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Big Red Network
Will NU’s Front Four be Special?
Will NU’s Front Four be Special?
Source: Big Red Network by Steve Hanway
It's hard to recall many defenses that have been outstanding without a good front four. Teams that can create pressure on a quarterback without blitzing have a clear numbers advantage in coverage. As long as that front is also sound in their run responsibilities, then the recipe is there to dominate defensively. The Huskes return three starters and some key reserves on the defensive line. Depth will be particularly important given the need to stay fresh in games and the long grind of a tough schedule. What should be expected of this unit?
Barring injury, college players tend to get better with age. Of course, those first two words loom large. A lot was expected of Jared Crick in 2011, but then he missed eight games with a torn muscle. You can hardly say who will get injured in advance, so you have to put that aside for now.
Defensive tackle Baker Steinkuhler and defensive end Cameran Meredith were honorable mention All-Big Ten last season and both players started every game. They combined for 98 tackles, 11 for loss, with 13 quarterback hurries, 7 sacks, 2 pass breakups, an interception, and a forced fumble. The other defensive end spot was manned for 11 games by the starting tandem of Jason Ankrah and Eric Martin. They combined for another 40 tackles, 7 for loss, 5 quarterback hurries, 3.5 sacks, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery. Two games were started by the departed Josh Williams. Joseph Carter will probably be the other second-string end. He appeared in ten games last year and made nine tackles as the top third-stringer at end. A trio of scholarship sophomores will be available at end when the need arises to go deeper. Chase Rome and Thaddeus Randle will probably battle for the starting spot next to Steinkuhler. Rome started two games and had thirteen tackles, a sack, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. Randle appeared in just six games tallying eight tackles and a sack. The fourth defensive tackle will need to emerge from the ranks of inexperienced newcomers as Justin Jackson is likely to compete at center.
Sophomore Jay Guy might have the edge to be the fourth defensive tackle, though Todd Peat Jr. will be coming off of his redshirt season. Both were four star recruits. Also coming off of a redshirt will be Kevin Williams. Collectively, that should mean the Huskers will have enough depth to redshirt all of the defensive linemen brought in with the 2012 recruiting class and still have a three deep of scholarship talent along the line going into the season. History says some field promotions will be made due to injury.
Meredith might have the best chance to emerge as a playmaker given that he was the most productive lineman a year ago. Steinkuhler was not far behind either and this might be the year he shows why he was a five-star recruit out of high school. Martin made a lot out of his opportunities a year ago as a newcomer to the position, he could grow leaps and bounds in the coming year. Chase Rome was just a freshman a year ago, which is why he's probably nowhere near his ceiling yet. Carter had barely been on campus before being thrown in the mix as well, so he should be able to be much more effective. Randle battled injury, or else he might have played a lot more. Ankrah has the talent to make Meredith and Martin really compete for starting spots.
Add into that the arrival of a starmaker in defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski and the ingredients are there not just for some big improvement from a year ago, but for a defensive line that could become the Big Ten's best. If that happens, then concerns about linebacking and secondary play become a lot less pressing. Will Compton would be a huge beneficiary of an improved line, as would Daimion Stafford, both of whom were the top tacklers behind Lavonte David a year ago. It's not just them, every player in the back seven would look better.
If the Huskers are playing in the Big Ten Championship game in December, it will likely be because the defensive line took them there. Defensive wins championships and it's generally line play that makes for a great defense. The personnel is there to make that happen.
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