I've been able to listen to bits and pieces of the coverage from Big XII media days, and I must say that this season's coverage has seemed a little more interesting than past years. Not sure why...but I think there is one selfish reason.
I sense a quiet optimism from the Huskers this season. Every year we hear talk about how this year the team is bigger/faster/stronger than the year before...but that's not the talk this year.
Some sample quotes from the Omaha World-Herald:
Linebacker Bo Ruud: "There's an urgency from the seniors, because we've got one last chance," Ruud said, slowly letting out the latter half of that quote.
"If we do exactly what we did last year, that would be a disappointment to us, even though for a lot of teams in the country that would be a good year. We're just setting higher goals."
Bill Callahan: "Probably the media looks at the fourth year more than anything, because you're starting to get players in place, your natural progression of your team and your program should be unfolding . . . which it has, I believe, at Nebraska."
Tight end J.B. Phillips: "I'm excited for this year. I'm excited for who we have. I'm excited about the system we have in place. There really are no pieces that are missing now."
I get the sense that this team knows it's time to get Nebraska back into the upper echelon of college football.
Earlier this summer, Bill Callahan candidly talked about "something special" happening at Nebraska this season. What does "something special" mean? Hard to say...but it sure sounds good to me.