FOOTBALL

Nebraska Football: Isaac Gifford to have critical role defensively

Published

1 year ago

July 19, 2023

Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Nebraska Football defensive backs coach Evan Cooper had a wide-ranging interview in his Sports Nightly appearance on Monday. He went down the list of his corners and gave special mention to defensive back Isaac Gifford.

Gifford came into the program in 2020 carrying a bit of a Husker legacy. His brother Luke also played for the program from 2015-2018. The younger Gifford had a career year last season, tallying 70 total tackles.

He really stood out at the beginning of the season, making 11 tackles against Georgia Southern last September. Gifford’s tenacity was on full display right until the end, as he totaled eight stops against Iowa in the season finale.

Nebraska football fans were able to get a really good look at what Gifford brought to the table in 2022. He had a tendency to be around the football, and that served him well at times last year. We as fans were really able to see the type of play style he brought, and it was similar to his brother’s.

#Huskers Isaac Gifford makes the Tackle in the Backfield.

Colton Feist helps out at the end. UND loses 6 Yards.

Ft. Husker Sports Radio🌽🚨☠️ pic.twitter.com/zBBQMN2UsS

— @DaltonEastNE (@DaltonEastNE) September 6, 2022

Nebraska football will rely on Gifford

Building off of last season’s success will be important. He could really shine in defensive coordinator Tony White’s aggressive defense. Gifford’s athleticism was noticeable, and it appears Cooper really is impressed with that as well, as transcribed by Huskers247’s Brian Christopherson.

— Cooper describes Isaac Gifford as one of the tone setters for this team. “The thing that gets lost with Isaac is he’s also one of the most talented, athletically gifted guys that we have. He’s consistent. He’s smart. He’s coachable. He’s tough as nails … We’ll lean on him a lot this fall.”

It was extremely evident last season that he had a nose for the football. It seemed like he was involved in almost every play. Now, he enters the 2023 season as a junior and a veteran within the program. Cooper and the rest of the defense would be smart to lean on him, especially after what he showed last year.

There are going to be several players on this defense that will make an impact. Gifford will certainly be among them. He is a smart, intelligent football player that could grow into being one of the more underrated players on a defense full of new faces. It will be fun to see what he can do next year, especially with the defensive freedom that the 3-3-5 scheme provides.

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Danny Jaillet

Danny is a Nebraska athletics fan and writer. He also enjoys writing about recruiting in his free time. Danny has been following the Huskers for the last five years. Find him on Twitter @NebCornholio.