Gophers vs. Nebraska story lines: It's in with the new for both teams

Good afternoon and Happy Season Opener Day to all that celebrate. At last, the college football season is upon us with a full weekend of games, and the Gophers open with an intriguing matchup against Nebraska (7 p.m., FOX, 100.3-FM). The Gophers and Cornhuskers will be greeted by a sold-out crowd at Huntington Bank Stadium, which should make for an entertaining backdrop on a beautiful evening.

There's a lot of intrigue with the Gophers as coach P.J. Fleck begins his seventh season in Minnesota. Productive veterans such as quarterback Tanner Morgan, running back Mohamed Ibrahim and center John Michael Schmitz have exhausted their eligibility, and how well their replacements fare will determine how good this team can be.

The game also will mark the Nebraska debut of coach Matt Rhule, who led successful rebuilding projects at Temple and Baylor before coaching the NFL's Carolina Panthers.

Here are a few story lines that I'm eager to see play out in the opener:

1. What will the Gophers offensive approach look like?

Under Fleck, the Gophers have been a run-first team and one that relied heavily on Ibrahim's tough running behind a bruising offensive line. That might change this season with Athan Kaliakmanis taking over for Morgan. In his five-game audition last year, Kaliakmanis showed improvement and displayed an active arm to go with quicker feet than Morgan. While the offense won't be a 50-50 run-pass split, the Gophers should pass more than the 21.6 attempts per game they averaged last year.

2. How will the Gophers backfield look?

Ibrahim left as the program's all-time leading rusher after running for 1,665 yards and 20 touchdowns last season. This year, a committee approach is likely, led by Western Michigan transfer Sean Tyler, who rushed for 1,027 yards last year and is a pass-catching threat. Senior Bryce Williams and freshmen Zach Evans and Darius Taylor are likely to be in the backfield mix, too.

3. Will the Gophers generate more of a pass rush?

Minnesota had only 19 sacks last season, so Fleck made improving the pass rush a priority. He hired former Gopher Winston DeLattiboudere III as defensive line coach, and the energetic assistant has impressed since returning to campus. With ends like Jah Joyner, Danny Striggow, Jalen Logan-Redding and Anthony Smith, there's talent with which to work.

4. How's the kicking game?

Dragan Kesich showed off his big leg on as a standout on kickoffs last season, and now he'll get first crack at replacing the reliable Matthew Trickett as placekicker. Kesich impressed during training camp. Now, the pressure ramps up.

5. How will the new clock rule impact the Gophers?

In a new rule adopted by the NCAA, the clock no longer will stop when a team makes a first down, except for the final two minutes of the second and fourth quarters. The adjustment figures to trim the number of plays in a game, and that might play into the hand of teams that rely on a ball-control offense. The Gophers fall into that category, so stay tuned.