As spring practices continue for Nebraska football, it’s a time of exploration. Nebraska has a bunch of new faces on the roster. However, they also have returners who should be a little bit more comfortable as they head into another set of spring practices.
One of those players is linebacker Chris Kolarevic. A Northern Iowa transfer, he is extremely athletic. He recorded 27 tackles for Nebraska last season, the most he recorded in his college football career. However, it sounds like defensive coordinator Erik Chinander wants to see him in more of a coverage role.
It is always a little bit of a roll of the dice when you put a linebacker in coverage. However, based off what we saw from Colorado last year, he may be able to handle it. One of the things that was a hallmark of his game is his speed. He is able to fly around the football and that helps him in many facets of the game. We saw a little bit of that last year. Whether it was rushing off the edge, or trying to chase down a running back, it seemed like he was always there to at least make a play on the football.
Statistically speaking, his best game came against Northwestern. He recorded five tackles in that contest. He flew to the football in that game. It’s what makes putting him in a different role so intriguing. How can he parlay his speed rushing off the edge into more of a coverage role?
For his part, it sounds like that is something Chinander wants to figure out, as noted in a report from 247Sports Brian Christopherson.
“(Kolarevic’s) a guy that, he can really run. But I don’t know what his ability is (there) yet. Before we came up here, we watched probably 20 plays before we got up here so I need to see what he can do in that coverage modality. I think we know that he’s really good around the football. He can play in the run. He can definitely blitz off the edge. Now I need to see what he can do out there in coverage a little bit,”
Spring practices are the perfect time to implement something into a player’s game. If Kolarevic can add coverage ability to his repertoire, that would help Nebraska football immensely. I don’t see why he couldn’t . He has the skills to do so. He is the type of player that is a good all-around athlete.
Adding something like more proficient coverage skills would make Kolarevic that much more of a complete player.
