Nebraska Defensive Back Andrew Marshall Talks Leadership Role, Relationship with Aurich, and More

Retaining Andrew Marshall over the offseason was one of the biggest wins Nebraska saw, and it already appears to be paying off as spring ball begins Saturday.

Originally coming to Lincoln from the FCS, it wasn't likely that Marshall would succeed as much as he did, yet the All-Big Ten Honorable Mention is still looking to level up his game in his final season of college football. As a senior and now a veteran on this 2026 Husker team, the defensive back met with the media Thursday to discuss his new role, pre-existing relationship with Rob Aurich, and more.

Here's everything the former Idaho transfer had to say during his time at the mic.

Andrew Marshall started all 13 games for the Big Red in his first season on campus, and after helping his team boast the nation's second-ranked pass defense in 2025, the All-Big Ten Honorable Mention is looking to try to do it once again. Though this time, it will be as a leader in the room.

When asked about his new role after seeing several former teammates move on from the program, the senior talked about his need to step up both vocally and physically. “For me, [it's] more of that leadership aspect,” he said. “Going into this offseason, I’ve been focusing on being more of a leader in the room”.

A seasoned veteran who's set to return, the 6-foot, 190-pound defensive back is excited to accept the challenge of being someone who's relied upon in more ways than one. That challenge extends past just his play on the field. In fact, he's looking forward to becoming a mentor for the younger players within the group.

A player that leads the charge and could look to factor into the rotation right away is former five-star defensive back Danny Odem, who the Huskers signed in the 2026 recruiting class. As a player who's made plenty of plays and had his fair share of mess-ups as well, Marshall expressed that his message to the incoming freshman is that it is okay to learn on the fly.

“Letting him know it's okay to mess up,” said Marshall, is the biggest thing he wants Odem to learn. “In college, they throw everything at you, and it's your job to break it down and understand it. So, telling him to give himself some grace, but Danny’s been showing out in the workout we're doing. So I have no problem that he’s going to come along and get everything right”.

It's high praise from one of the conference's best defensive backs, as the duo of defenders could look to play opposite of eachother as early as game one. But that decision will ultimately be left up to defensive coordinator Rob Aurich, with whom Marshall already had an existing relationship before the two reunited at Nebraska.

Though Marshall isn't the only player to have played under Aurich at a previous stop, it gives confidence to the fan base that several members of the 2026 defense will already have a relationship with the new leader of the defense. It also gives confidence to the players, as the defensive back said he's excited to be reunited with his former coach.

“It factored a lot, for sure,” he said when talking about his return. “I talked to coach Rhule and found out [Aurich] was an option, and he was thinking about bringing him on board, and I was all hands on. I love Coach Aurich. I like his scheme, his idea, his philosophy when it comes to football”.

Not only does it give confidence that one of the Huskers' best players is all-in, but it should also create a lesser learning curve for the team ahead of next fall. And as spring ball is just two days out, the players on Nebraska's roster are ready to get to work.

An expedited spring practice period is on display in 2026, as the Huskers look to move on quickly from the end of last year. That means that the new players Nebraska added via the transfer portal, along with the early enrollees out of the high school ranks, won't be slowly dipping their feet into life as Husker football players.

But it's something that Marshall said the locker room is excited for, to say the least. “I haven’t heard anything negative,” he said. “All the guys are fired up and ready to get started with spring ball. We’re all looking forward to starting practice this Saturday”.

For a team with a lot of work to do to improve upon a 7-6 record last fall, the news is encouraging. And for a fan base that wants to see their team develop into one they can be proud of, they'll look to tune in closely to the news ahead.

As Marshall and the rest of the 2026 defense prepare to grow over the coming months, he'll also look to improve upon his first season as a Husker. By becoming a leader in his unit, along with the defense as a whole, the defensive back has a lot of younger players watching closely at what he does. But he doesn't view it as much of a challenge, as it is an opportunity, and for the staff and fan base alike, that is encouraging heading into year four under Rhule's guidance.

But the senior won't be doing it alone. Instead, NU is set to return several members of the 2025 defense that ranked 22nd nationally in total yardage allowed. They'll also have a defensive coordinator who coached a top 5 defense in the country last season, leading the charge. Whether improvements are made or not, on paper, the path is there. And a reunited Marshall and Aurich will look to springboard the Blackshirts into a great first season under their watch.

Nebraska appears to have momentum on its side heading into the spring; the challenge will be capitalizing on it before the season begins. Ultimately, the Big Red were held back defensively in 2025, so Aurich, Marshall, and the rest of the group will need to step up in a big way this upcoming fall. There's reason to believe that will occur, and if the veteran defensive backs' words offer any indication, this team's heart is set on doing just that. There's sure to be plenty of storylines surrounding the defense over the coming months, and Marshall's growth and new-look role are just one of them. But for now, the group is sporting confidence about the outlook of 2026, and at this moment in time, that is all you can ask for, revolving around a group with so much change.