2004 Outlook: Part 1

Huskers Set for First Season Under Callahan
A certain excitement fills the air in Husker Nation as football season approaches each year. However, the enthusiasm and anticipation have rarely reached the level that surrounds the Nebraska football program heading into the 2004 campaign.

Coach Bill Callahan's first Husker team figures to have a different look from those that Big Red faithful have been accustomed to in recent decades. The West Coast Offense will give the Huskers a more diverse attack on offense, and footballs figure to fill the air with much greater regularity than in the past.

Defensively, the changes figure to be more subtle and the defense will play with the same aggressiveness, intimidation, dominance and confidence Blackshirt defenses have displayed for four decades.

While the anticipated changes fill the minds of Husker fans, Callahan's ultimate goals are nothing new for the Nebraska football program. Callahan expects his first Nebraska team will maintain the tradition established by its predecessors. That tradition is one of hard work and commitment that has led a history of winning seasons and championships that is second to none.

Callahan has brought an intense, disciplined approach to the Husker program in his first months on the job. The first-year mentor has a history of success including guiding the Oakland Raiders to Super Bowl XXXVII just two seasons ago. He has assembled a championship staff with diverse backgrounds and personalities.

Huskers Return 15 Starters for 2004 Campaign
Nebraska enters the 2004 season with ample experience to contend for a Big 12 North title. Callahan welcomes back 15 starters from last year's 10-3 team, including eight on offense and six on the defensive side of the ball.

On offense, Nebraska has four receivers with extensive experience, easing the transition to the West Coast Offense, and also returns three starters on the line. Defensively, seven Blackshirts return, including four in a secondary generally regarded as one of the nation's best heading into the 2004 campaign.

The Offense
There will be a lot of familiar faces on the Husker offense this fall with eight returning starters from the 2003 season. That is where the familiarity will end.

Coach Bill Callahan has implemented the sophisticated West Coast Offense in Lincoln, replacing the option running attack Nebraska favored for more than two decades. The new offense will allow the Huskers to attack opposing defenses, both through a controlled passing game and a power rushing attack.

"It is a system that is flexible and can be tailor-made to suit individual players' talents," Callahan said. "In our Super Bowl season in Oakland, we had a game when we put it in the air 60 times and a couple months later we had 60 running plays. That is evidence of the flexibility of the West Coast Offense."

Dailey at Head of Quarterback Pack Entering Fall
Since Callahan took the reins of the program in January, most of the discussion about the Husker program has focused on the switch to the West Coast Offense. Another constant theme in those discussions is the need for an outstanding quarterback to operate the offensive attack.

"The offense demands a lot out of the quarterback position," Callahan said. "We want to attract the best quarterbacks in the country, bring them into our program and allow them to compete and lead our offense."

Sophomore Joe Dailey will open fall camp atop the depth chart after a solid spring learning the complexities of Nebraska's new offense. Dailey made steady progress throughout the Huskers' 15 spring workouts and appeared much more comfortable at the helm of the offense by the close of spring practice.

The 6-0, 205-pound Dailey capped spring ball with a memorable performance in the Red-White Game. Before 61,417 Husker enthusiasts, Dailey flashed his throwing ability, completing 29-of-49 passes for 241 yards and four touchdowns, preparing Nebraska fans for things to come.

Dailey gained valuable game experience as a true freshman in 2003, playing in eight games as Jammal Lord's backup. A New Jersey native, Dailey was impressive in his limited action, completing 64 percent of his passes, including two touchdowns.

Dailey heads into fall practice with a lead in the race to take the first center snap against Western Illinois on Sept. 4, but the battle will continue in fall camp. Junior Mike Stuntz joins Dailey as Nebraska's only returning scholarship quarterbacks. Stuntz is coming off a redshirt season after serving as Lord's backup in 2002, when Stuntz played in six contests. The left-handed Stuntz has shown ability as a solid passer and also has the athleticism to escape from the pocket when needed.

Junior walk-on Garth Glissman has seen limited playing time during his first two seasons with the Huskers. The Lincoln native has flashed a strong arm and could also factor into the quarterback race.

Callahan added three quarterbacks to the program in his first recruiting class. Grossmont (Calif.) College product Jordan Adams is the most heralded of the three and figures to join the race for significant playing time in 2004. The 6-3, 200-pound Adams played just one season at Grossmont and will have four years to complete three seasons of eligibility at Nebraska. Freshmen Beau Davis and Joe Ganz also joined the program on signing day in February and will get a look from Husker coaches during training camp.

Huskers Re-Work Offensive Line During Spring Ball
Nebraska lost a pair of starters from the 2003 season in center Josh Sewell and right tackle Dan Vili Waldrop, who held down the starting position at offensive tackle for three seasons. However, first-year Offensive Line Coach Dennis Wagner welcomes back three returning starters to build around in 2004.

Both Callahan and Wagner believe in having versatile offensive linemen and much of spring practice was spent trying to put players in the right places to build a cohesive and effective unit.

"You have to be able to mix and match offensive linemen," Callahan said. "This is not the day and age where you can say a player is locked into a position. So much carries over to each position."

Any great offensive line must begin with a dominant center, which prompted junior Richie Incognito to switch positions in the spring. A two-year starter at left tackle, the 6-3, 300-pound Incognito solidified the Husker line during spring ball. Incognito has a combination of tenacity, mobility, footwork and strength that allows him to be a dominant player at the point of attack.

Incognito made the transition to center look smooth during the spring and earned Nebraska's "Finisher Award" given to the player who exemplifies the best effort, work ethic and displays the ability to finish every play. Incognito will be a strong candidate for All-America honors, as well as a contender for the Outland Trophy and Rimington Award.

"We moved Richie to center because of the success needed at the position," Callahan said. "He has the ability and versatility to control the attack from the inside."

Senior Jake Andersen started 11 games at right guard last season and emerged from spring practice atop the depth chart at that position. Andersen stands only 6-1, but the 290-pounder has good strength at the line of scrimmage. Senior Mike Erickson is Nebraska's third returning starter on the offensive front. The Omaha native has manned the starting left guard spot for 27 straight games over the past two years, but tried his hand at tackle this spring, and enters fall camp listed No. 2 on the left side.

Junior Brandon Koch is the primary beneficiary of Erickson's move outside to tackle and enters the fall atop the depth chart at left guard. The 6-3, 300-pound Koch was Nebraska's "swing" guard last season, backing up both Andersen and Erickson and earned two starts in the process. A former walk-on, Koch was rewarded for his strong spring when Callahan gave him a scholarship near the end of spring ball.

Darren DeLone enters his senior season as Nebraska's No. 1 left tackle after serving a backup role last fall. At 6-5 and 315 pounds, DeLone possesses the ideal size and good athleticism needed to anchor the left side of the Husker line.

Junior Seppo Evwaraye emerged from spring practice atop the depth chart at right tackle. The native of Finland was one of the surprises of spring practice. One of three defensive linemen who switched to offense, the 6-5, 315-pound Evwaraye was named Nebraska's Most Improved Offensive Player after spring ball. Evwaraye is joined at right tackle by senior Nick Povendo, who has seen extensive action as Nebraska's top reserve tackle each of the past two seasons. Povendo is a versatile performer who could also see time at guard.

Several other linemen have the ability to push for playing time. Sophomore Kurt Mann is listed as Incognito's top reserve at center, but also has experience at guard and tackle, while converted defensive lineman Jared Helming and junior Gary Pike enter training camp as the top reserves at guard.

Talented Backs Adapt to New Roles
For many years, Nebraska running backs spent the majority of their practice time mastering the timing of the option attack and working on repetitions in a power rushing attack. This spring, the practice routine changed for Nebraska's

I-backs and fullbacks. Significant time was still spent on running the ball, but the running backs also acclimated themselves with extensive pass protection techniques and catching the ball out of the backfield.

If spring practice is a good indication, the Nebraska I-backs appear to fit nicely into the West Coast Offense.

"All of the backs ran well during spring ball," Callahan said. "Those guys started to show a feel for the system, not only in their ability to run the ball, but also as pass receivers coming out of the backfield."

Junior Cory Ross emerged late last season as a feature back in the Husker offense, rushing for more than 400 yards in the final four games of the year. In spring ball, Ross continued to impress Husker coaches, as the 5-6, 195-pounder drew Callahan's attention as a "complete back." Ross is a shifty, elusive runner who does an excellent job of hiding behind blockers as he moves downfield. He also displayed good ability to catch the ball out of the backfield during spring practice and figures to be a focal point of the Nebraska offense.

Ross will be regularly challenged throughout the season by two other talented I-backs. Junior David Horne has played a large role in the Nebraska backfield each of the past two seasons, compiling more than 1,000 rushing yards. Horne has good field vision, and like Ross showed the ability to be an effective receiver out of the backfield. Horne is the latest in the long line of talented running backs from Omaha Central to play at Nebraska.

Another talented Omahan could also figure into the mix at I-back. Tierre Green, the cousin of Green Bay Packer All-Pro Ahman Green, has the best speed of Nebraska's top three I-backs and flashed his big-play ability during spring practice. Redshirt freshman Kade Pittman also boasts great speed and provides depth at the position. All of Nebraska's I-backs could get a look in the return game.

The role of the Nebraska fullback has also evolved with the introduction of the West Coast Offense. Fullbacks will continue to play an important role as blocking backs, but also figure to get a fair share of balls thrown their way.

Sophomore Dane Todd, a Lincoln native, used a strong spring camp to enter fall practice atop the depth chart. He and fifth-year senior Steve Kriewald figure to continue their battle for the starting job into fall camp. A bruising runner and blocker, Kriewald has been Nebraska's top reserve at fullback each of the past three seasons. Sophomore Grant Miller could also earn playing time at fullback.

Receiving Corps Looks Forward to West Coast Attack
Gone are the days when Nebraska's tight ends and receivers were most relied on for downfield blocking. The West Coast Offense figures to provide extensive opportunity for Husker receivers to catch the ball as NU attacks opposing defenses.

"I think the receivers had fun this spring," Callahan said. "They had a lot of formations and different routes to get acclimated to, but they did a good job of pushing through it and got a lot better during the course of the spring."

While still young, Nebraska boasts three wideouts and two tight ends with extensive experience and several others who could make their mark this fall.

The headline player in the receiving corps is junior tight end Matt Herian. A semifinalist for the John Mackey Award in 2003, Herian is generally regarded as one of the nation's top tight ends and figures to be an outstanding fit for Nebraska's new offensive attack.

Herian has been the Huskers' top deep threat in his first two seasons of action, averaging better than 27 yards on 29 career receptions, including seven touchdown catches. The 6-5, 240-pound Herian has continued to add weight and strength throughout his Husker career, while not losing a step in the speed department.

Senior Dusty Keiser saw significant playing time as a reserve behind Herian last fall and should have a more prominent role in the offense in 2004. Redshirt freshmen J.B. Phillips and Josh Mueller were highly touted players upon their arrival in Lincoln and could see action this fall. Both players were utilized as blockers in short-yardage situations during spring practice.

The Husker receivers are led by junior Ross Pilkington who enters the fall as the No. 1 "X" receiver. Pilkington tied Herian for the team lead with 22 receptions last season and has caught 36 passes in his first two seasons in the program. The 6-0, 185-pound Pilkington has good speed, dependable hands, and has regularly displayed the toughness to make difficult catches in the middle of the field.

Fellow junior Mark LeFlore tops the depth chart at "Z" receiver after spring ball. LeFlore started five games during his sophomore season and was third on the team with 19 receptions, including a pair of touchdowns. He is joined at the "Z" spot by talented sophomore Isaiah Fluellen, who boasts the best speed among Nebraska's receiving corps. Fluellen started four games late last season after emerging as a big-play target for the Huskers. The 6-0, 185-pound speedster finished the 2003 season with a NU frosh-record 15 receptions and averaged better than 19 yards per catch.

Converted defensive back Willie Amos hopes to cap his career on a strong note at receiver. Amos made a smooth transition to offense in the spring and enters training camp listed second behind Pilkington at "X" receiver.

A number of other players could figure into the mix at receiver, including four returning lettermen and three talented incoming freshmen.