As Nebraska works through fall camp, the most uneasy questions are centered right where the defense can least afford them: the interior of the defensive line. The new staff of Roy Manning, Corey Brown and Rob Aurich is still sorting out what it really has there, and the early read is a mixed bag.
The concern is easy to see. In open practices, Nebraska’s defensive tackles have had trouble getting off blocks and into the backfield.
That would be one thing if the offensive line were simply overwhelming them every snap, but the bigger issue is that this kind of lack of push showed up last season too. With so many of the tackles carrying less-than-ideal size, it has left an uneasy feeling around the unit.
Riley Van Poppel and others have pointed to Aurich’s 4-2-5 defense as something that could help unlock the group. Maybe that happens.
Maybe it doesn’t. Right now, the question is whether the scheme really changes the picture or whether Nebraska is still dealing with the same old issues of thin recruiting and uneven development.
Rivals analyst Steve Sipple put it plainly during a Thursday appearance on 93.7 The Ticket. "It's not a great looking group in the interior, but the edges look representative, and I think they'll be pretty good, the edge guys... There's some of the (interior) guys that are just small," Sipple said.
Still, there is at least one reason Nebraska can feel better about the position. Jahsear Whittington has shown enough in camp to suggest he could be the player who steadies everything inside.
Whittington has looked like exactly the kind of transfer the Huskers hoped they were getting. Aurich singled him out when asked which players had stood out, and the defensive coordinator didn’t hold back.
"Jahsear's a dog. Jahsear has a pro attitude in the way he approaches the game," Aurich responded.
"He's got elite twitch, obviously. But I think what separates him is the way he approaches his work."
That “elite twitch” label has come up more than once with the former Pitt defender, which is notable because his production at Pitt was modest. In two seasons with the Panthers, he played in 14 games with one start and posted 13 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack and one fumble recovery.
Some of that limited usage came down to injuries, and some of it came from the fact that Pitt had one of its better defensive units up front. Now, Whittington appears healthy and comfortable in Aurich’s system, and that matters a lot for a Nebraska group that could use a difference-maker inside.
At 6-foot and 270 pounds, he is also part of why some observers see this Nebraska defensive front as undersized in the middle. But if his athleticism translates the way the coaches believe it can, the early worries about the interior might not last very long.
In Other News...
Nebraskas Early Maryland Test Just Got A Lot More Manageable
Marylands defense took a significant hit this week with sophomore edge rusher Zahir Mathis sidelined by a lower-leg injury, a setback that should keep him out for the entire 2026 season. For Nebraska, it changes the look of an early Big Ten matchup that already had plenty of intrigue, because Mathis was one of the Terps most disruptive defenders after a freshman season that included 6.0 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss.
His absence does not erase Marylands edge presence, but it does remove one of the few proven game-wreckers from a unit Nebraska will be trying to sort through early. In a conference opener where every detail matters, the Cornhuskers now have a clearer path to attacking a defense that has lost a major piece before the teams even meet. [Read more 🡒]
Anthony Colandrea Is Fueling A Nebraska Debate Dylan Raiola Never Escaped
Anthony Colandrea has already stirred up a familiar kind of Nebraska conversation, the sort that follows every new quarterback arrival in Lincoln. On3 analyst Jake Crain pushed it hard, arguing that Colandrea would be the better choice over Dylan Raiola even if the former were operating with a handicap and the latter were fully healthy. It is the kind of take that lands because it taps into an existing debate about what Nebraska wants at quarterback: steadiness, or more confidence and aggression.
Colandrea brings a track record that gives that argument some real fuel, including a Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year season and a reputation for playing with conviction. Raiola, meanwhile, has been viewed by some as more cautious, with questions lingering about certain throws and how expansive his game can be. None of that settles the depth-chart conversation, of course, but it shows why the comparisons are sticking and why Nebraska fans are already treating this as more than a routine offseason discussion. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Fall Camp Is Already Creating Tough Week 1 Lineup Calls
Fall camp is already forcing Nebraska to sort through a few tricky decisions as the Cornhuskers get ready for their season opener against Ohio. The roster has plenty of familiar faces mixed with new additions, and the early projections at wide receiver, tight end, both lines and across the defense suggest there is at least some clarity taking shape as the staff tries to settle in on an opening-week group.
The most intriguing calls are still happening behind the scenes, though, with the quarterback room drawing attention and the backfield shaping up as one of the more crowded spots on the field. Nebraska has multiple players in the mix at running back, and the way those reps shake out over the rest of camp could have a real impact on how the offense looks when the season finally starts. [Read more 🡒]