Over the final week before Nebraska starts spring football on Monday, the Journal Star is taking a closer look at six players coming off redshirt seasons that have interesting springs ahead.
The Cornhuskers have 21 redshirt freshmen plus a couple of older players coming off redshirt seasons in which they were either limited to four or fewer games or didn’t play at all. That represents more than 30% of NU’s scholarship players currently on the roster.
It’s a group that will have a lot to say about Nebraska’s fortunes in 2020 and beyond.
Earlier this week in Redshirts to Watch:ÌýÌý
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Travis Vokolek, junior, tight endÌý
It has been awhile since Travis Vokolek played on a Big Ten field, but he's certainly familiar.Ìý
The Nebraska tight end sat out the 2019 season after transferring from Rutgers, where he was third in catches and led the Scarlet Knights in receiving touchdowns as a sophomore in 2018.Ìý
Now, the 6-foot-6, 250-pounder will jump into the action for the Huskers, and there are expectations right from the jump.Ìý
Vokolek earned NU's offensive scout team player-of-the-year nod while he sat out pursuant to NCAA transfer rules, and the coaching staff thinks he will be able to provide a versatile package that includes stretching the field in the passing game and blocking at the point of attack.Ìý
NU's tight end group could use a big uptick in production as it is, after combining for 324 yards and a single touchdown on 36 catches in 2019.Ìý
There will certainly be repetitions to go around this spring, considering the Huskers have just four scholarship wide receivers available for spring practices. Vokolek joins a group that includes returners Jack Stoll, Austin Allen, Kurt Rafdal and Chris Hickman.Ìý
Hickman, a redshirt freshman from Omaha Burke who could play both tight end and wide receiver, was also a candidate to make this list of redshirts to watch after his promising finish to 2019.Ìý
For now, though, Vokolek is a big frame, a good athlete and has Big Ten-level experience. It will be a surprise if he's not a key part of the NU attack in 2020.Ìý