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A run-down of sporting stories from yesterday covering Nebraska athletics, the Big Ten and around the world.
ESPN gets creative dreaming up Nebraska's best and worst seasons, the Omaha World-Herald reviews Northwestern recruiting and yes, the Longhorn Network will be broadcasting two of Texas' home games*. Those stories and more below.
(*No, we don't know which games or who'll be watching them.)
9 days to kickoff
(Sites indicated by the double asterix (**) may have a limited number of views per 30 day/month period.)
Football
(**) Martinez feeling loose, eager for opener : Husker Extra
Martinez is excited and so you should be too. NINE DAYS.
(**) Video: Martinez and Kellogg post-practice, 8.21.12 : Husker Extra
Martinez wants to see Nebraska deploy the no-huddle, up-tempo offense more. (I hope your computer buffers better than mine.)
Hail Varsity: Practice Report – Day 18
...with a week and a half before the season opener it appears as if Nebraska still has some position battles going on up front.
Moderately concerning but I trust Pelini's staff.
More Nebraska football and other stories after the Jump!
Hail Varsity: The Promise of Youth
I'm pretty excited for Cross. Can you imagine the Diamond formation with Cross, Abdullah, Martinez and Burkhead?
Best case/Worst case: Nebraska - Big Ten Blog - ESPN
Brett Maher wins both the Lou Groza and Ray Guy awards.
No way in hell that happens. He's a Nebraska kicker! Also I'd like to note that in their best-case scenario, Nebraska wins October and wins the Big Ten. SEE? (ESPN really went to fantasy world with their "worst case".)
(**) Evans trying to get top value out of the nickel : Husker Extra
The LJS takes a look at Nebraska's secondary and things look promising.
(**) Huskers focused on strong finish to fall practice - Omaha.com
"My biggest concerns obviously are with the backups and the guys that are a play away from getting in there and being able to execute what we're asking them to execute," Pelini said.
Slightly important, don't you think?
(**) Big, fat recruiting update, Aug. 22 | sports.omaha.com
Not sure why Sam is delivering an update on Northwestern's recruiting, but there you go. (It's actually about Nebraska but he used "NU".)
TiqIQ Top 25: Nebraska Opens Season As No. 1 - SBNation.com
Nebraska really is the Green Bay Packers of college football.
Non-Conference Update
UCLA ready to begin first season under Mora - Yahoo! Sports
UCLA is running a 3-4 defensive scheme. Will that be a problem for our run game?
Women's Volleyball
Huskers Open 2012 Season with Busy Weekend - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site
Volleyball starts their season this Friday against Saint Louis at 7pm CDT on BTN.com. Their match against last season's NCAA champion UCLA will be carried on the Big Ten Network at 6pm CDT Saturday. Good luck, ladies!
Women's Soccer
Nebraska Hosts Husker Classic - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site
An update from the athletic department about the women's soccer team. They'll be hosting Virginia Tech (No. 16), Iowa State and New Mexico this coming weekend.
Big Ten
(**) Wait, isn't that Jim Delany? : Husker Extra
Rose Bowl committee meeting in Lincoln.
SoP Q-and-A: @CornNation Talks NU, Revenge, Nebraska Football - Sippin' On Purple
Northwestern's blog took a moment to ask us questions. I may have upset a couple of them by calling our loss "charity". I'm actually really worried that I'm going to be heckled come October 21st. Please, Nebraska, beat Northwestern? (Not like how you beat Wisconsin, but for reals.)
Football Preseason Q&A: Corn Nation - The Only Colors
The Michigan State blog also asked us questions. We all mostly agreed that MSU is Missouri with a better coach.
Other Stories
South Carolina RB Lattimore back from knee injury - Yahoo! Sports
Let's hope Nebraska doesn't have to face South Carolina with Lattimore healthy...unless it's in the MNC game, of course.
Longhorn Network carrying 2 Texas games again - Yahoo! Sports
ESPN said Wednesday that the Longhorns' first two games - both at home - will be televised on the network, which still hasn't struck deals with most major national distributors.
STILL ALIVE.
Oregon's New Uniforms Are Made Of Wondrous Things - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
No unicorns? Disappointment.
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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 Thursday!
-Salt Creek and Stadium