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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Keem Green, junior, defensive linemanÌý
Green arrived on campus from Highland (Kansas) Community College about midway through preseason camp in August and ended up playing in just three games during the second half of the season.Ìý
Much of the stated reason was because Green, at 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds, needed time to get up to speed both in conditioning and in learning the Huskers' defensive system. NU also had depth up front and didn't need to rush the native of Sumter, South Carolina, into duty, particularly knowing he had a redshirt available.Ìý
Now, Green has two seasons of eligibility remaining and he figures to be a key piece of Nebraska's defensive line moving forward. As a starter? That's to be determined. As an interior player or end? Also a little unclear at this point.Ìý
But NU was enamored enough with the physical package and the potential to take him a year ago and now, tasked with replacing three starters and the majority of snaps up front, the Huskers have plenty of snaps to go around.Ìý
Green saw action against Ohio State, Wisconsin and Maryland in 2019 but defensive line coach Tony Tuioti said he played the transfer extensively on the No. 1 defensive line in practice to help get him prepared.Ìý
How much with all those reps pay dividends this spring and, more importantly, come September? Green as a productive member of the defensive line would go a long way toward answering some of NU's questions up front.Ìý