STRENGTHS: The best challenge for the coaching staff may be creating ways to involve numerous, talented running backs. Senior Dahrran Diedrick is returning as the Big 12 rushing leader from last season and he will partner with another senior, Thunder Collins, to give the offensive your typical power game. Collins sat out most of spring practice with a shoulder injury, but newcomer Marques Simmons has really turned some heads. But Diedrick will again get the bulk of the carries next season, as he will be one of the premier backs in the county. Needless to say, there is a stockpile of talent at the I-back position. Junior fullback Judd Davies is another back that looks to become more involved in the offense. Aside from the running backs carrying a huge burden of proving that Husker dominance is still alive and well, the offensive line will continue to be a major part of the equation. Generally when an offense loses five players from the front line of a year ago, the prognosis turns out negative. So the search begins for those new five incumbents. The reload analogy still applies, so what else is new in Lincoln? As a group, they are stronger and more physical than the past has shown, but stronger doesn't always translate into victories. The spring showed some headway for this inexperienced unit. There are no super stars and lacking is an obvious All American. With three easy games to start out the season, there should be ample time to gel. On a good special teams note, senior kicker Josh Brown has been named a captain for the upcoming season.

CONCERNS: Eric Crouch is gone, what more can be said? It remains to be seen whether his replacement Jammal Lord, can pass the ball consistently when he takes over as the starter. Lord did rise to the occasion in the spring, but most fans will have to wait until August to see if the not so battle tested junior can respond. Obviously, this unanswered question is the big key. The depth at quarterback is non-existent. This should be the biggest concern in Corn Country. If Lord suffers and injury and one of the youngsters is called up for duty, things could get messy. But the word on Jammal is that he will get the job done. At 6-2 and 215 pounds, he is the strong runner that the Nebraska coaches seem to thrive upon every season. He only attempted 41 passes as a senior in high school, and so the jury will still be out on his ability to be an adequate passer. Sounds very familiar. Leading receiver Wilson Thomas returns, but there were still some key losses to note in the Husker passing arsenal. The luxury Crouch had at quarterback with big tight end Tracey Wistrom for so many seasons is no longer available.

STRENGTHS: The defense struggled in big games last year, equating to lopsided losses against Colorado and Miami to end the season. Nebraska will be stronger up front with some heavy hitters dotting the starting lineup. Chris Kelsay leads the group from his defensive end position and Patrick Kabongo looks to be the next great Cornhusker linemen from the inside. Jon Clanton is another one of five standout tackles that will be unveiled next fall. A few defensive surprises from the spring include five-star JUCO transfer Demorrio Williams, who just dominated the spring game from his weakside linebacker position. Leading the team in tackles, terrorizing the offense, and causing massive problems for the offense was all people could talk about. The other newfound gift comes by the name of defensive tackle Seppo Evwaraye who made quite an initial impression in the spring. Some of the faces may be new at linebacker, however the depth is at a quite comfortable level with competition for starting spots becoming more difficult. DeJuan Groce is one of the mainstays from last season's defensive backfield. His play will be crucial.

CONCERNS: The worst news for the defense was cornerback Willie Amos' knee injury from the spring, which may force Nebraska's fastest player into a redshirt season. Without a doubt, it looks like Amos is finished for the first part of the season, if not the entire year. Outside DeJuan Groce, the Huskers lack a speedy corner with the ability to lock on to a reciever. The answers may have to lie in a true freshman or untested sophomore. So many new faces dot the linebacker unit that speculations run rampant as nobody really has an idea on who will be the starters. Only five returning starters are listed on the roster so it is quite evident that inexperience will play a large role in 2002. Some of the newcomers are rich in talent but raw on playing time.