Nebraska Football: Ben Stille in position to succeed in 2020
Stille will be a key anchor on the Nebraska Football defensive line.
I know it’s way too early to be thinking about next season, but here is some food for thought. Nebraska Football will be missing a ton of veteran talent on the defensive line in 2020. As a result, some other players may have to step up. One of those players could be defensive lineman Ben Stille.
As a junior in the 2019 season, Stille recorded 13 tackles and three sacks. His best game came against Northwestern on October 5. In that contest, he recorded five total tackles and half a sack. He was an instrumental figure on the defensive side of the ball in what was a thrilling 13-10 win. This year, he is going to have to have more games like the one against the Wildcats.
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When you think about it, the defensive line will be missing key pieces next year. The Davis twins will no longer be in Lincoln, and that will certainly be a hit to the defensive side of the football. They provided a steady presence week in and week out. Stille could help fill the void left by their departures.
One key statistic that makes me believe this is that he recorded 6.5 tackles for a loss. Returners for the 2020 season recorded 8.5 tackles for a loss last season. There is no doubt that when Stille gets opportunities, he makes the most of them. It seemed like he was in the middle of almost every play in that Northwestern game.
It will be interesting to see what he does in 2020. Because the defensive line was so veteran-heavy last season, he kind of got lost in the shuffle a bit. This year, he will be front and center as he will be a veteran himself. Last year, the youth on the defensive end had potential, but there wasn’t a ton of raw talent. Next year, the raw talent will certainly come into play, and there will be players that will make an impact on the position right away. Stille will have to be the calming veteran presence.
Next. Top moments from 2019 season. dark
It will certainly be a role reversal of sorts, but I’m confident Stille can handle it. He has had plenty of experience on the defensive line and the 2020 season will marked his second campaign under defensive line coach Tony Tuioti. The combination of those two things should allow him to be successful. I expect him to have a big year. Even if it may not show up on the stat sheet, it could be very evident on the field.