Second-Team All-American by the Associated Press and Pro Football Focus, Second-Team All-Big Ten by coaches, Lott IMPACT Trophy Quarterfinalist and Nebraska Defensive MVP were all awarded to him in the 2021 season. The Huskers lost all that talent in JoJo Domann, who just participated in the 2022 NFL Combine on March 5.
Now, Nebraska is conducting a search for the next guy that can take over Domann’s role as the Huskers’ nickel. Isaac Gifford and Javin Wright have been preparing for the position for several seasons. Chris Kolarevic moved to the group during the offseason after playing one season at inside linebacker for NU.
Walk-ons John Bullock and Grant Buda are also in the group, Nebraska defensive coordinator Erik Chinander said.
Domann is a special talent and Nebraska likely won't find the next Domann but they have several players on the roster that have similar qualities to Domann. The Huskers will likely rotate and use different players based on matchups for specific teams and formations.
Kolarevic recognizes the high expectations that Domann brought to the position but is excited for the challenge.
“I think I have the athletic ability to do it. I played a little bit of it in middle school and it's a fun position. You could fly around playing space a lot,” Kolarevic said. “It was just a conversation after the season ended, just trying to maximize my ability on the field. That’s what I'm trying to do so big shoes to fill.”
Since he is learned a new position, one that was held by Domann for three seasons, he has been watching a lot of film on Domann and Nebraska’s nickel.
“He's a bigger guy, but he understands how to play man-to-man, especially in space on tight ends and No. 2 receivers,” Kolarevic said of Domann. “That's kind of the biggest thing for big guys that have to go out in the box, like figuring out how to use leverage outside the box. He also used physicality a lot when he got in the box, especially off the edge using his big body to be physical.”
Kolarevic is much closer in size and frame to Domann than Gifford or Wright and has taken note of how Domann used his size.
“It's a good thing to have him come before me, I see it as a good thing because I get to go watch this film and see what he did really well and look at and try to do some of the things we did,” Kolarevic said.
The 6-foot-1, 230-pound senior said he practiced at nickel at Northern Illinois but he only played at the mike and will linebacker positions during games. Kolarevic said he was slated to play more nickel at NIU during the 2020 season but it was canceled due to COVID. He transferred to Nebraska before the next season.
Gifford, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound sophomore, is seemingly the front runner for the nickel position as he had extensive playing in two games with Domann out due to a hand injury at the end of last season.
“I think Isaac is close to JoJo where he has a pretty good skill set,” Chinander said, who coaches the nickels. “He played safety in high school. Right now, JoJo probably is a little bit better in coverage than Isaac. Isaac might be a little bit better around the ball.”
The Lincoln (Neb.) Southeast graduate played 68 snaps in Nebraska’s final two games against Wisconsin and Iowa. He played every game on special teams in 2021 and in 2020 as a true freshman.
Another contender for the nickel position is Wright, who has battled several injuries since he came to Nebraska in 2019. He was expected to have a big season in 2021 and get some experience behind Domann but he had a scare with blood clots causing him to miss the majority of the season.
Chinander said Wright is practicing in a limited capacity right now but hopes after spring break (March 14 through March 18) that Wright will be able to practice at a higher capacity for the remaining three weeks of spring practice.
“Javin, he’s been so bang-up but I think the sky’s the limit for his skill set,” the coordinator said. “He started at corner for us and he fastly grew out of that. He’s 6-foot-3 plus and he’s got some good weight to him so his coverage ability is really good for his size which is an extreme plus.”
While defensive backs coach Travis Fisher said the absence of Domann and the other seniors in the secondary is felt, he recognizes there is talent at the nickel position.
“Most of all those guys, all those nickel guys’ techniques look totally different,” said Fisher, who spends every day with the nickels. “JoJo was able to play nickel and make it look easy. Isaac Gifford is another one and he’s out there making it look easy. Javin Wright is making it look easy. Even Chris, he’s starting to do a lot of things right now technique-wise because he’s buying into it.”
