Heinrich Haarberg embracing leadership role amid quarterback competition

Heinrich Haarberg isn’t used to being the old man in Nebraska’s quarterback room. He’s always entered fall camp behind a more seasoned veteran on the depth chart. Learning from Adrian Martinez and Casey Thompson made him who he is today.

This year, Haarberg is taking on that leadership role. The arrivals of true freshman Dylan Raiola and Daniel Kaelin gave him no other choice.

The transition was “a little weird,” as he describes it.

“That was a new experience for me, being the older guy in the quarterback room,” Haarberg said. “That comes with responsibility. So I tried to help everyone and especially these young quarterbacks.”

In June, Nebraska added transfer QB Jalyn Gramstad — a former NAIA player of the year — to help fill the experience gap. But Gramstad isn’t in the mix for the starting job. Haarberg is the incumbent.

After the spring game, Haarberg made his intentions crystal clear . He was going to approach summer workouts as the starter. The guy who sets the standard.

“I’ve been here a long time,” Haarberg said. “All these guys just came in. They have a lot of experience. They know the game well. But there is a certain level of, ‘How long have you been in college?’ Seeing all of this and knowing what college is like.”

Even with five wins as NU’s starting quarterback and under his belt, it’s no secret Haarberg faces an uphill battle over the next month. Raiola’s arm talent is impossible to ignore and he’s got the poise of a veteran.

Haarberg isn’t approaching fall camp with comparison on his mind, though. There’s still plenty of time to jockey for that starting spot before Aug. 31.

“I don’t know that I’ll ever achieve perfection. I don’t think anyone ever will. That’s what I’m always striving for,” Haarberg said.

Offseason gave Haarberg much-needed time to nitpick

2023 was a rollercoaster for Haarberg and Nebraska as a whole. A true figure-it-out-as-you-go approach. It didn’t leave much room for meticulous, intentional training.

“One of the hard things last year was, it was all practice,” Haarberg said. “That’s all we really had time for, so I couldn’t devote a lot of time to that sort of stuff.”

This summer was a chance to get back to basics. Haarberg says his accuracy and throwing mechanics have improved, but the biggest focus? Command.

“There’s no limit to mastering the offense, continuing to know it inside and out,” Haarberg said. “Those are things you can’t snap your finger and correct. I think those were some of the glaring things that I had to take care of after last season.”

Quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas gushed over Haarberg’s development.

“I’ve been really, really impressed on a lot of levels with him,” Thomas said. “He’s been nothing but a huge part of our room. Both on and off the field. So excited to see that growth continue, as we get further into camp.”

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