Competition among Husker linebackers shows promise

Blake Lawrence demonstrates his expensive new helmet with pride, showing it off to any reporter who's interested.

Like a salesman, he shows off the ins and outs of the new technology he hopes can keep him on the field this season.

The nearly $500 helmet is designed to reduce the impact of a hit on the head. Inside it are dozens of black, circular polyurethane shock absorbers that help deflect the blow of a hit and reduce head movement by dissipating impact energy.

"I've looked at a lot of the science behind it, and anything that can protect my head is great," Lawrence said. "I think it's the best thing for me this year."

His ability to stay healthy this year will be vital for a Nebraska linebacking corps that's high on potential but low on experience.

"The linebacker positions right now, they're up for grabs," coach Bo Pelini said. "At all three spots, we don't really have any starters right now. Everybody is in the mix."

After suffering a concussion in spring practices – his third in the last 12 months – Lawrence will do whatever it takes to continue his playing career.

"That raised a red flag for me and made me question if I should come back and how prone I am to getting another one," he said. "I never thought I'd have to sit there and say, ‘Maybe I shouldn't play football.' When an injury happens that can cut your career short, it makes you step back and rethink your safety, but I love being out here."

Lawrence is battling sophomore Mathew May for the starting weakside linebacker job, but the rivalry has been a friendly one.

"We figured you guys were going to talk to us about each other a lot," Lawrence said to reporters. "So we just made up nicknames. He's White Hawk, and I'm Knight Rider."

Lawrence and May both had breakout performances for NU following the dismissal of former Cornhusker linebacker Cody Glenn.

Lawrence, a junior, had 12 tackles in the final three games of the season and intercepted a pass in the Gator Bowl.

"Blake Lawrence knows our system better than anybody," linebackers coach Mike Ekeler said. "He's really becoming a coach on the field. The guy's sharp, and he's made himself into a really good football player."

May switched from safety to linebacker for the Kansas State game on Nov. 15 and registered three tackles, a sack and a forced fumble in the game.

"It was a great learning experience," May said. "I matured a little bit, and it gave me an outlook on what's to come and what to expect this season."

May, a 6-foot-1 walk-on from Imperial, Neb., brings speed and athleticism to the position and has impressed Lawrence with his intensity.

"He has a fire and has always brought that to this team with his aggressive play," Lawrence said. "I learn a lot from him, and he learns a lot from me. We have a good partnership at our position."

At the other outside linebacker spot, Sean Fisher has emerged as one of the stars of fall camp.

The redshirt freshman from Omaha appears to be a clear-cut starter in NU's base defense, and he'll also be one of the main Huskers to see the field when the team is in nickel and dime formations.

"I see Sean really rising to the top," defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said. "He's really grown into an understanding of the position, and he can play all three linebacker positions and handle them well."

The redshirt freshman is a bit of an anomaly among his teammates at linebacker. At 6-foot-6, he's NU's tallest linebacker. Pelini said that isn't such a bad thing.

"It's a bonus," he said. "I think length is good at that position. He has great leverage, and he can play low, but at the same time, he gives us something in his coverage with that length.

"Any young, thin, tall kid has to learn how to drop his weight and get under people, and he's done that," Pelini said. "He's a lot stronger than when we recruited him, too."

Behind him is another top fall camp performer, true freshman Eric Martin.

After his first three practices with the team, Martin had already established himself as one of the team's hardest hitters.

"We're excited about him, because he really lowers the boom," Ekeler said. "I saw two of the hardest hits I've seen in the last year, and that was just when we were in helmets."

At the middle linebacker spot, Colton Koehler, Philip Dillard and Will Compton are all competing for playing time. NU should have more experience from the middle spot, as Dillard and Koehler have a combined 40 games of playing experience.

On a defense that returns three linemen and eight defensive backs who have starting experience, the linebackers have been identified by many pundits as a question mark for Nebraska's defense.

"People can talk all they want, but with every team in the nation, their linebacking corps is a question mark until you go out there and earn it," Ekeler said. "All we're concentrating on is getting better and understanding the system."

Lawrence isn't concerned about the lack of hype and said the game atmosphere of NU's practices have prepared the Husker linebackers for the coming season.

"A lot of people will question our experience, but these guys got the reps last fall and in the spring," he said. "The only thing they haven't done is stepped out into a game. Guys are flying around, and with the way we're practicing now, I think we'll be really solid."

maxolson@dailynebraskan.com