Jacob Weinmaster’s fall started on a high note.
The Nebraska junior linebacker earned a scholarship at the end of fall camp and solidified a special teams role for himself.
But his season — and his career — is ending on a much different tone.
Weinmaster’s playing days are over after a late-season injury led him to decide to medically retire. Weinmaster acknowledged the retirement on Twitter on Thursday afternoon.Â
"It's with great sadness that I'm announcing my retirement from football due to medical reasons," he wrote. "I cannot thank you, Coach Frost and Staff, or my teammates enough for giving me the opportunity to pursue a life long dream."Â
A reserve at inside linebacker, Weinmaster saw some mop-up time there and played in NU’s first 10 games thanks to his special-teams prowess, finishing 2018 with 13 tackles (eight on special teams, five as a linebacker).
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He missed the Huskers’ final two games, though, and did not make the road trip to Iowa.
"I feel extremely blessed to have been a part of such a great tradition. Bring that trophy back to Lincoln!" he wrote.
Weinmaster can still be around the program in his final year and his younger brother Zach is set to join the team this summer as a walk-on receiver from Loveland, Colorado.
Because Jacob Weinmaster was placed on scholarship before the season, he can medically retire and stay on scholarship until he graduates from UNL.
Weinmaster first redshirted in 2015 and then missed all of 2016 with an injury. Across the past two years, he appeared in 22 games and finishes his career with 15 tackles.
His departure opens the door that much further for NU’s young incoming linebackers. Mohamed Barry, Collin Miller and Will Honas, who had season-ending knee surgery around Oct. 1, are the only returning scholarship players left inside. Omaha Burke standout Nick Henrich arrives midyear, and Jackson Hannah (Memphis, Tennessee) and Garrett Snodgrass (York) will join the fold this summer.