Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule asked about the team's offseason training. He has seen the physical improvement of players around NU's athletic facilities and has been working with the coaching staff to plan for the spring.
The time for planning is over. The time has come to do it. When Nebraska returns to the practice field for the first time this week, returning starting pitchers and rookies alike will begin their journey to earn starting roles.
The last binding competition for position will occur in the fall, but players at any position can make big strides towards their goals this spring. Here are his five position battles that will continue over the next month.
quarterback
Just like a year ago, Nebraska enters the spring with three healthy scholarship quarterbacks and competition. In 2023, that battle was in name only – Jeff Sims' status as a multi-year starter and the addition of the transfer portal quickly solved the problem – but the Huskers may be more patient this time around.
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Rhule said sophomore Heinrich Hahlberg, Nebraska's only quarterback with starting experience, spent the offseason adjusting his pitching mechanics. Meanwhile, it's been a busy time for freshmen early enrollees Dylan Raiola and Daniel Kerin as they adjust to life as a college quarterback.
Spring expectations aren't centered around the talent of Raiola or Kaelin — there's a reason both were members of the prestigious Elite 11 quarterback class over the summer — but their arrival on campus… Running an offense two months later presents a completely different challenge.
First-year quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas will be diligently preparing his freshmen for a spring test, a matchup against a Nebraska defense ranked among the nation's best in 2023.
run back
There is a need for starting roles at skill positions throughout Nebraska's offense. The number of starting options at running back is impressive, with four different Huskers potentially starting in August, although two of them will be unavailable by the start of practice.
Junior Gabe Irvin Jr. and senior Rahmir Johnson will miss much of the spring as they recover from season-ending surgeries in the fall, Rhule confirmed Monday. This opens the door for sophomores Emmett Johnson and Dante Dowdell, as well as redshirt freshman Kwinten Ives, to make a positive impression.
Considering Johnson only grew into a major role over the final six games of the season, Dowdell only recorded 17 carries in his freshman season at Oregon, and Ives didn't see the field last year. , this team is a largely untested running back group.
wide receiver
There is a clear contrast between the old and the young within Nebraska's wide receiver room. Banks is the most experienced pass catcher on the roster, though he is far from the only veteran, with his 107 career catches.
Senior Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda tore his ACL last August and will be limited in the spring, while junior Alex Bullock will play the most snaps of any Husker wideout in 2023. Record and return. Senior Isaiah Nayer, who played at Wyoming and Texas, also could play. It has a big impact.
And there are young people there as well. Sophomores Malachi Coleman and Jalen Lloyd will certainly improve from their freshman seasons after being called up earlier than expected, while redshirt freshman Jaydyn Doss will be NU's leading slot receiver. There is a possibility that it will be taken over.
Demetrius Bell is another notable player whose practice performance during his redshirt season caught the attention of his teammates and coaches.
offensive line
Nebraska had seven different offensive linemen play 300 or more snaps last season, and five of them return in 2024. Center Ben Scott and right tackle Bryce Benhart, the only players to have started all 12 games, are locked into their roles. However, it's less clear what the rest of the offensive line will look like this spring.
With Turner Corcoran expected to be sidelined as he recovers from a foot injury, Teddy Prochaska will likely take the lead at left tackle. Sophomore tackles Tyler Knaack and Jacob Hood developed during their redshirt seasons, while junior Luquan Buckley has moved to the offensive side of the ball.
Junior Henry Rutofsky, who played in every game last season, and sophomore Justin Evans could potentially fill the vacant starting guard spot.
Redshirt freshmen like Gunnar Gottula and Sam Sledge also want to showcase their development, so don't rule out the possibility of an unexpected starter.
linebacker
Nebraska's defense is loaded with veterans, but the departures of multi-year starters Luke Reimer and Nick Henrich mean NU's linebacker position will look different in 2024. . Hybrid edge rusher who plays the role of “Jack” — Namely Princewill Umanmiren, MJ Sherman, Chief Borders — There will be different competition from Nebraska's other linebackers.
The Huskers need to find starters at middle linebacker and weakside or “will” linebacker, the heart of the defense. John Bullock, Mikay Gbayor, and Javin Wright all played extensively in 2023 and will look to fill those roles. Bullock and Gbayor will likely play center and Wright on the outside, but they will need more depth to emerge and challenge for their positions.
Junior Stephon Thompson's ability to play either role made him an important transfer portal addition from Syracuse. Redshirt freshman Dylan Rodgers is also a player to keep an eye on in the middle.
