Nebraska Fall Camp Preview: Linebacker
Matt Rhule’s first fall camp at Nebraska is right around the corner. The HuskerOnline team dives into what to expect from the Huskers with our position-by-position fall camp previews.
Next in our Nebraska fall camp preview series are the linebackers, a group with many options inside and on the edge.
Related: QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL |
What we know right now: Lots of pass-rushing options along with Huskers D-ends
Nebraska has installed a new position which they call the jack linebacker. The jack has the ability to pass-rush or stay back and play on the second level of defense.
MJ Sherman, Chief Borders and Jimari Butler are Nebraska’s top three jacks. All three players were in the transfer portal at one point this off-season. Sherman came to Nebraska from Georgia and Borders transferred in from Florida.
Butler is in his fourth season with the Huskers. He entered the portal soon after the 2022 season but decided to stay with Rhule.
During Nebraska’s Red-White spring game, Sherman and Butler started at jack on the White team with John Bullock inside. Borders started on the Red/second team with Grant Tagge, Gage Stenger and Mikai Gbayor at linebacker.
Sherman had four tackles and 1.5 tackles for a loss of six yards. Husker defensive coordinator Tony White said that Sherman is a big part of Nebraska’s defense on and off the field with his charismatic attitude.
Butler played in every game at Nebraska in 2022 on both defense and special teams. He had nine tackles 1.5 tackles for loss and one pass breakup. Last season, Borders and Sherman were key special teams players for Florida and Georgia, respectively.
Sherman, Borders and Butler have been described as Nebraska’s top pass-rushers, along with a few defensive ends by defensive coordinator Tony White. As established in our D-line position breakdown, the group has some established and up-and-coming pass-rushers as well.
Freshman Maverick Noonan showed off his pass-rush ability as well. He is listed as a linebacker on the Huskers’ official roster but played lots of defensive ends this spring. It’s possible Noonan can be put at the edge position and double as a linebacker.
Key stats and numbers from 2022:
| Player | Snaps in 2022 |
|---|---|
| Luke Reimer | 630 |
| Ernest Hausmann* | 476 |
| Nick Henrich | 360 |
| Chris Kolarevic* | 257 |
| Eteva Mauga-Clements* | 239 |
| Player | TCK | TFL | SCK | FF | FR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luke Reimer | 58 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ernest Hausmann* | 47 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 |
| Nick Henrich | 22 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Kolarevic* | 17 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eteva Mauga-Clements* | 27 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 |
Biggest Question: Where will Nick Henrich fit in?
Bullock, a former walk-on from Creighton Prep in Omaha, emerged and took the linebacker room by storm this spring. He earned a scholarship and is now in the top three for the Huskers’ inside linebackers.
Nick Henrich, who has started for the Huskers over the last two seasons, was out this spring after a season-ending injury this fall. With the emergence of Bullock and the talent and consistency of Luke Reimer, where does Henrich fit in this fall?
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Reimer and Henrich have been a solid duo for Nebraska over the last two seasons. Together, they’ve started 45 games. Reimer has started every game over the last two seasons and started five during the shortened six-game schedule in 2020.
The former walk-on from Lincoln (Neb.) North Star was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week in 2022, the first Husker to win the award since Nathan Gerry in 2016.
Reimer is in position to finish as Nebraska’s third all-time leading tackler behind Barrett Ruud (432) and Jerry Murtaugh (342). He currently has 242 tackles entering the season.
The other starting job will likely be between Henrich and Bullock. However, it is yet to be seen how Henrich returns after a major knee injury. He has been back at full-go for two weeks now.
Nebraska has a few options at linebacker with Garrett Snodgrass, Gage Stenger and Grant Tagge. All three made some good plays during the spring game.
Snodgrass had three tackles and one tackle for loss. Stenger caught an interception and ran it back for 28 yards in addition to a tackle for loss and three tackles. Tagge led the Red team with seven tackles.
Over the last few seasons, Nebraska hasn’t rotated their linebacker enough. When Reimer and Henrich were both healthy in 2021, they played 745 and 727 snaps respectively.
With a 3-3-5 defense, there won’t necessarily be three true linebackers on the field at a time. It will be very fluid
Projecting the fall:
Top group:
ILB: Luke Reimer
Nick Henrich
John Bullock
JACK: MJ Sherman
Chief Borders
Jimari Butler
Names to watch:
Garrett Snodgrass
Gage Stenger
Grant Tagge
Maverick Noonan
Mikai Gbayor
