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Spring Preview: Plenty of questions remain at linebacker

With spring practice beginning next week, HuskerOnline.com begins our in-depth look at each position with our 2020 spring position previews.

We continue today by taking a look at the linebacker positions heading into spring practice.

Previous position previews: QB | RB | WR/TE | OL | DL

Nebraska finally has some depth to work with at inside linebacker, but things are wide open at the outside positions.
Nebraska finally has some depth to work with at inside linebacker, but things are wide open at the outside positions. (Associated Press)
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What we know right now: There's depth inside, but OLB is wide open

Compared to last year, Nebraska has much more to work with in terms of its inside linebacker numbers this season.

Seniors Will Honas and Collin Miller, who made up two-thirds of NU's three-man ILB rotation in 2019, both return this year. The Huskers also feel good about backups like sophomore Luke Reimer - who could go on scholarship in the fall - and Joseph Johnson, as well as redshirt freshman Nick Henrich.

That's not even to mention junior college transfer Eteva Mauga-Clements, who might have as good of a chance as any 2020 newcomer at making an immediate impact this season.

While that's positive news for the second level of Nebraska's defense, the same cannot be said at all for the outside linebacker positions.

While NU appears to have some talent at the top of the OLB depth chart in senior JoJo Domann, junior Caleb Tannor, and sophomore Garrett Nelson, the dropoff in production and experience after them is significant.

A lot of work needs to be done both in establishing some sort of comfort level in the rotation at both of those spots, as they might be two of the murkiest pictures on the roster going into spring ball.

This, of course, will primarily be handled by "new" outside linebackers coach Mike Dawson, Nebraska's former defensive line coach who returned to Lincoln after one season with the New York Giants.

One wrinkle we could expect to see from Dawson is a much firmer commitment to rushing the passer, meaning his group should have its hands in the dirt and be much more deliberate with its blitzes than before.

Garrett Nelson has emerged as a fixture in Nebraska's OLB room, but who will fill out the depth him him?
Garrett Nelson has emerged as a fixture in Nebraska's OLB room, but who will fill out the depth him him? (Associated Press)

Biggest question to answer: What will the OLB depth look like?

As mentioned, it's a crapshoot to try and figure out what Nebraska's outside linebacker depth chart is going to look like going into the season opener.

We know Domann, Tannor, and Nelson are all going to play and play a lot. But what's after them?

True freshman Blaise Gunnerson could have had a prime opportunity to make his mark from the jump as an early enrollee, but he's expected to be limited this spring while recovering from an injury.

That leaves sophomore David Alston, redshirt freshman Jamin Graham, and true freshman Isaac Gifford (a blueshirt) as the only scholarship OLBs on the spring roster.

The Huskers will get some help in the fall with the arrivals of JUCO transfer sophomore Niko Cooper and true freshman Jimari Butler, and both could quickly vault up the depth chart with strong fall camps.

Even so, the number of unknowns at those positions gives reason for concern until we hopefully start to get some answers once spring practices get underway.

Now healthy, can Nick Henrich live up to his lofty recruiting profile?
Now healthy, can Nick Henrich live up to his lofty recruiting profile? (Tyler Krecklow)

Spring darkhorse: Is Nick Henrich ready to make his mark?

Nick Henrich was one of the more important hauls of Nebraska's 2019 recruiting class.

Not only was he a four-star top-150 recruit who was rated the No. 7 outside linebacker prospect in the country, but he was also the best player in the state coming out of Omaha Burke.

Head coach Scott Frost and his staff secured the border and kept Henrich home over other suiters like LSU, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Texas A&M, Penn State, Oregon, Iowa, Florida, Minnesota, Missouri, Iowa State, and more.

Unfortunately, injuries kept his first season as a Husker from ever getting off the ground last year, as he appeared in just one game vs. Wisconsin and only played on special teams.

Henrich was the 2018 Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year, a semifinalist for the national high school Butkus Award, and a state champion who helped the Bulldogs to a perfect 13-0 record and racked up 96 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and four sacks as a senior.

Can Henrich become the player Nebraska hoped this season? Or does he still have more work to do coming back from the injuries that kept him off the field last year? If he's ready, he could be a major factor this season and beyond.

Projected Spring LB Depth Chart 

ILB

1 - Will Honas, Sr.

2 - Joseph Johnson, So.

OR

Nick Henrich, RFr.

ILB

1 - Collin Miller, Sr.

2 - Luke Reimer, So.

OR

Eteva Mauga-Clements, Jr.

Other notables: Zach Schlager, So.; Garrett Snodgrass, RFr.; Chris Cassidy, So.


OLB

1 - JoJo Domann, Sr.

OLB

1 - Caleb Tannor, Jr.

OR

Garrett Nelson, So.

Other notables: Jackson Hannah, RFr.; Blaise Gunnerson, Fr.; Simon Otte, So.; Jamin Graham, RFr.; David Alston, So.; Ryan Schommer, So.; Isaac Gifford, Fr.

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