Mike Dawson gives a rundown of Nebraska's EDGE rushers

Nebraska EDGE and defensive line coach Mike Dawson was a guest on Huskers Radio Network to discuss the Huskers EDGE rushers before the start of fall camp.

Here is what he had to say:

On merging two position groups

***Dawson said the outside linebackers already know him, his terms and how he rolls since he was their coach last season. He said the interior defensive lineman are on the same page after the spring.

“I think three, four years ago, we had a system that was much heavier with the three-down,” he said. “Now we’re leaning towards more four-downs.”

He said it’s nice to have all four guys on the field in the same room to cut out the middleman.

On Garrett Nelson

***Garrett Nelson‘s body has continued to grow and mature since he came in as an undersized freshman from Scottsbluff (Neb.) High School, Dawson said. The coach said Nelson is pound-for-pound as strong as most of the players in the Big Ten Conference now.

“With his work ethic, I think you’ll see his production continue to climb,” Dawson said.

On Caleb Tannor

*** Dawson said Caleb Tannor was probably frustrated at times last year when he missed a few plays but he’s learned from those moments. Tannor is starting to get more familiar with how certain blocking schemes work against him or ways to attack those blocking schemes to “hopefully increase his production”, he said.

On Jimari Butler and Blaise Gunnerson

***Dawson said he’s excited that Jimari Butler and Blaise Gunnerson got to train under Nelson and Tannor and were able to learn and see what true hard work looks like. He credits that to both of their big jumps.

Butler and Gunnerson have changed their bodies and Dawson compared them to the Adidas uniform manikins when they are working out without a shirt in the weight room. Dawson said the next step is they have to use their strength and make it functional on the field.

He said he thinks the little bit of experience they each had at the end of last season and the many reps they both had this spring will “pay dividends for us and help get them on the field this fall.”

On Jake Appleget

***Dawson said he liked the athleticism of Jake Appleget, a recent Lincoln Southeast High School graduate. He said he’s big-bodied and can really run as the Huskers saw at a one-on-one workout with the outside linebacker last summer.

Appleget came in 20 pounds heavier with good muscle on him, as Dawson said, and is listed as 6-foot-4, 220-pounds on the Huskers roster. Dawson said Appleget is “extremely intelligent and is picking up the defense really quickly.”

“Those two things, the combination of that, we have an opportunity to have a really good player with Jake,” Dawson said.

On Ochaun Mathis

***Ochaun Mathis is a great guy and has great maturity, Dawson said. He said it was important to him to find a player from the transfer portal that would also mesh into the group well and Mathis has done that.

Dawson said he’s really looking forward to the TCU transfer getting on the field and getting after the quarterback for the Huskers this fall. He said it’s no secret that Mathis was brought in to play a lot of football for Nebraska.

On Simon Otte, John Bullock and Ryan Schommer

***Dawson said Simon Otte, John Bullock and Ryan Schommer are part of the reason why Nebraska can practice. They’re hard workers and always do their roles with enthusiasm, he said.

“Nothing but great guys who work hard and want the best for Nebraska football,” Dawson said.

The coach said he trusts Otte, his versatility and toughness to be able to play snaps for Nebraska on the edge if needed. Dawson hopes to get Otte an opportunity on special teams.