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THREE KEY QUESTIONS

Just how much of Mike Riley’s pro-style, pass-preferred offense can he install — and is he ready again to commit more to the running game?

Oregon State actually had a run of 1,000-yard rushers with Steven Jackson, Yvenson Bernard and Jacquizz Rodgers. But since 2011, OSU hasn’t had a 1,000-yard rusher, and, in some of those years, the running game was downright anemic. The passing game flourished, though, under four-year starter Sean Mannion and wideout Brandin Cooks. Since the talent on Nebraska’s roster is tilted in the opposite direction — mobile quarterbacks, beef on the offensive line, better running backs than wideouts — how do Riley and new offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf take what’s on hand and produce an offense with balance and the scheme they prefer? Can the quarterbacks successfully transition away from a spread passing game toward a pro-style system with more defined routes? Does the line take to a zone running attack similar to that of Iowa?

Can a defensive front seven depleted by injuries and departures rebound for a big 2015?

A unit expected to be so good before the 2014 season was firmly so-so by the end of it. You can’t sugarcoat 4.7 yards per carry and 177.9 rushing yards allowed per game. Both of those numbers were worse than the ones put up by coordinator Mark Banker’s Oregon State defense. The departures of Randy Gregory and Zaire Anderson to the NFL will not make the transition any easier, but somehow Nebraska needs to get better at stopping the run. In the personnel department, the interior of the defensive line — Maliek Collins and Vincent Valentine — remains intact, but that duo needs more depth. NU needs more production out of its ends — Greg McMullen and Jack Gangwish appear to be the top guys right now — and more health/consistency out of the linebackers. David Santos and Michael Rose need to come back healthy in spring camp. Josh Banderas needs to step into the role his sheer athletic talent affords him.

Will Riley be able to match Bo Pelini’s performance in games against lesser teams while improving it in games against big dogs?

Oregon State had a reputation as a giant killer under Riley. It also lost to Eastern Washington in 2013, Sacramento State in 2011 and a hideous 2-10 Washington State team in 2010. The Beavers also had some close calls against awfully mediocre teams. Over seven years, Pelini consistently vanquished bad teams — the 2009 game against Iowa State was an outlier — and fell short (by widening margins) against the really good ones. That was Frank Solich’s struggle, too. Bill Callahan? Well, he couldn’t beat the mediocre teams and he fell way, way short of the really good ones. Riley’s task is to keep doing that at the same rate Pelini and Solich did while having the team step up when it really counts. He has to find those inches without losing the fire. Not easy.

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FIVE POSITION BATTLES

Cornerback

Beatrice grad Daniel Davie more than proved he’s worthy of the Big Ten with a strong junior campaign, so he should lock down one spot. But the rest of the corner spots are probably up for grabs. At nickel, Charles Jackson is a superior athlete but needs more game experience. He’s likely to battle with Byerson Cockrell. Opposite Davie, Jonathan Rose would appear to be the odds-on favorite, considering he was the No. 3 corner, but Josh Kalu — who played dime — and Chris Jones, mostly featured on special teams, will have something to say about it. And don’t forget early enrollees Eric Lee and Avery Anderson. They’ll be in for spring and ready to make their case, as will Trai Mosley, who redshirted in 2014.

Running back

Throw the names up in the air and see who emerges. Although Imani Cross and Terrell Newby have been capable backups to Ameer Abdullah in the last two years, neither would make fans forget Abdullah for a second, both have had fumble issues in the past and neither is a standout pass-catcher. They’ll get their shots to win the job — a new offense may suit both of them — but watch for Adam Taylor and Mikale Wilbon to make strong pushes. Wilbon redshirted in 2014 — even still, some think he may have been the second-best back on the team — and impressed Husker defenders with his athleticism and shiftiness. Taylor is a one-cut-and-barrel back who sat out this season with a broken ankle. Should he come back healthy, he’s a more fluid runner than Cross and may have more potential as a pass-catcher, too. Riley intends to recruit a player in the 2015 class; perhaps he can contribute, too.

Interior offensive line

The three main starters — center Mark Pelini and guards Jake Cotton and Mike Moudy — were seniors. They’ll need replacements. At center, Ryne Reeves presumably takes over for his senior season, but his injury history is so concerning that it’s impossible to expect a healthy year. So backups Dylan Utter and Paul Thurston will get a look, as might Zach Hannon. At guard, Chongo Kondolo will get a crack at one job, but he may not win it. Freshman Jerald Foster — a hit on the scout team during his redshirt year — may be an odds-on favorite, and don’t count out fellow freshman Tanner Farmer, either. Corey Whitaker tore his ACL before the season and will return, as well. Hannon may slide back over to guard, too. Nebraska has recruited fairly well for the interior line. Now new line coach Mike Cavanaugh has to develop the talent all the way through.

Defensive end

The Huskers have a returnee — Greg McMullen — who’s basically the starter for the next two years so long as he stays healthy and doesn’t get moved inside. After that, the end spot — whether NU uses a 3-4 or a 4-3 — is a crapshoot. Wood River native Jack Gangwish returns for his senior year. He’s good against the run but doesn’t generate much as a pass rusher. Sophomore A.J. Natter hasn’t played a significant down in a game, and neither did Joe Keels in his one year since transferring from junior college. Three players — Peyton Newell, Sedrick King and Mick Stoltenberg — redshirted. Two more players — DaiShon Neal and Reuben Jones — are in the 2015 recruiting class, but neither may stick as commitments. Then there’s Avery Moss, banned from campus in 2014 and looking to re-enroll in classes and rejoin the team in 2015. So long as he stayed in shape, he’s the best end of the bunch. He’s also not currently on the team.

Quarterback

It’s almost tough to place this here, given Tommy Armstrong has started 21 games and was unquestionably “the guy” in 2014. And as “the guy,” Armstrong had his brilliant moments, especially as a runner and improviser outside the pocket as a passer. Inside the pocket, on schedule, Armstrong was average to below average, and that’ll either change, or some other player will get the job. Who might that player be? Ryker Fyfe, Johnny Stanton. AJ Bush, Zack Darlington — step on up. And don’t count out whomever Riley and Langsdorf might recruit, either. But Armstrong is the clear frontrunner here. The job will be his to lose. You can’t easily discard two years of experience, even if Riley and Langsdorf have benched seasoned guys before.

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FIVE SPOTLIGHT PLAYERS

Wide receivers De’Mornay Pierson-El and Jamal Turner

This offense should be music to their ears. Pierson-El is electric as a ball-carrier, and for a guy just learning how to be a wideout, eight catches for 102 yards and a touchdown in the Holiday Bowl is pretty good. Turner, who tore his Achilles early in the season, should give this offense a big, long hug. NU will throw, will utilize the kind of routes Turner can excel with and should give him his best shot at a big season and eventual NFL career. With Jordan Westerkamp joining them, that’s a good trio. More receivers are needed, but that’s a good start.

Tight end Cethan Carter

A gifted athlete who too often went ignored as a pass-catcher in his first two seasons in the program, Carter should also enjoy an expanded role in a Riley offense. Carter is a strong blocker already, and plenty dangerous once he catches the ball. He just needs more targets.

Cornerback Charles Jackson

He may have been the guy Nebraska missed the most this season. Jackson is an eraser athlete, talented and aggressive enough to not merely defend an opponent, but put them behind the sticks. If, indeed, Nebraska’s new defense will be more aggressive — as Oregon State’s undermanned defense tended to be — then Jackson’s star rises within it. If he’s healthy — and he’s had a full redshirt season to rehab his knee injury — he could be dynamic against the pass and run.

Linebacker Josh Banderas

It was a “growth” year for the sophomore — not always comfortable growth, either — but his 14 tackles in the Holiday Bowl proved, again, that he has the talent to be a big name in Nebraska’s defense. Can new linebackers coach Trent Bray unlock it? Even if Michael Rose returns to be NU’s middle linebacker, there needs to be a place on the field for a kid like Banderas, who has the speed to cover and the size to tackle. If he makes a leap this offseason, NU’s linebacker concerns go down considerably.

Defensive tackle Maliek Collins

He’d be good in any scheme. He’s a legitimate All-America candidate headed into next season — 14 tackles for loss, 4½ sacks and 13 quarterback hurries from a defensive tackle spot needs to get someone’s attention — and he’ll anchor a defense that probably needs him to be great just to be good. Ditto for safety Nate Gerry, who had a big year. The better Collins and Gerry are, the better Nebraska is. They’re stars now, among the Big Ten’s best. They’ll be counted as leaders.

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2015 SCHEDULE WATCH

BYU (8-5 in 2014)

The Cougars must replace several standouts from a large senior class, but ultra-athletic quarterback Taysom Hill — who suffered a fractured leg and ligament damage in a loss to Utah State — returns. BYU is NU’s toughest home opener since the 2003 Oklahoma State game.

South Alabama (6-7)

The Jaguars are probably a cut above an FCS team at this point, but the Sun Belt bunch struggled on defense in losses to Mississippi State, South Carolina and Navy and probably figures to struggle for years to come.

At Miami (6-7)

The Hurricanes had far too much talent to lose seven games this season. Al Golden probably has one more year, and he’ll have to win without Duke Johnson and Denzel Perryman. Freshman quarterback Brad Kaaya looks like a keeper, though.

Southern Mississippi (3-9)

This proud program morphed into a complete grease fire in the last three years, but USM was young in 2014, and improved from 0-12 in 2012 and 1-11 in 2013. The offense returns mostly intact. The defense won’t.

At Illinois (6-7)

The Illini’s defense has to get better for any real progress to be made in Champaign. Speaking of Champaign, this will make a great travel game for NU fans. Lots of tailgating space around the stadium.

Wisconsin (11-3)

The Badgers caught a big break, really. Before Gary Andersen completely retooled the offense, he left, and native son Paul Chryst — who’s also a close friend of Mike Riley — returns to keep that offense humming. By retaining defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, the Badgers’ defense stays on an upward trajectory. NU fans really want this one.

At Minnesota (8-5)

Jerry Kill worked magic this season. So long as he can rebuild the offensive line and defensive secondary a bit, there’s no reason eight wins can’t be achieved again.Nebraska will struggle with this team for years to come.

Northwestern (5-7)

The Wildcats’ quarterback play has been spotty to atrocious for two solid years, and no relief appears to be coming, either. The back seven on defense must be rebuilt. Offensive line, too.

At Purdue (3-9)

The top two runners — Akeem Hunt and Raheem Mostert — are gone, as are two pretty good tight ends and the team’s top two defensive linemen. Otherwise, Purdue is young, and quarterback Austin Appleby has potential.

Michigan State (11-2)

MSU’s defense may have to do more rebuilding than reloading after an exodus of stars, punter Mike Sadler and defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi. The Spartans’ “year” was 2014. They missed the window. They lose three or four games in 2015, even with Connor Cook coming back.

At Rutgers (8-5)

Autumn in New Jersey. It’s going to be a long, rough year for the Scarlet Knights, replacing Gary Nova at quarterback and retooling both sides of the lines. Recruiting has not been kind to Kyle Flood. The last of the Greg Schiano guys are heading out the door.

Iowa (7-6)

Count on it being Kirk Ferentz’s last year. He has to replace both offensive tackles, both defensive tackles, the only dependable running back in the program, his best linebacker, his best safety ... yep, final year.

Ohio State (13-1 and plays Oregon for the national title on Jan. 12)

We’re including the Buckeyes because, trust us, if Nebraska has any interest in winning the Big Ten, OSU will be waiting in Indianapolis. This team, with an extra year of seasoning, could be a juggernaut whether J.T. Barrett or Braxton Miller runs the show.