NU FOOTBALL - NU ReView: Nebraska 26, Clemson 21

THE GOOD ...
- RESILIENCY: If you want one word to sum up Nebraska Football 2008, it's resiliency. Throughout this season, the team found itself in situations of adversity, either during a game or afterwards. A home blowout loss to Missouri turned into an inspired defensive performance against Texas Tech. An ugly first quarter against Oklahoma turned into a stellar dismantling of a solid Kansas squad. And a 21-10 deficit in the Gator Bowl turned into a 26-21 victory where the 'Huskers simply imposed their collective will on a Clemson team that had better overall athletic talent.
- THE FRONT FOUR: Make no mistake, Nebraska won this game because of the dominant play of their defensive line. While the offense sputtered, and while the special teams went in fits and starts, it was the D-line that kept NU in the game in the first half, and stole Clemson's will in the second half.
- HENERY THE GREAT: What is lost in the hype of the game's excitement was Alex Henery's perfection throughout the game. Sure, most of the kicks were chip shots, but they all went through. Particularly as the offense was laboring, and as momentum in the game was so tenuous, Henery's dependability to put points on the board ultimately got NU it's first January bowl win in nine years.

THE BAD ...
- "SPECIAL" TEAMS: Nebraska's special teams unit has been maddening the entire season. In the Gator Bowl, they got a blocked punt AND a blocked field goal, both huge plays at the time. Yet, asking them to cover a kickoff is like asking for the blueprint for a perpetual motion machine. And the recklessness which which NU's punt return team fields kicks struck again, nearly costing Nebraska dearly. Oh, for the days of Santino Panico ...
- PLAYMAKERS: Or, more specifically, the lack thereof. Nebraska's offense all season defined workmanlike, grinding the ball down the field and consuming the clock. It's worked well, but in part that offense is necessary because there is no home run threat on the field. The closest thing NU had to a scary player this season was Roy Helu, Jr., and Clemson completely took him out of the game. Without Joe Ganz's experience and leadership next year, it would be nice for the incoming QB (cough, Cody Green, cough) to have a weapon or two that struck fear in a defense whenever he touched the ball.
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... AND THE FINALE.
Bo Pelini finished Year One far ahead of where I expected his team to be. Looking back, the team clearly improved substantially as the year progressed. I suspect he'd love to have another shot against Virginia Tech, Missouri, and Texas Tech with the team Pelini has now. Oklahoma, maybe not so much. But the gusty win over Clemson, easily the best win on Nebraska's roster, provides a lot of confidence in the program going forward.

THE BIG PICTURE.
Pelini showed two things in his first year. First, he's able to take the talent he's given and improve their level of play. Keep in mind how few blue-chip players Pelini had on the field against Clemson on New Year's Day - heck, he had a walk-on at starting middle linebacker! Second, he's able to take that talent and win the games he is supposed to win. Virginia Tech is the only loss on the schedule where the talent level was relatively equal, and it's clear that Pelini learned a lot about himself and his game management from that loss. Watching Missouri's swoon at the end of the year makes it tempting to look back and find more fault in the Tigers' mauling of NU on Homecoming. But at that point, no one in the country was hotter that Mizzou, and Pelini swung for the fences as a result, putting in a gimmicky defensive scheme that he didn't have the athletes to execute. As said earlier, looking back, I'm sure that's the game this season he'd love to get a mulligan on.

THE NEXT SEASON.
It's hard not to be optimistic about NU football for next year. We've learned a lot about what Pelini can do as a coach, which is very exciting. But we need to know what he can do as a recruiter. I know in the post-Callahan era talking about recruiting is a flashback to a bad memory. But Pelini has to bring blue-chip talent to Lincoln for Nebraska to truly be "back" as a national powerhouse. He's demonstrated he can coach. But if he can't recruit significant, playmaking talent, then this 9-4 Gator Bowl championship team is as good as Nebraska is going to get. But if he can bring in the talent, and apply his coaching to it, then that Big Crystal Football may be back in Nebraska's sights.

See you for Spring Practice.

GBR, baby.