Quick look ahead and some Nebraska

Note: I wrote this as a primer for a gentleman from the Omaha World-Herald. It's a look ahead to the 2011 Hawkeyes with some thoughts on Nebraska's entry into the Big Ten at the end.

There will be much more look ahead to Iowa, I can assure you. This is the abridged version. I still wrote way too much, I'm sure.

Just wanted to let you know what the heck this was.

Iowa hits the reset button for defense and quarterback in 2011, but mostly on defense.

In their five 2010 losses, Iowa's defense allowed fourth-quarter TD drives that eventually sank their battleship. Wisconsin did it with a daring fake punt. Ohio State did it on Terrelle Pryor's feet. Northwestern and Minnesota did it, too. Regardless, this was a pretty good defense that sat behind Ohio State in most every defensive category that mattered in the Big Ten, including scoring defense (17.0 points per game) and rush defense (101.5 yards per game).

Iowa's defense had respectable numbers, but not-so-great results. It won't be any easier in '11.

Defensive linemen Adrian Clayborn and Christian Ballard will hear their names called in April's NFL draft, probably fairly quickly. Strong safety Tyler Sash, who led the Hawkeyes in interceptions two of the last three seasons, declared for the NFL draft this week. Also, stalwart defensive tackle Karl Klug – as close as Iowa comes to Jared Crick – graduates with his team-high 5.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss.

The D-line will be new, save for end Broderick Binns, who took a step back in '10 after a promising sophomore season. The secondary will have senior Shaun Prater, an Omaha native who toyed with idea of leaving early for the draft, and junior Micah Hyde, the Insight Bowl defensive MVP with a 72-yard interception return for a TD. The linebackers should be better with the return of senior Tyler Nielsen, who suffered a broken vertebrae last season, and sophomore James Morris having a season to digest after starting at middle linebacker as a true freshman.

Also, the defense should have coordinator Norm Parker again. His 2010 was harrowing. He was hospitalized on Sept. 10, a day before Iowa's game with Iowa State, and a few weeks later had his right foot amputated because of complications due to diabetes. He returned full-time for the Insight Bowl and the results showed.

Junior James Vandenberg takes over for Ricky Stanzi at quarterback. Vandenberg, 6-3, 215, didn't do much last season, but in '09 he started Iowa's last two games and showed promise, including a two-TD performance in a 27-24 overtime loss at Ohio State.

Stanzi put up sterling numbers (25 TDs to just six INTs), but Vandenberg has been waiting for this. Shouldn't be a lot of drop-off if any.

Senior wide receiver Marvin McNutt also considered an early leap to the NFL, but he decided this week to return to Iowa City. He led the Hawkeyes with 53 catches for 861 yards and eight TDs.

Iowa's wooly 2010 began with a swirl of injury and mystery at running back. Brandon Wegher, Jewel Hampton and Adam Robinson – the trio expected to carry the load – were nowhere to be found by the time the Insight Bowl kicked off. Wegher quit the team after the second day of practice. Hampton suffered a torn ACL and left the team in December. Robinson led Iowa with 941 yards, but was suspended for the Insight and subsequently dismissed after being cited for marijuana possession.

But it's not that bad.

True freshman Marcus Coker emerged as the leader in the clubhouse for 2011 with an offensive MVP performance in the Insight, rushing for 219 yards and two TDS on 33 carries.

Iowa's offensive line is set up to be a potential strength in 2011. Tackles Riley Reiff and Markus Zusevics return along with center James Ferentz. Guard prospects Nolan MacMillan and Adam Gettis saw some starts in 2010 and should be the frontrunners.

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We are in the Legends and Leaders era of Big Ten football.

This includes the cockamamie “Legends and Leaders” name for the divisions, a logo that looks as though it was put together at an Ikea and Nebraska. One of those is a good thing for the conference.

The Huskers are in the Legends division along with Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Northwestern.

Nebraska and Michigan State are the early favorites, but that conference schedule the Huskers have is treacherous to say the least. NU plays all the biggies – Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Iowa and, for good measure, constant headache Northwestern.

It's like winning the lottery and not being able to cash the comically oversized check. But hey, you'll be able to watch volleyball on the Big Ten Network.

Some of this will take a little time to root. Nebraska-Wisconsin isn't going to be an automatic hate fest. It will probably take just that first trip to Camp Randall to ignite that.

Some of it will take time, but the Nebraska-Iowa thing will not.

Doesn't matter that Iowa-Nebraska hasn't happened since 2000 and has happened just six times since 1946 and twice since 1982.

In 1981, Iowa tripped the Huskers, 10-7, in Kinnick Stadium. Fans tore down the goalposts. Hayden Fry called it the “greatest victory of my life.”

The two states share a considerable border. The current coaching staffs have bumped into each other on the recruiting trail (most recently, O-lineman Zach Sterup of Hastings, Neb.).

The cows are in the corn on the heat in this rivalry. Welcome to an era of meaningful football games between Iowa and Nebraska and the dawn of black-and-gold “Huck the Fuskers” T-shirts.

As if Nebraskans haven't heard that one before.