Underdog Nebraska Has High Hopes in 2017

Nebraska hype video and season preview

Aug 19, 2017 by Kolby Paxton

Underdog Nebraska Has High Hopes in 2017

Football season officially begins in one week.

Of course, much like Christmas, spring break, and the last day of school, the days seem to also grow longer as kickoff creeps nearer. We can't do much about that, but we can ensure that the next few minutes are awesome, thanks to this Nebraska hype video.

A nine-win Nebraska team was one of the most oft-overlooked in all of college football a season ago. Still, a three-win improvement between years one and two of the Mike Riley-era have fans and alumni expecting even more in 2017, despite some significant losses.

Quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. started more games than any Nebraska quarterback ever has, but his graduation doesn't appear to leave the gaping hole at the position you might expect. Tulane transfer Tanner Lee is among the most highly-touted pocket passers in the country. Around Lee, however, the Huskers have massive question marks at both the running back and wide receiver positions.

Defensively, Nebraska was solid early in the season, but fell apart down the stretch. The Huskers lost four of their final six, surrendering 62, 40 and 38 points, respectively, in their final three losses. Despite a potentially season-ending knee injury to cornerback Chris Jones, Nebraska is strongest in the secondary, where it returns three starters, including Kieron Williams, the top returning tackler and leading interceptor from 2016.