Nebraska’s first official depth chart of the 2026 season brought a few eyebrow-raisers ahead of Saturday’s game against Ohio, and the most notable shakeup showed up on the defensive line.
The offense mostly lined up the way people expected. Gunnar Gottula was named the starting right tackle with an OR next to his name, while Tree Babalade is also listed as a starter.
Babalade has been dealing with injuries, so Gottula appears likely to get the nod on Saturday. It will be his 17th career start for Nebraska at right or left tackle.
At running back, Nebraska listed all three backs at No. 1. Isaiah Mozee was first on the chart, and he looks like the most likely starter, but the depth chart makes it clear all three will have a role.
The defensive front is where things got interesting. Riley Van Poppel did not land a starting spot, as Jashear Whittington and Owen Stoudmire moved ahead of him.
Van Poppel is still expected to play, but that was a notable development. Williams Nwaneri is also listed as a backup behind Cameron Lenhardt and Anthony Jones.
That means three of Nebraska’s four defensive line starters are transfers.
Elsewhere on the defensive chart, Victor Evans and Jeremiah Charles were both listed as the No. 1 cornerback. Among the backups, Nebraska listed Tyson Terry at defensive tackle, Danny Odem at cornerback, Jeremiah Jones at defensive end, and 6-foot-4 Braylen Prude at cornerback.
Recruiting-wise, Nebraska is set to host a 2028 quarterback who appears to be climbing the board. Three-star Owen Herrick, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound passer from Pittsburgh, has been offered by Nebraska since May and is ranked No. 419 overall in the 247 Sports composite rankings for the class of 2028. According to Bobby Schneider of Husker Online, Herrick will visit for the Bowling Green game on September 12.
Herrick has already made rounds this summer, including visits to Ole Miss, Penn State, Illinois, Ohio State, and Nebraska. He also has another Ole Miss visit scheduled for November. At the moment, it looks like Nebraska and Ole Miss may be the top two schools in the mix, and the upcoming gameday visit gives the Huskers a chance to make a move.
On the NFL side, Nebraska has 10 former players on rosters if Wandale Robinson and Nate Boerkircher are included. Another nine former Huskers have landed on practice squads: Eric Gregory with the Patriots, DeShon Singleton with the Chiefs, Trey Palmer with the Saints, Henry Lutovsky and Ben Scott with the Bucs, Isaiah Neyor with the Packers, Dane Key with the Broncos, and Ben Stille with the Lions.
In Other News...
Matt Rhule Just Set The Standard For Nebraska Year 4
Matt Rhule is heading into his fourth season at Nebraska with the kind of perspective that usually comes only after a full rebuild has been lived through, not simply talked about. The comparison to Fred Hoibergs fourth year on the basketball side is hard to miss, especially with both coaches taking over programs that needed major repair and then being asked to steady them in front of a restless fan base.
Troy Dannen has already made clear how difficult the football job looked when Rhule arrived, describing the program as fairly well broken, and Rhule has acknowledged the weight that comes with that reality. He has also pointed to Hoibergs perseverance as something he respects and can draw from, while making it clear the next step for his team is to finish better in late-season games and turn the rebuild into something that lasts. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Season Opener Puts Immediate Pressure On A New-Look Backfield
Nebraskas backfield will be one of the first real tests of the 2026 season, and the opener against Ohio arrives with both programs trying to reload on the ground. The Huskers have to move on from All-American Emmett Johnson, while Ohio is also reshaping its rushing attack after losing Sieh Bangura and the ground production Parker Navarro brought at quarterback. It is the kind of early matchup that can say plenty about how quickly a team has plugged a major roster hole.
For Nebraska, the intrigue is in who actually carries the load. Mekhi Nelson, Isaiah Mozee and true freshman Jamal Rule are the leading options, but none has entered college as a featured running back, which makes the first few weeks especially important. Ohio has more continuity with Duncan Brune back after meaningful playing time last season and UConn transfer Victor Rosa in the mix, so the Huskers new-look group may have to grow up fast if they want to keep pace in a game that could hinge on which backfield settles first. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Lindenmeyer Is Pushing For A Bigger Final Husker Role
Luke Lindenmeyer is heading into his final season at Nebraska with a clear sense of purpose, and it starts with the little things. The senior tight end has been working on his stiff-arm technique while also building chemistry with quarterback Anthony Colandrea, part of a larger push to make himself more useful in a Huskers offense that wants to become more explosive. Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen has challenged the tight ends to raise their level, and Lindenmeyer has taken that as a cue to sharpen his game rather than settle into a familiar role.
For Nebraska, the interest goes beyond one player adding polish to his skill set. Lindenmeyer is trying to do more than just fill snaps in his last run through the program, aiming instead to bring leadership and a steadier presence to a group that needs it. If that work translates, the Huskers could get more from the tight end position at a time when every bit of offensive growth matters, and Lindenmeyer's final season might end up carrying a larger imprint than expected. [Read more 🡒]