For Middle Linebacker Mohamed Barry, a Return to the ‘Glory Days’ of Husker Past is Imminent

The failures and shortcomings of Nebraska’s 2018 season have been well documented. Despite a late season turnaround, the Huskers began the year with six consecutive losses, the worst start in program history.

Although Nebraska won four of their final six games to close out the season, the ripple effect from their early season struggles could be felt in the offseason too, as Nebraska went without a single player selected in the NFL Draft back in April for the first time in well over half a century.

However, none of that has the 2019 edition of the Nebraska football team feeling concerned, who feel confident that this year will be theirs for the taking, as far as the Big 10 is concerned. Middle linebacker Mohamed Barry will play a key role in that turnaround, who told KLIN in a phone interview last week that a return to NU’s dominance the program experienced in the 1990’s may not be as far away as one might think.

“That’s why I came here,” Barry said, matter-of-factly. “That’s what I’m focused on. That’s what I want to do.”

To that end, Barry, a redshirt senior, is ready to take on a bigger leadership role in 2019.

“It’s something I’ve prepared for since I got here,” the 6-foot-1, 230 pound linebacker said. “To me, it’s my duty to give that back to my team and Nebraska. That’s what a leader does… that’s what I’m ready to do.”

Being a leader hasn’t always come naturally though for Barry, who told the Lincoln Journal Star last month that he doesn’t “get into popularity,” something that has evidently caused some friction with his teammates. However, this year, Barry feels that he is on the same page with the guys in the locker room.

“I feel like they understand me a lot more,” Barry told KLIN.

That understanding, Barry said, stems from the team’s singular focus on their immediate drive to win in 2019.

“This year these players, myself included, all have something that motivates us. You can see it when we work out. You can see it when we eat lunch together, what we talk about to each other, what we talk about more often… even what we argue about is important. I think we’re dialed in on winning this year and we know what we have to achieve.”

So what do they want to achieve? Barry didn’t beat around the bush, who definitively said Nebraska is going for the Big 10’s top prize this year – a Big 10 title.

“If I ever played not to win a championship or not to be the best team, you would see a different guy out on the field,” Barry said. “Even last year was about winning championships.”

Ordinarily, a team that finished 4-8 the season prior would have no business talking about championships, conference or otherwise. However, the hype surrounding Nebraska in year two under Scott Frost has extended far beyond the state.

There’s been early Heisman buzz for Nebraska’s freshman QB, Adrian Martinez. Additionally, the Huskers have been selected in a handful of preseason top 25 lists and Athlon, a college football magazine, selected the Huskers to finish first place in the Big 10 West.

Both Athlon and Street & Smith have Nebraska winning the Big Ten West. #Huskers pic.twitter.com/enNhuPoLt1

— Sean Callahan (@Sean_Callahan) May 18, 2019

“We know that we have the talent in the room to (win a Big 10 title),” Barry said. “It’s not something that’s just been projected or to be used as a slogan. It’s something that we honestly feel we have a chance to do.”

Though he’s already shooting for the stars with his predictions for the upcoming season, Barry admitted that his sights are set higher than that, once his career at NU is over.

“It’s a dream of mine to be in the NFL but all that’s going to take care of itself at the end of the season,” Barry said. “What I want to do (now) is give my all to this program and play for my guys and just accomplish what I came here to accomplish… to bring Nebraska back to the glory days.”

(Photo – Kenny Larabee)