Nebraska to Cruise Past Wyoming Saturday

Nebraska hosts the Wyoming Cowboys Saturday night at Memorial Stadium in a 7:05p.m. kickoff that will be televised on the Big Ten Network. The Cowboys were 4-8 a year ago and the Huskers lead the all time series 6-0. Wyoming is coached by Dave Christensen, the former offensive coordinator at Missouri. Christensen is 22-28 entering his fifth season as a head coach. His teams are known for wide open offenses and soft defenses. The game will be a coming out party for several Husker newcomers that the fans will be excited to see. Brett Smith (6-foot-3, 206 Pounds, Junior) is a fine quarterback for Wyoming. He completed 62.7 percent of his passes last year with 27 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. Smith passed for nearly 284 yards per game in 2012. He can run some, averaging 25 yards per game a year ago with six touchdowns. He is definitely the catalyst for the offense. He must be pressured to make the Cowboys a one-dimensional football team. The receivers are a solid unit for Wyoming. The big-play man is Robert Herron (5-10, 187, Sr.). In 2012 Herron averaged 21.2 yards per catch with eight touchdowns. He is a definite speed threat. Jalen Claiborne (5-9, 175, Jr.) is another undersized target that Smith likes to look for. He had 34 catches a year ago. Receiver Dominic Ruffran (6-0, 188, Jr.) added 39 catches as a possession target. The running game averaged only 125 yards per game in 2012. Brandon Miller (6-0, 200, Jr.) had 352 yards rushing last season and added 30 catches out of the backfield. Wyoming expects good things from freshman Omar Stover (5-11, 198) one of the best recent recruits for the Cowboys. Wyoming is not a major threat running the football. The offensive line is highlighted by a pair of big tackles. On the left side is Walker Madden (6-9, 297, Jr.) and opposite Madden is Connor Rains (6-7, 318, Jr.). These two big men may wilt in the heat early Saturday night, giving the Husker defenders a chance to come after Brett Smith. The defense gave up a lot of points and yards in 2012. The Cowboys allowed 470 yards and over 33 points per game last season. Nebraska will be able to both run at will and pass over the top of the Wyoming defense. The best player up front is Eddie Yarbrough (6-3, 257, So.) with six tackles for loss and four sacks in 2012 at defensive end. Middle linebacker Devyn Harris (6-3, 240, Sr.) needs to play well against the run or it will be a long night for Wyoming. The secondary is paced by Blair Burns (5-10, 186, Jr.) as a cornerback. The defense will be tested and give up plenty of big plays. On special teams kicker Stuart Williams (5-11, 180, Jr.) was 7 of 12 (58.2 percent) with a long of on 42 yards on field goals. freshman Ethan Woods (6-3, 165) is totally untested as a punter. Claiborne is a threat as a kick returner. Both teams will have to prove their special teams are ready to play in this season opener. Nebraska is a better football team than Wyoming. The Huskers will dominate offensively. The defense will give up a few plays, but I think young players like David Santos and Randy Gregory will be noticed by the fans. The Huskers will score plenty of points in a 59-20 win Saturday over Wyoming. Thanks for reading Going Deep With Doze.