LINCOLN — Welcome to game day, Bubba Starling.

The quarterback prospect out of Gardner, Kan., was on hand Saturday for NU's opener. One night after leading his Gardner Edgerton team to a 49-7 victory, the 6-foot-5, 195-pound Starling was roaming the sidelines and taking in the atmosphere at Memorial Stadium.

Starling was one of a handful of commitments who attended Saturday's game, all on unofficial visits. Fellow commitments Ryne Reeves and Daniel Davie were also on hand.

Starling, considered a top baseball prospect, is a four-star quarterback recruit. He pledged to the Huskers in June, but Saturday was his first game-day experience as a member of the 2011 NU class.

In his team's win Friday night, Starling took the first snap and went 80 yards for a touchdown.

And Suh, too

Welcome back to game day, Ndamukong Suh.

The former Husker and current Detroit Lion was back in Lincoln on Saturday, strolling the sideline and prompting choruses of “Suuuuuh” wherever he went.

Suh, who declined interview requests, was fined $7,500 by the NFL earlier in the week for a hit on Cleveland quarterback Jake Delhomme. Saturday might be Suh's only chance to see his former team. The Lions' bye week — Oct. 24 — falls on the weekend that NU plays at Oklahoma State.

Suh toured Nebraska's new Student Life Complex and was introduced to former NU strength and conditioning guru Boyd Epley. The facility that Epley created is now named for Suh, who donated $2.6 million in the spring.

“I'm happy to be back here and be able to watch my Huskers for their opening game,” Suh told Huskers.com. “It was great to be here for a snippet during the spring game, just got a tiny taste about it. But I'm getting a true taste today about really getting the feeling of being a true fan here and being an alumni, so I'm excited and looking forward to it.”

Scooter gang

Sean Fisher said there is no nickname yet, or plans for tattoos, but there is definitely a new gang roaming around Nebraska football these days.

And its members get from place to place on motorized scooters.

Fisher, fellow linebacker Will Compton and offensive lineman Mike Smith — all injured Huskers — were zipping around the sideline before kickoff and were sitting together in the press box during the game.

The three went almost everywhere together Saturday, often falling in line and forming a parade of Huskers on scooters.

Smith's ride had a distinct shimmy to it, depending on which way the 6-foot-6, 285-pound lineman leaned.

One more year

The season hadn't even started, and already a group of fans on the east side of the stadium were looking forward to 2011.

A sign hanging from the front-row railing had a pair of Big Ten logos, with the words “Are We There Yet?” Nebraska moves from the Big 12 to the Big Ten next season.

Time for a shower

Balloons weren't the only thing let loose following Taylor Martinez's first-quarter touchdown.

Sophomore safety P.J. Smith grabbed a glass of water and slung it toward the sky, giving a few bystanders a bit of a shower.

Martinez returned to the sideline and had members of both the offense and defense waiting to help him celebrate.

Nice tackle

Alonzo Whaley's first career start couldn't have begun in better fashion.

But the moments shortly afterward were a bit of a blemish.

Whaley dropped Western Kentucky running back Bobby Rainey for no gain on the game's first play, then was tackled himself while getting up by teammate Baker Steinkuhler, a defensive lineman.

When the play was announced to the Memorial Stadium crowd, the stop was unofficially credited to Steinkuhler.

This 'n that

Saturday's flyover was done by a helicopter painted with a Husker theme. ... NU defensive tackle Jared Crick was honored as the Brook Berringer Memorial Endowed Scholarship recipient before kickoff. ... Olympic gold-medal bobsledder Curt Tomasevicz was honored during a break in action.

— Nick Rubek

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