Lincoln, Neb. ? Nebraska has no plans to alter its three-man rotation at running back, coach Bo Pelini said.

Marlon Lucky started the first two games, with Roy Helu Jr. and Quentin Castille seeing nearly equal playing time.

The Huskers have had difficulty establishing a consistent ground attack through two games. They average 118.5 yards a game, ranking 82nd nationally.

Pelini said in a teleconference with reporters that Lucky, Castille and Helu have similar talents, and he wants to make sure each gets his share of carries. The coach said that if one of the backs gets on a roll, that back will see more playing time.

“I think it’s beneficial for us having three running backs,” Pelini said. “It keeps them fresh. It keeps a lot of guys in the flow of the game. We’re starting to get a little more consistency when we’re subbing them. They can all make plays.”

Helu, who has 16 carries in two games, is averaging 6.9 yards per attempt and 55.5 a game. Lucky, who has 19 carries, has run for 33 yards a game. Castille has a total of 12 yards on 12 carries.

Pelini said the I-backs continue to be subbed series to series.

“We don’t want a guy sitting there all half and all of a sudden getting into the game,” he said. “We want some consistency there.”

On the defensive front, Pelini announced that Pierre Allen would start Saturday’s game against New Mexico State in place of injured lineman Barry Turner. Turner broke a bone in his left leg against San Jose and probably will miss the rest of the season. Clayton Sievers will be the backup to Allen and the other defensive end, Zach Potter.

Allen had 10 tackles, three behind the line of scrimmage, and one pass breakup against San Jose.