OFFENSE
Offensive line
* WHO'S BACK: Jaivorio Brukes, So., T (Started three of final four games as true freshman); Jacob Hickman, Jr., G (Can play both guard and center); Mike Huff, Sr., G (Started 18 games over the past two seasons); D.J. Jones, So., G/T (Has played both guard and tackle); Lydon Murtha, Sr., T (Can play either tackle spot, has 14 career starts); Matt Slauson, Sr., G (22 career starts, expecting to settle in at guard after also playing tackle); Mike Smith, So., T (Converted defensive end who saw playing time at tackle last year); Keith Williams, So., OL (Appeared in a reserve role at guard last season).
* WHO'S GONE: Brett Byford, C; Victory Haines, OT; Carl Nicks, T; Jordan Picou, G.
* NOTEWORTHY: Nebraska returns a total of 67 career starts on the offensive line, including 32 starts from 2007. Sophomores Cruz Barrett and Dennis Bergland could also get a look during spring practice. Head coach Bo Pelini said offensive lineman Andy Christensen remains suspended pending his case on suspicion of first-degree sexual assault.
Receivers
* WHO'S BACK: Nate Swift, Sr. (16 career starts, 103 career receptions); Todd Peterson, Sr. (Three-year letterman from Grand Island who has 45 career catches for nine TDs); Wes Cammack, Jr. (Two-year letterman with extensive special teams experience the last two years); Wil Henry, So. (Tallest member of NU's receiving corps, standing 6-5); Niles Paul, So. (Highly touted recruit saw limited playing time as a freshman).
* WHO'S GONE: Maurice Purify, Terrence Nunn, Frantz Hardy, Dan Erickson.
* NOTEWORTHY: Huskers must replace four senior receivers who combined for 293 career receptions and 34 TDs. Holt and Chris Brooks, who have seen limited action in their careers, should compete for playing time. Redshirt Curenski Gilleylen could get a look this spring as well.
Tight Ends
* WHO'S BACK: Mike McNeill, So. (Added 15 pounds in the offseason); Hunter Teafatiller, Sr. (Three-year letterman, who has seen extensive playing time the past two years); Dreu Young, So. (Got his feet wet last season, performed well in winter conditioning).
* WHO'S GONE: Sean Hill, Josh Mueller, J.B. Phillips.
* NOTEWORTHY: Teafatiller has the most experience, catching four TD passes his junior season. McNeill and Young both earned playing time last year as redshirt freshmen. Ryan Hill and junior college transfer Tyson Hetzer are looking to compete for time in 2008.
Running Backs
* WHO'S BACK: Marlon Lucky, Sr., IB (Big 12's leading returning rusher with 1,019 yards in 2007); Quentin Castille, So., IB (Appeared in all 12 games last year as a true freshman, rushing for 343 yards and scoring four TDs); Cody Glenn, Sr., IB (Battled numerous injuries in 2007; 12 career rushing TDs); Roy Helu Jr., So., IB (Third-leading rusher for NU with 209 yards as a true freshman); Thomas Lawson, Sr., FB (Part-time starter in 2007; had three receptions all for TDs).
* WHO'S GONE: Andy Sand, FB; Matt Senske, FB.
* NOTEWORTHY: Nebraska returns all of its I-backs from last season. Senior I-back Kenny Wilson will be trying to get back on the field after missing all of last season due to injuries. Sophomore Justin Makovicka is looking to add depth behind Lawson at the fullback spot.
Quarterbacks
* WHO'S BACK: Joe Ganz, Sr. (Topped the 400-yard mark in passing in each of his three starts last year; Beau Davis, Sr. (Slightly built signal-caller still hanging around); Patrick Witt, Fr. (red-shirted last season); Zac Lee (Redshirted last year after coming to Nebraska with a knee injury).
* WHO'S GONE: Sam Keller.
* NOTEWORTHY: Keller passed for 2,422 yards in his first nine games last season before getting injured. Ganz completed 89-of-152 pass attempts for 1,435 yards and 16 TDs with seven interceptions, appearing in six games, including three starts. He has recorded the top two passing days in school history. True freshman Kody Spano enrolled in classes in January and will be able to take part in spring drills.
* DEFENSE
Defensive Line
* WHO'S BACK: Barry Turner, Sr., DE (Started 11 games last season, has 10.5 career sacks); Ndamukong Suh, Jr., DT (Returning starter will miss spring practice due to an injury); Ty Steinkuhler, Sr., DT (Started eight games in 2007, despite battling a knee injury); Zach Potter, Sr., DE (Totaled 11 starts in 2007, making 45 tackles, including 11 TFL); Pierre Allen, So., DE (16 tackles, including three TLF, last year in 11 games); Shukree Barfield, Sr., DT (Had 15 tackles a year ago); Kevin Dixon, Sr., DT (Made four starts in 2007, registering 19 tackles, three TFL and an interception); Ben Martin, So., DT (Lincoln native played six games in reserve duty in 2007); Clayton Sievers, Sr., DE (Three-year letterman has played tight end, linebacker and defensive end during his college career).
* WHO'S GONE: Brandon Johnson, DT; Andy Poulosky, DE; Thomas Rice, DE.
* NOTEWORTHY: Huskers return their entire starting front four from last season. Suh will sit out spring practices after undergoing knee surgery in early March, but is expected to return in time for fall camp in August. Sophomore Seth Jensen and redshirt freshman Terrence Moore will be looking to make a move in the spring, along with junior David Harvey and redshirt freshmen Will Yancy and Jared Crick.
Linebackers
* WHO'S BACK: Phillip Dillard, Jr. (Made 37 tackles while starting two games at middle linebacker last year); Tyler Wortman, Sr. (Walk-on from Grand Island earned playing time last season, making nine tackles, including three TFL); Thomas Grove, So. (Walk-on played on kickoff coverage team as true freshman); Blake Lawrence, So. (Played in five games as backup at strongside linebacker); Latravis Washington, So. (Appeared in six games in 2007, primarily on kickoff coverage);
* WHO'S GONE: Lance Brandenburgh, Corey McKeon, Steve Octavien, Bo Ruud.
* NOTEWORTHY: With four seniors with starting experience leaving the program with 708 career tackles and 78 career starts, competition should be wide open at linebacker in the spring. Wortman filled in nicely when injuries hit last season and is looking to compete for a starting spot this spring. Juniors Nick Covey and Colton Koehler, sophomore Kyle Moore and redshirt freshmen Austin Stafford, Jeff Sayre and Jay Martin could all get into the wide-open competition for playing time.
Secondary
* WHO'S BACK: Armando Murillo, Sr. CB (Only returning defensive player to start all 12 games in 2007); Larry Asante, Jr., S (Ranked second on the squad with 78 tackles in 10 starts); Prince Amukamara, So., DB (Played eight games as a freshman); Anthony Blue, So., CB (Suffered a knee injury during winter conditioning and will miss spring practice); Major Culbert, Jr., S (Has played defensive back, linebacker and running back during his two years with Huskers); Eric Hagg, So., DB (Appeared in seven games in 2007; can play safety or cornerback); Matt O'Hanlon, Sr., S (Played on special teams the past two seasons); Rickey Thenarse, Jr., S (Hard-hitting player who always goes full tilt); Anthony West, So., CB (Saw limited action as a redshirt freshman).
* WHO'S GONE: Tierre Green, S; Cortney Grixby, CB; Zackary Bowman, CB; Ben Eisenhart, S; Andre Jones, CB; Tyler Kester, CB; Bryan Wilson, S.
* NOTEWORTHY: Secondary will be forced to replace six seniors that included a pair of three-year starters in Grixby and Green. Thenarse has twice been named Nebraska's most valuable player on special teams. Blue made two starts last year, but is out for the spring and his status for the fall is uncertain.
* SPECIAL TEAMS
Kickers
* WHO'S BACK: Alex Henery, So., PK (Perfect on 45 point-after kicks and eight field-goal attempts in 2007); Adi Kunalic, So. (Led the nation in touchback percentage last season); Jake Wesch, Sr. (Three-year letterman has been the backup place kicker and kickoff specialist the past two seasons); Dan Titchener, Sr. P (Has downed 42 punts inside the opposition's 20-yard line in the past two years).
* WHO'S GONE: Jake Wesch, Sr., H; T.J. O'Leary, Sr., LS.
* NOTEWORTHY: Henery was the first player in school history to connect on all of his PATs and also be perfect on five or more field-goal attempts. The Huskers were perfect on all 58 of their place kicks last year, including nine field goals Kunalic converted 28 of 66 kickoffs for touchbacks. O'Leary has been solid in two years as Nebraska's deep-snapper.
Returners
* WHO'S BACK: Marlon Lucky, Sr., KOR (Has 22 kickoff returns in his career, but had just one last year); Niles Paul, So., KOR (Had one return as a true freshman); Nate Swift, Sr., PR (Has five combined punt returns over the past two seasons).
* WHO'S GONE: Cortney Grixby, KOR/PR; Andre Jones, KOR/PR.
* NOTEWORTHY: Grixby set a Big 12 record for kickoff return yardage in 2007, returning 53 kickoffs in the past three years. Jones returned 17 kickoffs and six punts in 2007. Competition for the kickoff and punt return spots appears wide open.
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