Dwayne McDougle III arrived in Lincoln with something Nebraska’s new defense can use right away: he already knows the system.
That’s why the senior safety lands at No. 11 on the Most Indispensable Huskers countdown. McDougle played for defensive coordinator Rob Aurich at both Idaho and San Diego State, so while plenty around him are still catching up, he’s walking in with a head start.
“I've been in this defense before so I know more than everybody else,” McDougle said. “So I feel like I need to be a vocal leader so everybody can take a step at the same time even though I still got to get better.”
His background gives Nebraska a player who has seen a lot of football already. McDougle has appeared in 40 college games with 22 starts, piling up 143 tackles, 3 1/2 tackles for loss, 12 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and six interceptions.
The production ticked up last season at San Diego State, where he was part of an Aztecs defense that ranked sixth nationally in pass defense and seventh in scoring defense. McDougle finished that year with 55 tackles and four interceptions, the kind of line that fits a player who looked increasingly comfortable in Aurich’s scheme.
Aurich sees the value in that familiarity, along with the presence of linebacker Owen Chambliss. He said this spring that leadership is still developing on the defense, but players who already understand the system can help pull everyone along.
“I think it's more of osmosis,” Aurich said. “Just learning from those guys who have been through the Level 200 and 300 of the system. I think anytime you can bring in players that have operated at that level, a lot of times kids learn a lot just from watching them play.”
Of course, the jump to the Big Ten is real. McDougle has been at Northern Arizona, Idaho and San Diego State, but Nebraska’s new league brings a different kind of test.
Bigger offensive linemen. More speed.
Less room for error.
He felt that immediately when spring practice opened.
“Because first practice they run outside zone and they was moving,” McDougle said this spring. “So I'm like, 'OK, OK, I got to get ready now.' But after that I was good.”
He’s also building chemistry with the safety beside him, and Jamir Conn was that partner as spring wound down. McDougle said Conn has already been helping him sharpen the finer points of his game.
“Jamir Conn, he's teaching me little things I need to be better at with my technique-wise,” McDougle said.
McDougle brings experience, but he’s not pretending the learning is over. He knows he still has room to grow, even after being part of a defense that made life miserable for opponents last season.
And after the spring game, he made his expectations clear.
“I think this group is pretty good. Not pretty good, I think we're going to be great this year,” McDougle said following the spring game.
“We may be the best defense in the Big Ten, that's my opinion. Just coming from this defense before.
We've got bigger bodies up front. I think we can compete with anybody.
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