A 6-foot-6, 225-pound tight end from Jacksonville, Fla., showing great promise because of his athletic ability and a body that looks like it can grow into the role of a Friday night, Saturday afternoon or even Sunday star, Dorsey is one of the guys to watch when the Illini take on the Cornhuskers, a sinking ship in the school’s athletic department that’s ready to clean house.

CHAMPAIGN – For Louis Dorsey, like the rest of a remarkably busy Illini football freshman class, the Big Ten Conference opener against Nebraska is already here.

Dorsey showed off his potential the last time the Illini played. In the 47-23 loss to South Florida, Dorsey had three catches for 62 yards. He became one of the preferred targets of relief hitter Jeff George Jr.

“Louis has everything you look for in a tight end,’’ said Illini coach Lovie Smith. “Now it’s just not about being a locker. That’s not his strong suit but he can do it. He’s a tough matchup in the passing game with a linebacker or a safety. He can catch the football. He’s a weapon. We need to use him more often.’’

One of 10 true freshmen to start already this year – the most in school history and the more than any team in major-college football this season – Dorsey already had his coaches talking about greatness.

Illini offensive coordinator Garrick McGee coached Arkansas’ D.J. Williams in 2010, when the Razorback won the Mackey Award that goes to the top collegiate tight end. Dorsey’s big upside, McGee said, creates great possibilities immediately for the Illini offense and Dorsey down the road, as he grows into the job.

“I worked in the NFL,’’ McGee said. “I coached D.J. the year he won the Mackey Award. Louis is in that category as a freshman. There’s a lot of stuff that he has to get cleaned up. He’s a very talented kid. We have to find a way to get him the ball. As coverage moves away from him, we have to get him the ball.’’

This is just football to Dorsey, who has that confidence despite being so young for the college game. He trusts the Illini will get him the ball.

“I feel like nobody can guard me,’’ he said. “It’s just me. McGee is a smart man. He knows what he’s doing.’’

That kind of trust has already run out of the hour glass at Nebraska, where the AD was already fired. Coach Mike Riley is seen as a dead man walking through the final eight games of the regular season. They don’t take kindly to losing to Northern Illinois. Or failing to compete in a weaker Big Ten Conference West Division.

Imagine the Huskers fans who realize the Illini are arguably an even match these days for Nebraska. Illinois won a close one two years ago in Champaign, then lost in the fourth quarter in Lincoln, Neb., a year ago.

This isn’t your father’s Nebraska, and, just think, everyone tried to blame it all on Frank Solich.

Nebraska is a still a good job. It pays roughly $3 million a season with five assistant coaches getting $400,000 a year or more. That should be a big enough kitty to get some qualified for the job. The locals really care about Nebraska football, which is the only real game in the state besides the recent success of Creighton basketball. Did you know the Cornhuskers have sold out every home football game since 1962?

While Nebraska doesn’t have a recruiting hotbed right outside its door, the Huskers should be able to recruit top players with that kind of interest and that kind of money in the program. It’s easy to say that this isn’t what Jim Delany expected when he grabbed up Nebraska to push the number of league teams to 12. He turned down the begging from Missouri and failed to lure Notre Dame to the league, then Nebraska seemed like a decent choice.

But the Huskers haven’t moved the needle when it comes to TV ratings – the most important component to a conference commissioner these days, no matter how hard they argue the point – and Nebraska became an also-ran in a division dominated by Wisconsin.

So the Huskers come to town to play a Friday night game, which still feels wrong for a league like the Big Ten. Understandably, there should be a college game on TV every Friday night, but it should be a state of lesser importance like Utah State, Grambling State, New Mexico State or, even, Boise State. A blue football field should be relegated to Friday nights. The Big Ten once turned up its noise to Friday games, talking about the sanctity of Friday Night Lights reserved for high school football.

In the money grab, Delany said hell with the unwritten rule of saving the night for the feeder program of college football. Yet it will be interesting to see how it plays out at Memorial Stadium Friday. Will the Illini steal the crowd from the preps, or will prep teams from Tuscola to Naperville to East St. Louis overshadow a Big Ten game?

Here’s what is happening in Springfield. The talk about the game Friday isn’t about Illini vs. Nebraska. It’s about Decatur MacArthur at Rochester.

If the choice is going to Champaign, then Dorsey is one of the best entertainment values in that ticket.