LINCOLN — It was game day, hours before their debuts as starting linebackers for a storied program that has prided itself on defensive dominance, and the youngsters were proving that they'd be just fine.

They watched film as a defensive unit one last time Saturday before taking the field. The linebackers, without hesitancy or bashfulness, shouted out the plays and their calls. Like veterans.

So in Ndamukong Suh's mind, it was no surprise to see what the linebackers — two redshirt freshmen and a junior — did against Florida Atlantic during a 49-3 Nebraska win Saturday.

They were by no means flawless, but the three new starters played until the game got out of hand, covering open space and making plays at full speed. It's what they've been doing for the past month, Suh said.

“When we went through these last couple weeks, they were on point,” Suh said. “We had their whole offense down. We were mixing it up, going through different situations. They were right on point.”

Freshman Will Compton, who said he was on the field for every defensive snap during the first three quarters, made five tackles and broke up a pass. Freshman Sean Fisher and junior Blake Lawrence had six stops each.

Any urge to be tentative wore off as their snaps increased, a byproduct of an increased comfort level, they said. They reacted instinctively because they now know what the scheme requires. They just needed a real game to prove it.

“I think it's just a function of having time in the system,” Fisher said. “This year, I think for all of us, we have a conceptual basis of knowledge. We understand why we were doing things, which makes it a lot easier to put yourself in situations, even if you haven't been in them.”

Fisher, Compton and Lawrence spent their time memorizing things last year. The plays, the tendencies, the scheme.

And it made them a little too self-conscious, Fisher said, as if they had to perfect their own game before worrying about the responsibilities of their teammates.

Then, the pre-snap communication would cease. And coach Bo Pelini and the coaches would get upset, Compton said.

“In the spring, Bo was always on me,” Compton said. “(I wasn't) being verbal. If you're wrong, just be verbal and then everybody can be wrong together, on the same page.”

If they were wrong Saturday, it didn't show too often.

Florida Atlantic fullback William Rose was left wide open once in the second quarter. He caught a short pass and gained 38 yards before Lawrence recovered.

But for the most part, those glaring coverage breakdowns that haunted Nebraska a year ago were absent Saturday.

The Huskers gave up 61 plays of 20-plus yards last year. They allowed three of those Saturday.

A defense that forced just 17 turnovers in 2008 created three against the Owls, and probably could have had a few more. Last season, Nebraska finished just one game with three or more forced turnovers.

That improvement is a direct result of execution, defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said. He said players — from the line, to the linebackers, to the secondary — are in the right place more often.

Things can always be better, though. And after reviewing film and recounting in-game experiences with a relatively young defense, Pelini assumes they will improve.

“(We've) just got to clean up a few things and that's what the first week is about,” Pelini said. “As always, you've got to make a huge jump between your first week and your second week.”

Contact the writer:

402-473-9585, jon.nyatawa@owh.com