Nebraska Football: Heinrich Haarberg to start vs. Michigan

Nebraska football has their starting quarterback for Saturday’s game against Michigan. Heinrich Haarberg will once again be under center as the Huskers take on the Wolverines.

This is the third week in a row that Haarberg has started. He and the program are coming off a victory over Louisiana Tech. The quarterback showed both his passing prowess and running ability in the contest. He tallied 107 passing yards and a touchdown. He also proved he was effective on the ground, carrying the ball 19 times for 157 yards and a touchdown.

If Nebraska football wants to beat Michigan on Saturday, they’re going to need a complete effort from the quarterback. Running the football is going to be a key for this game, and Haarberg is certainly a part of that. He has been one of the most consistent runners for the program under center, and he has shown he can move the football.

Haarberg is undoubtedly going to be tested by the Michigan defense. This will be his biggest challenge yet, as the Wolverines rank second in the Big Ten with 80.5 yards allowed per game. Haarberg’s legs may end up being his biggest strength in this game.  That’s not a knock on him and his game. That’s moreso just a reminder of if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

Heinrich Haarberg is your starting QB vs Michigan today! #Huskers pic.twitter.com/AeG8cslAvD

— Huskers Talk | 𝙉𝙚𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙠𝙖 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙨 (@TalkHuskers) September 30, 2023

It will be interesting to see what he does against the tough Michigan defense. This could be a statement game for him. Whether it be the health of Jeff Sims or a decision based on performance, there’s no denying that Haarberg is the man under center right now. The coaching staff has done a good job throughout game weeks of keeping the competition open publicly.

Nevertheless, it’s very clear that they trust Haarberg to run this offense. From a pure depth standpoint, that is certainly encouraging to say the least.