Well, the bold transition enters its next phase today.

The West Coast attack takes root in the Midwest — Part II.

Nebraska, the football program that built a reputation as a bullying,  run-oriented team, showed lethal finesse in the passing game as it unveiled its version of the West Coast offense last week in a cakewalk over Division I-AA Western Illinois.

Joe Montana would've been proud of the way Joe Dailey fired strikes to receivers in stride.

So, what was Southern Mississippi's foremost concern as it prepared to face Nebraska today at Memorial Stadium?

"Well, stopping the run," Golden Eagles head coach Jeff Bower said Friday. "We've been a little bit vulnerable (against the run). We were vulnerable last year. And when you look at Nebraska, they were great on first down last week. They gashed Western Illinois running the football.

"I think you've got to defend the run."

Indeed, Nebraska averaged nearly 8 yards on first down and shredded the outmanned Leathernecks for 363 rushing yards, the Huskers' best rushing effort since rolling up 381 at Texas A&M in 2002.

So, perhaps it's good news for Southern Miss that it returns only four starters from a 2003 defense that ranked 61st nationally against the run, allowing 155.7 yards per game.

Given Nebraska's dramatic change in style, you can probably discard last season's Southern Miss-NU game, when the Golden Eagles dropped a 38-14 decision, but held the Huskers to just 141 rushing yards, 47 coming on reserve I-back Robin Miller's late touchdown scamper.

"The culture here now is totally different than last year's culture," Dailey said. "This year, we're all about speed, about being faster, about completing our assignments and finishing everything. Last year, it was about being stronger than everyone and beating them off the ball and putting the ball in the end zone while running time off the clock."

More than anything, Nebraska wants to make the scoreboard rattle and hum, as it did last week when the Huskers rolled to a 42-0 second-quarter lead.

Nebraska figures it'll encounter more resistance from a Golden Eagle defense that's known for its proliferation of line stunts and blitzes.

"Every time they blitz, they're allowing us to fill the void that they create," said Dailey, who was 15-for-30 passing for 218 yards and four touchdowns last week.

Dailey guided an attack that operated with surprising efficiency and precision considering it was Nebraska's first official go-round in head coach Bill Callahan's relatively complex system.

The Huskers' myriad shifts and motion before the snap confused the Leathernecks.

"You really have to make some quick adjustments defensively, as fast as they move and shift," Bower said. "That's going to be something I think will be key early in the ball game, that we communicate and make those adjustments."

Dailey's first college start impressed Bower.

"He throws the ball well — he's got a good motion, a good throwing arm," Bower said. "He threw for four touchdowns, and he's a guy who can hurt you running the ball, too."

Of course, Dailey also threw four interceptions last week.

"Sometimes you have to force things when they're not there in order to learn to not throw it the next time," Dailey said. "Sometimes you have to make a mistake before you correct it."

Southern Miss starting quarterback Dustin Almond, a 6-foot-2, 212-pound junior, made his share of mistakes in last season's loss to Nebraska. The Florida native's 4-for-24, two-interception performance was a low point in his season.

Almond went on to lead Southern Miss to wins in its last six regular-season games. The Golden Eagles, who return 10 starters on offense, finished 9-4, including 8-0 in Conference USA.   

"I'm proud of the way he's bounced back," Bower said of Almond. "You always need for your quarterback to play well. But it starts up front with our offensive line."

Southern Miss, which returns four starters on its offensive line, is known for running a conservative offense, choosing to rely heavily on its defense and win low-scoring games.

Southern Miss is eager for its 2004 opener, Bower said, playing down any advantages Nebraska might enjoy from having a game under its belt.

"It doesn't matter," Bower said. "I mean, we probably would've liked to have played a game, but we didn't. It gave us some extra time to work during the preseason and some time to work some of our younger kids."

Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.