by BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON Lincoln Journal Star , Lincoln Journal Star

Much like Nebraska's season-opening football foe last year, Western Michigan, the Owls have just enough parts in place (particularly on offense) to make for interesting conversation.

And if that conversation needs more spice, there's always FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger. The man sporting the white mustache needs no introduction to Husker fans - heartburn remains for some from the 1984 Orange Bowl.

Schnellenberger would never win an election in Nebraska, but the job he's done at Florida Atlantic is worthy of admiration. The 75-year-old arrived at FAU in 1998 to build a football program from scratch. The school's first football season was in 2001. By 2003, the Owls were in the NCAA Division I-AA semifinal game. By 2007, in just their third year at the Division I level, the Owls won a bowl game.

Now, the Sun Belt team from Boca Raton is coming off a 7-6 season and Motor City Bowl win against Central Michigan. Not bad considering the Owls started 1-5.

Granted, FAU still has a ways to go to reach the next rung on the ladder. The Owls lost 52-10 to Texas last year, 17-0 to Michigan State and 37-3 to Minnesota.

The defense, which ranked 92nd nationally, has plenty of question marks. But Rusty Smith is one of the better quarterbacks in the country and will provide the Huskers an early season test.

IN THE HEADLINES

The big question of the offseason: How do the Owls fix a defense that wasn't that good last year and loses eight starters?

The biggest concern has been trying to figure out how to replace three linebackers.

The Owls made a few offensive coaching changes. After coordinator Gary Nord left for Purdue, Schnellenberger promoted wide receivers coach Darryl Jackson to run the offense. Also added to the staff was quarterbacks coach Jeff Brohm, who had a seven-year NFL career and spent time as an offensive coordinator at Louisville.

FAU may have discovered its running back this spring. After several injuries, coaches switched Alfred Morris from fullback and were probably wondering why they hadn't done so sooner. He shined.

BIG MEN ON CAMPUS

Quarterback Rusty Smith: This guy has NFL scouts taking a closer look. College football prognosticator Phil Steele ranks Smith as the 11th-best quarterback in the country. The senior is coming off a season in which he threw for 3,224 yards.

Wide receiver Cortez Gent: FAU was No. 25 nationally in passing last year and Gent is a big reason why. He had 935 receiving yards for an offense that kicked it in gear late to average more than 40 points in its last four regularseason games.

CRYSTAL BALL

Prognosticators have FAU as a middling team nationally, but a contender to win the Sun Belt Conference.

Steele predicts the Owls will be second in the conference behind Troy. The New York Times projects them at 77th nationally. Athlon Sports has FAU lower than most, putting them at 97th out of 120 teams.

Reach Brian Christopherson at 473-7439 or christopherson@journalstar.com

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