Recruiting never stops and it's easy to miss the top stories day-to-day. Recruiting analyst Greg Smith recaps all things Nebraska recruiting news, analysis and more so you never miss a thing.
Inside linebacker will be a position in the spotlight for the Huskers this coming season. Nebraska loses a multi-year starter in Mohamed Barry but return two players that played quite a few snaps last season. Collin Miller and Will Honas split reps with Barry last season and seem poised to become full-time starters.
The search for improved depth at the inside linebacker position led Nebraska to signing two players at the position in the class of 2020. Keyshawn Greene and Eteva Mauga-Clements signed with the Huskers this recent cycle and Mauga-Clements was an early enrollee. In the 2019 recruiting class, the Huskers added Nick Henrich, Jackson Hannah and Garrett Snodgrass to the mix. Colorado State transfer Zach Schlager joined the team and last year walk-on Luke Reimer emerged as a player will likely be without a scholarship for long.
So it makes sense that defensive coordinator Erik Chinander told the Nebraska media on the first day of spring practice that it’s helpful to have at least four game-ready players at inside ‘backer.
“I think you need to have four. Definitely probably a fifth too,” Chinander said. “You want that four-man rotation with a fifth guy that is ready to swing on both positions. When you only have four, that’s another thing. Not to make an excuse for anyone but when you have to play the Will and Mike and rotate, that’s guy playing two positions. It seems like they are just playing inside linebacker but they’re not.
“They are playing Will and Mike. When you can really say you are the number one Will and you are the number two Will, they can hone in on those a little bit. Obviously when you have two guys that are above everyone, someone has to be a swing and learn both positions. You’d love to have guys that can play one or the other.”
Having increased competition at the position can only help the desire to have additional depth this season. Nebraska has recruited the inside linebacker position well under Scott Frost. It reflects the level of effort they have put into reshaping the room that Barrett Ruud coaches. Nebraska is currently ahead of the game for the 2021 recruiting class with two good commits in Randolph Kpai and Chris Paul Jr.
Considering the talent added to the room it might not be long before fans are calling Ruud’s group a strength of the defense if their potential is met.
Recruit Watch
>> The NCAA extended the recruiting dead period to May 31. The unsurprising move will result in the loss on the May evaluation period for this spring.
Division I, Division II extends their recruiting dead periods: pic.twitter.com/aIC7WUTg3p
— Inside the NCAA (@InsidetheNCAA) April 1, 2020
>> Nebraska offered 2022 Tennessee quarterback Ty Simpson on Wednesday.
Blessed to receive an offer from Nebraska🔴⚪️ @coach_frost @Coach_Verdu #Huskers🌽 #GBR pic.twitter.com/zBhMI2YCml
— Ty Simpson (@tysimpson510151) April 1, 2020
>> St. Louis wide receiver Keontez Lewis included the Huskers in his top 10.
Top 10… 🙏🏾 #LLJ6#ScoDucks#NewZou #GBR #HottyToddy #GigEm#PoweredByTheT #LittyVille#GameCocks#HaliState pic.twitter.com/0NmqWcLZrV
— Keontez Lewis (@Nolimitk3) April 1, 2020
ICYMI
>> Derek Peterson is here to take you through some options if Nebraska decided to redesign the Memorial Stadium turf.
>> Mike Babcock is continuing his look at Nebraska baseball’s “glory days” by exploring when the Huskers got off to a blistering start in 1999.
>> Padding the Stats is back to discuss the NCAA’s decision regarding winter athletes.
>> The Hail Varsity staff is back to answer your questions in the mailbag including which documentaries we want to see.
