Nebraska Football: Redshirt Freshman Should Make a Huge Impact in 2020
The Nebraska Football redshirt freshman should have a big role next season.
Here’s some good news for those that need it: Nebraska Football has a ton of talent coming onto the field next year. And this talent isn’t just coming from the 2020 class; in fact it’s the 2019 class that fans and opposing teams should be watching.
Nebraska Football already has 76% of their offense production returning from last year, which ranks 17th best in the nation. The offense will also be bolstered by the presence of new offensive coordinator, Matt Lubick.
On defense, the Huskers return 56% of their defensive production (ranked 83rd) despite losing their entire D-line and corner Lamar Jackson. The defense performed well but inconsistent this past season having moments of glory, like bailing out the offense in the South Alabama opener, but also falters like the painful performance against Indiana where they could not manufacture a stop.
But to compliment the production returning, Nebraska has a strong collection of redshirt players coming up who will make a tremendous difference next year. The Huskers redshirted 24 players last year, 21 of them who will be redshirt freshman for this upcoming year. Six of those 24 were former four stars according to 247Sports.
Comparative to the season prior, Nebraska had 14 players scholarship players redshirt. Half of those players left or where dismissed, largely due to that being Scott Frost’s transition class. Of those fourteen, only two were four stars: center Cam Jurgens and defensive end Tate Wildeman.
The Huskers will start seeing key performers such as Noa Pola-Gates, Bryce Benhart, Keem Green, and countless others who will impact that game in many ways. And with so many players coming off their redshirt season, there is great diversity of positions filled by these redshirt freshman. All positions (excluding special teams) but defensive tackle and tight end will have at least one redshirt freshman who should contribute.
Nebraska Football is very much a young team as underclassman make up 61% of all scholarship players so these players will definitely be seeing considerable playing time. This group should put other Big Ten teams on watch as through four years of development this group can wreak havoc.
But Nebraska fans and coaches alike are looking for production now, and they will elated to hear that these players should provide that as well. Nebraska has already seen youngsters like Wan’Dale Robinson, Luke McCaffrey, and Garrett Nelson make significant impacts and if Frost and company can keep recruiting at the rate they are, the Huskers will continue to see elite impact players through all of their classes.
Nebraska Football has some exciting talent already enrolled but even Scott Frost will mention that the team is not their yet talent-wise. Right now the focus is player development and on-field execution, which will help the program in all facets. But the talent that is in Lincoln right now should excite many and entertain the Husker hopeful for years to come.