Nebraska’s defense will feature some familiar faces in 2022, but the Blackshirts are also tasked with replacing four sixth-year seniors who were regular starters along with defensive back Cam Taylor-Britt and defensive linemen Damion Daniels and Deontre Thomas.
No coach revels in losing experienced, dependable players, but Husker defensive coordinator Erik Chinander on the first day of spring football sounded like a guy who relishes the challenge of moving his unit forward without guys like Taylor-Britt, JoJo Domann and Ben Stille — plus the safety pair of Deontai Williams and Marquel Dismuke.
“That’s always the fun thing for me is figuring out who is the best 11 on the field and then finding a position for those guys,†Chinander said Monday.
The front and back levels of the Husker defense are rife with questions, but for very different reasons. The secondary features seven new players and competition aplenty for (at least) three starting jobs. The defensive line, meanwhile, features no new players yet, but suffered four departures in Daniels, Thomas, Stille and transfer Jordon Riley.
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At the middle level, NU has a lot of experience back at linebacker — its starting inside pair of Nick Henrich and Luke Reimer plus Chris Kolarevic and a pair of regulars outside, too, in Garrett Nelson and Caleb Tannor.
Thinking about replacing — and, ideally, then exceeding — production from the 2021 group, though, isn’t as simple as plugging in a new Domann here and a new Stille there. This year’s core group is likely to have at least somewhat different strengths than last year’s, and the personnel may well be deployed in a way that reflects just that.
One point that can be made without exception is that the Huskers need to build depth on the interior defensive line behind Casey Rogers and Ty Robinson. NU is hoping for another step forward from at least a couple of a group of young players and could also look to the transfer portal this spring and summer.
Outside of those spots, though, there are a ton of players competing for increased playing time. That includes a group of versatile nickels such as Isaac Gifford and Javin Wright, and outside linebackers such as Blaise Gunnerson and Jimari Butler.
What exactly Nebraska looks like on defense this fall will depend some on who from that group shows he can’t be left on the bench.
Nelson, for his part, says his position-mates Gunnerson and Butler are ready to make the leap.
“Springtime is huge for them to improve their play and get a ton of reps,†Nelson said. “I would put them on the field right now. I have full confidence in them. They’re great guys and great players and they hold themselves to a huge standard just like we try to do as a defense.â€
Gunnerson (6-foot-6, 255 pounds) and Butler (6-5, 245) each has the type of frame coveted for playing on the edge at the line of scrimmage. In fact, Chinander said Monday that, “it’s almost like Jimari is a little bit bigger than Caleb and Blaise is a little bit bigger than Garrett, but they’re kind of built the same way as those guys.â€
They’re behind the older players on the depth chart, but both Gunnerson and Butler have moved up a rung now that Pheldarius Payne has reentered the transfer portal and is leaving NU.
“Those three were kind of the next-tier guys,†defensive front coach Mike Dawson said Monday. “Someone’s gone, the other two are going to get the reps. The benefit might be that they get a lot more reps. They were tired after today’s practice, for sure, but that’s going to pay dividends down the road.â€
Gunnerson was thrust into playing time against Wisconsin last fall after missing much of his first two seasons with injuries.
Butler played basketball in high school and only really played football as a senior and Chinander said he was “proud†of the way the Alabama native has worked through early struggles at the college level.
“He goes out (in high school) and he’s the best player and then he comes to Nebraska and all of a sudden you’re buried on the depth chart a little bit and you’re on the scout team. That would be easy to say, ‘Hey, I’m going back to Mobile, Alabama’ and he didn’t. He fought through it. He worked through it. He’s done everything the right way and now this spring he’s going to get a chance to showcase his talent up there running with the No. 1s and 2s."