Looking ahead to the 2022 Nebraska football season, we’re rounding up all of the departures, newcomers, and the returners in a summer position–by–position breakdown series. Here’s the last one. We made it to fall camp!
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OFFENSIVE LINE
Departures
Cam Jurgens (NFL 2nd round draftee)
Matt Sichterman (retired from football)
Newcomers
Hunter Anthony (Jr, transfer, Oklahoma State)
Kevin Williams (Sr, transfer, Northern Colorado)
Justin Evans-Jenkins (Fr, East Orange NJ)
Returners
Broc Bando (Sr)
Brant Banks (So)
Bryce Benhart (So)
Alex Conn (RFr)
Turner Corcoran (So)
Trent Hixson (Sr)
Henry Lutovsky (RFr)
Michael Lynn (So)
Ezra Miller (So)
**Nouri Nouili (Jr)
-ineligible for 2022 season
Ethan Piper (So)
Teddy Prochazka (So)
You win or lose up front, and Nebraska’s 2021 record was 3-9.
The offensive line was not solely to blame for last season’s record, to be sure. However, the unit’s struggles were real, and they undoubtedly lost their best player – center Cam Jurgens – to the NFL. Also moving on was Matt Sichterman, who had one year of eligibility remaining. The two were also the only Husker offensive linemen in 2021 to start all 12 games at the same position.
Greg Austin, offensive line coach for the last four seasons at NU, was let go in November with three other offensive assistants. His replacement, Donovan Raiola, has four years’ NFL coaching experience, but has not been the lead OL assistant coach at the major college level before.
Those personnel losses color the outlook for this season. That being said, Nebraska will move forward in 2022 with multiple options that have starts under their belts, some for multiple years.
Turner Corcoran, one of Nebraska’s biggest recruiting wins in recent years, started the 2020 finale at Rutgers and 11 of 12 games in 2021. Those 12 starts were all at tackle, but he may end up sliding inside to guard this year.
Bryce Benhart has the most OL starts at NU entering this season, all eight in 2020 and ten in 2021. Each of his 18 starts have been at right tackle. He’ll need to improve upon his struggles if he hopes to stay with the top group.
Despite only starting twice as a redshirt freshman in 2021, Teddy Prochazka may generate more excitement than any other lineman based on the early success he showed. He played in five games and started two at left tackle, utilizing his huge 6-foot-10 frame on the edge. Unfortunately, late in the first half against Michigan, he injured his left knee, tearing the ACL, MCL, and meniscus. Prochazka has been fully cleared for fall camp, per Head Coach Scott Frost.
Sixth-year senior Trent Hixson could return to a starting role as well, one he hasn’t had full time since 2019. The former walk-on earned a scholarship before his third season and started every game at left guard. However, Piper played in a total of eight games in the two seasons since, though he did start twice in 2021. Hixson is a leading candidate to replace Jurgens at center.
Another one-time starter, Ethan Piper is in the mix for a guard spot. Piper got his first career start in the second game of 2020, then made eight consecutive starts at left guard to finish 2020 and begin 2021. After that, he played in just two more games last season, giving way to recent Colorado State transfer Nouri Nouili.
Nouili was thought to perhaps be Nebraska’s lone locked-in OL starter, having grabbed the left guard position in game six last year against Northwestern and never giving it back. But an off-season NCAA suspension for a failed drug test means he cannot play in 2022.
Brant Banks started the 2021 opener at Illinois as the left tackle, but only played twice more on the line all year. He also played offense in one game in each of the 2019 and 2020 seasons, plus additional snaps on special teams.
Broc Bando has seen action on the line in ten games over the past three seasons, mostly as a tackle.
Walk-on Ezra Miller played in three games in 2021. Henry Lutovsky and Michael Lynn each participated twice last year, Lutovsky as a true freshman. Alex Conn has yet to play entering his third season in the program.
From the transfer portal, the Huskers added a pair of seasoned linemen.
Hunter Anthony started five times in 23 games with Oklahoma State over the last three years. He has played both guard and tackle, and was part of a Big 12 championship team in 2021.
Omaha native Kevin Williams returns to Nebraska by way of Northern Colorado, where he also played both guard and tackle in 22 games, starting 19 of them. His 2021 season was cut short due to injury.
Justin Evans-Jenkins, a two-time all-state lineman from East Orange, NJ, is the one incoming freshman to join the mix.
While there may be some positional reshuffling, the Huskers do have experience and versatility across their offensive line. Fall camp will be important to not only see who can handle which roles, but also which players mesh together to create the best version of the 2022 pipeline.
Their win-loss record may depend on it.