Associated Press

Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (93) earned All-Big 12 honors last year, which has been rare in recent years for the No. 19 Cornhuskers.

Associated Press

Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh (right) sacks Arkansas State quarterback Corey Leonard during the second half of last Saturday's game, won by the Cornhuskers, 38-9.

For the second time this month, the Virginia Tech football team will have to deal with one of the best defensive linemen in the nation.

Two weeks ago, the Hokies faced Alabama nose guard Terrence "Mount" Cody. On Saturday, fellow NFL prospect Ndamukong Suh will be coming to town.

Suh, a fifth-year senior defensive tackle, not only corrals running backs but also has a knack for sacks.

That could be a problem for Tech QB Tyrod Taylor, who was sacked five times by Alabama.

"I watched the Alabama film," Suh said. "I like some things I saw that Alabama did. I know we're going to have an opportunity to get after him. He's a very elusive quarterback and very crafty, so ... when you get your opportunity back there, you've got to make the most of it."

Suh -- whose name is pronounced EN-dom-ah-ken Soo -- has 1-1/2 sacks in two games this season after recording 7-1/2 sacks last year.

He also returned two interceptions for touchdowns last fall -- an impressive feat for a 6-foot-4, 300-pound lineman.

"That was a lot of fun," he said. "But I still enjoy sacking the quarterback [more]. That's probably the most fun -- just impose your will on the quarterback and make him feel like he always has to be watching his back because you're ready to hit him at any point."

Taylor isn't the only Hokie who should be fretting. The Hokies' running backs could have a tough time gaining ground up the middle.

Suh had 76 tackles last fall, becoming the first lineman to lead the Cornhuskers in tackles in 35 years. He had 19 tackles for loss, and was the first Nebraska interior defensive lineman this decade to make the All-Big 12 first team.

Two games into the 2009 season, he has 12 tackles, including four for loss, for No. 19 Nebraska (2-0).

It's not always easy making an impact while getting extra attention from enemy offenses, though.

"That's an impact on its own, that they feel they have to give me that amount of respect, double-team me and triple-team me," Suh said. "It'll open up things for not only the guys next to me, but for the guys behind me.

"I take that responsibility and embrace it and want to keep living up to having teams ... feel the need to double-team me or triple-team me in the passing game, and not just in running situations. And if not, then I'm going to make them pay for it."

Nebraska second-year coach Bo Pelini isn't worried about foes double-teaming Suh.

"We just want him to play within the scheme of the defense," Pelini said. "He'll make his impact because he's a hell of a player. But if you start trying to offset what teams are doing, then the whole scheme of what we do will break down."

ESPN analyst Mel Kiper has ranked Suh the No. 5 overall pick in next year's NFL Draft.

"It's all speculation," said Suh, who plans to graduate in December. "If I don't take care of my job, ... none of those things in the future will ever come true."

Suh's mother is from Jamaica, and his father is from the African nation of Cameroon. They met when Suh's father was attending Portland State; Suh's mother was a friend of his host family. They divorced when Suh was 2 years old, but he is close to both of them.

His first name means "House of Spears" in a Cameroonian language.

"I love my name. It means a lot to me," he said.

Suh was born in Portland, Ore., and became a Parade All-American in high school. He chose the Cornhuskers over Miami, Oregon State, California and Mississippi State. He became the first scholarship recruit from Oregon in Nebraska football history.

He finished last season with the most tackles by a Nebraska defensive lineman in 16 years. He had six tackles in a 35-30 loss to the Hokies.

Suh credits all the work he did on his technique for his breakthrough 2008 season.

"At the end of the season, I really felt it was second nature to me," Suh said. "It was just, like, ingrained into my body and brain, and every time I stepped on the field, it was expressing itself. So then I could ... pick up on different things a lot easier because I knew I didn't have to worry about my technique."

Suh weighs about 35 pounds less than Cody, who had only one tackle for Alabama against the Hokies.

"I'm a little bit more athletic -- not to knock him by any means, but that really has to do with I don't weigh as much as he does," Suh said. "I am just as strong as him, and I can push the pocket as well and do quick moves and get in the backfield."

The Hokies can only hope he isn't too successful on Saturday.