Nebraska could have more than one surprise starter this fall

Fall camp is past the midway point for Nebraska football, yet some position battles are just beginning to heat up.

One of them is running back. Nebraska football offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen updated the running back competition last Friday. Matt Rhule talked about it on Saturday, too.

Isaiah Mozee has been gaining steam at running back. He could easily be the Week 1 starter, but it feels more and more like Jamal Rule is going to have a big impact this season.

The most encouraging thing that Holgorsen said was that Rule is standing out in pass protection. That was my only reservation about him. After practice on Monday, Rule was interviewed by the Husker Radio Network. He talked about how much he loved football, calling it a “dream come true.”

I love players who love football. Nebraska seems to have gotten a good one in the three-star running back recruit. My prediction is that Rule starts at some point this season, maybe around the time conference play begins. Mozee will get plenty of touches. Mekhi Nelson will, too, but it’s getting hard to ignore the noise about Rule.

Another surprise could emerge in the Nebraska football secondary

Jamir Conn has been penciled in as the starter by many, but Steve Sipple suggested on the radio Monday that Caleb Benning, the junior, has been getting time with the No. 1 defense, which could mean that Dwayne McDougle or Conn could be relegated to the bench, although it feels like Conn is sitting more securely on the depth chart right now.

Benning had 13 tackles in the Las Vegas Bowl loss against Utah. He finished the season with 20, playing mostly on special teams in 2025. Rex Guthrie is also in the mix, along with Jasin Shiggs. Sipple indicated that Benning “has a chance to start this season.”

The son of Damon Benning, who recently took a role with the program in the personnel department, Caleb was a three-star recruit coming out of high school. It always felt like he would eventually find his way onto the field, but entering his third season. Maybe 2026 will be it.

Regardless of who starts, McDougle, Conn, Benning, and Guthrie should all see time on the field this season. It might be one of those things that is decided after the season starts. Sort of like running back.

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