Nebraska’s defense may have found the exact kind of safety Rob Aurich wants.
On Tuesday morning, the Huskers’ defensive coordinator laid out the standard in blunt terms: if you want to thrive at this level, you have to “go to a dark place." Not long after saying that, Aurich pointed to Rex Guthrie as a player who seems built for that mentality.
Guthrie hasn’t been the loudest name in camp, but he has clearly made a strong impression. Nebraska’s first depth chart of the season listed him as a co-No. 1 safety alongside Dwayne McDougle III, the San Diego State transfer who previously started for Aurich when Aurich was the Aztecs’ defensive coordinator. Even with that built-in edge, McDougle didn’t simply take the job away from Guthrie.
Aurich said Guthrie has handled his return from injury better than expected.
“Rex is playing above my expectations for coming back from that injury,” Aurich said. “No signs of lingering pain or whatever with the shoulder have shown up.
He missed spring, so it kind of took him, I would say, a couple practices to get into the rhythm of that new position with the new terminology. But he’s a smart kid, he’s a competitor.
We’re really pleased with him.”
That progress matters because Guthrie’s path has already been a notable one. He arrived at Nebraska as one of Colorado’s top prospects, redshirted his first year, then broke through last season as a redshirt freshman. He played in all 13 games and started 8.
The shoulder issue that kept him out of spring practice was something he dealt with during the regular season before having surgery in the offseason. Even so, he stayed on the field and put together a productive year: 63 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and one pass breakup.
Those numbers put him in rare company. Guthrie became only the third Husker freshman to record 60 tackles in a season since freshmen regained eligibility in 1972, and his 63 tackles were the second-most by a Husker freshman since then. He also helped anchor a secondary that ranked third nationally in pass defense.
Now he enters the season opener with a major role waiting for him, and with Aurich publicly praising the way he’s responded. For Nebraska, Guthrie looks like a player who can live in that “dark place” and make it home.
In Other News...
Nebraskas First 2026 Depth Chart Raised A Few Eyebrows Fast
Nebraskas first official depth chart for the 2026 season arrived before the matchup with Ohio, and it did more than just sort out the pecking order for the opener. It also gave a clearer look at where the staff thinks things stand on both sides of the ball, with the chart drawing attention for a few notable changes as the Huskers begin the new year.
The timing matters even more with the program still working the recruiting trail and the pro pipeline at the same time. Nebraska is set to host 2028 quarterback target Owen Herrick, a prospect the staff views as a top name on its board, while seven former Huskers have already landed on NFL practice squads around the league, a reminder that the roster churn never really stops in Lincoln. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas NFL Talent Gap Just Got Harder For Huskers Fans To Ignore
As NFL teams trimmed their rosters to 53 players this week, the Nebraska pipeline to Sundays looked thinner than it has in years. Only eight former Huskers who finished their college careers in Lincoln are on active NFL rosters, the fewest in five years, a number that lands at a time when the program is already trying to show it can keep pace with the Big Tens elite talent factories.
The broader picture is even harder for Nebraska fans to miss. The Huskers have had only five players drafted over the past four years, and the program has not produced a first- or second-round pick since 2011, a stretch that stands out next to the draft output of Ohio State and Michigan. Nineteen former Huskers were among the players cut during roster reduction, though a few could still latch on with practice squads, leaving another reminder that Nebraskas next NFL success story is still waiting to fully emerge. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Just Added More Buzz To A Home Atmosphere Fans Treasure
Nebraskas home crowd routine has become part of the programs identity, and the latest sign of that came with Tuesdays announcement that the 2026 season-opener against Ohio is already sold out. The sellout stretches the Huskers streak to 411 consecutive games, a run that keeps Memorial Stadiums reputation intact as one of the sports most reliable draws, even with the game still well down the road.
Athletic director Troy Dannen and coach Matt Rhule have both pointed to ticket sales and the atmosphere around home dates as part of what makes Nebraska such a difficult place for visitors. The calendar also has a little extra flavor coming, with a themed game against Bowling Green built around America 250 and a drone show, plus a concert by Cole Swindell adding to the event feel that has become part of the Husker experience. [Read more 🡒]