2018 Husker Camp Countdown

#22 - Ben Stille

6-5, 255 • sophomore • defensive lineman

Nebraska’s sack leader from 2017 is headed back to the defensive line. After moving to outside linebacker, Stille racked up 24 tackles and 3.5 sacks in Bob Diaco’s 3-4 defense. The BTN all-freshman player is now back to where he says he’s more comfortable, on the line. Frost praised Stille as being a culture builder. The Ashland native doesn’t say much, but he is the type of player Frost wants to build the Nebraska culture on. And Stille seems more than up to that challenge.
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#21 - Tyjon Lindsey

5-9, 160 • Sophomore • Wide receiver

Lindsey’s life got a lot better when Scott Frost was hired. He grew up admiring the Oregon offense that Frost used to coordinate, and now he gets to play in it at Nebraska. The sophomore had 12 catches for 76 yards a year ago, but the new scheme should free up the 5-foot-9 speedster. Lindsey will get plenty of touches, either from the slot or in the backfield. Look for his productivity to skyrocket in 2018.
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Moiraine said:
Kind of weird writing there. Almost as soon as Frost was hired he ended up in the hospital :P

I think they will definitely use him a lot better than the previous staff though.
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Unfortunate how that played out, but he looked good this spring. He looks stronger and still fast. 

 
#20 - Luke Gifford

6-3, 235 • Senior • Outside linebacker

The starting spot appears to be Gifford’s if the Lincoln Southeast product can stay healthy. A hip injury derailed much of his 2015 and 2017 seasons, with the recovery costing him all of this spring under a new coaching staff. But the first commit of Nebraska’s 2014 class has made a difference when on the field, thriving after moving from safety to linebacker. In his fifth season as a Husker — he made 39 tackles in seven games last year — Gifford is a leader. If he can grasp defensive coordinator Erik Chinander’s aggressive scheme, he’ll be a reliable asset.
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I seriously question any notion that Gifford is an automatic starter. I really like his effort and enthusiasm, but his production was largely a product of someone having to make a tackle on a bad defense rather than being a player so good you can't get him off the field. I thought he looked confused last year, and lacks the athleticism to make up for mistakes. 

It it wasn't hard to be the "best" OLB last year. Much more competition this year. Dixon, imo, is a guy that never leaves the field, so that's playing into my thoughts here quite a bit.

 
brophog said:
I seriously question any notion that Gifford is an automatic starter. I really like his effort and enthusiasm, but his production was largely a product of someone having to make a tackle on a bad defense rather than being a player so good you can't get him off the field. I thought he looked confused last year, and lacks the athleticism to make up for mistakes. 

It it wasn't hard to be the "best" OLB last year. Much more competition this year. Dixon, imo, is a guy that never leaves the field, so that's playing into my thoughts here quite a bit.
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I'm a Gifford fan, so I tend to disagree with your first paragraph. But I do agree Dixon is a stud. I see Gifford starting the year out but Dixon getting more PT as the year goes on and eventually overtaking Gifford, whether that be due to injuries or on-field performance. 

 
#19 - Jack Stoll

6-4, 245 • Sophomore • Tight end

Stoll received the ultimate endorsement this spring, when Scott Frost listed the Colorado native first among Huskers he saw working hard in practice. Tight end is among Nebraska’s deeper positions — four scholarship tight ends are on the roster — but Stoll is the only one with a college catch after making eight for 89 yards and two touchdowns as a redshirt freshman. Coaches frequently mentioned Stoll as a leader in the spring. The next step is transforming from an in-line tight end who blocks like an offensive lineman into more of a receiver.
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bugeater17 said:
I'm a Gifford fan, so I tend to disagree with your first paragraph. But I do agree Dixon is a stud. I see Gifford starting the year out but Dixon getting more PT as the year goes on and eventually overtaking Gifford, whether that be due to injuries or on-field performance. 
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The tape is not a fan of Gifford. He's mostly inconsequential on it, and when he is in on a tackle, it's late. He constantly looks like he doesn't know where to be or how to attack a given play and is therefore slow. 

The OLB in this defense are the playmakers and to be the playmaker you gotta get to the ball early. In terms of disrupting, Gifford is basically nil.

 
#18 - Brenden Jaimes

6-5, 280 • Sophomore • Offensive line

From starting as a likely redshirt to becoming a critical piece on the offensive line, Jaimes’ first year didn’t go as predicted. The Texan started the final nine games at right tackle — becoming the fifth true freshman in program history to start on the offensive line — and performed ably in a challenging situation set up by injuries. Jaimes moved to left tackle in the spring and looks to lock down the spot vacated when Nick Gates declared early for the NFL draft. Jaimes added 10 pounds during winter conditioning and is returning to the position he played in high school. With a dearth of proven tackles, the Huskers need the move to work out.
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#17 - Will Honas

6-2, 225 • Junior • Inside linebacker

One of Nebraska’s biggest recruiting scores under Scott Frost has been Honas, a junior college transfer who prefers to let his play do the talking. After logging 97 tackles in 11 games for Butler Community College in Kansas last year and turning down offers from Wisconsin and Iowa, the hand-picked prospect of linebackers coach Barrett Ruud physically appears ready to make an immediate impact. Ruud listed Honas along with senior Dedrick Young, junior Mo Barry and sophomore Avery Roberts as the four inside linebackers emerging from the group during spring practices. The top-ranked juco player in the nation at his position by two recruiting services didn’t come to Lincoln to ride the bench.
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#16 - Mohamed Barry

6-1, 230 • Junior • Inside linebacker

With an offense that plans to push the pace, Nebraska needs plenty of reliable inside linebackers to soak up extra snaps. Barry fits the bill, having played all 25 games during the past two seasons. An emerging vocal leader, the Georgia native made 38 tackles last year and said he thinks defensive coordinator Erik Chinander’s aggressive scheme will allow him to thrive. With a couple starts under his belt against Purdue and Minnesota, things could take off quickly for the playmaker. Nebraska hopes so, considering it lists four scholarship inside linebackers on its roster.
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#15 - Breon Dixon

5-11, 206 • Sophomore • Outside linebacker

When the NCAA granted Dixon an immediate eligibility waiver in May, Nebraska gained depth at an uncertain position and potentially a difference-making defender. The Georgia native took reps at outside linebacker in the spring but also has the ability to play safety or even corner in a nickel or dime package. The Mississippi transfer recorded five tackles across six games last year and joins the Huskers at an ideal time, with much of his competition having been recruited as down linemen in a 4-3 defense and everyone learning the new system during the spring.
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Chinander has a tendency to leave his linebackers in even in obvious passing situations, so it's of great benefit to have someone like Dixon that can cover. I still think the biggest question mark to the entire defense is who opposite him can pass rush. How the linebacker spots shape up and how the rotation will work is one of the more interesting questions entering fall camp.

 
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