The Nebraska Cornhuskers and head coach Matt Rhule will return right tackle Bryce Benhart and safety Isaac Gifford, both of which are starters with a great deal of experience.
The announcement came in the midst of some of the biggest transfer portal and recruitment news in the Matt Rhule era. Nebraska has the highest odds of landing former Ohio State Buckeyes’ quarterback Kyle McCord, and there is a similar likelihood that five-star quarterback recruit Dylan Raiola will flip to Nebraska.
Odds to land Kyle McCord ➡️ +250
That’s what I like to see👀 #GBR pic.twitter.com/sZPXCEVuhm
— 247Huskers (@247Huskers) December 8, 2023
NEWS: Five-Star QB Dylan Raiola will take an Official Visit this weekend to Nebraska, a source tells mehttps://t.co/rG5ZTR7lfi pic.twitter.com/WSbUsbfSth
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 12, 2023
This news, combined with the announcement that Benhart and Gifford will be returning make it clear that Rhule is not only fighting hard to bring in new talent, but is fighting hard to keep existing talent. Only six Nebraska players have entered the transfer portal thus far, and the only two that contributed significantly in the 2022 season are defensive back Tamon Lynum (Pitt) and quarterback Jeff Sims (undecided). Benhart and Gifford announced their return on social media Monday.
Do you believe in magic? pic.twitter.com/YCBFvT8plo
— Isaac Gifford (@IsaacGifford2) December 12, 2023
Bryce Benhart Brings Size and Experience to a Nebraska Cornhuskers’ Offensive Line that is Transitioning
The 6-foot-9 tackle has 41 career starts with the Huskers, which was enough to tie Jeremiah Sirles for the most ever by a Husker offensive lineman. In an article from HuskerExtra, Benhart recognized the gravity of his time at Nebraska.
“It’s a privilege,” Benhart said. “It’s an honor to play this much football here and it’s pretty exciting.”
Benhart has been with the program since 2019. He has struggled for a large portion of his time with Nebraska, but has seen significant improvement in the 2023 season. Despite this improvement, there is still a lot of room for Benhart to grow.
In the game pictured above against the Michigan State Spartans in 2021, Benhart’s pass protection grade was a 0.0 according to Pro Football Focus. He allowed three sacks on 12 total pressures in a game where quarterback Adrian Martinez was pressured on 25 out of 44 dropbacks.
Last year, Benhart’s play was poor enough to get him benched while playing the Indiana Hoosiers by interim head coach Mickey Joseph. The benching came after a series of plays that directly cost the Huskers six points. Here is the series in question:
Credit: Jonathan Fischer, Youtube
Although Benhart struggled in the past, Benhart is coming off of his best season as a Nebraska Cornhusker. He was named an All-Big Ten honorable mention, and he consistently led the offensive line in Pro Football Focus grades. In an article from Nebraska Rivals, Rhule commends Benhart for his continued commitment to the Husker program.
“He’s playing his best football late in the year,” Rhule said of Benhart. “I think the commitment Bryce has made in the weight room with Corey (Campbell) and with Kristin (Coggin, the football nutritionist),I think the way that we practice has really helped him. The season has been a journey. It’s been an up-and-down journey, right? The guys have ridden the highs and lows, and I think Bryce is someone who’s playing his best football.”
Isaac Gifford was a Standout on the Best Nebraska Cornhusker Defense since Joining the Big Ten
Gifford anchored the back end of defensive coordinator Tony White’s 3-3-5 en route to becoming one of the best defenses in the nation. In a year where the Huskers ranked 13th in total defense Gifford led the team with 86 total tackles. The next closest players were Javin Wright and Omar Brown, who had 51 tackles each.
Nebraska also posted a rush defense that was sixth best in the country as they allowed just 92.9 rushing yards per game. Despite playing in the secondary, Gifford has 6.5 tackles for loss to contribute to the staunch rush defense.
Gifford started all 12 games for the Huskers this year, and he was named an All-Big Ten honorable mention along with Benhart. His 86 tackles (most since safety Nathan Gerry in 2014), 6.5 tackles for loss and eight pass breakups were all career highs. Benhart and Gifford’s experience cemented their place as leaders on the team, and they look to take help the Huskers make a bowl game for the first time since 2017.
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