Over the course of the summer, the Lincoln-Journal Star has done a series of most intriguing Nebraska football players. Over the weekend, they did one on linebacker Luke Reimer. Honestly, he is one of my most intriguing Huskers as well.
Reimer had a breakout season in 2020, one where he really established himself as a key member of the linebacker group. He ended up recording 49 tackles despite missing two games, and he really made himself known in several games.
Take for example the game against Northwestern. That was the one game where I thought he really stood out. On the afternoon, he recorded 10 tackles and a sack against the Wildcats. That was the game where I thought he was really making himself known. It was also there where I got to see some of his most impressive traits athletically.
Reimer plays the linebacker position with reckless abandon. In this case, that’s a very good thing. He doesn’t necessarily think about where he needs to be, he just goes. I’ve been on several football teams, and I’ve always heard the coaching staffs’ say “if you’re going to make a mistake, make it at 100 miles per hour.” When he rarely does make a mistake, he does in fact do it at 100 miles per hour. That is certainly a good thing.
As Steven M. Sipple noted earlier this week, injuries to other players make Reimer’s roll one of intrigue heading into the 2021 season. If he can play as good as he did in 2020, then he will certainly be a key figure in the linebacker group once again.
Some of the intrigue in this case stems from Reimer’s overall importance to the defense, which increased in the spring when senior inside linebacker Will Honas went down with a knee injury that could sideline him for most if not all of the coming season. Honas played well down the stretch last season and opted to return to Lincoln for a fourth year after a two-year stint in junior college ball in Kansas.
I’m certainly excited about Reimer’s role with the linebackers, and I think he’ll be able to make a positive impact. He was a pleasant surprise last season. He will be a surprise no longer in 2021. Instead, he will be able to hopefully continue his role as a valued depth contributor for the upcoming season. In his case, depth is certainly not a bad thing.
