
Bryce Benhart started every game at right tackle last season. At left tackle is Turner Corcoran, another young offensive lineman with high expectations.
Nebraska's Bryce Benhart sees improvement in team since Rutgers game
LINCOLN — For true freshman offensive lineman Turner Corcoran, “it was just another Friday night in Lawrence, Kansas.”
Corcoran, who played high school football in Lawrence, held on to that sentiment from graduate assistant Hunter Miller as he took the field for his first start as a Husker against Rutgers under the Friday night lights.
But he wasn't facing high schoolers anymore. During this game he lined up against Big Ten defensive linemen, some of the most physical in college football. He was forced to fill the big shoes of left tackle Brenden Jaimes, who ended his streak of 40 consecutive starts to prepare for the 2021 NFL draft.
On the right side of the line, redshirt freshman tackle Bryce Benhart lined up for his eighth start — he started every game of the 2020 season.
That game provided a glimpse of the future of NU’s pipeline. Behind Corcoran, Benhart and Nebraska’s offensive line, the Huskers gained 620 total yards of offense — including 365 on the ground — in their victory over Rutgers.
Now Corcoran is looking to capitalize on the lessons he learned during that game.
“It was huge to get that confidence rolling and just to feel how the tempo of the game is gonna go for an entire game,” said the 6-foot-6, 300-pound left tackle. “Not just eight snaps during an Illinois game, and then an Ohio State game. So it really helped me to get out there for 60 snaps.”
Benhart also recognizes the learning momentum created from getting game experience.
“We're growing from that Rutgers game, from that last game you guys saw. This is the opportunity to build off of that,” Benhart said. “This spring ball is very important.”
Offensive line coach Greg Austin is emphasizing detail during spring practices, according to both Benhart and Corcoran.
“From the beginning of practice, we're working on footwork, explosiveness — come off the ball really fast, come off the ball hard and then anger finishing blocks till the end of the whistle,” Corcoran said.
He said he has a few things to work on as it pertains to those qualities but he's doing a “decent job at it.”
As for Benhart, he said he's striving to improve on anger and finishing, which he felt he didn’t have much of last season.
Austin’s group has limited upperclassmen with three sophomores, three juniors and no seniors. Corcoran said sophomore Cameron Jurgens and the three juniors — Broc Bando, Trent Hixson and Matt Sichterman — are the leaders of the line with Jurgens, a two-year starting center, at the helm.
Nebraska has young players like Corcoran, Benhart and left guard Ethan Piper who have game experience, and a young group providing depth at multiple positions. Teddy Prochazka, Nouredin Nouili and Jimmy Fritzsche are aiming for Corcoran’s left tackle spot and forcing him to compete every day.
Benhart said he and Corcoran watch film of NFL offensive linemen like Mike McGlinchey, Ronnie Stanley and Orlando Brown to further develop their game. Benhart (6-9, 330 pounds) also said he and Corcoran communicate and help each other because they both know the requirements of being a freshman starting on the line.
Austin said Corcoran starting against Rutgers was “critical” to his offseason development. The left tackle echoed that the action gave him a boost of confidence.
“I felt like I could hang a little bit with the big boys in the Big Ten,” Corcoran said.
Our best Husker football photos of 2020
Our best Husker football photos from the 2020 season

An employee releases red balloons among the fan cutouts after Nebraska scored its first touchdown against Penn State.

Memorial Stadium was mostly empty for every Nebraska home game this season. Attendance was restricted to select family and friends of players, coaches and staff.

Luke McCaffrey throws a complete pass while getting hit by Penn State's Fred Hansard. McCaffrey is naturally right-handed.

Luke McCaffrey and Scott Frost celebrate their win over Penn State.

The ball floats between Myles Farmer and Penn State receiver Parker Washington, though Farmer was called for pass interference on this play.

A red balloon floats by Connor Culp as he waits to kick off after a touchdown against Illinois.

Cam Taylor-Britt saves a touchdown by hitting Illinois' Chase Brown just short of the end zone.

Dicaprio Bootle slides into the wall after Illinois' Josh Imatorbhebhe beat him for a touchdown catch.

Wyatt Liewer and Dedrick Mills celebrate Liewer's touchdown against Purdue. It was the walk-on receiver's first career touchdown.

Adrian Martinez completed 23 of 30 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown against Purdue. That was the second game he started after losing the job to Luke McCaffrey for two games.

Cam Taylor-Britt breaks up a pass intended for Purdue's David Bell. This acrobatic play helped seal the Husker win.

Adrian Martinez runs with Minnesota's Tyler Nubin hanging on behind. Martinez ran for a team-high 96 yards in that game, but the Huskers lost, 24-17.

Luke McCaffrey looks to throw a pass against Illinois. That was one of two games the redshirt freshman quarterback started.

Nebraska fans attempt to distract Iowa kicker Keith Duncan into missing a field goal. It didn't work, though. Duncan made four of five field goals in a 26-20 Hawkeye victory.

Austin Allen needed every inch of his 6-foot-8 frame to pull in this pass against Iowa. The junior tight end enjoyed a career-best season with 18 catches for 236 yards and a touchdown.

Nebraska safety Deontai Williams trips up Iowa receiver Tyler Goodson.

Wan'Dale Robinson scrambles for a loose ball against Minnesota's Jordan Howden and Justus Harris. The Huskers fumbled three times in that game and lost one.

There was more snow in the stands than people for Nebraska's game against Minnesota on Dec. 12.

Dedrick Mills stretches out for a touchdown against Northwestern. The senior running back finished the season with 396 rushing yards and three touchdowns but missed two full games, and most of a third, due to injury.

Luke McCaffrey is shoved out of bounds by Northwestern's Adetomiwa Adebawore. McCaffrey and Adrian Martinez shared time at quarterback in that game, then McCaffrey started the next two.

Luke McCaffrey is twisted up with Northwestern's Blake Gallagher.

Scott Frost, wearing a mask, walks on to the field with his team before the Northwestern game.

Luke McCaffrey stretches out for a snap against Penn State. Erratic snaps from center Cam Jurgens were a big problem at times during the season, though Jurgens got better later in the year.

Cam Taylor-Britt and Penn State's Jahan Dotson both go up for the ball in the end zone. The pass was incomplete.