Ernest Hausmann, Decoldest Crawford, Brant Banks enter the transfer portal

Inside Nebraska has confirmed that linebacker Ernest Hausmann, receiver Decoldest Crawford and offensive lineman Brant Banks have each entered the transfer portal.

In addition, Inside Nebraska learned that kicker Gabe Heins entered the transfer portal on Wednesday.

Hausmann is perhaps the most surprising and is the most notable Husker to have entered the transfer portal thus far.

It figures to be a tough blow to the future of Nebraska's defense. The true freshman linebacker appeared in all 12 games this season for the Huskers. He racked up 54 total tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. He started in six of the Huskers' 12 games this season, including starts in the final four games of the season, and he played in 474 out of a possible 933 snaps for the Nebraska defense. That includes playing 139 out of 145 snaps across the final two games as he saw his stock soar during the second half of the season.

In early November, Hausmann spoke about the adjustments he made to college football after being picked on early in the season.

“Each week, there’s a lot of new things that’ll be presented to me, obviously as a true freshman and how different offenses attack us,” Hausmann said. “So just having a better understanding of each defensive call, and knowing where the offense is going to attack us has really helped me out and allowed me to play more fast.”

The 2022 recruiting class member was an in-state prospect from Columbus High School. He became one of the gems of that recruiting class after the Huskers won his signature over Iowa, Michigan, Kansas State and others. After showing what he can do in a Husker uniform this season, he will have a lot of options on the table to choose from.

Crawford, a three-star recruit in the Class of 2022, signed with the Huskers after having long been committed to LSU. He followed former Tigers assistant Mickey Joseph to Lincoln and signed as the Huskers' sixth-highest ranked recruit in the cycle.

The true freshman receiver, however, was dealt a tough setback when he suffered a major injury to his right knee during the final scrimmage of fall camp. He was not expected to see much playing time as a true freshman with a handful of other receivers likely ahead of him on the depth chart. But his freshman year development and ability to contribute early was wiped away as a result of the injury.

Banks, like Hausmann and Crawford, was also a three-star recruit out of the high school ranks. The offensive lineman picked Nebraska over other top options such as Baylor and Missouri. Banks was in his fourth season at Nebraska but is listed as a sophomore on the Huskers' roster. He appeared in 13 games at offensive line across his second and third seasons, and he played in 53 out of a possible 783 snaps for the Husker offense

Heins spent four seasons at Nebraska after joining the Huskers as a walk-on as part of the 2019 class out of Kearney (Neb.) High School. He did not appear in a game over his four years with the program.

The transfer portal does not open up nationwide until Dec. 5. However, players at programs that are undergoing a change at head coach are given 30 days to enter the portal. When Scott Frost was fired, the players had a 30-day window to enter the portal, and now that Matt Rhule has been hired Nebraska players are given another 30-day window to enter the portal.