Who do u all expect to emerge out of the true sophomore, redshirt freshmen, and incoming linebackers. First of all I feel garret nelson is highly overrated and always out of position. Not a black shirt. I hope it’s just he was young and swimming, but I could run some sore of play where that kid has to keep contain and off to the races. Secondary I feel like Greene and Mauga have a level of athleticism not possessed by henrich, Hannah, Reimer, and snodgrass. Thirdly so far is it me or is Reimer the best out of the 4? Fourthly on to outside linebackers can jamin graham, Nelson, Niko Cooper, Blaise, Butler provide a pass rush? And finally are there any secondary player that could move down as they grow? Wright, Gifford, Myles farmer, etc. The good news is that there are a lot of names to choose from. Bad news no one is proven. Thoughts?
Linebackers
- Thread starter Husker Red 182
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actually your wrong on no proven LBs. W Honas, C Miller, J Domann all are proven LBs. W Honas was the second leading tackler behind Barry this past season and finished the season off strong. C Tannor and G Nelson have talent but also made mistakes in their youth. You have to remember, G Nelson was a true freshman...not a sophomore or junior. The addition of 4 star JUCO LB E Mauga could really shake things up along with N Cooper and another off season for N Henrichs, J Hannah and G Snodgrass should only help. N Henrichs was coming along fast and was doing good before he got hurt and had to have surgery. We have the talent there, we just have to peace us together a solid starting unit.
I specifically did not mention veterans because discussing the youth on team. I fully expect older guys to play next year. I just wanted opinions on the youth
see that’s where I missed your point. But being honest, when your only talking about the young players, naturally there isn’t going to be many thats “proven” yet...like you said there young still. Closest ones would have to be G Nelson and C Tannor. But Tannor will be a junior next year so I don’t know if I’d call him youth still.
G Nelson, N Henrichs, J Hannah, G Snodgrass, E Mauga and N Cooper will all factor in. Maybe some more on special teams then LB. How much will be seen. My guess is we will see a bunch of Nelson, Henrichs and Mauga. J Hannah could get time as well. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see Luke Reimer getting more into the mix as well. KeShawn Greene will definitely redshirt and I’d even assume he knows it’s coming. He’s got to be 200 maybe 205 (210 tops) at best right now. Same for B Gunnerson.
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Jimari, Green, and Mauga have the requisite speed . Who knows how the others end up.
I just think to position down the road is facinating. I feel like Miller and honas are pretty good players but don’t know how they cover. Love Jojo in the nickel/hybrid role but more of a coverage guy than rusher. Love tannors potential but he has not done much yet. I feel if the 2 jucos hit, we are in amazing shape.
I really would like to see Blaise turned into a DE, he would have excellent speed and athleticism for that position. He would have to gain 30lbs.
Garrett Nelson did just fine. He's played as fundamentally sound as anybody even though he's only a true freshman. Hopefully as he starts gaining more confidence he will make more plays. If he continues to develop he's going to be a damn good player. On the other hand I've never seen much football instincts from Tannor. He's a guy that really needs good coaching and it doesn't seem like he's getting it.
He lost contain against Indiana, Purdue, and on the reverse vs Iowa. I feel like Nelson gets the benefit of doubt because he is an in state kid who seems to have a good attitude
He's a true freshman and he's already better on the line than any other linebacker I've seen. There's a reason he's playing as a true freshman and it's not just because he's a Nebraska kid.
I don't know what you guys are seeing. There's only one time I saw that he lost contain where it cost us. He does a really good job of maintaining leverage on the line, something that our other linebackers have never shown. He's not there yet, but he has the tools to turn into a good pass rusher. The only thing that worries me about him is I don't know much about his ability to cover, but in this defense he's not going to be asked to do that often anyway.
There's a reason why most freshmen don't play. Kid was pressed into service and he has a lot to learn.
Don't sell Henrich short on athleticism. I would like to see them use Mauga situationally right away for his blitzing ability.
Tannor needs the light to come on and soon. Hopefully some of these dudes are hits. The position is dying for depth.
Don't sell Henrich short on athleticism. I would like to see them use Mauga situationally right away for his blitzing ability.
Tannor needs the light to come on and soon. Hopefully some of these dudes are hits. The position is dying for depth.
You're right oldjar. Also, he never played linebacker prior to spring ball! Never played in pass coverage until spring ball. But, whatever a player does at Nebraska, he's never going to satisfy some people.
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Nelson’s problems I would attribute 100% to being a true frosh. Tannor making a big huge massive gigantic jump next year would be a game changer for us. Does that happen? not sure.
I actually feel good about Mauga, but the mental game may lag.
Henrich has the making of a quality player but he’s young, inexperienced and coming off injury, sooo....?
Hannah was forecasted to be a gem of the class but wasn’t ready as a true frosh. Hope that he feels the urgency.
Don’t sleep on Reimer and even a kid like Caden McKormack.
Snodgrass will be interesting to see as they figure out where he fits.
David Alston has not been mentioned by anyone ever.
Jamin Graham is a wild card.
Jimari Butler looks to have a high ceiling, but is gonna need some time to grow- same for Greene.
Niko Cooper- I honestly don’t know what will happen, but we’d love for “it” to happen.
I actually feel good about Mauga, but the mental game may lag.
Henrich has the making of a quality player but he’s young, inexperienced and coming off injury, sooo....?
Hannah was forecasted to be a gem of the class but wasn’t ready as a true frosh. Hope that he feels the urgency.
Don’t sleep on Reimer and even a kid like Caden McKormack.
Snodgrass will be interesting to see as they figure out where he fits.
David Alston has not been mentioned by anyone ever.
Jamin Graham is a wild card.
Jimari Butler looks to have a high ceiling, but is gonna need some time to grow- same for Greene.
Niko Cooper- I honestly don’t know what will happen, but we’d love for “it” to happen.
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I've heard from multiple sources that the staff is VERY high on Niko Cooper. I love Snodgrass's football IQ. Watching him play high school ball he impressed me no matter what position he was playing. Baller.
I know that offer lists aren't everything, but boy he really has a weak offer list.
remember brotha offer lists are self reported. Rivals and 24/7 only lists offers that players tell them about. That’s why there’s a few or bunch of us that go off the offer lists. Now I have no clue if that’s the case with N Cooper or not. But guys like L. Smothers that’s been committed to us for a year or longer and shows he has a weak offer list but yet he’s a 4 star and Top 174 player in the country...clearly in Smothers case he just never updated his offer list. N Cooper is a JUCO and not ever program goes after JUCOs that only have a couple years to play. So who knows why Coopers offer lists doesn’t show much. Maybe he didn’t update it, maybe other programs didn’t need a player like Cooper at DE/OLB...we have to trust Chin and Frost here.
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I like that there will be a bit of competition for spots at LB, even if it’s younger guys pushing vets.
We can only hope so, the thought of the same players coached by Chins is very concerning.
agree about the coaching that Tannor is getting. (Nelson as well fwiw). Disagree about what I've seen from Nelson. Also disagree about Tannors instincts.
Nelson is physical and plays hard. Those are his two best traits right now. Otherwise I'm not sure what he's shown "skill set" wise that has u convinced.
Holla
There were a lot of DEs playing Saturday with more speed and explosiveness than Nelson, and we have him playing OLB. IMO were are still 2-3 years away as Jimari, Green, and Mauga are the ones with the speed and explosiveness for OLB.
Who else on this team is physical and plays hard? That's exactly the type of player we need.
Nothing wrong with being physical and playing hard. In fact those are two things you would like to be a trait of all of ur players.
I guess my thoughts are simple. If you wanna be a top notch OLB you will need more. Speed, technique, athletic ability, and instincts for example.
Imo as hard as Nelson plays and as physical as he is it wont be enough if hes forced to beat an OSU or PSU offensive tackle to sack a QB. It wont matter much it hes trying to cover a 4.5 RB back in the flats.
Again im not knocking the kid i just dont see where some have seen him as some sort of "this is what we need" guy at OLB. Imo we need much more.
I dont even blame him for some of the mistakes hes made as far as contain issues and blown assignments. Young guys will do that. THAT can be improved on. Its his limited skill set that im not so sure will get us to the level we aspire to be.
Best case scenario is you get a guy like Tannor who has Nelsons motor and physicality. Or you get a Nelson who has the athletic profile of Tannor.
Unfortunately for both im not sure we have an OLB coach capable of developing either to their highest level. Thats what im afraid of more than anything.
Holla
Yup...unfortunately i dont think a lot of Nebraska fans watch much football outside of Nebraska. You are absolutely right. Top tier teams have DEs way more explosive and faster than a guy like Nelson.
For whatever reason some take it like you are taking a shot at the kid when u point something out like that. Its not though. Its just stating the obvious....As an OLB he is a below average athlete. Hard worker, huge motor, very physical as well. But unless you are gonna play in a phone booth hes not gonna have a high ceiling.
Holla
I watch plenty of football outside of Nebraska. The 3-4 OLB position Nelson plays is more like a 4-3 defensive end. Nelson actually has the size to be able to play on the line like that and very rarely do we ask him to go cover someone. He plays the position with better fundamentals than all the rest of our linebackers. He does possess a lot of the skillset you're asking for. Apparently you're overlooking the fact that he's a true freshman and you're trying to compare him to 5th year seniors. The kid is only going to get better. Even with crappy coaching, I think he's going to turn into a very good player.
His profile recorded a 5.2 40 yard dash time, he was one of slowest of all DEs less alone OLB. I see that lack of any speed when he plays . I like the phone booth analogy.
He looked plenty fast enough to me. The most important thing is he has the strength to hold up on the line which is what we're asking him to do 90% of time. He doesn't get pushed around like a rag doll all the time like our other linebackers.
I completely agree Caleb Tannor has the speed (outside KeShawn Greene now, the fastest LB we have), athleticism and probably better pass rusher...while Nelson has the size, strength, pure while to win and fight in him. If we could combine those two together, we’d be in business. Plus side is one was a freshman and the other was a sophomore. Both can turn it on still and get things rolling. We seen that happened with Lamar Jackson and M Dismuke...GBR
Caleb Tannor had 17 tackles, 3 TFL for 15 yards and 2.5 sacks and a pass break up.
Garrett Nelson had 15 tackles, and 1.5 TFL for 5 yards.
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I dont think you are too far off in your opinion. Problem with some of us Nebraska fans is will that be enough? We repeatedly like to mention ...we arent Iowa or Minnesota etc. We want to win championships! I understand that premise and hope our coached/players feel the same way.
Problem will come when that level of talent isnt good enough to get us to the level we aspire to become. Just "fine player" isnt what Nebraska wants in order to win championships.
Or is it?
Holla
Do you watch a lot of college football?
Nvm i see where u say u watch a lot of college football. I guess we can agree to disagree on his speed/athleticism. He would be considered a slow OLB in ANY system. When comparing him top top 10 teams DEs he would be considered slow as well. It is what it is though. I think the problem with fandom is that we see what we WANT to see and not what something actually is.
Holla
yeah one thing Nelson doesn’t have is speed. He makes up for it with other stuff but speed isn’t one of them.
I think you are confusing my point. Im not trying to compare him to any particular age group. Im comparing him to ANYONE who plays the OLB position in a 3-4 defense.
Imo he has the motor and strength to compete in a phone booth type situation . But if you ask him to do almost any of the other things OLBs do in the 3-4 his lack of athleticism and speed will hinder him from doing it at a high level.
Again we can agree to disagree i just think we see two different things from him and thats ok. Coaches do it all the time lol.
Holla
No doubt. I think he can play and do a fine job situationally as a 3-4 guy. The guy mentioned him playing like a DE in a 4 man front. THAT is where he can be most effective at even though he still would be below the line athletically. I THINK he can be ok doing that.
But if/when they line up in base 3-4 and put him out in space or have to run with a slot guy or a RB hes gonna struggle.
One of the reasons coaches like the 3-4 is because you can be more versatile and unpredictable with your OLBs. When you have some that arent the entire package you lose some of that.
Again its not a knock just a reality. Jojo maybe my favorite player on defense. Super instinctive,pretty fast and high football IQ yet coaches have to be careful how they play him. Sure he lines up at OLB sometimes. BUT you dont wanna have him out there over a OT or big Wiscy TE trying to set the edge in the run game.
Situationally is how i think Nelson would be best used. Again its just an opinion. Trying to use him as a base 3-4 guy every down wouldnt suit his skill set imo.
Holla
Just to remind everyone, nick was a 5.9 4 star with offers to OU, Oregon, Wisky, A&M, ND, LSU, Fla, etc, etc.
I don't give a **** what his 40 time is. He has plenty of football speed. He's already a better pass rusher than Tannor. Tannor does have speed but he doesn't know how to use it and he doesn't have much else. Nelson's going to be a starter next year and he's going to be a first team all conference player at some point. Nelson has the type of mentality you want in a football player and he has plenty of talent to go along with it.
