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A run-down of sporting stories from yesterday covering Nebraska athletics, the Big Ten and around the world.
Nebraska gets ready to launch the Nebraska Athletic Performance Lab, the football team winds down fall camp and the new Big 12 is impossible to predict. Those stories and more below.
10 days to kickoff
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N for 'Nowledge
I'm very interested to see how successful this venture is. While outside my area of research, anything that raises Nebraska's profile is a good thing and I think this is a very timely and appropriate way for Nebraska to do good science.
Football
Huskers Continue High-Intensity Fall Camp - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site
With the full roster available, Nebraska is winding down fall camp and getting ready to start game preparations for Southern Mississippi. Pelini thinks the offense is ahead of where they were last year, which is promising. We'll see how that works out.
(**) Maher ready to hammer away on kickoffs : Husker Extra
"As far as I know, we're just going to kick it out and let them go from the 25 whenever that's a possibility," Maher said Saturday. "But you never know up here what the wind’s going to do. We could get into that coffin-corner stuff and try to let our coverage team take over because they've been pretty good the last few years."
As Sipple notes, I'm not sure which coverage unit Maher is talking about. I'm okay with giving our defense 75 yards to stop the opposing offense. Would've helped against Texas in 2009.
More Nebraska football and other stories after the Jump!
(**) A freshman working overtime : Husker Extra
Brown said it's too early to say if Cross will play this season, though head coach Bo Pelini indicated that if a game were to be held today, Cross would play.
If reports are accurate, our running back corps should be very dangerous.
(**) Steven M. Sipple: Husker left tackle Qvale's career on uptick : Husker Extra
Qvale is set to take over at left tackle. While usually I'd be excited about a junior taking up a spot on the line, any junior or senior on our line has seen three offensive systems in the last four years. Hopefully a lot of skills carried over.
(**) McKewon: QB Stanton a ‘coup' in NU summer haul - Omaha.com
Stanton, a burly runner who's still learning how to throw all of the passes, was, indisputably, the biggest catch over the summer.
Thankfully, with Carnes and Armstrong waiting in the wings, if Stanton comes he should have time to learn the offense along with passing.
Hail Varsity: Dennis Claridge Q&A
Very cool interview with #24/#14 Dennis Claridge from the Devaney era of football. Punter-QB...Wouldn't that be a fun wrinkle! PUNT ON THIRD DOWN. They'll never see it coming! (This would, of course, lead to the inevitable complaints about Martinez' kicking motion. "It looks like he's doing jumping jacks!")
College Football: 25 Teams, 25 Questions & Answers - No. 16 Nebraska - Sports - AllMediaNY
Lots of questions on offense - very little discussion of our defense. I can't say I disagree. I believe in Bo's ability to fix the defense (the hires of Kaczenski and Joseph were huge in that regard) but that offensive line has too much flux to merit confidence. I hope they prove me wrong.
Scout.com: Westerkamp holding on to the football
Westerkamp is having a good summer. Hopefully he can find a way to catch balls when the pressure is on this season.
Women's Basketball
Huskers to Tip Off Season Against Gorillas - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site
I would've linked this for the title alone. Would you pay to watch a Nebraska team play a sport against gorillas? If you could pick an animal to play, what animal would that be?
In all seriousness, Lady Husker basketball will start their 2013 campaign against the Pittsburg State Gorillas. (Surprisingly, not spelled wrong - Pittsburg State is a small four year university found in Pittsburg, Kansas.) Good luck, ladies!
Nebrasketball
(**) New Zealand point guard commits to NU : Husker Extra
LSU, Pittsburgh, Saint Mary’s, Virginia, SMU and Wake Forest are among other schools that have offered Webster, according to Rivals.com.
Miles' 2013 class is shaping up nicely with the pick up of 6'2" PG Tai Webster.
Big Ten
Iowa loses Hill, Lile for season - Yahoo! Sports
Update on RB Hill. Best of luck to him and Lile in their recoveries.
Hill out for season with ACL injury | TheGazette
In case you’re wondering, to a man, the Iowa running backs reject any idea that it’s a cursed position.
That's just tempting fate, isn't it?
Illini LB Dickinson out for season with fractures - Yahoo! Sports
Looks like it'll disrupt Illinois' depth at linebacker this fall. Dickinson is expected to recover in time for next season, meaning he could possibly be in the mix for when Nebraska and Illinois play next fall.
Tallying our preseason position rankings - Big Ten Blog - ESPN
Despite Nebraska's pedestrian pre-season ranking by most major "news" outlets, our team is generally regarded as being good at all levels. Bennett suggests that Nebraska simply lacks the star power or knockout punch to elevate it to the next level. Just wait until they see this year's team.
Did You See This? Ohio State ketchup, Michigan Pop-Tarts " Big Ten Network
Please don't read this after eating.
Other Stories
The Times' college football countdown: No. 8 Georgia - latimes.com
Would you take 10 or more wins seven times over the last decade? I think I would.
Traded from Seattle to New Orleans, Barrett Ruud is back in NFC South - ESPN
RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!
TCU Football Imports Ja'Juan Story From Florida - SBNation.com
How far do you think TCU goes in the new Big 12? The Big 12 is hard to guess this season. Oklahoma is still prone to disappointment, Texas is "rebuilding" and Okie State can't possibly have lightning strike twice. Maybe Kansas will win? Where will West Virginia end up? (For the record, I have WVU picking up the Big 12 crown.)
Oklahoma Football Loses Another: Bennett Okotcha Leaves Team - SBNation.com
And Oklahoma was ranked what again? #4?
Iowa State Names Steele Jantz Starting Quarterback - SBNation.com
Linked for the name alone.
Josh Nunes wins Stanford QB job, replacing Luck - Yahoo! Sports
Which shoes are tougher to fill: QB #1 at Stanford following Luck or QB #1 at Wisconsin following Wilson?
(**) College Football: Boise State and the Death of the Little Guy - WSJ.com
Is college football better now that teams like TCU and WVU are joining the big leagues? (And why does the media continue to believe the Big East is a major football conference?)
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Join me every morning Monday to Friday for a round-up of the day's stories. Comments, rants and cat pictures are welcome below! (Not a member of CornNation? Join today and take part in the conversation!)
Have a great Wednesday!
-Salt Creek and Stadium
(NAILED IT TODAY. WOO.)