The Nebraska Cornsuhers are entering year one under head coach Matt Rhule, who comes to Lincoln after a short stint in the NFL. The former Penn State linebacker oversaw rebuilds at Temple and Baylor, but considering the conference, this might be Rhule's biggest challenge yet.
The Cornhuskers are the Gophers' first matchup of the season on August 31 as they matchup for a Thursday night season opener. Here's what to know about the Cornhuskers entering this season.
Previewing the Cornhuskers' offense
At quarterback, the Cornhuskers will turn over the reigns to former Georgia Tech quarterback Jeff Sims. It was initially a battle between Sims and former Texas starting quarterback Casey Thompson. Thompson has since transferred to FAU alongside former head coach Tom Herman.
The Cornhuskers return just a pair of starters on the offensive side of the ball in running back Anthony Grant and wide receiver Marcus Washington. They also return a pair of offensive linemen in left guard Turner Corcoran and right tackle Bryce Benhart. Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield, who comes to Lincoln after spending time with South Carolina, will look to turn around a Nebraska offense that averaged 22.6 points and 344.2 yards per game.
Having to replace three out of their five starters on the offensive line will be arguably their most significant challenge this season, especially seeing that they struggled at running the ball last fall.
There are several quality pieces on this Nebraska offense beyond Grant and Washington, including Virginia wide receiver transfer Billy Kemp.
Previewing the Cornhuskers' defense
The defense for Nebraska last year was terrible, allowing 27.6 points and 414 yards per game, but there is some hope here. The Cornhuskers saw some promise as the season went on, and they returned most of their defense from last season, including almost everyone in their secondary.
Defensive coordinator Tony White spent the prior two seasons at Syracuse, where the Oragne put together some quality defenses. He'll have a big challenge with this Cornhuskers team, but returning as much talent as they are this offseason (seven starters total) is a big win for White.
The Cornhuskers' biggest key to success this fall will likely come in their pass rush, which should be aggressive, looking at White's past tendencies at Syracuse. If that pass rush can find ways to get home on even a semi-consistent basis for the Cornhuskers, their secondary will be in a position to be a quality one this fall.
Overall:
Overall, this Nebraska team should be improved in 2024, but at the same juncture, it still has ways to go in its rebuild under head coach Matt Rhule. Their season opener against the Gophers will be an interesting one that sets the tone for their season. Looking at their schedule, a five or six-win season is possible, but this is a game the Gophers should win.
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