Nebraska
'07 record: 5-7 (2-6 Big 12).
New coach: Bo Pelini, formerly LSU's defensive coordinator.
What he inherits: Predecessor Bill Callahan recruited well enough during his four years in Lincoln, and there's more talent on hand than last year's disastrous campaign -- in which the Huskers' defense completely imploded -- might indicate. QB Joe Ganz performed extremely well upon taking over the starting job in the final three games, and RB Marlon Lucky is an all-conference talent. The defense is led by a veteran front four but is littered with questions in the back seven.
'08 prospects: The defensive-minded Pelini will leave Nebraska's ninth-rated offense from last season largely untouched while focusing on resuscitating the fallen Blackshirts. If Ganz picks up where he left off at the end of '07, and if Pelini can bring some cohesion to the other side of the ball, it's not unrealistic to expect an immediate improvement of several wins. The Big 12 North may be too tough, however, to contend for the division title.
Not much there, but it's nice to hear some positive press. Have at it.
The front four is veteran to be sure --- but that crew, collectively and individually, have not performed well --- at all. He makes it sound as though the front will be the strength of the D. It strikes me that if the defense has a unit that can be counted upon to be decent it will be the secondary with Thenarse, Culbert, Asante, Murillo, Amukamura, West, et al. Clearly the LB crew is a huge question --- but so too is the defensive line (not as much as is the LB crew, but still questionable).