As Nebraska spring football approaches, Husker Extra is counting down the 25 most intriguing players expected to participate.
After a trio of offensive players -- Tyjon Lindsey at No. 25, Chris Walker (who could wind up playing defense) at No. 24 and Devine Ozigbo at No. 23 -- we turn our attention to the defense.Â
Mohamed Barry, LB, junior
Barry is no stranger to competition at inside linebacker, and the coming spring will be no different. Leading tackler Chris Weber is gone, but junior college standout Will Honas joined the fold in January. Barry, Honas and Dedrick Young figure to be among the candidates to start for Barrett Ruud inside, but with so many bodies at linebacker, there could also be some shuffling.
The intriguing part of Barry’s situation — and that of several other linebackers — is how the coaching staff feels about the skill-set fits across the board.
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Ruud and defensive coordinator Erik Chinander have stressed the importance of mobility inside, and they like linebackers who can run. Chinander also has said he recognizes that his defenses will face much more run game here than they did at Central Florida.
So what does it mean for Barry? He showed signs of leadership as a sophomore and appears to be more than willing to assume more duty in that regard. His straightforward approach should jibe well with Ruud, Frost and the staff.
With the intangibles not in question, the deciding factor when it comes to how prominent a role Barry can grab in this defense becomes about physical fit and how the new staff sees him. There are a lot of linebackers on the Huskers’ roster. It will be up to Barry, the 6-foot-1, 230-pounder, to hold them off if he’s to be a regular on the field.