Nebraska defensive line coach Tony Tuioti has the best problem possible. He has too much competition and talent in his group, there aren’t enough reps to go around.

“When guys are coming to ask me about more reps, and there's not enough to spread around, you know that the competition is right,” Tuioti said on Sports Nightly on Thursday.

Six-year senior Ben Stille headlines the defensive line group and is back after not practicing this spring due to an injury. Tuioti said Stille needs to get acclimated to playing again but isn’t worried about the veteran. In fact, he is most worried about another player needing reps.

Damion Daniels had the game slow down for him last season according to Tuioti and his coach loved to see the improvement on the field. Tuioti said he still has room to grow and needs to “take another step,” but is proud of the work Daniels has put in.

In 2020, Daniels could only play two or three reps before having to come off the field. Tuioti said he put in extra conditioning of his own during the summer and spring. He’s in “tip-top shape”.

“I'm excited to see what he's going to do this fall for us because he's really, really difficult to block,” Tuioti said.

Another veteran on the defensive line is Deontre Thomas, who is beginning his fifth season. Tuioti said he is happy to have another player that knows his system well and makes a point to teach the younger players. Thomas has earned Tuioti’s trust.

Walk-on Colton Feist is another lineman that Tuioti said he trusts to be on the field and do the right thing. Even in a room with such tight competition.

“I remember the first time I walked in the room and I had guys like Khalil Davis in the room and Carlos Davis and Darrion Daniels,” Tuioti said. “And then here comes Colton Feist I'm like 'this guy's never gonna have a chance to play in this room.

“And he's a guy that just kept his head down and just kept working, got stronger, got bigger. And with every rep that I gave him, he was out there just producing for us.”

Fourth-year sophomore Casey Rogers is another surprising athlete in the group. Tuioti said Rogers, who was a lacrosse player for most of his life, has grown a lot since arriving in Lincoln with the help of the strength and conditioning staff and the nutrition program.

“The sky's the limit for Casey Rogers...I knew he was gonna have a really good season for us, and it showed up for him and he needed that type of confidence,” Tuioti said. “And now him coming in with those game reps and the confidence, I think he's going to continue to climb and excel for us.”

Tuioti has another fast-improving man on his line.

“Ty Robinson he's got all the tools. He's big, he's strong, he's got some speed and quickness, that a lot of people don't realize for a guy his size,” his coach said. “But he wants to be really, really good, wants to be great. I think he's gonna be a beast for us coming this fall too.”

Unlike Robinson and Rogers, Jordan Riley was disappointed he couldn’t help Nebraska more last season, according to Tuioti. His coach also said Riley is now 15 pounds and is quicker, has better lateral movement and will help NU this season.

Mosai Newsom also had a change in weight. Newsom came to Nebraska in 2019 at 245-250 pounds, according to his coach, and now he is listed as 285. Newsom is still creating consistency behind his fundamentals and techniques but Tuioti has seen flashes of what he can be.

Tuioti said Nash Hutmacher is another player who has shown flashes and has become more consistent.

“He showed flashes during spring ball, where he was able to win a lot of his one-on-one’s at the point of attack,” Tuioti said. “And in the spring game, he was able to give us some pass-rushes. He’s pretty much one of those types of guys that’s a gamer.”

Marquis Black, who is a second-year freshman, is still putting in work in the weight room and at the nutrition table in order to get his body right for Big Ten football, Tuioti said.

One guy that has clearly been working hard in the weight room is walk-on Chris Walker.

“He’s one of the guys in the weight room that you can't find enough weight to put on the bar for him,” Tuioti said.

True freshman Ra’Quan Buckley arrived on campus in January and was able to benefit from winter conditioning. With all of the competition in the D-line group, Buckley was rewarded the most reps in the spring, totaling up to roughly 370 11-on-11 reps.

“He got better and better as we went through spring practice and that was encouraging to see,” Tuioti said. “He's going to continue to need more reps so that he can try to close gaps with the older guys.

“I'm really, really excited about what he can bring to us in the future. He's got great size great athleticism.”

Standing at 6-foot-8, 320-pounds, Jailen Weaver, Nebraska’s other freshman defensive lineman, will need time to adjust his big frame to the standards of Nebraska and the Big Ten. Luckily because of the depth in his position group, Tuioti said Weaver gets to develop at the pace that is best for him.

Despite the intense competition in the room, Tuioti said his players had great chemistry.

“When you have a chemistry like that, exciting things can happen.,” He said. “Because there's so much up and down throughout the season, but when the chemistry is right and the guys genuinely like each other, during the good times, it's gonna be easy, where everybody hangs out.

“But when it gets really hard and the guys really generally love each other, they're gonna pull each other up, and they're gonna help each other out.”