Inside AJ Rollins move to the Nebraska defense

AJ Rollins never lost his defensive fundamentals. The two-way standout from Creighton Prep had them drilled into his mind by Junior Jays defensive line coach Ted Hennings and discussed playing both sides of the ball with Nebraska during the recruiting process.

That talk faded when he arrived on campus ahead of the 2021 season and became exclusively a tight end, but the knowledge remained. The lack of necessity just kept it dormant for two years.

When Rollins moved back to defense this spring, the defensive technique reemerged, and it meshed with his personality on the field better than offense. Nebraska’s coaches haven’t asked him to do anything especially complex as he reacclimates to defense, and it’s allowed him to play more instinctively and reactively. As spring camp nears its end, he’s comfortable and emerging as a potential difference-maker as a pass rusher.

“I just feel like I’m able to be myself on the defense,” he said. “I’m having a lot of fun and just going out and reacting to the ball. They don’t ask much of me right now. They just want me to continue to play like myself and just want me to play fast, so I’m just having fun with it.”

It was Matt Rhule who first suggested the move. Rollins wasn’t surprised, and defensive coordinator Tony White was on board, so Rollins donned a gray jersey early in spring ball, indicating he was working on both offense and defense. More recently, he’s worn red like the rest of the defense.

He’s not completely done with tight end; he’ll be available if the Huskers need him, but D-line is now his primary focus.

“Some guys are just wired to play defense,” Rhule said. “They’re better when they’re going straight ahead, and I like AJ’s length. He’s a big, tall kid, long kid. He’s got power. He’s got a natural pass rusher. When you play basketball, you know how your feet move all the time? Great pass rushers, their hands and feet never stop moving, and so AJ just has a natural feel for rushing the passer. Runs to the ball, athletic, and I think playing on offense — he could play for us at tight end — but he’s just very much like ‘OK, I have this assignment.’ On defense you get to see him cut loose. Now you’re starting to see his personality come forward.”

Even with his past experience and natural feel for defense, there has been a learning curve over a month of spring practice for Rollins. The technique from high school may be the same, but the physicality is greater in college. He can’t take plays off or get by on natural skill the way he once could.

There are, however, tricks he learned in college, even while playing on the other side of the ball. When Rollins was still moonlighting at tight end, position coach Bob Wager worked with him on using his hands to beat defenders and get off the line of scrimmage. Rollins has found the teachings translate well when he’s going the opposite direction, trying to shed an offensive lineman and get into the backfield.

It’s been a process, both readjusting to defense and learning first-year coordinator White’s new system. In a scheme with three linemen, Rollins has lined up at a variety of spots and is rarely called to run directly into an offensive lineman. More often, he attacks from across, moving forward at a sharper angle.

But even amidst the changes and the newness, he feels at home on defense, just like he did in high school.

“I just never lost it,” he said. “I’m able to do it right now.”

And for Nebraska, even with the season still months away, returns have been positive.

“I’ll tell you what, that dude’s a baller,” White said. “He’s doing what’s asked. He’s been over there for maybe a week now, and all of a sudden, he’s making plays. You’re seeing him constantly show up around the ball, which is really cool, really fun to watch, and then you see him with a smile on his face.”