Nebraska Seeks Return To Glory

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) _ Bill Callahan won't say it, but his players will: The time has come for Nebraska to reclaim its traditional place among the elite in college football. <br/><br/>Though the Cornhuskers

Tuesday, August 28th 2007, 2:25 pm

By: News On 6

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) _ Bill Callahan won't say it, but his players will: The time has come for Nebraska to reclaim its traditional place among the elite in college football.

Though the Cornhuskers won the watered-down Big 12 North last year, they've done little to distinguish themselves in Callahan's first three years in Lincoln. The haven't been ranked in the Top 10 since 2003 _ Frank Solich's last year _ and have lost no fewer than four games a season under Callahan.

``This needs to be the year Nebraska makes a statement,'' offensive lineman Matt Slauson said. ``We've been improving every year since we got the new system. Nebraska needs to be in the national spotlight. That's how the seniors are looking at it. And as a junior, I don't want to wait any longer.''

In four decades under Bob Devaney, Tom Osborne and Solich, stability was the hallmark of Nebraska football. Callahan has changed almost everything in the program, from recruiting and offensive philosophies all the way down to support personnel.

Athletic director Steve Pederson, a native Nebraskan who once worked in the football office under Osborne, has said repeatedly that Callahan is on the right track. But judging from chatter on Internet bulletin boards and radio call-in shows, fans are showing signs of restlessness.

When Callahan was hired, people around the program pointed to 2007 as the season when the West Coast offense and upgraded across-the-board talent would take off.

Linebacker Corey McKeon said he and his teammates still believe that.

``We talk about it,'' McKeon said. ``We say this is the year, this is the year. We've been knocking on the door, banging around with the big guys, the big dogs. Now this is the year we start beating them.''

Four of Nebraska's five losses last season were against Top 10 teams _ 28-10 on the road to No. 4 Southern California, 22-20 at home to No. 5 Texas in a game Nebraska led in the final minute, 21-7 to No. 8 Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game and 17-14 to No. 10 Auburn in the Cotton Bowl.

The only embarrassment was a 41-29 road loss to Oklahoma State, which tied for last in the Big 12 South.

The Huskers return their top two receivers in Terrence Nunn and Maurice Purify, their second-leading rusher in Marlon Lucky and four offensive linemen with starting experience.

The defense features McKeon, who has started 25 games, an All-Big 12 linebacker in Bo Ruud and four players who have started in the secondary.

The Huskers will be breaking in a new quarterback after the departure of Big 12 offensive player of the year Zac Taylor. Sam Keller, who transferred from Arizona State, is the probable starter, though Callahan says Joe Ganz and others will have a chance to compete for the job.

Keller brought with him a devil-may-care attitude from Arizona State, where he was on pace for a record-setting season before getting injured in the seventh game in 2005. He transferred to Nebraska last August after then-ASU coach Dirk Koetter demoted him.

Keller served on Nebraska's scout team while sitting out his transfer year, and he said he became a better quarterback. He said Callahan's offense is a good fit because the system rewards consistency and levelheadedness. Keller said he often tried to force big plays, resulting in bad decisions and too many interceptions, at ASU.

``It's important as the quarterback to be the guy who manages the team well, not just making plays and making things happen,'' Keller said. ``That's one thing I've gotten better at.''

The defensive line lost all four starters, including first-round draft pick Adam Carriker. But the coaching staff is high on tackles Ndamukong Suh and Ty Steinkuhler and ends Barry Turner, Clayton Sievers and Zach Potter.

Asked if this is his best Nebraska team _ on paper _ Callahan wouldn't go there.

He also shut down talk about the importance of showing marked improvement in his fourth year.

``I don't personally talk to the staff about Year Four and pound the table and scream and yell,'' he said. ``It's about consistency, and it's about elevating your performance. Our goals internally, they're very high for our team and our staff. We want to get better every year.''

This year's schedule features a Sept. 8 visit to defending Atlantic Coast Conference champion Wake Forest, a Sept. 15 home game against likely No. 1 USC and conference road games against North favorite Missouri on Oct. 6 and South favorite Texas on Oct. 27.

``It's a great schedule,'' Callahan said. ``It affords us an incredible opportunity to do some great things.''