UW’S OPPONENT AT A GLANCE: NEBRASKA (3-2, 2-0)
OFFENSE Nebraska under Bo Pelini featured quarterbacks who were dangerous runners but generally only adequate passers. Tanner Lee, who sat out last season after transferring from Tulane, is the opposite. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder is a pass-first, run-as-a-last-resort quarterback. He has completed only 54.7% of his passes, with 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions, for an average of 228.8 yards per game. Lee has minus-60 rushing yards because he has been sacked eight times for 64 yards. Lee is coming off his best game of the season, however. He completed 17 of 24 passes for 246 yards with three touchdowns in a 28-6 victory at Illinois. Nebraska does have dangerous receivers. Stanley Morgan Jr., who returned last week from injury, leads the team in catches (26) and receiving yards (395). He and De’Mornay Pierson-El (21-304) are tied for the team lead in touchdown catches (four). The ground game has been up and down and the Cornhuskers could be without two tailbacks this week. Tre Bryant (299 yards, 5.9-yard average) has missed the last three games because of a knee injury. Mikale Wilbon (251, 4.5) suffered an ankle injury against the Illini. His status for UW is uncertain. The No. 3 back is Devine Ozigbo, a power back who has 44 carries for 215 yards (4.9) and a touchdown.
DEFENSE First-year defensive coordinator Bob Diaco uses three- and four-man fronts and after some early struggles the Cornhuskers have settled in, albeit against lesser offenses. Nebraska has allowed two touchdowns and a total of 23 points over the last 14 quarters. That includes the second half at Oregon and games against Northern Illinois, Rutgers and Illinois. The Cornhuskers held Illinois to 199 total yards, including 46 in the second half. The three starting linemen are stout and average 6-4 and 293 pounds. Their play has allowed the linebackers to get to the ball, and outside linebacker Luke Gifford (33), inside linebacker Chris Weber (31) and inside linebacker Dedrick Young (28) are first, second and fourth, respectively, in tackles. Senior cornerback Chris Jones (knee) has yet to play this season and senior safety Josh Kalu (hamstring) has missed the last 31⁄2 games. Safeties Aaron Williams (29 tackles, one interception) and Antonio Reed (25, one) are solid, but sophomore cornerbacks Eric Lee and Lamar Jackson can be beaten.
SPECIAL TEAMS Kicker Drew Brown, punter Caleb Lightbourn and kickoffreturn specialist JD Spielman are very good. Brown has made 5 of 6 fieldgoal attempts and recorded touchbacks on 18 of his 29 kickoffs. Lightbourn has seven punts of 50 yards or longer and has placed 10 of his 25 punts inside the opponent’s 20. Spielman averages 36.1 yards per return. He had a 99-yard touchdown return in the opener against Arkansas State.