Why Nebraska freshman Hartzog’s breakout game ‘wasn’t a surprise’

There was by no means any plan to ease Malcolm Hartzog into something.

Invoice Busch considers this a excessive praise in regards to the Nebraska true freshman. When the coaches determined to deploy the 18-year-old for his first profession begin underneath the lights Saturday, there was no dialogue about sitting the defender for a sequence or slowly acclimating him to a serious position in a Massive Ten sport.

“No, simply go forward and go,” Busch stated. “Nothing’s too massive for him. He likes to play soccer.”

Hartzog didn’t wilt. He broke up a cross and allowed only one catch on six targets to Indiana receivers he was defending. He had appeared in each earlier sport this season on particular groups however didn’t go away the sphere Saturday throughout 70 snaps. Alongside the way in which, he grew to become the primary Nebraska true freshman to start out at nook since Lamar Jackson in 2016.

“I used to be nervous however I needed to lock in earlier than the sport so I needed to block all of it out,” Hartzog stated Saturday. “It felt good getting on the sphere for the primary time in entrance of the followers.”

Hartzog was a discover of former defensive coordinator Erik Chinander, a diamond within the tough from rural Mississippi — his hometown of Prentiss has a inhabitants of 1,200. He wasn’t rated by any recruiting service when the Huskers supplied him a scholarship in late November or when he dedicated every week later. His different high suitors have been Mississippi, Southern Miss, Marshall and South Alabama.

Chinander final winter advised the story of discovering Hartzog. Whereas prospecting within the South, the coordinator repeatedly heard the title of the do-everything participant from a small faculty within the south-central a part of the state. The phrase of mouth was so constant that Chinander rescheduled some recruiting visits and pointed his rental automotive a unique path that day.

As Chinander was wrapping up a cease at a close-by junior faculty, a coach there requested the place he was heading subsequent. Chinander advised him.

“Oh,” the juco coach responded. “The key’s out.”

Hartzog dedicated, then obtained elevated consideration nationally that he and his prep coaches rebuffed. The Huskers believed in him, so he was sticking with them. He stuffed the stat sheets at Jefferson Davis County Excessive College as a working again, defensive again and kick returner that helped earn him the Mr. Soccer honor in his classification.

“You watch the movie and also you see the accolades and also you watch him dwell,” Chinander stated final winter. “And I simply did not suppose we may miss on him.”

Early returns help that notion. No. 13 is co-No. 1 at his cornerback spot with the person he changed final week, Tommi Hill. He’s recent off being named the Massive Ten Freshman of the Week for his scoop and rating on the punt blocked by Chris Kolarevic.

“It wasn’t a shock when the ball popped into his fingers and ran again for a landing as a result of he anticipates that stuff,” Busch stated. “Some guys are simply attached the suitable method and that’s who he’s. Love the younger man and simply so completely happy he’s doing effectively.”

Hartzog was under-recruited partially as a result of he’s undersized — Nebraska lists him at 5-foot-9, 170 kilos now. Busch likens him to having lots of the identical traits that former All-America Husker nook Barron Miles possessed within the early ‘90s. Relentlessly aggressive. A special-teams playmaker. Giving up inches to opposing receivers and never caring.

Busch stated he will get nervous about anyone in soccer that doesn’t wish to sort out or can’t sort out. Massive Ten offenses are going to make corners sort out, very true freshmen.

Hartzog knocks that fear away like a man leaping a lazy out route. That is the place he desires to be. And an opportunity he’s earned.

“He’s an especially succesful and invested tackler,” Busch stated. “Some guys are, ‘Ah, I’m a canopy nook.’ He does must cowl folks however he has no downside placing his face within the fan both. That’s the factor that stands out essentially the most.”