Friday Flakes: To Redshirt or Not to Redshirt a Freshman

The relatively new four-year redshirt rule is fun. It opens up entirely knew possibilities for people to go back and forth on whether freshmen should or should not play in particular games.

Example one of that conundrum is the case of Ty Robinson. The true freshman out of Arizona is listed as 6’6” 315 pounds. From all indications it sounds like he is making quite the impression in fall camp.

It could be all smoke. Frost, Chinander and Tuioti may want us chasing our tails so we hear comments from both players and coaches about Robinson. They could be evil scientists.

This one of many clips of one rep from one drill that many members of the media shared on social media of Ty Robinson shaking off Ethan Piper.

Ty Robinson looks the part already as a true freshman.

So there is a two part question. Does the staff have the intention to redshirt Ty Robinson? If they do, but still want to use him in the maximum four games, are they picky about which games to use him?

Get him experience against South Alabama or get real experience against Wisconsin and Iowa?

See? This is fun.

If it weren’t for the immediate infusion of talent from Darrion Daniels and Jahkeem Green then I believe the answer would be simple. He needs to play right away. Now with Daniels and Green on the roster there is an opportunity to save this year for Ty Robinson to be used in the future when there isn’t so much depth.

Unfortunately, it is probably true to say that this upcoming season is an exception to the rule for Nebraska defensive lines. This year the defensive line is an obvious strength with tremendous depth.

Take the last ten or so years. Are there any seasons where Ty Robinson likely would not have come in and burned his redshirt in his true freshman season? Isn’t it likely he would have played right away? Maybe not started but played more than four games.

Hopefully injuries don’t force the coaches hand, because until then we can talk about whether he should play against South Alabama.

Then there’s the case of Wandale.

And Luke McCaffrey.

And Bryce Benhart.

And...

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