Nebraska opens their 2022 schedule against Northwestern in Dublin on August 27, and our Countdown to Kickoff series will feature players whose uniform numbers correspond to the number of days left until that matchup. Next at number 47 is Hunt Androff.
THE BASICS
Position: Close end
Class: student in the first year
Size: 6-foot-6, 235 pounds
Secondary school: Lakeville South (Lakeville, Minnesota)
WAY TO NEBRASKA
The Huskers think they got a bargain in Androff, whose receptivity and athleticism were somewhat hidden in a high school offense that rarely threw the ball. It worked. Lakeville South has won big with his ball brand and Androff isn’t complaining. But that’s also why he believes his recruitment wasn’t as loud as some others.
“So I think I’ve kind of stayed under the radar with a lot of schools,” Androff said. “I only had two receptions in my junior year and I think I was the second best receiver on my team. We run a Power-T from where we’re from. So we’re lucky enough to pass a whole game a few times. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been shown in recent years, but it’s helped us win state championships, so it’s a compromise. But I think it’s worked well for us so far. If it works, it works, I think.”
But Nebraska staff think his game has some receiving potential that can be unlocked in another offense.
“We have some good young tight ends in the program right now and wouldn’t have put one in there if we didn’t think he was a talented kid who could help us,” said Scott Frost.
NEBRASKA CAREER SO FAR
It’s basically a month or so old.
But Androff has had the playbook longer than that, and tight ends coach Sean Beckton made it clear to him that he’s ready to compete in a position that’s struggled with plenty of injuries in the spring.
“The most important thing was getting into the playbook, which I just got while I was at the Spring Game,” Androff said. “So I studied that a lot. Make sure my mental game is set like that. The only thing I have to worry about is being physically ready because they have a lot of injuries right now. So he said, ‘Be ready to go.’ I’m really ready to fight for a place.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Travis Vokolek will lead the way, but after that there’s an opportunity for others to fill key roles. Thomas Fidone had a spring injury so his schedule is a blur. AJ Rollins had a promising spring and Nate Boerkircher had as good an offseason as anyone.
Others like Chris Hickman, Chancellor Brewington and James Carnie will try to make their mark. Both Hickman and Brewington struggled with injury setbacks in the spring.
While it may be wrong to pretend the door is wide open for a player who has just arrived on a college campus, Androff is physically a pretty kid and ideally can at least help push the competition forward.
“But to be honest, they gave me a chance,” Androff said this spring. “They didn’t have to offer me anything because I didn’t have much out there, but they did and I’m keen to show them why they’re right.”
