Good news! The Huskers are returning all of their tight ends from last year.

Coach

Sean Beckton- When Beckton took over this squad in 2018 he had only freshman and sophomores and they had very little on field experience. Looking ahead to 2020 he will have a good mix of young players and seasoned veterans to lead the way.

Who’s Back?

• Jack Stoll, 6-4, 260 lb., Sr., Lone Tree, Colorado; started all 12 games; 25 catches for 234 yards and 1 touchdown
• Kurt Rafdal, 6-7, 245 lb., Jr., Carmel, Indiana; played in 6 games; 1 reception for 9 yards.
• Austin Allen, 6-8, 250 lb., Jr., Aurora, Nebraska; played all 12 games; 7 receptions for 83 yards.
• Chris Hickman, 6-6, 215 lb., Red Shirt Freshman, Omaha, Nebraska; played in 4 games last year, saw some special teams action and also played wide receiver as well.

The following were on the roster but did not see playing time in 2019:

• Brian Perez, 6-3, 265 lb., Sr., Hartley, Iowa (Switched positions last year and did not play while learning his new position).
• Bryson Krull, 6-3, 250 lb. So., North Platte, Nebraska.
• John Goodwin, 6-2, 255 lb., Red shirt Freshman Lincoln, Nebraska.

Who’s New?

• Travis Vokolek, 6-6, 250 lb., Jr., Springfield, Missouri; transferred from Rutgers before the 2019 season. He had to sit out per NCAA rules. In his first two seasons at Rutgers he played 19 games and caught 17 passes for 198 yards and 2 touchdowns.
• Nate Boerkircher, 6-4, 215 lb. Fr., Aurora, Nebraska. He is a walk on from Aurora High School and earned Class C1 all-state from the Omaha World Herald. He joins his brother Ian, who is an offensive line walk on for the Huskers.

Outlook for 2020

While Jack Stoll will presumably lead this position for the third year in a row, look for some new guys to step up. Chris Hickman impressed the coaches last season and showed his eagerness and commitment while playing through sickness at the Maryland game. Travis Vokolek looks to come in and make a difference early on. He is a big target with Big Ten experience and was awarded Offensive Scout of the Year in 2019.

Austin Allen and Kurt Rafdal will once again add more depth to the tight ends. While neither had big production last year, with a healthy quarterback and more weapons coming in at wide receiver they may see more action this season.

The tight ends should be in good shape for the 2020 seasons.