Contrary to appearances during Saturday's game against Troy, there is only one Brandenburgh on the Nebraska football team.
That's Lance Brandenburgh, linebacker and special teams extraordinaire.
Brandenburgh played all three linebacker positions and was involved in just about every special teams play against Troy. Somehow, he recorded just one assisted tackle on the night, but one look at Nebraska's linebacker situation suggests the Cornhuskers will need the versatile junior as they enter Big 12 Conference play against Kansas this weekend.
After starting the season listed as the top backup to senior Stewart Bradley at strongside linebacker, Brandenburgh made the switch to the No. 2 middle linebacker after sophomore Phillip Dillard suffered a season-ending ACL injury against Louisiana Tech.
When fellow linebackers junior Steve Octavien and sophomore Clayton Sievers were unable to play last weekend because of minor injuries, NU coaches called upon Brandenburgh to help give junior starters Corey McKeon and Bo Ruud and senior Bradley occasional breathers.
"It was a pretty tough day because we're down some backers," Nebraska Coach Bill Callahan said after the Troy game. "We're mixing and matching guys in there to the best of our ability."
The Huskers accomplished that last weekend by using a four-man rotation of sorts, subbing Brandenburgh in for a different linebacker for three defensive series, then resting him for the fourth before repeating the cycle.
"Once you learn one (position), it's easier to pick up on the other ones," Brandenburgh said. "I'll do whatever to get on the field."
Of the strongside, weakside and middle linebacker spots - also called SAM, WILL and MIKE - Brandenburgh prefers weakside, the position most apt to defend against the pass. But really, he just wants to get on the field like he did Saturday.
As if playing three positions wasn't enough, the Overland Park, Kan., native was also in for field goal and punt blocks, punt and kickoff returns and kickoffs.
When a team wins 56-0, that's a lot of running around.
"This week they took me off kickoff because we had I don't know how many kickoffs," Brandenburgh said. "It was just wearing me out."
NU Defensive Coordinator Kevin Cosgrove said he envisioned a versatile role for the junior going into fall camp, though maybe not like last Saturday.
"We're very fortunate to have a guy like Lance," Cosgrove said. "He's one of our most valuable guys just because he has the ability to not only play all three positions, but excel at all three positions. When he's in the game, we really don't miss a beat."
Brandenburgh should be comfortable all over the field. He learned the MIKE position as a freshman before switching to the WILL spot when Octavien broke his leg in the 2005 season opener. Last spring, he learned the SAM spot while filling in for an injured Bradley.
Before the Troy game last week, NU coaches awarded Brandenburgh a Blackshirt. Never mind the fact that McKeon switched jerseys with him before practice, or that Brandenburgh went for about half an hour before anyone said anything to him about it.
"Lance likes to wear my Blackshirt out to practice," McKeon said. "It's a size smaller (than his)."
In the Alamo Bowl last year, Brandenburgh was thrust into a starting role when Ruud was out with a broken arm. He responded with a career-best six tackles in the Husker win.
He's hoping for more of the same as the 2006 season unfolds, having already recorded five total tackles.
"It's definitely gratifying," Brandenburgh said of his role. "It feels like all my hard work is starting to pay off more. I'm just going to keep working hard."
