Is There a Playmaker in the House?

When an offense relies heavily on the pass to convert first downs and open up the running game (translation: mediocre offensive line because of a shitty OL coach), it needs at least a couple proven playmakers at receiver. Going into the 2009 season, Nebraska has zero. Let's go down the list:

Niles Paul, 6'1", 215 lbs., Junior: High school All-American with all kinds of hype coming to Lincoln, but in two seasons hasn't done a thing. A few 4-5 yard receptions here and there. The concerning thing to PYB (besides the off-season DUI after he claimed this would be the season he became a leader and broke out onto the scene), is that when he has touched the ball he has looked terrible. Very pedestrian. There has been no indication of next-level speed on his short catches or kick returns. As for shiftiness....empty in that department too. Hopefully, it was tentativeness that overshadowed his true ability. But from our experience, if you've got the speed & shakes, it shows. If not, you ain't got it. Truthfully, I've seen more elusiveness/ability out of Alfonzo Dennard than Paul. He's saying all the right things during fall camp, and his teammates and coaches are darn near calling him the next Jerry Rice.....is this the truth or just desperation talking? Because everyone knows NU is hosed unless somebody emerges

Menelik Holt, 6'4", 220 lbs., Senior: Holt has shown some flashes with decent, first-down-converting catches. His max looks to be making eight to eighteen yard catches for first downs. His size helps him there...his lack of speed prevents him from doing much else. Somehow already a senior, PYB doesn't project much else since he's yet to show it. Hopefully, for the Cornhuskers' sake, we are wrong.

Chris Brooks, 6'2", 215 lbs., Senior: Brooks is easily one of the all-time favorites at PYB. Maybe it's his tricked-out Monte Carlo, or the fact that he went with "Brooks Sr." on his jersey, or that his lack of production (3 catches, 31 yards, 1TD) at NU is eerily reminiscent of our high-school football careers? Who knows, but one has to admire his loyalty, as he has done next to nothing and still loves playing for NU. Most of the coddled babies of today would have transferred long ago to finish their career at Northwestern State....oh wait....Either way, you gotta root for him.....since he's spent three years on the sidelines rooting for his teammates....Karma...

Will Henry, 6'5", 215 lbs., Junior: He's a junior now and hasn't caught a ball in a pass-heavy offense. Enough said.

Antonio Bell, 6'2", 180 lbs., Freshman: PYB is glad Bell qualified academically and stuck to his commitment. Something about him makes us expect good things: not sure if it's the fact he's from Florida, his name, the fact that he looks like a Jalen Rose/Derrick Rose hybrid? He might end up being a stiff, but the gut instinct here says playmaker. We shall see.

Other Candidates:

Wes Cammack: Should do just fine running in the plays.

Khiry Cooper: Hopefully he's less of a bust on the gridiron than the diamond.

Curenski Gilleylen: Racked up Niles-Paulesque numbers with 2 catches for 11. Heard all about his speed, let's see some production.

That's it in a nutshell. There are a few other youngsters not worth writing about. An underwhelming blog entry, for an underwhelming group. Let's hope somebody blossoms, or else 2009 could ride on Barney Cotton's ability to create a dominant group! Ha ha ha.