Gifford starred at safety in high school and joined the Huskers at the same spot before moving to linebacker during his redshirt freshman season in 2015. Lately, spring workouts have felt like something of a throwback for the junior with more responsibilities that include dropping back with the likes of slot receivers, running backs or tight ends.
“What I do out there has always been my strength, which is covering,” Gifford said. “In the last scheme. ... I was in the box just as much as I was out. Now I’d say I spend most of my time out of the box, which I think fits my skill set pretty well. Obviously you’ve got to be able to play in the box and use your hands and be physical and all that stuff, but this defense I think fits me pretty well.”