[MUSIC] [MUSIC] SPRING CAME AND WENT FOR NEBRASKA, AND THE FOOTBALL TEAM APPROACHED AN EARLY SPRING CAMP WITH A BUSINESSLIKE ATTITUDE.

WHAT DO WE SEE FROM THE TEAM DURING SPRING PRACTICES AND THE ANNUAL RED AND WHITE GAME?

WE'LL BREAK IT ALL DOWN.

HUSKER SPRING FORTUNES BOTH IN FOOTBALL AND SOME BASKETBALL.

GUESS SAM MCEWAN AND ROBIN WASHUT.

IT'S ALL COMING NEXT ON BIG RED WRAP-UP.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] HI EVERYONE.

I'M MIKE'L SEVERE AND WELCOME TO BIG RED WRAP UP ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

THE EARLIEST SPRING FOOTBALL HAS BEEN DONE IN A VERY LONG TIME, AND NOW WE HAVE A WEIRD APRIL.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT AND MUCH MORE.

JOINING ME, FORMER HUSKER JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN.

LET'S JUST START OFF WITH THE FEELING OF A LATE MARCH SPRING.

AND WOULD THAT HAVE MADE JAY MOORE THE PLAYER HAPPY?

>> BECAUSE GOLF SEASON.

>> BECAUSE BECAUSE BECAUSE WINTER CONDITIONING WOULD HAVE BEEN SHORTER.

>> YEAH.

IT'S A THE DYNAMICS OF IT ARE INTERESTING.

I WOULD HAVE LIKED IT BETTER GETTING SPRING BALL DONE, BUT THEY'RE KIND OF STUCK WITH THIS.

LIKE, WHAT DO YOU DO?

BECAUSE BECAUSE USUALLY WE HAD SPRING BALL.

THEN YOU HAD LIKE TWO, THREE WEEKS OF SCHOOL LEFT AND IT WAS SUMMER.

YOU HAD BREAK.

YEAH.

I MEAN, YOU DO SOME CONDITIONING STUFF, BUT NOW THEY HAVE REALLY A FULL MONTH.

SO THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP THEM IN TOWN.

THEY'RE STILL GOING TO DO SOME CONDITIONING.

I THINK SOME DRILLS AND STUFF THEY WANT TO GET DONE AND GET COMPLETED.

BUT YEAH, I WOULD HAVE IS THE EARLIER YOU CAN GET SPRING BALL DONE AS A PLAYER, THAT'S WHAT YOU YOU'D VOTE FOR.

IT'S A NECESSARY EVIL PLAYERS.

IT'S IT'S NOT FUN.

IT'S.

BUT YEAH, I WOULD HAVE BEEN HUGELY IN FAVOR OF GETTING IT OVER AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.

>> IT WASN'T ON PURPOSE.

I MEAN, THERE WAS A CONCERT, THERE WAS AN EIGHT DAY HOLD.

SO THEY LOST A COUPLE OF SATURDAYS.

THIS WAS THE BEST ONE FOR THEM, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING THAT THEY MAY CONTINUE TO DO IN THE FUTURE.

>> YEAH.

THE OTHER OPTION WAS PROBABLY MAY 2ND.

YOU KNOW, THEY COULD HAVE HELD IT AND DONE LIKE A REALLY LATER SPRING.

YEAH.

BUT YEAH, I THINK MATT RHULE AFTER DOING THIS, HE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT?

I LIKE THIS AND I LIKE SIX WEEKS OF WINTER WORK.

THEN GET RIGHT INTO IT BECAUSE YOU BRING IN, YOU KNOW, 15, 20 NEW TRANSFERS AND ALL YOUR HIGH SCHOOL GUYS GET IN EARLY.

NOW GET THEM IN THE FOOTBALL RIGHT AWAY, GET THEM GOING.

AND YOU'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE A GOOD MONTH OF WHAT MATT RHULE CALLED INDIVIDUALIZED WORKOUTS, WHERE THE TEAM'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE SPECIFIC WORKOUT PLANS FOR EACH PLAYER.

BUT IT'S UNIQUE.

BUT I THINK COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS DIFFERENT.

THIS IS NOT YOUR FATHER'S COLLEGE FOOTBALL ANYMORE AS FAR AS HOW YOU BUILD YOUR TEAM AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS YOU BATTLE.

>> YEAH, JUST WATCHING THE TEAM.

I KNOW WE WATCHED THEM ON TV FOR YOU.

DID YOU SEE ANYTHING THAT JUMPED OUT TO YOU BESIDES THE PACE?

THEY DID GO FAST.

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, IN TWO HOURS THEY GOT 100 AND 120 PLAYS.

118 TO BE EXACT.

NO, I JUST LOVE THE THE MENTALITY OF IT.

I LOVE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TRY TO GET TOO CUTE WITH THE SPRING GAME, DO SOME INNER COMPETITION STUFF.

LIKE I LIKE THIS ONE OUT THERE.

THEY GOT TO WORK, THEY GOT DONE.

THEY GOT, THEY GOT IN AND GET OUT.

I LIKE THE BUSINESS LIKE MENTALITY.

NOTHING.

NOTHING DYNAMIC.

I MEAN WATCHING THAT JUST FROM THE SPRING GAME I WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE ANY PRACTICES.

BUT JUST WATCHING IT UP FRONT, I JUST IT WAS VERY BASIC.

IT WAS SIMPLE.

IT WAS WHAT THEY WANT.

THEY DON'T WANT TO PUT ANYTHING EXTRA ON TAPE FOR OPPONENTS.

BUT I JUST LIKE THE MENTALITY THAT THEY HAD.

THEY WENT IN, THEY GOT ACCOMPLISHED.

AND YEAH, I THINK YOU CAN SEE THE ADDITIONS THAT EVERYBODY'S EXCITED ABOUT THE THE QUARTERBACKS, THE OFFENSIVE LINE ADDITIONS, THE DEFENSIVE ADDITIONS.

WHAT'S THE NEW SYSTEM LOOKING LIKE WITH ORIC AND THAT 425 DEFENSE.

SO I THINK YOU CAN TAKE AWAY.

BUT I MEAN JUST FROM THE SPRING GAME TO ME I LOOK AT I MEAN THERE'S PLAYERS THAT STOOD OUT.

BUT OVERALL AS A WHOLE I THINK IT WAS JUST BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR ME.

>> YOU KNOW WHAT I THOUGHT SEAN WAS?

I THOUGHT THEY HAD MORE PEP IN THEIR STEP.

REMEMBER THE END OF THE SEASON?

THOSE GUYS WERE WORN DOWN.

THEY WERE GETTING BEAT BADLY.

AND THEN I WATCHED THAT TEAM GO OUT THERE ON SATURDAY AT 11 A.M.

AND LOOKED LIKE THEY HAD A LOT OF ENERGY, LIKE THEY WERE READY TO GET GOING.

>> YEAH, A LOT A LOT OF NEW FACES TO THE OFFENSIVE LINE HAS THREE NEW STARTERS.

QUARTERBACK'S NEW.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THREE RUNNING BACKS THAT DIDN'T PLAY MUCH AT ALL LAST YEAR IF ANY.

YEAH.

SO I JUST THINK THE LOOK AND THE FEEL OF THE OFFENSE THEN WITH A NEW SCHEME ON DEFENSE, WHICH I THINK THIS SCHEME AND JAY WILL PROBABLY DELVE INTO THIS MORE FITS THE BIG TEN BETTER AND HOPEFULLY CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THEY HAD ON THE EDGE AGAINST THE RUN.

BUT YEAH, JUST A DIFFERENT FEEL WITH THIS TEAM.

I STILL THINK WE'RE PROBABLY LEARNING LIKE WHO THE LEADERS ARE.

YOU KNOW HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE LIKE JACORY BARNEY JR.

I THINK WE KNOW IS ONE OF THE FACES OF THE OF THE TEAM AS A VOCAL LEADER.

BUT WE'RE STILL KIND OF LEARNING, LIKE, WHO ARE THE GUYS ON THIS TEAM THAT WILL LEAD THEM AND GET THEM THROUGH THE OFF SEASON?

>> YEAH, I WANT TO GET MORE INTO THE DEFENSE BECAUSE THE HOHL FOR TWO FIVE AND WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS.

BUT YOU SAW CALANDRIA THERE THROWING AN INTERCEPTION.

THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO TAKE CHANCES AS A DEFENSIVE GUY.

I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU LIKE THAT OR NOT, BUT I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF HEY, LET'S TRY AND MAKE SOME THROWS.

BECAUSE THEN HE MADE THAT ONE TOO.

BARNEY DOWN THE SIDELINE.

HE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE THROWN.

IT WAS PERFECT.

>> WELL THIS IS IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE CHANCES RIGHT.

LET'S LET'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT IN THIS WAY.

I MEAN THIS IS A PRACTICE.

IT'S A GLORIFIED PRACTICE.

BUT YEAH YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE WITH HIS ABILITY TO SCRAMBLE.

YOU KNOW TO ME IT'S WHAT JOHNNY MANZIEL WAS TO TEXAS A AND M HIS ABILITY TO CREATE WHEN PLAYS BREAK DOWN, THAT'S WHERE HE'S AT HIS BEST.

YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE CHANCES.

YEAH.

ANYTIME A QUARTERBACK ROLLS TO HIS LEFT AND TRIES TO THROWS ACROSS HIS BODY, THAT'S A NO NO.

HE'S GOING TO DO THAT.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME THINGS WHERE YOU'RE PROBABLY AT SOME TIMES IN GAMES, YOU'RE PROBABLY PULLING YOUR HAIR OUT AND THINKING, NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.

BUT THAT'S JUST WHAT HE BRINGS TO THE TABLE.

THERE'S, THERE'S TIMES WHERE YOU THINK, NO, NO, NO, DON'T THROW IT.

THEN ALL SUDDEN IT'S LIKE, OH GREAT THROW.

GREAT DECISION.

HIS JUICE, HIS ENERGY.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT THIS OFFENSE NEEDS.

BUT YEAH YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE THOSE HICCUPS AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS.

BUT AGAIN THE BACK SHOULDER THROW TO QUINN CLARK YOU KNOW IN THE END ZONE THAT WAS A THAT WAS A GREAT THROW AND A GREAT, GREAT CATCH BY QUINN.

BUT I THINK HIS COMMAND OF THIS OFFENSE YOU CAN SEE I'M STILL INTERESTED TO SEE THE TEMPO THEY WANT TO DO WITH THIS OFFENSE WITH HIM.

I THINK THAT REALLY IS PREDICATED ON WHAT THIS DEFENSE CAN HANDLE.

RIGHT.

YOU GO UP TEMPO AS AN OFFENSE ALSO AND YOU'RE LEAVING YOUR DEFENSE OUT TO DRY PLAYING 9000 SNAPS A GAME POTENTIALLY.

BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE'RE USED TO.

AND I STILL THINK HOLGORSEN AND STAFF ARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WHAT THEY HAVE HERE IN THIS QUARTERBACK.

AND BUT HIS DYNAMIC ABILITY RIGHT HERE TO SEE STEP IN THE POCKET PLAYMAKING ABILITIES, JUST SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T SEEN WHEN RAIOLA WAS BACK THERE.

>> YOU KNOW SEAN, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN ACTUALLY PICK OR PREDICT A SEASON WHEN YOU HAVE A QUARTERBACK LIKE THIS, RIGHT.

I REMEMBER A COUPLE YEARS AGO DIEGO PAVIA GOES IN ALABAMA BEATS ALABAMA.

YOU MENTIONED THE JOHNNY MANZIEL'S.

HE'S GOING TO MAKE PLAYS IN GAMES THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN IN A VERY LONG TIME.

>> NO, HE'S SO MUCH DIFFERENT THAN ANY QUARTERBACK NEBRASKA HAS HAD.

ADRIAN MARTINEZ OBVIOUSLY HAD THAT ABILITY.

>> HE'S MORE TAILORED THAN HE'S HE'S QUICKER I THINK.

>> AND JUST YEAH, HIS ABILITY TO CREATE I THINK MAKES SOME OF THESE UNKNOWN GAMES WILD CARDS.

I MEAN I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE A FEEL FOR HOW NEBRASKA MATCHES AGAINST WASHINGTON OR IOWA OR ILLINOIS.

WE KNOW INDIANA AND OREGON AND OHIO STATE ARE GOING TO HAVE A HUGE EDGE IN TERMS OF THEIR OVERALL ROSTERS.

[MUSIC] SO BUT THE SCHEDULE IS CHALLENGING BECAUSE A YEAR AGO THEY DIDN'T PLAY A PLAYOFF TEAM.

THIS YEAR THEY PLAY THREE OF THEM.

AND HUSKER FANS ARE SMART.

THEY UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND VEGAS UNDERSTANDS THAT.

WHEN YOU PUT THE EARLY METRICS OF WHAT THIS SEASON CAN BE.

BUT NOBODY HAS.

AS YOU MENTIONED, NOBODY HAS A READ ON WHAT THE CALANDRIA FACTOR COULD BE.

IF HE CAN IGNITE A FEW MORE THINGS THAT MAYBE DYLAN RAIOLA COULDN'T DO A YEAR AGO.

>> WHAT ABOUT LATEEF AND KAILYN?

REALLY?

THEY HAD MOST OF THE SECOND HALF A LITTLE BIT BODE SOUKUP AS WELL.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE WAY THEY PLAYED?

>> YOU COULD TELL LATEEF WAS FINALLY HEALTHY.

YES, HE HAD MORE PEP IN HIS STEP.

[MUSIC] HE HAD A LITTLE MORE BURST, SOME OF THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT TWITCHINESS THAT WE KIND OF HAD SEEN EARLIER IN THOSE THOSE GAMES IN THE NON-CONFERENCE WHERE HE WAS ABLE TO PLAY A BUNCH.

YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE.

I THINK LATEEF, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW IS PROBABLY NUMBER TWO.

BUT I THINK THERE'S A CLEAR BATTLE BETWEEN DANNY AND AND TJ.

OBVIOUSLY TJ HAVING THE FAMILIARITY WITH OFFENSE WITH THE PLAY CALLS WITH HOLGERSON HAS PROBABLY THE EDGE UP THERE.

BUT I LIKE THE FACT THAT THERE'S ADDED DEPTH.

[MUSIC] I MEAN ANTHONY CALANDRIA HAS QB1 ALMOST CERTAIN OF THAT.

BUT HAVING THOSE GUYS AND HAVING DANNY BEING AT MULTIPLE SPOTS AND HAVING TJ GOING THROUGH WHAT HE WENT THROUGH LAST YEAR, I THINK IS IS BIG TO BE BECAUSE SOMETHING WHEN YOU HAVE A QUARTERBACK WITH THAT MOBILITY AND HIS ABILITY, HE'S GOING TO TUCK IT AND TAKE SOME SHOTS.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE TJ OR DANNY'S GOING TO BE READY TO PLAY AT ANY MOMENT.

I THINK HOLGORSEN AND STAFF WILL BE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH EITHER OF THOSE GUYS GOING IN THERE.

>> PROBABLY THE MOST EXPERIENCED QUARTERBACK THEY'VE EVER HAD.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THE DIVISION ONE STARTS, LOTS TO GET TO.

WE CAN'T COVER IT ALL WITHOUT YOUR HELP.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

OUR PHONES ARE STANDING BY READY FOR YOUR CALLS.

YOU CAN ALSO TEXT OR EMAIL US YOUR COMMENTS OR YOUR QUESTIONS.

BIG RED AT NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA DOT O R G. WE'RE MANNING OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS AS WELL TONIGHT.

SEND US YOUR THOUGHTS ON BIG RED WRAP-UP FACEBOOK PAGE OR X ACCOUNT, AND WE'LL ANSWER AS MANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS AS WE CAN.

WE DO HAVE A NEW SIDELINE SURVEY FOR YOU TONIGHT.

WHAT'S YOUR LEVEL OF EXCITEMENT AFTER THE SPRING GAME?

SO EXCITED FOR THE FALL, MA.

I'LL BE I'LL BE READY WHEN THE PRESEASON CAMP COMES AROUND.

ARE WE TALKING ABOUT PRACTICE?

ARE WE TALKING ABOUT PRACTICE?

HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE NOW TO VOTE ON ONE OF THOSE THREE.

HOPEFULLY THE LAST ONE.

NOW IT'S TIME TO LOOK AT SOME STANDOUT PLAYS FROM THE RED WHITE SCRIMMAGE THIS PAST SATURDAY.

OUR TOP THREE PLAYS PLAY NUMBER THREE.

IT ENDED THE GAME PRETTY MUCH.

CONNOR BOOTH SCORES LATE ON A 32 YARD RUN TO GIVE THE NEBRASKA TEAM THE LEAD IN THE FINAL SECONDS.

HONESTLY, DO YOU KNOW WHO WAS NEBRASKA?

WHO WAS?

I DIDN'T KNOW WHO WAS HUSKERS AT NUMBER TWO IN THE SPRING GAME.

JAMAL RHULE, A VERY SPECIAL BACK, A TRUE FRESHMAN 75 YARD RUN IN THE.

AND THEN OF COURSE MAKING AT THE VERY END MIA PRESCOTT MISS HIM TO GET IN THE END ZONE FOR THAT LONG RUN.

GOING OVER 100 YARDS ON THE DAY.

AND THEN NUMBER 1A1 HANDED CATCH FROM WIDE RECEIVER QUINN CLARK.

A GREAT PLAY BY THE SOPHOMORE RECEIVER.

GOOD THROW.

GOOD SPOT TOO BUT GREAT CATCH BY QUINN CLARK.

WE'RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO HIM HAVING SUCCESS.

[MUSIC] YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE PLAYS.

[MUSIC] FIRST OF ALL JAMAL RHULE.

LET'S START WITH HIM BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY OUT OF THE GAME PROBABLY THE MOST EXCITING PLAYER.

>> YEAH WITHOUT A DOUBT.

THAT WAS THE ONE POSITION NEBRASKA DID NOT ADD FROM THE TRANSFER PORTAL.

YES, I'M ALWAYS LEAVE IT TO THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT THAT THE GENERAL MANAGER THAT IS INVOLVED IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL IN COACH RHULE, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE IN THE ROOM.

WE KNOW MIKEY NELSON, WE KNOW MOSI, WE KNOW QUINN IRONS, BUT WE KNOW THERE'S A YOUNG FRESHMAN THAT CAME IN IN THE SPRING AND YOU SAW HIM THEN OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE CONNOR BOOTH.

SO THAT ROOM IS VERY, VERY DEEP.

IT'S GOING TO BE VASTLY DIFFERENT POSITION GROUP THAN LAST YEAR WHERE EMMETT JOHNSON WAS THE LEAD HORSE AND EVERYONE WOULD SPELL HIM, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS GOING TO BE A34 MAN ROTATION DEPENDING ON GAMES AND INJURIES.

WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO, HOT HAND TYPE OF SITUATION.

BUT YEAH, HE WAS A GREAT THAT WAS A GREAT TO SEE WHEN YOU HAVE A YOUNG GUY, ESPECIALLY NOT KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT HE'S BRINGING TO THE TABLE, BUT TO HAVE FLASHES LIKE THAT, IF HE CAN PICK UP AND HE'S COMFORTABLE PICKING UP BLITZES AND THIRD DOWN, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF JAMAL RHULE IN THE FALL.

>> I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE IF ANYONE BESIDES MAYBE JAMIR OR JAMAL.

HIS DAD KNOWS WHAT ISAIAH MOSI CAN BE.

HE AT HIS SIZE AND QUICKNESS.

THE PLAY THAT HE MADE GOING TOWARDS THE GOAL LINE AFTER THE GREAT CATCH BY BARNEY WAS A DYNAMIC PLAY.

CATCH THE BALL OUT THE BACKFIELD.

HE COULD.

I'M NOT SAYING HE'S NUMBER ONE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S NELSON, BUT HE COULD BE A NUMBER ONE.

>> THERE'S NO QUESTION.

AND WHEN HE GOT HERE I THINK EVERYONE JUST LOOKED AT HIM AS OH HE'S A SMALLER GUY.

HE'S 215 POUNDS NOW AND HE'S REALLY DEVELOPED AND MADE BIG STEPS IN THE OFF SEASON.

I LOOK AT LIKE A YEAR AGO, NEBRASKA'S RUNNING BACKS HAD ABOUT 25 CARRIES.

EMMETT JOHNSON WOULD TAKE OVER 20 OF THOSE THIS YEAR.

IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT THAT SAME 25.

AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THREE GUYS KIND OF SPLIT THAT UP.

AND THERE'S NO DOUBT MEKHI NELSON'S GOING TO BE IN THAT ROOM.

PROBABLY JAMAL RHULE AND MOSI AND MOSI IS PROBABLY THE BEST RECEIVING OPTION.

HE'S PLAYED RECEIVER BEFORE.

SO I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO USE ALL THREE OF THESE GUYS.

AND ANDRE'S ABILITY TO RUN SHOULD ALSO HELP THE RUNNING BACKS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS.

WITH THE ZONE READS AND THE RPO TYPE PLAYS.

>> DID YOU NOTICE QUENTIN IVES LOOK THINNER?

LIKE EVEN IN HIS UNIFORM?

I THOUGHT, THAT'S NOT QUENTIN EYES AND HAD A COUPLE OF PLAYS WHERE HE GOT TO THE OUTSIDE.

I'M NOT SAYING IT'S FOUR GUYS, BUT THERE ARE FOUR GUYS WHO CAN PLAY FOR YOU.

DEPENDING ON WHAT THE SITUATION.

>> IS, 100%.

I THINK HAVING O LINE ADDITIONS, I THINK THAT'S THE STRONGEST GROUP IN MY OPINION, O LINE ON THE OFFENSE GOING FORWARD IN 2026.

BUT HAVING A GUY LIKE THAT, A BIGGER BACK, YOU MAYBE UTILIZE THEM IN A SHORT, YOU KNOW, SHORT YARDAGE SCENARIO.

SAW HIM AT SPURTS, MAINLY IN THE NON-CONFERENCE WHERE HE CAN HE CAN PICK HIM UP AND PUT HIM DOWN.

HE HAS A LITTLE BURST.

BUT YEAH, JUST GETTING HIM GETTING HIS MIND RIGHT, GETTING HIS BODY WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

EXACTLY.

AND THEN MENTALLY HAVING IT.

YOU KNOW, HE'S BEEN IN THE PROGRAM NOW FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.

YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE A SOPHOMORE AND JUNIOR, THAT'S WHERE YOU KIND OF HAVE TO GET OVER THAT MENTAL HURDLE.

AND HE'S THERE.

IT'S JUST WHEN HIS NUMBER'S CALLED WITH INJURIES OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE, CAN HE CAN THE TRUST, CAN THE COACHES TRUST HIM TO GO OUT AND EXECUTE?

AND IT'S JUST IT'S NOT A SIMPLE HANDOFF.

IT'S PICKING UP BLITZES.

IT'S WE'VE SEEN NEBRASKA STRUGGLE AT TIMES LAST YEAR.

MINNESOTA GAME FOR EXAMPLE.

THEY HAVE TO TRUST YOU BACK THERE.

AND IF THERE'S FULL TRUST I THINK YOU CAN SEE A HEALTHY, HEALTHY DOSE OF IVS AT TIMES AS WELL.

>> YOU'VE WRITTEN A COUPLE OF HISTORY BOOKS ABOUT NEBRASKA.

A LOT OF GOOD NUMBER 40 FOUR'S.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT JUST YOUR WHITTINGTON AND WHAT YOU GOT A CHANCE TO SEE ABOUT HIM ON SATURDAY?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK EVERYONE'S LIKE, IS HE BIG ENOUGH?

I MEAN WHEN HE WAS AT PITT HE PLAYED AT 250.

IS THAT WHAT I SAID AFTER THE GAME, WHICH REALLY IS EYE OPENING, I THINK.

CAN THEY GET HIS BODY AT THE SIZE IT NEEDS TO BE TO PLAY IN THIS LEAGUE.

BUT HE'S GOT THE PURE PASS RUSH MOVES AND THAT WAS SOMETHING NEBRASKA LACKED LAST YEAR.

THEY JUST AND YOU HEARD MATT RHULE REFERENCE THAT ONCE HE GOES AND WE ACTUALLY HAD A GUY USE A PASS RUSH MOVE LIKE HE TOOK A DIG AT THE PREVIOUS DEFENSIVE LINE COACHES.

SO I HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE.

COREY BROWN AND ROB WARRICK ARE GOING TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THIS GROUP, BUT I DO THINK WHITTINGTON HAS A CHANCE TO TO BE ONE OF THEIR BETTER INSIDE PASS RUSHERS.

NOT THE BIGGEST GUY IN TERMS OF HEIGHT, SIZE, BUT HE'S GOT THAT NATURAL ABILITY.

AND JAY KNOWS YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T TEACH THAT.

>> SOMETIMES WHEN THIRD DOWN COMES AROUND AND MAYBE YOU GO WITH LIKE A FREEWAY PACKAGE AT HIS SIZE, THAT COULD BE VALUABLE.

>> 100% CERTAINLY.

OR IT'S KIND OF REFERENCED THE CHEETAH PACKAGE, YOU KNOW, THIRD AND LONG.

YEAH, GETTING THE SPEED ON THE FIELD.

YOU CAN PLAY THEM AT MULTIPLE SPOTS.

I LOVE WHEN YOU HAVE A SMALLER GUY, YOU GET THEM OVER THE NOSE, YOU GET THAT CENTER AND YOU WHEN YOU HAVE GUYS THAT THEY'RE THREATS, YOU CAN START DICTATING WHAT YOU CAN DO TO OFFENSIVE LINE PROTECTIONS.

AND ONCE YOU START DICTATING THAT, THEN YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SLIDING TO ONE DIRECTION AND YOU KNOW WHERE THE FREE HITTER IS COMING FROM.

SO THAT'S THAT'S A HUGE PLUS.

NEBRASKA DIDN'T HAVE THAT LAST YEAR.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE THAT THAT TWITCHINESS THAT FAST.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST THAT WASN'T AROUND.

I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT HIS SIZE.

YEAH.

GUYS LIKE THAT THAT CAN PLAY WITH LOW PAD LEVEL GREAT HAND PLACEMENT.

YOU KNOW JUST HE'LL BE JUST FINE.

BUT HIS ABILITY TO MOVE.

WE SAW THE PASS RUSH JUST USING THE EDGE AND WIPING THE HANDS OFF.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN REALLY SINCE TY AND NASH IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

BUT HIS ADDITION IS JUST GOING TO MAKE ELEVATE.

EVERYONE'S JUST GOING TO BE BETTER FROM HIM.

YEAH.

BECAUSE HE GETS IT.

I MEAN AGAIN AT OLIVER TYPE.

SURE.

THAT'S MY COMP YOU KNOW STILL PLAYING NFL AND WAS AT HOUSTON.

>> WAS ALSO A HEISMAN FINALIST.

>> OKAY.

WELL HE'S NOT YOU KNOW A LOT OF.

>> PEOPLE LIKE.

>> AARON DONALD.

WE CAN'T GO THERE YET.

YEAH ARGUABLY MAYBE ONE OF THE BEST D-LINEMEN EVER PLAYED IN THE NFL.

BUT YEAH, I THINK JUST HAVING THAT ABILITY AND THEN MOVING HIM AROUND AND THIRD LONG PACKAGES.

BUT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF MOVEMENT TOO WITHIN THE DEFENSIVE LINE.

JUST GOING FROM B GAP TO A GAP, A GAP TO B GAP.

AND HIS ABILITY TO MOVE, GET SKINNY AND HAVE THAT TWITCHINESS IS GOING TO CAUSE SOME CHAOS FOR THOSE OFFENSIVE LINES.

>> I DID LOVE WHEN THE ONE FOURTH DOWN THEY BLITZED VICTOR EVANS OFF THE EDGE.

THAT WAS JUST NOT NICE IN THE SPRING GAME.

IT'S TIME TO HEAR FROM OUR PLAYERS AND COACHES POST GAME IN OUR LATEST BIG READ REPORT.

>> GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE THAT TOOK THEIR TIME TO COME OUT HERE AND BE A PART OF A GOOD DAY.

IT SENDS A GREAT MESSAGE TO OUR PLAYERS, SENDS A GREAT MESSAGE TO THE RECRUITS.

WE HAVE REALLY AN AMAZING GROUP OF RECRUITS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, JUST COME TOGETHER, CELEBRATE OUR STATE, CELEBRATE THE UNIVERSITY, CELEBRATE THE FOOTBALL TEAM AND ALL THE HARD WORK THAT WE'VE DONE.

>> WE'RE STILL DOING FOOTBALL, RIGHT?

JUST BECAUSE WE'RE DONE WITH SPRING BALL DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE STOPPED.

LIKE STOPPING DOING FOOTBALL, RIGHT?

SO THESE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE'RE SURE WE'RE GOING TO STILL BE OUT THERE RUNNING THROUGH PLAYS AND GETTING STUFF DONE.

IT'S NICE THOUGH, TO BE DONE AND NOW I CAN GET CONNECTION WITH THE RECEIVERS, RUNNING BACKS, TIGHT ENDS.

SO THAT'LL BE AWESOME.

>> I THINK WE CAN COMPETE WITH ANYBODY AND WE'RE STRONG.

WE REALLY STRONG UP FRONT.

I KNOW LAST YEAR THEY SAID THEY HAD TROUBLE UP FRONT, BUT I DON'T I DON'T SEE IT THIS YEAR.

SO I THINK WE'RE REALLY GOING TO BE GOOD THIS YEAR.

ON DEFENSE.

>> I THINK WE HAD 92 GUYS THAT WERE DRESSED AND COULD PLAY, SO CERTAINLY NOT THE NUMBERS YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD HISTORICALLY, BUT WITH THE NEW RULES AND ALL THAT, IT'S A LITTLE BIT LESS.

BUT WE'RE ABLE TO GET A LOT OF GUYS, A LOT OF REPS.

>> THE RUN FEEL GREAT, OF COURSE, ESPECIALLY IN FRONT OF ALL THE FANS.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS MY FIRST LONG RUN IN MEMORIAL STADIUM, SO IT WAS JUST GREAT TO GET THAT.

IT WAS A 17, SO IT WAS JUST OUTSIDE THE ZONE TO THE RIGHT.

AT FIRST I REALLY DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING, BUT AS MY COACH TELLS ME, I JUST KEPT PRESSING THE AIMING POINT AND THEN IT JUST OPENED UP, CUT UNDERNEATH, AND AFTER THAT JUST GOT A WIN THE FOOT RACE AND I DID THAT.

SO YEAH, IT FELT GREAT.

>> BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE LESS LOOKING FOR LEADERSHIP AND MORE LOOKING FOR GOOD FOOTBALL.

TO BE QUITE HONEST.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR PRODUCTION.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR GRIT.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR GRITTY GUYS WHO SHOW UP EVERY DAY AND WANT TO BE PART OF A BROTHERHOOD.

AND BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY WANT TO GO OUT AND EXECUTE AND PLAY HARD.

AND SO WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT ANYWHERE WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

BUT WE'VE HAD A GOOD SPRING.

>> ALL RIGHT.

NOW WE'RE JOINED BY THE SPORTS EDITOR AT THE OMAHA WORLD-HERALD, SAM MCEWEN.

JOINING US.

SAM, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT WE'RE GOING TO GO FOR CLICKS REAL QUICK.

SO ONLY 27,000 FANS REASONS WHY YOU THINK THE SPRING GAMES HAVE STARTED TO REDUCE LIKE THEY ARE IN TERMS OF ATTENDANCE NOW IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL?

>> I THINK AT NEBRASKA IT'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

ONE, IT IS THE SIGN OF THE TIMES.

I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE FEWER AND FEWER PEOPLE GO TO THOSE, PROBABLY BECAUSE THERE'S OTHER THINGS TO DO.

AND AND THERE'S JUST OTHER THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO.

AND I THINK SOME OF THESE SCRIMMAGES HAVE CHANGED.

IT'S NOT REALLY A GAME ANYMORE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING ELSE.

I THINK WITH NEBRASKA, I REALLY DO THINK THE BASKETBALL RUN AFFECTED IT.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE DIALED IN AND LOCKED IN TO THAT EXPERIENCE.

AND SO I THINK PEOPLE WERE JUST REALLY INVESTED IN THAT.

AND SOMETIMES YOU DON'T GET AROUND TO THE FOOTBALL GAME.

AND THEN I THINK THE OTHER THING WAS THAT IT WAS AN EARLY START AND THE EARLY IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS.

ONE, IT WAS A MORNING START AND TWO, IT WAS IN, YOU KNOW, IN LATE MARCH.

AND SO I THINK IF THEY DID IT NEXT YEAR IN MID-APRIL AND NEBRASKA BASKETBALL DIDN'T HAVE AS GOOD OF A SEASON, I THINK YOU'D SEE IT BACK IN THE 40 OR 50 MARK.

>> SAM.

WE JUST SPENT SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT THE RUNNING BACK ROOM, THE ONLY POSITION GROUP THAT DIDN'T ADD A TRANSFER.

YEAH.

FROM THE PORTAL, YOU SEE THE GUYS AT PRODUCTION LAST YEAR, YOU SEE RURAL JUST KIND OF THOUGHTS NOW WITH THAT DECISION AND HOW THAT PORTRAYS NOW INTO THE FALL.

>> IT PAID OFF.

I THINK THE POSITION COACH E.J.

BARTHEL BET ON HIS GUYS.

AND THOSE INCLUDED JAMAL RHULE OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW HE'S A FRESHMAN, BUT I THINK THEY KNEW WHAT THEY HAD IN HIM.

AND SO THEY FELT GOOD ABOUT HIM COMING IN.

BUT I ALSO THINK THEY BET ON THE OTHER GUYS THAT WERE COMING BACK.

AND YOU NEVER DISCOUNT THE POSSIBILITY OF ANOTHER YEAR IN THE PROGRAM.

THEY ALL KNOW THE COACH, THE COACH ALL KNOWS THEM.

AND SO AS A RESULT, YOU SEE DEVELOPMENT.

AND SO MEKHI NELSON I THOUGHT ISAIAH MOSI LOOKED REALLY GOOD IN THE GAME.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE BEST HE'S LOOKED.

AND SO HE'S GOING TO HE IS GOING TO PUSH NELSON FOR THAT STARTING JOB.

JAMAL OBVIOUSLY HAD SOME GREAT MOMENTS AND I THOUGHT QUENTIN IVES HAD A REALLY GOOD MOMENT IN FOURTH AND SHORT.

GOT NINE YARDS DARN NEAR IT.

PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN A TOUCHDOWN.

HE'S GOT TO BREAK THAT LEG TACKLE NEXT TIME.

BUT LIKE I THOUGHT THOSE FOUR GUYS LOOKED PRETTY GOOD.

AND CONNOR BOOTH DIDN'T LOOK HALF BAD EITHER.

SO THEY BET ON THEMSELVES.

AND NOT ONLY DID THEY GET IT RIGHT, BUT THEY SAVE SOME MONEY TOO.

>> YEAH, SAM, IT WAS A DIFFERENT KIND OF SPRING IN TERMS OF THE HYPE, THE CAMERAS, THE ACCESS.

JUST COACH RHULE KIND OF PUTTING HIMSELF OUT THERE.

WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS ON JUST MAYBE THE APPROACH OF SPRING, LIKE TURN THE CAMERAS OFF.

LET'S GET TO WORK AND AND NOT WORRY ABOUT WINNING THE INTERNET THIS OFFSEASON.

>> THEY DIALED IT BACK ONLINE.

SO SOME OF THIS IS NOT EVERYBODY WATCHING THIS SHOW IS ON TWITTER OR X AND NOT EVERYBODY'S ON INSTAGRAM.

BUT THEY DIALED ALL THAT BACK.

AND SO THAT PART WAS DIALED BACK INTENTIONALLY.

I THINK THEY WANT TO TRY TO FLY UNDER THE RADAR.

BUT THEN AGAIN, IT WAS THE BASKETBALL THING.

LIKE PEOPLE ARE DIALED IN TO THAT TEAM.

YOU KNOW, MATT RHULE DOESN'T HAVE TO COME OUT AND SAY, LOOK AT ME.

EVERYBODY'S EYEBALLS WILL BE BACK ON NEBRASKA FOOTBALL WHEN IT'S TIME IN AUGUST WHEN THE BASKETBALL PROGRAM IS NOT DOING MUCH.

AND SO THE TIME WHEN IT MATTERS FOR HUSKER FOOTBALL IS GOING TO COME.

AND I THINK HE WAS COMFORTABLE BEING IN A SPACE WHERE THEIR SPRING CAMP COINCIDED WITH THIS RUN FROM HUSKER HOOPS.

ON TOP OF THAT, I ACTUALLY THINK HE LIKED THE EARLY START AND HE TALKED TO US MANY TIMES ABOUT IT.

THIS IDEA OF WE WANT TO GET THE GUYS HERE, WE WANT TO GET THEM GOING, AND THEN AFTER SPRING, WE WANT TO HAVE A MONTH WITH THEM TO TWEAK THEIR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS SO THAT THEY GO INTO THE SUMMER WHERE WE WANT THEM.

>> SAM, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

WHEN AUGUST COMES AROUND, EVERYBODY WILL BE ON FOOTBALL AGAIN, RIGHT?

RIGHT.

BUT THERE IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF APATHY RIGHT NOW AND PEOPLE ARE SO FRUSTRATED.

WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE, YOU THINK, TO WIN THAT PART OF THE FAN BASE NOW THAT ALREADY THINKS THIS IS ALREADY OVER?

WE'RE JUST WE DON'T KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO ACTUALLY OFFICIALLY END.

>> RIGHT.

I THINK SKEPTICISM IS PROBABLY THE WORD I WOULD USE.

I DON'T KNOW IF APATHY YET.

I THINK THEY'LL SHOW UP ON.

>> WELL, YOU WOULD KNOW YOU BOTH YOU GUYS, YOU HAVE A MESSAGE BOARD THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT.

YOU'VE GOT A NEWSPAPER.

SO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'RE READING.

YES.

HOW MUCH THEY'RE INTERESTED IN IT RIGHT NOW.

>> YEAH.

THE SKEPTICISM I THINK IS THERE.

AND I THINK THAT'S BASED ON A THE FACT THAT THE DYLAN RAIOLA THING DIDN'T QUITE WORK AND B, THE LAST THREE GAMES OF THE SEASON WHEN THEY DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THEY COULD HAVE STOPPED ANYBODY RUNNING THE BALL AND THEY REALLY DIDN'T STOP UTAH, IOWA, OR PENN STATE.

AND SO THERE'S A SKEPTICISM THERE.

I THINK THAT THE THAT THE OPTIMISM WILL BUILD AS THEY PLAY THREE TEAMS, THAT THEY SHOULD BE PRETTY BADLY.

AND I KNOW OHIO WAS PRETTY GOOD LAST YEAR.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE GREAT THIS YEAR.

THEY LOST A LOT.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE GREAT.

NORTH DAKOTA MIGHT BE THE BEST OF THOSE THREE TEAMS TO BE PERFECTLY CANDID.

AND SO I THINK THAT OPTIMISM WILL GROW AGAIN AND HOW YOU WIN THEM BACK.

I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS HOW YOU WIN THEM BACK.

THERE'S THERE'S PROBABLY 4 OR 5 TEAMS ON THAT SCHEDULE, RIGHT?

INDIANA, OREGON, WASHINGTON, OHIO STATE AND IOWA.

YOU WIN TWO OF THOSE.

YOU'RE PROBABLY WINNING 8 OR 9 GAMES.

AND I THINK THE FANS ARE LIKE, OKAY, NOW WE'RE SEEING IT.

NEBRASKA'S GOT TO BEAT SOMEBODY THAT THEY'RE NOT FAVORED TO BEAT.

AND THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED VERY MANY TIMES IN THE LAST HOWEVER MANY YEARS.

AND THAT INCLUDES MAT RALSTON.

>> YOU LOOK AT THAT SCHEDULE.

SO FIVE ZERO IS LEGITIMATE.

YOU CAN BE FAVORED IN ALL FIVE OF THOSE GAMES.

YOU GOT A GAME AGAINST RUTGERS EVEN THOUGH IT'S AT RUTGERS.

THAT COULD PUT YOU AT SIX.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE OTHER GAMES YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT DEFINES THE SEASON.

>> CORRECT.

AND YOU KIND OF THINK THE MICHIGAN STATE GAME IS A TOSS UP, DON'T YOU, SEAN?

>> I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S A TOSS UP BECAUSE I DO THINK THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A COMPLETE REBUILD THERE.

>> YEAH THAT'S A GREAT COACH.

WE KNOW THAT.

>> BUT HE'S A GREAT COACH AND STRUGGLE THIS LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

>> IT'S VERY TRUE.

AND THEY'RE REBUILDING AND THEY'RE STARTING OVER.

>> SO THEY'LL PROBABLY BE A THREE POINT FAVORITE GOING.

>> COULD BE A FRIDAY NIGHT GAME WITH.

>> THREE REALLY.

OH OKAY.

>> I DON'T I YEAH, NEBRASKA WOULD BE A THREE POINT OKAY.

>> I THINK LIKE 6 OR 7.

>> THAT'S POSSIBLE.

THEY'RE GOING TO PLAY NOTRE DAME THE WEEK BEFORE.

SO WE'LL KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE THAN WE'LL KNOW ABOUT NEBRASKA.

BUT LIKE I THINK NEBRASKA IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE FAVORED IN SIX YEP.

SIX GAMES.

I THINK MAYBE WASHINGTON, ALTHOUGH I THINK WASHINGTON'S REALLY GOOD.

AND THEN THEY'LL BE FAVORED.

THEY'LL BE A DOG.

AND THE OTHER FIVE INCLUDING ILLINOIS, WHICH I THINK THEY'LL BE, THEY'LL BE A DOG THERE.

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW GOOD ILLINOIS IS GOING.

>> TO BE.

RIGHT.

>> SAM, YOU BROUGHT UP STOPPING THE RUN.

OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS NON-EXISTENT MOST OF LAST YEAR.

THOSE LAST THREE GAMES ALL COMES IN WITH THE 4.25, THE TWEAKS, OBVIOUSLY THE NECESSARY MOVES THAT AND CHANGES TO FIX THAT ISSUE.

RIGHT.

YOU'VE SEEN WHAT THEY YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO SEE SOME PRACTICES STINTS HERE AND THERE.

BUT WE SAW ON SATURDAY.

WHAT CAN YOU TAKE AWAY FROM WHAT YOU'VE SEEN AND WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THE PORTAL GUYS.

YOU KNOW SOME GUYS DIDN'T PLAY.

BUT REALLY HOW THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO ATTACK THAT ISSUE IN 2026.

>> THEY STILL HAVE WORK TO DO.

YOU KNOW, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WHEN I WAS ON HERE IN THE FALL.

THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF GUYS WHO LOOK LIKE YOU AND ADAM CARRIKER.

THEY DON'T.

I MEAN, THEY DON'T HAVE THAT.

THEY THEY DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, SIX, FIVE, TWO, 75.

THEY DON'T HAVE JARED CRICK OR SUE.

AND SO THEY'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO THIS SCHEMATICALLY.

AND THEN THEY HAVE TO GET INCREDIBLE EFFORT.

NOW JASPER WHITTINGTON I THINK HAS INCREDIBLE EFFORT.

AND THAT'S PART OF WHY THEY GOT HIM.

BUT HOW MANY GUYS DID YOU HAVE ON THE TEAM THAT WAS JUST YOUR SIZE?

PROBABLY OLA.

HE WAS PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE.

YEAH, AND HE WAS REALLY GOOD.

SO JASPER'S GOT TO BE THAT GOOD AND MAYBE EVEN A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

AND THEN THEY NEED THOSE EDGES.

WE DIDN'T SEE ANTHONY JONES BECAUSE HE WAS ON PATERNITY LEAVE.

CONGRATS TO HIM.

BUT THEY NEED THOSE EDGES TO COME AND BE REALLY GOOD.

AND THOSE GUYS NEED TO NEED TO STEP FORWARD.

THAT'S K PETCOCK THAT'S YOU KNOW.

WILLIAMS THAT'S THAT'S LENHART.

THOSE GUYS HAVE TO PLAY REALLY WELL.

AND THAT'S THE POSITION YOU KNOW WELL.

AND WHEN NEBRASKA'S DEFENSE HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD THEY HAVE NOT GIVEN UP THOSE BIG LONG RUNS ON THE OUTSIDE.

AND LAST YEAR THEY GAVE UP I DON'T KNOW, 12 OF THEM.

>> SAM.

WE SAW A LOT OF TEMPO FROM THE OFFENSE.

DO YOU THINK THIS IS SOMETHING DANA HOLGORSEN WANTS TO MOVE TOWARDS?

THEY DID THE WHOLE LET'S PLAY IN THE POCKET WITH DYLAN RAIOLA AND LET OUR TACKLES TRY TO HOLD UP, AND IT PRODUCED SOME OF THE WORST SACK GAMES WE'VE SEEN IN MAYBE THE HISTORY OF THE PROGRAM, AND IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE OPEN TO KIND OF CHANGING THIS UP WITH A DIFFERENT APPROACH.

>> I LIKE THAT PARTY, I DO, I LIKE THE IDEA OF RUNNING TEMPO.

I THINK DANA CAN DO IT OBVIOUSLY AS AS WELL AS ANYBODY.

AND I WAS.

>> IN A WHILE.

>> IT HAS BEEN A WHILE, BUT HE KNOWS HOW AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE NEBRASKA MOVE AT A QUICKER CLIP.

I KNOW IT DIDN'T ALWAYS WORK UNDER SCOTT FROST.

I KNOW, AND HE PUT THE DEFENSE IN SOME BAD SPOTS AND HIS FIRST TWO SEASONS, WHICH WE ALL REMEMBER.

BUT I THINK YOU CAN MOVE A LITTLE FASTER THAN THEY WERE LAST YEAR.

YEAH.

AND I THINK CALANDRIA CAN GIVE YOU THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.

AND I THINK THEY'VE GOT THE QUICK PASSING GAME TO GET THAT DONE.

AND I THINK THEY'VE GOT A RUN GAME THAT'LL WORK.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM RUN MORE TEMPO.

IT'S GOING TO EXPOSE THE DEFENSE A LITTLE BIT MORE.

BUT THERE ARE GAMES WHERE I THINK YOU CAN DO IT.

AND REMEMBER AND SCOTT'S PHILOSOPHY WAS ALWAYS LET'S GET UP 14 NOTHING AND LET'S GET IN A POSSESSION BATTLE.

I THINK THIS OFFENSE CAN GET UP 14 NOTHING ON SOME TEAMS.

THEY HAVEN'T DONE THAT VERY OFTEN IN THE RURAL ERA, AND THEY'VE GOT TO DO THAT THIS SEASON.

>> LET'S GET YOUR YOUR LAW DEGREE WORKING HERE.

YOUR FEEL ON THE LAWSUIT FOR N I L AND THE WAY THAT'S GOING TO COME ABOUT.

OBVIOUSLY NEBRASKA IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.

>> OF IT.

THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW THE ARBITRATION'S GOING TO COME OUT, BECAUSE WE ARE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE I DON'T WANT TO USE THE WORD CAPRICIOUS, BUT WE JUST DON'T KNOW HOW JUDGES AND ARBITRATORS ARE GOING TO DECIDE THIS.

I THINK IT MAKES LOGICAL SENSE THAT NEBRASKA WILL WIN ITS CASE, AND THE CSC WILL HAVE TO GO BACK AND RE-IMAGINE HOW THEY'RE EXECUTING SOME OF THEIR STANDARDS.

BUT IT'S ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THE ARBITRATOR SAYS NO, AND THEN THIS THING GOES TO COURT.

AND THEN I THINK I THINK MAYBE EVERYBODY UP HERE ON THE PANEL THINKS THAT A JUDGE WILL LOOK AT THAT SITUATION AND GO, YEAH, NEBRASKA WINS.

YEAH.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHICH SITUATION IS BETTER FOR NEBRASKA.

ONE'S GOING TO TAKE LONGER THAN THE OTHER.

BUT I THINK IN THE END THESE THESE KIDS WILL GET THERE WILL GET THERE N I L MONEY.

>> AND PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW THIS IS USING MONEY FROM PLAY FLY AND THAT KIND OF THING, WHICH EVERYBODY ELSE IS KIND OF DOING AS WELL, RIGHT?

>> EVERYBODY'S DOING THIS.

I THINK FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE WAY THAT NEBRASKA SET IT UP, PEOPLE ARE USING THE PHRASE WAREHOUSING.

THINK OF IT AS A RETAINER.

YOU SIGN SOMEONE'S RIGHTS AND THEY'RE LIKE, DOWN THE ROAD, WE'RE GOING TO USE YOU IN THIS, BUT WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY MADE THAT MENU OUT YET.

MAYBE NEBRASKA WILL HAVE TO MAKE THE MENU AND THEN THEY'LL HAVE TO EXECUTE.

>> WHAT I FIND INTERESTING ABOUT THE PLAY FLY MONEY IS LIKE, YOU HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN OR FELT LIKE ANY OF THESE DEALS PUBLIC YET.

LIKE, AND MAYBE THAT'S THE CASE WHERE WE'LL NEVER KNOW WHAT THESE DEALS ARE.

BUT IF THERE'S $9 MILLION OF MULTIMEDIA MARKETING DEALS, I'M CURIOUS WHAT THESE DEALS ARE AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE EXECUTED.

>> SO ONE OF THE WAYS THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT IT IS THAT YOU WERE GOING TO HEAR LIKE EXTENDED INTERVIEWS ON THEIR RADIO, THE RADIO NETWORK.

>> YEAH.

>> WHERE IT'D BE A HALF HOUR SIT DOWN.

IT'D BE INSIGHTFUL AND MAYBE INTERESTING.

>> PODCAST.

>> A PODCAST, AND WE JUST HAVEN'T SEEN THAT YET.

NOW THEY HAVE A PODCAST STUDIO OVER THERE.

SO YOU WOULD THINK THEY'D BE ABLE TO EXECUTE THIS PRETTY EASILY, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT MAYBE THEY HAD THE FULL MENU LAID OUT.

MAYBE HERE IN THE NEXT 3 OR 4 WEEKS THEY WILL.

>> SAM, WE APPRECIATE.

THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> APPRECIATE IT.

NEXT UP ON THE SHOW, WE LOOK BACK AT NEBRASKA MEN'S BASKETBALL, THE HISTORIC RUN, AND AN AMAZING SEASON WITH ROBERT WASHINGTON FROM HUSKER ONLINE.

BUT FIRST, SOME SIGHTS AND SOUNDS FROM SPRING GAME AND HURRDAT SPORTS.

STAY WITH US.

WE'RE BACK IN TWO.

>> YOU KNOW THESE GUYS WILL BE A PART OF HISTORY OF NEBRASKA BASKETBALL FOREVER FOR WINNING THE FIRST NCAA TOURNAMENT GAME, GETTING TO THE SWEET 16 MOST WINS IN THE HISTORY OF THE PROGRAM, HIGHEST RANKING.

THEY JUST DID SO MANY THINGS TO ELEVATE OUR PROGRAM.

AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF HIM.

YOU KNOW, WHEN THE STING DOES WEAR OFF, WHICH IT WILL AT SOME POINT MAYBE.

BUT YOU KNOW THIS, THESE GUYS DESERVE A LOT OF CREDIT FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE FOR NEBRASKA BASKETBALL.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE MOST HISTORIC SEASON IN NEBRASKA BASKETBALL HISTORY.

JOINING US THE THE DEAN OF BASKETBALL COVERAGE IN THE AREA ROBIN WALSH FROM HUSKER ONLINE.

BE HONEST.

OKAY, WHEN YOU WATCH THE VIDEO, HOLD YOUR HEAD UP HIGH VIDEO LITTLE TEARS, A LITTLE MISTY.

>> IT WAS A BAD DAY TO BE RAIN.

YOU SAY THAT, BUT THAT KIND OF JUST ENCAPSULATES JUST THE EMOTION OF THIS ENTIRE SEASON.

THAT NIGHT, THE WAY THAT IT ENDED, YOU KNOW, IT WAS KIND OF ONE OF THOSE WHERE EVERYBODY WAS JUST TRYING TO WRAP THEIR HEAD AROUND ALL THAT HAD HAPPENED UP TO THAT POINT.

AND AS DISAPPOINTING AS IT WAS, AS MUCH OF A KICK IN THE, YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IT WAS TO LOSE TO IOWA.

YEAH.

I THINK THE GREATER SUM OF WHAT THIS SEASON WAS FAR OUTWEIGHS THE PAIN OF THAT NIGHT.

AND I THOUGHT FRED'S EMOTIONS, THEIR COMING OUT WAS A PERFECT CAP TO WHAT HAD BEEN A REALLY SPECIAL SEASON.

>> ROBIN, YOU LOOK AT COMING TO THE SEASON, PICK 14TH IN THE LEAGUE.

WE HAD SOME NEW ADDITIONS.

YOU KNOW, JUST MADE THE TOURNAMENT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN THE CROWN LAST YEAR.

WHEN DID YOU REALIZE THIS SEASON WAS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT AND THIS WASN'T GOING TO BE THE 14TH BEST TEAM IN THE BIG TEN?

>> YEAH, IT GOES BACK TO THAT WEEK IN DECEMBER, WHERE THEY BOAT RACED CREIGHTON AND BEAT WISCONSIN BY 30.

AND THEN THE REAL EXCLAMATION POINT WAS THAT GAME IN ILLINOIS WHEN THEY WENT TO ILLINOIS, THAT WAS LIKE THE LAST LIKE MOVING THE GOALPOSTS LIKE, ALL RIGHT, YOU'D BE GREAT.

AND THEY'RE DOWN THIS YEAR.

GO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN BIG TEN PLAY.

ALL RIGHT.

YOU WANT AT HOME.

LET'S SEE YOU GO ON THE ROAD AND BEAT A TOP 15 TEAM.

WELL THEN THEY GO AND DO IT.

AND THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY AN ILLINOIS TEAM THAT'S IN THE FINAL FOUR RIGHT NOW.

AND SO THAT WEEK AND SPECIFICALLY THAT GAME IN ILLINOIS WAS AT LEAST FOR ME, THE MOMENT WHERE YOU OPEN YOUR EYES A LITTLE BIT AND SAY, WHOA, THIS, THIS TEAM MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING HERE.

AND SO THEY WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE JUST TO KEEP THAT ROLLING AND ROLLING AND ROLLING.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD THEIR UPS AND DOWNS LATE IN THE SEASON.

BUT LIKE, THAT WAS THE POINT WHERE LIKE, THEY WEREN'T JUST SOME FLASH IN THE PAN TEAM.

WHEN YOU GO TO ILLINOIS AND BEAT A TEAM OF THAT CALIBER AND YOU KNOW, PUNCTUATE A WEEK THAT THAT WEEK WAS IN THAT MANNER, THAT THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FLUKE AND BEING REAL.

AND THEY WERE ABLE TO CARRY THAT INTO THEIR BEST SEASON EVER.

>> ROBIN.

FRED'S ABILITY TO EVALUATE IN THE PORTAL AND DO MORE WITH LESS, HOW BIG A PART OF THAT WAS THE SUCCESS THIS YEAR?

WHEN YOU JUST THINK ABOUT SOME OF THESE ROSTERS HAVE DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY NEBRASKA HAS, AND HE'S ABLE TO DO WHAT HE DID WITH UNDER $5 MILLION.

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, IT'S SMART SPENDING.

AND THEY HAD THE BENEFIT OF HAVING A PRETTY GOOD DEAL.

ON SAM HOIBERG.

THEY HAD A PRETTY GOOD DEAL ON KALE JACOBSON.

SO TWO PRIMARY PIECES OF YOUR ROTATION THEY GOT FOR ABOUT AS MUCH OF A BARGAIN AS YOU CAN GET.

BUT RETAINING RINK MAST ADDING PRICE.

SANFORD LIKE THOSE ARE THE TWO PIECES THAT HAD TO WORK BECAUSE THEY BUILT THEIR ENTIRE ROSTER AROUND RINK MAST.

AND HE NEEDED TO BE THE GUY THAT MADE THE ENGINE GO, AND HE WAS THAT PLAYER FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE SEASON.

BUT THEN PRICE, HE WAS THEIR NUMBER ONE PORTAL PRIORITY AND THEY HAD TO HIT WITH HIM JUST BECAUSE OF THE MONEY THEY SPENT ON HIM.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER PIECES THAT THEY NEEDED TO FIT AROUND THAT.

LIKE HE WAS THE X FACTOR AND OBVIOUSLY FIRST TEAM ALL BIG TEN, HE WAS EVERYTHING THAT THEY HOPED.

SO THEY JUST HAD A LOT OF THINGS GO THEIR WAY.

BUT WHAT'S CRAZY TO THINK IS THEY DID THIS WITHOUT TWO PLAYERS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE FIXTURES IN THEIR ROTATION.

AND CONNOR MICHIGAN AND EUGENIUS YARASILVA WHO.

>> SHOW OFF.

NICE.

>> BUT NO, THAT WAS LIKE, THAT MAKES THAT RUN EVEN MORE SPECIAL BECAUSE THAT'S RINK'S TOP BACKUP AND YOU'RE ONE OF YOUR TOP THREE POINT SHOOTERS THAT DON'T EVEN PLAY FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE YEAR.

AND YET THEY STILL HAVE THE SEASON THEY WERE.

SO EVERYTHING WENT RIGHT DESPITE SOME SETBACKS THAT COULD HAVE REALLY DERAILED THINGS WITH THOSE INJURIES.

THAT KIND OF MADE THE COACHING JOB.

AND THEN THE ROSTER MANAGEMENT ASPECT ABOUT AS PHENOMENAL AS IT GETS.

>> YOU NAMED A GREAT STRETCH RIGHT THERE.

THERE ARE TWO OTHER GAMES I REMEMBER.

SO OKLAHOMA THEY TRAILED ABOUT 16 TO THEM RIGHT.

INDIANA TRAILED BY 16 TO THEM AND SHOWED JUST WHEREWITHAL THAT WE HADN'T SEEN FROM NEBRASKA BASKETBALL.

THOSE TWO GAMES THEY'LL ALWAYS STAND OUT FOR ME HOW THEY FOUGHT BACK IN THOSE GAMES.

>> YEAH FOR SURE.

I MEAN THAT SHOWED THE RESILIENCE THAT I THINK GOT THEM TO WHERE THEY ENDED UP GETTING TO.

I MEAN, THEY FACED BIG DEFICITS EARLY IN THE SEASON.

AND I THOUGHT FINDING WAYS TO TO RALLY TOGETHER AND FIND ANSWERS WHEN THE SCRIPT DIDN'T GO TO PLAN.

LIKE YOU GO BACK TO SOME OF THESE PREVIOUS YEARS WHEN, WHEN THINGS DIDN'T GO PERFECTLY, NEBRASKA DIDN'T HAVE A PLAN B AND THEY WOULD JUST HAVE TO LIKE TRY TO LUCK THEIR WAY INTO A WIN.

WELL, THIS ONE, THEY HAD ANSWERS, MULTIPLE ANSWERS.

THEY'D HAD OTHER GUYS, BRAYDEN FRAZIER WOULD COME OFF THE BENCH AND DROP 20 RINK.

MAX COULD GO OFF FOR 30.

BRYCE SANFORD COULD GO OFF FOR 30.

SAM HOIBERG COULD GET YOU 15 TO TO 18.

LIKE THEY HAD ONE ANSWER AFTER ANOTHER.

AND I THOUGHT THOSE WERE THE TYPES OF GAMES.

I PUT OHIO STATE ON THE ROAD IN THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL, WHERE YOU JUST SAW THE GRIT AND RESILIENCE AND ABILITY TO FIGHT THROUGH ADVERSITY THAT A NEBRASKA BASKETBALL TEAM HASN'T SHOWN IN A LONG TIME.

>> JARED GARCIA HAD A GOOD PUT BACK AGAINST ILLINOIS.

YES HE DID.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THAT.

>> KEEPING ROSTER RETENTION.

OBVIOUSLY, PRICE HAS A DECISION TO MAKE.

IDEALLY, IF HE DOESN'T GO NBA, KEEPING IT AROUND, KEEPING BRENDAN FRASER AROUND, WHAT OTHER KEY PIECES DOES NEBRASKA HAVE TO NOW GO OUT AND GET THROUGH THE TRANSFER PORTAL?

POINT GUARD, MAYBE ANOTHER BIG MAN.

WHAT WOULD YOU KIND OF RANK KIND OF YOUR ONE A AS THE NEXT POSITION THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE FOR 2026, 27.

>> THEY GOT TO GET ANOTHER RINK.

AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT UGI BEING BACK OR NOT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THE DECISION IS UP TO HIM.

YOU KNOW, HE'S DEALT WITH THAT LINGERING BACK INJURY THAT IT'S NOT A SITUATION THAT SURGERY CAN FIX.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S UP TO HIM.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S UP TO NEBRASKA.

IF ALL GOES TO PLAN, THEY'D LOVE TO HAVE HIM BACK BECAUSE THEY HANDPICKED HIM TO BE RINK SUCCESSOR.

REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS WITH HIM, THEY NEED ANOTHER DAY, ONE STARTING CENTER.

THE GUY THAT CAN DO THE THINGS RINK COULD DO OFFENSIVELY, MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY THE SHOOTING, BUT FACILITATING THE OFFENSE.

EVEN IF IT'S A GUY LIKE DERRICK WALKER WHO SHOT LIKE ONE THREE POINTERS ENTIRE CAREER.

YEAH, LIKE LIKE HE WAS ABOUT AS EFFICIENT AS IT GETS.

HE WAS PHYSICAL AND HE WAS AN EXTREMELY GOOD PASSER.

SO LIKE, I THINK THAT'S THE QUALITIES YOU'RE LOOKING FOR WITH THEIR TOP PRIORITY IN THE PORTAL.

IT'S HAVING THAT FIVE MAN THAT CAN YOU CAN RUN THE OFFENSE THROUGH BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THEY BUILT THIS PAST ROSTER AROUND WITH RINK AND HIS SKILL SET.

THEY'VE GOT TO FIND SOMEBODY THAT CAN REPLICATE THAT.

AND THEN AFTER THAT.

SO IF THAT'S 1A1B YOU GOT TO GET A POINT GUARD.

YOU LOST YOUR TWO PRIMARY BALL HANDLERS AND SAM HOIBERG AND JAMARCUS LAWRENCE.

AND BOTH THOSE GUYS DID SO MANY UNIQUE THINGS TO HELP THIS TEAM WIN.

WITH SAM'S DEFENSE AND ALL THE HUSTLE PLAYS THAT HE MADE, JAMARCUS AND THE PACE THAT HE BROUGHT AND ADDING THE SHOOTING ELEMENT LIKE YOU GOT TO.

I DON'T KNOW IF ONE GUY IS GOING TO FIX THAT, SO I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THEY TOOK TWO BALL HANDLERS, PROBABLY TWO BIGS, BECAUSE YOU GOT TO REPLACE JARED GARCIA IN THAT FRONT COURT ROTATION AS WELL.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH OG.

AND THEN YOU KNOW MAYBE BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE DEPENDING ON WHAT ELSE ATTRITION WISE HAPPENS GOING FORWARD IN THE PORTAL SEASON.

>> AND CURTIS WRIGHT.

>> YEAH CURTIS IS A GUY THAT CAN BUILD AROUND.

YEAH FOR SURE.

I MEAN HE HE HAD SOME BIG MINUTES.

>> MICHIGAN A HUGE MINUTES.

>> HEY HE HAD THOSE TWO POINTS AT THE END OF THE HALF AGAINST VANDERBILT.

YEP.

WHAT WAS WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE IN.

>> HIM BACK ROBIN.

>> SCHEDULING WISE WILL I MEAN WE KNOW CREIGHTON'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE ON THERE.

SIOUX FALLS SOME OPPONENT THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO.

THEY'RE GOING TO PLAY PROVIDENCE IN CONNECTICUT AT THE MOHEGAN SUN.

BUT CAN NEBRASKA WITH THE SUCCESS, PARLAY IT TO LIKE A TRADITIONAL SERIES OR MAYBE EVEN A POTENTIAL NEUTRAL SITE GAME THAT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ON THE SCHEDULE OTHERWISE?

>> I THINK THAT IS KIND OF THE IDEAL TICKET.

IS THE JUST SINGLE PLAY NEUTRAL SITE GAME AGAINST A HIGH MAJOR OPPONENT.

AND I WILL TELL YOU, THE NEBRASKA HAS CALLED PRETTY MUCH EVERY COACH AND GM AND OPS GUY IN THE COUNTRY TO SEE IF THEY WANT TO PLAY THEM, AND NOT MANY PEOPLE WANT TO PLAY NEBRASKA RIGHT NOW, SO IT'S BEEN HARD TO GET THOSE GAMES SCHEDULED.

BUT I THINK THAT WITH SOME OF THESE COACHING CHANGES THAT MAYBE GET SOME SOME FRESH CALLS, THEY GET TO BE MADE.

I THINK THAT'S THE IDEAL THING.

YOU SAID, LIKE THE MOHEGAN SUN GAME WITH PROVIDENCE.

THAT'S THE KIND OF GAME I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING FOR BECAUSE HOME AND HOMES, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TEAMS WANT NEBRASKA TO COME THERE.

AND SIOUX FALLS, THE BOOK IS OUT.

LIKE THAT'S NOT A NEUTRAL SITE GAME IN ANY SENSE OF THE WORD.

>> IT'S HARDER TO PLAY THERE THAN.

>> YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT LIKE A TOP END MID-MAJOR FOR AN OPPONENT.

THEY'RE JUST A TEAM THAT NEEDS THAT GAME FOR THEIR RESUME, WHEREAS A HIGH MAJOR DOESN'T NEED TO GO PLAY A TRUE ROAD GAME AND ONLY GET A NEUTRAL SITE CREDIT FOR IT.

SO IT'S A TRICKY PUZZLE FOR NEBRASKA TO TRY TO PUT TOGETHER HERE.

BUT I DO THINK THAT THEIR SUCCESS THIS SEASON MAKES THEM A MORE ATTRACTIVE BRAND TO PLAY.

SOME OF THOSE MAYBE HIGHER PROFILE, NEUTRAL SITE GAMES.

THAT IS KIND OF A WIN WIN FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED.

>> I'LL NEVER FORGET 2005 IN ROSENBLATT, NEBRASKA BASEBALL.

THE FIRST TRIP BACK TO COLORADO IN 2019.

THE TAKEOVER.

NO TAKEOVER EVER THOUGH, LIKE OKLAHOMA CITY.

>> OH MAN, THAT WAS THE MOST UNBELIEVABLE SPORTS ENVIRONMENT I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED.

AND THE THE TROY GAME OBVIOUSLY WAS HISTORIC ON SO MANY LEVELS.

BUT THEN THAT VANDERBILT GAME, THE WAY THAT IT ENDED, JUST THE THE EMOTIONS, THE ROLLER COASTER OF THAT GAME WAS THOSE TWO GAMES BACK TO BACK.

I DON'T KNOW IF NEBRASKA CERTAINLY MEN'S BASKETBALL MAYBE NEBRASKA ATHLETICS WILL EVER EXPERIENCE ANYTHING LIKE THAT JUST BECAUSE OF THE PENT UP HISTORY AND EMOTIONS THAT WERE JUST RELEASED UPON BRICKTOWN AND DRINK ABOUT A BUSCH LIGHTS.

AND LIKE IT WAS, IT WAS JUST A SCENE FROM START TO FINISH THAT I DON'T KNOW IF IT CAN EVER BE REPLICATED.

>> YEAH, YEAH.

>> DID YOU GO TAKE A DUMP OR A DIVE INTO THE CANAL?

>> EITHER ONE OF THOSE.

>> I DIDN'T DO EITHER ONE OF THOSE CHECKS.

>> SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE.

>> THOSE IN THE CANAL.

>> GOT GOT.

>> BUT I KNOW THERE.

>> WERE SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT.

>> DID DIE INTO.

>> THE CANAL.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT.

>> THE TEAM.

YOU TAKE PART OF THIS.

BUT GOSH, TOO MANY HITS TO THE HEAD SOMETIMES, I SWEAR.

>> LAST THING IN TERMS OF IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT WHO'S ALL COMING BACK AND EVERYTHING, IS THERE SOMEBODY THAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT YOU'VE SEEN?

I KNOW I'VE SEEN SOME HIGHLIGHTS TODAY OF A OF A BIG MAN THEY WOULD LIKE TO GET.

BUT IS THERE SOMEBODY STANDING OUT THERE.

>> FOR YOU?

WELL.

>> I MEAN, THERE'S A THERE'S CONNECTIONS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BEN GOT THE BIG SEVEN FOOTER, FORMER LINCOLN SOUTHEAST PRODUCT.

GOOD FRIENDS WITH BRAYDEN FRAZIER JUST WENT IN THE PORTAL.

HE'S ABOUT AS ATHLETIC AND RIM RUNNING AND SHOT BLOCKING AS IT GETS.

THE THING IS FOR NEBRASKA THEY'RE JUST BECAUSE THEY'VE HAD SUCCESS NOW.

AND IN THEORY, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE MONEY THAN THEY'VE EVER HAD TO GO ASSEMBLE A ROSTER.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE RECKLESS.

AND A GUY LIKE BANGERT IS GOING TO HAVE A HEFTY PRICE TAG TO HIM, BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS A SEVEN FOOTER THAT CAN JUMP OUT OF THE GYM AND BLOCK EVERY SHOT.

LIKE HE'S GOING TO HAVE PLENTY OF SUITORS THAT HAVE A LOT OF MONEY TO SPEND.

SO NEBRASKA, IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IF THE FIT IS RIGHT, THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE UNDERLYING PRIORITY.

WITH EVERY PORTAL EDITION THAT THEY HAVE, IT'S GOT TO BE THE FIT ON THE COURT FOR WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO BUILD FROM THEIR SYSTEM, BUT JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, OFF THE COURT, BECAUSE THEY TAKE SO MUCH PRIDE IN THE CULTURE THAT STARTED BACK IN 2223 AND GOT THEM AS MUCH TO THIS POINT AS ANYTHING ELSE.

>> GOT TO BE CONNECTED.

THAT'S THE KEY TO IT.

ROBIN, WE APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS FOR COMING ON, MAN.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME, GUYS.

>> ALL RIGHT.

COMING UP HERE ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED IN APRIL WITH COLLEGIATE SPRING VOLLEYBALL ACTION.

WE'LL BE HERE TO SHOW OFF EXCITING PLAY FROM THE STANDOUT PROGRAMS FROM ACROSS THE STATE.

IN A TEASE FOR THIS COMING FALL, APRIL 10TH, WE'VE GOT D TWO STANDOUTS, NEBRASKA-KEARNEY AND WAYNE STATE TAKING THE COURT, 5 P.M.

CENTRAL BEFORE OUR OMAHA SUPERNOVAS COVERAGE AT 8 P.M.

AND THEN FRIDAY, APRIL 17TH.

THE CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS WELCOME THEIR INTERSTATE RIVALS, THE NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS, TO DJ SOKOL ARENA.

FIRST SERVE IS AT 7 P.M.

CENTRAL IN OMAHA.

AND FINALLY, WE HEAD OUT TO WESTERN NEBRASKA TO BRING YOU THE HUSKERS SPRING MATCH AGAINST NORTHERN COLORADO.

THE MATCH IN CHADRON BEGINS AT 1 P.M.

CENTRAL NOON MOUNTAIN TIME.

SPECIAL PRE-MATCH SHOW AT 1230 CENTRAL, 1130 MOUNTAIN TIME.

NEXT UP, SHAWN'S GOING TO TAKE US THROUGH A LOOK OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN 2027 NEBRASKA RECRUITING CLASS.

HOW THAT STANDS BEFORE THAT, THOUGH, SIGHTS AND SOUNDS FROM THE SPRING GAME COURTESY OF HURRDAT SPORTS.

WE'RE BACK IN A MOMENT.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] WELCOME BACK TO BIG RED.

WRAP UP, I'M MICHAEL SEVERE JOINED BY SEAN CALLAHAN.

TIME TO TALK SOME RECRUITING.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT 5060 GUYS ON THE SIDELINE FOR SPRING GAME.

>> YEAH FOR NEBRASKA THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN WHAT THE SPRING GAME IS.

I MEAN IT'S A HUGE RECRUITING OPPORTUNITY.

AND EVEN WITH 27,000, A LOT OF THE RECRUITS I TALKED TO ON SUNDAY SAID WE'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS, ESPECIALLY FOR SPRING GAME.

SO THE GAME STILL IS A HUGE PART BECAUSE RECRUITING FOR A LOT OF THESE 2020 SEVENS IS GOING TO BE OVER WITH BY JUNE OR JULY 1ST, SO THIS IS A BIG WINDOW TO GET THEM HERE AND THEN HOPEFULLY GET SOME OF THESE KEY GUYS BACK FOR THAT OFFICIAL VISIT IN JUNE.

>> YEAH.

I'VE ALWAYS SAID OUT OF N, I, L AND EVERYTHING ELSE, NEBRASKA'S FAN BASE IS THE GREATEST RECRUITING TOOL.

WELL, THESE KIDS ARE JUST SURPRISED PEOPLE KNOW THEIR NAMES.

>> AND THE OTHER KEY IS GETTING THEIR PARENTS TO SEE THAT WITH THEM.

AND YEAH, I KNOW WHEN THEY BRING THESE GUYS IN, IT'S IT'S REALLY THEY DON'T WANT THEM TO COME UNLESS THEY'RE FAMILY OR GUARDIANS CAN BE WITH THEM BECAUSE WHEN THEY SEE IT AND UNDERSTAND IT.

AND IF YOU GET A GUY TO VISIT NEBRASKA THREE TIMES, IT USUALLY IS A GOOD SIGN THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO GET HIM.

>> SO ABOUT CADEN HOWARD.

>> YEAH.

CADEN HOWARD IS THE LATEST COMMIT FOR NEBRASKA WIDE RECEIVER.

INTERESTING THOUGH IN THE SENSE THAT YOU KNOW OUT OF FLORIDA HE IS GOING TO VISIT CENTRAL FLORIDA STILL.

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW SOLID THAT COMMIT IS.

BUT THIS 2027 CLASS CONTINUES TO BE ON A ROLL TOP TEN IN THE COUNTRY WITH CADEN HOWARD, THE LATEST AS A AS A WIDE RECEIVER.

THEY RECENTLY BROUGHT.

>> IN A LOT OF GUYS MOVING SCHOOLS.

OBVIOUSLY IT'S HAPPENING FOR NEBRASKA RECRUITS GOING TO MILLARD SOUTH.

LET'S TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THAT.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU HAVE TREY TAYLOR, THE QUARTERBACK OUT OF CHICAGO MOVING TO NEBRASKA THIS SUMMER.

TAY ELLIS A WIDE RECEIVER OUT OF TEXAS.

THAT DUO WILL START AT MILLARD SOUTH AND KIND OF HELP THE PATRIOTS RELOAD.

AFTER ALL THE GUYS THEY LOST FROM THAT GREAT TEAM A YEAR AGO.

AND YOU KNOW MILLARD NORTH IS GOING TO HAVE TORREY PITTMAN NOW LEAVING CENTRAL THERE WITH KYLAN HANEY THE STAR RUNNING BACK.

SO THERE ARE JUST MOVING PARTS ALL AROUND HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

AND THAT I MEAN JUST LIKE THE TRANSFER PORTAL IN DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL, WE'RE SEEING THAT IN THE HIGH SCHOOL RANKS NOW TOO.

>> YEAH.

IT IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FEEL 2027 CLASS HIGHLIGHT ON THEM.

>> YEAH.

>> I MEAN AGAIN, IT STARTS WITH TREY TAYLOR.

NEBRASKA HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO HAVE A QUARTERBACK OF HIS CALIBER COMMITTED THIS LONG EVER.

AND JUST HAVING HIM KIND OF TAKE THE WHEEL IS THE ULTIMATE RECRUITING TOOL FOR NEBRASKA.

NOW THE COACHING STAFF WILL GET OUT ON THE ROAD.

YOU SEE TORREY PITTMAN AS WELL GETTING HIM LOCKED IN, BUT THE COACHING STAFF WILL HIT THE ROAD MICHAEL ON APRIL 15TH.

AND YOU CAN NOW HAVE 16 OF YOUR COACHES AVAILABLE TO GO ON THE ROAD.

IT USED TO BE NINE.

IT BECAME TEN.

NOW 16 OF THOSE STAFF MEMBERS CAN GO OUT OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DAYS.

SO IT WILL BE A BIG PERIOD.

BUT AMIR BROWN, YOU KNOW, THE RUNNING BACK THAT THEY GOT EARLY IN THIS CLASS IS A FOUR STAR TAY ELLIS NOW WHO WILL BE AT MILLARD SOUTH, MATT ERICKSON AT MILLER NORTH AND CADEN HOWARD, THE MOST RECENT ONE AS WE TALKED ABOUT, MAYBE STILL UP IN THE AIR AND YOU MIGHT SEE SOME OF THAT, BUT I DO THINK NEBRASKA WANTS TO BE IN THAT 15 TO 18 RANGE.

YEAH, A LOT OF IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHO THE GUYS ARE.

THEY CAN GET.

AND I FEEL LIKE THIS YEAR WITH THE SMALLER CLASS THEY TOOK, YOU ARE SEEING SOME RESULTS ALREADY WITH GUYS LIKE JAMAL RHULE.

WITHOUT DANNY ODOM AND LARRY MILES LOOKS GOOD RIGHT AWAY.

OBVIOUSLY THE TIGHT END LUKE SORENSEN.

SO THEY TOOK A SMALL GROUP THIS YEAR.

BUT YOU ARE SEEING EVEN THE KICKER I MEAN NOW THE 49 YARDER.

>> IN THE WIN.

>> YEAH I DO LIKE WHAT THAT EARLY FRESHMAN GROUP HAS ALREADY DONE.

I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A SIMILAR APPROACH THIS YEAR.

>> I THINK BLAINE GABBERT WAS COMMITTED ABOUT TWO YEARS.

THANKS SHAWN.

BE SURE TO VOTE ON THIS WEEK'S SIDELINE SURVEY.

WHAT'S YOUR LEVEL OF EXCITEMENT AFTER THE SPRING GAME?

ARE YOU SO EXCITED FOR THE FALL MAY?

I'LL BE READY WHEN THE PRESEASON CAMP STARTS.

OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT PRACTICE?

ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT PRACTICE?

55% OF THE PEOPLE SAY MEH AT THIS POINT.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT SERIOUSLY, NEBRASKA IS BATTLING.

I DON'T I KNOW WE CAN BEAT AROUND THE BUSH WITH IT, BUT THERE IS A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE RIGHT NOW THAT ARE JUST LIKE, I DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS, JUST START WINNING GAMES.

>> YEAH, I THINK THE TICKET SALES WILL BE SOMETHING TO WATCH CLOSELY.

YEAH, BECAUSE THE RENEWALS, THE SELLOUT STREAK, IF THINGS GO TO PLAN WITH THE STADIUM, WHICH YOU KNOW, AT THE APRIL REGENTS MEETING, WE MIGHT LEARN ABOUT THE STADIUM PROJECT.

THEN AFTER THE 2026 SEASON, THEY'LL BE TWO YEARS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE AT A REDUCED CAPACITY.

BUT THIS WILL BE THE YEAR TO KIND OF SALVAGE THE SELLOUT STREAK.

IF THEY CAN GET THROUGH THIS YEAR.

AND IT'S TOUGH BECAUSE THE WAY THE YEAR ENDED, YOU'RE RIGHT.

I MEAN, IT'S THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST KIND OF BEAT DOWN WITH THOSE LAST THREE GAMES OF THE SEASON.

>> YEAH IT'S TOUGH.

WE'VE GOT SOME BASEBALL ACTION COMING YOUR WAY ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA STARTING THIS FRIDAY.

DON'T MISS EXCITING MATCHUPS FROM IN-STATE TEAMS NEBRASKA AND CREIGHTON AS THEY BATTLE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE BIG TEN AND BIG EAST.

CHECK OUT OUR SLATE OF GAMES AND MAKE SURE YOU TUNE IN TO ALL THE ACTION THROUGHOUT MAY.

THERE IT IS, RIGHT THERE ON YOUR SCREEN.

A LOT OF GAMES, USC, NEBRASKA.

HOW ABOUT THAT?

THAT'S PRETTY COOL.

REAL QUICK, I WANT TO GET SOMETHING THE PROJECT PRO DAY AND DRAFT WISE EMMETT JOHNSON OBVIOUSLY THE ONE GUY I THINK CEYAIR RIGHT, HAD A CHANCE TO MAKE SOME MONEY BY THE WAY HE RAN.

WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT SOME OF THOSE GUYS THAT ARE DRAFT ELIGIBLE?

>> YEAH.

YOU LOOK AT OBVIOUSLY EMMETT CEYAIR.

I THINK DESHON SINGLETON SINGLETON WILL BE JUST HE PLAYED IN THE SENIOR BOWL.

HAD A GOOD SHOWING IN THE SENIOR BOWL.

I THINK HIS DRAFT MEASURABLES ARE REALLY GOOD.

HIS LENGTH.

AND I MEAN THAT'S JUST WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IN A SECONDARY SPOT IS BEING LONG RANGY GUYS NOSE FOR THE FOOTBALL AGAIN.

SECOND PROBABLY A SECOND DAY GUY.

BUT THOSE ARE KIND OF YOUR THREE GUYS THAT I THINK HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF GETTING DRAFTED.

PLENTY OF OTHER GUYS WILL HAVE SHOTS AT BEING UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS, WHICH HONESTLY, I ALWAYS TELL GUYS, YOU'RE BETTER OFF BEING AN UNDRAFTED FREE AGENT THAN BEING A SIXTH OR SEVENTH ROUND DRAFT PICK, BECAUSE THE SIGNING BONUS MONEY ISN'T THAT DIFFERENT.

AND NOW YOU GET TO CHOOSE WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.

SO A LOT OF GUYS WILL GET A TON OF OPPORTUNITY, AND A LOT OF GUYS HAVE MADE A TON OF A TON OF MONEY IN LONG CAREERS BEING UNDRAFTED.

SO I THINK AS NEBRASKA GETS THIS THING GOING, OBVIOUSLY MORE GUYS WILL GET INVITED TO THE COMBINE.

YOU GET MORE DRAFTABLE GUYS, BUT IT'S YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF SURPRISED CEYAIR DIDN'T GET.

>> AN INVITE.

>> ME TOO.

YEAH, VERY SURPRISED.

BUT IT'S JUST KIND OF A YOU'RE, YOU'RE KIND OF A PRODUCT OF YOUR NATURE SOMETIMES.

AND WITH NEBRASKA NOT HAVING AS MUCH SUCCESS, THEY JUST, THEY LOOK AT THAT AND IT'S AGAIN, I MEAN, A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, BO RUUD, WAS NOT INVITED TO THE COMBINE.

HE WAS A SIX ROUND PICK.

PATRIOTS.

YES.

BUT SO HE CAN GO EITHER WAY.

BUT YOU KNOW THOSE THOSE THREE GUYS AND PLENTY OF THOSE OTHER GUYS ARE GOING TO GET CHANCES.

AND AS UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS.

>> THEY PLAYED OUT OF POSITION TOO.

YES THEY PLAYED IN PLAYING SLOT.

THAT'S NOT WHO HE IS.

HE'S AN OUTSIDE CORNER.

SO THAT'S PROBABLY WHY TAMMY SAYS SEAN WILL CALANDRA HAVE A GOOD OFFENSIVE LINE TO PROTECT HIM.

WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS.

I THINK WE ALL FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THE INTERNALLY.

>> WHEN YOU TALK TO PEOPLE AROUND THE PROGRAM, THEY FEEL LIKE THE OFFENSIVE LINE IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE MOST UPGRADED POSITIONS OVERALL.

AND YOU HEARD GEEP WADE SAY WE BROUGHT IN THREE NEW STARTERS, PAUL AND BENGA, TERRY AND BRENNAN BLACK AND ELIJAH PRITCHETT MIGHT BE THE BEST OF THEM ALL WHEN HE'S PLAYING AT HIS BEST.

AND THEN JUSTIN EVANS, THEY FEEL LIKE WE'LL GET A SNIFF AT THE NFL AS A CENTER.

SO THEY HAVE FIVE REALLY GOOD GUYS, BUT THEN THE DEPTH PIECE IS BEHIND THEM WITH GUNNAR KOTULA, SAM SLEDGE TYLER KNAAK, WHO FEEL LIKE HE'S BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME.

I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A REALLY GOOD TOP EIGHT RIGHT NOW.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OFFENSIVE LINE DOES.

>> OH SORRY FOR THE OFFENSIVE LINE.

I THIS IS THE BEST I FELT ABOUT GOING FORWARD IN A WHILE.

NO ONE'S TALKING ABOUT IT.

I JUST IT'S JUST I LIKE THE FACT THEY'RE FLYING UNDER THE RADAR.

I THINK THE LSU TRANSFER MBUNGA IS THE IS PROBABLY THE BEST ADDITION, BUT THAT IF THEY'RE SOLID AND THE AMOUNT OF STARTS AND THE EXPERIENCE THEY HAVE, THIS COULD BE ANY A MOBILE QUARTERBACK THAT OFFENSE COULD.

I'M NOT TRYING TO THROW OUT TOO MUCH KOOL-AID RIGHT NOW, BUT IT COULD.

IT COULD BE THIS OFFENSE COULD BE A PROBLEM.

>> IT'S THE MEN IN BLACK LINE BECAUSE YOU GOT YOU GOT, YOU GOT BABOLAT AND YOU GOT THE BLACK AND YOU GOT THE ONE YOU JUST SAID YOU GOT THOSE GUYS.

QUESTION PHONE CALLER SEAN, DOES NEBRASKA HAVE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO COMPETE WITH MICHIGAN, OHIO STATE, INDIANA AND OREGON?

IT'S SO FUNNY THAT INDIANA IS IN THAT SENTENCE.

>> WELL, IT'S REAL SIMPLE.

I MEAN, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE MAX REV SHARE.

YOU CAN HAVE THEY'VE GOT THE EXTRA PLAY FLY MONEY.

THE EXTRA MONEY ON TOP OF THAT WILL COME WITH WINNING.

LIKE NEBRASKA FANS ARE JUST NOT GOING TO THROW DEAD MONEY OUT THERE UNTIL THEY START SEEING RESULTS.

IT'S GOING TO COME WITH FRED HOIBERG.

I MEAN LIKE RIGHT NOW HE WENT THREE AND A HALF $4 MILLION.

THAT MIGHT DOUBLE FOR HIM NEXT YEAR BECAUSE OF THE WINNING.

AND I THINK IF THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM PROVES THAT, HEY THIS MONEY IS BEING UTILIZED AND WE'RE GETTING A LOT OUT OF IT AND WE'RE WINNING, MORE WILL COME.

BUT I THINK A LOT OF IT WILL HAVE TO COME WITH.

NEBRASKA NEEDS TO PROVE THEMSELVES THAT THEY'RE MORE THAN A67 WIN TYPE TEAM.

>> PEOPLE WANT ROI.

YOU KNOW, IF I'M GOING TO INVEST, I WANT RETURN ON MY INVESTMENT.

THOUGHTS ON LAVONTE DAVID RETIRING.

I ALWAYS JOKED ABOUT THIS IS A GUY WHO WASN'T WANTED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.

IT'S THE GUY WHO WASN'T WANTED OUT OF JUNIOR COLLEGE.

HE WASN'T WANTED ENOUGH IN THE NFL, BUT ALL HE DID WAS BUILD A HALL OF FAME CAREER.

>> I MEAN, FROM AS SOON AS HE STEPPED FOOT ON CAMPUS AND REALLY WITH THE INJURY TO WILL COMPTON, HE DOESN'T PLAY RIGHT AWAY, BUT HE STEPS FOOT ON, GETS THROWN IN THERE.

ACTUALLY I BOW, YOU KNOW EVERYONE HE HAD LIKE 20 SOME TACKLES IN THAT FIRST GAME.

>> LIKE HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING.

>> HE HAD A LOT OF MISTAKES TOO.

BUT THAT JUST YOU CAN'T TEACH THAT.

THAT'S THE GOD GIVEN ABILITY FOR HAVING A NOSE FOR FOOTBALL.

AND WHAT HE WAS SO GOOD AT WAS TAKING ON BLOCKS.

AND NOT BECAUSE HE'S UNDERSIZED.

HE'S, HE, HE'S NOT YOUR PROTOTYPICAL SIZE LINEBACKER, BUT HIS ABILITY TO GET SKINNY, AVOID CONTACT AND MAKE PLAYS, HAVE A NOSE FOR FOOTBALL.

I MEAN, 14 YEARS AS A LINEBACKER, I MEAN THAT IS A HECK OF A CAREER.

YEAH.

I MEAN IT'S HALL OF FAME WORTHY.

GOT A SUPER BOWL WIN.

HE CHECKS ALL THE BOXES TO TO WEAR THAT JACKET AND BE INDUCTED ONE DAY.

I MEAN HATS OFF TO HIM BECAUSE THAT'S I MEAN HE AND HE'S WALKING.

AND THE BEST THING ABOUT IT, HE WALKED AWAY ON HIS OWN TERMS.

>> YEP.

EXACTLY.

HE COULD HAVE KEPT PLAYING IF HE WANTED.

>> HE COULD HAVE.

BUT YOU KNOW THERE'S HE'S ACHIEVED EVERYTHING AND NOW HE CAN DO WHAT HE WANTS, YOU KNOW, GO DO BE A DAD.

AND IF YOU HAVE THOSE OTHER AFTER CAREER THINGS.

BUT THAT WAS, THAT WAS A HECK OF A CAREER.

>> JUMP BACK TO SPRING GAME.

REAL QUICK THOUGHTS ON THE SPECIAL TEAMS, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN WITH SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR LEAVING.

WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT THEY WENT WITH FOR FOR FOR FOR FIELD GOALS.

>> YEAH, KICKING WAS GREAT.

THE PUNTING WAS SOLID.

IT WAS A VERY WINDY DAY.

YOU WEREN'T IN THE STADIUM.

I MEAN IT WAS 2030 MILE AN HOUR GUSTS COMING OUT OF THE SOUTH.

YEAH.

SO IT WAS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF SATURDAYS.

TO BE QUITE HONEST.

WE DIDN'T REALLY GET A FEEL FOR THE RETURN GAME.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE X FACTOR THE PUNT AND THE KICK RETURN AND THE COVERAGE UNITS BECAUSE YOU JUST DON'T DO A LOT OF THAT.

THEY FIELDED PUNTS IN THE WIND AND SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WHY IS HE FIELDING PUNTS INSIDE THE FIVE?

I THINK THEY THEY WERE JUST THEY JUST WANTED TO PRACTICE CATCHING PUNTS IN THE STADIUM IN THE WIND.

SO IT'S VERY MUCH WAIT AND SEE WITH WHAT THIS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

BUT BRETT MAHER COACHED THE KICKERS AND PUNTERS LAST YEAR.

HE'S BACK DOING IT AGAIN.

AND HE'LL OVERSEE THE ROOM WITH NICK HUMPHREY.

AND THAT IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING BIG TO WATCH.

>> REAL QUICK.

WOMEN'S FLAG FOOTBALL.

THE BIG 12 ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING.

OBVIOUSLY NEBRASKA'S AHEAD.

IT'S PRETTY COOL THAT NEBRASKA'S AHEAD ON IT.

BUT THEY WENT OUT AND GOT TWO REALLY GOOD COACHES.

>> THEY DID.

YEAH.

THOSE TWO COACHES HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH NFL PROGRAMS.

YEAH.

BUT YEAH YOU JUST SEE WHERE IT'S EVOLVING.

OBVIOUSLY THE FLAG FOOTBALL BEING INVOLVED IN THE OLYMPICS IN 2028, YOU KIND OF SAW THE PROS VERSUS, YOU KNOW THE ELITE FLAG FOOTBALL PLAYERS OUT THERE, YOU KNOW A COUPLE OF WEEKENDS AGO.

BUT YEAH, IT'S JUST IT'S NEBRASKA HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE FOREFRONT OF ESTABLISHING NEW PROGRAMS, NEW WHATEVER.

AND YEAH, SOUR, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH NUMEROUS NFL PROGRAMS, SO FANTASTIC HIRES.

AND IT'S JUST GOING TO BE FUN TO SEE THIS EVOLVE AND, AND JUST BEING AHEAD OF AHEAD OF THE GAME.

>> YEAH.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE FUN IN SO MANY OBVIOUSLY SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE GIRLS AND GIRLS.

DAD WANT THEIR THEIR DAUGHTER TO PLAY.

SO SEAN, LET'S GO WITH BURNING QUESTIONS.

>> MY BURNING QUESTION IS JUST WHAT WILL THE FIELD BE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS OFFSEASON AS WE GO INTO WHAT ON PAPER IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE MORE DIFFICULT SCHEDULES NEBRASKA HAS PLAYED?

JUST HOW MATT RHULE NAVIGATES THIS OFFSEASON.

>> WITH THE NEW ADDITIONS TO THE DEFENSIVE LINE AND HAVING A FOUR MAN FRONT.

WHAT DOES THIS EXACTLY LOOK LIKE?

WHO'S GOING TO BE YOUR STARTING FOUR?

MY GUESS NORRIE WHITTINGTON, VAN POPPEL AND THEN JONES WHO DIDN'T PLAY BUT THE UCLA TRANSFER.

THOSE ARE MY FOUR.

BUT JUST HOW THAT EVOLVES AND MERGES TOGETHER WHEN THEY START PLAYING IN AUGUST.

>> HONESTLY, HOW DO HOW DO WE SURVIVE FIVE MONTHS?

IT'S A LONG TIME WITHOUT FOOTBALL, BUT THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES WILL HELP US GET THROUGH.

BUT I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS.

FIVE MONTHS TO BE OVER AND THIS APATHY OR HOWEVER PEOPLE FEEL TO KIND OF CHANGE BASED OFF OF MAYBE NEBRASKA STARTS OFF FIVE AND ZERO.

DON'T FORGET TO TUNE IN THIS FRIDAY NIGHT AS WE BRING YOU COLLEGE BASEBALL ACTION FROM HAWKS FIELD.

NEBRASKA WELCOMES IN PENN STATE FOR A BIG TEN CLASH.

FIRST PITCH IS SCHEDULED FOR 6 P.M.

CENTRAL ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

THEN NEXT WEEKEND, THE OMAHA SUPERNOVAS.

THEY PARTY WITH VOLLEYBALL ALL WEEK FROM THE CHI HEALTH CENTER.

CATCH ACTION ACROSS APRIL 10TH AND 12TH RIGHT HERE ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

OUR THANKS TO SAM MCEWEN AND ROBERT WOJCIK FOR JOINING US FOR JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN.

I'M MICHAEL SEVERE.

WE'LL SEE YOU FOR ANOTHER SEASON OF BIG RED WRAP-UP.