Anatomy of an Era: Mike Babcock landed a sportswriting job in Lincoln in 1978 and now “just can’t imagine” leaving the state.

In this week’s Big Red Cobcast, Pat, Joe and Tweedy talk about balloons, Maryland vs. Rhabdo, expectations and the occasional tangent.

Starting spots on defense are still being sorted out, and newcomer Braxton Clark is on the rise at cornerback. Get those details and more Monday’s practice here. | Updates & discussion. | Practice schedule

Four Nebraska opponents are in the top 15 and three others receive votes in the preseason AP poll.

Poll question: Who should get the start at quarterback?

It’s hard to tell cornerback is a new position for freshman Cam Taylor. | Fall camp recap

Power football still has a place in Scott Frost’s up-tempo offense, Erin Sorensen writes. | McKewon: Rewind* and Seven must-fixes* | Sipple on QBs

Wisconsin starting wide receiver Quintez Cephus takes a leave of absence to fight criminal charges he expects to be filed against him.

Anatomy of an Era: Doug Colman thinks Nebraska “can make it happen again, because Nebraska is a special place.”

This week in Husker history: Coach Ewald “Jumbo” Stiehm, whose teams lost just twice in his five seasons at Nebraska, dies at age 37.