♪ ♪ >> IT WAS A QUIET FEBRUARY FOR NEBRASKA AS NATIONAL SIGNING DAY CAME AND WENT WITHOUT INTRIGUE.
THE HUSKERS DID THEIR WORK DURING THE EARLY SIGNING PERIOD IN DECEMBER, AND NOW WE GET TO EXAMINE EACH OF THOSE NEW HUSKERS TONIGHT.
SEAN CALLAHAN AND NATE CLOUSE, FROM HUSKERONLINE.COM, JOIN ME TONIGHT TO LOOK AT THOSE SIGNEES, MANY OF WHICH ARE ALREADY ON CAMPUS.
IT'S ALL COMING UP ON N-E-T's "BIG RED WRAP-UP."
♪ ♪ >> HI, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO N-E-T's "BIG RED WRAP-UP."
I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.
NO PRESENTS TO OPEN THIS CHRISTMAS ON SIGNING DAY, BUT WE OPENED THEM BACK IN DECEMBER, WHEN YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO OPEN PRESENTS.
JOINING ME TONIGHT, RECRUITING EXPERTS, SEAN CALLAHAN AND NATE CLOUSE FROM HUSKERONLINE.COM.
WELCOME SEAN, WELCOME NATE.
I GUESS IT'S GOT TO BE WEIRD AFTER 16 OR 17 YEARS OF COVERING THIS FOR YOU, AGAIN, TO NOT HAVE ANYTHING REALLY TO DO ON THE ACTUAL SIGNING DAY.
>> YEAH, AND THINK WE TRIED TO MAKE THE AVANTE DICKERSON ANNOUNCEMENT LIKE THE ONLY THING GOING ON, BUT MOST OF US HAD AN IDEA, A GOOD IDEA, THAT HE WAS GOING TO GO TO OREGON, SO, YEAH, THERE WAS NOTHING TO IT.
AND, I THINK IF YOU'RE A FOOTBALL COACH, YOU DON'T WANT A LOT OF DRAMA IN FEBRUARY, BECAUSE USUALLY YOU'RE -- YOU'RE SCRAMBLING.
IF YOU'RE TRYING TO FILL A LOT OF SPOTS RIGHT NOW, IN FEBRUARY, THAT'S USUALLY BECAUSE YOU'RE A NEW COACHING STAFF COMING IN, LIKE SCOTT FROST WAS IN 2018, BUT YEAH, MOST OF THESE KIDS -- I MEAN, PROBABLY 90% OR MORE SIGNED IN DECEMBER, AND THERE'S USUALLY A REASON WHY SOMEBODY'S AVAILABLE LATE IN FEBRUARY.
>> AND THEN, NATE, YOU HAVE THE BONUS OF KIND OF A JANUARY, LATE DECEMBER, FROM THE TRANSFER PORTAL.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE A NEW SEASON OF RECRUITING.
>> YEAH, IT REALLY IS.
YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF COACHES GOING OUT ON THE ROAD THE MONTH OF JANUARY, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT, BUT THE TRANSFER PORTAL NOW IS A BIG PART OF RECRUITING, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE NEBRASKA, FOR YEARS TO COME, KIND OF TRY TO SNAG A COUPLE GUYS OUT OF THERE EACH YEAR.
>> SO, IN TERMS OF THAT -- THAT IDEA, YOU STILL WILL HAVE AFTER SPRING, NOW, ANOTHER ADDITIONAL RECRUITING PERIOD, RIGHT?
>> RIGHT -- AS FAR AS A PORTAL?
>> KIND OF FOR PORTALS, YEAH.
>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, AND TWO THINGS TO FACTOR IN: YOU'LL HAVE JUNIOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL THAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE IN THE SPRING, FCS FOOTBALL WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE SPRING, YOU'LL HAVE SOME FORMS OF HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL THAT WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE SPRING, BUT THEN THE TRANSFER PORTAL.
SO, EVERYBODY THAT GOES THROUGH SPRING BALL, THERE'S GOING TO BE A FRESH WAVE OF PROSPECTS THAT ENTER THE PORTAL, AND AS SCOTT FROST SAID TODAY, IT'S 1600 NAMES AND THAT MIGHT INCLUDE SOME WALK-ONS IN THERE, BUT IT'S A LOT OF NAMES NO MATTER HOW YOU SPIN IT, AND I THINK -- AND, EVERYBODY IN THE RECRUITING BUSINESS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW JANUARY NOW HAS BECOME KIND OF LIKE THIS NEW SEASON THAT WE ALL HAVE TO GET BEHIND AND EMBRACE BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF INTEREST IN PAGE VIEWS AND TRAFFIC WE HAD OVER PORTAL WEEK OR TWO WAS CRAZY.
I MEAN, THERE WAS AS MUCH INTEREST IN THAT AS YOU WOULD NORMALLY SEE DURING THE RECRUITING SEASON.
>> WE'LL GET MORE INTO THE COMINGS AND GOINGS IN A SECOND, BUT FIRST WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS 2021'S NEBRASKA FOOTBALL RECRUITING CLASS.
SEND US AN EMAIL WITH YOUR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, OR REACH OUT VIA FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.
WE'LL CHECK ON THOSE, AS WELL AND MONITOR THEM ALL TONIGHT.
HERE'S THIS WEEK'S ALL NEW "SIDELINE SURVEY."
HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU WITH THE TRANSFERS OF WAN'DALE ROBINSON AND LUKE McCAFFREY?
VERY?
A LITTLE?
NOT CONCERNED?
OR, WOULD YOU LIKE US TO ASK YOU NEXT YEAR WHEN YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT MEANS FOR THEM TO BE GONE?
HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE RIGHT NOW AND CAST YOUR VOTE.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH LOSSES OR GAINS FIRST FROM THE PORTAL -- WHICH ONE YOU WANT TO GO WITH FIRST?
THE NEWS IS ABOUT THE LOSSES, RIGHT?
WAN'DALE ROBINSON, LUKE McCAFFREY BEING THE BIG TWO.
WHAT WAS THAT LIKE FOR YOU GUYS WHEN THE MESSAGE BOARD FIRST, AND THE REACTION OF PEOPLE WHEN THEY FOUND OUT ABOUT WAN'DALE, AND THEN FOUND OUT ABOUT LUKE?
>> WELL, WHAT I FOUND INTERESTING ON BOTH IS, A LOT OF FANS AND INSIDERS ON OUR BOARD KNEW MORE ABOUT THIS THAN NEBRASKA'S COACHES PROBABLY KNEW.
AND, I THINK WHEN LUKE McCAFFREY -- THEY WERE LED TO BELIEVE INTERNALLY THAT HE WAS STICKING AROUND.
>> RIGHT --.
>> AND HE WAS GOING TO STAY AND EVEN WHEN IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE HE TOLD SCOTT FROST THAT HE PLANNED TO OPT OUT BUT STILL COME BACK AFTER, BECAUSE HE WAS GOING TO OPT OUT FOR COVID REASONS.
THEN THE FIRST DAY OF CLASSES STARTED, HE SOLIDIFIED HIS SCHOLARSHIP MONEY AND THINGS FOR THE SEMESTER, THEN HE OPTED -- THEN HE WENT INTO THE PORTAL RIGHT AFTER THAT.
SO, I THINK THAT THAT WAS INTERESTING HOW --.
>> SAME THING HIS BROTHER DID AT MICHIGAN.
>> SAME THING HIS BROTHER DID.
HIS BROTHER WAITED UNTIL CLASSES STARTED THE TUESDAY AFTER MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY, THEN ON A WEDNESDAY, WENT IN THE PORTAL.
SO, HE SECURED HIS SCHOLARSHIP AND STIPEND CHECK FOR AN ADDITIONAL SEMESTER TO GRADUATE AT MICHIGAN.
SO, THAT WAS AN INTERESTING MOVE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY DID TO TAKE AWAY THAT SCHOLARSHIP.
BUT, YEAH, WAN'DALE, I THINK, WITH THAT SITUATION -- THERE HAD BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE PULLING AT WAN'DALE ROBINSON AND I THINK THAT PLAYED A BIG FACTOR.
>> NATE, WHO DO WE BLAME WITH THIS, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR BLAME WHEN IT COMES TO A LUKE McCAFFREY, OR A WAN'DALE ROBINSON, WHO, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, WAS THE FACE OF THE PROGRAM OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU CAN NECESSARILY BLAME.
I THINK PART OF IT'S JUST THE NATURE OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL RIGHT NOW.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MORE AND MORE TRANSFERS.
IT'S BECOME A LOT EASIER TO TRANSFER, AND IN THIS YEAR IN PARTICULAR, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT LESS HARM THAT CAN COME FROM IT.
YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T LOSE A YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY THIS PAST YEAR, AND I THINK EVERYBODY IS GOING TO GET KIND OF A FREE PASS, YOU KNOW, WITH 1600 NAMES IN THE PORTAL, THE NCAA IS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE A CASE-BY-CASE LOOK AT EACH AND EVERY PERSON TO SAY, "OKAY, THIS PLAYER GETS A WAIVER -- THIS ONE DOES NOT GET A WAIVER."
SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T -- IT'S HARD TO PLACE BLAME ON ONE PERSON IN PARTICULAR, BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WAS JUST KIND OF THE PERFECT COMBINATION WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME GUYS THAT ENTERED THE PORTAL AND LEFT THE PROGRAM.
>> HONESTLY, THE THING THAT WE HAVE THAT'S ADJUSTED NOW IS WE NO LONGER CAN SAY A GUY'S A JUNIOR OR A SOPHOMORE, OR KNOW FOR SURE.
NOW, WE'VE GOTTA' SAY HOW MANY YEARS HE'S ON CAMPUS, BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY KNOW, RIGHT?
IN TERMS OF WHAT YEAR THEY ARE NOW, BECAUSE OF THE BONUS YEAR THEY GOT.
NEBRASKA DID PICK UP SOME GUYS FROM THE PORTAL, AS WELL.
OUT OF THE TWO BIG ONES, SEAN, WHO'S MOST IMPORTANT?
IS IT THE RUNNING BACK, MARKESE STEPP, OR IS IT BRINGING A WIDE RECEIVER WHO OBVIOUSLY PROVED HIMSELF AT THE FCS LEVEL, IN SAMORI TOURE?
>> SAMORI TOURE, TO ME.
HE COULD HAVE GOT DRAFTED THIS YEAR IF HE WENT OUT.
I MEAN, IT'S THE -- HE TOLD ME THAT THEY TOLD HIM HE'S A DAY THREE PICK, AND IF HE HAD ANOTHER GOOD YEAR, HE COULD PROBABLY INCREASE HIS STOCK, AND HE KNEW THAT MONTANA -- THERE WAS A CHANCE THAT THEY MAY NOT EVEN PLAY SPRING FOOTBALL UP THERE, SO HE GOT OUT OF THERE BECAUSE HE WANTED TO PLAY ONE MORE SEASON.
I KNOW THE EARLY REPORTS ARE ALREADY VERY IMPRESSIVE ON SAMORI, AND WHAT HE'S SHOWN, AND HE'S A VETERAN.
I MEAN, HE'S BEEN AROUND, HE'S MATURE, AND I THINK HE COULD BE BIG IN DEVELOPING SOME OF THE YOUNGER RECEIVERS ON THIS ROSTER -- A ZAVIER BETTS, AN ALANTE BROWN, AND JUST HAVING ANOTHER GUY LIKE HIM.
YOU KNOW, HE BROKE RANDY MOSS'S PLAYOFF FCS RECORD.
>> RIGHT.
>> WHO ON NEBRASKA'S ROSTER COULD YOU SAY RIGHT NOW COULD BREAK A RANDY MOSS RECORD?
NOT VERY MANY PEOPLE.
>> NO, NOT AT ALL.
NO, NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.
LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THIS, NATE, BECAUSE THE BEST THIS OFFENSE PROBABLY LOOKED SINCE SCOTT FROST WAS HERE WAS WHEN DEVINE OZIGBO GOT IT GOING AT THE END OF THAT 2018 YEAR.
YOU LOOK AT MARKESE STEPP, MAYBE EVEN GABE IRVIN, WHO'S COMING IN -- DO YOU SEE THAT BACK WHO MAYBE CAN DO THE SAME THING THEY DID IN 2018?
>> YEAH, I THINK YOU CAN CERTAINLY DRAW SOME SIMILARITIES THERE, JUST IN TERMS OF SIZE.
YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, MARKESE STEPP IS GOING TO HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE UNDER HIS BELT, WHEREAS, GABE ERVIN IS COMING STRAIGHT FROM HIGH SCHOOL, AND I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT ROOM AND HOW IT'S COMPRISED, YOU LOST ALL OF YOUR EXPERIENCE.
YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF TALENT THERE, AND MAYBE SOME DEPTH, BUT IT'S ALL UNKNOWN RIGHT NOW.
AT LEAST WITH MARKESE STEPP, YOU KNOW THAT HE'S PRODUCED AT THE POWER FIVE LEVEL.
>> SEAN, WE'LL BREAK DOWN EACH PLAYER AS WE GO ALONG, BUT WHAT DID THEY MISS?
WHAT DID THEY NOT GET THAT THEY NEEDED TO GET IN THIS CLASS?
>> WELL, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION A FEW TIMES ON THIS SET, MIKE'L, BUT --.
>> OUTSIDE LINEBACKER, PASS RUSHER?
>> THE -- THEY'VE -- THAT UNICORN, THAT POSITION EVERYONE'S LOOKING FOR IS SOMEBODY THAT CAN GET TO A QUARTERBACK AS THE FOURTH MAN IN A FOUR-MAN RUSH, WITHOUT A BLITZ.
>> RIGHT.
>> AND, THEY HAVEN'T HAD THAT SINCE RANDY GREGORY.
I MEAN, CLEO DAVIS PUT UP SACK NUMBERS, BUT I NEVER LOOKED AT HIM AS LIKE A TRUE EDGE PASS RUSHER, AND THEY JUST HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THAT, SO THEY NEED TO HOPEFULLY DEVELOP WHAT THEY HAVE INTO THAT, AND THAT'S A HUGE QUESTION.
THEY RETURN A LOT ON THIS DEFENSE, BUT I THINK IF YOU COULD SAY, "WE GOT THIS GUY THAT CAN GET US EIGHT SACKS," YOU'D FEEL A LOT BETTER.
>> YEAH, WHAT ABOUT SECONDARY BECAUSE, THAT'S THE OTHER ONE.
I KNOW NATE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT A COUPLE TIMES.
WHAT ABOUT GETTING SOMEONE IN THE SECONDARY THAT HAS A LITTLE MORE EXPERIENCE FOR SOME OF THE GUYS THAT OBVIOUSLY LOST DICAPRIO BOOTLE BACK THERE?
>> YEAH, YOU KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING TO KEEP AN EYE ON GOING FORWARD, TO SEE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S SOMEBODY IN THE JUNIOR COLLEGE MARKET, OR EVEN IN THE TRANSFER PORTAL, THAT CAN COME IN AND BRING SOME EXPERIENCE.
YOU'VE GOTTEN NADAB JOSEPH THAT THEY ADDED LATE TO LAST YEAR'S CLASS THAT, YOU KNOW, HE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF AN INJURY -- DIDN'T PLAY A TON THIS PAST SEASON, BUT MAYBE HE CAN STEP UP AND GIVE THEM SOME EXPERIENCE, AND GIVE THEM SOMEBODY TO REPLACE DICAPRIO BOOTLE THAT -- YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY THAT BROUGHT A LOT OF PRODUCTION TO THE TABLE AT THAT POSITION.
[ whoosh ] >> YEAH, I'D -- I SAID, I THINK THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF AN HALF INTENTIONAL AND HALF RESULT OF -- OF THE COVID THAT WE HAVE MORE REGIONAL GUYS.
IF THERE'S A KID IN -- IN PARTICULARLY IN THE STATE AND IN THE AREA THAT WE THINK CAN HELP US, WE WANT 'EM HERE.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THINGS WITH ZOOMS AND VIRTUAL VISITS, AND EVERYTHING, THAT I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO CONTINUE TO USE WHEN APPROPRIATE.
BUT, THE GREAT PART ABOUT THAT IS -- IS, I THINK THE TALENT POOL IN THE MIDWEST AND IN NEBRASKA LOOKS REALLY STRONG THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO GET OUR SHARE OF THOSE GUYS.
>> JUST A UNIQUE THING WITH 22 RECRUITS RIGHT NOW IS WE'VE GOT A TON OF KIDS THAT ARE ANXIOUS TO COME SEE LINCOLN AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
THERE'S TALK THAT IT'LL BE APRIL 1ST -- THERE'S TALK IT MIGHT GET PUSHED TO JUNE 1ST.
WE DO THE BEST WHEN KIDS HAVE A CHANCE TO COME SEE LINCOLN, AND SEE THE PEOPLE OF LINCOLN, AND MEET THE FANS, AND MAYBE EVEN BE AT A HOME GAME.
SO, WE'LL BE IN A BETTER POSITION THE MINUTE WE CAN HAVE UNOFFICIAL AND OFFICIAL VISITS AND DOING THE BEST WE CAN IN THE MEANTIME.
>> SEAN, SO THERE ARE FOUR BIG IN-STATE GUYS IN 2022, AND, THEY'VE GOTTEN ALL KINDS OF BIG TIME OFFERS.
WAY TOO EARLY QUESTION FOR THIS, BUT IF YOU WERE GOING TO GUESS, HOW MANY OF THE FOUR DO YOU THINK NEBRASKA GETS?
>> I MEAN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A FEW TIMES, AND I THINK RIGHT NOW, I MEAN IF YOU GET ONE OUT OF THE FOUR IT WOULD BE GOOD -- TWO WOULD BE OUTSTANDING, BUT I -- I THINK BY TAKING THREE TIGHT ENDS THIS PAST YEAR, IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT WITH MICAH RILEY AND KADEN HELMS THAT ARE BOTH HYBRID OR TIGHT-END TYPE GUYS.
DEVON JACKSON, AT BURKE, REALLY DOES NOT WANT TO PLAY INSIDE LINEBACKER IN A THREE-FOUR.
HE WANTS TO BE AN OUTSIDE LINEBACKER.
AND, I THINK IF NEBRASKA IS RECRUITING HIM AS AN INSIDE LINEBACKER, HE WON'T CONSIDER NEBRASKA.
SO, DESHAWN WOODS, WHO'S THE NUMBER ONE GUY RIGHT NOW OF RIVALS, OUT OF OMAHA CENTRAL, IS PROBABLY THE MOST LIKELY OF THAT BIG FOUR.
NOW, ERNEST HOUSEMAN, AT COLUMBUS --.
>> YEAH.
>> HE IS QUICKLY PUTTING HIS NAME IN THAT GROUP, AND I THINK JAKE APPLEGET AT LINCOLN SOUTHEAST IS GOING TO GET THERE.
HE'S IMPRESSIVE, TOO, AND THERE'S A FEW MORE THAT ARE GOING TO EMERGE.
IT'S A REALLY GOOD YEAR AGAIN, THOUGH, IN THE STATE.
>> ONE OF THE REALLY GOOD DEBATES, NATE, LAST YEAR WAS, OF THOSE TOP GUYS, YOU KNOW, AND FROM NEBRASKA, WHO WAS REALLY THE NUMBER ONE.
IN YOUR OPINION, AFTER WATCHING THE WHOLE HIGH SEASON, WHO DO YOU THINK'S NUMBER ONE FROM THAT 2021 CLASS FROM NEBRASKA?
>> I'M GOING TO STICK WITH WHO WE'VE GOT RANKED NUMBER ONE, AND WHO WE'VE KIND OF HAD RANKED NUMBER ONE, IS TEDDY PROCHAZKA.
I MEAN, YOU COULD CERTAINLY MAKE A CASE THAT AVANTE DICKERSON, AND KEAGAN JOHNSON, AND SOME OF THOSE GUYS, YOU KNOW, WERE THE NUMBER ONE GUY, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOMEBODY THAT IS -- THAT HAS ALL THE MEASURABLES, ALL THE POTENTIAL, TO PLAY AT THE NEXT LEVEL AND TO BE A DOMINANT PLAYER IN COLLEGE, I THINK IT'S TEDDY PROCHAZKA -- SIX-NINE, OVER 300 POUNDS NOW, AND JUST HIS PROGRESSION THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL HAS BEEN EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE AND, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY INTERESTED TO SEE HIM CONTINUE TO GROW ONCE HE GETS TO LINCOLN.
WELL, HE'S ALREADY ON CAMPUS, BUT ONCE HE KIND OF STARTS HIS CAREER HERE.
>> SAME FOR YOU, SEAN, BECAUSE WE WERE AT SEVERAL BELLEVUE WEST GAMES TOGETHER, AND THERE WAS NO MORE UNSTOPPABLE FORCE IN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL THIS YEAR THAN KEAGAN JOHNSON.
>> YEAH, I THINK -- I MEAN, KEAGAN JOHNSON, IT'S ALMOST A 1-A, 1-B.
YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, I'M LIKE, THIS IS A LOSS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GOING TO HURT NEBRASKA.
WHEN I WATCHED KEAGAN THIS YEAR, I'M LIKE, WOW, THIS GUY IS GOING TO CAUSE NEBRASKA A LOT OF PROBLEMS AND HE'S GOING TO BE THAT GUY WHEN IOWA TAKES THE FIELD FOR FOUR GAMES AGAINST THE HUSKERS, HE'S GOING TO HAVE A CHIP ON HIS SHOULDER, HE'S GOING TO BE FIRED UP FOR THAT GAME, AND, YOU KNOW, HE HAD, TO ME, THE BEST SEASON OF ANY PLAYER IN NEBRASKA CLASS A FOOTBALL, YOU COULD ARGUE, IS KEAGAN JOHNSON.
>> ONE LAST QUESTION BEFORE WE TAKE A BREAK, BUT AVANTE DICKERSON.
HOW BIG OF A LOSS IS THAT NOT GETTING HIM AT THE LAST MINUTE AND HIM GOING OUT TO OREGON?
>> THE PERCEPTION IS THE LOSS -- I MEAN, YOU COULD GO AND LISTEN, IT'S LIKE SOME NATIONAL RADIO SHOWS ON ESPNU RADIO, THEY'RE RIPPING NEBRASKA FOR, YOU KNOW, NOT GETTING AVANTE DICKERSON -- HOW THIS IS TRAGIC, BUT THEY TRIED.
AND, THEY TRIED ---.
>> AND, THEY CAME CLOSE.
I MEAN --.
>> THEY TRIED, AND, THEY NEVER REALLY MADE AN IMPACT --.
>> BARELY MADE AN IMPACT, DIDN'T HE?
HE'S KIND OF ONE OF THE REASONS WHY HE DE-COMMITTED FROM MINNESOTA.
THEY REALLY GOT BACK INVOLVED.
>> I JUST THINK AVANTE DIDN'T GROW UP FOLLOWING NEBRASKA FOOTBALL.
THEY'RE NOT A FAMILY THAT WATCHED A LOT OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL, SO HE DIDN'T HAVE LIKE A STRONG AFFECTION TOWARDS, LIKE, A PARTICULAR COACH OR A PROGRAM.
LIKE, IT WAS A LOT OF WORK, AND HE WAS ALWAYS GOING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
I MEAN, THE WAY HE COMMITTED TO MINNESOTA WAS DIFFERENT.
THE WAY HE DIDN'T SIGN ON SIGNING DAY WAS DIFFERENT, SO NOTHING WAS NORMAL WITH HOW AVANTE HANDLED THE PROCESS, SO, NO, I'M NOT SURPRISED THAT HE DIDN'T END UP AT NEBRASKA, AND SURE, I THINK PERCEPTUALLY, IT'S A HIT, BUT I THINK MAYBE HE'LL BE A BETTER FIT IN THE PAC12, AND THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT SOLD HIM.
>> NO BAD ABOUT THAT.
COMING UP NEXT, WE'LL BREAK DOWN THE NEW RECRUITING CLASS, POSITION BY POSITION, STARTING WITH THE OFFENSE.
AS WE GO TO BREAK, ENJOY SOME OF THE IMAGES FROM THE 2020 SEASON, COURTESY OF "HAIL, VARSITY."
STAY WITH US, WE'RE RIGHT BACK.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> WELCOME BACK TO N-E-T's "BIG RED WRAP-UP."
I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.
SEAN CALLAHAN AND NATE CLOUSE WILL START ON THE OFFENSIVE SIDE OF THE BALL FOR THE SIGNAGE.
AND, I'LL START WITH YOU, NATE.
I ASKED YOU THIS YESTERDAY, HOW FAR AWAY DO YOU SEE HEINRICH HAARBERG FROM BEING ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE AT NEBRASKA?
HE'S OBVIOUSLY A LITTLE RAW -- HE'S A BIT OF A PROJECT, BUT HE CERTAINLY GOT SOME SKILL.
>> YEAH, HE'S GOT A LOT OF SKILL, AND HE'S GOT GREAT SIZE, SIX-FIVE, YOU KNOW 190 POUNDS -- HE'S GOT A LOT OF TOOLS THAT YOU JUST CAN'T TEACH.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WILL HELP HIS PROGRESSION, HELP HIM GET ON THE FIELD SOONER, BUT IDEALLY, I THINK IT WOULD BE A COUPLE YEARS.
HE'S MAKING THE TRANSITION FROM NEBRASKA CLASS C-1 FOOTBALL TO POWER FIVE BIG TEN.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIT OF A -- OF A TRANSITION, I THINK.
YOU KNOW, JUST THE SPEED OF THE GAME IN GENERAL.
BUT, YOU'RE RIGHT, HE'S GOT ALL THE TOOLS.
HE'S A DUAL-THREAT GUY, WITH TREMENDOUS SPEED, AND HE'S GOT A LIVE ARM.
HE CAN THROW THE BALL A LONG WAY, AND SO, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE WHO'S CLAMORING FOR NEBRASKA TO BE ABLE TO PUSH THE BALL DOWN THE FIELD, YOU KNOW, HAARBERG IS SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM DOING THAT AT ALL.
>> WHEN DID -- HOW DID HE POP UP ON THE RADAR FOR NEBRASKA?
>> WELL, FOR -- HIS NAME GOT OUT THERE -- I FIRST HEARD ABOUT HIM, OR WE DID, MIKE VEDRAL, NOAH'S DAD, THEY DO A LOT OF THAT QUARTERBACK TRAINING AND WHEN HAARBERG WAS A SOPHOMORE, I WAS MAKING MY TOUR AROUND NEBRASKA AT THAT TIME, AND HE GOES, "THIS KID AT KEARNEY CATHOLIC, SEAN, I'D BEEN AROUND ENOUGH, HE'S GOT SOMETHING."
AND SO, I'M LIKE, WELL, I CALLED UP COACH HARVEY, AND "I'M STOPPING -- I'LL BE IN KEARNEY THIS DAY -- I'LL SEE HIM," AND HE WAS JUST A YOUNG KID, I MEAN, SKINNY, GANGLY, AWKWARD, BUT YOU COULD TELL HE HAD THE TOOLBOX, AND HE'S WORKED REALLY HARD.
I MEAN, TO BE A CLASS C-1 KID AND GO POWER FIVE, AND AS A QUARTERBACK.
I MEAN, IT HASN'T BEEN DONE SINCE SCOTT FROST.
>> YEAH, AND HE'S A VERY TALENTED KID, AND HE LOOKS A LOT LIKE JUSTIN HERBERT LOOKED WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG KID COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.
GABE ERVIN, WE'LL START WITH YOU WITH THE RUNNING BACK.
A LOT OF YOUNG RUNNING BACKS, AND YOU THROW IN MARKESE STEPP, WHERE DOES GABE ERVIN FIT IN, YOU THINK, AS A FRESHMAN?
>> WELL, HE'S A COMPETITOR, HE'S VERY CONFIDENT.
I MEAN, I'VE TALKED TO SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND HIM ON CAMPUS ALREADY, AND THEY'RE LIKE, "YEAH, HE'S GOT THE RIGHT LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE."
I THINK THEY WENT OUT BOWLING AS A TEAM, AND HE WAS TEAMED UP WITH SOME OLDER GUYS AND, I MEAN, HE WAS ALREADY -- THEY LIKED HIM ALREADY.
THE OLDER GUYS ON THE TEAM WERE REALLY IMPRESSED WITH HIM, SO HE'S GOING TO GET A CLEAN LOOK.
I MEAN -- I -- I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU WOULD EVEN GIVE THE FIRST CARRY TO, IF IT'S JUST RAHMIR JOHNSON, OR, WHO THE GUY THAT WOULD MICHAEL WOULD EVEN GET -- RONALD THOMPKINS, MARVIN SCOTT - NOBODY -- NOPE, MARKESE STEPP -- YEAH, I MEAN, NOBODY TODAY WOULD BE THE LEAD HORSE, BUT YES, STEPP WOULD BE THE GUY WITH THE MOST DIVISION I EXPERIENCE.
>> DOES GABE REMIND YOU A LITTLE BIT OF WATCHING DEVINE OZIGBO COME OUT OF TEXAS, NATE?
>> YEAH, HE DOES.
I THINK THERE IS CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, A LOT TO DRAW COMPARISONS THERE WITH.
HE CAN CATCH THE FOOTBALL OUT OF THE BACKFIELD, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT DEVINE DID AN AWFUL LOT, AND HE'S A NORTH AND SOUTH RUNNER.
HE'S SOMEBODY WHO CAN RUN BETWEEN THE TACKLES VERY WELL.
HE DOES NOT DO A LOT OF DANCING, AND, YOU KNOW, HE CAN MAKE SOMEBODY MISS, OR HE CAN RUN SOMEBODY OVER IN THE HOLE.
AND, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING I REALLY LIKE ABOUT HIM.
HE'S GOT SOME PULL-AWAY SPEED, TOO.
SO, I THINK, JUST WITH HIS SIZE COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, THERE IS A LOT OF COMPARISONS THERE WITH DEVINE OZIGBO.
>> I ALSO LIKED HE PLAYED IN SOME I-BACK SITUATIONS WITH A FULLBACK IN FRONT OF HIM, SO HE KNOWS HOW TO HANDLE A LEAD BLOCKER.
LET'S START WITH THE WIDE RECEIVES NOW, AND I KNOW YOUR FAVORITE, I THINK OUT OF THE THREE, NATE, WAS KAMONTE GRIMES.
SIZE ACTUALLY -- I MEAN, THE KID'S COMING IN LOOKING LIKE A COLLEGE PLAYER ALREADY.
>> YEAH, HE REALLY IS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I LIKE ALL THESE WIDE RECEIVERS, BUT KAMONTE GRIMES IS SOMEBODY I'M REALLY INTRIGUED WITH -- SIX-THREE, 200 POUNDS.
HE'S GOT TREMENDOUS HANDS.
HE'S A TWO-WAY PLAYER AT HIS HIGH SCHOOL THERE IN NAPLES, FLORIDA, AND IT JUST -- SOMEBODY WHO MAKES PLAYS, AND TO GO ALONG WITH THAT SIZE, HE'S GOT REALLY GOOD SPEED, TOO.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S A LOT TO LIKE ABOUT HIM.
YOU KNOW, NEBRASKA'S OBVIOUSLY PLACED AN EMPHASIS ON ADDING, YOU KNOW, SOME BIGGER WIDE RECEIVERS INTO THIS PROGRAM, AND TO GET A GUY LIKE KAMONTE OUT OF -- OUT OF FLORIDA, WHICH I KNOW MAKES SOME PEOPLE CRINGE --.
>> YEAH --.
>> BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY -- THEY'VE KEPT IT PRETTY HONEST WITH HIM AND THEY'RE VERY BLUNT ABOUT WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE WHEN HE GETS TO NEBRASKA, AND IF HE'S UP FOR THAT CHALLENGE.
AND, HE'S SOMEBODY WHO NOT ONLY WAS UP FOR IT, BUT REALLY EMBRACED THAT.
>> GOOD COMPETITION IN NAPLES?
THAT'S WHAT I WONDER ABOUT.
>> YOU KNOW, IT'S STRAIGHT ACROSS THE PENINSULA FROM MIAMI, TWO HOURS AWAY, BUT IT'S A LONG WAYS AWAY FROM MIAMI AS FAR AS WHAT THEY SEE, BUT, YEAH, IT'S NOT MIAMI COMPETITION, BUT IT'S STILL REALLY GOOD.
I MEAN, I THINK ALL OF SOUTH FLORIDA IS HIGH-LEVEL COMPETITION.
BUT, LIKE NATE SAID, THE SIZE OF ALL THESE RECEIVERS TONIGHT, MIKE'L, SIX-THREE, SIX-FOUR -- THAT EMPHASIS WAS CLEAR WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO TO THAT ROOM.
>> BASED ON A TAPE, SHAWN HARDY LOOKS THE FASTEST OF THE THREE GUYS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HIM?
>> YEAH, ONCE AGAIN, ANOTHER GUY, SIX-THREE, 190, A GEORGIA KID.
NEBRASKA'S HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA.
YOU'RE RIGHT, MIKE'L, I THINK THE SPEED'S THERE, YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF KID YOU'RE GETTING.
I MEAN, NEBRASKA'S HAD REALLY GOOD SUCCESS IN GEORGIA WITH THE PLAYERS THEY BRING IN.
HONESTLY, LIKE, IF YOU COULD PICK THE THREE-STAR THAT GEORGIA OR FLORIDA, A LOT OF TIMES THE GEORGIA KID TENDS TO BE THE BETTER FIT AT NEBRASKA.
>> YEAH, I AGREE WITH YOU.
YOU KNOW, THE THING ABOUT HIM, NATE, IS EVERY TIME HE CAUGHT A TOUCHDOWN, HE FLIPPED THE BALL TO THE OFFICIAL.
I LOVE THAT ABOUT HIM.
YOU TELL THAT A KID IS ALREADY PRETTY MATURE, I THINK.
>> HE'S VERY MATURE, AND HE'S A COACH'S KID --.
>> OH, IN AROUND THE GAME FOR AN AWFUL LONG TIME, AND SO I THINK THOSE ARE SOME OF THE INTANGIBLES THAT NEBRASKA LOOKS FOR IN PLAYERS, AND THEY'RE -- YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GETTING A LOT OF THOSE INTANGIBLES WITH SHAWN HARDY.
AND, YOU KNOW, HE PLAYS GOOD FOOTBALL IN GEORGIA, TOO.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THE FOOTBALL IN TEXAS, IN FLORIDA, AND IN GEORGIA, YOU KNOW -- THERE IN CAMDEN ACADEMY, THEY PLAY SOME OF THE TOP TEAMS IN THE STATE.
>> NATE, LATRELL NEVILLE IS, I THINK, IN THE END WILL BE THE BEST OF THE THREE, IN MY OPINION, WATCHING HIS TAPE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE KID OUT OF TEXAS?
>> WELL, HE'S EXTREMELY SKILLED, FIRST OF ALL.
I MEAN, I KNOW THAT HE'S AN EXTREMELY HARD WORKER, TOO.
YOU KNOW, TO GO ALONG WITH THAT SIZE, HE KNOWS HOW TO USE HIS BODY.
HE CAN GO UP AND GET A FOOTBALL -- HE'S GOT NO PROBLEM BLOCKING ON THE EDGE, WHICH IS KNOW IS SOMETHING THAT NEBRASKA FANS ARE PROBABLY EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT, BUT AGAIN, HE PLAYED A HIGH LEVEL OF FOOTBALL AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S NECESSARILY GOING TO BE SOMEONE THAT'S GOING TO TAKE THE TOP OFF OF THE DEFENSE, BUT, YOU KNOW, HE'S GOING TO BE A BIG TARGET AND HE'S GOING TO -- HE'S GOING TO GET A LOT OF YARDS, YOU KNOW, AS A WIDE RECEIVER FOR THE HUSKERS.
>> WHAT INTRIGUED ME ABOUT HIM IS THEY RAN A LOT OF THAT INSIDE SCREEN STUFF.
VERY PATIENT, BREAKS A LOT OF TACKLES, RUNS A LOT OF JET MOTIONS LIKE HE COULD FALL RIGHT INTO WHAT THEY DID A LITTLE BIT WITH ZAVIER BETTS LAST YEAR.
>> YEAH, AND I THINK HE'S PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AHEAD MENTALLY IN HIS UNDERSTANDING OF THE GAME, AND, HE'S NOT HERE -- HE'S NOT HERE NOW.
AT ONE TIME, WE THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO MAYBE BE AN EARLY ENROLLEE, BUT HE'LL BE HERE LATER.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU WONDER IF SOME OF THESE GUYS CAN FIND THEMSELVES ON THE FIELD.
>> IN THE END, 2021 WILL BE KNOWN AS THE "TIGHT END RECRUITING CLASS."
LET'S START WITH JAMES CARNIE FIRST, WATCHING HIM FROM JUNIOR YEAR TO SENIOR YEAR, WHAT DID HE START EATING, NATE?
BECAUSE HE LOOKS LIKE A DIFFERENT KID.
>> HE'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT KID, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANOTHER PLAYER IN THE STATE, OR MAYBE EVEN IN THE REGION THAT IMPROVED MORE THAN JAMES CARNIE DID FROM HIS JUNIOR TO SENIOR YEAR.
YOU KNOW, AND REALLY TOOK HIS STOCK TO A WHOLE 'NOTHER LEVEL AS FAR AS BEING A PROSPECT AND BEING A RECRUIT.
AND, HE WAS COMMITTED TO MIAMI OF OHIO EARLY ON, BUT IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR -- FOR TEAMS TO REALLY RECOGNIZE THAT, HEY, THIS KID IS A POWER FIVE PLAYER, AND WHEN IT REALLY CLICKED FOR ME IS WHEN, YOU KNOW, YOU WATCHED JAMES CARNIE GO UP AGAINST THOMAS FIDONE AT THE WARREN ACADEMY SHOWCASE OVER THE SUMMER, AND THE MEASURABLES WERE VERY SIMILAR, THE TESTING NUMBERS WERE VERY SIMILAR, AND THEY MADE VERY SIMILAR PLAYS ON THE FOOTBALL.
AND SO, THAT'S WHEN I WAS COMPLETELY SOLD THAT THIS IS SOMEBODY NEBRASKA NEEDED TO GO AFTER.
AND, MAYBE TOOK A LITTLE LONGER THAN WHAT -- WHAT SOME PEOPLE WOULD HAVE LIKED AS FAR AS THAT OFFER, BUT, YOU KNOW THE OTHER THING THAT I REALLY RESPECT IS THAT AS SOON AS THAT HAPPENED, HE DIDN'T MESS AROUND.
HE JUMPED ON THAT OFFER.
>> GOOD EDGE BLOCKER, TOO, THAT'S THE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME, IS THAT HE'S A WILLING BLOCKER.
>> YEAH, AND HE'S GOT GOOD FEET, GOOD SPEED -- I MEAN, HE'S GOT -- THE TOTAL PACKAGE, AND WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE A THIRD TIGHT END, YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE IT'S WORTHWHILE, BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT THOSE OMAHA KIDS -- MICAH RILEY AND --.
>> KADEN HELMS --.
>> HELMS AT BELLEVUE WEST.
WELL, BY TAKING THAT THIRD TIGHT END IN '21, YOU MAKE A LOT HARDER NOW WITH THOSE GUYS, SO THEY HAD A LOT OF THINKING TO DO THERE.
I THINK ONCE IOWA AND KANSAS STATE, PARTICULARLY IOWA, THOUGH, OFFERED, THAT WAS WHAT DREW THE BALL OVER THE GOAL LINE THAT, LIKE, "LOOK, WE JUST GOT TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE IT WORK AND GET HIM IN THE PROGRAM, BECAUSE HE'S A GUY THAT WANTS TO BE AT NEBRASKA, AND HE BELONGS HERE.
AND, WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN."
>> THERE ARE A NUMBER OF GREAT PLAYERS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THE METRO IN THE LAST 20 YEARS.
WHERE DOES THOMAS FIDONE FIT, IN TERMS OF RECOGNITION NATIONALLY AS A GUY FROM THE METRO AREA?
>> HE -- AS FAR THE RIVALS RANKING ERA GOES, I MEAN, BAKER STEINKUHLER WAS IN LINCOLN, WAS A FIVE-STAR.
TREVOR ROBINSON WAS THE NUMBER ONE GUARD IN THE NATION THAT WENT TO NOTRE DAME, BUT THERE HAVEN'T BEEN -- NILES PAUL WAS TOP 100, TOP 50-ISH GUY.
BUT YEAH, I WOULD SAY HE'S RIGHT UP THERE AS ONE OF THE BEST.
I MEAN, HE'S THE NUMBER ONE TIGHT END IN THE COUNTRY ON RIVALS.COM, AND HE DID IT ALL FOR HIS TEAM THIS PAST YEAR, AND HE LITERALLY HAD EVERY OFFER IN THE COUNTRY.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF ALABAMA ENDED UP OFFERING HIM OR NOT, BUT HE HAD ABOUT EVERY OTHER OFFER, OTHER THAN ALABAMA AND MAYBE OHIO STATE.
>> YOU DOING HIS MEASURABLES, NATE, THE ONE THAT YOU NEED TO ADD IN THERE IS CONFIDENCE.
HE DOESN'T LACK CONFIDENCE AT ALL.
>> NO, HE DOESN'T LACK CONFIDENCE, AND THAT'S ONE THING I REALLY LIKE ABOUT HIM, ALONG WITH HIS COMPETITIVENESS.
YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF HOW TALL HE IS, HOW FAST HE IS, AND HOW GOOD OF A PASS-CATCHER HE IS, HE'S VERY CONFIDENT AND HE IS THE ULTIMATE COMPETITOR.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE TALKED TO TOO MANY PROSPECTS THAT LIKE TO COMPETE AS MUCH AS THOMAS FIDONE DOES.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT'S REALLY GOING TO HELP SET HIM APART IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT HE BRINGS TO THE TABLE JUST OUTSIDE OF THE FOOTBALL FIELD.
I THINK HE'S GOING TO BE A BIG, BIG LEADER FOR THIS TEAM FOR YEARS TO COME.
>> HE'S SUCH A MISMATCH, TOO, IN THE RED ZONE OR ON THIRD DOWN.
SO, AJ ROLLINS, IF I WOULD HAVE ASKED YOU A COUPLE YEARS AGO, NATE, ABOUT HIM, WOULD YOU HAVE THOUGHT BASKETBALL PLAYER OR FOOTBALL PLAYER?
>> BASKETBALL, NO DOUBT.
A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
BUT, HE HAS REALLY IMPROVED HIS GAME AND YOU COULD SEE IT, YEAR BY YEAR, AND I THINK YOU COULD SEE THE MOST PROGRESSION THIS YEAR AS A SENIOR.
YOU KNOW, HE WAS -- HE WAS SOMEBODY THAT DIDN'T NECESSARILY LOVE CONTACT, I THINK, AS A SOPHOMORE, AND -- BUT, HE REALLY GREW INTO THAT AND WAS A WILLING AND MORE THAN CAPABLE BLOCKER FOR CREIGHTON PREP THIS YEAR AS A SENIOR, AND, YOU KNOW, HE'S REALLY DOING THE LITTLE THINGS THAT I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME, YOU KNOW, WATCHING HIM AS A SENIOR ON FILM.
AND, SOMEONE WHO PLAYS BOTH WAYS AND IS JUST AN OVERALL TREMENDOUS ATHLETE.
>> ANY CHANCE, YOU THINK, THAT HE ENDS UP BEING AN OUTSIDE LINEBACKER, STAND-UP GUY IN THREE-FOUR?
YEAH, I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE THAT HE COULD DEVELOP INTO THAT.
I SAW SOME FLASHES -- I WATCHED HIM PLAY AT LEAST TWO GAMES THIS YEAR IN PERSON AND, WHEN HE WAS DOING THE THIRD-DOWN PASS RUSHING, GETTING UP IN THE AIR, DISRUPTING PLAYS, YOU COULD SEE IT.
YOU'RE LIKE, "OKAY" --.
>> AGAINST MILLER WEST, HE HAD A COUPLE PLAYS.
>> THIS MIGHT BE THERE FOR HIM WHERE HE COULD BE AN OUTSIDE LINEBACKER, BUT I THINK HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO DEVELOP, RED SHIRT, YOU KNOW, FULLY COMMIT TO A WEIGHT ROOM, BUT THERE'S A LOT THERE, AND I THINK THAT WHEN NEBRASKA OFFERED HIM GOING INTO HIS JUNIOR YEAR, THAT KIND OF TURNED THE LIGHTBULB ON THAT THEY CAME IN WITH AN OFFER WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE TOLD HIM, LIKE, "YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU NEED TO WORK A LOT HARDER TO GET NOTICE," AND THEY SAW SOMETHING GOING INTO HIS JUNIOR SEASON WHAT LED THEM TO OFFER HIM RIGHT AWAY.
>> LET'S GO TO THE PLACE WHERE NEBRASKA REALLY WAS BUILT OVER THE GREAT YEARS AND ITS OFFENSIVE LINE IN THE PIPELINE, AND I THINK THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD CLASS.
NOT A HUGE, BUT HENRY LUTOVSKY, LET'S START OFF WITH HIM, NATE, AND YOUR THOUGHTS ON A GUY WHO MOST LIKELY WILL BE A GUARD, BUT WHO YOU LITERALLY CAN'T MOVE HIM OUT OF THE MIDDLE.
>> NO, YOU CAN'T MOVE HIM.
HE'S A MASSIVE HUMAN BEING.
AND, WE TALK ABOUT HOW BIG TEDDY IS, AND EVEN BRANSON FOR THAT MATTER, BUT HENRY LUTOVSKY IS SIX-SIX, 310 POUNDS.
THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE ON THE LIGHT SIDE, BUT HE IS MASSIVE, AND HE'S STRONG AS AN OX.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S BEEN TOO MANY OFFENSIVE LINEMEN WHO HAVE COME INTO THE PROGRAM AS FRESHMEN THAT, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS BEING PHYSICALLY DEVELOPED ARE -- ARE NOT FAR OFF FROM BEING ABLE TO HOLD HIS OWN AT THE BIG TEN LEVEL, WHICH IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE COMING FROM A SMALLER SCHOOL IN IOWA.
BUT, WE TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH JAMES CARNIE PROGRESSED PHYSICALLY -- YOU KNOW, HENRY LUTOVSKY REALLY DID THE SAME THING.
WHEN YOU GO BACK AND YOU WATCH HIS FILM FROM SOPHOMORE, JUNIOR, TO SENIOR YEAR, HE BECAME A DOMINANT LINEMAN.
>> NO WAY HE'S 310.
THERE'S NO WAY IN THE WORLD -- I'LL BET ANYBODY HE'S NOT 310 --.
>> THREE TWENTY-FIVE?
>> THREE TWENTY-FIVE, EASILY.
YOU KNOW, HE HAD TO NOT HAVE EATEN THE DAY BEFORE.
>> WE DO THESE QUESTIONNAIRES, IT'S CALLED, "GETTING TO KNOW A HUSKER ONLINE," AND WE ASKED HIM ONE QUESTION -- DID WEATHER PLAY A FACTOR AT ALL ON YOUR DECISION?
HE GOES, "YEAH, IT DID.
I DIDN'T WANT TO GO SOMEWHERE WHERE IT WAS HOT, BECAUSE I DON'T DO WELL IN THE HEAT."
>> [laughs] I BELIEVE IT.
I BELIEVE IT, THAT'S A BIG CAT.
TEDDY PROCHAZKA -- WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HIM.
YOU GUYS HAD HIM NUMBER ONE THERE IN RIVALS TOP PLAYER IN NEBRASKA.
I'VE WATCHED HIM A BUNCH OF TIMES AND HE CERTAINLY HAS COME ALONG.
WHAT DO YOU THINK HIS CEILING IS?
>> I MEAN, HE COULD BE AN NFL GUY.
I MEAN, THERE'S NO QUESTION.
LIKE, IF HE KEEPS DEVELOPING.
WHAT'S INTERESTING, THOUGH, IS HOW HE'S HAD TO GROW HIS BODY.
NATE AND I SAW HIM AT THE PIPELINE CAMP AFTER HIS FRESHMAN YEAR, AND I REMEMBER I REACHED OUT TO A FEW PEOPLE TIED TO ELKHORN SOUTH, AND I SAID, "AM I SEEING THIS KID RIGHT?
BECAUSE, I SEE A GUY THAT COULD BE PRETTY BIG TIME."
AND, THEY'RE, LIKE, "YES, LIKE, HE'S GOT EVERYTHING YOU'D WANT AND HE'S GOT THE RIGHT ATTITUDE, THE RIGHT TOUGHNESS.
HE'S A COMPETITOR.
HE DOESN'T BACK DOWN.
HE FIGHTS.
HE COMPETES, AND HE WANTS TO WIN," SO THAT'S WHAT DRIVES HIM TO ME OVER SOME OTHER GUYS THAT ARE BIG.
A LOT OF BIG GUYS AREN'T MEAN.
HE'S MEAN, AND HE'S GOT AN EDGE TO HIM, AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO TAKE HIM PRETTY FAR ONCE HE'S IN A STRUCTURED PROGRAM LIKE NEBRASKA.
>> AND, WHAT IMPRESSED ME WAS IN THE PLAYOFF GAME, ON THE DEFENSIVE SIDE OF THE BALL, HE GOT A SACK THE END OF THE SEMI-FINAL GAME, AND I THOUGHT, "THAT'S AS MEAN AS I'VE SEEN HIM, AND AGGRESSIVE."
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HIM, NATE, AND HIS UPSIDE?
>> WELL, HIS UPSIDE IS PRETTY MUCH UNLIMITED WHEN YOU COMBINE, YOU KNOW, HOW HE'S PROGRESSED ALONG WITH THE BODY THAT HE'S GOT TO WORK WITH.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T SEE -- YOU JUST DON'T SEE TOO MANY GUYS THAT BIG THAT ARE AS ATHLETIC AS HE IS, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE TO ME WHEN YOU WATCH HIM, YOU SEE AN OFFENSIVE TACKLE WHO'S POLLING.
THAT SIX-NINE, 300 POUNDS, AND HE'S RUNNING, AND HE'S GETTING OUT THERE AND GETTING BLOCKS, AND LOOKING FOR MORE WORK DOWN THE FOOTBALL FIELD, SO, YOU KNOW, HE'S SOMEBODY THAT I THINK -- YOU KNOW, HIS POTENTIAL IS PRETTY MUCH UNLIMITED.
>> THE TOUGHEST FOR HIM IS GOING TO BE SPEED RUSHERS AND BE ABLE TO GET LOW AND GET LEVERAGE IS KIND OF HARD FOR HIM, BUT A GUY WHO DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF TAPE IS BRANSON YAGER.
NOT A WHOLE LOT OF STUFF OUT THERE.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HIM?
>> YEAH, OUT OF UTAH, WAS ONE OF THE EARLY COMMITS IN THIS CLASS, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.
I MEAN, HE'S EARLY, THOUGH, SO ALL THREE OF THESE LINEMEN ARE HERE EARLY AND THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PLAY AS FRESHMEN, BUT I JUST THINK THAT'S GOING TO HELP THAT DEVELOPMENT CURVE, GET THEIR BODIES IN A GOOD PLACE GOING INTO NEXT FALL AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I QUESTION MAYBE IS THE COMPETITION YOU SAW, I BELIEVE IT WAS A SMALLER CLASS IN UTAH, SO, YOU KNOW, HOW WILL HE ADJUST WHEN HE'S HERE?
BUT, HE'S BEEN A GREAT FIT IN THIS CLASS.
LIKE, THERE'S A GROUP OF EIGHT OR 10 OF THESE KIDS THAT LITERALLY TALK DAILY, AND HE'S A PART OF THAT GROUP AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE KIND OF WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH HIM.
>> THE LAST GUY OUT OF UTAH, NATE, WAS IT THE TRANSFER OUT OF SNOW COLLEGE?
>> WHO'S THE LAST PERSON OUT OF UTAH?
>> YEAH, WELL, VAHA, VAENUKU, WAS THE GRAD TRANSFER, BUT YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S -- THERE'S AN OUTSIDE LINEBACKER I'M DRAWING A BLANK ON THE NAME RIGHT NOW, OUTSIDE LINEBACKER --.
>> YEAH, JARED AFALAVA.
>> RIGHT, I THOUGHT HE WAS ARIZONA.
>> OKAY.
THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
WHO WAS THE OFFENSIVE LINEMAN?
>> RYON BINGHAM?
>> YOU KNOW, OUT OF SNOW COLLEGE?
HE'S THE ONE ENDING UP GETTING PUNCHED BY NDAMUKONG SUH.
>> VICTORY HAINES.
>> VICTORY HAINES!
THAT'S WHO WAS STUCK IN MY HEAD.
SO, OVERALL, LET'S TALK OFFENSIVE, KIND OF WRAPPING IT UP.
IF YOU ADD IN STEPP AND YOU ADD IN TOURE AS GUYS WHO OBVIOUSLY ARE CONTRIBUTING, WHERE DO YOU KIND OF RANK THIS OFFENSE IN THIS HAUL THEY BROUGHT IN IN 2021?
>> WELL, I MEAN, THOSE ARE, IN MY OPINION, IF YOU HAD A RANKINGS, THEY'D BE FOUR-STAR ADDITIONS TO THE ROSTER.
IF THEY WERE, LIKE, JUCO TYPE ADDITIONS, OR WHATEVER, I MEAN YOU'VE ADDED, ESSENTIALLY IN MY OPINION, EITHER THE NUMBER ONE OR NUMBER TWO RECEIVER IN THE PORTAL, AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE TOP TWO OR THREE RUNNING BACKS IN THE PORTAL.
AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE WANTED TOURE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WANTED STEPP, SO I DO THINK IT PUSHES THIS CLASS UP PRETTY HIGH.
I DON'T SEE ANY JUST HUGE GLARING HOLES.
YOU KNOW, THEY CLEARLY WEREN'T LOOKING FOR A WAN'DALE ROBINSON-TYPE RECEIVER THIS YEAR.
THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE ENOUGH OF THOSE GUYS.
THEY WANTED BEEF, THEY WANTED SIZE, AND THEY WANTED A BIGGER RUNNING BACK, AND I THINK THEY GOT ALL THOSE THINGS.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT ADDS TO THIS, NATE, A LITTLE BIT, WILL NIXON NOT PLAYING LAST YEAR, YOU CAN ALMOST SLIDE HIM INTO THIS CLASS AND HE IS THE GUY THAT'S KIND OF WAN'DALE ROBINSON.
I THINK IF YOU ADD HIM IN, IT MAKES THE CLASS EVEN BETTER.
>> YEAH, YOU REALLY DO.
YOU COULD COUNT HIM AS THAT SLOT RECEIVER IN THIS RECRUITING CLASS SINCE HE WENT DOWN WITH THAT KNEE INJURY AND, YOU KNOW, NONE OF US HAD REALLY SEEN MUCH OF HIM, BUT HE PUT UP GREAT NUMBERS DOWN IN TEXAS.
HE'S ANOTHER COACH'S KID AND, YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO THAT INJURY, WE WERE HEARING A LOT OF GOOD THINGS ABOUT HIM, SO HE'S SOMEBODY WHO IS GOING TO BE -- YOU KNOW, YOU COULD VERY WELL CONSIDER A NEWCOMER TO THIS CLASS.
>> WE'LL TAKE A SHORT BREAK.
THE MOST IMPORTANT SIDE OF THE BALL, AT LEAST FOR THE FANS, ARE THE BLACK SHIRTS -- DEFENSIVE SIDE OF THE BALL UP NEXT.
BUT, AS WE GO TO BREAK, YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE SEASON THAT WAS WITH VIDEO COURTESY -- PICTURES FROM "HAIL, VARSITY."
WE'RE BACK SOON.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> DON'T FORGET TO HEAD OVER TO OUR WEBSITE AND VOTE ON THIS WEEK'S "SIDELINE SURVEY, HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU WITH THE TRANSFERS OF WAN'DALE ROBINSON AND LUKE McCAFFREY?"
AS OF RIGHT NOW, 32% OF PEOPLE SAY "VERY" -- 21%, "A LITTLE" -- AND 37, WHICH IS LEADING IT, "NOT CONCERNED AT ALL" -- AND THEN, 10% SAY, "YOU KNOW WHAT?
JUST ASK ME NEXT YEAR."
>> WE'LL KNOW MORE ABOUT IT THEN.
>> WELCOME BACK TO N-E-T'S "BIG RED WRAP-UP."
I'M MIKE'L SEVERE, ALONG WITH SEAN CALLAHAN AND NATE CLOUSE, FROM HUSKERONLINE.COM.
LET'S SWITCH OVER TO THE DEFENSIVE SIDE OF THE BALL, AND, I THINK THESE TWO DEFENSIVE LINEMEN AREN'T GETTING MENTIONED ENOUGH, I DON'T THINK.
LET'S START WITH RU'QUAN BUCKLEY, AND YOUR THOUGHTS ON HIM.
>> YEAH, WHEN YOU GET A CLASS, MIKE'L, OF A BUNCH OF HIGHER THREE-STAR TYPES, YEAH, THEY DON'T DRAW ALL THE FANFARE OF ALL THE FOUR STARS, BUT AS WE TALKED ABOUT, THE TOP 20 CLASS, RU'QUAN BUCKLEY, NEBRASKA, WINS A HEAD-TO-HEAD BOT BATTLE AGAINST MICHIGAN STATE AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO GO TO MICHIGAN STATE.
BUT, HE TOOK A TRIP TO LINCOLN BEFORE COVID, I BELIEVE, AND REALLY, REALLY -- THAT WAS THE DECIDING FACTOR, SO CREDIT NEBRASKA.
THEY WIN A BATTLE HERE IN THE BIG TEN.
HE'S HERE EARLY, TOO.
SO, THEY'LL GET BUCKLEY FOR THE SPRING.
THEY'LL GET A GOOD CHANCE TO KIND OF SEE WHAT HE'LL BRING TO THE TABLE.
>> NATE, WE ALWAYS HEAR THAT YOU'VE GOT TO WIN THE MOM, OR WHOEVER THE INFLUENCER IS.
NOT ONLY DID HE WIN OVER THE MOM, SHE'S GOING TO MOVE HERE, RIGHT, WHILE HE'S HERE?
>> YES, HIS MOTHER IS GOING TO MOVE HERE, AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT SHE TOLD US -- OR, WHAT HE TOLD US, THAT HIS MOM WAS MOVING HERE AND, YOU KNOW, HIS SISTER WAS ALSO VERY INVOLVED IN THE RECRUITING PROCESS AND SHE LOVES NEBRASKA, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GUY THAT PLAYED DEFENSIVE LINE AND OFFENSIVE LINE FOR HIS HIGH SCHOOL.
A LOT OF TEAMS RECRUITED HIM AS AN OFFENSIVE LINEMAN, BUT NEBRASKA LIKED HIM AS A D-END THE WHOLE WAY, AND THAT WAS JUST ANOTHER SMALL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE THAT REALLY HELPED THE HUSKERS OUT.
>> STAY RIGHT THERE, NATE.
WE'LL DO JAILEN WEAVER NEXT, WHO -- WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A 5 TECHNIQUE IN THIS THREE-FOUR, AND I THINK HE'S THE PERFECT SIZE OF WHAT THEY HAD BACK AT OREGON.
TALK ABOUT JAILEN WEAVER FOR US.
>> YEAH, SIX-EIGHT, 320 POUNDS, TREMENDOUS LENGTH AND SIZE, AND HE'S A GREAT ATHLETE, TOO.
YOU KNOW, HE'S A FORMER BASKETBALL PLAYER AND SOMEBODY THAT'S REALLY KIND OF GROWN INTO THAT BIG BODY OF HIS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A FALL FOOTBALL SEASON THIS YEAR AND THAT MAY HAVE ACTUALLY PLAYED TO NEBRASKA'S ADVANTAGE, BECAUSE HE DEVELOPED A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH TONY TUIOTI, AND YOU KNOW, HAD WANTED TO VISIT NEBRASKA.
OBVIOUSLY, HE WAS UNABLE TO DO THAT, BUT IN THE END, IT WAS THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH TUIOTI THAT REALLY HELPED HIM, YOU KNOW, PULL THE TRIGGER AND COMMIT TO THE HUSKERS.
>> YOU KNOW, IF YOU TALK TO A GUY LIKE TOM OSBORN, HE'LL TELL YOU "I WANT TO WATCH A KID PLAY BASKETBALL."
JAILEN WEAVER'S A PRETTY GOOD ATHLETIC BASKETBALL PLAYER, PLUS, AT ONE POINT HE WAS ALMOST LIKE A TIGHT END, KIND OF, AS WELL THAT -- AND NATE SAID IT, HE'S A GOOD ATHLETE.
YOU HEAR SIX-EIGHT, 320, YOU THINK "LUMBERER," BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT HE'S LIKE.
>> OH, I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF COACHES THAT WOULD RATHER ALMOST WATCH YOU PLAY A BASKETBALL GAME, OR WRESTLE -- ANOTHER SPORT, TO TRULY MEASURE YOUR ATHLETIC ABILITY.
AND, YOU'RE RIGHT, MIKE'L, WHEN YOU SEE A GUY SIX-EIGHT, 320, THAT CAN MOVE LIKE THAT, THEN YOU KNOW YOU HAVE SOMETHING.
AND, SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T ALWAYS SEE THAT ON HIGHLIGHTS, YOU KNOW.
HIGHLIGHTS ARE ONLY THE BEST, AND YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE A GUY LIKE THAT MOVE.
SO, YOU'RE RIGHT, A BASKETBALL GAME, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, CAN BE A SEPARATOR FOR GUYS.
>> LET'S TALK LINEBACKERS.
YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR THIS PHRASE, I THINK, WITH ALL THESE LINEBACKERS -- THEY'RE ALL RUN AND HIT GUYS.
THEY LOVE TO RUN AND HIT AND RIGHT IN THE TOP OF THAT, IN MY OPINION, IS WYNDEN HO'OHULI, FROM HAWAII, AND HOW DID THEY FIND HIM?
IS IT REALLY A 22 YODI GUY?
HOW DID THEY GET AHOLD OF HIM OUT OF HAWAII?
>> WELL, HE'S THE NUMBER ONE RANKED PLAYER IN THE STATE OF HAWAII, FIRST OF ALL, SO WASN'T LIKE HE WAS AN UNDER-THE-RADAR GUY BY ANY MEANS.
BUT, YEAH, THEN YOU FACTOR IN TONY TUIOTI, AND, HE'S SO WELL RESPECTED ON THE ISLANDS.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HEARD SCOTT FROST TALK ABOUT THAT TODAY.
I MEAN, WHEN HE GETS TO HAWAII, PEOPLE LINE UP TO PAY HOMAGE TO TONY, BECAUSE HE'S SO WELL RESPECTED AND CONNECTED THERE, AND THERE'S NO QUESTION WITHOUT TONY TUIOTI, THEY DO NOT GET WYNDEN.
>> YEAH, IT'S FUNNY.
YOU LISTEN TO THAT STORY THAT SCOTT FROST TOLD TODAY, NATE -- THEY HAD A GREAT TIME.
I MEAN, THEY ATE GREAT FOOD, HE JUMPED OFF A CLIFF INTO THE OCEAN.
THEY HAD A BLAST.
>> IT DOESN'T REALLY GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING RECRUITING VISITS.
I KNOW -- I KNOW HE TALKED A LOT ABOUT GOING PHEASANT HUNTING WITH NASH HUTMACHER LAST YEAR, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S A TOTAL OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM THAN RECRUITING WYNDEN.
>> NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.
LET'S GO WITH MAKAI GBAYOR.
AND, A LITTLE BIT MORE -- THAT'S ANOTHER GUY WHO -- I WATCHED SOME TAPE -- I'D LOVE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HIM -- ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE LINEBACKERS WHO CAN RUN AND HIT?
>> YEAH, HE'S DEFINITELY SOMEBODY THAT IS A RUN-AND-HIT GUY, YOU KNOW, AND SOMEBODY WHO PLAYS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE FOR HIS TEAM.
HE ACTUALLY WON NEW JERSEY PLAYER OF THE YEAR THIS PAST SEASON, SO HE'S A FIRST TEAM ALL-STATE, YOU KNOW, PLAYER FOR OUT THERE IN NEW JERSEY.
AND, I THINK, YOU KNOW, ANYTIME THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE WHO'S THE PLAYER OF THE YEAR OUT THERE, AN ALL-STATE COMPETITOR, YOU'VE GOT YOURSELF A PRETTY GOOD PLAYER.
BUT, HE HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH MIKE DAWSON AND, YOU KNOW, ERIK CHINANDER, AND I THINK THAT REALLY KIND OF HELPED SEAL THE DEAL AND GET HIM TO COMMIT TO NEBRASKA.
>> LONG TIME HUSKER FANS REMEMBER THE IMPACT THAT FRANK SOLICH HAD RECRUITING NEW JERSEY.
KIND OF SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE -- THEY'RE LAYING THAT PATH AGAIN.
>> YEAH, WITH MIKE DAWSON, I MEAN, HE'S KIND OF A TONY TUIOTI IN NEW JERSEY.
>> RIGHT.
>> HIS CONNECTIONS OUT THERE -- IT WILL NOT BE EASY, THOUGH, WITH GREG CIANO BACK.
I MEAN, WHEN YOU HAVE ARGUABLY THE BEST COACH IN RUTGERS HISTORY BACK AT RUTGERS, HE'LL KEEP A LOT OF THOSE KIDS HOME, BUT I THINK IF YOU CAN GET ONE, OR TWO -- JUST LIKE ONE OUT OF HAWAII, I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SHOOTING FOR.
YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO GET FIVE KIDS OUT OF NEW JERSEY, BUT IF YOU CAN FIND A GUY THAT FITS LIKE THIS, AND MAKAI -- MAKAI WAS A COMMIT FOR A LONG TIME.
I MEAN, THEY LOCKED HIM UP, AND REALLY, A LOT OF THESE KIDS, MIKE'L, WERE LONG-TIME COMMITS.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT STOOD OUT.
THERE WAS SO LITTLE DRAMA WITH THIS CLASS.
AND, THE DRAMA THAT HAPPENED, WE ALL CALLED IT A MILE AWAY, PATRICK PAYTON.
WE'RE LIKE -- THIS GUY --.
>> PROBABLY NOT GOING TO STICK.
>> YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN -- ONCE ALL THE MIAMI KIDS LEFT, HE ENDED UP SWITCHING HIS COMMITMENT, BUT YEAH -- SO, I -- I LIKE HOW THIS CLASS, THROUGH ALL THE COVID STUFF THAT WE DEALT WITH, STAYED TOGETHER AND THERE REALLY WASN'T ANY DRAMA.
>> IF YOU MAKE A LIST, AND ALL OF US USUALLY DO, OF THE TOP GUYS WE LIKE, RANDOLPH KPAI WAS RIGHT NEAR THE TOP OF MINE.
I HAD HIM RIGHT UP THERE WITH THOMAS FIDONE, ONE, 1-A.
I THINK HE COULD BE A GREAT OUTSIDE LINEBACKER AT SOME POINT IN HIS CAREER.
NATE, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT RANDOLPH KPAI?
>> YEAH, HE'S ANOTHER GUY I THINK YOU COULD MAKE A CASE FOR HIM BEING ABLE TO PLAY INSIDE OR OUTSIDE.
HE'S GOT TREMENDOUS LENGTH AND -- AND, HE CAN RUN.
I THINK THAT'S THE THING THAT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE ABLE TO WATCH HIM IN PERSON.
WE GOT UP THERE AND WERE ABLE TO CATCH ONE OF THE FIRST GAMES OF THE SEASON, AND HE'S DOWN THERE GETTING AFTER THE QUARTERBACK.
HE'S OUT THERE COVERING RUNNING BACKS, AND TIGHT ENDS, OUT IN SPACE, AND EVEN RUNNING DOWN ON KICKOFF COVERAGE, MAKING PLAYS.
AND SO, I THINK IS SOMEBODY THAT PLAYS WITH A HIGH MOTOR.
HE'S A SMART INDIVIDUAL, AND JUST LOVES THE GAME OF FOOTBALL, AND THAT KIND OF COMES THROUGH WHEN YOU WATCH HIM PLAY, TOO.
>> ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHAT SCOTT FROST SAID, THEY WERE KIND OF LUCKY IN THIS YEAR, WHERE YOU HAD COVID AND YOU COULDN'T MAKE TRIPS, OF A GUY WHO'S WITHIN YOUR RADIUS.
>> RIGHT, AND THEY GOT ON RANDOLPH VERY EARLY AND OFFERED HIM.
DIDN'T HESITATE, AND GOT THE RELATIONSHIP BUILT, BUT YOU STUDY THE HISTORY OF NEBRASKA AND SOUTH DAKOTA -- THEY HAVE NOT LOST A GUY, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT THEY'VE OFFERED.
THEY DID AN OFFER, CHAD GREENWAY, IN IOWA, BACK IN THE DAY.
THE LAST GUY THEY LOST WAS RILEY REED, TO IOWA.
>> OH, THAT WAS A BIG ONE.
>> AND, THAT WAS AN ALL-AMERICAN THEY LOST.
BUT, BILL CALLAHAN HAD HIM COMMITTED, AND THEN THIS COACHING CHANGE HAPPENED.
BUT, YOU STUDY THAT HISTORY -- NEBRASKA AND SOUTH DAKOTA, THEY HAVE ALWAYS GOTTEN THE GUYS THEY WANT, AND THERE ARE A COUPLE KIDS COMING UP THERE IN THE FUTURE YEARS THAT ARE ON OUR RADAR, SO HOPEFULLY THAT CONTINUES FOR NEBRASKA AND THEY GET THAT ONE, SOMETIMES TWO KIDS PER YEAR THAT SOUTH DAKOTA PRODUCES.
>> HOW RARE IS A GUY LIKE SETH MALCOM, OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, FOR NEBRASKA?
>> WELL, THE LAST EIGHT-MAN RECRUITS FOR NEBRASKA WERE ANDREW SHANLE, OKAY?
AND THEN, BEFORE THAT, STEVE KRIEWALD, THE FULLBACK.
SO, THERE HAVE NOT BEEN VERY MANY --.
>> ST. EDWARDS, RIGHT?
FOR -- FOR SHANLE, RIGHT?
>> SHANLE, YEP.
AND THEN KRIEWALD WAS FROM NORTH LOUP/SCOTIA, I THINK?
>> OH, WOW.
>> NORTH -- SO, IT'S NOT BEEN THE NORM, BUT YOU LOOK AT THIS TOWN WHERE HE'S FROM, TABOR, IOWA -- YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY A SUBURB OF OMAHA, COUNCIL BLUFFS.
I MEAN, IT'S PEOPLE THAT WORK AT OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, LIVE IN TABOR, AND DRIVE INTO THE BASE.
IT'S ON THE SOUTHERN PART, SO YOU CAN GET INTO BELLEVUE, SO HIS FATHER'S AN OMAHA FIREFIGHTER -- SO, IT'S NOT LIKE THIS IS LIKE A RURAL, EIGHT-MAN KID, OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF, YOU KNOW, THREE, FOUR HOURS AWAY FROM EVERYBODY.
HE'S RIGHT IN THE HEART OF THE ACTION, SO IF THINK HE'S BEEN TESTED ATHLETICALLY THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE AND HE'S A NEBRASKA KID, REALLY.
I MEAN, HE GREW A HUSKER FAN.
YOU KNOW, HIS FAMILY ARE HUSKER FANS, SO THIS IS ONE THAT YOU FELT PRETTY GOOD ABOUT NEBRASKA'S CHANCES FROM THE GET-GO, UNLESS IOWA CAME IN.
THE HAWKEYES NEVER OFFERED HIM, BUT YET IOWA STATE, MINNESOTA, AND KANSAS STATE, AS WELL.
>> NATE, I THINK SPECIAL TEAMS-WISE, WATCHING SETH MALCOLM, COME RIGHT IN AND PLAY?
>> YEAH, I THINK SO.
YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU CAN PROBABLY MAKE A CASE FOR ALL OF THE LINEBACKERS TO BE ABLE TO COME IN AND MAKE AN IMPACT ON SPECIAL TEAMS RIGHT AWAY, BUT ESPECIALLY SETH MALCOLM.
HE'S GOT GREAT SIZE, HIS SPEED AND -- AND, SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN SO PRODUCTIVE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, YOU KNOW -- THERE'S NO QUESTIONING HIS OVERALL COMMITMENT AND I THINK HE'S DEFINITELY SOMEBODY THAT WOULD LOVE TO MAKE AN EARLY IMPACT ON SPECIAL TEAMS.
>> TALKING DEFENSIVE BACKS, I THINK IF YOU SAID, "LET'S BUILD A DEFENSIVE BACK," HE'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE THIS, BE PERFECT FOR A SAFETY, KOBY BRETZ COULD BE THE GUY, NATE, I KNOW YOU SAW HIM IN PERSON A NUMBER OF TIMES.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT KOBY'S POTENTIAL?
>> YEAH, YEAH, I THINK HIS POTENTIAL IS UNLIMITED.
YOU KNOW, HE'S SOMEBODY WHO HAS NOT PLAYED A TON OF FOOTBALL, BUT THE FOOTBALL HE HAS PLAYED HERE, ESPECIALLY OVER THE LAST TWO SEASONS AT WESTSIDE, WAS AT A VERY, VERY HIGH LEVEL.
AND, ANOTHER PLAYER THAT'S DONE IT ALL.
HE'S BEEN A RECEIVER.
HE'S -- WATCHING HERE AS A KICKOFF RETURNER, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THIS PAST YEAR AS A SAFETY, HE WAS UNBELIEVABLE.
HE MADE PLAYS ALL OVER THE FIELD.
HE'S SOMEBODY WHO LOVES TO COME DOWN AND HIT.
HE'S SOMEBODY THAT, IN COVERAGE, CAN MAKE A PLAY ON THE FOOTBALL IN THE AIR.
I MEAN, HE'S JUST -- HE'S JUST A PLAYMAKER.
AND, I KNOW WATCHING HIM AS A JUNIOR, EVERY GAME THAT I WENT TO I CAME AWAY JUST WONDERING -- WANTING TO KNOW MORE AND MORE ABOUT KOBY BRETZ, AND TO HEAR THAT HE'S A STATE CHAMPION DIVER.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU TYPICALLY HEAR, BUT IT SPEAKS TO HIS ATHLETICISM AND OVERALL BODY CONTROL, TOO.
>> YOU KNOW, SEAN, IT MAYBE DOESN'T GET MENTIONED AS MUCH BECAUSE OF AVANTE DICKERSON MAYBE OVERSHADOWED HIM A LITTLE BIT, COULD YOU SEE HIM ALSO BEING A GUY WHO GROWS INTO A LINEBACKER?
BECAUSE, HE'S GOT THE FRAME.
>> MAYBE A JOJO DOMANN?
>> YES.
>> TYPE-GUY, YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK HE COULD FIT THAT HYBRID ROLE.
AND, YOU MENTIONED AVANTE DICKERSON.
THOSE TWO GUYS, BACK THERE TOGETHER, I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE SEEN A BETTER SECONDARY IN NEBRASKA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL, AND AS FAR AS -- THEY DID NOT ALLOW BIG PLAYS.
>> RIGHT.
>> BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE TWO GUYS BACK THERE LIKE THAT, NOTHING'S GETTING BY THOSE TWO AND IF IT IS, THEY'RE GOING TO RUN IT DOWN PRETTY QUICK.
SO, THAT WAS A SPECIAL GROUP BACK THERE, PLAYED A HUGE PART, AND I THINK IF HIS ACADEMICS WERE IN LINE A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, HE WOULD HAVE HAD AS MUCH FANFARE AND EARLY OFFERS AS AVANTE DICKERSON.
A LOT OF TEAMS WANTED TO SEE, KIND OF, HIS NEXT SEMESTER GRADES -- THEN THAT'S WHEN ALL THE OFFERS LOCALLY CAME IN, WITH NEBRASKA, AND KANSAS STATE, AND SOME OTHERS, BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT.
LIKE, HE'S GOT NFL ABILITY AND YOU SEE THAT IN HIM, AND YOU KNOW, YOU TALK ABOUT THE DIVING HIGHLIGHTS.
I'M SURE IF HE EVER MAKES IT TO THE NFL, THEY'LL FIND THOSE DIVING -- AND N-E-T MIGHT GET A CALL TO FIND THOSE ARCHIVE STATE DIVING HIGHLIGHTS.
>> YEAH, KOBY AND AVANTE DICKERSON IS THE REASON WHY THEY WON THAT STATE TITLE.
THEY BOTH MADE HUGE PLAYS IN THE SEMI-FINAL TO MAKE THEM GET TO THE FINAL.
LET'S TALK ABOUT MARQUES BUFORD, WHO I HAD JUST OUTSIDE OF MY SUPER SIX.
I THINK HE'S GOT A TON OF POTENTIAL.
WHERE DO YOU SEE HIM, NATE, PLAYING -- AT LEAST STARTING OFF AT NEBRASKA?
>> I THINK STARTING OFF, HE'S A CORNER FOR NEBRASKA, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO THROW HIM OUT THERE AND SEE HOW HE CAN HANDLE BEING ON AN ISLAND, AND I THINK HE'S ATHLETIC ENOUGH.
HE'S GOT THE SIZE TO BE ABLE TO STICK THERE, TOO.
YOU KNOW, HE'S SOMEBODY WHO HAS PLAYED A HIGH LEVEL OF FOOTBALL COMING OUT OF TEXAS, DECIDED TO GO THE PREP SCHOOL ROUTE.
AND, YOU KNOW, HE WAS THE NUMBER ONE PREP SCHOOL PLAYER, DEPENDING ON WHO YOU LOOKED AT, BUT IN THE NATION, AND DIDN'T NECESSARILY GET TO PLAY A TON OF FOOTBALL THIS PAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, BUT I THINK NEBRASKA ZEROED IN ON HIM EARLY AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET HIM, YOU KNOW, IN THE CLASS FAIRLY EARLY ON BECAUSE OF THAT.
>> WE SAW ALANTE BROWN GO THE PREP SCHOOL ROUTE.
IT ALLOWED HIM TO GET ON THE FIELD EARLY.
COULD BUFORD BE A GUY YOU THINK COULD BE ON THE FIELD EARLY?
>> HE'S GOT A CHANCE.
YOU KNOW THE FACT THAT HE'S HERE NOW, EARLY, YOU KNOW -- ERIK CHINANDER, WE TALKED LAST WEEK ABOUT JUST THE CLASS.
AND, HE SAID, YOU KNOW, "I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HE CAN DO THIS SPRING."
I MEAN, THEY HAVE AN OPEN CORNER SPOT RIGHT NOW, AND YOU KNOW, QUINTON NEWSOME'S THERE, AND YOU'VE GOT SOME OTHER VETERANS LIKE BRAXTON CLARK RETURNING --.
>> LIKE, INJURY --.
>> BUT, BUFORD COULD HAVE -- COULD GET A LOOK.
I MEAN, THEY'RE EXCITED BECAUSE HE'S NOT A FRESHMAN -- HE'S AN OLDER GUY AND THIS IS THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR THEY'VE SIGNED THE NUMBER ONE PREP SCHOOL PLAYER IN THE COUNTRY ON RIVALS.COM.
>> AND THEN, YOU HAVE MALIK WILLIAMS, THE GUY WHO DID MAKE MY SUPER SIX.
A GUY WHO I BELIEVE COULD BE A REALLY GOOD CORNER IN THE BIG TEN.
GIVE ME YOUR TAKE ON HIM, OUT OF BUFORD HIGH SCHOOL, NOT NAMED AFTER BUFORD, WHO THEY BROUGHT IN.
>> YEAH, SIX-FOOT, 190, ANOTHER CORNER THAT KIND OF MEETS THE SIZE AND WHAT TRAVIS FISHER'S LOOKING FOR ON THE BACK END THERE, IN THE DEFENSE, AND LET'S BE HONEST, MIKE'L, THIS IS A VERY BIG RECRUITING CLASS FOR TRAVIS FISHER.
LIKE, HE'S GOT TO GET SOME PRODUCTION FROM THESE GUYS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR ENTIRE YEAR BEFORE AND DEONDRE FRANCOIS, AND DELANCY, AND HENRY GRAY -- THEY'RE KIND OF BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL, SO THEY NEED THIS GROUP TO REALLY PRODUCE AND THEY NEED THESE GUYS TO KIND OF MAKE UP FOR THE LOSS OF THOSE FLORIDA KIDS THEY LOST A YEAR AGO.
>> YOU KNOW, NATE, WE TALK ABOUT COMPETITION SOMETIMES.
NO DOUBT THAT MALIK WILLIAMS WENT AGAINST SOME OF THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE COUNTRY.
>> YEAH, HE REALLY DID, THERE AT BUFORD HIGH SCHOOL.
THEY PLAY A HIGH LEVEL OF FOOTBALL THERE IN GEORGIA, AND HE'S A WINNER, TOO.
I MEAN, THEY'VE WON BACK-TO-BACK STATE TITLES.
THERE, THIS PAST SEASON, HE'S TEAMMATES WITH GABE ERVIN, AND BUFORD IS A POWERHOUSE PROGRAM.
HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT IT TAKES TO PREPARE.
HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN, AND HOW TO TAKE COACHING, TOO.
BECAUSE, THAT STAFF THERE -- DOWN THERE IN BUFORD, THEY DON'T MESS AROUND.
AND, YOU'RE EITHER GOING TO BE TAKING COACHING, OR YOU'RE GOING TO BE SITTING ON THE BENCH.
AND, I THINK THAT MALIK IS SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO COME IN AND MAKE A QUICK TRANSITION TO THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME.
>> LIKE WE DID WITH THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE BALL, LET'S KIND OF WRAP UP WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE DEFENSIVE SIDE -- KIND OF GIVE IT A GRADE, AND I GUESS YOU COULD THROW CHRIS KOLAREVIC IN THERE WITH THEM, AS WELL AS PART OF THIS CLASS.
>> YEAH, REALLY IMPRESSIVE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DO ON THE DEFENSIVE SIDE OF THE FOOTBALL.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE ADDED THAT PASS RUSHER THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, OR THAT -- ANOTHER DEFENSIVE BACK, BUT REALLY I THINK THEY'D MET A LOT OF THEIR NEEDS, OBVIOUSLY LINEBACKER WAS A HUGE PART OF THOSE NEEDS, AND TO BRING IN THE HIGH SCHOOL GUYS THEY DID, ALONG WITH KOLAREVIC, WHO WAS, YOU KNOW, PRODUCED AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL FOR NORTHERN IOWA, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO REALLY PICK AND PUNCH HOLES IN THE CLASS THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO SIGN.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT I WAS WORRIED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, SEAN, WAS WITH SOME OF THE GUYS COMING BACK, YOU KNOW -- EVEN A WILL HONAS.
YOU'D THINK SOME OF THESE YOUNG GUYS MAY THINK, "WAY, I DIDN'T EXPECT THAT PERSON TO BE THERE WHEN I CAME IN."
HOW'S THAT WHOLE DYNAMIC, YOU THINK?
>> YEAH, THE AREA I WORRY IS SAFETY.
NOA POLA-GATES, PARTICULARLY, AND GUYS LIKE THAT, HOW DO YOU KEEP HIM ENGAGED ANOTHER YEAR TO DEVELOP, BECAUSE I DO THINK THEY HAVE THREE PRETTY GOOD YOUNG SAFETIES -- ISAAC GIFFORD, IS IN THAT GROUP AS WELL.
THEN, WE SAW MILES FARMER LAST YEAR, AND THEN NOA POLA-GATES.
BUT, YOU'VE GOT TO TELL THOSE GUYS, "ALRIGHT, ANOTHER YEAR TO WAIT."
I THINK THOSE WILL BE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THE STAFF FACES.
I THINK THAT LINEBACKER ROOM IS SOLID.
I MEAN, NICK HENRICH GOT ENOUGH OF A TASTE THIS YEAR WHERE HE'S GOOD.
SNODGRASS, YOU KNOW, IS A GUY THAT WANTS TO BE HERE -- HE'S A PART OF IT.
SO, I -- I FEEL LIKE THERE --.
>> LUKE REIMER HAD A GREAT YEAR.
>> LUKE REIMER -- I FEEL LIKE THE LINEBACKER SITUATION, AND EVEN THE D-LINE, IT'S PROBABLY THE SAFETY POSITION ON DEFENSE THAT YOU WORRY ABOUT, KEEPING -- NOA POLA-GATES WOULD BE THE ONE, JUST BECAUSE HE CAME IN SO HIGHLY TOUTED, HAD SOME ADVERSITY, HAD AN INJURY, AND YOU KNOW -- HE WAS GOING TO MISS LAST SPRING ANYWAY, SO IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE HE'S AT THIS SPRING.
>> WHICH POSITION WOULD YOU SAY, NATE, HEADING INTO 2021, DO YOU FEEL MOST COMFORTABLE ABOUT, IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THEM AND WHAT THE STARTING GROUP WILL LOOK LIKE?
>> I'D PROBABLY GO WITH THE DEFENSIVE LINE.
I THINK THAT WAS KIND OF A BIG QUESTION MARK LAST SEASON, BUT THOSE GUYS PRODUCED AT A HIGH LEVEL AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH ALL COMING BACK.
I THINK THAT YOU LOOK AT THE PIECES THAT TONY TUIOTI HAS TO WORK WITH THERE, AND NOW THE DEPTH THAT HE HAS THERE, YOU KNOW, I -- I THINK THAT EVERYONE IS FEELING PRETTY GOOD ABOUT WHAT THOSE GUYS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO.
>> WHAT ABOUT IF YOU CAN'T HAVE DEFENSIVE LINE, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE?
I'D GO LINEBACKER.
I MEAN, JUST THE GROUP IN GENERAL.
ALL THE OUTSIDE GUYS ARE BACK.
I THINK CALEB TANNOR IS ON THE COME AND THEN THEY'LL GET HIM BETTER, AND GETTING JOJO DOMANN BACK, TO ME, WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE OF ALL, BECAUSE IT ALLOWS THE DEFENSE TO HAVE SO MUCH MORE FLEXIBILITY WHEN HE CAN JUST STAY OUT THERE.
I MEAN, YOU HATE TO DRAW BACK TO, LIKE, THE ERIC HAIG, DEJON GOMES DAYS, BUT JUST THAT FLEXIBILITY, LIKE ERIC HAIG GAVE BO PELINI A SIMILAR DEAL.
I MEAN, THEY KEPT LINING JOJO DOMANN UP AND HE WAS GUARDING RONDALE MOORE FOR 16 TARGETS IN THAT GAME.
AND, HE ONLY HAD ONE CATCH OF LONGER THAN, WHAT, 10 YARDS PROBABLY ON HIM, SO, THAT'S NOT EASY TO DO.
AND, WHEN YOU HAVE A LINEBACKER THAT CAN GO IN AND OUT LIKE THAT, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE BIG.
>> I MISS THE OLD PESO POSITION --.
>> PES --.
>> THAT WAS A FUN POSITION BACK IN THE DAY.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE WIDE RECEIVER POSITION, BECAUSE NEITHER ONE OF YOU GUYS NAMED THAT, BUT TODAY, SCOTT FROST SPENT -- I DON'T KNOW, PROBABLY SEVEN MINUTES TALKING ABOUT THAT.
AND, OMAR MANNING CAME UP.
THE BIG QUESTION THAT MOST FANS WANT TO KNOW, NATE, HOW DOES OMAR MANNING, YOU THINK, FIGURE INTO THE WIDE RECEIVER GROUP NEXT YEAR?
>> WELL, YEAH, I MEAN, ASSUMING THAT HE'S GOOD TO GO, I THINK THAT HE'S GOING TO BE A NAME THAT WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT AN AWFUL LOT.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HIM LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME, AND I THINK THAT HE STILL HAS THAT INSTANT IMPACT TYPE OF ABILITY -- CERTAINLY HAS THAT SIZE THAT NEBRASKA IS WANTING, AND, YOU KNOW, HE'S PUT TOGETHER QUALITY, YOU KNOW, PRODUCTION AT A FAIRLY HIGH LEVEL IN THE PAST AND, YOU KNOW, ASSUMING THAT HE'S HEALTHY AND ABLE TO REALLY GO, I THINK HE'S SOMEBODY THAT COULD REALLY MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE OFFENSE.
>> WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ENOUGH ON THAT WIDE RECEIVER ROOM.
>> HOO, I THINK ZAVIER BETTS IS -- IS REALLY DUE TO DO MORE, BUT OMAR MANNING, WHEN YOU GO BACK TO HIM.
I THINK, JUST PRACTICING THIS SPRING.
CAN HE PRACTICE ALL 15 PRACTICES AND GO THROUGH THE REPS, BECAUSE WE DON'T GET IN TO SEE THESE THINGS, MIKE'L, BUT I -- MY READ IS HE'S NOT PRACTICED MUCH AT ALL?
>> RIGHT.
>> SO, CAN THEY ACTUALLY PRACTICE OMAR MANNING THIS SPRING WILL BE THE FIRST STEP THERE WITH HIM, BUT TOURE AND WHAT HE BRINGS -- THAT'S GOING TO DO A LOT.
YOU KNOW, WHAT WILL -- AND THEN, THOSE TIGHT ENDS.
WHEN YOU ADD FIDONE, WITH AUSTIN ALLEN, WITH VOKOLEK, I MEAN, THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD GROUP OF TIGHT ENDS THAT NEBRASKA'S GOING TO TROT OUT THERE IN 2021.
>> LAST THING FROM YOU GUYS, WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS IN TERMS OF BACKUP QUARTERBACK, NATE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, MAYBE AFTER SPRING, OR AFTER THE JUNIOR COLLEGE SEASON, WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS BACKUP QUARTERBACK-WISE?
>> WELL, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST QUESTION RIGHT NOW REMAINING FOR NEBRASKA, WITH THOSE TWO SPOTS THAT THEY HAVE LEFT.
YOU KNOW, WHAT -- ARE THEY ABLE TO GO OUT AND GET A TRANSFER?
A QUARTERBACK TRANSFER, AND WHAT DOES THAT TRANSFER LOOK LIKE?
IS THAT SOMEBODY THAT'S GOING TO BE EXPECTED TO COME AND PUSH ADRIAN MARTINEZ, OR IS IT GOING TO BE SOMEBODY THAT'S GOING TO BE EXPECTED TO COME IN AND MAYBE HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE UNDER THEIR BELT IN CASE ADRIAN MARTINEZ GOES DOWN?
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S -- THAT'S KIND OF THE $10,000 QUESTION, IS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, BUT, I THINK THAT'S -- THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT NEBRASKA'S GOT TO AT LEAST LOOK AT WHAT'S OUT THERE AND IF IT MAKES SENSE TO BRING SOMEBODY IN AND, YOU KNOW, ALSO GOING THROUGH SPRING FOOTBALL, WHAT DOES LOGAN SMOTHERS LOOK LIKE?
YOU KNOW, IS HE GOING TO BE SOMEBODY THAT IS -- THAT IS ABLE TO STEP IN AND BE THAT BACKUP, AND BE THAT SOMEBODY THAT COULD STEP IN WITHOUT MUCH OF A DROP-OFF, IF ADRIAN MARTINEZ WENT DOWN?
>> WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT QUARTERBACK POSITION, DO YOU THINK, SEAN?
>> ASK YOURSELF THIS: MAYBE GETTING LUKE McCAFFREY ERA -- HAVING HIM LEAVE WILL SIMPLIFY THINGS, BECAUSE I THINK IF LUKE WAS AROUND, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE PRESSURE TO STAGE THIS COMPETITION THAT, IN ALL REALITY, PROBABLY WASN'T A COMPETITION.
I THINK ADRIAN MARTINEZ -- HE COMPLETED OVER 85% OF PASSES OVER THE FINAL FOUR GAMES OF THE YEAR.
HE ONLY THREW ONE INTERCEPTION OVER THE FINAL SIX GAMES OF THE SEASON -- ACTUALLY, TWO -- IT WAS TWO AT RUTGERS, AND THEN FIVE IN A ROW BEFORE THAT WITHOUT A PICK, SO HE CLEANED UP AND HE HAD THE PICK AT NORTHWESTERN THAT WAS KIND OF FLUKE-ISH.
SO, HIS SEASON, I FELT LIKE, WASN'T AS BAD AS WE MADE IT OUT TO FEEL.
LIKE, IT WASN'T A BAD YEAR.
I THINK THE NORTHWESTERN GAME FELT MORE LIKE AN OVERREACTION AND YOU JUST WONDER, IF THEY START ADRIAN AGAINST PENN STATE AND ILLINOIS, IS THE SEASON DIFFERENT THAN THE WAY IT ENDED UP?
>> THEY BEAT ILLINOIS FOR SURE.
SPRING'S GOING TO BE REALLY FUN.
NEBRASKA VOLLEYBALL IS BACK ON N-E-T TOMORROW EVENING AS THE CORNHUSKERS TAKE ON MARYLAND.
YOU CAN WATCH THAT BIG TEN MATCHUP TOMORROW NIGHT AT 6:00 P.M., RIGHT HERE ON N-E-T. >> WELL, THAT'LL DO IT FOR US.
ANOTHER SEASON OF "BIG RED WRAP-UP."
IT SURE WAS A REALLY INTERESTING ONE -- ONE WE'LL PROBABLY NEVER SEE AGAIN.
FOR SEAN CALLAHAN, AND NATE CLOUSE, I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.
WE'LL SEE YOU FOR ANOTHER FOOTBALL SEASON NEXT FALL ON N-E-T's "BIG RED WRAP-UP."
GOOD NIGHT, EVERYBODY.
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY CAPTION SOLUTIONS, LLC www.captionsolutions.com
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