NEBRASKA CITY –  Former Nebraska I-back Damon Benning drew an engaged crowd for the first week of The Big Red Buzz at Valentino’s in Nebraska City saying the glass his half full for this year’s football team.

Benning: “On paper they’ve got a fantastic unit coming back defensively, but they are still by far and away the youngest team not only in the Big 10, but one of the youngest teams in the country.”

 

Over half of all scholarship players are freshmen or redshirt freshmen. Benning, an Omaha Westside coach and radio personality, said the defense is not good enough yet for the team to ride on their success, but it has developed depth.

He said offensive identity remains an unanswered question for Nebraska.

Benning: “Nebraska’s resolve is what has ailed them in the last nine, 10 years,  in my opinion, and resolve is a lot easier to have when you know what you’re falling back on.”

 

Hopefully, he said, in year four under Coach Scott Frost players will know what they are anchored in and resolve will come easier.

He said Nebraska does not have to be monumentally better, just better.

Benning: “They were top 30 in the country in trips to the “red zone” with 4.5 per game, but they were only generating 2.4 touchdowns. If you go from 4.5 to just 3 touchdowns per game, which would put you at 39 or 40 nationally, it’s four points per game.”

 

He answered questions about new Athletic Director Trev Alberts, quarterback recruiting and how name, image and likeness will impact player development.

 

 

Benning is scheduled for public luncheon at noon on Thursdays before each game this season.

B103 FM General Manager Brad Achtemeier said the radio station asked Benning to lead the luncheon to give folks in River Country an opportunity to ask questions of the Big 10 analyst.