Game week is almost here for the Huskers. It has been a long road to get here but it finally feels right to be discussing depth charts and game plans for the season opener against Ohio State. The Huskers seem locked into a quarterback battle at the moment but there are plenty of other news and notes to discuss.
Let’s get to the Recon.
Husker Commits
Koby Bretz, Defensive Back, Omaha, Nebraska
Marques Buford, Defensive Back, Cedar Hill, Texas
James Carnie, Tight End, Firth, Nebraska
Gabe Ervin, Running Back, Buford, Georgia
Thomas Fidone, Tight End, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Mikai Gbayor, Linebacker, Irvington, New Jersey
Kamonté Grimes, Wide Receiver, Naples, Florida
Heinrich Haarberg, Quarterback, Kearney, Nebraska
Shawn Hardy, Wide Receiver, Kingsland, Georgia
Randolph Kpai, Inside Linebacker, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Henry Lutovsky, Offensive Lineman, Mount Pleasant, Iowa
Seth Malcom, Inside Linebacker, Tabor, Iowa
Latrell Neville, Wide Receiver, Houston, Texas
Patrick Payton, Outside Linebacker, Miami, Florida
Teddy Prochazka, Offensive Lineman, Elkhorn, Nebraska
AJ Rollins, Tight End, Omaha, Nebraska
Lardarius Webb, Defensive Back, Jackson, Mississippi
Malik Williams, Defensive Back, Buford, Georgia
Branson Yager, Offensive Lineman, Grantsville, Utah
2021 Needs
| QB | 0 | DL | 2 |
| RB | 0 | MLB | 0 |
| WR | 0 | OLB | 1 |
| TE | 0 | DB | 1 |
| OL | 0 | K/P | 0 |
The Recon:
>> This is a big season for a pair of other wide receivers that were in the 2019 recruiting class. Development happens at different rates for players but it wasn’t a great sign that we didn’t see Jamie Nance or Demariyon Houston last season. We haven’t heard a lot about this publicly this offseason either. However, of the two, I think Nance has a shot to play this season.
The word out of camp is that Scott Frost and Matt Lubick are pleased with his progress from a year ago. That huge for Nance because with the influx of wideouts in the 2020 and 2021 classes he and Houston are in danger of being passed by.
>> A couple weeks back, Frost mentioned the team would be filling the rest of the 2021 recruiting class spots with best player available types. I still think that means we will see all defensive recruits from here on out. Unless the Huskers arrive on the radar of a really big-time offensive player they are done on that side of the ball for this cycle.
>> The Huskers have a lot of versatile players that can fill different roles for the team. Last week I mentioned that Omaha Burke grad Nick Henrich has been getting some time at outside linebacker to see if he can help the team there. Defensive coordinator Erik Chinander elaborated on that while talking about numbers at inside linebacker during a radio appearance Thursday night.
“You need at least three. If you have four, that’s really good,” Chinander said. “I think Nick would have definitely been a fourth. We’re trying to decide right now what’s the best place to put him. I think he’s a really good football player and I need to get him on the field. So, he’s kind of filling a lot of different roles for us right now.”
The staff is going to find a way to get Henrich involved this season. If healthy he can certainly help the team.
>> There has been a lot of quarterback talk this week. I suspect it will continue until the team officially names a starter. I didn’t expect us to be in the place where it feels like a legit competition but that’s where we are about a week out from the season opener. Luke McCaffrey has a legit shot at winning the job. The line of thinking that this is all for show can be put to rest. That doesn’t mean McCaffrey has the job locked up but he is making this decision difficult for the coaching staff.
>> One quick note to pass along following the commitment of James Carnie. He’s a tight end. There hasn’t been a discussion about him playing any other position at Nebraska during the recruiting process. Could things change after he gets to campus? Sure. I don’t expect that to happen though. If anything, the most likely of the three tight ends to switch positions is AJ Rollins. I think they all get a shot to play tight end when they get to Lincoln.