When the Nicholls State' offense takes the field on Saturday, it will give off a familiar feel to Cornhusker fans.
Pieces of Nicholls State's option play resemble what the Huskers ran in the days of Tommie Frazier, Scott Frost and Eric Crouch. The triple option offense the Colonels conduct is only run by a handful of teams in Division I-A, including Rice, Air Force and Navy.
In 2005, the Colonels running attack gained an average of 364.8 yards a game and scored 38 touchdowns while averaging 5.8 yards per carry. The defending Southland Conference champions finished second in Division I-AA in rushing behind Georgia Southern.
Three players rushed for more than 700 yards, and the Colonels went over the 370-yard mark on the ground six times, including a season high 471 yards rushing against Sam Houston State.
Despite the impressive numbers, H.T. Kinney, Nicholls State's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, knows the key to the option is the decision making of the quarterback.
"It's crucial. He decides who gets the ball whether it's the fullback, halfback or himself," Kinney said. "And when the few times we do throw the ball, we need to connect."
At his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Nebraska Coach Bill Callahan expressed his concerns about an offense unlike any other Nebraska will see this year again.
"Our concern is that they'll try and limit our possessions, try to chew up clock, and they'll also try to go for it on fourth down," Callahan said.
"So this is a team where they try to limit you to eight possessions a game, and that's two per quarter for the offense, and so we're going to have to do a great job to stay disciplined."
Also at the press conference, NU Defensive Coordinator Kevin Cosgrove commented on the rarity of triple option teams.
"You don't come across them very often. I have played them in the past," Cosgrove said. "One thing you have to do when you play an option team is be responsible. Every guy is going to have a responsibility, whether it be the dive, quarterback, alley or pitch."
Another key to the Colonels' success on Saturday will be neutralizing the crowd. Last year, Nicholls State nearly upset Indiana on the road in front of what they thought was a large crowd of 27,600. After off-season renovations, Memorial Stadium has expanded to a capacity of more than 81,000, something Kinney and Defensive Coordinator Steve Ellis say is hard to duplicate.
"We've been playing a lot of loud music," Kinney said, "It's hard to get the team prepared for what they're going to experience on Saturday."
It's a tough task to be sure, but also an opportunity for Nicholls State, who figures to make a run at the D-IAA playoffs at the end of the year. The trip to Lincoln will be a big cash payday for the Colonels' athletic department and a chance to come eye-to-eye with a historical college football venue.
"They see the big challenge," Ellis said. "When you think Nebraska football, the first thing that comes to mind is Tom Osborne and the sea of red. They know it's going to be hard."
