Cameron Lenhardt soaking up another season of veteran leadership on D-line
Cameron Lenhardt would be a game-wrecker on most defensive lines in the country. He jumped off the page as a true freshman, notching three sacks and five tackles for loss in 2023.
But at Nebraska, Lenhardt isn’t even a top-three guy up front — yet.
The return of Nash Hutmacher, Ty Robinson and Jimari Butler, All-Big Ten Honorable Mentions a year ago, means Lenhardt will play another season under veteran tutelage. He doesn’t take that opportunity lightly.
“It’s an honor to be able to line up with Nash, Ty and Jimari,” Lenhardt said. “Those seniors, just being able to be on the field with them is a privilege. When I’m out there it’s like, alright, ‘I’m doing it for them’ because it’s their last.”
Lenhart’s time will come. For now, he’s a single piece of a “Death Row” unit that could be one of the best in college football. The depth in Nebraska’s D-line room is staggering. It will keep opposing coaches up at night.
Along with Lenhardt, James Williams and Riley Van Poppel enter their second season in the program having flashed promise in 2023. The standard of the entire room has increased as a result.
“I’m making Jimari better, Jimari’s making me better. I’m making James better, he’s making me better,” Lenhardt said. “The competition every day in practice, it pushes us to do better and compete against each other because it’s going to translate on the field when it’s time for the games.”
Hutmacher has been impressed by that competitive edge this offseason.
“We have so many guys on that defensive line that can play really high-level football,” Hutmacher said. “When we’re subbing in and out, I don’t think you’re going to see much of a drop-off between our starting three guys. We should have six guys on the defensive line that could be starters.”
Lenhardt ready for “big man football”
Lenhardt added 10 pounds this offseason and looks all of 260. His frame certainly catches the eye.
“The Big Ten is physical. A lot of downhill running,” Lenhardt said. “Being able to build that callus and just get my body right, and take care of it to the best of my ability day in and day out. It’s big man football out here. Just being able to adapt to that.”
Lenhardt credits his growth to a “conscious” meal schedule this offseason, and staying consistent even when he wasn’t hungry.
The culture of the D-line room didn’t hurt either. Hutmacher’s aggressive cut for wrestling inspired Lenhardt. Butler joined the fun too, bulking up around 15 pounds.
“It allows them to be stouter, stronger more explosive,” Terrance Knighton said of Butler and Lenhardt’s added size. “It’s not like we told them to go order 10 pizzas, right? They were in the weight room, doing exactly what Kristin [Coggin] told them to do. They’re eating the right things.
“Those are two guys, during the break, who didn’t go anywhere. They stayed here and worked out. We do Yoga once a week as a group, so those guys have taken their body serious.”
When he wasn’t focused on perfecting his body, Lenhardt was in the film room.
“We watched a lot of pass rush film this offseason because that’s something we want to elevate as a group,” Lenhardt said. “We watched a lot of four-man pass rushing, just how they do it in the NFL. Their rush angles and things like that.”
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