Three veteran Nebraska football players, including two stalwarts from a defense with ample returning experience, will represent the program next week during Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis.
Junior tight end Austin Allen, the team’s second-leading receiver in 2020, will represent the offense, while seniors Ben Stille (22-game starter) and Deontai Williams (nine) will represent the defense.
The media-oriented event, canceled last year due to COVID-19, will be Thursday and Friday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The gathering is typically held in Chicago, just a short drive from the conference’s headquarters in Rosemont, Illinois, but changed locations due to coronavirus restrictions still in place in Chicago.
Nebraska’s contingent — which will include head coach Scott Frost — is scheduled to appear Thursday along with coaches and players from Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern and Penn State. Friday’s round of interviews and various appearances will feature Indiana, Iowa, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Rutgers and Wisconsin.
Allen, a 6-foot-8, 260-pound Aurora native, played in all eight games last season with a career-high seven starts. He set career highs with 18 receptions and 236 receiving yards.
The 6-5, 295-pound Stille, of Ashland, started all eight games at defensive end in 2020 and finished with 27 tackles, including three for loss and a one-and-half sacks.
Williams, a 6-1, 205-pound native of Jacksonville, Florida, played in every game and made seven starts in 2020 while earning honorable-mention All-Big Ten accolades. He finished with a career-high 51 tackles, and he set career highs with four tackles for loss and a sack. He also broke up four passes, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.
Nebraska returns nine starters from last season’s defense, although senior inside linebacker Will Honas could be sidelined for most if not all of the 2021 season because of a knee injury suffered in spring practice.
One thing to consider is some Nebraska players were unavailable next week because of previously scheduled summer trips.