Three Huskers Who Could Turn 2026 Into a Bounce-Back Year

In a lot of ways Nebraska didn’t finish the season most fans were hoping for, even if it was an improvement on a year ago.

Within that, a lot of players took a step forward. The obvious one being newly named All-American Emmett Johnson. Beyond him, Justin Evans had a great season up front for the Huskers. Luke Lindenmeyer proved to be the throwback tight end Nebraska believed he could be. Williams Nwaneri announced himself as a guy to know. Ceyair Wright, Andrew Marshall and Donovan Jones were all important parts of a secondary that really limited teams despite not having a consistent pass rush. The Huskers definitively found a long snapper in Kevin Gallic, no small role after the position cratered in 2024.

There were some others who either didn’t take a step or simply stepped sideways. That happens in college football. Development isn’t linear. There can be valleys before the peaks.

Here are a few players who could make 2026 a bounce-back year:

Riley Van Poppel

It’s easy to forget that defensive linemen can take a long time to develop. Ty Robinson’s third year in the program featured four tackles for loss and two sacks. Ndamukong Suh’s third year in the program saw one sack and six tackles for loss.

Those are obviously extreme examples, but it’s worth noting that players sometimes take the long route on their way to being disruptive forces.

Van Poppel is about to be on his third defensive line coach and coordinator. The lineman remains in the good graces of the program, and it shouldn’t be met dismissively when he’s earned praise from the staff despite uneven results from the team. That’s the life of someone up front who can do their role, but the players behind them or next to them may not.

Nebraska believes in Van Poppel. And we’ve seen flashes. He’s been fantastic at times in short-yardage situations. He’s blocked a kick. We know there’s more here. And once again in 2026, it’s a bet worth making that we’ll see it.

Gunnar Gottula

Speaking of progression not being linear, Gottula was thrown into a tough situation as a redshirt freshman in 2024 when he became the team’s left tackle through injury. Gottula stepped in and started nine games.

Gottula’s second season got off to an inauspicious start when he had offseason surgery that caused him to miss time in the spring. Then Nebraska struggled to make a decision on what to do at left tackle and Gottula moved positions. Gottula initially played well on the right side, but injuries derailed the season and he missed the final five games.

The question about Gottula is whether he is actually in the wrong position. Like many Huskers before him, Gottula likely profiles more as a guard, but out of necessity is playing tackle. Could Nebraska find enough help in the portal to simply move Gottula inside?

Carter Nelson

Whereas Van Poppel was part of an underwhelming line and Gottula dealt with injury, Nelson was simply down the depth chart for the Huskers, with Lindenmeyer and Heinrich Haarberg getting the bulk of the snaps.

Still, Nelson managed to score a touchdown on a blocked punt and caught a couple of passes, but it was a far cry from what many had hoped when the Huskers landed the star out of Ainsworth.
Now entering his third year, it’s a chance for Nelson to show he’s the unique matchup nightmare many envisioned, and perhaps Dana Holgorsen can find different ways to utilize him.

The big question for Nelson is what he can do as a blocker. That’s where his game has to improve to see the field more, and it’s the biggest reason why Lindenmeyer will continue to be the top tight end on the roster. Still, Nelson is too talented to stay buried, and if he returns in 2026 the Huskers need to figure out how to take advantage of his talents, even if it’s a red-zone role or special packages with him flexed into the slot.

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