Nebraska...not feeling Frosty anymore

[lineygoblue]

Larry the Cable Guy isn't causing the country to go down the toilet. But, his toilet humor makes him pretty much unwatchable to this old dude .... The last time I tried to watch one of his acts on TV, I changed the channel after the 5th toilet joke in a row ... and I can't believe I hung in there that long ...

[THE_WIZARD_]

So liney did you hear the one about the turd, a midget and a monkey?

[Rob F]

Entropy (turd), DSL (midget), and Talent (monkey)?

[lineygoblue]

I think you're on to him, Rob....

[entropy]

I've been upgraded?

[entropy]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMmc_eoOc3s&feature=youtube_gdata_player"]1975 Nebraska vs Missouri, "The Bummeroosky" - YouTube[/ame]

[THE_WIZARD_]

Awesome play. Led to the other variations...the "Bounceroosky"...and the "Fumbleroosky"...

[THE_WIZARD_]

...the "Fumbleroosky" was used in two football movies...The Longest Yard (remake) and "Little Giants"...

[entropy]

#22 preseason

By Kirk Bohls

Updated: 10:19 a.m. Sunday, July 8, 2012

It may only be July, but it's never too early to talk college football. Get your fix with our countdown of the preseason Top 25, the consensus picks of the American-Statesman sports staff:

No. 22 Nebraska

THE CORNHUSKERS WILL CONTEND IF ... they can adequately replace three offensive line starters to help the usual punishing ground game, and if QB Taylor Martinez improves his passing accuracy.

Coach: Bo Pelini (39-16 overall, fifth year, all at Nebraska)

2011 record: 9-4, 5-3 Big Ten (third in Big Ten Legends)

2011 bowl: Lost to South Carolina 30-13 in the Capital One Bowl

Returning starters: 8 offense, 7 defense

Lone Star love

Nebraska is two years removed from the Big 12, but its love for all things Texan hasn't waned. There are 20 Texans on the roster, including two from this year's signing class. In his first five Nebraska classes, Pelini has signed 29 Texans, but will that slow to a trickle without games being played in the Lone Star State? Talented RB Aaron Green (San Antonio Madison) has transferred to TCU, but rugged I-back Rex Burkhead (Plano) is back, and eight or possibly nine Texans fill out the projected two-deep.

Standing room only

Ten teams on this year's schedule played in a 2011 bowl game, and six teams won nine or more games last year. Nebraska's sellout streak at home is 318 games and counting, a streak that goes back to Nov. 3, 1962. The next school on that list is Notre Dame, with 227. Seven home games figure to continue the Big Red's impressive record before offseason construction expands Memorial Stadium's capacity to more than 90,000. And get this: Nebraska sold — that's right, SOLD — about 51,000 tickets at $10 apiece for the spring game, but it was canceled because of bad weather.

The two-headed monster

As solid as Burkhead is, he's very well complemented by Martinez, the junior quarterback. Together, they are the top returning rushing combination in college football. They totaled 2,231 yards, just ahead of Michigan's Denard Robinson/Fitzgerald Toussaint (2,217), Missouri's James Franklin/Henry Josey (2,149) and Kansas State's Collin Klein/John Hubert (2,111).

T-Magic's passing fancy

Now if Martinez can only upgrade his passing efforts. As a sophomore, he ranked a lowly 89th in completions per game (12.5), and his completion percentage (56.25 percent) bettered only 14 other quarterbacks ranked among the NCAA's top 100 passers. But T-Magic is said to have worked hard on his mechanics this offseason to get his feet set and his shoulders squared before release. He needed to, because he's thrown 15 interceptions in 484 attempts, with 23 touchdowns.

Remaking the big uglies

There should be decent depth, but three starters on the offensive line must be replaced. The Huskers averaged more than 217 rushing yards a game, ranking 15th in the country, but haven't shown the dominant blocking regularly, as in the past. Most eyes will be on the center, a job that might not be locked up until August, when longtime backup Cole Pensick battles former defensive lineman Justin Jackson.

Did you know?

Each of Nebraska's first three opponents this season features a new head coach, at Southern Mississippi, UCLA and Arkansas State.

With two seasons of eligibility left, Martinez is already within 1,595 rushing yards of Eric Crouch's Nebraska career mark of 3,434. And he's only 117 yards from passing Tommie Frazier for fourth place. Crouch won the 2001 Heisman Trophy.

Nebraska has scheduled some good nonconference matchups for down the road, including UCLA (2012-13), Miami (2014-15), Tennessee (2016-17) and BYU (2015).

Nebraska has added 100 walk-ons in five seasons, including 19 this offseason. And they're not exactly practice fodder, either — two starting offensive guards are former walk-ons (Spencer Long, Seung Hoon Choi).

THE PAST 5 YEARS

2011: 9-4, L Capital One Bowl

2010: 10-4, L Holiday Bowl

2009: 10-4, W Holiday Bowl

2008: 9-4, W Gator Bowl

2007: 5-7, no bowl

Total: 43-23, 2-2 in bowls

[entropy]

#22 preseason

By Kirk Bohls

Updated: 10:19 a.m. Sunday, July 8, 2012

It may only be July, but it's never too early to talk college football. Get your fix with our countdown of the preseason Top 25, the consensus picks of the American-Statesman sports staff:

No. 22 Nebraska

THE CORNHUSKERS WILL CONTEND IF ... they can adequately replace three offensive line starters to help the usual punishing ground game, and if QB Taylor Martinez improves his passing accuracy.

Coach: Bo Pelini (39-16 overall, fifth year, all at Nebraska)

2011 record: 9-4, 5-3 Big Ten (third in Big Ten Legends)

2011 bowl: Lost to South Carolina 30-13 in the Capital One Bowl

Returning starters: 8 offense, 7 defense

Lone Star love

Nebraska is two years removed from the Big 12, but its love for all things Texan hasn't waned. There are 20 Texans on the roster, including two from this year's signing class. In his first five Nebraska classes, Pelini has signed 29 Texans, but will that slow to a trickle without games being played in the Lone Star State? Talented RB Aaron Green (San Antonio Madison) has transferred to TCU, but rugged I-back Rex Burkhead (Plano) is back, and eight or possibly nine Texans fill out the projected two-deep.

Standing room only

Ten teams on this year's schedule played in a 2011 bowl game, and six teams won nine or more games last year. Nebraska's sellout streak at home is 318 games and counting, a streak that goes back to Nov. 3, 1962. The next school on that list is Notre Dame, with 227. Seven home games figure to continue the Big Red's impressive record before offseason construction expands Memorial Stadium's capacity to more than 90,000. And get this: Nebraska sold ? that's right, SOLD ? about 51,000 tickets at $10 apiece for the spring game, but it was canceled because of bad weather.

The two-headed monster

As solid as Burkhead is, he's very well complemented by Martinez, the junior quarterback. Together, they are the top returning rushing combination in college football. They totaled 2,231 yards, just ahead of Michigan's Denard Robinson/Fitzgerald Toussaint (2,217), Missouri's James Franklin/Henry Josey (2,149) and Kansas State's Collin Klein/John Hubert (2,111).

T-Magic's passing fancy

Now if Martinez can only upgrade his passing efforts. As a sophomore, he ranked a lowly 89th in completions per game (12.5), and his completion percentage (56.25 percent) bettered only 14 other quarterbacks ranked among the NCAA's top 100 passers. But T-Magic is said to have worked hard on his mechanics this offseason to get his feet set and his shoulders squared before release. He needed to, because he's thrown 15 interceptions in 484 attempts, with 23 touchdowns.

Remaking the big uglies

There should be decent depth, but three starters on the offensive line must be replaced. The Huskers averaged more than 217 rushing yards a game, ranking 15th in the country, but haven't shown the dominant blocking regularly, as in the past. Most eyes will be on the center, a job that might not be locked up until August, when longtime backup Cole Pensick battles former defensive lineman Justin Jackson.

Did you know?

Each of Nebraska's first three opponents this season features a new head coach, at Southern Mississippi, UCLA and Arkansas State.

With two seasons of eligibility left, Martinez is already within 1,595 rushing yards of Eric Crouch's Nebraska career mark of 3,434. And he's only 117 yards from passing Tommie Frazier for fourth place. Crouch won the 2001 Heisman Trophy.

Nebraska has scheduled some good nonconference matchups for down the road, including UCLA (2012-13), Miami (2014-15), Tennessee (2016-17) and BYU (2015).

Nebraska has added 100 walk-ons in five seasons, including 19 this offseason. And they're not exactly practice fodder, either ? two starting offensive guards are former walk-ons (Spencer Long, Seung Hoon Choi).

THE PAST 5 YEARS

2011: 9-4, L Capital One Bowl

2010: 10-4, L Holiday Bowl

2009: 10-4, W Holiday Bowl

2008: 9-4, W Gator Bowl

2007: 5-7, no bowl

Total: 43-23, 2-2 in bowls

[entropy]

low teens is probably where I'd rank UNL. Nebraksa is very athletic under 220lbs. I've heard and been told that by several former players who have been at practices. The problem is at center and the DL. Not much depth or talent. Decision making at the QB position will either win UNL a game or cost them one.

[WM Wolverine]

You play a pretty tough schedule; 9-3 would be pretty good... I'd argue the same for M, that 9-3 would be a nice regular season.

[Hannibal]

I agree. I'd pretty gladly take 9-3 this year, provided none of the losses were embarrassing and one of the wins is against MSU.

[hack]

Implies losses to Alabama and one of OSU and, probably, ND? Would certainly love to beat Nebraska in Nebraska.

[WM Wolverine]

I've got 5 tough games for M:

*Bama, ND, MSU, Neb & OSU. 3-2 in those is a good (not great) outcome; 2-3 would be less than good but not a shock with 3 of these on the road and 1 a neutral site against Bama...

M has a couple others that are far from gimmes:

*Iowa, Illinois... M should go 2-0 here but splitting these two home games wouldn't be terribly surprising...

The other five should be gimmes:

*Air Force, UMass, NW, Minnesota & Purdue... M should go 5-0 here; 3 of the 4 worst teams in the B10, a MAC opponent and Air Force...