Big 12 Media Days: Nebraska

Fitting that one of the departing would kick things off at Big 12 media days and perhaps even more fitting is the fact that Bo Pelini started off in saying he would not take any questions on the Big 10.  First question?

Coach, I respect your not wanting us to ask about it. Can you just talk about how you've handled this with your team? What have you told them, or how are those conversations going?

The answer?

Business as usual.  We're -- in our program, we kind of -- the way we run our program is we talk to our guys about focusing on the process and what they have to do on a day to day basis to have an opportunity to compete. That hasn't changed.

In the words of Turner Gill, I think I believe Bo Pelini and his answer from that standpoint.  That's what you do in football, that's how Kansas was able to win an Orange Bowl in 2007, and getting away from that mentality is how Kansas collapsed to a 1-7 conference record a year ago.

In general Nebraska is receiving a high amount of notoriety entering the season with a few sporadic publications even going as far as mentioning them as a darkhorse national title contender.  From my perspective I still think there is a pretty full stable in Columbia that can challenge but Pelini did re-mention a statement from a year ago that might indicate the sentiment across college football as it relates to the Huskers.

At the end of the bowl game, after the Arizona game, when I said Nebraska's back, I wasn't saying we arrived, and we'd won a national championship or anything like that. 

I finally felt the culture that we were trying to instill from the point that we got there had taken hold. And that excites me as a head football coach, and I really feel like, you know, we got to the point where we're at that point where we can beat we line up against, or compete with anybody that we line up against.

As to the business of the actual team on the field?

We need the quarterback position to step up.  You know, let's face it, he's at the center point. He's the trigger guy. You know, we're fortunate we do have some experience coming back at that position. We have two young men who are competing for the starting job with Zac Lee, who had great springs, have a lot of talent.  They're play makers, they're very explosive athletes.

A year ago the Huskers were carried by a monster in the middle named Suh, this year they might need an offense. From the looks of things, three players are competing at the start of camp.  Can Pelini settle on one?  Would the Huskers see as much success this season if the offense experiences the same ups and downs of a year ago? 

One thing that will obviously help, is what Coach Pelini describes as his best offensive line in three seasons and "it's not even close".  In the end though, the game is played on the field and not in the polls so Nebraska will be forced to answer a few question marks just like everyone else, just not as many.

Top 5 Nebraska Question Marks entering 2010.

1. Will Bo Pelini's gum get a raise?
2. Can Jared Crick replace Ndamukong Suh?
3. Will the Huskers find their quarterback?
4. Do the days of the dominating Husker offensive line return?
5. If the offense hasn't progressed, can the defense carry the Corn again?
6. because it deserves it...Will Bo Pelini's gum get a raise?