Defensive starters for 2024

[inWV]

DL - Cam, Ty, Nash
ILB - Buddha, Bullock
JACK - PWill
CB - Hartzog (although they like him at safety), Tommi
Rover - Giff
S - Singleton, Buford

 

[king_kong_]

what about slot corners?

I worry about Singleton and Buford in coverage

 

[PeliniTheCrutch]

Love the depth they will have next year.

 

[dinglefritz]

Love the depth they will have next year.

Depth AND experience. Wish we had more experience at QB too. It’s a big deal

 

[headcard]

Looks pretty spot on OP.

I think we would ultimately like someone to emerge at CB (maybe Blye Hill?), so Hartzog can work at Nickel and someone to emerge to take over Bullock’s spot at ILB (maybe the portal guy from Idaho?).

 

[king_kong_]

Depth AND experience. Wish we had more experience at QB too. It’s a big deal

experienced QBs in 2023: 0-5
inexperienced QBs in 2023: 5-2

experience can matter, sure. it can also not.

 

[scarletred]

what about slot corners?

I worry about Singleton and Buford in coverage

Singleton was one of our best players on D before he got injured..

 

[king_kong_]

Singleton was one of our best players on D before he got injured..

certainly in run support.

I don't know that he can cover 1 on 1 deep. same with Buford.

 

[PvilleHuskerTim]

Depth AND experience. Wish we had more experience at QB too. It’s a big deal

Give me talent and leadership over depth and experience. A crappy QB (or any position) is still crappy even if they have a few years of experience.

 

[king_kong_]

The unofficial voice of the athletic department stresses patience and that 2026 may be our year

View embedded media

jeez

OWH just repurposing my posts now, I guess. From Dec 18th:

if we sign DR, nothing - literally nothing - will matter to fans until 2026

win next year? great! don't? oh well, we have DR

win in 2025? great! don't? oh well, we have DR and whichever new guys we got in 2024

pretty weird considering I have no valid points and don't come here to discuss Nebraska Football.

 

[SickOfPractice]

In these days of the Transfer Portal, and chasing better NIL deals, I can't bring myself to hope and dream about next year's team.

I'm afraid if I start looking forward to seeing a particular player progress and return next year I'll jinx myself and that player will be gone. But I enjoy you other posters looking down the road.

 

[huntered]

DL - Cam, Ty, Nash
ILB - Buddha, Bullock
JACK - PWill
CB - Hartzog (although they like him at safety), Tommi
Rover - Giff
S - Singleton, Buford

pretty good
now name the backups at each position
possible new comers?

 

[The Usual]

pretty good
now name the backups at each position
possible new comers?

DE- Jeudy, Wallin, J. WIlliams
NT- Van Poppel, Maciejczak, Lefotu
Jack- Butler, Sherman, Noonan
ILB- Gbayor, Borders, Stenger, Tagge, Rogers
CB- Hill, Nation, Stewart, Barnes,
S/ROV- Bretz, Collier, Safeeullah,

That's a nice mix of players with experience and new young guys. We are loaded at Jack no matter who starts.

 

[PeliniTheCrutch]

experienced QBs in 2023: 0-5
inexperienced QBs in 2023: 5-2

experience can matter, sure. it can also not.

Terrible post.

 

[headcard]

DE- Jeudy, Wallin, J. WIlliams
NT- Van Poppel, Maciejczak, Lefotu
Jack- Butler, Sherman, Noonan
ILB- Gbayor, Borders, Stenger, Tagge, Rogers
CB- Hill, Nation, Stewart, Barnes,
S/ROV- Bretz, Collier, Safeeullah,

That's a nice mix of players with experience and new young guys. We are loaded at Jack no matter who starts.

Nice list.

I bet the freshman (McGahee and Shavers) move up the depth chart at ILB pretty quick.

Also Bootle was on the second team at CB before getting hurt last year. And Barnes was second team Rover at the end of the year.

 

[king_kong_]

is Wright a sure enough tackler to trust as an every down ILB?

seemed to miss a few as the season wore on

might be we see a much more frequent rotation there unless someone takes the job and runs with it

 

[The Usual]

Nice list.

I bet the freshman (McGahee and Shavers) move up the depth chart at ILB pretty quick.

Also Bootle was on the second team at CB before getting hurt last year. And Barnes was second team Rover at the end of the year.

Thanks, Good catch on Bootle. I knew I forgot someone at CB. I bet he's in the rotation.

 

[iROOT4nu]

Depth will really matter down the stretch. Our defense was tasked to carry a lot of weight as the season came to an end. Having some fresh legs out there at seasons end will be big, imo.

GBR

 

[Huskers123456]

certainly in run support.

I don't know that he can cover 1 on 1 deep. same with Buford.

Can't be worse than Hartzog.

 

[The Usual]

Can't be worse than Hartzog.

I wonder if Hartzog gets moved to safety or NB. I guess it depends on the health of Singleton and how good Blye Hill is at CB.

 

[king_kong_]

Can't be worse than Hartzog.

his inconsistency this year was very disappointing

here's hoping it was just a bit of a sophomore slump + learning to play 3 different positions in a new scheme

really good player IMO

 

[leodisflowers]

his inconsistency this year was very disappointing

here's hoping it was just a bit of a sophomore slump + learning to play 3 different positions in a new scheme

really good player IMO

Yeah. No idea what happened, but think you’re right. Too much in his own head knowing 3 positions as he was a stud the year before. I think he rebounds

 

[TruHusker]

Probably not a popular observation but Hartzog disappointed me immensley this year. Overall, our man to man coverage needs improvement. Safeties came up in run support but where were they in coverage? The pass rush certainly helped them on the backside.

 

[Huskers123456]

Singleton was one of our best players on D before he got injured..

Singleton might have been our most athletically gifted starter from 2023. Hopefully he fully recovers and is healthy for spring ball. I think he will benefit tremendously from more reps.

 

[king_kong_]

Singleton might have been our most athletically gifted starter from 2023. Hopefully he fully recovers and is healthy for spring ball. I think he will benefit tremendously from more reps.

I'm excited to see how Newsome tests out ahead of the draft

hopefully he's working with some of the same crew that got Taylor-Britt ready

could climb up boards really quickly with his size + experience with a good 40 time

 

[JabroniBlvd]

OP is probably correct but there are a few spots up for grabs imo. I also don't see much mention of Butler who was a big bright spot. Don't forget -- he led the team in TFL and sacks. He can start at DE or Jack.

 

[BTF69]

That Purdue edge rusher might end up here?

 

[dinglefritz]

Give me talent and leadership over depth and experience. A crappy QB (or any position) is still crappy even if they have a few years of experience.

A good QB with experience is still better than an inexperienced good QB😉

 

[headcard]

That Purdue edge rusher might end up here?

Doesn’t look like it.

 

[BTF69]

Doesn’t look like it.

View embedded media

Good lord, what a slap in the face to PU!

Why are you leaving?

"I want to join a winning culture"

 

[headcard]

Good lord, what a slap in the face to PU!

Why are you leaving?

"I want to join a winning culture"

 

[PvilleHuskerTim]

A good QB with experience is still better than an inexperienced good QB😉

Mostly Agree- which means talent. If a player hits the trifecta of talent, experience, and leadership that is what we need. The more roster spots we have with all 3 characteristics is where you get the depth.

Talent = playmakers. Doesn’t take experience to be a playmaker, but the combination certainly helps.

 

[HominidHusker]

I think Gbayor and Butler are gonna have breakout from their semi-breakout years.
Princewell is gonna do good things.
Lenhart will solidy his importance.
Would like to see Jeudy and Borders make a big jump.
Singleton will anchor the safety play.

Tony White is the man. He’s gonna get his team ready. Most these guys having a second year in his system and youth movement coming of age?
I like it, but gotta set the bar high for the defense that wants to be true blackshirts.

 

[huntered]

too many chiefs and not enough indians has never worked out well. not sure why so many posters and coaches keep calling for more and more leaders.

 

[Laner2]

Can't sleep on Kai Wallin. The guy impressed in the four games he appeared in. Gonna enjoy watching the future competition at that spot.

Kai Wallin - Football 2023

Kai Wallin - Football 2023

huskers.com

 

[king_kong_]

too many chiefs and not enough indians has never worked out well. not sure why so many posters and coaches keep calling for more and more leaders.

this is an interesting post that has me like this:

 

[DantesRings]

The defense choked late in multiple games last year costing us wins

Minnesota
Maryland
Iowa - got gashed for a big run to put them in FG range for the win

Wisconsin - got the ball shoved down their throats in OT

Fast asleep during the MSU game

They were the Adrian Martinez of defenses - put up some decent numbers but completely fold when games were on the line late

 

[oldjar07]

too many chiefs and not enough indians has never worked out well. not sure why so many posters and coaches keep calling for more and more leaders.

I can kinda see this, especially the calls for "vocal leaders". Some of the worst teams I've seen have a bunch of hype men and guys who run their mouth, but it's all empty. Some of the best teams I've seen have that silent, but deadly attitude. They don't need to talk because they all know their assignments and responsibilities and what everyone else is doing.

 

[JabroniBlvd]

The defense choked late in multiple games last year costing us wins

Minnesota
Maryland
Iowa - got gashed for a big run to put them in FG range for the win

Wisconsin - got the ball shoved down their throats in OT

Fast asleep during the MSU game

They were the Adrian Martinez of defenses - put up some decent numbers but completely fold when games were on the line late

Not wrong, but if you can't win games when the other team scores 13, 13, 20, 17 (reg) 13 - I'd be looking at the offense a lot more.

 

[19Football19]

Not wrong, but if you can't win games when the other team scores 13, 13, 20, 17 (reg) 13 - I'd be looking at the offense a lot more.

Correct and it is the BIG so the lack of athletes on our team is relative to who we play. Our defense is not what we think. See Mich. OSU would put 60 up before the 4th or the SEC teams in general.