Clearly great things happen when the program starts to hit on all cylinders.

“The more you have things running smoothly, the more time you can put into the football aspect of it,” Bo Pelini said. “You have a certain list of things you want to get done, and the smaller that list is — meaning there’s less things on the plate — then you can concentrate on certain things. That’s going to help everybody.”

“It’s an important year as a coach,” Carl Pelini said. “I think it’s a year where there should be certain expectations by fans and administrators, because it should be the year where your program becomes firmly established as to who you’re going to be.”

Oh, the expectations are there. Of that, the Brothers Pelini need not worry.

Sadly, some in the press think our expectations are to high. Detroit Free Press says we’re overrated.

Sorry, but the offense still lacks playmakers, and star defensive lineman Jared Crick will find the sledding a little tougher without Ndamukong Suh eating up blockers next to him.

Speaking as a fan, I think we’re underrated. We have a favorable schedule this fall and once some key players emerge and our O-line and D-line start to overpower people, I think Husker Nation is going to like the outcome. But one thing at a time. Tomorrow we face the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky. Time to lay the wood.

My prediction: Huskers 48 – Hilltoppers 10.

Here’s what the World Herald writers have to say about this game:

So this might not be like going to Virginia Tech a year ago or to Southern California in 2006, considering the Huskies were just 5-7 a year ago and haven’t had a winning season since 2002. But Husky Stadium is a challenge based solely on the atmosphere that can be generated on Lake Washington, which some former Huskers know from going to UW in 1992 (29-14 loss) and 1997 (27-14 win). Assuming Nebraska is a Top 10 team at this point, expect the media to throw a little “prove it” challenge at the Huskers.

The story surrounding this game changed dramatically last winter when Washington quarterback Jake Locker said he would return for his senior season. It will force Nebraska to defend a player that some are projecting as the No. 1 pick in the 2011 draft, and he just happens to have one of the best receiving corps in the nation for targets. Nebraska might be the better team on paper, but what about the element of unknown taking five new defensive starters on the road to face such a weapon?

Don’t believe for a moment that this is a gimme, considering NU is 1-4 against non-Big 12 teams from BCS conferences in regular-season games since 2006. Any winning ending would have to be considered a happy ending. No free pass for the offense, which better be ready to show it can move the football in case the defense is having trouble with Locker. You wonder if kicker Alex Henery might just be needed in a game like this.

Nebraska 23, Washington 21

And here’s a highlight reel of Locker’s moves provided by UW Athletics.

Personally, I have faith in our front four. It’s not easy to sit in the pocket (or to scramble for that matter) when Pierre Allen and company are coming for your head. Therefore, my prediction for the Washington game is a bit more generous.

Nebraska 31, Washington 10.

Husker Nation, are you ready for the social?

Of course, you never know how the team is going to do until you see players emerge as leaders and the team play as one impassioned unit. Be that as it may, just about everyone in Husker Nation, and beyond, believes the team will be 5-0 when we line up against Texas on October 16th in Lincoln. How we fair on that day may determine the team’s fate. Emerge victorious and the route to an undefeated regular season and a meeting with Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship game seems pretty clear. Lose to Texas, and all of a sudden Oklahoma State, Mizzou and A&M seem like troublesome match ups.

It’s not just our potential to win every game that has me ready for game day. I’m also excited to see Roy Helu Jr. and a healthy Rex Burkhead run behind a crushing offensive line.

“Coach (Barney) Cotton’s got ’em going really well,” Burkhead said. “They’re showing a lot of energy, I guess you could say, and a lot camaraderie within the offensive line. You’re always seeing them tap each other on the helmet and running down the field, finishing plays.”

It’ll also be fun to see which of our QBs emerges this season, but I have to be honest here, I want to see us run people over. Smash mouth football, old school Husker-style.

It’s true that we did not play well on the offensive side of the ball last year, although we changed that in a big way at The Holiday Bowl in San Diego where we manhandled Arizona 33-0.

Okay, let’s hear from Offensive Coordinator Shawn Watson after practice last week:

I like how Watson says, “Experience breeds confidence, and confidence breeds a higher level of play.”

2010 Nebraska Football Schedule
(Huskerzone.com)

Tom Shatel: View of the Big Ten from here is great
(Omaha World Herald)

Puerto Rico Trip Highlight of NU Men’s Basketball Schedule
(HuskerExtra)

Ndamukong Suh Wires Up 2010 Huskers with 123 iPads
(SBNation.com)

QB tops list of burning questions for Huskers
(Omaha World Herald)

Big 10 Championship Goes to Indy
(Husker Mike’s Blasphemy)

Tracy Webster Rounds Out Husker BB Coaching Staff
(Nebraska State Paper)

Huskers Brace for Big 12 Hate
(Yahoo! Sports)

Huskers Buzz of Big 10 With a Year to Go
(Associated Press)

“It felt good, been not too bad of a day,” Suh said. “It felt like today was a lot better than the previous two days just for the simple fact that I’ve gotten a little more into a groove and understanding back to what I needed to do, (from) back in the minicamps and OTAs.”

It will be interesting to see just how many Huskers convert to Lions fans. Detroit is a 115-to-1 longshot to win the Super Bowl. If NFL betting is your thing, that is a vast improvement over last year’s 200-to-1 preseason odds as the Lions look to improve on their 2-14 record. It doesn’t help that they are playing in what is likely the NFL’s toughest division in 2010.

The rest of the top 25:
1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Florida
4. Texas
5. Boise State
6. Virginia Tech
7. TCU
8. Oklahoma
9. Nebraska
10. Iowa
11. Oregon
12. Wisconsin
13. Miami (FL)
14. Penn State
15. Pittsburgh
16. LSU
17. Georgia Tech
18. North Carolina
19. Arkansas
20. Florida State
21. Georgia
22. Oregon State
23. Auburn
24. (Tie) Utah
24. (Tie) West Virginia

There was overwhelming support for the addition of new seats, both general seating and club level seatings.

For full results, including PDF results of the survey, please visit: Huskers Announce Survey Results.