Nebraska’s start under Matt Rhule has been efficient and emphatic. Rhule opened 3-0 with a gritty 20-17 win over Cincinnati, followed by blowouts of Akron and Houston Christian by a combined 127-7 that showcased both depth and defensive bite. The Huskers rolled up 728 yards against Akron in their first shutout since 2009 and then cruised 59-7 while resting starters after halftime against HCU. Amid the hot start, one under-the-radar storyline jumped lines. An NFL executive visited Lincoln and had a very specific question about a certain No. 21 on defense, a redshirt freshman who has quickly forced his way into the conversation.

That No. 21 is safety Rex Guthrie, a redshirt freshman from Littleton, Colorado, who was a consensus top-10 in-state prospect and the No. 4 player in Colorado per 247Sports. He was known in high school for his tackling volume and special teams impact at Heritage High School. Guthrie’s first collegiate snaps came fast and productive. He debuted against Cincinnati with three tackles, added three more against Akron, and has already shown range and physicality that fit Nebraska’s back-end identity under Rhule. Listed at 6-1, 200, Guthrie brings a box-safety temperament with enough short-area quickness to play downhill or match in space as his role expands.

As Mitch Sherman shared on X., “Nebraska coach Matt Rhule says he had an NFL executive in Lincoln last week who wanted to know the identity of No. 21 on defense. That’s redshirt freshman safety Rex Guthrie. He’s a backup in name only. Has shown he can play like a Big Ten-starting caliber safety.” Rhule’s public tone has matched the buzz, calling Guthrie “a Big Ten starter” caliber in recent remarks as usage has ticked up and the staff has leaned on him situationally in sub packages. The early data backs the eye test also. Through two games logged, Guthrie has six tackles, one tackle for loss, and a pass breakup, a tidy start that hints at an every-week rotation spot as conference play accelerates.

On the depth chart, Guthrie is listed on the two-deep at safety, with indications he’s backing at rover in certain groupings while competing to be a true co-starter as the season evolves.  His high school production, 106 tackles, 6.5 TFL, and three interceptions as a junior, plus kick return juice, telegraphed the hitter’s DNA and football IQ now showing up on Saturdays in Lincoln. Nebraska’s Week 1 depth chart showed the youth movement program-wide, and Guthrie is a prime example of an underclassman pressing into meaningful snaps because the film demands it.

Taken together, the NFL curiosity, Rhule’s “Big Ten starter” praise, and Guthrie’s game tape point to a freshman defender rising on a defense that expects to carry weight in Big Ten play. Nebraska’s schedule stiffens, but the formula is to stack stops, finish drives, and let ascending talents like Guthrie tilt the margins that decide league games. If the Huskers are to turn a 3-0 launch into a season with staying power, an emerging enforcer at No. 21 is exactly the development that makes a good defense travel and makes NFL evaluators keep asking for a name.

Walk-on heartbeat in Lincoln

Nebraska’s 59-7 cruise past Houston Christian was a showcase of control and culture. But beyond the scoreboard, one late-game moment cut to the program’s core identity. Redshirt freshman walk-on linebacker Derek Wacker jarred the ball loose in the fourth quarter, a hit that Kahmir Prescott scooped for a return, proof that, even in the transfer-portal era, Nebraska’s walk-on tradition still swings games.

Matt Rhule made the point explicit, tying a single play to a larger philosophy under pressure from looming roster limits. “The concern I had, just for the record, was that the walk-on program might die with the proliferation of the 105-man roster and all that. But with Derek Wacker, man, that thing is alive and well. He’s starting on kickoff, kickoff return, and he forced a fumble. He’s an excellent football player.” In a night built for development, Wacker’s forced fumble became a rallying example of why Nebraska refuses to let a foundational pipeline fade, even as the sport’s economics and rules threaten to narrow opportunity.

For Wacker, the stage was personal. A walk-on with no scholarship or guarantees, trying to earn a permanent role in a crowded room. His mindset matched the moment. “I feel I’ve made a lot of jumps this offseason and I’m ready to attack it again come summer,” he said. “Status with the team? Keep working, and we’ll find out in the end. I don’t think anyone knows at this point.” The uncertainty of change is real. “There’s a little bit of stress because of the uncertainty of the events going on,” he added, but so is the compass that says trust coaches, keep faith, and stack effort. If Saturday was any indication, that formula still beats loud in Lincoln.