Spring Position Battles - Offensive Line

Mavric

Mavric

Yoda
Staff member
Riley perked up when it was suggested three sophomores — tackle Nick Gates (obviously) and guards Jerald Foster and Tanner Farmer — could be critical this season.


"Oh, boy, that's exactly right," Riley said. "They've been past the redshirt year. They've been past the initiation into the team. They've got to make their move. It's that age when it's going to be really important for this team for them to make their move."

Gates, of course, already has made a big move, starting 10 games last season. He's the only sure-fire starter along the line, most likely at left tackle, although senior guard Dylan Utter started all 13 games last season and is a rugged competitor.

Farmer was a four-star prospect in high school, Foster a three-star lineman from Lincoln.

This also could be a big spring for tackle David Knevel. Riley describes the 6-foot-9, 310-pound junior as "a great-looking guy who has ability, but hasn't played. If he could win the starting job, he's got to really grow up."

Corey Whitaker, a lightly used senior tackle, "came on last season," Riley said. "I think he has a shot to make a move. He could be one of those guys vying for that tackle spot. I mentioned Knevel just because he has lots of ability, but he's kind of a good way to summarize that whole offensive line in general, in that we have to grow up a lot in the next few months to be ready to play, and to be good."
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LJS

 
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Three starters depart, and the two who remain — Nick Gates and Dylan Utter — may move to different positions this spring. NU has seasoning at all of the offensive skill positions, but the offensive line is a major question mark that Mike Cavanaugh has to start to answer over 15 practices. Gates could move from right tackle to left tackle, while Utter, a guard last season, may get a look at center. Watch Paul Thurston and Michael Decker at center, too, and potentially Decker at guard, as well. Also at guard: Jerald Foster, Tanner Farmer and perhaps Jalin Barnett, who could be great on one play and average on the next. Behind Gates, there are few proven tackles, but 6-foot-9 junior David Knevel will get the first crack, with redshirt freshman Christian Gaylord and perhaps fifth-year senior Corey Whitaker potentially emerging. The competition should be fierce, and it needs to be.
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OWH

 
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FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH


David Knevel: He’s spent three seasons preparing for this chance. All of the weight-room workouts, the on-field drill work, the individual film work. Knevel is finally a favorite to earn a starting job, no longer viewed as a developmental project who could grow while veterans handled the on-field duties. This time, it’s the 6-foot-9, 315-pound junior-to-be from Canada who will enter spring as the example-setting first-teamer. The expectations suddenly rise. Is Knevel ready for the increased role? He’s barely played, always labeled as a guy still trying to put it all together. The Huskers certainly need him to figure it out. They don’t have many options at offensive tackle.
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OWH

 
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247: Five Offensive Players to Watch

David Knevel

Nebraska is going to have a big battle for the tackle spot opposite of Nick Gates. The lineman posted on social media recently about potentially playing on the left side, so at least for now, it seems the battle will be on the right. Nebraska has invested three years in Knevel and the big Canadian arrived raw but willing to learn and get better.

Mike Cavanaugh didn’t mince words when talking about Knevel in December. It’s time for the lineman to go out and win the job. He’s got terrific size and good athleticism, but can he play powerful enough in the run game? Is he quick enough for edge rushers?
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Tanner Farmer

A lot of eyes will be on Farmer and the first round of practices will feature a ton of commentary on how he’s lost weight and reshaped his body. That’s fair. He’s down to near 290 and has been excelling at every test he’s been given by the strength and conditioning staff. Farmer has spent the offseason wrestling to put himself in the best possible shape for a battle at one of the guard spots.

Farmer said he needed to get better in flexibility by the time the spring practices rolled around. The loss in weight hasn’t affected his power and he feels like his lateral quickness has improved as well. If the winter of wrestling practices helped unleash the potential of the player who dominated at the 2014 Under Armour All-American Bowl practices, then Nebraska is better off for it.
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Given the style of play of the conference, IMO this is the position battle that will have a large effect on the Huskers final record. Games are won and lost by the front five.

 
Hedley Lamarr said:
My far too early prediction

LT Gates

LG Foster

C Decker

RG Farmer

RT Knevel
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Can't argue too much with that. We Know Gates should be solid. I'm very excited about the three interior players. I hope Knevel can step up and be the player I thought he would be when we got him.

 
Jalin Barnett


One of the most notable additions to the 2015 class when Mike Riley took over, Barnett has spent the last year working at guard with this spring circled as the opportunity to take a position. Listed at 6-foot-4, 310 pounds, Barnett might be one the biggest guards pound-for-pound since Andrew Rodridguez. The Lawton, Okla., lineman has heavy hands and could give the Huskers a powerful push up the middle.

Barnett will be competing for what could be two open guard spots if the Huskers move Dylan Utter to center. His primary competition would be Tanner Farmer and Jerald Foster, two previously heralded recruits. Where Barnett might have a leg up is his pass protection from his time at tackle for Lawton. Additionally, Barnett was brought in by offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh, so he’s going to get every opportunity to win playing time.
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Michael Decker


Another interior lineman, Decker could make a big push at center. He was talked about quite about by Cavanaugh. The Huskers have a bunch of options at center, but long-term none have the potential of Decker. He was part of championship teams at Omaha North and he's a locker room leader.

Decker has to continue to attack the weight room and the nutrition table to get bigger and stronger, but there's a lot to like early about where things are headed for the lineman.
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Christian Gaylord


While the guard spots are up for grabs most of the attention will be on the right tackle battle between Gaylord and junior David Knevel. While Knevel has more collegiate experience, Gaylord has more overall football experience and he caught plenty of attention this past fall for his work on the scout team. Additionally, Gaylord’s experience as a run blocker could make him pretty effective.

The biggest problem for Gaylord will be pass protection. This pass year he spent more time than ever learning how to get in and out of his stance while backpedalling. At the high school level his offense ran the veer, so getting down the nuances of pass protection will take a little more time.
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247

 
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Positions where players will start out this spring:

LT - Gates, Hahn, Johnson

LG - Foster, Barnett

C - Utter, Thurston, Decker, Hannon

RG - Farmer, Whitaker

RT - Knevel, Gaylord, Conrad

 
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Mavric said:
Positions where players will start out this spring:

LT - Gates, Hahn, Johnson

LG - Foster, Barnett

C - Utter, Thurston, Decker, Hannon

RG - Farmer, Whitaker

RT - Knevel, Gaylord, Conrad
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Would absolutely love it if someone takes the starting role and runs away with it like Gates.There's going to be quite the chippy battles in spring/fall camp due to J Parella's approach and the starting roles on the line.

 
I really hope that Tanner Farmer just goes balls out this year and turns into the player that we all hope he'd become. I love everything about the kid.

 
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