Nebraska Cornhuskers Football: 2015 Season Preview and Prediction

Dec 27, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. (4) warms up before the game against the USC Trojans in the 2014 Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Offensive Breakdown

The offense was a one-man show last year with Ameer Abdullah at running back, and having Tommy Armstrong, Jr. at quarterback to manage that running offense made for quite a few nice games on the ground. But with Abdullah gone this year, things will change.

And perhaps that is why it is the perfect time for Riley to install his new, pro-style offense.

Armstrong was wildly inconsistent last year at quarterback, but he showed flashes of greatness, and the junior should be able to maximize his dual-threat abilities under Riley, making for a much better passing game.

Terrell Newby and Imani Cross should fill the void at running back, but that position is open. Meanwhile, to help improve the passing game, receivers Jordan Westerkamp and De’Mornay Guys like Alonzo Moore and Jamal Turner in the rotation make for what should be a very deep receiving corps. in this new system.

The offensive line takes a hit with three starters gone, but senior tackle Alex Lewis is a very solid returner who could become a star, and Zach Sterup and Ryan Reeves both have star potential and should be in the rotation. Also, perhaps a newer line is good given the fact that the system is changing.

The offense as a whole should be fine as it did not run much of any specific system last year and should be able to adjust. With a deep receiving corps. and a solid quarterback, Riley’s system should work okay, but a quarterback with inconsistent accuracy and the loss of a superstar running back mean the personnel is not quite there yet.

So expect some mediocrity for this year at least.

The one good thing is kicker Drew Brown is returning, and while he is not great, he is good enough for what they need, so there should not be any huge problems there.

Next: Defensive Outlook