Nebraska football added two more in-state players to its 2019 walk-on class on Monday. Both could end up helping the Huskers defense on the edge, a role of much intrigue of late.
Elkhorn Mount Michael linebacker Garrett Hustedt was the first to announce his decision on Monday.
Very excited to announce that I have decided to commit to the University of Nebraska!! No place like it!! 🔴⚪️🌽 @coachwilhite @BarrettRuud #HomeGrown #GBR pic.twitter.com/Q8OcNHeUFs
— Garrett Hustedt (@GarrettHustedt) January 21, 2019
A middle linebacker for Mount Michael, Hustedt has the frame (6-2, 220) to be an option on the outside should the Huskers want him there. He was a tackling machine as an upperclassmen, recording 102 tackles and nine sacks over nine games in 2018 (per Hudl) and 95 tackles with three sacks, again over nine games (per MaxPreps).
Hustedt listed offers from Minnesota State-Moorhead, Augustana, Truman State and Midland. He attended camp at Nebraska last June and is also a track athlete, competing in the sprints (100, 200, 400) as well as throwing shot and discus.
Later on Monday, Grand Island Central Catholic tight end/defensive end Jacob Herbek announced he was passing on scholarship offers for the opportunity to walk on at Nebraska.
Excited to announce my commitment to the University of Nebraska!!! #GBR pic.twitter.com/J4yzzNSuw9
— Jacob Herbek (@jherbek21) January 22, 2019
Herbek (6-6, 210) might get his first look at Nebraska at tight end––he had 436 yards receiving for GICC in 2018––but also could be a fit on the edge defensively. He had 72 tackles as a defensive end his senior season with 23 tackles for loss (including five sacks).
Per his Twitter feed, Herbek took in a lot of college football in the region this past fall making visits to South Dakota State, Nebraska-Kearney, Northwest Missouri State, Southwest Minnesota State and Minnesota State-Mankato. He visited Lincoln for the Troy game and picked up his Husker walk-on offer in October. Herbek chose Nebraska over offers from Truman State, Minnesota State-Mankato, Minnesota State-Moorhead, Southwest Minnesota State and Augustana.
The latest additions bring Nebraska's 2019 preferred walk-on class to 19.
The Grab Bag
- Well, things certainly didn’t get any less tense for Nebraska basketball following the Huskers’ road loss to Rutgers. (3 Takeaways)
- Jacob Padilla recaps a weather-shortened weekend on the high school hoops front.
- Indiana has its new offensive coordinator. Kalen DeBoer joins the Hoosiers after two successful seasons at Fresno State, but I’ll always think of him as the guy who led a powerful run in the 2000s as the OC and then HC at University of Sioux Falls.
- The Big Ten West is rated the sixth-most intriguing FBS division in 2019.
Today’s Song of Today
Brandon is the Managing Editor for Hail Varsity and has covered Nebraska athletics for the magazine and web since 2012, Hail Varsity’s first season on the scene. His sports writing has also been featured by Fox Sports, The Guardian and CBS Sports.
