CAN BIG ARMS MAKE SHORT THROWS?

The arms of Cody Green and Taylor Martinez. If the Huskers are going to effectively utilize a short passing game to complement what should rank as a solid ground attack, they'll need a quarterback who can move the chains with regularity through the air. Green, a sophomore, throws the deep ball with more confidence than the short stuff. And redshirt freshman Martinez clearly thinks run before pass — for good reason; he's excellent with the ball under his arm. Saturday's backups at quarterback, Latravis Washington and Kody Spano, actually performed better at throwing the short passes than the more touted youngsters. Zac Lee still fits best as the quarterback for this offense. But for the long-term future, Green and Martinez need more work.

— Mitch Sherman

WHO WILL STEP UP AT SAFETY?

It's easy to see that Nebraska's safeties have upside. Rickey Thenarse forced a fumble and intercepted a pass Saturday. Dejon Gomes had a tackle for loss and nearly got an interception. P.J. Smith had five tackles. Anthony West and Austin Cassidy had their moments, too. But none of the guys has proved he can be counted on as week-to-week starter at safety when it matters most. Nebraska no longer has experience stationed at the back end of its coverage unit. How much will the Huskers miss Larry Asante and Matt O'Hanlon? That question can't be answered until the fall.

— Jon Nyatawa

WHAT WILL THE PASS RUSH LOOK LIKE?

The Huskers played it close to the vest defensively on Saturday, so there's not much to interpret from the results of the pass rush, which produced two sacks. But with two new starters on a defensive line tasked to replace Ndamukong Suh and Barry Turner, the Huskers face a challenge in pressuring the quarterback anywhere nearly as well as the 2009 Blackshirts did. Really, it's a huge key to their whole defensive plan. A ferocious pass rush benefits the back seven immensely. The four projected starters on the D-line combined for just one tackle behind the line of scrimmage in the Red-White game. An expected strength of the defense next season, the front four needs to do more next fall.

— Mitch Sherman

STILL QUESTIONS IN THE O-LINE

None of the position battles on the offensive line was settled this spring. Of course, assistant coach Barney Cotton said that wasn't the objective. He just wanted to try out as many different combinations as possible, ultimately hoping that he'll have nearly a dozen players to rotate in and out of the lineup when the season starts. Two top contenders, Jermarcus Hardrick (hand) and Ricky Henry (shoulder), were on the sidelines Saturday. Who knows where two-year starting left tackle Mike Smith will end up? It seems as if Cotton will be faced with a daunting project in August as he tries to fill out his depth chart. He certainly didn't get a head start this spring.

— Jon Nyatawa

WILL TALENT EQUAL PRODUCTION AT TE?

The tight ends. Even with Mike McNeill playing receiver, this position looks loaded as Dreu Young, Kyler Reed, Ben Cotton and Ryan Hill return with experience and junior college star Chase Harper joins the mix next fall. Reed, a spring star a year ago and again Saturday with four catches for 47 yards, caught just six balls as a redshirt freshman last fall. Hill snagged a 1-yard TD pass from Kody Spano in the Red-White game. Still, the tight ends remain a mystery for the Huskers: Will they or won't they live up to expectations? If they do, it adds a dangerous element to the offense that was often missing in 2009. If not, those are five scholarships devoted to an unproductive position.

— Mitch Sherman

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