As the Nebraska football team continues to search for the right combination of defensive backs for its secondary, one former starting corner is making noise at his new school.
Malcolm Hartzog had a rollercoaster season in 2025, clinching Nebraska’s season-opening win against Cincinnati with a late-game interception and then missing most of the rest of the season. Hartzog played just 24 snaps against Akron, then sat out the rest of the season before entering the Transfer Portal and moving to Arizona and the Big 12.
The decision to leave Nebraska appears to have paid off for Hartzog, as he’s quickly blossomed into a leader with the Wildcats. Most analysts also view him as one of the best players on a defense replacing many starters.
According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Hartzog has emerged as a leader in the secondary, and one source told him the former Husker has impressed everyone: “he’s going to be a stud.”
Arizona expects former Nebraska football corner Malcolm Hartzog to anchor its secondary
Hartzog switched from primarily playing corner with Nebraska to safety with Arizona and leads a position group that includes senior Gavin Hunter, sophomore Kason Brown and sophomore Coleman Patmon. The Wildcats lose veteran starters Dalton Johnson and Genesis Smith to graduation, along with Jack Luttrell, who entered the transfer portal.
Before joining Arizona, Hartzog spent his entire career with Nebraska and finished with 108 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 21 pass deflections and 8 interceptions.
The change in his starting spot in 2026 likely won’t hurt Hartzog much, as he’s proved versatile. He played multiple positions in Nebraska's secondary, including 909 snaps at cornerback, 474 at slot cornerback, 237 at strong safety and 67 at free safety.
Hartzog’s best season with Nebraska came in 2024, when he recorded 45 tackles, 4 passes defended and 4 interceptions. He also returned those picks for 75 yards, an average of nearly 20 yards per INT.
Hartzog will open the season with his new team on September 5 against Northern Arizona. He’ll then be tested the following week when Arizona faces No. 14 BYU in both teams’ Big 12 opener.
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