Rebuilding year for Nebraska?
By Mel Kiper Jr.
NEWS & NOTES: May 29
The Big 12 North figures to provide a great deal of intrigue in 2002, since the Nebraska Cornhuskers are looking at a transition year. This is due to the graduation loss of Heisman Trophy-winning QB Eric Crouch, combined with the decision of destructive run-blocking OG Toniu Fonoti to leave early for the NFL. All told, the 'Huskers need to replace six starters on offense (including LT Dave Volk, RG Jon Rutherford, TE Tracey Wistrom and wing-back John Gibson).
Nebraska's defense has some question marks, especially in the secondary.
Third-year sophomore QB Jamaal Lord (6-foot-2, 215 pounds) figures to be saddled with the huge burden of replacing Crouch. Lord has seen limited playing time in 12 games the past two years as Crouch's backup.
Lefty Mike Stuntz is in the mix for backup QB duty after shifting from wing-back in the spring. But keep a close eye on highly regarded freshman signal caller Curt Dukes (6-0, 205). Dukes participated in spring practice after graduating early from the prep ranks in Stony Point, N.C., where he carried a 4.0 GPA and excelled as a hurdler on the track team. It wouldn't come as a huge surprise if Dukes pushed his way onto the field this season. Incidentally, he'll be wearing Crouch's No. 7.
Nebraska's defense also has some question marks, especially in the secondary where the 'Huskers must replace big-play cornerback and punt-return dynamo Keyuo Craver. Also lost to graduation were RCB Erwin Swiney and rover Dion Booker. Meanwhile, junior LCB Willie Amos, a projected starter, went down with a knee injury in the spring that makes his status questionable. Sophomore Lornell McPherson and junior Pat Ricketts are penciled in as the season-opening cornerbacks. But a top recruit, Fabian Washington (6-0, 175) of Bradenton, Fla., could be heavily in the mix.
The 'Huskers open the season early, hosting Arizona State on Aug. 24 in the Black Coaches Association Football Classic. Included in the 13-game, regular-season schedule are challenging road battles against Penn State, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Kansas State. Nebraska's 21-game home winning streak -- the longest in the nation -- will be on the line when Texas (Nov. 2) and Colorado (Nov. 29) visit Lincoln. Considering what a huge part of the college football landscape the Cornhuskers have been through the years, it's no surprise that Nebraska has appeared in an NCAA-record 33 straight bowl games. The last time the 'Huskers were out of the bowl mix was in 1968 when they finished with an overall record of 6-4 (3-4 in the Big Eight).
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