When making predictions about the future, it's often helpful to look to the past for guidance. When circumstances were similar, how did things play out? Interestingly, when looking for a season in which Nebraska returned an all-conference defensive tackle and an all-conference cornerback, you have to go back to the 1994 season. And that's hardly the only parallel between the 2010 Cornhuskers and the 1994 squad.

Terry Connealy was an All-Big Eight defensive tackle in 1993, playing alongside a star pass-rusher in Trev Alberts. Connealy wasn't a household name (even in Nebraska) though. Rather, there was some thought about how much the defense might suffer without Alberts. Not a far cry from the relationship between Jared Crick and Ndamukong Suh, though arguably Crick has been more acclaimed than Connealy. In the secondary, Barron Miles was beginning to make a name for himself as an All-Big Eight cornerback in 1993. Ditto that for Prince Amukamara this past season. The only other returning All-Big Eight player from the 1993 team was offensive tackle Zach Wiegert. Having a player like Wiegert returning certainly would be an asset for the 2010 squad. Then again, NU fans might have traded Wiegert in 1993 to get a kicker like Alex Henery to make the fateful field goal to win the naitonal championship that Byron Bennett missed.

The memories of that near miss are another thing that the 2010 team has in common with the 1994 version. Nebraska was in position to win the national championship when they took the lead with just over a minute remaining. But then Florida State drove the length of the field (assisted by a penalty) to kick a field goal with 21 seconds remaining to win the Orange Bowl. That disappointment fueled an offseason where the team worked themselves into national championship form. With a minute and change remaining against Texas in the Big 12 championship game, Nebraska took the lead only to see Texas drive down the field (assisted by penalties) to kick a game winning field goal. Will the disappointment from that contest again fuel a championship run for the Big Red?

By season's end, the 1994 season had seen a number of other playmakers emerge on the roster. Ed Stewart, Brendan Stai, Lawrence Phillips, Troy Dumas, Aaron Graham, Donta Jones, and Tyrone Williams were all honored as All-Big Eight players in addition to the returning standouts. Only Ed Stewart had received even second team All-Big Eight honors in 1993. So the key for the national championship team wasn't just riding the returning stars but developing a whole crop of new ones. Roy Helu could be poised to rise to the All-Big 12 level. The same could be said for Mike McNeil and Niles Paul. But NU may go even deeper to players that hadn't yet fully reached their potential in Dejon Gomes, Eric Hagg, Ricky Henry, and Keith Williams.

That's not saying Nebraska will make up 10 of the 22 first team all-conference roster spots, but then making all-conference in a 12-team league is a bigger task than doing it in an 8-team league. The point is that even with the departed Suh, Phillip Dillard, and Larry Asante, Nebraska still has the raw material to do something special provided the offseason work gets done and things break right for the team. What more can you ask for in year three of the Bo Pelini era?

There's no Tommie Fraizer in 2010, big difference.

What he said.

Like others have said, Zack Lee is no Tommie Frazier. And Helu and Burkhead aren't exactly Lawrence Phillips and Ahman Green either.

I don't expect us to make the national championship game, but I could see the team gelling over the course of this season.

No Ahman on that squad, although I get your meaning. Helu and Burkhead aren't chopped liver though.