As the start of Nebraska spring football creeps closer — NU's first practice is March 9 — the Journal Star is looking at Cornhusker underclassmen who face particularly critical junctures. Spring is important for every player — no quarterbacks are on this list, for example, but the coming weeks will be an early litmus test of whether anybody can push Adrian Martinez for the starting job — but maybe particularly so for these guys.
This series will run in print Tuesday through Sunday and we'll start a new set — redshirts to watch — next week.
Tuesday: Junior outside linebacker Caleb Tannor
Wednesday: Sophomore kicker Barret Pickering
Jaevon McQuitty, junior, wide receiver
Nebraska’s scholarship wide receivers group headed into spring ball looks like this: JD Spielman and Wan’Dale Robinson are known commodities, and then there are a bunch of question marks.
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The most veteran of those question marks is McQuitty, who is entering his fourth year in the program and has yet to carve out a regular role on the field.
Can he do it now? The injuries are well in the rearview mirror. Nebraska lacks depth at the receiver corps for the spring — six scholarship wide receivers plus contributing walk-on Kade Warner and some other young guys — before four more scholarship players are slated to join the program this summer.
There’s no time like the present. For McQuitty, in particular, there are not that many chances remaining.
He’s drawn praise each of the past two springs under former receivers coach and coordinator Troy Walters and now must impress a new coach in Matt Lubick. Under Walters, that didn’t translate to a regular role for McQuitty, who appeared in only three games in 2019, catching two passes for 14 yards. Those are his only two career catches to date.
He’s not the only returning wide receiver who’s in line for a ton of reps this spring — count redshirt freshmen Demariyon Houston and Jamie Nance in that group as well — but he’s the upperclassman with the most to prove and, potentially, most to gain before reinforcements arrive this summer.
It’s critical McQuitty makes a strong first impression on Lubick and company this spring.
Editor's note: Since this article was published, the program announced Jaevon McQuitty's retirement Monday morning.
— Parker Gabriel