up.
Offense: If all the breathless reporting is true, quarterback Tanner Lee must be Tanner Montana. He will need to be good with so many untested skill-position players around him. But there is talent. The offensive line is on a need-to-see-it-to-believe-it watch. Big Ten rank: 6
Defense: Football people far smarter than me say changing from a 4-3 to a 3-4 alignment takes at least a year to get the bugs out. We’ll see if new coordinator Bob Diaco can speed up the process. There is sneaky-good talent on this side of the ball. Big Ten rank: 8
Coaching: The hire of Diaco and firing of Riley’s longtime friend Mark Banker was the big news. The other news was Nebraska’s end-of-the-season collapse, losing four of its final six games and looking bad doing it. Big Ten rank: 8
Intangibles: In Year 3 of the Riley Era, the Huskers have essentially changed offenses and defenses. Bold moves, or should this have been figured out a lot sooner? Proof will come soon. The buzz is all good for now. Big Ten rank: 6
Coachspeak: “I’m very, very interested in this team. There have been a lot of changes within our deal. We’ve moved to the 3-4. And we don’t have a quarterback that has played a down for Nebraska. I don’t know how that narrative sounds.” — Riley
Prediction: 7-5, 5-4, Pinstripe Bowl (New York)
