2022 Husker Breakdown: Linebackers could be among Big Ten’s best

Stability is a beautiful thing in football and that Nebraska’s linebackers in 2022 will bring just that. The group was among the team’s best last season, with three Huskers in the top 16 in the Big Ten in tackles.

The heart and soul of the group was JoJo Domann, who was unsurprisingly drafted by the Indianapolis Colts following a second team All-American recognition from the Associated Press. Domann was elite in every phase of coverage last year but although it sounds far-fetched, there’s potential for the Cornhuskers to completely offset the loss of him. 

The starting group is all but locked in, with Caleb Tannor and Garrett Nelson ever-present on the outside pairing with all-Big Ten honorable mention pick Luke Reimer and Nick Henrich on the inside. After switching from a 3-4 to 4-3 look this year, the Huskers may still find a way to put those four on the field for a majority of snaps. Barring injuries or outside circumstances, the quartet will constitute Nebraska’s hallmark this season, plain and simple. 

With head coach Scott Frost being a former linebacker himself, former NFL star Barrett Ruud manning the inside linebackers and Mike Dawson, a 4-year NFL coaching vet, coaching the Huskers’ edge rushers, success is to be expected. 

That crew went out and landed prized transfer Ochaun Mathis from TCU and his presence on the defensive line adds to the pressure felt by opposing offensive lines. The Huskers didn’t exactly have a edge rusher of his caliber last year and Mathis may line up as a linebacker in a two-point stance on some occasions. 

Each starting linebacker brings something different to the table: Tannor is dependable, Nelson plays a large leadership role, Reimer is a tackle machine and Henrich is gifted in the open field. A number of 2nd stringers had impressive practices in the spring and fall so Nebraska’s linebackers may be as deep as they’ve been in years.

Luke Reimer

The junior from Lincoln earned significant pieces of hardware for his mantle with an honorable mention all-Big Ten nod and a Big Ten Player of the Week award last year for his 16-tackle performance in the Huskers’ win over Buffalo last year. To boot, he was awarded a Blackshirt for the second consecutive season on Wednesday. 

Reimer was fifth in the conference with 108 tackles, aided heavily by being the first Nebraska linebacker to record 19 tackles since Lavonte David in 2010 when Reimer achieved the feat against Purdue. 

Despite only putting up one sack in 2021, Reimer excels in pass coverage and deflected six throws last year. As long as Reimer can stay healthy – he missed multiple games with injuries in 2019 and 2020 – he’ll be a staple in the Huskers’ defense. 

Nick Henrich

The sophomore will pair with Reimer on the inside for a second straight season. His 99 tackles were good enough for ninth in the Big Ten last year and he added 3.5 tackles for loss. 

Henrich may not make the same impact that Reimer does, at least yet, but he’s simply a solid and reliable presence that the Huskers will value highly. Making plays in open space and the flat is a strength of Henrich’s and he’ll form a good one-two punch in that area with linebacker-turned-cornerback Chris Kolarevic. 

Nebraska’s 2018 Gatorade Player of the Year at Burke High School in Omaha and a recently named Blackshirt, Henrich brings excitement to Ruud after staying healthy. 

“I think the biggest benefit for this year for [Henrich] is this was the first offseason where he’s been truly healthy,” Ruud said. “That makes a big difference where you can get a full year’s session in the weight room, the growth you get from an athletic standpoint is big.”

Garrett Nelson

The pride of Scottsbluff started every game at linebacker in 2021 and had more than a few parties in the backfield, posting 11.5 tackles for loss and five sacks, the latter of which led the Huskers.

Nelson enters his third full season as a regular starter and is one of Nebraska’s captains this year. He was recently named a preseason first team all-Big Ten pick. 

The junior’s impact isn’t just felt on the field though. Nelson earned praise from Frost with his leadership, a trait that he’s built his own identity around. 

“That’s another part about being a captain or a leader. I didn’t have that when I came in so I kind of had to figure it out on my own,” Nelson said. “And I swore that I would never let younger guys, whenever I got to this spot, feel the way I did when I came in: just kind of thrown out to the wolves and figure it out.” 

Caleb Tannor

Tannor played every game last year, and the year before that, and the year before that, and the year before that…you get the picture. The senior took advantage of his extra year of eligibility in hopes of continuing to improve on a career-high 33-tackle season. 

Tannor came to Nebraska slightly undersized but has taken similar strides in his physique. He’s built strong relationships with his counterpart Nelson and now Mathis, who’s shared his tricks of the trade with Tannor. 

“He showed me a little pass rush move and it was looking good,” Tannor said. “We’re teaching each other. Everything is rubbing off on each other. It’s like a brotherhood out there.” 

After finishing with two sacks last year, Tannor’s newfound knowledge could help form a trident of intimidating pass rushers on the outside. The Huskers would welcome that with open arms after finishing 12th in the Big Ten in sacks last year. 

Eteva Mauga-Clements

The senior from the Pacific island nation of Samoa saw the field in each game last year, recording five tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. He likely won’t start or see a large percentage of snaps in big games but an experienced backup is much better than throwing a seldom-played underclassman into the fire. 

Mauga-Clements starred at the JUCO level for Diablo Valley Community College in 2019 with 61 tackles and seven sacks. The senior’s play could be described as feisty and Ruud mentioned how impressed he was with Mauga-Clements’ drive to soak up the ins and outs of defensive coordinator Erik Chinander’s system. 

“I give him a bunch of credit. I think the thing that probably would surprise a lot of people, because he’s a very fun-loving guy and he’s run to be around, is he’s extremely intelligent,”  Ruud said. 

Blaise Gunnerson

Gunnerson had a productive campaign as a redshirt last year, playing in three games, making a few tackles, and earning the eye of coaches with his contributions to the defensive scout team. 

Hailing from Carroll, Iowa, Gunnerson was a 3-star recruit out of high school who chose the Huskers over both in-state schools Iowa and Iowa State. The edge rusher is a good candidate to see more doses of playing time this year after a phenomenal offseason and Nebraska’s switch to a 4-3 this year. It’ll be a tough decision for Chinander to keep him off the field.

Other linebackers to watch

A four-star recruit from South Dakota, Randolph Kpai redshirted last year after suffering an injury. He’s yet to see official action in a Nebraska uniform but he’s a name to watch out for in the Huskers’ linebacker rotation. 

True freshman Ernest Hausmann may have a chance to get his feet wet early in the season, especially against North Dakota and Georgia Southern. He was a first team all-state player in Nebraska for Columbus last year. 

The Huskers have two redshirt freshmen inside linebackers, Jimari Butler and Mikai Gbayor and a pair of sophomores in Garrett Snodgrass and Grant Tagge who are in line for special teams work and a handful of defensive snaps. 

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Story originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire