Three things will determine if this team goes bowling; 1) Will Scott lean on/rely on the running game more to shorten/control the clock, 2) Have they improved the Special Teams - it's essential to control field position and 3) Keeping AM healthy.
If AM goes down we will have a difficult time winning a game. The lack of game experience for back-up QB (again) will kill this team. For that reason alone Scott needs to establish the run and limit QB designed runs at least for the first half of the season. The defense may be able to keep most of the games close but this offense with back-up QB's will have a hard time scoring points. I'm hopeful and want to believe that Scott gets it after 3 years in this league but some of his comments give me pause.
Gets what? That fans believe in order to win in the Big Ten you have to be 3 yards and a cloud of dust.
When you play to keep it close, you lose. Not playing to the strengths of the offense, which this year could very well be the WR group, is a recipe for disaster.
I know many people believe this OLine is going to be soooo much better than last year, but I am not sure that is the case. There are more players that look like Big Ten players, but that doesn't mean they will be better. Sichterman 2021 will not be better than Farniok 2020. I would say Corcoran 2021 won't be better than Jaimes 2020. That doesn't mean that those player won't be better when they leave than Farniok or Jaimes were when they left. Just comparing 2021 to 2020, I am not sure you are going to see a huge difference. Nebraska probably doesn't have an OLine that is going to dominate the LOS against the Ohio St, Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin's on the schedule. They are going to have to be flexible and multi-dimensional.
My opinion is that if Nebraska slows the game down to shorten and control the clock, they will lose a fair number of games. That is what Iowa, Wisconsin, Northwestern, and perhaps Michigan want you to do. The problem is they are better at it and will beat you if you employ that strategy.
Special teams has to be better all the way around and I agree that Martinez health is important and the QB run game needs to be significantly reduced.