Nebraska position review: Linebacker

While the new year has begun, HuskerOnline is looking back at the previous season and taking a deep dive into each of Nebraska’s positions, how they graded, their trends and other observations.

Up next, both the inside and outside linebackers, two groups that are returning all but one major contributor after a solid 2021 season.

Series: QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL |

Dynamic duo:

Nick Henrich and Luke Reimer are a dynamic duo at Nebraska’s inside linebacker shot. Side by side, Reimer and Henrich had the 18th and 19th most tackles in the Power Five and the sixth and seventh-most in the Big Ten.

Reimer had the tenth best coverage grade of all the linebackers in FBS. The current sophomore had 42 stops, ranking him No. 30 in the Power Five. Henrich’s 37 stops ranked him at No. 52.

Both Henrich and Reimer will be working side by side again in 2022 and could for seasons to come.

The third man:

Northern Iowa transfer Chris Kolarevic was the third inside linebacker on the field.

Kolarevic had the fourth-highest tackle grade (79.6) on Nebraska’s defense in 2021. Mauga-Clements is second but played 20 snaps. Kolarevic’s tackle grade is No. 101 in FBS off all the linebackers.

He missed one tackle (4.3 percent) while Henrich and Reimer missed 17 and 13 percent of their tackles. Kolarevic added some much-needed depth at inside linebacker, helping the Huskers on the field and allowing Henrich or Reimer to rest.

Improvements to be made:

Henrich and Reimer had some of the lowest run defense grades in the country. Out of all the linebackers that contributed over 195 snaps, Henrich is ranked No. 388 and Reimer came in at No. 390.

Nebraska’s run defense is ranked No. 109 in FBS with a 53.3 grade. NU’s starting inside linebackers average a 43 grade. The four ILB that have over 20 snaps average a 48 run defense grade. For reference, Michigan’s linebackers with over 20 snaps average a 63.5 grade and Rutgers’ averages a 56.38.

Run defense is an area that the Huskers’ entire defense needs to improve on.

Keep in mind: In PFF, Nebraska’s outside linebackers are listed as defensive ends because of how the Huskers use their outside linebackers. JoJo Domann is listed as an outside linebacker on the roster but plays at nickel, a position that is hybrid between a linebacker and a cornerback. Domann is listed as a cornerback by PFF.

JoJo Domann:

Domann led the Huskers in his total defense grade (87.2), run defense (83.1) and coverage grade in 2021 (87.8). In fact, Domann defense grade was 12 points higher than the next Husker and his run defense was 11 points higher than the next player.

When plugging Domann’s numbers into the other defensive ends, he is tied for No. 11 with Purdue’s George Karlaftis for defense grade and is ranked No. 16 in run defense. His coverage grade is second in the FBS.

As a cornerback, Domann’s grades were No. 5 in defense, No. 30 in run defense and No.8 in coverage in the FBS.

Isaac Gifford, who is listed as a safety and will be discussed in the defensive backs review, is set to take over Domann’s nickel position and has a high bar based on Domann’s performance and leadership.

Pressures:

Nebraska’s outside linebackers combined for 65 pressures with nine sacks. The Huskers are the second-worst Big Ten team in pressures by players listed as defensive ends. Indiana brings up the rear with 47 pressures.

Naturally, Michigan led the league with 155 pressures. the Wolverines still have more pressures than Nebraska after subtracting Heisman finalist Aidan Hutchinson’s 74 pressures.

Garrett Nelson led Nebraska with 32 quarterback pressures and six sacks. He also had the most pass-rushes with 328. Caleb Tannor had 20 pressures and one sack.

This group of statistics could be skewed slightly due to the type of defense a team uses and how its players are identified in PFF. However, the Huskers’ pass-rushers need to do a better job of getting to the quarterback.

Up next:

Tannor is returning for his fifth season and Nelson is entering his fourth season. After those two veterans, Pheldarius Payne received the third-most snaps as a true outside linebacker. Payne led Nebraska with an 84.7 tackle grade.

Payne didn’t play the last two games due to an injury so young players like Blaise Gunnerson and Jimari Butler had the opportunity to play. From his limited snaps, Gunnerson had the second-highest tackle grade of the outside linebackers by not missing a tackle.

Damion Jackson had 75 snaps, had four pressures, three tackles but missed two.

There is potential in Nebraska’s backup outside linebackers however, there is limited experience if one of the big three gets injured.