Jeremy Pernell: Unified Vision Should Help Nebraska’s Offensive Line

Huskers have seven men up front who are game ready

Fifth in a series breaking down Nebraska's 2023 post-spring roster by position. | HuskerMax discussion

Quarterback Jeff Sims will play an integral role in how successful coach Matt Rhule's first season at Nebraska is, but there's no way to downplay the importance of the offensive line making significant strides from last year. The Cornhuskers could have Bryce Young under center, but if the O-line is as inept as it was last season, it won't matter much.

One thing this iteration will benefit from is the offense having an identity. There is a unified vision for how this offense will operate. For the first time in far too long, everyone will be on the same page. What does that mean?

First things first, it means training players so they are equipped to play the way you want them to in the fall. It means not asking your linemen to do something physically that you haven't reinforced through your strength and conditioning program. Seems pretty basic, right? That wasn't happening under the previous staff.

It means having a plan offensively. The running game and passing game should be symbiotic. Good teams call plays in the first quarter with the fourth quarter in mind. There should be a purpose to the plays you run and the game plan you come with. I think Nebraska will have that now. Again, that was rarely the case with the previous staff.

Nebraska Athletics photo

Turner Corcoran 

---

Nebraska Athletic Communications

Teddy Prochazka

---

Nebraska Communications photo

Ethan Piper

---

Nebraska Athletics photo

Bryce Benhart

---

Nebraska Athletics photo

Ben Scott at center

---

Steven Branscombe photo / Getty Images via Wibbitz

Nouredin Nouili

---

Nebraska Athletics photo

Turner Corcoran and Henry Lutovsky

---

Nebraska Athletics photo

O-line coach Donovan Raiola

---

Nebraska Athletics photo

On paper, Nebraska has seven players the coaches can be confident will get the job done. The question is do these guys have another level they can reach? Will a second year of training from the same coach, Donovan Raiola, show in their development? Will the identity on offense make a difference?

The perception of this group would be a lot different if Stanford transfer Walter Rouse hadn't had a change of heart. I hate to reopen old wounds, but that's just a fact. Nebraska doesn't have too many options at tackle.

A lot depends on the health of left tackle Teddy Prochazka. The sophomore has been plagued by injuries, which has had a trickle-down effect on the rest of the group. He's played in just eight games (five starts) during his two years on campus, but the previous staff was extremely high on his potential.

In 2021, Prochazka became just the second true freshman in the modern era to start a game at left tackle. His season was cut short after he tore the ACL, MCL and meniscus in his left knee. It was a grueling rehab and Prochazka admitted he wasn't fully recovered from the injury mentally last season. It showed in his play and after just three games he injured his right shoulder, missing the remainder of the 2022 season. He also missed spring ball as he continued to rehab from the injury. He's expected to be at full strength for fall camp. This team needs him to stay healthy.

That would allow the coaches to play junior Turner Corcoran at guard. The two O-line coaches who have worked with Corcoran since he's been at Nebraska both felt his best position was on the interior. Injuries to Prochazka, however, have dictated he play tackle in his absence.

Corcoran has played in 27 games as a Husker, starting 19 of them at left tackle, two at right tackle and three at left guard. Ideally, he's lining up next to Prochazka at guard and being allowed to stay and develop there.

The team brought in Ben Scott from Arizona State via the transfer portal. He started 28 games for the Sun Devils over the past three seasons. After starting 17 games at right tackle between 2020 and 2021, Scott moved to center last season and started 11 games. He's your center for the next two seasons.

The right guard heading into fall camp is junior Nouredin Nouili, who was suspended for all of last season after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. He played in all 12 games in 2021 and started seven games at left guard.

Next to him is fellow junior Bryce Benhart, who has reshaped his body this offseason under Corey Campbell. He has started 29 games at right tackle during his Husker career, but he hasn't elevated his game to the level most have been expecting.

The sixth man of the group is junior Ethan Piper, the primary starter at left guard in 2020 and 2022. With 18 starts under his belt, the line won't miss a beat if Piper is manning either of the guard spots. Although redshirt freshman Justin Evans-Jenkins was running with the 2s at center this spring, I would expect Piper to fill in there if Scott needs to be replaced for a long stretch.

Right behind the upperclassmen on the interior is Henry Lutovsky. The sophomore played significant snaps last season and started two games at right guard. I don't think the O-line suffers if he's in the starting lineup, either.

Those seven are game ready. If the coaches need to go further down the bench, they could be in trouble. There are some promising youngsters on the roster, but none of them are ready for the Big Ten.

True freshman Gunnar Gottula looked good this spring and shows promise as the left tackle of the future. Redshirt freshman Jacob Hood, a transfer from Georgia, also showed flashes. The biggest thing for Hood moving forward is continuing to reshape his body and improve his conditioning.

The 6-foot-8 Hood once weighed over 400 pounds during his prep career as a junior before dropping upwards of 90 pounds by the time he arrived in Athens last year. Hood missed the 2022 season after having ankle surgery, which didn't help his development. He was running with the 2s at right tackle and the staff would love to see him be the eventual replacement for Benhart down the line. But if he can't improve his movement skills, a move inside to guard will be necessary.

Those two have promise as bookends but are at least a year (ideally two) away from being ready physically. Also keep an eye on sophomore walk-on guard Keegan Menning. The coaches think he could be a contributor down the line.

Joining the room this fall are center prospect Sam Sledge, offensive tackle Brock Knutson and two-way lineman Mason Goldman, who will begin his career on the O-line, likely as a guard.

Looking ahead, despite not having a senior in the room, I would still expect the staff to add at least 3-4 linemen in this class with an emphasis on tackles. They already have a commitment from Gibson Pyle, an interior prospect who plays for Klein Cain High School in Texas.

Some names to keep an eye on are tackle prospect Kaedin Massey (Lyndon, KS), along with interior prospects Makai Saina (Arlington, TX), Coen Echols (Katy, TX), Zafir Stewart (Philadelphia, PA), Navarro Schunke (Brandon, SD), Kyle Rakers (West Des Moines, IA), and Nuku Mafi and Semisi Tonga, who are teammates at West High School in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Priority targets for this staff include tackles Grant Brix (Logan, IA) and Omaha Central's Caleb Pyfrom, both of whom have made multiple visits to Lincoln.

But without a doubt, the biggest fish out there is five-star tackle Brandon Baker, arguably the best player at his position for the 2024 class. Baker was in Lincoln for Nebraska's March 25 Junior Day, spending multiple days on campus. He returned with both parents and his little brother for the Red-White game a month later. That was an important visit because his entire family will be relocating with him. Baker has lined up official visits to Ohio State and Georgia and is considering another visit to Lincoln.