When the University of Minnesota defensive line was banged up in preseason practice, freshman outside linebacker Julian Huff took some snaps up front.
"He tore us up," Gophers coach Jerry Kill said of his offensive line. "Therefore, he got an opportunity" Thursday night in Minnesota's 23-17 loss to second-ranked Texas Christian at TCF Bank Stadium.
In a defensive wrinkle to throw off TCU quarterback and Heisman Trophy hopeful Trevone Boykin, Huff started the game as an undersized, standup defensive end. He finished with seven tackles and a handful of other disruptive plays.
Huff, who is listed at 5 feet, 11 inches and 220 pounds, made it hard on starting Horned Frogs left tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai, who is 6-6 and 315 pounds.
Kill said Huff reminds him of former Michigan State outside linebacker Denicos Allen, who overcame his 5-11, 218-pound frame to become a second-team All-American in 2013.
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The Gophers recruited Huff, and his identical twin, defensive back Jacob, from Bolingbrook, a Chicago suburb. Julian Huff graduated early and joined the Gophers for spring practices. His presence gave the coaching staff an early look at how he could help the team this fall without redshirting.
His impact was on display often Thursday.
"It's another way to get to the passer because he has a low dip in his pads," Kill said. "He's not real big."
Huff covered up a bubble screen in the first quarter, which allowed defensive linemen Steven Richardson and Robert Ndondo-Lay to sack Boykin.
Huff's instinctive play helped end TCU's opening possession. Huff then hit Boykin early during his option read in the second quarter, allowing middle linebacker Cody Poock to tackle running back Shaun Nixon for a 3-yard loss. TCU again had to punt.
"Like Cody Poock, he's got good football instincts," Kill said. "Stuff you don't teach all the time."
Poock, a junior college transfer, matched Huff with seven tackles in his Gophers debut.
Beyond Huff, the Gophers also used a dime package with three linemen, two linebackers and six defensive backs. Linebacker De'Vondre Campbell, who played the same role as Huff, nearly intercepted Boykin after bluffing a pass rush.
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"We had to do a lot of things to keep (Boykin) off balance and give him different looks," Kill said. "You can't sit in there and stay in the same thing. Our guys did a good job, even in (TCU's) fast pace, to be able to get the calls in. You (have) to match them when they switch personnel."
