(BAND MUSIC) >> TONIGHT WE TALK NEW COACHES.

TAKE A FULL LOOK AT THE 2026 RECRUITING CLASS AND LOOK AHEAD TO THE VEGAS BOWL AGAINST THE 15TH RANKED UTAH UTES ALL COMING UP ON BIG RED WRAP-UP.

(BAND MUSIC) HI EVERYONE I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.

AND WELCOME TO BIG RED WRAP-UP ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

WANT TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS GOING INTO THE POSTSEASON SO YOU CAN CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK, X, AND OF COURSE, THE BIG RED WRAP-UP PAGE WITH YOUR QUESTIONS.

YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL OR TEXT US NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG.

AND OUR PHONES OF COURSE, ARE ALWAYS STANDING BY READY TO TAKE YOUR CALLS AT THE END OF THE SHOW.

WE'LL ANSWER AS MANY OF THE QUESTIONS AS TIME PERMITS.

NOW IT'S TIME FOR SIDELINE SURVEYS.

LAST WEEK ON THE SURVEY, WE ASKED YOU IF YOU EXPECTED THERE TO BE MORE COACHING CHANGES THIS OFFSEASON.

83% OF YOU WERE CORRECT AS THEY MOVED ON FROM DONOVAN RAIOLA AND TERRY BRADDEN AS WELL.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION WHAT DO YOU EXPECT AGAINST THE 15TH RANKED UTAH UTES?

AT THE END, RANKED OPPONENT LOSING STREAK GOES AWAY, A UTAH CLOSE WIN OR A UTAH BLOWOUT.

CURRENTLY, UTAH CLOSE WIN AT 54%.

HAVING SOME CONFIDENCE.

JOINING US NOW FORMER HUSKER JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN.

JOHN BUTLER GETS RELIEVED.

DOESN'T TAKE LONG TO GET A DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF ROB AURICH SO FAR?

>> YEAH, I TOLD YOU I DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT HIM.

YOU KNOW, WE HEARD PEOPLE ARE HOPING YOU'D LOOK AT A JUSTIN WILCOX, MAYBE A JIM LEONARD.

THE GENTLEMAN FROM TOLEDO.

>> FROM SYRACUSE.

>> YEAH.

>> THOSE ARE KIND OF INITIAL NAMES THAT PEOPLE WERE PRETTY HIGH ON.

SO DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT AURICH.

BUT AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH AND LOOKING INTO IT, I LIKE TO HIRE.

ANDREW MARSHALL'S ABLE TO GET SOME GOOD DETAIL ON WHAT KIND OF COACH HE IS.

HE WAS WITH WHEN HE WAS AT IDAHO A LITTLE BIT.

SO I THINK WHAT I LOVE IS THE FACT THAT THE TOTAL POINTS ALLOWED, YOU KNOW, WAS IN THE TOP 15, TOP TEN.

YEAH.

TOP TEN.

IN THE TOP TEN IN THE NATION.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, HIS DEFENSE STOP THE RUN.

THEY STOP THE RUN.

THEY PLAY SOUND DEFENSE.

THEY PLAY VERY PHYSICAL UP FRONT.

THIS IS SOMETHING NEBRASKA VASTLY NEEDS TO BE IN THE BIG TEN.

LIVING IN THE BIG TEN NOW, AND I THINK HE HAS GREAT ENERGY.

HE'S YOUNG AND HE HAS I THINK SOME PEOPLE THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION BECAUSE IF HE DIDN'T DO IT AT A MAJOR CONFERENCE BEFORE THE SEC BIG TEN, THAT HE CAN'T NATURALLY DO IT HERE.

I KIND OF LIKE THAT.

I LIKE GUYS THAT COME IN AND HAVE MAYBE A LITTLE CHIP ON THEIR SHOULDER AND, JUST WANT TO HAVE SOMETHING TO PROVE.

BUT I LIKE TO HIRE, AND I FULLY TRUST THAT MATT RHULE, TRUST HIM AND KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT HE NEEDS, WHAT HE WANTS IN A GUY TO GET THIS DEFENSE TURNED AROUND.

>> BE THE BEST AT THE LEVEL YOU'RE AT, AND HE'S BEEN THE BEST LEVEL HE'S AT.

A LOT OF TALK ABOUT A FOUR MAN FRONT.

I TELL PEOPLE THAT A 4-2-5 ISN'T THAT DIFFERENT AS A 3-3-5.

BASICALLY IS THE WEAKSIDE DEFENSIVE INTEGER, JACK.

IT'S ABOUT THE SAME, ABOUT A 250 POUND GUY, BUT I KNOW PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE FOUR MAN IDEA.

>> YEAH, I JUST THINK IT MIGHT FIT THEIR PERSONNEL.

YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY HAD TY ROBINSON AND NASH HUTMACHER, THE 3-3-5 LOOKED GREAT.

BUT YOU SAW LOSING THOSE GUYS.

IT WAS A TRANSITION THIS YEAR.

THEY JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE PUSH UP FRONT.

THE EDGE RUSH THAT YOU WANTED TO SEE.

THEY DIDN'T CONTAIN THE EDGE.

WELL, THIS MOVED TO A 4-2-5.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO GET WILLIAMS KWANERI AND KEONA DAVIS AS GUYS MAY BE ON THE OUTSIDE NOW, AND I KNOW THAT EXCITES MATT RHULE JUST TO SEE JUST SOME OF THE WAY SOME OF THOSE GUYS ARE GOING TO LINE UP DIFFERENTLY, VERSUS MORE OF A THREE-MAN DEFENSIVE LINEMAN.

AND LOOK, THEY DID.

AND DAMON HAS SAID AS MANY TIMES ON THE SHOW THEY DID LINE UP IN A LOT OF FOUR MAN FRONT THIS YEAR, BUT THIS WOULD NOW BECOME THE MORE BASE LOOK THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT THEY'LL USE MOVING FORWARD.

>> DON'T BE SURPRISED IF YOU SEE DAVIS IN THE THREE TECHNIQUE, BECAUSE I THINK HE COULD FIT AND GROW INTO THAT.

ON THE OFFENSIVE SIDE DONOVAN RAIOLA OF COURSE WAS FIRED AND THEY WENT WITH GEEP WADE, GREAT NAME, OUT OF GEORGIA TECH.

THOUGHTS ON WHAT YOU'VE HEARD SO FAR ABOUT HIM.

AND OBVIOUSLY THEY'VE RUN THE HECK OUT OF THE BALL AT GEORGIA TECH YEAH.

>> YEAH, THEY DO.

AND THEY'VE DONE IT IN MULTIPLE WAYS AND RUNNING THE QUARTERBACK KING.

>> A LOT.

>> KING HAS RUN THE THE FOOTBALL VERY WELL AS A QUARTERBACK.

SO I DON'T KNOW INITIALLY IF THAT MEANS NEBRASKA IS GOING TO START UTILIZING THE QB RUN GAME MORE GOING FORWARD.

I DON'T I'M NOT FORECASTING THAT AT ALL.

BUT I THINK IT'S JUST NEBRASKA REALIZES WHERE THEY'RE WEAK AT AND, THEY NEED TO GET BETTER TO COMPETE AND GET OVER THIS, THIS HURDLE AND TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE NOT ONLY IN THE BIG TEN, BUT NATIONALLY.

YOU GOT TO BE ELITE ON YOUR LINES OF SCRIMMAGE SO THAT THEY MAKE CHANGES DEFENSIVELY, MADE CHANGES TO THE D-LINE COACH AND THEY MAY CHANGE THE O-LINE COACH.

THEY GOT TO GET BETTER THERE.

AND I LIKE WHAT HE'S DONE THERE AT GEORGIA TECH.

NOT ALLOWING A WHOLE LOT OF SACKS, TOP TEN IN RUSHING.

SO THERE'S THOSE THINGS THAT NEBRASKA NEED AND WANT.

HE FITS WELL FOR WHAT NEBRASKA WITH HOLGORSEN OFFENSE GOING FOR BEING MORE PHYSICAL, BE MORE VIOLENT AND PLAYING ON THE OPPOSING TEAM'S LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.

>> HE'S HAD A SUCCESS WHERE EVERYBODY'S BEEN.

YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE DOING RUNNING THE BALL.

HAYNES KING, I THINK, HAS A TOTAL OF LIKE 31 TOUCHDOWNS OVER THREE YEARS.

YOU BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE MOVING TOWARDS HAVING MORE OF A RUNNING QUARTERBACK WITH THIS GUY?

>> IT'S HARD TO SAY UNTIL WE KNOW ABOUT DYLAN RAIOLA'S FUTURE IN THE PROGRAM, BUT I JUST THINK THEY NEEDED A FULL CHANGE IN MANAGEMENT.

LOOK, YOU GO FOUR YEARS AND THERE JUST WEREN'T A LOT OF HIGH POINTS WITH THE O-LINE PLAY.

I MEAN, YOU THINK ABOUT SEVEN SACKS AGAINST MICHIGAN, NINE AGAINST MINNESOTA, AND YOU CAN SAY, OH, THE QUARTERBACK.

>> ONLY FOUR AFTER THAT.

RIGHT?

>> BUT ONLY FOUR AFTER THAT.

BUT THOSE MOMENTS CHANGED THE SEASON.

>> SURE.

>> THE MINNESOTA GAME AND THE MICHIGAN GAME, 16 SACKS.

YOU CANNOT LOOK PAST THAT WHEN YOU SUM UP WHAT THIS SEASON WAS FOR NEBRASKA.

THOSE WERE SOME OF THE LOWEST SACK MOMENT GAMES WE'VE EVER SEEN, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE ONLY PLAYING LIKE, WHAT WAS IT 50 SOME SNAPS IN MINNESOTA.

>> YEAH.

>> TO GIVE UP NINE.

AND I JUST THINK MATT RHULE, IS LIKE "OH, IT'S TIME."

WE NEED TO GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

DONOVAN HAD FOUR YEARS.

AND, YOU KNOW, RECRUITING WAS NOT ONE OF HIS STRONG SUITES EITHER.

SO I DO THINK THEY'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THE RECRUITING SIDE OF THE O-LINE AS WELL.

>> YEAH, I KNOW HE HAD A FIVE STAR THAT HE WAS HAVING GOING TO GEORGIA TECH.

SO HE CAN OBVIOUSLY RECRUIT.

EMMETT JOHNSON LAST WEEK DECIDED THAT HE'S GOING TO GO PRO.

QUICK THOUGHTS ON LOSING EMMETT.

>> YEAH, SELFISHLY WOULD LOVE TO SEE HIM STAY, BUT IT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR HIM.

YOU ONLY HAVE SO MANY CARRIES AND REPS AT A BACK, AND HE HAD HIS EFFORT AND THE LOAD HE CARRIED THIS YEAR AT NEBRASKA WAS BIG TIME.

BUT YOU LOOK AT YOU LOOK AT THE FISCAL THE FINANCIALLY, YOU KNOW, CAN NEBRASKA AFFORD TO PAY HIM WHAT HE NEEDS BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY ROOKIE CONTRACTS NOW FIRST YEAR PLAYERS THEY'RE MAKING $1 MILLION.

SO HE THAT'S HARD FOR NEBRASKA EVEN TO MAYBE PAY HIM THAT AS A RUNNING BACK.

COMING INTO THIS HIS SENIOR YEAR.

PLUS SIGNING BONUSES SO HE COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM A THIRD TO A FIFTH RUNNING BACK POTENTIALLY.

SO I MEAN, FINANCIALLY, IT MAKES SENSE.

UNLESS HE'S RUNNING BACK TO LIVE THE YEAR, HE'S, YOU KNOW, THE TOP IN THE TOP THREE, RUNNING BACK PERFORMANCES IN NATION THIS YEAR, IN MY OPINION.

SO, UNFORTUNATELY FOR NEBRASKA, BUT THIS IS THE RIGHT MOVE TO MAKE FOR EMMETT AND HIS FUTURE IN FOOTBALL.

>> AND IT'S GREAT TIMING.

HE'S NOT GOING TO RUN A GREAT TIME.

BUT THIS IS NOT A GREAT RUNNING BACK YEAR COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.

SO IF HE DOES SIGN IN THE FOURTH ROUND THAT YOU'RE TALKING A FOUR YEAR CONTRACT FOR ABOUT $4 MILLION, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE TO MATCH THAT.

>> YEAH AND EVEN IF IT WAS CLOSE.

I MEAN IF LIKE NFL MONEY YOU STILL I THINK LEAN TOWARDS THE NFL BECAUSE OF THE SHELF LIFE OF THAT POSITION.

BUT EVERY METRIC BETWEEN HIS RECEIVING YARDS, HIS RUSHING YARDS, EVERYTHING HE DID THIS YEAR, THERE'S PROBABLY NEVER BEEN VERY MANY RUNNING BACKS THAT WOULD HAVE RETURNED, ESPECIALLY HIM BEING A FOURTH YEAR GUY.

>> RIGHT.

YEAH.

AMEER CAME BACK OBVIOUSLY HIS JUNIOR YEAR, BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT CAUSE HE PLAYED AS A FRESHMAN.

SO THAT OBVIOUSLY IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THERE.

EMMETT GOES SO WE TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THE 2026 RECRUITING CLASS.

AND WE START WITH OUT OF THE TEN PEOPLE, THE PERSON WHO MAY BE TAKING JOHNSON SPOT AT SOME POINT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT JAMAL RULE.

I LOVE HOW SMOOTH HE IS.

CATCH THE BALL OUT OF THE BACKFIELD, DOES A LOT OF THINGS WELL.

>> YEAH, HE'S 6'1" 205 AS WELL.

HAD A HUGE YEAR IN CHARLOTTE.

AND YOU KNOW THEY WERE IN MIKE'L AND JAY ON SOME PRETTY BIG RUNNING BACKS IN THIS PROCESS.

BRIAN BONNER WAS ONE AND RULE WAS THE GUY THAT THEY GRAVITATED TOWARDS.

DJ BARTHEL REALLY LIKED HIM FROM THE JUMP.

THEY ONLY BROUGHT IN TWO RUNNING BACKS TOTAL FOR OFFICIAL VISITORS IN JUNE.

THERE'S A LOCAL RUNNING BACK, NELSON WHEELER, GOING TO ILLINOIS.

BUT THIS WAS THE GUY THAT THEY WANTED.

AND THAT THE NUMBERS THAT HE HAD, HE HAD A HUGE SENIOR YEAR.

AND YOU LOOK AT JAMARION PARKER, HE'S ALREADY MOVED ON.

THERE'S EMMETT'S GONE.

SO THE OPPORTUNITY COULD BE THERE FOR A GUY LIKE JAMAL RULE AND WE'VE SEEN IT.

USUALLY WITH RUNNING BACK IF THEY'RE GOOD, YOU KNOW, LIKE THEY LIKE BRANDON JACKSON.

I FORGET DAY ONE WHEN I SAW HIM I'M LIKE OKAY, YEP.

HE'S PRETTY GOOD.

>> YEP.

>> AND YOU USUALLY THAT'S NOT ONE WHERE A GUY IS LIKE EMMETT JOHNSON'S KIND OF A RARITY FOR A GUY TO JUST KIND OF GETS BETTER BY THE END OF HIS CAREER.

USUALLY AT THE START YOU KNOW.

>> I LOVE HIS FORWARD LEAN.

JORDAN MASON, GEORGIA TECH, WHO OF COURSE WENT ON TO PLAY IN THE LEAGUE, SAN FRANCISCO AND MINNESOTA VIKINGS.

IF YOU WANT TO CHECK HIM OUT.

LET'S GO TO TIGHT END LUKE SORENSEN 6'3" 240.

HE REMINDS ME A LITTLE BIT OF BEN COTTON.

THE WAY HE BLOCKS.

MAYBE THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS HE'S HERE.

HE'S AN IN-LINE BLOCKING GUY.

>> YEAH.

THIS GUY'S A REALLY GOOD GET OUT OF CALIFORNIA.

PENN LIKES OF PENN STATE AND A LOT OF THE BIG TIME SCHOOLS ARE IN ON HIM.

SO I THINK THIS WAS THIS WAS ONE WHERE YOU GOT TO REPLACE SOME TALENT.

LINDENMEYER, YOU HAVE HAARBERG LEAVING.

SO THIS IS A A SPOT WHERE YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, TIGHT END IS SO IMPORTANT.

WE'VE SEEN THIS ACROSS COLLEGE FOOTBALL IN GENERAL.

THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY GOOD GET GOING BACK TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR NEBRASKA TO LAND, LUKE SORENSEN.

>> WHO DID THEY ULTIMATELY BEAT OUT FOR HIM?

>> I MEAN, A LOT OF TEAMS THE WEST.

>> A LOT OF THEM OFFERED HIM.

>> HE HAD EVERY SEVERAL HE'S FROM ANAHEIM, SERVITE.

>> RIGHT.

>> ONE OF THE TOP PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY.

THEY PLAY IN THE TRINITY CONFERENCE, WHICH IS WHERE TJ LATEEF PLAYED IT'S FOR MATER DEI AND SO HE, HE PLAYS WEEK AFTER WEEK.

ONE OF THE BEST TRUE HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUES IN AMERICA.

GREW UP A HUSKER FAN, TOO.

I THINK THAT'S NOTABLE.

HIS FAMILY, ARE BIG TIME HUSKER FANS OUT IN CALIFORNIA.

WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF NEBRASKA FANS ON THE WEST COAST.

AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT HIM.

AND WHAT LUKE SORENSEN IS GOING TO BRING IS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY THERE AT TIGHT END.

>> YEAH.

NO DOUBT.

AND WHAT I LOVE ABOUT HIM THOUGH IS HE CAN BLOCK AND YOU COME RIGHT IN AS A FRESHMAN IN BLOCKED PRETTY GOOD.

JOIN THE RECEIVING ROOM, LET'S START WITH NALIN SCOTT GEORGIA, GUY FROM GEORGIA.

BIG PHYSICAL GUY WHO GOES UP AND COMPETES FOR THE BALL.

>> YEAH THEY REALLY JUMPED ON NALIN EARLY.

YOU KNOW AGAIN RECEIVER WAS A NEED WHERE THEY WANTED AT LEAST TWO.

IT'S NOT A BIG CLASS.

BUT YEAH TWO OF THE TEN GUYS ARE WIDE RECEIVERS.

AND YOU KNOW, THEY YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE GUYS ARE GOING TO BE LOSING AGAIN.

THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY OF THESE FRESHMAN RECEIVERS TO POSSIBLY GET ON THE FIELD RIGHT AWAY.

AND NALIN SCOTT COMES FROM A PRETTY GOOD LEVEL OF FOOTBALL IN GEORGIA.

>> NOT A TON OF SPEED, BUT THEY NEED GUYS THAT CAN MAKE COMPETITIVE CATCHES.

>> THEY DO.

THEY NEED THE BIG BODIES, RIGHT?

BIG CATCH RADIUSES AND GUYS CAN GET THOSE 50-50 BALLS.

WE GOT ME, WE SAW GUYS WHO STRUGGLE TO GET THOSE 50-50 POSSESSION BALLS AGAINST IOWA.

IN THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE WHERE YOU'RE PLAYING LONG, ATHLETIC CORNERS AND PHYSICAL CORNERS, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO CREATE SEPARATION, BUT ALSO GO GET THOSE BACK SHOULDERS AND GET THOSE 50-50 BALLS THAT, YOU HAVE TO BE YOU HAVE TO HAVE A STRONG, AT THE POINT OF ATTACK AND BE STRONG WITH THAT CATCH RADIUS.

AND NEBRASKA NEEDS MORE OF THESE GUYS.

>> YEAH.

REMINDS ME A LITTLE BIT OF DRAKE LONDON BECAUSE HE'S NOT OVERLY FAST, BUT HE GOES UP AND GETS IT.

LARRY MILES, ONLY A 5'11" 175 OUT OF FLORIDA.

BEAT OUT PITT IN KENTUCKY.

SLOT GUY REPLACED JAKE BARNEY EVENTUALLY.

>> RIGHT.

YEAH, PURE SPEED.

A GUY THAT THEY WERE ON EARLY TOO.

I MEAN, THESE WERE JUNE COMMITS FOR NEBRASKA WERE, THEY HAD THEM IN ON THEIR VISITS.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU FALL RECRUITING JUNE IS SUCH A BIG MONTH NOW TO GET YOUR OFFICIAL VISITORS AND LAND YOUR COMMITS.

AND HE WAS THE OTHER KEY WIDE RECEIVER NEBRASKA WAS ON.

AND THESE TWO STUCK WITH NEBRASKA REALLY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS.

I MEAN, THEY HAD TEAMS REACHING OUT TO THEM LIKE EVERY RECRUIT.

BUT YEAH, YOU KNOW, HE WAS SOLID TO NEBRASKA AND THEY'VE DONE A GOOD JOB IN FLORIDA.

ON THE STAFF WITH SOME OF THE CONNECTIONS, LIKE ADDISON WILLIAMS, AND SOME OF THE OTHER COACHES ON HIS COACHING STAFF.

>> YEAH, HE'S MORE QUICK THAN FAST, LIKE IN SHORT AREA QUICKNESS.

I BET HIS TEN.

HIS BURST.

>> HE'S REALLY GOOD.

>> TWITCHY, RIGHT.

BUT NOT LONG RANGE SPEED.

BUT YEAH, THAT'S THE, I MEAN, ALL THE PLAYERS I PLAYED WITH FROM YOU KNOW, THE STATE OF FLORIDA THAT WAS BEING TWITCHY WAS THE BEST ACCURATE OR YOU KNOW, THE ATTRIBUTE THAT YOU ALWAYS GET FOR THOSE GUYS.

>> YEAH.

AND ONCE THEY GOT FED RIGHT THEY TAKE IT AWAY.

>> YEAH.

>> ABOUT THAT.

SPEAKING OF BIG, NOT MANY PEOPLE AS BIG AS CLAUDE MPOUMA, 6'8".

REALLY LISTED AT 308 POUNDS RIGHT NOW OUT OF CHICAGO.

ONLY TWO YEARS OF PLAYING.

BUT WATCH HIM ON THE BASKETBALL COURT.

HE'S AN ATHLETE.

>> YEAH.

AND YOU LOOK AT RECRUITS IN THIS CLASS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU MAYBE GO HEAVIER ON IT.

NIL I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THEM.

YOU CAN'T DO IT NOW WITH ALL YOUR HIGH SCHOOL GUYS.

BUT MPOUMA WAS A PRIORITY.

TACKLE BODY NEBRASKA NEEDED TO GET TRUE TACKLE BODIES ON THIS ROSTER.

I MEAN, THEY'VE BEEN VERY GOOD AT GETTING KIND OF THE BOX HERE.

GUARD CENTER PLAYERS.

BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE TACKLE RECRUITING JUST HAS NOT BEEN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

AND THEY'RE REALLY BANKING ON MPOUMA OUT OF THE CHICAGO AREA TO BE THE GUY.

>> YOU KNOW, WHAT I THINK FOR A GUY WHO WON'T PLAY FOR TWO YEARS, I THINK IT TAKES A WHILE TO LEARN HOW TO BE PHYSICAL BECAUSE HE'S PLAYED SOCCER AND BASKETBALL.

YOU DON'T FIND THAT WITH HIM.

HE DRIVES GUYS TO THE GROUND.

HE'S GOT A GREAT FIRST STRIKE.

>> YEAH IT IS.

AND I LOVE THE FACT MULTI SPORT ATHLETES OFFENSIVE LINE POSITION, DEFENSIVE LINE POSITION MEANS YOU HAVE GOOD FEET.

YOU JUST KNOW HOW TO CONTROL YOUR BODY AND SPACE.

BUT YEAH, YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD, MIKE'L.

IT'S WHEN YOU YOUNG PLAYERS DON'T KNOW HOW TO UP THAT POINT OF ATTACK AND JUST BEING AGGRESSIVE.

HE HAS NO ISSUE WITH THAT FOR SURE.

>> YEAH, MY COMP IS COMPLETELY UNFAIR.

JONATHAN OGDEN, I APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE.

>> SO, WE GOT A HALL OF FAMER ALREADY.

>> HAYDEN AINSWORTH AT 6'5", 305 OUT OF BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI, BEAT OUT OLE MISS.

UNC FOR HIM.

HE'S BUILT LIKE A FIRE HYDRANT, BASICALLY.

>> YEAH AND HE'S YOUNG, TOO.

I MEAN, HE SKIPPED A YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL, SO HE WON'T ENROLL EARLY BECAUSE HE STILL SHOULD BE A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL.

SO NOT ONLY IS HE GOT A LOT OF UPSIDE, HE'S A VERY YOUNG PLAYER IN TERMS OF JUST HIS AGE.

HE SHOULD BE A 2027.

HE RECLASSIFIED AGAIN.

THIS IS SOMEBODY NEBRASKA WENT AFTER RIGHT AWAY.

AND I LOOK AT HIM, LIKE MPOUMA, I MENTIONED IT'S KIND OF HIGH VALUE.

THIS IS KIND OF LIKE YOUR YOUR UNDRAFTED SIGNEE.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE THERE'LL BE A LOT OF RECRUITS YOU BRING IN THAT YOU DON'T GIVE BIG NIL DEALS TO.

THEY GET A STANDARD SCHOLARSHIP.

AND THESE ARE THE KIND OF GUYS THAT YOU WANT TO BRING IN AND DEVELOP IN YOUR PROGRAM.

>> PLAYED RIGHT TACKLE PROBABLE MOVES THE GUARD.

YOU KNOW WHAT HE IS?

>> NASTY.

>> HE PUTS KNEES INTO PEOPLE.

HE CHECKS PEOPLE.

>> AND THAT'S.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN'T TEACH.

SO YOU HAVE, YOU'RE KIND OF BORN WITH THAT.

YOU HAVE THAT CHIP ON YOUR SHOULDER AND YOU CAN DEFINITELY WORK WITH THAT.

IT'S YOU.

I MEAN, YOU GET THESE YOUNG KIDS THAT COME IN HERE THAT HAVE THAT.

IT'S EASIER TO TELL THEM TO TURN IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT, THEN TO TURN IT UP.

SO HE'S THEY'RE GOT TO PROBABLY TELL HIM TO TURN IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

OTHERWISE HE COULD GET, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL BE KICKED OUT A LOT OF GAMES AND PERSONAL FOULS POTENTIALLY.

>> NO DOUBT.

REX WATERMAN SOUNDS LIKE AN ACTOR FROM HOLLYWOOD 6'5" 295.

ANOTHER BIG GUY INSIDE.

HIGH CUT, REAL HIGH CUT.

THIS IS ANOTHER TACKLE.

>> HE'S GOT THE HAIR TOO.

>> YEAH, EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM LOOKS LIKE HE'S A SUPERSTAR OUT OF HOLLYWOOD.

>> NO.

AND AGAIN, THEY REALLY WANTED TO EMPHASIZE GETTING LINEMEN THAT THEY CAN GROW AND DEVELOP AND FIT THE ATTRIBUTES.

AND HE FITS EXACTLY THAT FOR WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO BUILD IN THIS PROGRAM.

AND EVERY YEAR, IDEALLY YOU WANT EVEN A ON A SMALL CLASS, YOU WANT TO TAKE 3 OR 4 O-LINEMEN, BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY EXPENSIVE.

IF YOU IF YOU FIND A DEVELOP LINEMAN IN THE PORTAL, ADD A SEVEN FIGURE TO THE PAYCHECK.

>> YES.

YEAH.

MATT SLAWSON MY COMP.

>> MATT SLAUSON?

>> MATT SLAWSON IS MY COMP.

>> YOU KNOW HE IS HE PLAYS WITH REALLY GOOD TECH AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE FILMS I LOVE SEEING THE BACK THE BACK END SHOTS OF THE OFFENSIVE LINE.

GOOD LEVERAGE GOOD HAND PLACEMENT.

AND HE FINISHES GUYS.

SO AND VERY COMPETITIVE.

YOU KNOW, DOWN IN PHOENIX THAT'S A HIGH LEVEL FOOTBALL DOWN TO CHANDLER.

SO THIS IS A THIS IS A GOOD ONE.

AGAIN BOLSTERING UP THAT OFFENSIVE LINE PERFORMANCE THAT NEBRASKA DEFINITELY NEEDS.

>> GOING TO CORNERBACK DANNY ODEM GOING TO NAVY ALL-AMERICAN GAME.

THIS GUY'S A COMPOSITE FOUR STAR.

I KNOW ONE OF THE SERVICES.

HE'S A FIVE STAR.

HE'S A BALL HAWK.

HE GOES AND GETS IT.

>> YEAH.

AND YOU TALK ABOUT PRIORITY KIND OF FIRST ROUND PICKS IN THE CLASS.

THIS IS ANOTHER ONE IN TERMS OF WHERE THEY WENT ALL IN ON AND THEY BATTLE.

I MEAN YOU MENTIONED ONE OF THE SERVICES HAS HIM AS A FIVE STAR.

HE'S A HIGH FOUR CONSENSUS OVERALL.

THE TOP PLAYER IN THE CLASS IN TERMS OF OVERALL ABILITY.

AND YOU LOOK AT THE CORNER POSITION WITH WHAT NEBRASKA LOSES IN CEYAIR WRIGHT.

IT'S NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION THAT HE COULD CONTEND.

>> YES.

>> TO PLAY RIGHT AWAY AS A HUSKER.

>> AND YOU MENTIONED TWO SPORT.

AS A SOPHOMORE, HE LED HIS TEAM TO DISTRICT TITLE IN BASKETBALL.

HE'S LIKE GOOD TACKLER AS WELL.

MIKE MCKENZIE.

>> OKAY.

>> GREEN BAY PACKERS.

>> I WAS THINKING LIKE JALEN RAMSEY.

>> OH THAT BIG.

SO MOORE, YOU THINK HE MOVES THE SAFETY, EVENTUALLY.

>> WE'LL >> NO I MEAN.

>> YEAH, BUT HE.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE A ROVER.

HE'S KIND OF LIKE.

>> I JUST THINK HE'S LONG.

IT JUST LONG I MEAN THAT'S WHERE THE SECONDARY IS GOING NOWADAYS.

IT'S YOU'RE THE LONG LEAN ATHLETIC GUYS YOU CAN RUN.

TO ME JUST LOOKING AT SOME OF THE INITIAL FILM, I DIDN'T SEE THAT.

I SAW LIKE A NUMBER FIVE FOR THE DOLPHINS.

I DON'T, I DON'T, I KNOW HE'S NOT A DOLPHINS ANYMORE.

BUT IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT TYPE OF PLAYER.

>> SO AN ALL PRO.

>> WELL, >> YEAH, I'M MUCH WORSE ON IT.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S GO TO JASE REYNOLDS, YOUR LOCAL GUY.

6'2" A LONE RECRUIT FROM NEBRASKA, ELKHORN NORTH.

6'2" YOU CAN SEE, THOUGH, HE CAN PUT ON SOME WEIGHT.

YOU CAN SEE A FRAME THAT'S GOING TO DEVELOP.

>> AND THEY SAW JASE REYNOLDS IN CAMP WHEN HE, AFTER A SOPHOMORE YEAR AND OFFERED IMMEDIATELY.

AND THEY STUCK WITH THE OFFER.

AND IS A MULTI-SPORT GUY PLAYS BASKETBALL.

HE WILL NOT ENROLL EARLY BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO PLAY BASKETBALL AND BE A MULTI-SPORT GUY FOR ELKHORN NORTH.

BUT SOMEBODY THAT THEY'VE BEEN BEHIND FROM THE GET GO.

HE RAN EXTREMELY WELL AT NEBRASKA'S CAMP AND TESTED WELL.

AND I THINK THAT WAS A BIG FACTOR WITH HIS MEASURABLES, WHY THEY WENT WITH HIM.

AND YOU TALK ABOUT JUST ONE IN-STATE COMMIT THAT'S HAPPENED BEFORE, WHEN SAM COTTON WAS IN THE CLASS THAT YEAR, WAY BACK WHEN HE WAS THE ONLY IN-STATE GUY.

SO IT'S NOT OUT OF THE NORM TO SAY, OH, THERE'S ONLY ONE IN-STATE COMMIT.

BUT BACK THEN THEY HAD WALK-ONS.

>> AND THEY HAD WALK-ONS.

>> AND THEY WERE IN-STATE WALK-ONS.

>> THAT WALK-ON CLASS THAT YEAR.

>> WAS PRETTY GOOD.

>> LIKE BRANDON REILLY, JANOVICH.

>> YEAH, IT WAS PRETTY GOOD.

ALL WE HAVE LEFT IS THE KICKER.

BUT BEFORE I SAY THAT, IT'S IMPORTANT TO BRING SOME OF THESE GUYS IN.

WHO ARE NEBRASKA GUYS.

I MEAN, IF IT HASN'T WORKED OUT, YOU GOT TO GET THESE GUYS.

>> NO DOUBT.

WITHOUT A DOUBT.

AND HE HAS THE FRAME.

HE HAS ATHLETIC ABILITY.

PROBABLY NOT PLAY RIGHT AWAY.

BUT AGAIN YOU GET HIM IN HERE YOU GET HIM IN THE PROGRAM.

ADD SOME WEIGHT.

GET HIM IN THE SPECIAL TEAMS AND YOU DEVELOP THEM.

THAT WE KIND OF DO WITH WHAT'S BEEN DONE THE OLD SCHOOL WAY.

>> YEAH.

BUT I LIKE AGAIN.

MULTIPLE SPORT ATHLETE.

>> AND HE'S FROM ELKHORN.

>> YES.

AND HE'S FROM ELKHORN.

>> GOOD, GOOD.

GOOD FOOTBALL PLAYERS COME FROM ELKHORN.

>> BANDERAS IS WHO I GAVE FOR A COMP FOR HIM.

LAST RECRUIT KICKER MICHAEL SARIKZIS IS FROM AUSTRALIA.

I'M NOT SURE HOW TO SAY HIS NAME, BUT HE'S THE LAST GUY I ADDED TO THE LIST.

>> WHAT'S INTERESTING IS HE'S FROM PRO KICK AND YOU THINK PRO KICK IS PUNTERS.

WELL, HE'S A KICKER AND IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING ABOUT KYLE CUNANAN OR JOHN HOHL.

THEY DO THIS ONE, OR THEY BUILD DEPTH AND HAVE ANOTHER GUY FOR THE FUTURE, BECAUSE BOTH HOHL AND CUNANAN ARE UPPERCLASSMEN NOW IN TERMS OF AGE.

AND SO THEY WANT TO GET ANOTHER GUY TO DEVELOP AND THAT IT'S PURELY MIKE EKELER.

MIKE EKELER HAS THE RELATIONSHIPS, THE CONTACTS WITH PRO KICK.

AND, YOU KNOW, THINGS WENT REALLY WELL.

THEY THOUGHT WITH ARCHIE WILSON AND ANOTHER ONE OF THE PRO KICK GUYS WILL BE IN LINCOLN AS A KICKER.

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS CLASS, IT'S KIND OF LIKE GOING TO TRADER JOE'S.

YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO PICK A FEW GUYS THAT YOU REALLY NEED.

>> YEP.

>> MINNESOTA WENT TO COSTCO AND HAD LIKE 38 GUYS.

BUT TRADER JOE'S.

>> YEAH.

YOU WERE.

VERY, VERY.

SPECIFIC.

>> VERY SELECT.

>> YEAH.

YOU'RE PROBABLY.

YOU'RE YEAH.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GO THERE AND LOAD UP ON YOUR MEAT.

YOU KNOW YOUR BIG BULK ITEMS, BUT YOU'RE GO IN THERE.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET YOUR COFFEES, YOUR SPECIALTY ITEMS THAT ARE YOU KNOW THAT'S REALLY, REALLY GOOD.

BUT YOU'RE JUST NOT GOING TO GO AND BREAK THE BANK THERE.

BUT YEAH, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WITH THIS SMALL CLASS, I THINK WE KNOW WHAT'S COMING STARTING JANUARY 2ND.

>> NO DOUBT.

>> WITH THE TRANSFER PORTAL.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO LOAD UP THERE.

>> WRAPPING UP THE CLASS.

LET'S HEAR WHAT COACH RHULE THINKS ABOUT HIS HAUL.

>> WE WANTED, PLAYERS AT KEY POSITIONS THAT WE FELT LIKE, YOU KNOW, ARE HARD TO, YOU KNOW, HARD TO GET IN THE PORTAL.

LIKE WHEN YOU LOOK AT OFFENSIVE LINEMEN, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO GROW THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL RECRUITING, GROW YOUR OWN GUYS AND THEN, SUPPLEMENT, WHEN NEEDED.

AND SO TO GO OUT AND GET, YOU KNOW, THREE OFFENSIVE LINEMEN WE THOUGHT WAS REALLY KEY TO US.

AND THEN WE WANTED GUYS WE THOUGHT WOULD BE DIFFERENCE MAKERS.

YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, WHETHER IT'S A PLACE KICKER, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A WINDY PLACE.

THIS IS A DIFFICULT PLACE.

AND SO, SOMEONE THAT WE THOUGHT COULD CONTRIBUTE, WE HAVE WE HAVE A GREAT KICKING ROOM AND EKE JUST WANTS TO CONTINUE TO BRING TALENT INTO THERE.

YOU KNOW, AT THE WIDE RECEIVER POSITION, YOU KNOW, WE WANT A BIG OUTSIDE GUY AND WE BELIEVE THAT WE GOT THAT WE NALIN.

AND WE WANTED SOMEONE THAT VERSATILITY OF LARRY WHO CAN PLAY INSIDE AND OUTSIDE AND JUST, YOU KNOW, REALLY COMPETITIVE.

YOU KNOW, JAMAL, WE WANT TO RUN THE FOOTBALL.

I THINK WE PROVED THIS YEAR THAT THAT A BACK CAN BE FEATURED HERE.

AND SO, WE LIKE THE RUNNING BACK ROOM AND REALLY, JAMAL WAS, PREMIER GUY ON OUR BOARD, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET HIM AND THEN GO HOLD ON TO HIM.

WE LIKE OUR TIGHT END ROOM.

I HAD JUST WALKED THROUGH THE INDOOR AND AND LUKE, LINDENMEYER HAS THE TIGHTENDS IN THERE.

AND THEY'RE RUNNING ROUTES RIGHT NOW.

I MEAN, WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD ROOM.

AND, LUKE SORENSEN I THINK SAT DID AN ABSOLUTELY GREAT JOB ON HIM.

WE GOT A GUY WE TARGETED A GUY WHO CAN PLAY BOTH Y AND, FLEX OUT SO HARD TO FIND GUYS WHO CAN DO BOTH.

>> I WISH HE WOULD HAVE JUST SAID YOU KNOW, WITH A NAME LIKE RULE.

I HAD TO RECRUIT HIM.

WHAT'S YOUR TAKE?

I MEAN, IT'S A LONG WAY AWAY FROM 2005.

GIANT CLASS.

THIS IS A MUCH SMALLER ONE.

>> YEAH, IT'S INCOMPLETE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE PORTAL.

AND YOU HAVE TO MANAGE YOUR FINANCES A LOT DIFFERENTLY NOW IF YOU'RE IN NEBRASKA.

>> TURN OUT THE LIGHTS.

>> SO WE ARE.

>> TURN OUT THE LIGHTS.

>> BIG RED WRAP-UP UNDER >> THE LIGHTS.

>> I THINK JUST IN GENERAL, YOU HAVE TO MANAGE THAT MONEY A LOT DIFFERENTLY.

>> YEAH.

>> AND, YOU KNOW, YOU SAW SOME TEAMS DECIDE, LIKE USC SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO FRONT LOAD PAY FOR HIGH SCHOOL RECRUITS.

YOU CAN'T DO THAT GOING FORWARD.

BUT THAT'S WHAT SOME APPROACHES ARE DIFFERENT THAT WAY.

I THINK MATT RHULE IS LIKE, LOOK, WE ALREADY HAVE A BIG ROSTER AND IF WE'RE GOING TO ADD TEN MORE PLUS PLAYERS, IT'S GOING TO BE PROBABLY FROM THE PORTAL.

>> YEAH AND THE WAY 1890'S CHANGING OF COURSE.

AND EVERYTHING'S COMING IN-HOUSE TO YOU.

YOU BETTER MAYBE EVEN BETTER TO UNDERSTAND THE WAY YOU CAN MANAGE YOUR MONEY A LITTLE BIT.

>> YEAH.

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE YOUR REV SHARE PIECE WHICH FOR NEBRASKA MOVING FORWARD FOR FOOTBALL BE ROUGHLY 15, 16 MILLION.

BUT THE BIG NEWS AT THE REGENTS MEETING ON FRIDAY, WAS THE SHIFTING OF THE PLAY FLY MULTIMEDIA RIGHTS MONEY.

NEBRASKA WILL EARMARK ABOUT 9 MILLION OF THE 14 MILLION THEY GET FROM THAT, TO USE THAT NOW FOR MULTIMEDIA NIL LEGIT DEAL.

SO THAT'S HOW YOU GET TO 25 MILLION.

BUT EVEN THE THE CONCERTS THAT NEBRASKA'S GOING TO RUN, THEY'LL MAKE ABOUT $6 MILLION ON THESE THREE CONCERTS.

THEY CAN DO THINGS LIKE HAVE THE STUDENT ATHLETES MARKET THE EVENTS AND THEY CAN GET SOME OF THAT MONEY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE OFF THE CONCERT.

SO YEAH.

TROY DANNEN AND HIS TEAM ARE REALLY AHEAD OF THE GAME ON THIS.

AND 25 MILLION IS AN EXTREMELY HEALTHY NUMBER TO HAVE RIGHT NOW MOVING FORWARD IN THIS NEW SET OF RULES THAT ARE GOING TO GO INTO PLAY THIS YEAR.

>> NO DOUBT AND EVENTUALLY THEY'LL GET SOME OF THAT MONEY BACK FROM THE GRANDFATHERED PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEASON TICKETS AS WELL, EVENTUALLY.

A LOT MORE COMING UP HERE ON BIG RED WRAP-UP NEXT, WE'LL BE JOINED BY BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON FROM 247 SPORTS.

AND LATER WE'LL TALK ABOUT UTAH.

BUT FIRST LET'S CHECK IN WITH MOLLY.

(BAND MUSIC) THAT INCLUDES COSTCO AND TRADER JOE'S.

SO THAT WAS QUITE ENTERTAINING.

YOU KNOW AS THE HUSKERS MOVE INTO POSTSEASON IT'S MEMBER DRIVE TIME HERE AT NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA AND VIEWER SUPPORT HAS NEVER BEEN MORE VITAL.

BIG RED WRAP-UP IS A LONG STANDING SERIES THAT WE KNOW YOU LOVE.

CALL 800-989-8236 OR GO ONLINE TO NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE AND WE'LL THANK YOU WITH ONE OF THESE GREAT SPORTS GIFTS FOR $15 A MONTH OR $180 ONE TIME GIFT.

YOU CAN GET THE NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS FLEECE JACKET.

AS YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE, IT'S A RED MIDWAY FLEECE JACKET.

IT HAS GREAT ZIPPERED POCKETS AND INCLUDES THE NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS LOGO EMBROIDERED ON THE FRONT FOR $5 A MONTH OR A $60 ONE TIME GIFT.

YOU CAN HAVE A THREE MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO BIG TEN PLUS.

EACH YEAR BIG TEN PLUS STREAMS OVER 2700 NON-TELEVISED GAMES AND EVENTS, INCLUDING NEBRASKA EVENTS THAT YOU CAN'T WATCH ANYWHERE ELSE.

ALSO, YOU CAN WATCH BIG TEN GAMES ON DEMAND FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF THE EVENT.

800-989-8236 OR GO ONLINE TO NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE AND MAKE THE JACKET OR THAT BIG TEN SUBSCRIPTION YOURS.

YOUR DONATION SUPPORTS MANY THINGS HERE AT NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA, INCLUDING PRODUCING PROGRAMS, ACQUIRING PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY EVENTS, AWARD WINNING SERIES, OUR LEGISLATIVE COVERAGE, AND MORE THAN 200 HOURS OF SPORTS PRODUCTION EACH YEAR FOR $15 A MONTH.

REMEMBER, YOU CAN SELECT THIS ONE OR A $180 ONE TIME GIFT.

YOU CAN SELECT THIS NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS FLEECE JACKET.

IT'S GREAT FOR ALL TYPES OF WEATHER.

YOU CAN LAYER UNDER IT.

YOU CAN LAYER OVER IT.

IT INCLUDES ZIPPERED POCKETS, WHICH IS VERY HANDY.

AND THEN NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS LOGO IS EMBROIDERED ON THE FRONT AND AGAIN FOR $5 A MONTH OR A $60 ONE TIME GIFT, YOU GET THAT THREE MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO THE BIG TEN PLUS.

LIKE WE SAID EACH YEAR, BIG TEN PLUS STREAMS OVER 2700 HOURS OF NON-TELEVISED GAMES AND EVENTS, INCLUDING NEBRASKA EVENTS THAT YOU CAN'T WATCH ANYWHERE ELSE.

YOU CAN ALSO WATCH GAMES ON DEMAND FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF THE EVENT, CALL 800-989 OR GO TO NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

I'M SORRY 989-8236 OR GO TO NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE.

AND WHEN YOU DO, CONSIDER MAKING YOUR CONTRIBUTION AS A SUSTAINING STAR.

THAT MEANS YOU MAKE A MONTHLY CONTRIBUTION.

YOU SET IT UP.

IT'S EASY FOR YOU, IT'S BEST FOR US.

YOUR MEMBERSHIP NEVER LAPSES AND YOU CAN CHANGE THE AMOUNT AT ANY TIME.

IN TIMES LIKE THESE, IT HELPS US TO PLAN AHEAD.

AND IF YOU'RE ALREADY A MEMBER, YOU MIGHT CONSIDER UPPING YOUR DONATION OR GIVING A YEAR END GIFT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AND WE'LL BE BACK ONE MORE TIME BEFORE BIG RED WRAP-UP IS OVER.

800-989-8236.

THANK YOU.

>> THANKS, MOLLY.

YOUR DONATIONS CAN HELP US, OF COURSE, LOOK GREAT ON THE AIR.

BUT REMEMBER, GREAT MOMENTS LIKE THIS ONE IN HUSKER HISTORY.

>> CROSS THE MIDDLE.

JUMP ON.

TOUCHDOWN.

>> THAT, OF COURSE.

1997.

THE FLEA KICKER REMEMBERING IT FOR MATT DAVISON.

HEY, MATT.

GOOD CATCH.

THAT SENT IT TO OVERTIME, AND SCOTT FROST SCAMPERED FOR TEN YARDS TO PUT THE HUSKERS UP 45-38.

BUT OF COURSE, IT WAS THE BLACKSHIRTS THAT ENDED THE GAME ON A FOURTH DOWN SACK CORBY JONES TO STAY UNDEFEATED AND GO ON TO WIN NEBRASKA'S LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1997, NATIONAL TITLE.

LET'S GO TO THIS WEEK'S QUESTION.

WHAT WAS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT THE 1997 NATIONAL TITLE RACE THAT ENDED UP WITH TWO CHAMPIONS?

CONTACT US WITH YOUR ANSWER, AND YOUR ANSWER COULD MAYBE WIN A COPY OF OUR OWN, SEAN CALLAHAN'S NEW BOOK ABOUT THE HUSKERS, THE PROGRAM A CURATED HISTORY OF THE CORNHUSKERS.

THIS WEEK'S WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON NEXT WEEK'S SHOW.

LAST WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION WAS HOW MANY TOUCHDOWNS DID JOHNNY ROGERS SCORE THE 1971 SEASON?

THE ANSWER, OF COURSE, IS 17.

WHO DOESN'T KNOW THAT?

AND THIS WEEK'S WINNER IS BRANDON ZUBROD.

NOW LET'S WELCOME IN FROM 247 SPORTS BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON.

I MADE SURE ONE OF MY COMPS FOR THE RECRUITING CLASS WAS A COTTON JUST FOR YOU.

>> OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

>> I GOT HIM IN THERE.

>> TAKING JABS ALREADY.

>> I GOT SOME BEN COTTON IN THERE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE CLASS?

>> I LIKE THE CLASS FOR THE SIZE.

IT WAS.

I MEAN, ONLY TAKING TEN GUYS, BUT I THINK THEY FEEL LIKE THEY MAXIMIZED, THEIR VALUE IN THOSE PICKS.

OBVIOUSLY, DANNY ODEM IS THE HEADLINER AS A FIVE STAR, BUT LUKE SORENSEN'S A KID I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.

AND I WOULDN'T COUNT HIM OUT FROM HAVING A SHOT TO EVEN CONTRIBUTE NEXT YEAR.

I MEAN, HE REALLY STARTED MORE AS A BLOCKING TIGHT END, BUT I THINK HE'S GOT ALL THE TRAITS TO BE A REALLY, REALLY GOOD WIDE RECEIVER.

I THINK THE CEILING IS INCREDIBLY HIGH FOR CLAUDE MPOUMA AND, MY SLEEPER WOULD BE LARRY MILES.

I JUST THINK I MEAN, HE'S STILL PLAYING I THINK IN THEIR FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND, HE JUST KEEPS PUTTING UP NUMBERS AND HE'S A LITTLE GUY.

BUT HE PACKS A PUNCH FOR THAT SIZE.

LARRY MILES HAD 169 YARDS AND A TOUCHDOWN IN THE SEMIFINAL GAME.

>> THAT'S NOT BAD.

>> NOT BAD.

>> HOW ABOUT BC LOOKING WITH THE SMALLER CLASS.

WE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IN THE TRANSFER PORTAL.

WHAT ARE YOU THINK SOME IMMEDIATE NEEDS RIGHT NOW IN THAT TRANSFER PORTAL AND NEBRASKA HAS TO GO AFTER?

>> WELL I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY I TAKE A FEW ADDITIONS ON THE D-LINE.

WOULD HELP.

THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF GOOD GUYS THERE TO DEVELOP, BUT I THINK YOU COULD YOU COULD ADD A COUPLE PIECES THAT COULD REALLY, HELP THAT UNIT TAKE OFF.

YOU KNOW, RUNNING BACK IS A SPOT WHERE YOU LOOK AT AS MAYBE AS YOU ADD TO THAT COMPETITION.

I KNOW I'M EXCITED TO SEE IN THIS BOWL GAME WHAT MOZEE AND MEKHI NELSON CAN DO.

I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE COOL PART OF THIS GAME.

ONE OF THE STORYLINES OF THAT BOWL GAME.

BUT THE MORE COMPETITION YOU CAN HAVE AT THAT POSITION, THE BETTER.

BUT I'M ALWAYS KIND OF FOCUSED ON THE TRENCHES.

IF YOU CAN ADD GUYS AND IT'S ELBOWS OUT TO TRY TO GET THOSE TYPE OF GUYS, THAT'S UNDERSTOOD AND THEY COME AT A HIGH PRICE.

BUT IF NEBRASKA CAN FIND A FEW, JUST DYNAMIC GUYS ON EACH SIDE OF THE BALL, OFFENSIVE LINE, A DEFENSIVE LINE, IT CAN GO A LONG WAY FOR THIS PROGRAM.

AND WE'VE SEEN, LIKE, LOOK AT TEXAS TECH, LIKE HOW THEY CHANGE THINGS WITH WITH SOME D-LINE ADDITIONS.

YOU CAN GET A LOT DONE IF YOU GET THE RIGHT 2 OR 3 GUYS THERE SOMETIMES.

>> BRIAN, IT'S BEEN A DIFFERENT DECEMBER THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN USED TO.

I MEAN, THERE'S BEEN NO RECRUITING, THERE'S BEEN NO PORTAL STUFF YET, BUT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COACHING STAFF MOVEMENT.

WE JUST.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW MATT RHULE, HOW QUICK HE'S OPERATING?

I MEAN, YEAH, IT HASN'T BEEN THE NORM.

AND OUR TIME WORKING AROUND THIS PROGRAM TO SEE A COACH OPERATE THE WAY HE'S BEEN OPERATING.

>> YEAH.

I GIVE HIM CREDIT BECAUSE I THINK YOU HAVE TO MOVE WITH THAT SORT OF PACE NOWADAYS, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT TO GET YOUR GUYS HERE, YOUR NEW STAFF MEMBERS.

SO THE PLAYERS CAN GET AROUND THEM SO THEY CAN HAVE A FEEL LIKE, HOW THEY FIT TOGETHER.

OBVIOUSLY YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR GUYS IN PLACE BEFORE YOU GET TO THE PORTAL.

WHEN IT OPENS UP ON JANUARY 2ND.

SO I THINK HE HE ALMOST HAD TO GO AT SORT OF THAT BREAKNECK PACE BECAUSE, IF TO GET THE GUYS YOU WANT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER SCHOOLS THAT FOR INSTANCE, ARE INTERESTED IN ROB AURICH, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER SUITORS FOR HIM OR A GEEP WADE.

LIKE, I KNOW THERE WAS ANOTHER POWER CONFERENCE SCHOOL THAT WANTED HIM.

SO YOU GOT TO GO PLAY BALL PRETTY EARLY IN THE PROCESS TO, I THINK, GET THE GUYS YOU WANT, AND THEN IT HELPS THEM GIVE UNTIL YOU'RE WITH YOUR PLAYERS AND VICE VERSA.

>> ANY CONCERN ABOUT AURICH NOT HAVING EXPERIENCE IN A POWER FOUR CONFERENCE AND REALLY ONLY HAVING ONE YEAR AT THAT LEVEL AS A DC?

>> I MEAN, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO BRING UP, BUT AS RHULE SAID TODAY, LIKE HE JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH THE TAPE AND AT EVERY LEVEL HE'S BEEN.

YEP, HE'S BEEN ELITE WITH IT.

HE'S HELPED THEM PROGRESS EACH SEASON.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THAT SAN DIEGO STATE DEFENSE, YOU KNOW LAST YEAR THAT WAS LIKE A THREE AND NINE FOOTBALL TEAM.

AND TO BUILD THAT INTO A TOP TEN UNIT IN LIKE TEN DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.

OBVIOUSLY GOOD AGAINST THE RUN.

BUT THEY WERE STRONG IN THE RED ZONE TOO.

AND THAT'S THAT'S LIKE A HUGE STAT THAT NEBRASKA HAS TO COMPLETELY FLIP.

BASICALLY DEAD LAST THERE.

YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR.

SO I JUST THINK A LOT OF THINGS ADDED UP AND IT SOUNDS LIKE, YOU KNOW, RHULE JUST FELT LIKE HIS DEFENSE IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO, IT JUST WASN'T PLAYING AS FAST AS WHEN THEY FIRST GOT HERE.

AND, WHEN HE WATCHED THE TAPE OF AURICH'S DEFENSE, IT'S LIKE THOSE GUYS FLY AROUND AND I JUST LIKE THE WAY WHERE THEY GET AFTER IT.

AND SO, AND THEN THEY ALSO WENT TO APPARENTLY, MATT RHULE'S DAUGHTERS BASKETBALL GAMES, AND HE WAS ABLE TO COMMUNICATE A VISION EVEN WHILE THERE'S A CHAOS OF, GROWN MEN PROBABLY.

>> THANKS FOR CLARIFYING THAT.

>> YES.

THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION.

>> YEAH.

>> SO WITH THOSE TWO GUYS WITH, WADE AND AURICH BEING HIRED SO QUICK THEY'RE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN THE BALL GAME.

ARE YOU SO BOWL GAME PREP.

HOW ARE YOU SURPRISED BY THAT?

SET TWO PART QUESTION.

AND THEN WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN GET IMPLEMENTED IN THOSE 14, 15 PRACTICES WITH THOSE TWO NEW GUYS NOW BEING PRESENT?

>> I'M NOT SURPRISED BY IT.

WITH WITH WADE, ESPECIALLY EVEN COACHING THE GUYS UP, BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S LIKE THAT'S AN O-LINE THAT HAS ALL THESE LIKE SECOND AND THIRD YEAR PLAYERS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.

YOU KNOW, YOUR GRANT BRIX'S YOUR YOUR GIBSON PYLE I THINK IS INJURED RIGHT NOW.

BUT YOU KNOW, JASON MACIEJCZAK TYPE.

YEAH.

YOU COULD GO THROUGH LIKE 5 OR 6 OR 7 NAMES THERE.

AND IT'S THOSE GUYS TIME.

IT'S THEIR TIME TO STEP UP THE GREEN LIGHTS ON.

AND FOR GEEP WADE TO GET A CLOSE LOOK AT THEM AND KIND OF SEE FOR ONE WHO'S GOING TO FIT INTO ONE OF THE STARTING GUARD SPOTS WITH ROCCO SPINDLER OUT.

THAT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING.

BUT IT'S A SPRING BALL BEFORE SPRING BALL NOW.

AND IT REMINDS, JUST HOW COSTLY IT WAS FOR THIS PROGRAM TO GO ALL THOSE YEARS WITHOUT BOWL GAMES WHERE YOU DIDN'T HAVE THOSE PRACTICES TO EVALUATE GUYS AND THEN I THINK FOR AURICH, IT'S JUST EVEN IF PHIL SNOW'S RUNNING THE DEFENSE IN THE BOWL GAME.

IT'S JUST A BIG DEAL TO LIKE SEE OKAY, WHO ARE THEM AND WHAT IS THE MENTALITY OF THE TYPE OF PLAYERS I HAVE.

WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO ADD TO THE CUPBOARD?

THAT'S A BIG PART OF IT TOO.

>> WITH THIS BOWL GAME, BRIAN, YOU HAVE OBVIOUSLY NO DYLAN, NO ROCCO, NO EMMETT JOHNSON I MEAN ARGUABLY THREE ON PAPER GOING INTO THE YEAR, THREE OF YOUR TOP NAMES.

I MEAN, WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS GOING OUT TO VEGAS FOR GAME AGAINST.

>> YEAH.

>> PROBABLY THE HIGHEST I MEAN I BELIEVE IS THE HIGHEST RANKED TEAM NEBRASKA WILL HAVE PLAYED ALL YEAR.

>> YEAH, I MEAN THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE BIG UNDERDOGS.

BUT WE'VE SEEN THIS.

IT WAS A WHILE BACK.

BUT YOU REMEMBER WE COVERED SOME BOWL GAMES.

>> MICHIGAN.

>> YEAH.

BUT EVEN IN THE PELINI ERA YOU COULD GO BACK TO LIKE THERE'S GAMES WHERE TEAMS ARE MOTIVATED AND ONE SIDE'S NOT.

AND THAT'S LIKE THE BIGGEST THING A TEAM CAN BE LIKE A 10-14 POINT FAVORITE.

BUT IF THEY'RE NOT JUICED UP TO PLAY, YOU LIKE NEBRASKA.

THE ONE YEAR WASN'T JUICED UP TO PLAY.

WASHINGTON.

>> AGAIN FOR THE THIRD TIME.

>> YEAH, THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP 19-7 GAME.

AND THEN THE ONE YEAR THEY BEAT GEORGIA BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT GEORGIA WAS AT ALL THAT EXCITED ABOUT IT.

SO, I HAVE TO THINK THAT NEBRASKA'S GOT A LOT OF GUYS WHO ARE MOTIVATED TO SHOW THESE COACHES LIKE WHAT THEY'RE MADE OF AND ALL THAT.

NOW, UTAH MIGHT HAVE A LOT OF ENERGY, TOO.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT WHITTINGHAM'S SITUATION IS.

THERE'S TALK ABOUT HE'S NEARING THE END.

AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO BALL OUT FOR HIM PERHAPS.

BUT THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

WE MENTIONED LIKE MOZEE AND MEKHI NELSON GUYS LIKE THAT.

WHAT DO YOU GOT.

THIS IS A CHANCE TO SHOW LIKE YOU'RE AHEAD OF THE PACK AS YOU GO INTO '26 AND USE IT AS SORT OF A TRAMPOLINE.

>> I NEED YOU TO ASK GEEP WADE A QUESTION FOR ME, BEING THAT HE'S A SOUTHERNER IS HIS MIDDLE NAME PILLOW OR PILLOW?

>> THAT'S WHAT I.

>> YOU KNOW, WE SAY PILLOW IN THE SOUTH.

SO IT'S GIDEON PILLOW WADE THE FOURTH OR IS IT GIDEON PILLOW WADE THE FOURTH?

>> ALL RIGHT, THAT'LL BE LIKE MY THIRD OR FOURTH QUESTION.

>> I APPRECIATE THAT.

>> THE FIRST ONE OUT THE GATE.

>> I'M GOING TO ASK YOU A REAL QUESTION.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT.

SO IT'S A LOT OF OUTSIDE ZONE, BUT IT ALSO INVOLVED AT GEORGIA TECH A QUARTERBACK THAT RAN FOR MORE THAN 30 TOUCHDOWNS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT MEANS FOR NEBRASKA'S OFFENSE.

>> WE'RE GETTING IN THAT.

>> YES.

>> GET YOUR FIRST FOUR OUT.

>> YEAH, YEAH I THINK I ALWAYS THINK IT HELPS WHEN YOU HAVE A MOBILE QUARTERBACK IN THE COLLEGE GAME.

AS FAR AS LIKE SPECULATION ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

THESE ARE THE THREE WORDS THAT AREN'T POPULAR TO SAY, I DON'T KNOW.

I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO GO ON.

>> I DON'T THINK HE KNOWS.

>> AND SO I'M AS CURIOUS AS EVERYBODY ELSE ON THAT.

I DO THINK IN THIS DAY AND AGE, WITH THOSE TYPE OF SITUATIONS AS A FAN BASE AND CERTAINLY AS A COACHING STAFF, YOU CAN'T PANIC ABOUT STUFF LIKE IT'S NOT WHATEVER ONE PLAYER DOES, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT ANY PLAYER THAT'S NOT THE WHOLE BALL GAME, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

SO I THINK THAT HAS TO BE KEPT IN MIND IF WE DO GET A BIG HEADLINE OR IF WE DON'T, AND THEY MANAGE TO BRING TWO GUYS BACK WHO STARTED GAMES THIS YEAR, WHICH IS HARD TO DO AT THAT POSITION IN THIS, IN THIS TIME IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL, THAT'S JUST THE BOTTOM LINE.

>> BC, THIS TIME IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL, IT'S GETTING INTERESTING.

WE'VE SEEN NOTRE DAME NOT HOLD A BOWL GAME.

OBVIOUSLY K-STATE, IOWA STATE WITH COACHING CHANGES.

WHAT DOES THIS KIND OF PROJECT NOW?

COLLEGE FOOTBALL WE KNOW IS EVOLVING.

BUT NOW WITH THESE TEAMS HOLDING OUT BOWL GAMES, WHAT DO YOU FORESEE THE BOWL GAME SITUATION LOOKS LIKE?

THREE, FOUR YEARS DOWN THE ROAD NOW?

>> YEAH, I'M A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I GET OPTIMISTIC WHEN YOU HEAR LIKE, RHULE AND CERTAIN PROGRAMS STILL TALK ABOUT BOWL GAMES THE WAY HE DID TODAY AND HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO YOUNGER PLAYERS TO PLAY IN THOSE GAMES.

I WAS DISAPPOINTED NOTRE DAME DID WHAT THEY DID.

I KNOW THEY WERE IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION.

BUT I, I'M HOPING THIS ISN'T A TREND WITH MORE AND MORE TEAMS THAT ARE DOING THAT.

I'M GLAD THAT NEBRASKA IS EXCITED TO PLAY IN THIS GAME.

BUT HONESTLY, IT IS SOMETHING THAT I WONDER WHAT IS THAT GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN FIVE YEARS?

IT'S VERY HARD TO SAY.

BUT I GREW UP WITH, YOU KNOW, THE BOWL GAMES, AND LIKE I.

>> NEW YEAR'S DAY WAS THE THING, RIGHT?

>> I'M STILL A SUCKER FOR IT.

LIKE, I THINK OF, LIKE, THE NBC CREW ANNOUNCING THE FIESTA BOWL WHEN I WAS LIKE SEVEN YEARS OLD, LIKE, YOU KNOW, BOB TRUMPY AND GUYS LIKE THAT.

IT'S SO, I MEAN, I AM BIASED, ADMITTEDLY, TOWARDS BOWL GAMES.

>> YEAH.

OH, ONE OF THE LAST THINGS I WANTED TO ASK YOU WAS WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE PUTTING TOGETHER, SMALL CLASS, YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY NEED FROM THE PORTAL AREA.

BUT DO YOU THINK THAT IT'S A MUST TO GET A QUARTERBACK, LIKE, IN THEIR MINDS, AS THEY'RE LOOKING THROUGH THIS, THEY HAVE TO GET A QUARTERBACK.

BECAUSE IF DYLAN WAS TO LEAVE, RIGHT.

YOU CAN'T JUST AUTOMATICALLY SAY THAT TJ IS THE STARTER, RIGHT?

>> I THINK YOU WOULD HAVE TO BOLSTER YOUR DEPTH FOR SURE.

>> YEAH, I'M BRINGING SOMEBODY WHO CAN COMPETE FOR THE JOB.

>> EVEN IF HE HAD BOTH OF THEM.

I MEAN, YOU'RE YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE A GUY LIKE IN GRAMSTAD.

IF YOU COULD GET SOMEONE TO ADD DEPTH TO THAT, THAT'S A DEFINITE AND NOW THAT'S GOING TO BE HARD TOO.

>> YEAH.

LIKE MARCOS DAVILA WAS LIKE A SORT OF THE PERFECT OPTION TO ADD DEPTH LAST YEAR AND HOW THAT SORT OF WORKED OUT.

AND HE HAD A CONNECTION, I THINK, EVEN WITH HOLGORSEN BACK IN HIS RECRUITING DAYS.

BUT, I DO THINK THAT'S A SPOT WHERE YOU'D WANT TO ADD SOMEONE.

>> HOW BIG IS IT THAT TJ LATEEF DID PRACTICE TODAY?

AND WHEN YOU KIND OF LOOK AT THE GAME WITHIN THE GAME, HOW BIG IS THIS FOR TJ AS WE DISCUSSED.

MAYBE THE DYLAN RAIOLA.

OR THE WHOLE DISCUSSION MOVING INTO THE OFF SEASON.

>> YEAH.

HE'S AHEAD OF PROGRESS.

IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM WHAT RHULE THOUGHT HE WOULD BE, AND HE'S GOING TO DO A TEAM WORKOUT, STUFF ON WEDNESDAY THIS WEEK.

SO, THAT'S A BIG SIGN.

AND I JUST HOPE WE CAN SEE HIM WHERE HE'S MOBILE.

LIKE, IT WAS SUCH A DISAPPOINTMENT WHEN WE HAVE SUCH A SMALL, DATA, SAMPLING ON HIM IN HIS THREE GAMES.

THAT ONE OF THEM, HE HAS AN INJURY IN THE FIRST QUARTER, AND YOU DON'T GET TO SEE HIM USE HIS LEGS.

SO THAT'S THE BIG THING.

CAN HE DO THAT AT 100%?

AND IF HE CAN I DO LIKE A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT HIS GAME, LIKE EVEN AT PENN STATE WHEN IT WASN'T GOING WELL, YOU HEARD GUYS PRAISE HIM FOR LIKE HE JUST KEPT FIGHTING FOR EXTRA YARDS AND HE WAS THAT TYPE OF GUY.

AND SO I THINK HE'S MADE A GOOD IMPRESSION ON HIS TEAMMATES.

BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, SEAN.

I MEAN, THIS GAME SO HUGE LIKE BEYOND JUST THE GAME ITSELF, IT'S A WHOLE OTHER TOPIC AND EVERYTHING.

>> BC WE APPRECIATE IT MAN.

>> YEP, THANK YOU.

>> HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS.

WHEN WE COME BACK WITH A CLOSER LOOK AT THE UTAH UTES.

WE WELCOME IN SAMMY MORA FROM SALT LAKE.

BUT FIRST LET'S SEND IT OVER TO MOLLY.

(BAND MUSIC) >> FANS OF NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING US AND MAKING PROGRAMS LIKE BIG RED WRAP-UP POSSIBLE FOR DECADES.

CALL NOW AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT.

800-989-8236 OR GO ONLINE TO NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE.

AND WHEN YOU DO MAKE THAT CONTRIBUTION, IF YOU GIVE $180 ONE TIME GIFT OR A $15 A MONTH GIFT, YOU CAN SELECT AS YOUR THANK YOU GIFT.

THIS NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS FLEECE JACKET.

IT IS A VIBRANT RED, A WONDERFUL MID WEIGHT FLEECE THAT HAS ZIPPERED POCKETS AND INCLUDES THE NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS LOGO EMBROIDERED ON THE FRONT.

FOR $5 A MONTH OR A $60 ONE TIME GIFT, THAT THREE MONTHS SUBSCRIPTION TO BIG TEN PLUS IS YOURS.

EACH YEAR, BIG TEN PLUS STREAMS OVER 2700 HOURS NON-TELEVISED GAMES AND EVENTS, INCLUDING NEBRASKA EVENTS THAT YOU CAN'T WATCH ANYWHERE ELSE.

YOU CAN ALSO WATCH BIG TEN GAMES ON DEMAND.

FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF THE EVENT.

THAT NUMBER TO CALL IS 800-989-8236.

OR YOU CAN GO TO NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE.

EACH YEAR, NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA AIRS MORE THAN 200 HOURS OF LOCAL SPORTS CONTENT PRODUCED RIGHT HERE AT OUR STATION.

THAT'S SOME OF OUR MOST POPULAR CONTENT, AND IT'S MADE POSSIBLE BY VIEWERS WHO DONATE TO NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

SOME OF THE SPORTS YOU'LL SEE ARE THE NEBRASKA STATE HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS, INCLUDING BASKETBALL, WRESTLING, VOLLEYBALL, BASEBALL, AND SOFTBALL.

YOU HELP BROADCAST HUSKER VOLLEYBALL, BASEBALL AND WOMEN'S BASKETBALL, CREIGHTON VOLLEYBALL, SOCCER, AND BASEBALL.

AND THAT'S JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.

AND IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, CHECK OUT BEHIND THE SCENES OF NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS.

WHEN YOU MAKE A CONTRIBUTION, WE HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER BECOMING A SUSTAINING STAR.

THAT MEANS THAT YOUR CONTRIBUTION IS A MONTHLY CONTRIBUTION THAT YOU CAN SET UP AND FORGET IT.

IF YOU MAKE THAT SUSTAINING STAR GIFT AT THE $15 A MONTH LEVEL, YOU CAN CHOOSE THAT NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS FLEECE JACKET THAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT TONIGHT.

IT'S GREAT.

A MID WEIGHT JACKET APPROPRIATE TO KEEP YOU WARM COZY INSIDE, BUT ALSO YOU CAN LAYER IT AND STAY WARM.

OUTSIDE HAS GREAT CONVENIENT ZIPPERED POCKETS.

AND IT HAS THAT NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA SPORTS LOGO EMBROIDERED ON THE FRONT FOR $15 A MONTH OR A $60 ONE TIME GIFT.

YOU CAN SELECT THAT THREE MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO BIG TEN PLUS EACH YEAR.

BIG TEN PLUS STREAMS OVER 2700 HOURS OF NON-TELEVISED GAMES AND EVENTS, INCLUDING NEBRASKA EVENTS THAT YOU CAN'T WATCH ANYWHERE ELSE.

YOU CAN ALSO WATCH THOSE GAMES ON DEMAND FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF THE EVENT.

MAKE THAT CALL NOW 800-989-8236 OR GO TO NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE.

THANK YOU.

AND BACK TO YOU MIKE'L.

(SWOOSH) >> I THINK OUR PLAYERS ARE YOU KNOW THEY KNOW THEY KNOW IT.

YOU JUST HEAR THE WORD UTAH AND YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS RIGHT?

I MEAN GREAT DEFENSE.

GREAT RUNNING GAME.

YOU WATCH THEIR OFFENSE.

IT'S EXOTIC.

IT'S EXCITING.

IT'S YOU KNOW, THE QUARTERBACK RUNS.

IT'S IT'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL THEY KNOW EXACTLY YOU KNOW, EXACTLY WHAT'S AT STAKE.

AND THEY'RE ALSO UNHAPPY WITH HOW, YOU KNOW, WE PLAYED THE LAST TWO GAMES.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, TJ IS GOING TO HAVE TO GET HEALTHY.

LIKE, HE'S WE CAN'T HAVE HIM NOT BE ABLE TO MOVE AROUND THE BOWL GAME.

THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ISAIAH, MEKHI, AND KWINTEN IVES AT TAILBACK.

YOU KNOW SOMEONE GOING TO STEP IN AT RIGHT GUARD FOR ROCCO.

SO YEAH I THINK I SEE THIS AS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY VERSUS A GREAT, GREAT TEAM.

>> WELCOME BACK WITH THE 15TH RANKED UTAH UTES.

UP NEXT IN THE BOWL GAME.

WE'RE JOINED BY ZOOM WITH SAMMY MORA THE MANAGING EDITOR OF 247 SPORTS IN UTAH.

SAMMY THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

DO WE KNOW YET ANYTHING ABOUT ANY OPT OUTS?

I KNOW THEY'VE GOT SOME PLAYERS.

OBVIOUSLY IT CAN GO IN THE FIRST ROUND ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING ABOUT OPT OUTS SO FAR?

>> WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING AS OF RIGHT NOW.

UTAH'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, LOCKED IN ON BOWL PREPS AND WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY ACCESS TO THE TEAM CURRENTLY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT CALEB HALL AND SPENCER FANO BOTH OPT OUT, BUT ALSO, THERE'S A CHANCE THAT THEY MIGHT NOT.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING KYLE WHITTINGHAM'S FUTURE AND IF IT IS KYLE WHITTINGHAM'S LAST GAME, I FULLY EXPECT UTAH TO BE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, AS MANY PLAYERS AS POSSIBLE AVAILABLE TO PLAY.

SO THAT THEY CAN SEND WHITTINGHAM ON A HIGH NOTE.

>> SAMMY WHAT IS THE INTEREST LEVEL FOR THIS GAME WITH THE UTAH FANS?

THE OBVIOUSLY THE PROXIMITY TO VEGAS IS GREAT.

ARE YOU EXPECTING A LARGE CONTINGENT OF UTES FANS TO MAKE THEIR WAY OUT TO VEGAS?

>> I ACTUALLY COULDN'T HEAR WHAT YOUR QUESTION WAS ON THAT ONE WAS ON THAT ONE.

>> MIKE, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME NOW?

WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING?

SAMMY, AS FAR AS THE UTAH FANS THAT WILL COME OUT TO VEGAS, ARE YOU EXPECTING A LARGE NUMBER OF UTAH FANS?

>> I STILL CAN'T HEAR YOU.

I'M SO SORRY.

MIKE'L.

>> SAM, CAN YOU HEAR ME?

YOU CAN'T HEAR ME EITHER SAMMY.

>> OKAY.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

I APOLOGIZE.

WE LOST THE AUDIO THERE.

IT'S FUNNY, I WAS TALKING TO A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE WHO RUNS THE NEW MEXICO BOWL AND HE HAS TIES WITH UTAH, AND HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT.

AND FROM WHAT HE UNDERSTANDS, AND HE DOES BELIEVE THAT IT'S WHITTINGHAM'S LAST GAME.

HE BELIEVES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET A GOOD CROWD OUT THERE.

LIKE, THEY'RE GOING TO SEND TEN, 15,000 TO THE GAME ON TOP OF WHAT NEBRASKA SENDS.

>> SO THE RECORD FOR ALL VEGAS BOWLS EVER IS LIKE 44,000.

>> YEAH BARELY 40.

>> I DO THINK THAT THIS COULD HAVE A CHANCE I MEAN LAST YEAR'S GAME I BELIEVE ONLY DREW 26.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU KNOW SO IT HASN'T DRAWN WELL AND THAT WAS THEY'VE ONLY PLAYED A COUPLE TIMES AT ALLEGIANT STADIUM.

BUT YOU GOT TO THINK EVERY TIME NEBRASKA'S PLAYED WEST THEY'VE ALWAYS DRAWN 20,000 FANS.

SO YOU WOULD LIKE TO THINK BETWEEN THE HUSKERS AND VEGAS, PHOENIX, AND THE CALIFORNIA AREA YOU'RE GOING TO GET 15,000.

THEY COME THAT WAY.

>> YOU HAD A GREAT COMP RIGHT?

HE SAID IT'S THE NATIONAL GUARD FOR NEBRASKA FANS.

WHEN THEY NEED THEM.

THEY JUST CALL THEM UP AND THEY SHOW UP SOMEPLACE AND THEY GO TO GAME.

>> THAT WOULD BE THERE.

SO THAT'S ALL.

>> THE NATIONAL GUARD.

>> LINCOLN DEPLOYMENT.

>> LINCOLN DEPLOYMENT, EXACTLY.

>> SO I MEAN I JUST LEARNED OF THAT THIS WEEKEND.

SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT TOO STEPPING INTO ALLEGIANT STADIUM AND SUPPORT NEBRASKA.

BUT YEAH, I THINK IT'S AGAIN, NEBRASKA FANS HAVE BEEN STARVED FOR THESE BOWL GAMES FOR SO LONG.

I MEAN, THIS WAS A HOLIDAY TRADITION.

I MEAN, FAMILIES SAID THEY'D SAVE UP THEIR MONEY AND GO TO THE BOWL GAME NO MATTER WHERE IT WAS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

IF THEY'D HAVE IT FOR, WHAT, SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS NOW.

SO AND THEN OBVIOUSLY LAST YEAR WITH THE PINSTRIPE BOWL, WAS THE FIRST ONE.

PEOPLE WANT TO GO AND SHOW SUPPORT.

EVEN THOUGH PRODUCT HASN'T BEEN, IT'S BEEN BETTER, HASN'T BEEN WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

BUT THEY'LL STILL GOING TO SUPPORT IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT WE'VE SEEN IT WHATEVER WHATEVER SPORT NEBRASKA IS PLAYING IN.

AND WE SAW JUST IN THE CROWN DEAL WITH THE BASKETBALL.

PEOPLE TRAVELED TO VEGAS LAST YEAR FOR THAT AS WELL.

SO, WHAT THEY'LL HAVE, THEY'LL BE PLAYING NEBRASKA FANS THERE.

>> AND NEBRASKA DID GET A PRETTY GOOD BUMP ON THIS BECAUSE OF JUST WHO THEY ARE.

I MEAN, BECAUSE ILLINOIS LOST TO MINNESOTA.

>> YEP.

>> IF ILLINOIS WAS 9-3, NEBRASKA WOULD NOT BE IN VEGAS RIGHT NOW.

ILLINOIS WOULD HAVE BEEN THE TEAM THAT WOULD HAVE GONE TO TAMPA, AND IOWA WOULD HAVE GONE TO VEGAS.

AND WE'D BE PROBABLY IN NASHVILLE.

BUT BECAUSE ILLINOIS LOST THAT GAME, IT ALLOWED NEBRASKA TO BE SELECTED OVER THE ILLINI, OVER MINNESOTA.

AND A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH HUSKER FANS AND THE DATA IS THERE ANY TIME NEBRASKA PLAYS WEST, THEY DRAW.

THEY EVEN DREW UP FRESNO.

I MEAN, THERE WERE MORE NEBRASKA FRIENDS AT FRESNO STATE THAN THERE WERE FRESNO STATE FANS.

>> IT'S NEBRASKA'S NUMBER ONE COMMODITY.

IT'S THEIR FAN BASE.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO GO AND THEY'RE GOING TO SUPPLY.

LET'S TALK ABOUT UTAH, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT DAMPIER AS A QUARTERBACK CAN RUN.

HE THROWS THE BALL.

THEY HAVE A GOOD SET OF RUNNING BACKS.

BUT THEY'RE REALLY BUILDING THAT OFFENSIVE LINE.

>> YEAH, YOU LOOK AT THE TACKLE PLAY MIKE'L.

YOU KNOW THEY'VE GOT A COUPLE OF HIGH ROUND.

I MEAN HOW MANY FIRST ROUNDERS ON THAT.

>> THEY COULD HAVE TWO.

THEY CAN ONLY HAVE TWO.

>> SO JUST IN TERMS OF THAT YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THE BIG 12 IS.

UTAH IS PROBABLY AS CLOSELY BUILT TO A BIG TEN TEAM.

AS THERE IS IN THE BIG 12.

THAT'S KYLE WHITTINGHAM.

HE'S CARRIED THAT, STYLE SINCE HE'S TAKEN OVER FOR THE UTES.

AND YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THIS.

HE WAS THE SUCCESSOR TO URBAN MEYER AND HE'S BEEN THERE THAT LONG.

I MEAN, URBAN MEYER HANDED HIM THAT PROGRAM AND HE'S KEPT IT IN.

AND WE KNOW IN TODAY'S AGE OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL TO HAVE THAT KIND OF CONTINUITY KNOW THERE'S ONLY A COUPLE PLACES.

AND THEY'RE NEBRASKA'S LAST TWO OPPONENTS, IOWA AND UTAH.

YEAH, THEY WERE THEY WERE TOO TOUGH.

SO YOU HAD ROCKY LONG AND YOU HAD, KYLE WHITTINGHAM AND YOU HAD THE OTHER DEFENSE, THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR.

THOSE THREE GUYS TOGETHER AT NEW MEXICO WERE ALL COACHING AT ONE TIME.

AND IT JUST BRONCO MENDENHALL.

THAT'S THE OTHER GUY.

I WAS THINKING ABOUT.

AND THAT WAS JUST THE TOUGHEST TEAMS.

AND THEY ALL WENT TO THEIR OWN TEAMS AND TOOK THAT TOUGHNESS WITH THEM.

>> YEAH, NO.

WHETHER IT'S UTAH OR BYU, THEY HAVE A HISTORY OF JUST PLAYING GOOD SOUND, PHYSICAL FOOTBALL.

SOME OF IT'S BEEN RATHER.

UNIQUE.

FROM A STYLES STANDPOINT.

YOU SEEN BYU IMPLEMENT A 3-3-5, YOU KNOW, YOU THE BYU TEAMS IN THE BACK, THEY DO.

YOU KNOW, AIR MAIL IT.

BUT URBAN MEYER BROUGHT TO UTAH WITH ALEX SMITH.

THAT'S WHERE YOU KIND OF FIRST OF ALL THE RPO OFFENSE GET IMPLEMENTED IN THERE.

AND THEY'VE HAD THEY UTAH'S RUN THE HECK OUT OF FOOTBALL.

SO YEAH SINCE THEY'VE BEEN SINCE URBAN'S LEFT THERE.

AND IT'S WITH THE QUARTERBACKS AND WITH THE RUNNING BACK AS WELL.

SO THEY ARE A VERY SOUND, PHYSICAL FOOTBALL TEAM.

THEY PLAY SPECIAL TEAMS REALLY, REALLY WELL.

NEBRASKA IS GOING TO GET TESTED ON ALL THREE PHASES IN THIS GAME, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, NEBRASKA'S, THEY BETTER BRING THEIR THEIR HARD HATS BECAUSE UTAH CAN PLAY AND GET DOWNHILL AND PLAY REALLY PHYSICAL FOOTBALL.

>> AS A DEFENSIVE LINEMAN NIGHTMARES.

WHEN YOU SEE A GUY LIKE DAMPIER OUT THERE?

>> YOU JUST IT.

YES.

BECAUSE YOU IT DOES.

IT SLOWS YOU DOWN.

YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL.

AND USUALLY YOUR DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR, D-LINE COACHES, WHEN YOU PLAY MOBILE QUARTERBACKS, YOU HAVE TO PLAY VERY SOUND.

YOU HAVE TO.

>> STAY IN YOUR GAP.

>> YOU GOT TO STAY IN YOUR GAP.

YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ON HOW YOU RUSH.

YOU REALLY CAN'T GO UNDERNEATH BECAUSE YOU CAN'T ALLOW HIM TO ESCAPE THE POCKET.

IF YOU DO, YOU GOT TO KIND OF TELL YOUR LINEBACKER OR YOUR DEFENSIVE TACKLE NEXT TO HIM AND TAKE A CHANCE.

YOU BETTER COVER ME UP, TO TAKE CARE OF THE OUTSIDE RUSH LANE.

BUT AGAIN, YOUR SHOULDERS GOT TO STAY PARALLEL TO LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.

YOU CAN'T GET TURNED BECAUSE YOU GET THE INSIDE, ZONE READS.

BOOM.

GET YOUR SHOULDER TURN A LITTLE BIT.

HE'S GONE.

SO IT JUST YOU HAVE TO BE THAT MORE DISCIPLINED.

YOU PLAY MOBILE QUARTERBACK.

>> YEAH.

ONE QUICK QUESTION BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE BIG TEN.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT OPT OUTS FOR NEBRASKA BECAUSE WE TALKED LOT ABOUT UTAH FOR A SECOND, ARE YOU HEARING ANY MORE THAN WE ALREADY KNOW?

>> I MEAN YOU GOT TO TAKE MATT RHULE FOR HIS WORD ON THAT.

EVEN DASAN MCCULLOUGH, IT WAS A LITTLE MISLEADING WHEN HE TWEETED KIND OF HINTING.

>> HE WAS EXCITED.

>> IT WAS LIKE HIS GOODBYE.

BUT YEAH, YOU KNOW, I HAD A COUPLE OF THAT HAD TO PUT OUT LIKE, HEY, HE IS STILL PLAYING IN THE BOWL GAME THOUGH, BECAUSE HE NEEDS THE BOWL GAME.

SO I DO THINK FOR A LOT OF HUSKER PLAYERS, ESPECIALLY THE TWO DEEP GUYS, THEY NEED THIS GAME.

YOU KNOW, I DO THINK A LOT OF THESE GUYS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT HIGH ENOUGH PROFILE WHERE THEY CAN JUST SAY, I'M GOING TO HAVE A GREAT PORTAL MARKET.

I MEAN, A GOOD BOWL GAME.

IF THEY ARE LOOKING, YOU ON THE PORTAL MIGHT EVEN HELP THEIR STOCK MORE.

>> YEAH, NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE BIG TEN TEAMS IN THE COLLEGE BOWL RANKINGS.

BUCKEYES AND OF COURSE IS JUST FLIP ONE SPOT, WHICH MAY NOT BE A GREAT THING FOR OHIO STATE BECAUSE THE THREE SPOT PROBABLY BE A BETTER ONE IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU GOT COMING UP, INCLUDING OLE MISS.

WITHOUT THEIR COACHING STAFF, OREGON AT FIVE, USC AT 16, JUST OUTSIDE OF MICHIGAN AT 18 AND IOWA AT 23.

AND HERE'S YOUR BRACKET OVERALL.

THE WAY IT LOOKS INDIANA WON OHIO STATE AND GEORGIA AT THREE, WHICH ALLOWS THEM AGAIN TO GET THE OLE MISS TEAM WITHOUT THEIR COACHING STAFF, WHERE OHIO STATE OBVIOUSLY MAY GET A TOUGHER OPPONENT, BUT YOU LOOK AT THE BRACKET OVERALL THERE.

LET'S GET TO OUR VIEWER SURVEY QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD.

LET'S SEE WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THE MATCHUP.

WHAT DO YOU THINK'S GOING TO HAPPEN AGAINST THE 15TH RANKED UTAH UTES?

52% OF THE PEOPLE SAY UTAH CLOSE WIN 26% IN TO THE RANKED OPPONENT LOSING STREAK.

AND 22% SAY UTAH BLOWOUT.

YOUR FEEL FOR THE MATCHUP?

>> YEAH, INITIALLY ON PAPER.

I DON'T LIKE IT JUST BECAUSE OF UTAH'S ABILITY TO RUN THE FOOTBALL.

BUT I THINK IN THESE BOWL GAMES, AGAIN, IT'S MORE OF WHAT KIND OF SEAN ALREADY ALLUDED TO EARLIER IS WHAT'S THE CARE LEVEL.

THEY GIVE A DAMN LEVEL, OF THESE TEAMS, THE OPT OUTS, WE COULD SEE WHAT UTAH HAS IN NEXT COMING WEEKS.

AND REALLY, IT'S WHAT NEBRASKA'S DONE DEFENSIVELY IS GONNA BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT PHIL SNOW, CAN YOU MAKE THESE TWEAKS TO BE CAN THEY BE MORE HEAVY HANDED AGAINST THE RUN GAME?

BUT INITIALLY I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE HIGH SCORING.

BUT I THINK UTAH IS STILL GOING TO BE TOO MUCH FOR NEBRASKA IN A COUPLE WEEKS.

>> BUT OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU GO OUT AND YOU GET A COORDINATOR, AN OFFENSIVE LINE COACH FROM OTHER TEAMS, ARE YOU HEARING ANYTHING ABOUT ANY OF THOSE GUYS FOR THE OTHER TEAM, GEORGIA TECH OR SAN DIEGO STATE, MAYBE FOLLOWING THEM?

>> I THINK SAN DIEGO STATE'S THE ONE TO WATCH.

WHEN YOU BRING GROUP OF FIVE, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATELY NO ONE'S MAKING ANY MONEY, >> RIGHT.

>> AND SO AT THAT POINT, IF SAN DIEGO >> THEY DO HAVE.

THAT'S A SCHOOL THAT HAS MONEY.

>> BUT NOT BIG TEN MONEY.

AND SO IF THERE'S A GUY OR TWO, THAT GUY A IS GOING TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE MAKING.

>> YEAH.

>> SO YOU CAN COME AT THEM AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO KIND OF RUN IT BACK WITH ME, WE CAN DO THIS FOR YOU.

AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.

AND I THINK MATT RHULE, WHEN HE MADE THIS MOVE, WAS LIKE, HEY, IF I BRING A GUY, CAN I HIRE SOMEONE?

I CAN BRING PEOPLE WITH ME.

AND YOU KNOW, LIKE JIM LEONARD WOULD BE GREAT COORDINATOR, BUT HE CAN'T BRING BRONCO PLAYERS TO LINCOLN.

AND THEN I THINK THAT'S BEEN SOME OF THE MISTAKE OF SOME OF THE PREVIOUS HIRES.

THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING PLAYERS WITH THEM.

THIS MIGHT BE ONE THAT CAN BRING A COUPLE.

>> DO YOU THINK DYLAN RAIOLA.

GREG ASKED THE QUESTION ON FACEBOOK, "DO YOU THINK RAIOLA WILL TRANSFER."

>> AGAIN, THAT THREE PHRASE ANSWER?

I DON'T KNOW.

>> GIVE US SOME PERCENTAGES.

>> YEAH, I THINK HE'S HERE AND I THINK IT'S, 70-30 THAT HE'S HERE.

70% CHANCE THAT HE'S HERE.

>> THREE I MEAN, YOU GOT $3.5 MILLION IS HIS REPORTED WAGE, RIGHT?

SO, NUMBER ONE, IS THERE A TEAM OUT THERE THAT WOULD EVEN COME CLOSE TO THAT?

PROBABLY NOT.

>> MATCHING IT RIGHT.

>> BECAUSE THE MONEY GAME HAS CHANGED WITH REV SHARE.

SO IN AMERICA YOU TAKE LESS MONEY IN ANY SITUATION.

BUT NOT VERY OFTEN.

>> YEAH.

>> SO WHAT IS THE MARKET FOR HIM?

IS HIS PHONE RINGING?

HE'S HURT TOO.

PEOPLE FORGET THAT.

LIKE HE'S COMING OFF INJURY.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE HE CAN COME IN AND WORKOUT RIGHT AWAY FOR A NEW PROGRAM.

BUT I DO THINK THE LATEEF PERFORMANCE IN THIS BOWL GAME IS ANOTHER CHAPTER TO THIS SAGA.

HOW THIS WILL ALL PLAY OUT.

>> THAT'S ONLY A BROKEN BONE.

SO OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THAT HEALS.

IT'S NOT A LIGAMENT DAMAGE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU CAN ALLOCATE FOR TWO QUARTERBACKS, WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT NUMBER COULD POSSIBLY BE?

>> WELL, YOU'RE RIGHT NOW YOU'RE YOU'RE IN THREE AND A HALF PLUS WHATEVER YOU CAN DO FOR LATEEF.

AND IF HE'S NOT YOUR STARTER, LIKE HOW HIGH CAN YOU GO ON A NON-STARTER.

YEAH, I USE THE ANALOGY ON OUR SHOW.

YOU CAN'T HAVE TWO SPEEDBOATS IN THE GARAGE.

I MEAN, IT'S HARD TO MAKE SENSE.

YOU KNOW, YOU ONLY HAVE ONE.

AND SO WHAT DO YOU DO?

I DON'T SEE A WORLD WHERE YOU COULD PAY THEM BOTH, LIKE SEVEN FIGURES, ESPECIALLY IF ONE IS NOT PLAYING.

AND THEN YOU HAVE TRAE TAYLOR, WHO'S COMING IN FOR THE NEXT YEAR, WHO IS HIGHER RANKED THAN DYLAN RAIOLA WAS COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.

>> IN TERMS OF GUYS YOU'D LIKE TO SEE STAY FROM NEBRASKA, NOT THE PORTAL.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF GUYS YOU CAN THINK OF THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SAY, DON'T GO TO THE PORTAL.

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, NWANERI, KEONA DAVIS.

>> JACORY BARNEY.

>> JACORY BARNEY WOULD BE ONE.

YES, I THINK.

>> NYZIAH HUNTER?

>> YES, YOU JUST KEEP BRING HIM UP.

>> WHAT ABOUT SHAVERS IN A NEW SCHEME.

>> RIGHT?

WELL, ALLOW HIM TO BE FAST, RIGHT?

PLEASE ALLOW HIM TO BE FAST.

>> TO GET DOWNHILL.

RIGHT.

LET HIM GO SHOOT HIS GUN.

BUT, YEAH, I THINK YOU LOOK YOUR D-LINEMEN, RIGHT?

AND THEN YOU LOOK O-LINEMEN.

I THINK THOSE ARE YOUR MOST IMPORTANT PIECES.

YOUR PRITCHETT.

THOSE THOSE TYPE OF GUYS.

AND I KNOW THEY'VE THEY'VE TRANSFERRED ALREADY, BUT, YOU GOT TO KEEP THOSE GUYS, THE MOST IMPORTANT POSITIONS O-LINE, D-LINE HAPPY AND KEEP THEM HERE.

>> GOT PRITCHETT AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR CENTER AND THEN YOU REPLACE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, FOR THE MOST PART.

>> GOTTULA'S BACK.

>> AND GOTTULAS BACK, WELL, WE GOT TO SEE WHERE HE ENDS UP.

YOU THINK?

GIVE HIM A GUARD OR A TACKLE.

BECAUSE WE SAW HIM STRUGGLE A LITTLE BIT AT RIGHT TACKLE.

>> I THINK HE MAKES MORE SENSE AS A GUARD.

>> YEAH.

>> BUT DOES THAT MEAN THEY HAVE TO GO BACK OUT AND GET A PORTAL TACKLE?

PROBABLY.

AND PRITCHETT BE ONE TACKLE AND YOU HAVE ANOTHER PORTAL GUY WITH JUSTIN EVANS AND GOTTULA.

AND THEN IS IT MACIEJCZAK, SLEDGE, PETERS OR PORTAL GUY OR A TRANSFER.

YEAH.

GEEP WADE COULD BRING SOMEBODY HERE.

WE JUST DON'T REALLY KNOW.

>> THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.

>> LIKE WHAT DIRECTION THAT COULD GO.

BUT I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THEY'LL PROBABLY BE AT LEAST TWO PORTAL O-LINEMEN ADDED TO THIS TEAM.

>> YEAH.

AND I MEAN, YOU SEEN SO MANY SCHOOLS, EVEN ALABAMA GOES OUT AND ADDS OFFENSIVE LINEMEN IN THE PORTAL.

EVEN NOTRE DAME GOES.

YEAH WELL EXCEPT FOR CLEMSON NOT DOING MUCH OF IT.

BUT EVERYBODY ELSE DOES.

SO I'M NOT SURPRISED IF NEBRASKA DOES IT.

WHAT DO YOU GOT FOR YOUR BURNING QUESTION?

>> MY BURNING QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, CAN NEBRASKA GET UP FOR THIS GAME?

I MEAN, THIS COULD BE THEIR ARGUABLY THEIR MOST CHALLENGING GAME OF THE SEASON.

AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO BE UNDERMANNED WITHOUT THEIR BEST PLAYERS.

THIS IS A BIG A BIG OF A CHALLENGE.

IS NEBRASKA IN THE FACE ALL YEAR?

>> I DON'T HAVE A BURNING QUESTION.

I JUST WISH MY SON MAVERICK, A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

IT'S HIS NINTH BIRTHDAY.

HIS GOLDEN BIRTHDAY DECEMBER 9TH.

SO I'LL GET HOME HERE SOON, BUDDY.

AND, HAVE SOME CAKE WITH YOU.

SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

>> HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MAVERICK AS WELL.

MY BURNING QUESTION IS SIMPLE.

CAN THE NEBRASKA CONTROL THE RUNNING GAME FOR UTAH?

CAN PHIL SNOW FIGURE OUT SOMETHING TO CONTROL DAMPIER AND THOSE RUNNING BACKS AS WELL?

THAT'S GOING TO BE THE BIG PART IN THAT GAME.

FOR OUR THOUGHTS ON WHO WILL WITH THE VEGAS BOWL, CHECK OUT THE PREDICTION ON X, FACEBOOK OR OUR WEBSITE.

AND IF A BIG RED WRAP-UP WILL BE BACK AFTER VEGAS BOWL GAME TUESDAY, JANUARY 6TH AT 7 P.M.

ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

YOU CAN TUNE IN ON FACEBOOK LIVE, YOUTUBE LIVE, AND OUR WEBSITE, NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG.

OUR SPECIAL THANKS TO BC, BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON AND SAMMY MORA FOR A QUICK LITTLE TIME ON OUR ZOOM.

FOR JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT YEAR ON BIG RED WRAP-UP.

(BAND MUSIC) (UPBEAT MUSIC)