Honors & Awards
» Pat Clare Award (2018)
» Honorable-Mention All-Big Ten (2018, Coaches & Media)
» Team Captain (2018)
» Big Ten Sportsmanship Award (2018)
» Four-Time Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll
» Sam Foltz Hero 27 Leadership Award (2018)
» Brook Berringer Citizenship Team (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
» Tom Osborne Citizenship Team (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
2018 (Senior)
Luke Gifford played his senior season as a graduate student and started all 12 games. He emerged as a leader for the Blackshirts while setting career highs in nearly every statistical category while earning honorable-mention All-Big Ten recognition. Gifford totaled a career-high 62 tackles in 2018 after recording 47 tackles in his first three seasons combined. He led Nebraska with 13 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks, both of which were career highs. His 13 TFLs tied for the most by a Husker since the 2014 season, and Gifford's 5.5 sacks tied for the highest total by a Husker linebacker since the 2005 season. Gifford also forced the first fumble of his career in 2018 and had career highs of two pass breakups and seven quarterback hurries.
Gifford began his senior season with a big game against Colorado, setting career highs with 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks against the Buffaloes, with a then-career-high three TFLs. The performance marked the first game of Gifford's career with multiple tackles for loss and his 1.5 sacks matched his career total entering the game. Two of Gifford's three tackles vs. Troy the next went for a loss, including a four-yard sack, as Gifford notched a TFL in his seventh straight game dating back to his junior season. He recorded two tackles in the first road game of the season at No. 19 Michigan and had four tackles the next week against Purdue. At No. 16 Wisconsin, Gifford had seven tackles, including a six-yard sack. At Northwestern the next week, Gifford set a career high with four tackles for loss, including a 10-yard sack, as part of a seven-tackle effort. He posted nine tackles in the Huskers' win over Minnesota, a career high for a Big Ten Conference game. Gifford added a 21-yard sack as part of a three-tackle performance the next week against Bethune-Cookman. He then made three solo tackles at No. 8 Ohio State. Gifford has his 12th TFL of the season as part of a six-tackle performance in the Huskers' win over Illinois. He added another TFL in a win over Michigan State the next week, when he also tied his career highs with one pass breakup and two quarterback hurries. In the season finale at Iowa, GIfford totaled three tackles, and he also had a five-yard carry on a fake punt inside the Huskers' 10-yard line, converting a 4th-and-3 to keep alive a Husker third-quarter drive that ended with a touchdown to make it a one-score game.
2017 (Junior)
Gifford started each of the first seven games at outside linebacker before missing the final five contests due to injury. Despite the injury, Gifford put together the most productive season of his career in Nebraska’s new-look 3-4 defensive scheme. Gifford, who had at least five tackles in each of his first five games, totaled 39 tackles with five tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, while recording his first career sack, pass breakup and interception.
Gifford earned his first career start in the season opener against Arkansas State, when he posted a career-high nine tackles, eclipsing his career total of five tackles entering the game. He added five tackles the next week at Oregon, when he broke up the first pass of his career. Gifford made eight stops against Northern Illinois, when he posted his first career sack. He added his first career interception the next week against Rutgers. Gifford recorded a TFL in each of his final five games, including recording his first career solo sack against No. 9 Wisconsin. He had three tackles, including one for a loss, against No. 9 Ohio State in what proved to be his final game of the season.
2016 (Sophomore)
Gifford saw action in four games as a reserve linebacker, and made an assisted tackle at Ohio State.Â
2015 (Redshirt Freshman)
Gifford earned playing time in a young group of linebackers, before being sidelined for the second half of the year by a hip injury. Gifford played in each of the first six games and had seven tackles, including a tackle for a loss. Gifford had four tackles, including a TFL against South Alabama and added two tackles against Wisconsin.
2014 (Redshirt)
Gifford redshirted and worked as a defensive back on the scout team.
Before Nebraska (Southeast HS)
Gifford was a standout on both sides of the ball for Coach Ryan Gottula at Lincoln Southeast. As a senior, Gifford passed for 970 yards and five touchdowns, while rushing for 742 yards and eight touchdowns to help the Knights to the Class A state playoffs. Gifford also starred in the secondary, making 50 tackles with two interceptions and five pass breakups. Gifford was a first-team All-Nebraska defensive back selection by the Omaha World-Herald and also earned Super State accolades from the Lincoln Journal Star.
Gifford helped Southeast to a 9-2 record and a trip to the state quarterfinals in his junior season. On offense, Gifford caught seven passes for 125 yards, while also starring in the secondary. He was a first-team Super State selection as a junior, and earned second-team All-Nebraska honors in 2012. Gifford was also a member of the Knights’ 2011 state championship team.
Gifford was ranked among the top 40 athlete prospects in the country by Rivals.com. Gifford was also a key member of the Knights’ basketball teams for two seasons. Gifford was the first player to commit to the Huskers’ 2014 class, and did not take any other visits. He had offers from Iowa, Ohio and Toledo among others.
Personal
The son of Sam and Shannon Gifford, Luke was born on Aug. 28, 1995. He is a four-time member of the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll. Gifford was a five-time selection to the Brook Berringer and Tom Osborne Citizenship Teams for his extensive community outreach work. He also won the prestigious Sam Foltz Hero 27 Award in 2018. He has volunteered his time with the Nebraska Football Road Race, School is Cool, FCA, the Lincoln Marathon and several school and hospital outreach events.