2:44 p.m.: Without argument, much of the defensive success Nebraska experienced last season started up front with Barry Turner, Ndamukong Suh, Jared Crick and Pierre Allen. Those four combined for a whopping 260 total tackles and 32 of the Huskers' 44 sacks.
That line was split in half by graduation after last season, leaving Allen and Crick left to anchor the next one.
So what about those two as Nebraska sits about a week from starting spring practice?
Allen is healthy, according to NU defensive coordinator Carl Pelini, and ready to go. The defensive end played hurt for much of his junior season, including two bad knees and a painful turf toe that required pregame and halftime shots in his foot late in the regular season.
"The greatest thing is when he starts moving pain-free, his athleticism is really going to shine and stand out more than I think it has for a while,'' Pelini said. "He did some things in that Arizona game (Holiday Bowl) where you're really like, 'Wow, that's what he's capable of doing when he's healthy.' ''
Crick is going to be faced with growing expectations. The offseason attention has been significant after his breakthrough sophomore season playing tackle next to Suh.
"He's had a great winter," Pelini said. "He's improved in everything. He's got a good work ethic. He's not the type to get a big head or anything. He knows he's got work to do and improvement to make."
Overall, some people are pointing to this NU team as a potential Top 10 unit next season. It's been a while since the Huskers have taken these kind of expectations into spring practice.
We'll talk about it plenty more in the next week, so stick with omaha.com for video previews and The World-Herald for stories later this week.
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