One and Done

Everybody Loves Roy

With week one in the books, it’s always a good feeling to know that your team is 1-0.  Not that this is against the norm for the Huskers who have won 24 straight openers.

Saturday night was a marked improvement compared to where this team was last season against Western Michigan in the opener.  The defense looked better and played more soundly, even the secondary which has been and issue for the Huskers as of late stood out.

The offensive attack started clicking after sputtering in the first quarter and ended the game with nearly 500 total yards.  Roy Helu Jr. put down a punishing performance on the ground and tuned up the Owls for over 150 yards and three touchdowns.

The Blackshirts bent but did not break holding the Owls to three points, despite giving up 358 total yards.  When up against potent Big XII offenses we’ll see how this method works against keeping the likes of Missouri and Oklahoma out of the endzone.

Lots to be happy about.

*Zac Lee had a great first start completing 15 passes on 22 attempts for over 200 yards and two touchdowns.  He had only a few bad throws putting the ball behind some would-be receivers and one ill advised pass over the middle for an interception, but still showed a huge improvement over departed QB Joe Ganz in terms of athleticism.  But so did Sam Keller when he replaced Zac Taylor in ’07, and we all know how that turned out.

*Ndaukong Suh is a beast.  I’m not willing to say he should be on a Heisman watch list, but he’s awful close.  He made tackles on Saturday behind than line that made everyone think we had an NFL player on the D-line.  Hope he stays healthy to show his dominance through the season, although once conference play starts look for double teams and ways to get around the middle to make him a non-factor.

*Redshirt freshman Will Compton is showing a ton of promise just based on Saturday night’s game at middle linebacker, or MIKE as it will say on your depth chart you’re looking at.  How this translates into success the rest of the way is yet to be seen, but the other night couldn’t have hurt.  He’s one player I’ve had my eye on since he was recruited and decided on the Huskers despite the mass exodus after Bill Callahan was fired in ’07.  Some notables in that potential class is Jonas Gray who is now in South Bend and one Blaine Gabbart who is currently suiting up for the Missouri Tigers and looked flat out dominate in Saturday’s drubbing of Illinois 37-9.

*Also, Cody Green and Rex Burkhead will be the real deal when their time comes to be full-time players.

This coming Saturday against Arkansas State the Huskers will look to eliminate some of the penalties that took a little bit away from the victory last week.