Bo Pelini and the Huskers will take on San Jose State at Memorial Stadium at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Western Michigan’s air attack punched some holes in the Nebraska defense during the second half last week.

Coach Bo Pelini said there were some communication problems on defense that led to big plays for Western Michigan.

Pelini said his team has been making progress in correcting those problems during practices this week.

Enter San Jose State, a pass-happy team with a first-time starter in quarterback Kyle Reed, a junior transfer from the University of California.

Reed first committed to California after a 2005 recruiting cycle that noted him as one of the top dual-threat signal callers in the nation. Reed transferred and redshirted at San Jose last year.

San Jose threw for 3,172 of its 4,177 yards in total offense a year ago with the help of senior quarterback Adam Tafralis.

Myles Eden started last week for San Jose against the University of California-Davis, but the production wasn’t there.

The Spartans beat UC Davis, 34-14 in 2007, with Tafralis throwing for 330 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.

Last Saturday, the Spartans needed a 17-yard scoring pass on a 4th-and-13 play late in the fourth quarter to emerge victorious.

After trying Eden and one other quarterback, the Spartans tapped Reed for game action in the late third quarter last week, and the move paid off.

Reed immediately led a 12-play, 43-yard drive that produced a touchdown, the first points of the game for San Jose State.

During late fourth quarter action, Davis threw a pass of 37 yards and, eventually, tossed a 17-yard scoring strike that gave San Jose the lead with eight seconds left.

Despite playing less than two quarters, Reed posted 132 yards passing on 14-of-18 tosses and also had 41 rushing yards.

Other players of note last week for the Spartans include wide receiver Kevin Jurovick, who posted 11 catches and 99 yards, including the 17-yard game winner, and defensive end Carl Inehnacho, who recorded five solo tackles, four assists and forced two fumbles.

The main challenge for the Spartans this Saturday centers around improving from a less-than-impressive performance against non-Division-I UC Davis, and preparing Reed for his first start in a hostile environment at Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium.

The Huskers will be hoping for improved pass defense and a better rushing attack after wining game one, 47-24 over Western Michigan.

Nebraska standouts in last week’s win included quarterback Joe Ganz, who threw for four touchdowns; receiver Nate Swift, who caught two touchdown passes, Marlon Lucky, who had 87 yards of total offense and two scores, and new linebacker Cody Glenn, who led the team in tackles with 12, including nine solos.

On the down side for the Huskers, Ganz threw two fourth quarter interceptions

and the team finished with 138 yards rushing and no single rushing effort over 60 yards.

Prior to game one, Nebraska had targeted a return to more of a traditional reliance on the power rushing game, but the Huskers ended up featuring pass over run most of the game last Saturday. Roy Helu was NU’s rush leader with 54 yards.

In terms of pass defense, the Huskers gave up 342 yards on the game, just three yards less than the total yards throwing for Ganz.