Nebraska football spring game: Frosh QBs, RB battles and more storylines to watch

It’s here. The Nebraska football spring game kicks off on Saturday morning, and once it's done, the Huskers spring practice session is officially over.

Amidst the events of Friday afternoon, it’s clear that the Nebraska football spring game offers a much-needed escape for many. With their ability to divert our attention from life's challenges, sports have always been a reliable refuge.

So, there will likely be plenty of Nebraska football fans who will turn their attention to the spring game just to have a good Saturday. It’s also worth pointing out that today is the last chance for Husker fans to get their football fix until late July when fall camp starts.

So what do we want to see at the spring game? What questions do we want to see move towards an answer? Some stand out on this sunny Saturday morning.

Can the Nebraska football freshmen quarterbacks stand tall?

With Daniel Kaelin and Dylan Raiola working towards their first season in college football, this is going to be the first time they’ll play in front of fans. And the fans are definitely excited to see Raiola and Kaelin running what everyone hopes is a souped-up offense.

After the Nebraska football coaches talked up how well the offenses played in their last scrimmage, it’s going to be interesting to see how they respond to a defense that wants to defend its honor. Will they be okey doke, or will they look like quarterbacks who can lead the Cornhuskers to a bunch of victories this fall?

Will defensive standouts continue stepping up?

Everyone was a little surprised by just how good Tony White’s defense was in 2023 and now they’re desperate for a repeat performance in 2024. The first step towards a carbon copy season begins with a solid showing in the Nebraska football spring game.

There are also some blackshirts who have gotten a ton of buzz this spring, such as Blye Hill and Chief Borders. It would be great to see them continue to play at a high level when Husker fans can see for themselves.

Who steps up from the running back room?

Obviously, the battle for starting running back is going to go well into the fall, but it would still be nice to see just who is beginning to really take command. Emmett Johnson is going to have a chance to shine but he’s far from the only one Nebraska football fans want to see.

Transfer running back Dante Dowdell has had a bit too quite a spring, quite frankly. While he got some praise from head coach Matt Rhule a few weeks back, it doesn’t seem like he’s charged to the forefront the way many would hope. 

Can Dowdell announce his presence with authority on the big stage of the Nebraska football spring game?

How much has Heinrich Haarberg changed his approach?

While Dylan Raiola and Daniel Kaelin will get the most attention, a third quarterback will be extremely interesting to watch. There’s been a lot of talk about how Heinrich Haarberg is working with new quarterbacks coach Glen Thomas.

There’s been talk about Haarberg adjusting his delivery and working on making better decisions. Will that show up on Saturday? The argument can be made that he’s still very much in the QB1 battle for Nebraska football