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Has the bubble burst for Nebraska basketball? | How many Nebraska football players get drafted?
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Mar 17, 2025
We analyze what the loss to Minnesota means for Nebraska basketball and their chances of making the NCAA tournament. It was also a great weekend for the #Huskers at the NFL combine, and we have some recruiting nuggets, too. #gbr
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0:00
good morning Husker fans welcome back to the Husker big red YouTube channel I'm Chris Peterson and joining me as always is Danny jillette and we're back for
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another episode of the podcast here after a rough weekend for Nebraska basketball where their bubble um for the
0:13
NCA tournament may have burst but it was a strong weekend for the Huskers at the combine and we also got some recruiting
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notes so we're going to cover all that um so before we do please hit the like button hit the Subscribe button get into
0:23
the comment section and Danny how are you doing on this Monday morning more awake than the basketball team I'll say
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that much yeah they uh did not show up on Saturday so um let's get started right there um
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you know in a game where they really needed to win it was a must-win game you know people use that a lot but this
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really was a must-win game for Nebraska seven and a half Point favorites and they found themselves down by 16 points
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they were totally flat um Fred hyberg kind of called them out after the game even you know basically saying that you
0:55
know it's just really frustrating that there's no sense of urgency and you know you have these really important games on
1:00
the line and they just they aren't playing I guess yeah with that urgency until you know as he said it was too late and he showed some frustration with
1:07
some of the media members after the game but um you know I think he was more frustrated with his team and it's hard
1:12
to blame him after that performance on Saturday because you know if they if
1:17
they show up and play Nebraska basketball for 40 minutes they win that game yeah I mean they held Dawson Garcia
1:23
in check for pretty much most of the game and they still couldn't figure out a way to get things done and um you know
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this has been a theme throughout the entire season fall behind uh you know by large margins early and then you know
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Northwestern they were lucky to be able to come back Penn State they couldn't do it and you know I get maybe from behind
1:44
to Penn State and I mean excuse me Northwestern and then having a you know even a rough game against Penn State
1:51
which in my opinion is when the wheels really started falling off but to come out on on Saturday like they did against
1:57
Minnesota that was absolutely pathetic I mean now was pathetic basketball they looked like they didn't want to be there
2:03
they looked disorganized and the defensive intensity wasn't there it looked like it looked like everybody was
2:08
going through the motions with the exception of Bryce Williams who by this point is running on fumes because he's
2:13
been you know carrying this team along with Jan Gary and um yeah so you know
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this was really a pathetic effort on Saturday and um you know I I I don't
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think the blame lies solely on one player or one performance as much as
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the whole entire team I mean this team looks lost right now yeah it's just really hard to Fathom I mean they went
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on that great run to get back in the NCA tournament mix um when they were Sol the IND mix and now they've lost four out of
2:43
their last five games um and three of them have been at home I mean you lost to they've lost four out of their last
2:49
six games at home and that to me is the biggest indictment of this program and it's not you look at the teams they've
2:54
lost to rers uh USC Minnesota these aren't teams that are going to the NCA tournament so all Nebraska literally had
3:01
to do to make the tournament was beat three non-tournament teams at home and they couldn't do it you know I mean I
3:06
know they lost to Michigan at home too but still like you know I mean I think John rosin you know put out that tweet
3:13
last month you know the CBS Sports basketball analyst like hey Nebraska just has to win these home games to get it done and and they didn't even have to
3:19
win all those games because they they stuck out a couple of Road WIS so all they had to do was really beat ruter and
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Minnesota I you know beat all these you know below 500 teams in conference play at home and you know the fact that they
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weren't able to do it I mean that is a pretty shocking indictment for this team and um you know I know right now they're
3:38
still projected to make the tournament according to ESPN but they they're like the last team in and you know I think
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there's a few ways they can still make it I think they need to either win their next three games which is you know win
3:49
two in the conference the last two conference games and win one in the Big 10 tournament um or they're going to
3:56
have to go one and one and probably win at least two games in the Big 10 tournament so they you know beat Iowa
4:01
which that they actually have to do to make the big 10 tournament if they lose to Ohio State and Iowa they might not
4:06
even make it to Indianapolis and you know if that happens people are talking about the NIT they may not even get to the NIT like if you don't even make it
4:13
to the Big 10 tournament I don't know that you're going to get an nit invite because it's not as easy as it used to
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be to get to the NIT um so I mean I don't know it's it's kind of a drastic
4:24
uh drop off for where this team was and yeah it's just really it's just really disappointing um the last possession you
4:31
know you get I thought was a microcosm of the whole game you get the bucket you get the lead and then you come back down
4:37
you give up a wide open three it's not like it was a contestant you know was a tough shot the dude was wide open in the
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corner and it's the same things we've seen all season you know these guys do not communicate well they do not
4:48
communicate in transition defense even in their half court defense how many times early in the second half or in the
4:54
first half even was did Minnesota Shooters get wide open attempts from three just wide
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and you just can't do that and beyond that they missed n free throws which was driving me absolutely Bonkers and I knew
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it was going to come back to haunt when it did so I mean they keep shooting themselves in the foot and it just I
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don't know that last sequence drove me crazy though like how does every single player on that team not find someone to
5:19
guard and make sure like hey if we're going to lose at least make it be like a contested shot like they gave up a catch
5:25
and shoot Corner three that was white like that that's one of the easiest shots to hit from three-pointer in basketball from the three-point range in
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basketball so just it's disappointing to me that the shot that Minnesota had to hit was just a routine shot it like
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wasn't even difficult and so I knew it was coming though because that's the way every single Nebraska sport ends so I
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knew somehow some way that Minnesota was going to come down and get points and that's not even being funny like I knew
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like because they look disheveled the whole game disorganized disheveled whatever you want to call it and so I knew all Minnesota had to do was you
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know go down the court not even the full way and get a wide open look because again they struggle with transition and
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it was it was just and the fact that they had to you know expend so much
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energy coming back from 20 points I mean you know that in itself they they
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shouldn't even have been in that way in the proc in in the first place they looked sleepy they looked you know kind
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of like they didn't want to be there in the first half and they played much better in the second half but I mean how many times have we seen in first half
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they just have not come know ready to play or at least energized to play yeah
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I mean it's you look at three I mean really outside the Michigan games the only one in the last five games where
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they haven't fallen behind by at least 10 points because I'm I'm pretty sure they were down awful yeah Michigan got
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shot the ball terribly um you know maybe not against Maryland I can't I'm trying
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to I think they did get down by at least 10 points in that one at least by like eight or nine and um yeah they just they
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I don't know what it is with this team but you know you the committee is looking at how you've performed in your
7:01
last 10 games and this team has performed terribly I mean they've fallen behind um by at least 16 points now to
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to to Maryland I mean excuse me Minnesota Northwestern and Penn State three of the worst teams in the
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conference I mean and that to me that was the most frustrating thing it was like okay now we're going to turn it on in the second half when we get down by
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16 points and you know it's like if you had started the game this way you probably would have been over by halftime in your favor you know and so
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it's it's really frustrating to to sit there and just you know feel like you miss some opportunities but it's it's I
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guess it's still there for him I don't know I mean I just I don't know how they're going to flip the script and go
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win in Columbus this week and I'm worried about that Iowa game because Iowa was trying to get into the Big 10 tournament too so like yeah it's uh it's
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SC it's a scary time I know people are try are talking about Fred should Fred get fired and I don't I think I think
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that's way too drastic I mean Nebraska hasn't made back-to-back trips to the NCA tournament for 30 years so it's like
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it's not like this is a yearly expectation it's not that it's not a disappointment you know if they don't
8:05
make it it will be and I think Fred hyber would be the first one to tell you that but I also think he's still the
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best guy for the job and I agree you know I just think this is what Nebraska basketball's G to be going forward is
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you know this team that's going to be you know on the bubble every year and you know maybe they can get to a sweet six team at some point maybe they can
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win a game in this turnour in the big dance at some point but you just got to keep getting there and they still have a chance they still games to play but it's
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not looking great right now someone someone suggested to fold the basketball program for for an ice hockey program
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and honestly I'd be that would be kind of cool I'd love uh I'd love some uh Nebraska Corn Huskers ice hockey I love
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Big Town hockey I I I love college hockey so that would be awesome but uh no all joking aside um I it's tough
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because I do think Fred's a guy for the job but boy is he hard to defend over these last couple weeks it's been a
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little bit of Rush fling here so I don't know I mean and again you know we've seen this team they started off you know
9:05
really hot with the Diamond Head classic they struggled in the middle of January
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they got hot again and now they're in uh a bit of a lull to say the least so it's like which team are we going to see I
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the the inconsistency is is driving me absolutely crazy with this team because they should be a lot better than they
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are yeah I mean they have uh they do seem to play their best um when the backs when they're back are against the
9:29
wall and their backs are against the wall now so we'll see but if they can they can make up for this loss with the
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win in Columbus if they win in Columbus then I think they set up you know a win against Iowa and then a win in the Big
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10 tournament to go to the NCA tournament so I mean it's still very doable if they can win these next three
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games and get to 20 wins I know that sounds crazy but like we saw them lose six in a row and then all of a sudden they beat Illinois and Oregon and all
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these other teams so like they are very capable and maybe maybe this will you know shock them back to life because you
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know if they're if they're not looking at their you know Jan Gary and Bryce Williams like they may not get more than two games these next two games May the
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last two games of their career and at Nebraska so they need they need to really think about that and uh you know
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is the effort that they want on Sunday is that what they want their Nebraska career to be remembered by I don't think so like I really don't think so um you
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know Sam hyberg these guys have a lot of Pride and uh I don't know why that they haven't shown you know a lot of fight um
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at least or urgency I mean not fight these guys fought on Sunday but on Sat Saturday but just no urgency and um so
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this is that Ohio State game is probably going to be the uh the gut check moment for this program you go in and winning
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Columbus then you're probably going to make the N tournament if you don't you might not even make it to Indie so you know we'll see what happens but it's gut
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check time for Nebraska it was good to see Conor aan kind of hit a couple threes to get himself rolling again but
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he's been another frustrating player he just hasn't seemed to be able to find his Groove consistently and he was
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supposed to be this knockdown three-point shooter and he hasn't been that of late I mean again he did he did
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do a little bit better job on Saturday but I mean the if he were able to step
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up as a consistent third scorer I think the outlook for this team changes drastically yeah if they I mean this
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team would be much different if they had rank mask you know I mean they would be I think they'd probably already be in
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double digit wins in terms of the Big 10 because they just don't have anybody you know ring was just so good in the ball
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screen game for one you know he could I mean you could have him and Bryce Williams you know playing a two man game
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where you know Bryce is hitting those mid-range shots and if uh you know teams are kind of doubling him he can pop it
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out to mass for that three how many times did we see him shoot that shot last year or score in the post or create shots for people we'll see next year not
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with this roster but yeah I mean it's it just it's disappointing because those three guys would have been a really you
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know that's that's a good Trio that you could build around and this it seems like they've been trying to find that
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third guy every game you know sometimes it's Connor uh sometimes it's Andrew Morgan sometimes it's nobody and when
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that happens kind of like on Saturday they lose bery looks legally confused sorry
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berky looks conf like there were time there were stretches on Saturday when it looked like he didn't know how to play basketball period like I don't know I
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don't know yeah I don't know's going on with him but I don't know if you felt the same way I want to speak for you but
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I mean he looks to me legitimately confused at some stretches on the court right now like he forgot how to play
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basketball the the the the mon Stars stole his powers yeah well he was hurt I
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don't know what's yeah I'm not sure what's up with him but um if Fred could untap his potential I mean he's the guy
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I think you know of the guys coming back that you know he probably has like the brightest I mean not counting rink Mass
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obviously but just the guys on this current team that are going to be back I think he's the one has the biggest upside in terms of what he could be as a
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player so I don't know there's a lot of untapped potential there Nebraska could have a really good front court but
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they're going to have to do some work in the portal finding guys at the backourt and um you know we'll see how that works
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out up the money because I don't know you know how many inate kids want to come here I mean we I mean we looked at
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the graphic like a couple months ago all the kids that have left or gone to other programs they're going to have to put money uh where their mouth is truthfully
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because I don't see any other way yeah no they definitely will and that's um hopefully Troy Dannon has the money
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cannons ready because you need it in basketball like for sure as much as you need it for football you need it in basketball to get those one or two
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players that make all the difference in the world and Nebraska's losing two big difference makers this team so and we're
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getting one in rank Mass which is good but you know got to find a couple other ones if this team wants to go dancing
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again so we'll see and Troy dann's been showing that he can fire off the money cannons when needed so that's that's at
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least a positive sign um and yeah and so uh let's switch topics to um football
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here it was a interesting weekend or past few days for Nebraska football at the combine and they kind of not stol in
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the show but there's been some guys that really have put out some outstanding performances starting with Ty Robinson
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who measured 65 288 pounds and then ran a 483 in the 40 which was the best time
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among defensive tackles it was one of the I think it was one of the top 20 times among defensive tackles like in
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the last 10 or 20 I can't remember what it was but at any rate um Ty Robinson
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you know definitely made himself some money like how early do you think this ke can go in the NFL draft in April honestly I'm thinking early early
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to mid second round because when you look at the need for defensive tackles around the league I think he could
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definitely fit there and it was impressive how much weight he lost between the last game he played and the
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combine too I mean I think it really helped his movement and um he put on a really good showing so good for him yeah
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I I think day two pick to me I mean second round pick it would shock me if he made it past the second round because
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like Ty Robinson for one thing I think he proved it Nebraska he's a solid run Defender like the guy can play well
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against the run and then he's got 12 career sacks I don't think people realize that but he had seven sacks last season um he also when a lot of guys are
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opting out of bowl games you know he he wanted to play in the pinstrip bowl and if any if there was anybody on this team
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that had the right to opt out of the pinstrip ball because they actually have like a bright NFL future it was Ty Robinson and he comes in has a sack in
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that game and so like I know that that might not do wonders for his draft stock but some team is going to fall in love
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with them because of that and they're going to get a great player and I feel like he you know he could be a he could
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be a five technique he could be a big defensive end for the right team and uh he can rush the passer inside he can
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rush the passer outside he just has a lot of Versatility and somebody's going to get a really good player I think in
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Ty Robinson but there could be I feel like there could be five Nebraska football players drafted which would be
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the most in a long time you know you have um Isaiah naor who put on a really good performance as well um honestly
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that was a little bit frust I mean I mean why that was a little bit frustrating I think it was all frustr I
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mean then Thomas fedon I mean they even had one I can't remember who it was one NFL analyst uh compared him to the
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Terminator said he looked like the Terminator and it was like okay but he didn't play like that at Nebraska and I understand he had the injuries and stuff
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and I do think there is you know I I think that fedon played better than some Nebraska fans give him credit for
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because if you talk to some the worst tight end of all time and he was a really good player but he also wasn't
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like an all big 10 player either which is what I thought he was going to be now maybe he'll be better like maybe he'll
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get um you know used but I don't know he he did make some different some
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interesting comments he's like I know what kind of player I am when I get the ball he said that when he was interviewed at the combine when he was
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asked like why he didn't come back to Nebraska because I think he could have came back I think he would have been a valuable piece for this team yeah next
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season but I do think he's gonna get drafted um I don't think it's going to be like the second day I think that's
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way too early but day three like fourth round yeah I definitely see Thomas coming off the the round like fourth
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fourth fifth round coming off the board yeah no that those comments were definitely interesting I mean but um ner
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was the most frustrating I mean he he tested really really really well and um
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yet he couldn't catch the ball against Iowa so who the hell knows maybe he made the right choice going to the draft I me
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I I thought it was a little premature but you look at the NFL combine as a whole and what it did for a guy like cam
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Jens and how it really Rose his stock so maybe this is what a guy like ner and a guy like fedon needs yeah it was
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interesting to see I thought the same thing when he was catching the balls in the you know individual drills like why didn't you catch that one against Iowa
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but I mean it's fine I think with the way the receiver set much conviction for
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for catching the ball against Illinois but you know I mean I don't think you really would have had a place for with Nebraska next season anyway you
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know with the with Dane key and Isaiah Hunter and all these other guys so I think it worked out for everybody fedon
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fedon I think could have but you know we'll see it's whatever I think he's a better blocker too and tight ends can
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play a lot in the NFL like special teams you know there's they're the new fullback essentially so um I think he'll
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find his way into the league I think Nash hutmaker is going to get drafted probably going to be on day three but
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you know as a as a backup defensive tackle I think he's got a lot of value and a guy that can be like a true nose
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tackle because there aren't that many you know nose tackle types in the NFL anymore especially guys that can really
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load up and stuff the run I know everybody's it's all about rushing the passer and yada y y but you know what
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like to rush the passer you got to stop the run and uh you know I know my Green Bay Packers can certainly use a guy like
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Nash hutmaker you know clogging up the middle so I definitely think like day three I think he's going to come off the board and I'm kind of surprised he
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didn't get invited to the combine actually I was just gonna say the same thing I I I am a little bit surprised that he didn't get invited but I think
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whoever you know takes a chance on him is going to get a steal and you know the Mind thing about fedoni honestly when
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you look at the tight end class it's not the strongest so I think maybe that factored into it too CU I bet he did his
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research on that end too it's a little bit lighter on the tight end front so maybe this was a was a good you know
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opportunity for him to try to see what he could do in the NFL but overall very interesting weekend it uh it said a lot
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about the Nebraska strength and conditioning Department in a positive way I think they all did really well and
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it was you know kind of um bittersweet because it was a lot of what could have
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been at Nebraska but as is the case once you leave Nebraska you know you tend to
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do a little bit better it was good yeah it was a good weekend for the strength and
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conditioning guys you know Cory C so that was good for them to see and um honestly it is a good day I know it is
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Bittersweet like to see fedoni and they are you know doing so well but it will help this program if there's like five
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guys drafted in April like that's something that they can start selling to recruits and that'll be the most in I
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can't remember I I read the mo they had four I want to say like 2016 or maybe 2018 but if they get five I think that
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would be a pretty solid number um Tommy Hill didn't work out at the combine he
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was there and it was interesting because Travis hunter in his uh combine interview said that um Tommy Hill is
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actually one of the the most difficult cornerbacks he faced this season he didn't say him by name he said the guy from Nebraska but we all know he was
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talking about so I think if Tommy Hill can run um he's gonna try to do it at the pro day if he can run and you know
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show that he's healthy in those movement drills he's not he's obviously not going to be a first round pick like he was projected but um I do think that he'll
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get drafted it's going to be on day three it might not be till the sixth or seventh round but man somebody could be getting a steal with this guy because if
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he's healthy he has played like a first round pick so now that's a guy that I
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that I legitimately feel bad for and how his Nebraska career ended because he was
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on a track to be really really good and he was really really good and uh you know and just to have that injury flare
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up at the worst time and uh he played really well in that Colorado game so Travis Hunter was definitely right there
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but he had the pick six I think it was so yep yeah that was just a that was
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that wasn't uh you know a frustrating kind of negative thing that was just frustrating and sad to see how it ended
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but I'm hoping he can latch on to a team somewhere and uh I know my Patriots had talked to him and stuff like that so I
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don't know we'll see it'll be interesting but I do think this group of players um has a lot of unta potential
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for the NFL and I think it's really really exciting that you know a guy like
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Ty Robinson under Matt rues leadership is you know getting Buzz at the NFL
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combine I think that's that's a good presedent you know moving forward yeah definitely you you want players want to
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get to the playoff and they want to get to the NFL and Nebraska's you know getting closer on the Wind side of
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things getting more competitive and getting more guys drafted um that's going to help you get better players and help you get to the playoffs so it's all
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connected um you know one ler look at our future wide receiver room I think uh our future WI receiver room and our
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future quarterback room and I think we might see some more conine invites down the road yeah and you know EMT Johnson
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too let's see what this guy can do I am excited to see what EMT can do kind of you know as the true rb1 because he
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never really has gotten the chance to be that for a full season so um we'll see speaking of uh you know that and some
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other um recruiting notes last week we were talking about you know CJ brona the Nebraska quarterback who was upgraded to
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a fourstar he was unranked when Nebraska got his commitment and of course that caused some grumbling among fans but it
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was like look this guy is going to be a blue chip Prospect now he is and um I said last week to watch out for some
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flip attempts well we've already got one as Oregon has come in with an offer last week um you know I don't know that there
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hasn't been any talk about like visits or anything like that so it doesn't seem like anything to worry about too much but um I'm sure there's going to be
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other teams you know on the radar of CJ brona he does have that official visit set up so I think Nebraska is in a good
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spot but uh you know always worrying when teams like Oregon and I'm sure some others like Georgia and Alabama will
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start um offering soon so that's always a little bit worrisome for uh for a Nebraska commitment it is worrisome but at the
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same time you can buy a guy out of the transfer portal so I mean it is like so
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so this is an interesting dynamic because you do worry about losing recruits and stuff but now it's almost like you can patch up you know your
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losses in the transfer portal as long as you have the cash and you know the money to spend and things like that so it's
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kind of interesting because the transfer portal I think takes away from high school recruiting not to go down this
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rabbit hole but um you know now I would I I wouldn't like to Lose a Guy like
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like Bruna but at the same time I think um you know with players entering the
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portal so much and things like that if we really needed a corner we could probably go and get one now I mean and I
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probably wouldn't have said that last year due to Matt rules you know love for developing high school players but based
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off the transfer portal Hall he had this year and his willingness to you know utilize it and Troy dannon's willingness
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again to open up his checkbook you know it's kind of created this new Dynamic
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for the program in terms of recruiting and honestly makes the losses in my opinion sting a little bit
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less yeah I mean I definitely think that's true um hopefully they can get BR
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keep Bron in the PO because like I said I I think he's going to be I think his ranking his rise in the rankings is just
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beginning I think he's actually one of the best cornerbacks in this class so hopefully um they can keep him in the fold but but you're right the um High
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School recr recruiting is not the end all be all that you know it used to be um
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so can't get other guys in the portal but but yeah go go ahead if there is a
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position where I want them to do to really focus on in high school recruiting it's offensive line like tackle and things like that because
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those are those are a premium position in the portal and a lot harder to get yeah absolutely um and speaking speaking
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of uh you know some of those premium positions um offensive tackle there's a couple other guys that are be coming in
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for visits um but another name kind on the offensive tackle board for the 2026 class is Hayden answorth who was a 2027
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recruit just reclassified ol Miss is like the N he's got a 95% chance with the on three prediction machine so
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they're the favorite but Nebraska is also you know listed as one of the top teams I'm a front runner according to um
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Steve bfong of on three so that's another name to know they're in the they're in the mix with a lot of offensive tackles it broke my heart that
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they U you know kind of fell off with Jackson kentwell but but Hayden worth another name to know for 2026 offensive
25:36
tackle recruiting yeah I'm not surprised with Kent well I mean he's such a dynamic player and obviously the bigger
25:43
teams are going to come calling but they do have a lot of um they do have a lot of um you know feelers out for offensive
25:50
tackles so I'm kind of glad that they're really focusing on that position at the high school level because like I said I
25:56
think there's a premium for those types of positions in the portal and if you really wanted to focus your high school
26:03
efforts on positions it's the offensive line and um you know I think deakon Schmidt is a guy to watch he Nebraska
26:11
made his top eight on Sunday and um you know it's going to be a tight tight
26:17
recruitment he has you know Tennessee Oklahoma Alabama uh in his top eight
26:24
he's the 30th overall interior offensive lineman in the 2026 class and the second
26:30
overall player in the state of Colorado and um Colorado is a little bit interesting because they also you know
26:37
are being connected to tight end Camden Jensen who is from Colorado so they're doing some work out there and um so yeah
26:46
I I'll be interested to see how their offensive line board shapes out and
26:51
looks and uh to me you know I think tackle and offensive line are are going
26:57
to be very important this recruiting cycle yeah offensive tackle I think is
27:03
um probably one of the number one priorities just based on um you know what they've brought in the past few
27:10
classes and kind of what they need at some of those positions um so yeah there there are some really big names um you
27:17
know to keep an eye on they haven't um like Kevin obot is one name I'm I'm watching I haven't seen him um set an
27:24
official visit yet Rex Waterman has so it's kind of something to keep an eye on there um but yeah and Rex Waterman's
27:31
going to visit twice he's going to visit um April 5th and then also um June 6th
27:37
so that that tells you kind of where he is uh on the on the Nebraska tackle board but um he's a sneaky under the
27:43
radar type of guy I like him yeah I do too and Michigan and Notre Dame a bunch of other programs are kind of sniffing
27:50
around there so even though the offer sheet isn't super impressive right now he's one of those late risers you know
27:56
that you're always talking about Jamal rule um we talked about him a little bit he's going to take an official visit so North Carolina State and Nebraska are
28:02
kind of the top two teams there and then Dayton Rola is the other um official visitor he's going to be taking his
28:09
official visit um on the weekend of June 20th with Deen Walker Ryan Mosley Camden
28:17
Jensen Lincoln Watkins so that weekend is is kind of being built up as a big recruiting weekend and I just think that
28:24
that solidifies again that you know Dayton ra is going to be you know the 2020 26 quarterback for Nebraska and
28:29
that's probably not going to change say it louder please because I'm sure we're going to have a lot of
28:35
questions in regards of that moving forward buten Walker's really really interesting because I love him he's an
28:40
explosive running back uh they definitely need more running back depth for the future so at least making a strong impression on him that weekend is
28:47
going to be important and then um just kind of looking at some other guys you know Trey
28:52
Taylor is going to be visiting again um I think some point during the Spring I
28:58
was going to say the spring game but obviously they're not having a spring game um sometime this spring and then um
29:03
hopefully they can get him back because he's talking about making a decision this summer um so I like I said before I
29:09
think Nebraska's very high up in the mix with Trey Taylor but um you know we'll see what happens after these last couple
29:15
visits but I I would say Nebraska's at least in the top two or three which is why I think
29:21
Nebraska didn't offer tamalia I know there was a lot of controvers fan
29:26
controversy on that but I think um they're they're not necessarily banking
29:31
on but I think they're pushing all their chips towards Trey Taylor and I think that's a good move he's a really
29:37
talented quarterback and um he would he's also out of the Midwest so that would help the Midwest pipeline uh the
29:44
the the Illinois pipeline in particular because there's a lot of good players that are coming out of the out of the
29:49
Chicago you know Illinois area right now yeah they'll be interesting to see
29:55
how much nil's a factor there um because you know Michigan's involved and they've shown that they're willing to pay for
30:01
quarterbacks um you know Notre Dame I think LSU is also in the mix so there's
30:06
some other there's some pretty big programs there um so you know we'll see how that all works out but um you know I
30:13
know yeah there's going to be some some people are going to be mad about the Jeff tamalia thing and you know like
30:19
that's a comparison Nebraska the coaching staff's going to have to live with over the next few years I mean that but they have made their decision I mean
30:26
obviously like they it's not like they didn't know je tamalia didn't exist they they knew him they evaluated him and
30:31
they just just feel that Dayton rayola has a better future and who's to say that they're right or wrong I mean I
30:37
feel like you know that's it's more of probably a projection with Dayton rayola but he's playing at a really great
30:43
program um he's taken all the steps you look at his physical development you know it's night and day from where he was a couple years ago and so I feel
30:51
like that they just just believe in their heart of hearts that you know he's going to be a better quarterback than
30:57
Jeff tamalia that there's more upside that there's more there to him than you know what the rankings say so you know
31:03
Nebraska doesn't really care about the rankings that much I don't think mat rule frankly gives to you know two craps
31:09
about what the rankings say we've seen that with his offers I don't really like the rankings either but go ahead sorry
31:15
no I mean you're right I don't think that you need you know the rankings are overrated I mean it's not you all the time you see guys that are super highly
31:21
rated recruits that end up doing nothing in high school so I mean you want to talk or I mean in college you want to talk about like you know a role of the
31:29
dice I mean I would say High School recruiting is even more inexact than than um the NFL because sometimes you
31:35
just don't know about competition and all that other type of stuff or just maturity levels there's a lot of things
31:40
that you know go into getting a 17 18 year old kid to you know take that
31:45
talent and turn into an NFL player so I mean I think Nebraska's doing that and um I like I like ra I liked when they
31:52
got him committed and I like the development path that he's on if he wasn't trending up maybe it would be a
31:57
different conversation but I think he's trending up in the right spot and so you know they've kind of committed to him
32:03
he's committed to them and I don't think that that's going to change I'd be really surprised if that changed the Belleview West Trio were can't miss
32:10
prospects out of the state a couple years ago and now they're all no longer here so I mean that's that's not to you
32:17
know crep on them necessarily that's just to say that a lot of these kids in state you know once once they start
32:25
playing with you know the big boys and and and and the bigger guys you know
32:31
maybe maybe they're not as good as they were at the Nebraska high school level
32:36
so I do think there's a lot of talent in this state and I think there's a lot of talent in these there has been a lot of
32:42
talent over these last couple classes but not everybody's GNA pan out yeah and we'll see um you know what
32:48
that means for like Carter Nelson I think this is a big year for him and how they're going to utilize him um but yeah
32:54
because he's kind of the next big one because you know Malachi left um so yeah there's really not like a big instate
33:00
you know guy at least on offense I mean there's um you know like Tyson Terry's coming in on defense um
33:07
but yeah yeah Christian Jones yeah that's a good one but um a lot of the stars have been in the state have been
33:12
on the offensive side of the ball and they haven't panned out too well we did see Carter catch that touchdown pass last year but they moved him around to
33:20
receiver and I don't I don't even know where he's going to play this year to be honest they really haven't said I'm assuming tight end but you know they
33:26
they haven't really and they've been pretty tight lipped on that so I don't know his development in year two I think is going to be pretty important I agree
33:33
and I think it's time to take the training wheels off I I I get that uh he he actually did play a lot last year
33:40
just on special teams um but I think it's time to take the train whe off offensively and see what he can do I
33:46
know um he had surgery at the at the very end of last season and um I'm very
33:52
interested to see you know what what he can kind of um what what he can bring to
33:58
the table because I think when you look at these skill positions you're seeing a lot more out of state kids like Cortez
34:05
Mills and Isaiah mosy and you know guys like that even when you even when we talked about some of the kids that are
34:11
coming to visit in June for example a lot of them are from Georgia and Florida so it's kind of interesting to see that
34:17
shift towards the Georgia and Florida recruiting a little bit more as opposed to maybe Nebraska and Texas even
34:23
Missouri you know we talked about a lot so it's kind of interesting to see where the recruiting board kind of Falls and
34:30
how the recruiting strategies kind of changed when they brought in guys like Philip Simpson and Jamar mosy so
34:35
recruiting is not recruiting is not an exact science so um but I think
34:41
Nebraska's well positioned offensively and I think they have a lot of Talent on the defensive side of the football too
34:47
to be ready for the future yeah I think they've really looked at you know in state is important but I think it that
34:53
500 mile radius that they're trying to you know with Kansas City and St loue and you know Chicago maybe trying to get
35:00
into there um even Kansas has some really the state of Kansas has some really good players too so I think you
35:06
know trying to make sure that you know any any player that's like a blue chip from that area you know has an offer
35:12
from Nebraska Nebraska's in the mix I think that's really what they're trying to build and uh you know we'll see I
35:17
mean they got you know Juju Smith um Isaiah mosy like you said um you know they got Williams noer in the transfer
35:23
portal um jaryan Parker out of St Louis so they're starting to make roads there and I think that's going to be a
35:30
really yeah Dawson Merritt um yeah so untapped I think that's been an untapped
35:36
um you know area for Nebraska they're playing a game at Arrowhead this year which I think just builds upon that kind
35:41
of reinforces um you know the brand Nebraska is trying to kind of establish
35:46
in the in that Kansas City you know Missouri area and yeah there's there's a ton of players there I mean you see it
35:52
all the time and if Nebraska can create a foothold in St Louis in Kansas City and in Kansas in addition to Nebraska
35:58
and then you you know cherry-pick some guys from Florida and California that's how you build a really successful program and I think that they're you
36:05
know taking steps to do that they just hired a pro Personnel guy from the Patriots which I think is only going to help with their transfer portal
36:11
evaluations and their high school evaluations which I think we're already pretty good so I mean they're doing
36:16
everything that you want them to do I mean as a fan everything that you should want them to do from a recruiting side they're doing it so I mean I think
36:23
that's a big positive we've heard this story before now we just need see the win stack up I
36:29
mean but I do think all joking aside I do think uh they are in a good position
36:34
and I think focusing on the Georgia Florida Missouri you know Midwest areas
36:39
are the smart play and um I think building that NFL staff again even the
36:45
general manager acquisition last week he came from the Patriots all specified
36:51
during the glory years not the recent years because Nebraska wouldn't want any guy connected to the Patriots right now
36:56
but um um you know I think Matt Ru is trying to build an NFL type team and and an NFL
37:03
type staff and I think that's forward thinking too because as much as fans don't want to hear it this is like the
37:09
NFL now so I mean I think Nebraska's in a good position in that respect as well
37:14
yeah definitely um I think they've got the right coaches they just need to um
37:20
you know get it get it get it done when it starts on the field there so we'll see how that all uh works out um quickly
37:27
before we wrap up um the softball team you know had a three and two weekend so
37:32
lost to Missouri lost to Oklahoma State but they did beat Missouri on Sunday um so you know they're still kind of
37:38
cruising right along Nebraska baseball though lost two out of three games won the the opening game against s Houston
37:44
State and they did play second ranked LSU and they had a lead actually and um blew it late so the Tigers won that and
37:51
then lost to Kansas State 9 to6 and man they just they have a tough time in these non-conference games and that
37:58
really you know it makes it hard when you're trying to get like an enlarge birth um so it seems like Nebraska
38:03
again's probably going to have to you know maybe win the Big 10 not the big 10 tournament necessarily but probably you
38:08
know be one of the top two teams in the regular season because their their non-conference resume so far is not working out great yeah they've really
38:15
struggled in these noncon games and um I'm I'm hoping they can kind of fix you
38:22
know kind of identify what's wrong and and fix it before Big 10 play but right
38:27
now the non-conference schedule has just been a tough seding for them and so looking up at the schedule
38:34
um yeah it looks like big 10 plays starting this week with u we got Washington will be um in Lincoln for a
38:41
three- game series this weekend they play um at Omaha and then home against
38:48
South Dakota state which is the first home game of the season on March 5th and then Washington for three games a couple
38:55
games against witch to state but yeah then basically getting right into uh you know the heart of the Big 10 schedule so
39:02
um it would be interesting to see how it works out I mean I think that they're you know off to a good start um I mean
39:09
they should be off to a better start but you know I like what I've seen from the pitching staff and the they just need to
39:14
put it together so like I'm not panicked yet um I still think that they're going to be one of the best teams in the Big 10 but it would be nice to start getting
39:22
some more non-conference wins so you don't have to rely on like winning the conference to make the tournament they
39:27
always start off slowly too or at least under will bolt they have so I'm not too worried yet but there's been some
39:33
instances where it's been really frustrating so far so we'll see what happens but I'm not ready to throw in
39:38
the towel like some like some fans are but again they need to you know really
39:44
kind of have a strong week this week I think it starts this week and so it'll be interesting to see what happens but
39:50
um I think they're very talented and they should be able to Make Some Noise Within these next couple weeks here
39:57
and I guess you know the one thing when you saw where they were ranked at the start of the Season you thought maybe if everything worked out right they could
40:04
be you know kind of contending to host one of those super regionals um so you know that I think that still should be a
40:10
goal for this program um that's a realistic I mean that's a top 16 seed I don't think that's like crazy to or not
40:15
a super Regional but host a regional excuse me um so you know hopefully they can get there and that would be a big
40:22
step but uh yeah nothing to panic about so far and um you know softball's cruising along and I think I think
40:27
everything's going along nicely there um yes it's going to be an exciting uh
40:32
spring no Spring football basketball did well yeah women's basketball got a big
40:38
win they'll start the Big 10 tournament on uh I think Wednesday against ruter I
40:44
don't have to double check that but um anyways ruter will be um you know their first round game they're the 10 seed but
40:50
I think they should be in the tournament if they win that game then they'll really be locked into the N tournament so but they destroyed Northwestern on
40:57
Sunday which was a good sign they did yeah no the women's team has taking care of business I wish the men could do the
41:02
same but I'm happy for the ladies they've had a they've had a difficult season in some aspects but they managed
41:08
to pull it together and kind of write the ship when it's needed to be wred so
41:13
they have and it's been disappointing without Natalie pots you know that she was hurt so both Nebraska teams really
41:19
you know hurt by injuries this year to two of their best players and rink mass for the men's team Natalie pots for the
41:24
women's team but hopefully they will both get d in March we'll see what happens with Ohio State later this week
41:30
and um we'll wrap it up there for this episode of the podcast so thanks for hanging out with us um please make sure
41:35
you hit the like button hit the Subscribe button get into the comment section and as always go Big Red go Big
41:41
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