Nebraska football’s ‘Old Head’ Haarberg leading instead of leaving

The second Nebraska football offseason under Matt Rhule has officially begun with quite a bit of change for the second straight winter. That change has mainly occurred at the quarterback position with Chubba Purdy and Jeff Sims leaving. Daniel Kaelin and Dylan Raiola have arrived in their place.

Despite that upheaval, there is one consistent. Heinrich Haarberg is still in Lincoln. Two straight winters have come where no one would have blamed the Kearney-born quarterback if he left the Huskers. He’s sticking around. At least for now, it appears he’s here for good.

"I'm glad both of them are coming in,” Haarberg said when asked about the new look of the quarterback room. "Now it's three scholarship quarterbacks. Two of them are freshmen. I'm the old head, which is funny. Shoot, I can't even go on O Street. I'm not 21 yet."

He also mentioned that he knows exactly how many changes there have been in the quarterback room since Rhule arrived in Lincoln.

“It’s crazy, just the cycle that we’ve been through of quarterbacks last year and in January.”

Part of that cycle has seen Nebraska football fans wondering if Haarberg might change positions. Then, he eventually took over the starting quarterback job when Jeff Sims was hurt. He eventually lost that job when he got banged up, and Chubba Purdy took over.

Nebraska football has its leader

You wouldn’t blame Haarberg for leaving, considering the writing has been on the wall since the season ended. The Husker coaches made no secret about looking for a transfer quarterback like Will Howard or Kyle McCord. 

When that transfer quarterback didn’t materialize, Raiola was anointed as next year’s starter. And still, Haarberg is keeping his head up. He’s saying all the right things. He’s leading rather than leaving. 

Nebraska football will be better off with Heinrich Haarberg around. No matter what his role might be in 2024.