2012 Bio

Jason Ankrah Photo Gallery

Honors & Awards

• Nebraska Graduate (May 2013)
• Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (Fall, 2012)
• Big 12 Commissioner's Fall Academic Honor Roll (2009, 2010)

Defensive end Jason Ankrah has been a key member of the Nebraska front four each of the past two seasons. The 6-4, 265-pound Ankrah started nine games at defensive end last season, helping Nebraska feature one of the nation’s top pass defenses.

Ankrah has shown during his career that he has the physical tools to be both an effective run stopper and pass rusher from the end spot. Ankrah started the first two and last seven games of the year at defensive end in 2012. His time on the field greatly increased in the final few games after injuries hit the defensive line hard and forced players to shuffle positions.

This spring, Ankrah is being asked to fill another role. In addition to being a frontrunner to start for a third straight year, Ankrah is also being looked to for leadership on a young defensive line.

2012 (Junior)
Ankrah played in all 14 games and finished with 26 total tackles, including six tackles for loss and two sacks. He also forced a pair of fumbles and had three quarterback hurries. Ankrah had four games with at least three tackles during the 2012 season.

Ankrah opened the year with four tackles against both Southern Miss and UCLA. He also had at least one tackle for loss in each of the first four games, including sacks against both Arkansas State and Idaho State. Ankrah also recorded one tackle for loss against Ohio State and Georgia. He forced fumbles against UCLA and Ohio State.

2011 (Sophomore)
Ankrah played in 12 games with nine starts, including seven of the season's first eight games. He recorded 17 tackles, highlighted by a career-high five stops in NU's 20-7 win over Iowa in the regular-season finale. Ankrah also had a tackle for loss against the Hawkeyes, giving him three TFLs in 2011, including a two-yard sack in the opener against Chattanooga. Ankrah had three tackles at Minnesota and had three other games with a pair of tackles.

2010 (Redshirt Freshman)
Ankrah played in 10 games and made two tackles, a solo stop at Oklahoma State and an assist against Oklahoma. He also had a quarterback hurry against Kansas.

2009 (Redshirt)
Sat out season as a redshirt.

Before Nebraska (Quince Orchard HS)
Ankrah was one of the top prospects on the East Coast after an outstanding career for Coach Dave Mencarini at Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg, Md. Ankrah was just the second Husker signee from Maryland since 1990 and attended the same high school as Nebraska assistant coach John Papuchis. Ankrah totaled 55 tackles as a senior, including 42 unassisted stops, 14 tackles for loss, seven sacks and 19 quarterback hurries. His play helped Quince Orchard to a 10-2 record and a trip to the Maryland 4A West Regional Final.

Ankrah was a first-team all-state pick, an All-Met selection by the Washington Post and was also named to the All-Gazette (Gaithersburg) first team. Ankrah played in the first Maryland Crab Bowl, pitting the top players in Maryland against D.C. area standouts.

Ankrah also posted impressive numbers as a junior with more than 50 tackles and five sacks. His play was a significant factor in Quince Orchard's perfect 14-0 record and class 4A state championship, and he earned first-team All-Sentinel as an offensive lineman. Ankrah also visited Michigan and Maryland, and also considered Virginia Tech and Clemson.

Personal
Jason is the son of Kofi and Nanu Ankrah and was born on Feb. 26, 1991. He is majoring in child, youth and family studies. He was named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll in 2009 and 2010.

Ankrah's Career Statistics

Single-Game Highs
» Tackles – 5 vs. Iowa (2011)
» Solo Tackles – 2 five times (all in 2012)
» Tackles for Loss – 1, nine times (3 in 2011; 5 in 2012)
» Sacks – 1.0 vs. Chattanooga (2011), Arkansas State (2012), Idaho State (2012)