LINCOLN — Twice in key spots, the Nebraska offense lined up needing just a bit of real estate. A pair of defensive linemen helped the unit come through both times.
Defenders Anthony Jones and Jahsear Whittington each flashed wide smiles afterward while recalling their rare offensive cameos on a simmering Memorial Stadium turf Saturday. Whittington lined up as a fullback while Jones found a role at the edge.
“Took me back to my tight end days (in high school),” Jones said with a laugh.
The pair jogged onto the field to punctuate Nebraska’s first possession with a touchdown. On the Ohio 1-yard line on third down, running back Jamal Rule followed the two single-digit jerseys — Jones, No. 5, and Whittington, No. 1 — into the end zone.
They came back on for fourth-and-1 from the Ohio 37 in the third quarter. Rule exploded up the middle for a 13-yard gain. Nebraska scored four plays later to begin pulling away from the MAC visitors.
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Whittington said offensive staffers approached him during camp about the role. Coach Matt Rhule told him every coach backed the idea. Nebraska also floated the possibility that if the 6-foot, 275-pounder performed well, he might one day have a pass thrown his way.
“I’m like, ‘No, Coach, I want to run through somebody’s nose first,’” Whittington said. “The good will come later.”
Nebraska under Rhule has occasionally used defensive linemen as blockers, including former big man Ty Robinson two years ago.
Offensive lineman Gunnar Gottula joked that he has no technique critique for his defensive counterparts.
“They just gotta go hit someone,” Gottula said. “And they do a good job of that.”
