What Can Husker Nation Really Take From The First Saturday?

Other than at one point in time, I could have swore there were five games on at the same time -- in HD!

• Memorial Stadium in Lincoln -- aside from the normal "sea of red" -- looks completely different on TV. New tunnel walk, brand new big-ass screen in the North Stadium (all of this already up at youtube of course), at times I wondered if they didn't just build a brand new stadium somewhere near the old Student Union. Somebody could have tried telling me that was the case after the first 5 minutes of the game and I'd have damn near bought it. Of course, I also would have asked if the new stadium comes with an entirely new coaching staff, only one that didn't filter out of a small clown car and loud music, where one-by-one the coaches would splinker out, all 12 of them in a car that looks likes it should only seat 1. You know, like the staff we have now??? They just aren't wearing the oversized shoes, red noses, funny hair and make-up just yet (I'm guessing they bust this gear out on or around September 16th).
• That's 21 consecutive season openers for the Corn, and of course the entire time, I kept waiting for the real Billy C to show up (whoever that may be), especially in the first half.
• Whatever happens with the rest of this season, we have to consider Zac Taylor a pretty damn good quarterback for the Corn. It's so hard to compare any pre-WCO NU QB to any of Billy C's boys. There was one run Taylor made in the first half where he didn't quite lunge for the first down, and all around me people were shouting the usual "Frazier would have broke that" or "Frost would have gotten ten more yards." You just can't compare the eras in the same way.
• I also realized this was the first time since Jamaal Lord that Nebraska started a season opener with the same QB for two consecutive seasons. That of course says a lot about Taylor, but it also says a lot of positive things about Billy C, after how things ended in Oakland and the whole Harrison Beck deflection. This alone has a whole good vibe about it.
• Four "I-Backs" all got considerable playing time, and all for the most part looked pretty good. If I were Billy C, I'd give the starting gig to Marlon Lucky and save Cody Glenn for those gotta have short yardage situations.
• Matt Herian: Three catches, 61 yards, including the first touchdown of the year (although there were few balloons left to let off in the stadium, as most were let off earlier on a would be touchdown run that was called back because of a penalty). Herian after catches looked timid and slow, but he is coming back from a horrible injury and the simple fact that he's even playing football right now is quite stunning. I'm not sure what to expect from the kid from here on out, I do like the new Rocky Bleier mustache though.
• I forgot: On Friday, Billy C, ever the salesman, likened Louisiana Tech to Rocky Balboa, which I guess makes Nebraska Apollo Creed until the USC game. You know...just in case there might have been a really close game or...
• ...A crazy upset. I work with a really big Colorado fan, and after that thing went final, he was just zombied out. Sort of tough just to hang your season on the idea that your kicker is a pre-season All-American, isn't it?
• Which reminds me, who saw the Tennessee game coming? All week long, everyone raved about Cal being the lock of the week, Lee Corso picked Cal is his NATIONAL CHAMPION, and at one point in time, this game was 35-0.
• Seriously, why is it that Brian Kenny seems to have no friends? There's nobody at the world wide leader wanting to help him out with a rather great, up-to-the-second, constant update segment that he hosts. They could have thrown it back to Kenny -- and believe me, it would have been to Kenny and ONLY Kenny -- all day and night long.
• There should be a rule established that says no collegiate quarterback can use three names (and ESPECIALLY not three first names: Terry Alan John, I know you're out there on the recruiting trail for Billy C somewhere). John David Booty. I'm sorry, you look like a really nice kid who could have a nice year taking the reins from Leinart. But your name is just a little too....Oh, John Wilkes Booth for me. (The latter comparison is sure to open up some sort of new slogan for USC football. "Other than that Mrs. Booty, how was the game?")
• Look, Oklahoma State and Missouri and even Kansas also won big against the little sisters of the poor. So really, what do we take from a home opener against an opponent you're SUPPOSED to beat? That they won, but don't read too much into one win against an opponent you were SUPPOSED to manhandle. You take the W, that's what you do. You're happy at the fact that it's September, there are Major League Baseball Playoffs just around the corner, and it looks like they'll be great college football matchups every Saturday until December.

And be really happy that you're not Colorado.

No, I'm not totally on board either: "Settle Down, It's Only One Game ..."