Nebraska football’s position battles at three key spots

As the Huskers rotated stations for drills, Rhule was displeased to see much of the roster slowly moving from spot to spot.

“You’re walking around too much so we’re going to run a little bit,” Rhule told the team prior to putting the entire roster through a series of sprints. Many coaches, including defensive coordinator Tony White and wide receivers coach Garret McGuire, joined their players in running.

There may have been a crowd, but it wasn’t for show — it was about accountability. Let’s drop into coverage:

Four weeks of fall camp remain, so it will take time for starters to emerge from several of Nebraska’s position battles. During the program’s “Big Red Preview” on Saturday night, though, a clearer picture emerged of how the Huskers may line up along the offensive line.

The first-team unit quarterbacked by freshman Dylan Raiola during team competition included Turner Corcoran at left tackle, Justin Evans at left guard, Ben Scott at center, Micah Mazzccua at right guard and Bryce Benhart at right tackle.

Three of those five — Corcoran, Scott and Benhart — were Day 1 starters a year ago while Evans started five games down the stretch and Mazzccua was an 11-game starter at Florida. Another contender for a starting spot at guard, junior Henry Lutovsky, sat out the practice and will miss the next two to three weeks recovering from a calf injury according to Rhule.

With Lutovsky missing a key portion of camp, that could open the door to Evans and Mazzccua locking down those starting roles.

“Justin Evans played well enough last year to win, so I know he’s a starter for us,” Rhule said prior to practice. “Micah’s having a really good camp, which is great. I’ve been very blunt about Micah and I like where his head’s at and where his practices are at.”

Junior Teddy Prochazka, who offensive line coach Donovan Raiola said earlier this week is competing with Corcoran at left tackle, worked with the second-team unit led by quarterback Heinrich Haarberg. Jason Maciejczak worked at left guard, Sam Sledge at center, Tyler Knaak at right guard and Gunnar Gottula was the right tackle for the second unit.

Knaak is another player who could battle for playing time at guard, with the second-year Husker having made a big jump since his arrival on campus.

Also of note was how the Nebraska secondary looked during the team’s 11-on-11 practice action. While the team’s top cornerback, Tommi Hill, held out of the evening with a minor injury, Marques Buford and Jeremiah Charles stepped into the starting roles.

There were no surprises at safety, one of the deepest positions on the Husker roster, where Isaac Gifford, DeShon Singleton and Malcolm Hartzog worked with the first team. Buford has primarily been a safety throughout his Nebraska career, but due to NU’s need at the position and the cover skills the 5-foot-11 junior possesses, Buford may deputize as a cover corner.

His brother, true freshman Mario Buford, is another player to watch as Nebraska’s camp competition continues. The younger Buford has a similar skillset to that of Charles, whose six-foot frame and all-around athleticism stand out.

“All those young guys, they’re all ready to play,” Rhule said of Nebraska’s cornerback situation.

Whether immediately or down the road, junior Ceyair Wright should find himself on the field. The USC transfer made one of the evening’s standout plays when he jumped a slant pass intended for Banks during a one-on-one period, breaking toward the ball for a clean interception.

Unlike many other positions, Nebraska has a clear picture of who its top wideouts will be this season.

Seniors Jahmal Banks and Isaiah Neyor, who were brought into the program as impact transfers, worked as Nebraska’s first-team wide receivers on Saturday. Sophomore Jaylen Lloyd missed the practice but will also be among Nebraska’s top options at the position.

Behind that trio, though, are a number of wide receivers vying for playing time down the road.

Sophomore Janiran Bonner, who spent the 2023 season at fullback, should have a role within the offense as a do-it-all gadget player who lines up in the backfield in specific offensive packages. So might a pair of freshmen, Jacory Barney Jr. and Carter Nelson, who showcased their agility and toughness during the practice.

The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Nelson moved well and kept up with the speed of the offense, while Barney practiced a jet sweep and other short passes which could make use of his shiftiness in the open field.

Sophomore Malachi Coleman impressed during Nebraska’s 7-on-7 action, catching multiple 35-yard touchdown passes from Jalyn Gramstad, including one where he outran his coverage immediately at the line of scrimmage, creating multiple yards of separation.

Veteran wideouts Alex Bullock and Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda worked primarily with the second unit. Despite wearing a knee brace as a reminder of his season-ending ACL injury last fall, Garcia-Castaneda moved well and bounced off a tackle attempt for a long touchdown.

It takes toughness and physicality to make it through an entire 12-game season at linebacker. Four Huskers — John Bullock, Mikai Gbayor, MJ Sherman and Javin Wright — managed to do so last season as multi-year starters Nick Henrich and Luke Reimer both missed time due to injury.

NU coaches try to divide playing time in a way that limits wear and tear, with Bullock and Reimer being the only Husker linebackers to play 400-plus snaps a year ago.

Speaking at Nebraska’s media day on Tuesday, Bullock said he felt “a little banged up” by the end of 2023 but was glad to get through the season without any surgeries or major long-term injuries. Back for a sixth year with the program, Bullock is more eager than ever to make sure he gets through the season unscathed.

“Mentally I think I’m the strongest I’ve ever been, so as long my mental side is there, my physical side will take care of itself,” Bullock said. “Most of the guys live in the training room, especially the older guys, because we understand how our bodies feel and what we need to do to get them as close to 100% as possible.”

Nebraska football recently hosted two five-star recruits in the Class of 2025, offensive lineman David Sanders Jr. and athlete Michael Terry III on campus at the end of July. Both players took multiple recruiting visits prior to a month-long recruiting dead period in August with an eye toward making their decisions this month.

Sanders, the nation’s top offensive tackle recruit, also visited Tennessee after stopping at Nebraska, while Ohio State remains another contender for his commitment. The Huskers are also among the final three schools competing for Terry, with Oregon and home-state school Texas standing as the fellow front-runners.

Sanders is set to announce his decision on Aug. 17, while Terry’s decision may stretch later into the month or into the fall.