Husker LBs coach Ruud says freshman Hausmann could ‘contribute real minutes’ this fall | Football

Luke Reimer led the Huskers with 108 tackles last year, and Nick Henrich wasn’t far behind with 99. Both are back as presumptive starters for NU in 2022.

However, with Reimer nursing an injury this spring, some new faces have stepped up as possible contributors in 2022. During a Wednesday night appearance on “Sports Nightly,” linebackers coach Barrett Ruud identified Ernest Hausmann as a player who impressed him during the spring.

A former Columbus standout and first-team Super-State selection in 2021, Hausmann enrolled early at Nebraska and arrived on campus in January, which Ruud said worked to his advantage.

“He’s been what we expected and what we anticipated,” Ruud said. “The fact he got here early and got the spring ball in is going to be huge for him possibly having an opportunity to play and contribute real minutes in the fall.”

Something Ruud looks for in his young players is an understanding of why they line up in places in certain packages or fill certain spots, and that’s something Hausmann showed over time.

“He made a big jump probably from practice 10 or 11 to practice 12 or 13. All of a sudden, it just started clicking,” Ruud said.

The other player who Ruud felt benefited most from spring camp is senior Eteva Mauga-Clements. This is the senior’s third year with the program, but 2022 could bring his most prominent role yet. Mauga-Clements has played in all 20 of Nebraska’s games over the last two seasons but only recorded six tackles as a backup option.

Given the improvements he made in the spring, it’s more likely that Mauga-Clements will be a factor at linebacker as opposed to special teams.

“He’s really made a huge jump as far as understanding the intricacies and the techniques we teach,” Ruud said. “When he came to us from Diablo Valley (Community College), he basically blitzed every play so he had to learn a new way of playing linebacker.”

Henrich battled injuries early in his Husker career, meaning this is one of the first offseasons the Omaha Burke product has been fully healthy. However, with Reimer sidelined from a groin injury he suffered last season, other linebacker pairings got the chance to build up chemistry. Since Reimer and Henrich have played a full season together, Ruud said the duo can communicate non-verbally about plays, something he’s trying to get other linebackers to work on.

Sophomore Garrett Snodgrass is another potential backup option, but he was also limited by injuries during spring camp. Ruud said Snodgrass needs “to be a jack of all trades for us” with the ability to play inside or outside linebacker in addition to contributing on special teams. Snodgrass made five tackles last season, and his athletic ability at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds should allow him to fit into that versatile role with ease.

Apart from the returning contributors, Ruud also spoke highly of redshirt freshmen Mikai Gbayor and Randolph Kpai, who both missed the 2021 season. Both players participated and took their lumps in spring camp, something Ruud hopes will lead to improvements in the fall.

“A lot of times when you get those first real reps in spring practice, you’re learning through the burn — you have to make your mistakes to really understand the system and the techniques,” Ruud said. “Hopefully you get those out of the way to make a big jump this fall.”