Luke Gifford was a model of hard work, consistency and leadership. Not the most naturally-gifted or athletic, but you know his motor could out work a lot of people on the field. After playing a reserve role his first two seasons, the linebacker from Lincoln (Southeast) became a key starter his final two seasons.
Per Huskers.com, Gifford’s stats don’t jump off the page. This could be due to a couple factors. Nebraska’s defensive coordinators were a revolving door during his career, with Mark Banker, Bob Diaco and finally Erik Chinander. The pass-rush was also a major problem the last few years, so Gifford could be double-teamed.