Exploring Innovative Ways: Heinrich Haarberg of Nebraska Seeks More Field Time

Jeff Sims, the veteran who Heinrich Haarberg backs up, took the snap and faked the handoff to Rahmir Johnson.

The Minnesota linebacker responsible for the flat bit on the play action, leaving Haarberg, a scholarship quarterback who has yet to throw a pass in two years and a game at Nebraska, uncovered.

Sims’ toss was slightly behind Haarberg, who twisted his shoulders back toward the ball to reel it in. He crossed the line to gain before being tripped up and stumbling out of bounds. It was the Georgia Tech transfer Sims’ second completion as a Husker, and on the other end was another member of his position room.

Between Sims, former starter Casey Thompson and Chubba Purdy, Haarberg has disappeared into the shuffle of signal-callers since arriving at Nebraska in January 2021. Coach Matt Rhule has reiterated that Haarberg and Purdy are co-backups; who gets the nod if Sims goes down would be situational. With little clarity and an eligibility clock ticking, a new path onto the field as a pass-catcher has emerged for the redshirt sophomore from Kearney.

“He’s super athletic, so we just need to get him out there on the field,” offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield said. “If he’s not playing quarterback, he doesn’t need to sit over there with us, waiting his turn, so he can help us in a bunch of different ways, and moving forward, we’ll continue to try to find ways to get him out on the field.”

The 10-yard reception was Haarberg’s only catch of the game. Nebraska had other looks for him schemed up that didn’t come to fruition.

The 6-foot-5 Haarberg has packed extra weight onto his frame, up to around 230 pounds from his listed 215. He was a dual-threat quarterback in high school at Kearney Catholic, rushing for 556 yards as a senior. As a sophomore, he qualified for the state track meet in four events: 100-meter dash, 200 dash, 400 relay and high jump.

As of the spring, however, there hadn’t been any conversations about moving Haarberg out from behind center. But he was open to it.

“If that’s something that we get to the season and that’s what’s best, I’m comfortable playing whatever,” he said in March. “I feel like I have the athleticism, the intelligence to play a variety of positions. Right now, I’m just gonna focus on quarterback development, and that’s what the coaches have asked me to do, so that’s where I’m at.”

The need for Haarberg in the passing game has only grown since his first action. Starting receiver Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda tore his ACL against Minnesota and will miss the rest of the year. A unit that was already thin with the departure of Trey Palmer to the NFL will now have to scrape the bottom of the barrel after the passing game as a whole got off to an ugly start.

Sims completed 11 of 19 attempts for 114 yards with a touchdown and three picks in Minnesota. No wideout had more than three catches.

Out of necessity, there will be differences in Week 2. The Huskers will try to involve transfer receiver Billy Kemp IV and tight end Thomas Fidone II more after both were shut out in their first action. Further down the depth chart, freshmen Malachi Coleman and Jaylen Lloyd are both candidates to see increased playing time.

Somewhere in there will likely be more opportunities for Haarberg, a player the coaches see as too athletic and skilled to keep off the field.

“He’s the backup quarterback but he’s also a guy that’s going to help us play some other positions,” Rhule said. “He can catch it. He knows every position because he is the quarterback so hopefully he can help us all out as we move forward.”