Non-Conference Teams

[One Hit Wonder]

I thought I would provide a little summer non-conference meat to chew on. Nebraska’s first three games are South Alabama, at Colorado and Northern Illinois. There is a common theme among the three and that is the new coaching staffs recently installed at each respective school. South Alabama is in Year 2 with their coaching change while Colorado and Northern Illinois have shiny new coaching staffs.

Below you will see each of the team’s 2018 two-deep depth charts. The empty cells are positions that were vacated due to graduation, transfer, injury or whatever. So, a lot of "empty" isn’t a good thing. The class (FR, SO, JR, SR) following each player’s name is for the 2019 season.

Game 1: South Alabama
This team is a mess. Campbell (Head Coach) went with a youth movement last year. At least 10 players entered the transfer portal after the 2018 season and at least 11 guys missed the entire spring due to injuries. This is a perfect opening game for Nebraska but I don't think it will be a good measuring stick for Nebraska's team.

QB​			​
RB​	32​	Tra Minter, SR	​
WR​	​		9​	Jalen Tolbert, SO
WR​	15​	Kawaan Baker, JR	23​	Jalen Wayne, JR
WR​	​		​
TE​	​		10​	Zac Crosby, JR
LT​	70​	Troy Thingstad, JR	​
LG​	73​	Hadon Merchant, SO	63​	Max Charite, SR
OC​	66​	Brian Ankerson, JR (rs)	75​	Wyatt Green, FR (rs)
RG​	​		71​	Roy Albritton, SR
RT​	​		​
DE​	​		22​	Taji Stewart, JR
NT​	93​	Jordon Beaton, SR	74​	Sean Brown, SR
DT​	12​	Tyree Turner, SR (rs)	99​	Jeffery Whatley, JR (rs)
DE​	​		42​	Jeremiah Littles, JR (rs)
LB​	​		33​	Khalil McDonald, SR (rs)
LB​	46​	Nick Mobley, SO (rs)	15​	AJ DeShazor, SO (rs)
LB​	​		​
CB​	1​	Jalen Thompson, SR (rs)	11​	Gus Nave, SO (rs)
S​	​		9​	Sterrling Fisher, SR (rs)
S​	​		13​	DJ Daniels, JR
CB​	​		​

Game 2: AT Colorado
They have a lot of holes on both sides of the ball combined with a new coaching staff and schemes will be interesting to see how it plays out through the season.

QB​	12​	Steven Montez, SR (rs)	15​	Sam Noyer, JR (rs)
RB​	​		​
WR​	2​	Laviska Shenault, JR	18​	Tony Brown, SR (rs)
WR​	3​	KD Nixon, JR	​
WR​	​		5​	Dimitri Stanley, SO
TE​	38​	Brady Russell, SO (rs)	88​	Darrion Jones, SR
LT​	78​	William Sherman, SO (rs)	​
LG​	​		​
OC​	65​	Colby Pursell, SO (rs)	55​	Brett Tonz, SR
RG​	56​	Tim Lynott, SR	58​	Kary Kutsch, JR
RT​	​		​
DE​	​		54​	Terrance Lang, SO (rs)
NT​	​		​
DE​	34​	Mustafa Johnson, JR	​
LB​	​		42​	Nu' umotu Falo, SR
LB​	53​	Nate Landman, JR	​
LB​	​		36​	Akil Jones JR (rs)
LB​	26​	Carson Wells, SO (rs)	​
CB​	​		5​	Trey Udoffia, JR (rs)
S​	​		3​	Sequoyah Rakestraw, JR (rs)
S​	​		​
CB​	1​	Delrick Abrams, SR	25​	Mekhi Blackmon, JR

Game 3: Northern Illinois
Best depth of the non-con teams. New head coach (Hammock) spent the past 5 years with the Baltimore Ravens. Sounds like he wants to get more up-tempo.

QB​	15​	Marcus Childers, JR (rs)	7​	Anthony Thompson, JR (rs)
RB​	22​	Tre Harbison, JR (rs)	21​	Marcus Jones, SR (rs)
WR​	​		18​	Cole Tucker, SO (rs)
WR​	​		82​	Fotis Kokosioulis, SO
WR​	14​	Spencer Tears, SR (rs)	83​	Dennis Robinson, SO (rs)
TE​	​		44​	Corey Lersch, JR (rs)
LT​	​		71​	Isaac Hawn, JR
LG​	58​	Brayden Patton, JR (rs)	62​	Christopher Perez, SR
OC​	​		54​	Austin Warner, JR (rs)
RG​	65​	Nathan Veloz, SR (rs)	61​	Benn Olson, JR (rs)
RT​	72​	Jordan Steckler, SR (rs)	​
DE​	​		41​	Matt Lorbeck, JR
DT​	98​	Jack Heflin, JR (rs)	99​	Ben Leroy, SR
DT​	55​	Weston Kramer, JR	96​	Marcus Kelly, SR (rs)
DE​	​		53​	Quintin Wynne, SR (rs)
LB​	48​	Antonio Jones-Davis, SR (rs)	42​	Andrew Gregory, JR (rs)
LB​	57​	Kyle Pugh, SR (rs)	50​	Vinny Labus, SO (rs)
LB​	37​	Lance Deveaux, SR	45​	Jordan Cole, SO (rs)
CB​	​		31​	Devin Haney, SO
S​	8​	Mykelti Williams, SR	29​	Adam Buirge, SR (rs)
S​	11​	Trayshon Foster, SR (rs)	24​	Trequan Smith, SR (rs)
CB​	​		26​	Antwain Walker, SO

 

[joncarl]

Maybe Colorado's first game will be cancelled because of weather.

 

[Huskerthom]

One difference is HCSF will ride the storm out.

 

[wcbsas]

CU:
- You never like teams with experienced returning QB; 5th year senior Montez
- Return 3 of their starting defensive front 7

 

[DuckTownHusker]

You'd expect a little more stability at Colorado just due to them being a Power 5 school, and that seems to check out based on your analysis.

I see a lot more upperclassmen on CU and Northern Illinois' rosters than South Alabama, which gives me a little pause. Not saying either team will be immediate 8-win, bowl game contenders, but when you have a bunch of seasoned talent a new coach (or rather, new GOOD coach) should be able to coax a few extra wins out of them.

On paper, NU should cruise to an easy win over South Alabama, a respectably solid win over Northern Illinois and Colorado is honestly up for grabs. In terms of bench depth, coaching ability and raw talent, Nebraska has a clear advantage, but it's Colorado. Even though we're in different conferences, old rivalries die hard and you never want to get caught overlooking a game like that.

 

[HuskerTea]

CU:
- You never like teams with experienced returning QB; 5th year senior Montez
- Return 3 of their starting defensive front 7

Agree that Montez is a very good QB.They have an outstanding receiver returning.They manage to play us tough almost always. I have said on this board before that I would rather have my finger nails removed and my teeth pulled then loose to the buffs.GBR. I think this will be our first test to gauge where we are as a team.

 

[HuskerJ]

Thanks for the detail on those scouting reports. I think after last year I wouldn’t mind playing a few teams with depleted and suspect rosters.
I actually have had much respect for the Buffs over the years, primarily when they were reaching way out of conference and playing highly ranked teams.
However their fan base could use a beating with their own berkenstocks in my opinion.

 

[cthusker]

You'd expect a little more stability at Colorado just due to them being a Power 5 school, and that seems to check out based on your analysis.

I see a lot more upperclassmen on CU and Northern Illinois' rosters than South Alabama, which gives me a little pause. Not saying either team will be immediate 8-win, bowl game contenders, but when you have a bunch of seasoned talent a new coach (or rather, new GOOD coach) should be able to coax a few extra wins out of them.

On paper, NU should cruise to an easy win over South Alabama, a respectably solid win over Northern Illinois and Colorado is honestly up for grabs. In terms of bench depth, coaching ability and raw talent, Nebraska has a clear advantage, but it's Colorado. Even though we're in different conferences, old rivalries die hard and you never want to get caught overlooking a game like that.

Agree but we can 100% sure this Nebraska team will NOT over look Buffy after last years debacle. I still think however it's going to be a tough game because Montez is an excellent and dangerous QB throwing to an all world receiver. I doubt however they will be able to match the over all fire power of our offense. Had AM not been injured last year there's no way we would have lost that game in Lincoln imo.

 

[Greatest Fan of All]

CU:
- You never like teams with experienced returning QB; 5th year senior Montez
- Return 3 of their starting defensive front 7

Or a team with a guy who may be the best player in the country if healthy, Laviska Shenault.

 

[gardenjam]

CU:
- You never like teams with experienced returning QB; 5th year senior Montez
- Return 3 of their starting defensive front 7

CU: I believe their experienced ankle twister is also back.

 

[Power of Corn]

the kid who twisted AMs leg in the pile, better beware, someone is gonna knock his frickin head off. If frost gets up in this game, he will not let up, he will put up 80 on these classless clowns if he can

 

[berryhusker]

the kid who twisted AMs leg in the pile, better beware, someone is gonna knock his frickin head off. If frost gets up in this game, he will not let up, he will put up 80 on these classless clowns if he can

You better believe our Oline and offense overall is aware of his number and he better be aware.

 

[berryhusker]

I plan to be there and I think it's gonna be contentious based on the leg twist last year. I think Frost will have this team ready to roll. We will come out ready to beat ass IMO

 

[berryhusker]

I will also take video of my time there to evidence everything

 

[CrabHusker]

CU:
- You never like teams with experienced returning QB; 5th year senior Montez
- Return 3 of their starting defensive front 7

Anyone who completely discounts Colorado with Montezz and Shenault returning isn't looking too hard.