18 Nebraska

SAM KELLER NEVER imagined his college career would go like this. After throwing for 16 touchdowns in his first four games as a junior at Arizona State in 2005, he was being touted as an NFL prospect and a dark-horse Heisman candidate, only to have his season ended two games later by a broken thumb on his passing hand. It appeared he had won back the starting job the following August, but then coach Dirk Koetter, heeding the advice of a handful of players, changed his mind and gave the job to sophomore Rudy Carpenter. Two days later Keller transferred to Nebraska, where he had to learn the intricacies of coach Bill Callahan's West Coast offense while taking snaps with the scout team during his redshirt season in '06.

"It's been awfully crazy," says Keller, who's now a senior. "The weirdest part was getting acclimated with the new place, new teammates. I tried to stay in the background until it was my turn to make an impact."

With the graduation of Zac Taylor, the 2006 Big 12 offensive player of the year, that time has arrived. Keller hasn't officially been named the starter over junior Joe Ganz (a decision isn't expected until close to the opener), but his experience (20 career starts), size (6' 4," 230 pounds) and arm strength make him the best bet to be under center when Nebraska faces Nevada.

A self-confessed "cowboy who tries to make crazy throws sometimes," Keller will have to tame his wilder instincts and exhibit control in an offense that demands patience. "The beautiful thing about Coach Callahan's offense is that there's always someone open," says Keller. "With all our shifting and motion there's a chance the defense will be completely confused."

To speed his learning process, Keller spent the summer poring over video. Twice a week he got together for throwing sessions with his receivers, an athletic and experienced group that has six of its top seven pass-catchers coming back.

Success used to be as synonymous with Nebraska football as option quarterbacks, but the results have been mixed since Callahan took over in 2004. The Big 12 North title the Cornhuskers won last year was the school's first since 1999; however, an 0-3 record against Top 10 teams in the midst of a five-loss season showed just how far Nebraska has to go to be a player on the national stage again. With a road game at ACC champion Wake Forest followed by a home date with USC in the first three weeks, the Huskers will have a couple of early opportunities to show they're back among the elite. "We've been taking small steps," says junior wide receiver Todd Peterson. "It's time to make that big leap."