THREE KEYS: NU vs. WKU

Find rhythm with each QB

Rampant speculation this week suggests speedy redshirt freshman Taylor Martinez will beat out Zac Lee and Cody Green for the starting quarterback job. No matter who the top guy is, though, expect at least two and possibly all three QBs to play Saturday. These first two games are crucial auditions for each passer, and all three need to smoothly operate the offense and show improvements in the zone read run game.

Shut down the run

The only real threat in WKU's offense is Bobby Rainey, a 5-foot-7 scat back who rushed for 939 yards and seven scores last year. New Hilltopers coach Willie Taggart's background in coaching running backs suggests he'll lean heavily on Rainey in the opener. Nebraska's defensive line loved offenses that tried to run right at them last year. If WKU tries to do so early and often, it's going to be a rough night for the Hilltoppers.

Execute

It's the No. 1 word in Bo Pelini's vocabulary during a football season, and with a team this talented, it matters more than ever. We know Nebraska has potential All-Americans, lots of confidence and even more hype. That won't mean much on Saturday if linemen miss blocks, passers miss reads, backs miss holes and defenders spend too much time thinking. When you know little about your opponent's game plan, you can really only focus on the way you play football. Saturday's game is the perfect chance for Nebraska to show off exactly how good it can be this fall, but that can only happen if NU can produce mistake-free performances on both sides of the ball.

— Compiled by Max Olson,

Survive the atmosphere

The Toppers' Houchens-Smith Stadium has a capacity of just over 22,000, so the crowd of about four times that at Memorial Stadium will be a challenge Saturday. WKU will practice with artificial sound this week to imitate the crowd noise in Lincoln, and experience from previous road games at Tennessee, Florida, Alabama and Virginia Tech in recent years will be crucial.

Avoid the meltdown

WKU held Tennessee scoreless for the first quarter in its season opener last season, but the Toppers surrendered 28 points in both the second and fourth quarters in a 63-7 rout. WKU led several opponents late in games last season but was obviously unable to close the door on any, finishing 0-12. The Toppers will have to prevent the big play on defense, as well as avoid turnovers that put the Huskers in prime scoring position.

Establish the run

The Toppers' biggest offensive weapon is arguably junior running back Bobby Rainey, who rushed for 939 yards on just 144 carries last season. Coach Willie Taggart runs a West Coast offense, which relies on a strong rushing attack to open any sort of passing game.

Nebraska's defense is solid in all facets, but WKU will have to stretch holes for Rainey if it wants to move down the field.

- Compiled by Zach Greenwell, football beat writer AT the College Heights Herald at Western Kentucky University