Can Nate Gerry become an all-league player this year?

[Eric the Red]

He made a couple nice tackles, another interception and don't think he has been beaten deep as of late.

 

Thoughts?

[Mavric]

Probably not this year. I think he's playing at that level but not getting the publicity. The next couple years .... watch out.

[NUance]

He's tied for second in the B1G for interceptions. LINK Also he's third on the team in tackles and has had several nice pass breakups. So he's got to at least be in consideration for All B1G. I'd guess that he appears as second team All B1G this year.

[Hedley Lamarr]

Hope we continue to snag guys from the Dakotas. They produce a solid d1 ball player or 2 every season

[Chaddyboxer]

Dude is a freak athlete.

[ZRod]

I don't know if he's all conference this year, but he's close.

 

I can't think of a better safety we've had in the last few years, and he's only a sophomore. He can legitimately tackle (not the hit stick kind, but wrap up and stone a guy kind), he can pursue and cover just about anyone back there, and he has a great feel for where he needs to be. He's kind of a rover back there with his growing confidence. I hope we keep turning him lose and let him freelance a little.

[OH HSKR FAN]

O'Hanlon was playing pretty solid by the end of his Husker career. Do you think Gerry is at his ability yet?

[Omaha-Husker]

O'Hanlon was playing pretty solid by the end of his Husker career. Do you think Gerry is at his ability yet?

 

#WhiteGuyComparison

[ColoradoHusk]

He made a couple nice tackles, another interception and don't think he has been beaten deep as of late.

 

Thoughts?

Gerry didn't get beat deep against Rutgers but he came off his WR when Nova scrambled in the 1st quarter. The WR caught the pass and then weaves thru the D for the 70 yard pass. Bo was pretty upset when that happened.

[ColoradoHusk]

 

 

O'Hanlon was playing pretty solid by the end of his Husker career. Do you think Gerry is at his ability yet?

#WhiteGuyComparison

Gerry reminds me of a combination of Clint Finley and Bret Clark.

[ZRod]

O'Hanlon was playing pretty solid by the end of his Husker career. Do you think Gerry is at his ability yet?

Damn I forgot about Matt. Personally I think Nate is probably there, statistically he's behind (O'Hanlon's senior year) but when you think that he's only a sophomore... He just seems to be in the right place at the right time. I'm sure someone can refresh me, but I can't remember him getting beat this year, I'm almost sure it happened a couple times though.

 

Colorado called it.

[ColoradoHusk]

I don't really like the Gerry - O'Hanlon comparison. Gerry is a much better athlete, and was a scholarship recruit out of high school. Matt was a solid player, but was a walk-on who thrived more on his knowledge of the defense.

 

Gerry's upside and potential is much higher than O'Hanlon.

[Landlord]

I don't really like the Gerry - O'Hanlon comparison. Gerry is a much better athlete, and was a scholarship recruit out of high school. Matt was a solid player, but was a walk-on who thrived more on his knowledge of the defense.

 

Gerry's upside and potential is much higher than O'Hanlon.

 

 

But his ability isn't as high as O'Hanlon's was. yet.

 

 

Gerry right now is at about O'Hanlon's level his first few games of 2009. But by the midway point of that year Matt O'Hanlon was a ballhawk and an open-field tackling machine, the best we've had at either skill in a long time. The good news is that Nate has a lot of time left to continue improving.

[ZRod]

I don't really like the Gerry - O'Hanlon comparison. Gerry is a much better athlete, and was a scholarship recruit out of high school. Matt was a solid player, but was a walk-on who thrived more on his knowledge of the defense.

 

Gerry's upside and potential is much higher than O'Hanlon.

Very true, but Matt is probably the best comparison. The other safeties we've had either didn't seem to be as good, or weren't fundamentally as sound.

[Kernal]

Kurtis Drummond at MSU is probably the highest profile safety this year. Not sure how they stack up statistically, but that might not even matter. Everyone knows who Drummond is, few outside NU know Gerry. But I can't think of another high-profile safety off the top of my head. Maybe Ohio State or Penn State have one. It's hard to imagine a safety playing much better than Gerry. I think he certainly deserves all-conference consideration.

 

Gerry's my favorite player to watch on defense, right up there with watching Gregory and the line. He reminds me of Lavonte David in that he is constantly sniffing out the ball. Hardly a play goes by that he's not near the tackle or in on the tackle. Not to say that he's perfect or anything, but I am very excited to see him continue to get better.