We are so close to the 2021 football season. It was a quiet, fairly boring offseason until this week. Reports of an NCAA investigation into Nebraska has everyone fired up as the Huskers turn their attention on Illinois. The Huskers are also putting the finishing touches on the internal depth chart as position battles are being settled.
Let’s get to the Recon.
2022 Commits
Chase Androff, Tight End, Lakeville, Minnesota
Jake Appleget, Outside Linebacker, Lincoln, Nebraska
Valen Erickson, offensive lineman, Chicago, Illinois
Ernest Hausmann, Outside Linebacker, Columbus, Nebraska
Ashton Hayes, Running Back, Reno, Nevada
Victor Jones Jr., Wide Receiver, Orlando, Florida
Grant Page, Wide Receiver, Boulder, Colorado
Hayden Schwartz, Defensive End, Jacksonville, Florida
Richard Torres, Quarterback, San Antonio, Texas
2022 Needs
| QB | 0 | DL | 1 |
| RB | 0 | MLB | 0 |
| WR | 0 | OLB | 1 |
| TE | 0 | DB | 2 |
| OL | 2 | K/P | 0 |
The Recon:
>> The biggest camp battle this year has been at the running back spot. Several players have competed to be the top guy. Offensive coordinator Matt Lubick said at the start of fall camp that five players were in the mix. Going into game week I’m hearing Gabe Ervin Jr. and Sevion Morrison are the top two backs. They could be “or” on the depth chart if one is released.
I am curious how the other backs who don’t win the job right now handle things. Rahmir Johnson has had his best camp as a Husker according to Lubick.
“Catching the ball, pass protection, knowing his assignments in the run game, running hard downhill. He’s doing all those things and we ask a lot of our running backs,” Lubick said. “We got to be able to not be one dimensional, we got to be complete players, so I think he’s worked on all aspects of his game.”
One thing that you can count on at running back is needing depth. Keeping the players engaged that are not on top of that depth chart will be key.
>> There are a couple things that are more intriguing to me this year than normal. It’s going to be tough to pick captains. Adrian Martinez and Ben Stille feel like locks. Austin Allen is also a strong contender, alongside JoJo Domann. Cameron Jurgens, Deontai Williams, Marquel Dismuke and Cam Taylor-Britt all have a case.
>> The other thing I have my eye on more than usual is Blackshirts. It’s hard to see that staying at 11 based on how much we’ve heard about depth and rotations at different positions. You likely have three with JoJo Domann, Garrett Nelson and Caleb Tannor at outside linebacker. Does Nick Henrich get one at inside linebacker since he’ll play starter snaps in a rotation? Casey Rogers is in the same boat as Henrich. Rogers won’t be the first player out there but will play a huge role.
>> The Huskers seem to be getting healthier at tight end. A couple of weeks ago there was concern about both Allen and Travis Vokolek missing time. The time both were away allowed for other players to get extra reps. Chris Hickman has made the most of his opportunity after moving back to tight end. Lubick wasn’t too concerned about Allen missing time.
“We’re starting to get back healthy at that position,” Lubick said. We’ll be healthy for that first game. It allows you to develop depth. Austin Allen has played a lot of football. So, if he misses a practice it’s not the end of the world. He knows his assignments.”
I expect to see Allen starting against Illinois. At this point I believe things are a bit more day-to-day with Vokolek for the season opener.
>> June official visitor Nathan Vail is set to announce his commitment this weekend. The defensive back was positive about his visit to Nebraska. However, I don’t expect the pick to be the Huskers. Duke is a strong leader at this point and I’d put Georgia Tech as the second option. The Huskers will take the search for defensive backs this cycle into the regular season.
Greg is the Recruiting Analyst for Hail Varsity and has covered Husker athletics since 2013. He has always had a passion for sports while growing up in the Chicago area. As he got older and had to hang up his cleats and sneakers, he realized his passion for sports went beyond just watching and attending games. He has covered many events from the Rose Bowl to championship boxing matches. If he’s not talking sports, he’s hovering over his grill. He is married to an amazing woman, Kim, and they have a dog that barks when Greg yells at the TV during games.
