Lord Malik Heru, a 2029 quarterback from Chesapeake (Va.) Indian River, is as heavily pursued as any sophomore signal-caller early on in the cycle. Nebraska football was among the first 20 programs to offer Heru — who now holds 25 offers to date — after evaluating the signal-caller at camp in June.
He threw for over 3,000 yards and 40 touchdowns as a freshman last fall. On Saturday, Heru returned to Lincoln to experience his first game in Memorial Stadium.
“I thought the offense looked really good,” he told Hail Varsity. “[Anthony] Colandrea seemed comfortable and in control, and I liked how he operated the offense and distributed the football. You can tell they put a lot of responsibility on the quarterback, and as a quarterback, that’s something I pay close attention to.”
Heru stands 6-foot-1, 200 pounds. Colandrea stands 6-foot, 200 pounds. Watching the UNLV transfer command the Huskers’ offense, to the tune of 250 total yards and four passing touchdowns, helped the sophomore envision himself potentially leading Nebraska’s offense in the future.
“I could see myself fitting into that offense, because it allows the quarterback to make plays with both his arm and his legs,” he said. “I like playing fast, making decisions, extending plays when needed and getting the ball to playmakers. I feel like my skill set would fit well with what Nebraska is doing offensively.”
Just a 2029 prospect, communication is limited at this point between Heru and Nebraska’s staff. While on campus, the sophomore took advantage of the opportunity to develop his relationship with quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas and others on staff.
“The conversations were really good,” he said. “It was great getting around Coach Thomas again and continuing to build our relationship. The staff made me feel comfortable, and we talked football, my development and what they see in me as a quarterback. Every time I speak with them, I feel like the relationship gets stronger.”
It’s still quite early for Heru, with programs like Virginia Tech, Virginia, Auburn, SMU, Alabama, Georgia and Kentucky among the 25 contending for his commitment. Coming out of his second Nebraska visit, the Huskers have earned some staying power with the sophomore.
“Nebraska definitely made a strong impression on me,” he said. “I really enjoyed the visit, the facilities were impressive, the staff made me feel comfortable, and the game-day atmosphere was special. I’m still taking my time with the recruiting process and continuing to build relationships with the schools recruiting me, but Nebraska is definitely a program I’m interested in.”
