Nebraska struck gold with linebacker Owen Chambliss in the Transfer Portal

The best schools in the Transfer Portal aren't the ones who pick up the biggest names, but the ones who go out and land perfect fits from outside the Power 4. This offseason, Matt Rhule faces an uphill battle as Nebraska has lost some key pieces on the roster and in the coaching staff, and after signing a new contract extension, he'll need to lift the Cornhuskers into contender status.

On Monday Morning, Matt Rhule and his staff landed their biggest addition of the offseason, picking up a commitment from San Diego State star Owen Chambliss.

Rob Aurich has secured the biggest key to the Nebraska defense

Matt Rhule went out this offseason, and added San Diego State defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Rob Aurich to fill the same role on his staff. Adding Aurich comes with the hopes that he can bring his defense that allowed just 15.4 points per game which ranked 7th in the country to the Big Ten.

If Aurich is going to bring that level of elite defense to Nebraska, he needs a quarterback on the field and a player who knows the defense. Owen Chambliss is the perfect player with two years of experience playing for Aurich, including this past season, where he was the defensive coordinator.

This season, Owen Chambliss racked up 109 total tackles, 68 solo tackles, 5 pass deflections, and an interception. Chambliss is a very well-rounded linebacker posting a 78.7 PFF grade against the run and an exceptional 85.2 grade in pass coverage.

Owen Chambliss ranks as the 6th best linebacker in the Saturday Blitz Transfer Portal Rankings.

Nebraska now has the biggest key piece in the defense secured which should allow the team to continue building up the unit. Having an experienced middle linebacker who can call the defense on the field is important for making the transition to the new scheme, and Matt Rhule and his staff just ensured there's no learning curve.