WHALEN: Erstad talks big game, but let’s see if Huskers deliver

One thing's for certain: Nebraska's new baseball coach talks a good game.

At his press conference Monday, Darin Erstad sounded every bit like a man ready to turn around NU's baseball program. He spoke of his recruiting pitch, saying Nebraska "sells itself"; downplayed his lack of coaching experience by referencing great baseball minds he'd learned from (including his father and Mike Scioscia) and called NU's facilities amongst the best in the nation. All is well in Lincoln.

Except for one thing: Erstad's predecessor, Mike Anderson, talked a pretty good game too. He also coached a pretty good game, earning Big 12 Coach of the Year honors twice. And, let's not forget, Erstad was on the staff last season, when Anderson's fate was sealed, as a volunteer hitting coach. The Huskers finished dead last in the Big 12 in runs under his tutelage.

The point is that talk alone won't fix what ails the Huskers. A move to the Big Ten Conference will raise NU's winning percentage, but the Huskers may be competing for only one NCAA Tournament bid in its new conference. For NU to reach this season's goal to make an NCAA regional, the Huskers will have to improve dramatically across the board.

The offense retains most of its key bats, and starting pitchers Jon Keller and Tom Lemke should get a quality start between them almost every weekend. NU's defense, however, will be in flux, as several players have switched positions and only two players (Bryan Peters and Cory Burleson) are guaranteed back at the same position they played last season. These changes could really hurt NU out of the gate, as fielding was probably the Huskers' biggest strength last year.

There are plenty of arms to find a third starter and make a quality bullpen, but new pitching coach Ted Silva will have to have the team working on its control. NU had one more walk than Oklahoma on the season, despite OU playing 14 more games (NU was ninth in the conference in walks allowed per game). Things will be even harder with the loss of closer Casey Hauptman, who hardly ever walked batters last season.

Erstad praised the team's work ethic and senior Kale Kiser said the team was as ready for the season as any he'd been around. While coaches don't generally call their teams lazy nor do players call their team unprepared, the confidence the team is showing means they aren't willing to write off this season, despite Erstad's assurances he was "building for the long haul."

Erstad's regime comes at a pivotal moment for Nebraska baseball. With the new stadiums coming for both basketball programs and volleyball, baseball runs the risk of falling behind all three programs in terms of fan support after being the iron-clad No. 2 sport for much of the last decade. If Erstad wins, Haymarket Park will be filled to capacity to begin and he will be given the kind of savior status Bo Pelini and Connie Yori currently hold. If the last three years repeat themselves over the next three, Husker fans will have plenty of distraction, and NU could be left as a mediocre team in a mediocre conference with an indifferent fan base — the absolute worst case scenario for the program.

As Feb. 17 approaches, there's really no way to tell how well Nebraska will adjust to its new era. It could be like the women's basketball team and show huge improvement because of new blood and a softer schedule. Or the team could struggle to adjust to its new opponents and fight to finish .500 for the fourth year in a row.

Either way, it seems that Husker fans will be treated to some nice sound bites from their first-year coach.        

Sean Whalen is a senior news-editorial major. Reach him at Seanwhalen@dailynebraskan.com.