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Transfer QB Keller makes first start for Nebraska vs. Nevada

Sep 1, 2007 - 12:09 PM Nevada at No. 20 Nebraska 3:30 pm EDT

LINCOLN, Nebraska (Ticker) -- Sam Keller has delivered on the football field at the collegiate level. Just not at Nebraska.

Former Arizona State quarterback Keller makes his Nebraska debut on Saturday when the 20th-ranked Cornhuskers host Nevada in their season opener.

After a strong finish to the 2005 season, Keller narrowly beat out Rudy Carpenter for the Arizona State starting job a year ago. But then-coach Dirk Koetter changed his mind almost immediately, and the frustrated Keller transferred to Nebraska.

After sitting out the mandatory year, he recently won the starting job with the Cornhuskers to replace the graduated Zac Taylor, the 2006 Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

The Cornhuskers went 6-2 to win the Big 12 North Division for the first time since 1999 but finished just 9-5 overall.

Still, it was a sign of progress in their third season under coach Bill Callahan, who had been feeling some heat.

Nevada posted an 8-5 record in 2006, including 5-3 in the Western Athletic Conference, where it finished in a third-place tie.

Wolf Pack coach Chris Ault suspended outside linebacker Ezra Butler for the game for a violation of team policy. Butler was an All-WAC selection last year after leading Nevada in tackles and tackles for loss.

Ault is 22-15 in his third stint as the Wolf Pack's coach and 185-78-1 in 22 years, all at Nevada.