One of the veteran defenders who could help new DC Rob Aurich lift the Nebraska Blackshirts to new heights is Andrew Marshall. The defensive back could have gone to the NFL last winter but decided to return to the Huskers instead. One of the big reasons why he decided to come back to Lincoln is that he got one particular criticism that hit him at his core.
The senior corner said NFL analysts told him that he needs to show more speed.
“It was kind of unexpected,” Marshall said Thursday during Big Ten Media Days in the Hilton Chicago. “That’s given me something more to work on, playing faster. Wherever the ball is, you’re going to see me next to it.”
At the heart of why he has taken that particular criticism so seriously is because he saw himself as someone who already played the game plenty fast. “I think I’m a burner,” Marshall said. “I feel like I’m definitely going to show that. But it was constructive criticism, and I’m going to use that to better myself.”
Andrew Marshall returned to Nebraska football determined to prove his NFL speed
Marshall started all 13 games in 2025 and was an honorable-mention All-Big Ten selection. He recorded 45 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1 interception and 4 pass breakups. Marshall was a key member of a Husker secondary that ranked third nationally in pass defense.
Marshall spent two seasons at FCS Idaho before transferring to Nebraska. In his two seasons as a Vandal, he played in 26 games with 14 starts and totaled 72 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, eight pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Marshall was also an outstanding returner, returning both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown. He had nine kickoff returns for 373 yards and one touchdown at Idaho, averaging 41.4 yards per return. Marshall also returned 14 punts for 150 yards and one touchdown, averaging 10.7 yards per return.
This year, he’ll team up with Aurich, who also coached the Vandals. He’s expected once again to be one of the starting corners for Nebraska as the new defensive approach looks to echo the pass defense success while shoring up the run defense. In the process, Andrew Marshall hopes to show he’s got the goods to play in the NFL.
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