Five things to know about NU football

After more than a week of rigorous practices and a handful of even tougher two-a-days, the ninth-ranked and highly regarded Nebraska football team is finally starting to take shape.

So far, we don't have a depth chart or even a definitive answer as to who's starting behind center when the Huskers take the field Sept. 4 against Western Kentucky.

But for now, here's five things we do know about an NU team that appears poised to live up to the considerable preseason hype it earned this summer.

1. THE QB RACE ISN'T

ENDING ANYTIME SOON

You're tired of talking about it, and Bo Pelini is too. And yet, we really know little more about the three-way battle between incumbent Zac Lee, sophomore Cody Green and redshirt freshman Taylor Martinez than we did when fall ball began.

The trio is splitting snaps equally in practice, and no front-runner has been named. In fact, Pelini has said the competition may continue during the Huskers' nonconference schedule.

If the season began today, though, it sounds like Lee would be the starter. Receivers have praised him for displaying a rocket arm, and tight end Mike McNeill said the senior is looking faster than ever in practice.

"When we were watching film (Thursday), we ran a read play with the quarterback and the running back, I thought it was Taylor Martinez running with the ball," McNeill said. "But it was actually Zac Lee. He actually looked really fast."

We knew the job was Lee's to lose, and so far it doesn't sound like he's done anything to fall behind his younger counterparts.

What happens, then, to Green and Martinez if they don't get the starting job? NU offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said he can envision a two-quarterback system "if it's one tweaked towards talent and a special situation that fits."

Martinez certainly fits that description. That might make Green the odd man out, but then again, who really knows at this point?

2. NU'S SECONDARY: POWERFUL BUT PUZZLING

If you're having trouble understanding the Peso position, don't bother trying to figure out Nebraska's depth chart at defensive back. It's just one more thing we won't really know until Western Kentucky's offense takes the field.

Prince Amukamara and Alfonzo Dennard are the clear starters at cornerback and Eric Hagg seems to be the man at peso. Beyond that, though, it's a clutter of talented defenders who've been trained to play several positions.

P.J. Smith and DeJon Gomes sound like the leaders for the starting safety spots, but Rickey Thenarse is back and Austin Cassidy will likely see time at both safety and peso. Gomes can also play corner in nickel and dime packages, and Hagg could play safety.

Anthony West, who lost his starting job to Dennard during the season, has moved to safety but could still see time at corner. Redshirt freshman Andrew Green plays corner, peso and dime.

Throw in young guys like Anthony Blue and touted freshman safety Corey Cooper and it becomes clear Nebraska has an embarrassment of riches in its defensive backfield.

3. MIKE SMITH'S DONE, BUT THE O-LINE'S STILL BETTER

The senior offensive lineman suffered a broken leg while practicing last Tuesday, ending his season and likely his Husker career.

Losing a guy with 26 career starts is a significant blow for Nebraska, but Smith actually lost his starting left tackle job in the spring. That position will be filled by either mammoth junior college transfer Jermarcus Hardrick or rising redshirt freshman Jeremiah Sirles.

Smith would have provided depth at a number of spots — he worked at guard and center this spring — and depth is certainly something NU's injury-riddled line lacked last year.

This year, though, several young Huskers are pushing for playing time. Sirles, Hardrick, Brent Qvale and true freshman Andrew Rodriguez are all battling returning starters for their spots, and that increased competition has offensive line coach Barney Cotton confident.

"We're going to be the toughest we've ever been since we've been here," Cotton said.

4. NO HEARD, BUT OTHER NEWCOMERS ARE MAKING NOISE

Highly ranked running back signee Braylon Heard didn't get the ACT score he needed to qualify at Nebraska, so he'll work to get his grades up and enroll for the spring semester.

It's not a huge loss, considering NU's depth at I-back, but Heard could've been a nice home run threat for the Huskers this fall.

"I think he has a chance to be pretty special," Pelini said on Signing Day, a rare bit of praise from a coach who almost never talks about specific recruits until they're in the program.

The freshman who earned some nice praise from Pelini on Saturday, though, was Chase Rome.

The defensive tackle from Columbia, Mo., enrolled in the spring and has earned reps with the No. 1 and No. 2 defenses in practice. Though he's behind Terrence Moore and Thad Randle for backup jobs, Rome has still managed to turn some heads.

"Chase Rome is really coming along," Pelini said. "He's playing good football. He's definitely in the mix right now."

And though he'll likely redshirt rather than compete for the starting job, quarterback Brion Carnes has a bright future in Watson's eyes.

"Brion's going to be a very good player," Watson said last Tuesday. "He has a real nice arm. He's very athletic. He's got great feet. He has everything that you look for in a quarterback."

5. SWAGGER AND ‘STACHES

A big theme in the spring was the return of Nebraska's swagger. That bravado has developed into real confidence for the No. 9 Cornhuskers.