Heinrich Haarberg believes he can play any position for Nebraska

While the focus is on being and improving as a quarterback, Nebraska’s Heinrich Haarberg is confident he can contribute all over the field. Asked about it at a recent spring practice, the quarterback expressed his belief that he could play offense or defense if needed.

And if he’s asked, Haarberg would dive headfirst in to the opportunity. But heading in to his third season with the Cornhuskers, the Nebraska native is focused on his job running the offense.

“I feel like I could. I feel it’d be a different — I’d have to go back. I haven’t played defense since my, I mean I played a little defense my junior year of high school. But right now I’m focused on quarterback. If there’s a situation where they say, ‘Hey Heinrich, we want to try you out here for a practice.’ I’ll attack it. But right now, all my focus is on quarterback,” Haarberg said.

And again, if Haarberg is asked, he’s ready to give any position a shake. And with a pair of quarterbacks (and potentially more) likely ahead of him on the depth chart, Haarberg’s quickest path to the field might be at a position other than quarterback.

“They haven’t said anything, but I really feel like I could play most positions on the field,” Haarberg said.

Along with Haarberg, Nebraska has Casey Thompson, Jeff Sims, Logan Smother and Chubby Purdy vying for snaps. While the Week 1 starter will more than likely be Thompson or Sims, new head coach Matt Rhule has been keeping close tabs on all of the quarterbacks on his roster.

“I thought they threw the ball well. I thought they threw the ball well,” Rhule said after the first spring practice. You know, quarterbacks had individual outs. It was windy. The quarterbacks — we’re not gonna throw very often in the indoor. We’re gonna learn how to throw the ball through the wind and so, I thought they threw the ball well. There’s so often if a play is not quite off, is the receiver at the right depth. So, there’s a lot of things I probably have to go back and watch.”

No matter how things shake out, though, Rhule is bullish on what these quarterbacks can do.

“But you can tell we have — that’s as talented a quarterback room as I’ve ever been a part of,” Rhule said. “So, it was good to see those guys out there.”