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NU hopes to maximize arguably its best receiving corps ever

2016 may feature the best receiving corps Mike Riley has ever had. Can he make the most of all those weapons? (Associated Press)

When Mike Riley looks back over the past 30 or so years, several individuals immediately stand out as some of the best wide receivers he’s had during his college head coaching career.

But when it comes to the all-around talent, experience, depth and potential of a receiving corps on one particular team, this season’s group at Nebraska is probably his best yet.

The cast of Jordan Westerkamp, Brandon Reilly, Alonzo Moore, De’Mornay Pierson-El, and Stanley Morgan form the most productive wide receiver quintet the Huskers have returned for a following season.

In fact, the 2016 receiver class returns more career catches (279) and yards (4,163) than any previous group in school history.

Then add in the element of a senior-laden tight end position, led by arguably one of NU’s top NFL prospects in Cethan Carter, as well as a versatile stable of running backs.

There’s a reason Riley’s eyes light up whenever the topic of Nebraska’s receiving corps comes up.

“We’ve had some good receiving corps in my life,” Riley said. “We’ve had some good individual receivers… This group in-depth is as good as I’ve been around… This group, through the depth of guys right now, is a really good group.”

Of course, with so many weapons at their disposal, the pressure is on Riley and offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf to maximize their passing game potential while also incorporating a heavy dose of the running game that worked so well in the Foster Farms Bowl.

It will also come down to senior quarterback Tommy Armstrong getting them the football.

A career 54-percent passer who has thrown 28 interceptions over the past two seasons, it will be up to the fourth-year starter to make the most of an offensive arsenal as good as any quarterback in the Big Ten will have in 2016.

“They’re real good,” Armstrong said. “They’re talented, they’re the most talented group I’ve had since I got here. Those guys make it easier for me. They make is easier for the running backs. They give defenses trouble, and they’re going to help us a lot. It’s good that they’re all going to be healthy. They’re going to do what they do best.”

Riley said he was confident Armstrong would flourish with such a talented supporting cast surrounding him.

In Riley’s opinion, the real pressure will be on opposing defenses to figure out how to cover so many players capable to taking it the house whenever they touch the ball.

“I think that’s great for Tommy,” Riley said. “I think that when you have versatility that way, that’s a big factor when you have to look at a group like that defensively, especially when you have an interior that will sometimes have Cethan Carter and Jordan Westerkamp as inside receivers.

“Then you’re always talking defensively where you’re going to put the strength of the coverage. Are you going to roll over the top of the corners to help them because we have pretty good wide receivers? Are they going to stay inside to help the linebackers and cover those slots and the tight ends?

“I love having all those threats like that. With our style of game, utilizing those people as much as we can, really gives you balance attacking a defense, and I think the better we run the ball, the more effective we can be in getting the ball to those guys. That’s going to have to be our game. We’ll have to put it all together like that.”

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