With a year of experience under his belt, Caleb Benning primed for larger role
Scan Nebraska’s roster and you’ll see a large group of young defensive backs looking to make an impact this fall. And Caleb Benning, the local product out of Westside High School in Omaha, is certainly among them.
With a season of Big Ten football under his belt, Benning is as confident as ever as fall camp approaches. That added confidence will help as he pushes for rotation snaps behind the veterans in front of him.
“I think last year, with fall camp being my first practices, I was a little nervous,” Benning told Huskers Radio Network on Tuesday. “Then you get fast-forwarded to spring and I’m a lot more confident, playing fast, and ultimately making more plays.”
Benning redshirted his true freshman season in 2024. He played in three games and made four tackles. It was on special teams — specifically the kickoff unit — where Benning made his mark, especially in the back half of the year.
Benning, aligning as the kickoff unit’s R3 in the video below, shed the block attempt of Wisconsin receiver Chris Brooks Jr. (#84) and got in on the tackle of returner Cade Yacamelli (#25) with teammate Derek Branch (#24):
In the rain and mud of the Pinstripe Bowl against Boston College, Benning, again the R3, tracked down returner Johnathan Montague Jr. (#8) after teammate Mario Buford (#31) made initial contact:
While adjusting to new leadership in meeting rooms, Benning also leans on a certain veteran
Nebraska had a top-20 scoring defense the past two seasons under former defensive coordinator Tony White. Now with Benning’s position coach from 2024, John Butler, being elevated to DC, the redshirt freshman safety has been learning from new DB coaches in Addison Williams and associate head coach Phil Snow.
New faces in new leadership roles. What has Benning noticed so far?
“They’re very, very smart,” Benning said. “They love football, they pour into us every single day and they definitely push us to be our best. There’s no slacking, so they’re going to make sure they’re on you but it’s all out of love.”
While there’s been coaching change to get adjusted to, Benning has leaned on the player leaders in the DB room like safety Marques Buford Jr. and cornerback Ceyair Wright.
Benning said everyone calls the fifth-year Buford who has played in 40 career games “unc.”
“He’s the oldest, definitely a vocal leader,” Benning said. “…I’m behind Marques, so learning from him, watching him, asking him questions — I probably ask him too many questions he would think — but I’m just trying to learn, see what he’s thinking.”
Identity of John Butler’s defense
It remains to be seen what exactly Butler’s defense will look like and how it will differ from White’s, especially on third down. That question will be answered Aug. 28 at Arrowhead Stadium In Kansas City when the season kicks off against Cincinnati.
Butler and the rest of the coaching staff spent the spring installing their defense. The word Benning used to describe what the unit wants to play with?
“I would say ferociousness,” Benning said. “In terms of getting to the ball, we’re fast, we’re strong, we’re athletic. Just 11 guys getting to the ball and suffocating the offense.”