AUGUST 2024 | 1
HUSKERS PREVIEW
Nebraska is going to Hollywood this season. Will Matt Rhule’s sequel be a box-o ce hit?
A dmittedly, Hollywood was low-hanging fruit. We fell for it anyway. Cliché or not, it fits. The Big Ten is going Hollywood. Of course, we’re talking about the mega-conference’s ex- pansion to 18 teams, adding Washington and Oregon along with Los Angeles darlings UCLA and Southern California. It’ll be di erent for all of us this year. The Ne- braska scarlet and cream vs. UCLA’s blue and gold at Memorial Stadium will be awesome. The Huskers will play USC at The Coliseum, and, yes, we are already imagining the photos from that game. So while change brings uncertainty, it also brings excitement. And for the Big Ten, it means money (did you see that TV deal? Yes, that’s a “B” for billions.) Nebraska plays USC in Los Angeles on Nov. 16. By then, the Huskers will be nine games deep into Matt Rhule’s sequel as head coach, and the script of the season will be all but written. So, when Nebraska heads west in mid-Novem- ber, will it be seeking a Hollywood ending? SECTION CREDITS Writers: Amie Just, Luke Mullin, Colton Stone, Nate Thomas, Nate Head. Editing assistance: Colton Stone, Nate Head. Sports editor: Nate Head. Cover design: Brandon Neasman.
JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule walks out of the tunnel before the game against Michigan on Sept. 30, 2023, at Memorial Stadium.
WHAT’S INSIDE
New Big Ten has lights, action. Do Husk- ers get their Hollywood ending? Amie Just sets the scene for this year’s sec- tion. Page 4 The sounds of summer. We pick some of our favorite quotes from the o season, if there is such a thing in college football now. Page 8 Movie-star money. Name, image, and likeness is all of the rage in college sports right now, awarding student- athletes huge payouts. Pages 7, 9
Position-by-position. We go quarter- back to punter in this closer look at the stars and stuntmen at each unit. Inside Snapshots! Even when there are no games, Nebraska football doesn’t stop. Here’s a look at our favorite images since last season ended. Page 7 If Dylan Raiola starts at quarterbacks in Nebraska’s season opener, it’ll put the Huskers in rare air both nationally and in program history. Page 6 Amie Just takes a movie-style trip
through Nebraska’s schedule. From UTEP to Iowa, we’ve got standing ova- tions and flying tomatoes. Pages 10, 26 The Huskers are stepping out of the spotlight this fall. Well, kinda. They’re switching sidelines, which brings shade and a competitive advantage. Page 5 The video game “NCAA College Football 25” has taken the summer by storm. So, what’s it like to play as Nebraska? Pages 20-21 Imagine: each opponent on Nebraska’s
schedule is a tourist attraction, and no one goes anywhere without checking the reviews first, right? Pages 24-25 Glancing at the national picture. From the SEC to the independents, here’s what to watch for this season. Pages 27-31 Here’s something for the refrigerator — a composite schedule of all FBS teams this fall. Pages 16-17
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Headed to the game? We’ve got you covered
GATES/STADIUM ENTRY Fans are encouraged to enter the sta- dium at the gate printed on their ticket; however, fans can enter gates 1-16, 18, 20 & 23 to access the stadium. Other gates are reserved for premium level tickets or specialty gate tickets only. Gates 1, 6, 8, 17, 18, 19, and 21 will close shortly after kickoff. If your game day ticket displays a gate that is closed after kickoff, use the next available open gate to gain access into the stadium. Fans will be required to open outer garments for visual inspection upon entry. Fans are also encouraged to travel lightly to the game and leave unnecessary belongings at home or in your vehicle. PUBLIC PARKING Public Parking is available in lots 20 and 21 of Haymarket Park, the Festival Park- ing lot north of Pinnacle Bank Arena via pinnaclebankarena.com or through the city of Lincoln via parkandgo.org. Lots at Haymarket Park will open at 6 a.m. for 11 a.m. kickoffs and 8 a.m. for all other kickoff times. DISABLED PARKING Season permits for disabled parking in donor lots 5, 8 and 9 are limited and can be applied for through Nebraska Athletic Development & Ticketing. Single-game parking for persons with disabilities is available on campus on a first-come, first-served basis. Do- nor lots 5, 9 and 12 have limited spaces reserved for those with state-issued
JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO
disabled parking tags or license plates. Donor lots 5 and 9 have free shuttle cart service for persons with disabilities to the northeast and east locations of Memorial Stadium. Free public parking for the disabled is available at meter spots on 14th and Vine on a first-come, firstserved basis. Additional public parking for the dis- abled is available at 14th & U Streets (east of Morrill Hall, 14th & W Streets, north of Mabel Lee Hall) and the Lot 9 parking ga- rage (14th & Avery Ave.), for $25 per game. Lot 9 is the primary ADA parking option
for our fans. PROHIBITED ITEMS
at all collegiate sporting events. At the discretion of game management, other items are subject to being prohibited. For a complete list of prohibited items, please
Alcoholic beverages, controlled sub- stances, bags not conforming to the clear bag policy, coolers, chair backs, noise makers, glass bottles, cans, video cam- eras, banners/ flags on poles, use of selfie sticks and open umbrellas are not allowed in Memorial Stadium. Consideration of other spectators is expected. With the passage of the concealed weapons law in the state of Nebraska, fans are reminded that concealed weapons are not allowed on the UNL campus and are prohibited
visit huskers.com/gameday. BAGS & BAG SEARCH
The University of Nebraska reserves the right to examine any bag/container brought into the stadium. Only clear tote bags no larger than 12” x 6” x 12” will be allowed into ticketed Nebraska events. For full details, see the Clear Bag Policy located inside the Season Ticket Book or visit huskers.com/bagpolicy.
4 | August 2024
HUSKERS PREVIEW
New Big Ten has lights, action. Do Huskers get Hollywood ending?
H ello, Hollywood.
the potential to shine with Raiola air- ing things their way. Pair that with the tight ends in Thomas Fidone, Nate Boerkircher and Luke Lindenmeyer and the running backs in Gabe Ervin, Rahmir Johnson, Emmett Johnson and whomever else gets thrown into the mix and that has the potential to be pretty potent. As long as the turnovers are at a mini- mum. Defensively, take your pick. Tommi Hill. Ty Robinson. Nash Hutmacher. Jimari Butler. Princewill Umanmielen. Isaac Gifford. John Bullock. Cam Len- hardt. Don’t forget about DeShon Sin- gleton either. The pieces are there for Nebraska’s defense to be great once again. The Blackshirts are coming off one of the best seasons in recent memory, rank- ing No. 11 nationally in total defense, No. 8 in rush defense, No. 13 in scoring defense and No. 5 in first down defense in Tony White’s first season with Ne- braska. Not too shabby. Of course, there are things to shore up. More forced turnovers. Tighter pass coverage. Special teams? There’s plenty to fix there, too. Having any punt return presence at all will be better than in previous seasons. Will Nebraska have a punt or kick return touchdown for the first time since the days of JD Spielman? Can Brian Buschini return to his 2022 form? How will Tristan Alvano fare in his sophomore season? Plenty of questions are abound, but the time for talking is over. Because ready or not, it’s showtime. Lights. Camera. Action.
You’re familiar with the Big Ten, right? One of the conferences that used to play in the annual Rose Bowl?
Well, the boys are back in town. But this time, it’s to stay. Not just for the Grand- daddy of Them All. USC and UCLA, as well as Pacific Northwest powers Oregon and Wash- ington, bolted from the disintegrating Pac-12 and joined forces with the Big Ten — that move offi- cially official as of Aug. 2.
Their membership will forever change the con- ference. It’s unclear yet whether it’s for the bet- ter or the worse. There’s the travel component of a coast-to-coast con- ference. Pair that with
AMIE JUST
JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO It’s been a while since we’ve seen UCLA’s blue and gold clash with Nebraska’s scarlet and cream, as it did in this 2012 game in Los Angeles. The Huskers will play the Bruins at Memorial Stadium this season.
unbalanced schedules that no longer feature divisions. On the flip side, there will be some heavy-hitting games like Ohio State at Oregon or Penn State at USC — and those are conference games. Sure, it’ll be hard to get used to at first. Seeing the Big Ten insignia on the USC’s uniform caused double-takes, even though we all knew this was com- ing. The West Coast additions are far from the only new aspects pertaining to col- lege football this year. There’s the expanded College Football Playoff. The rules regarding countable coaches have been relaxed. Helmet communication for quarterbacks and defensive signal-callers has arrived. In the Big Ten, iPads will now be passed around the sideline for real-time evalu- ation. And more will change in the years to come, as roster limits are on the hori- zon. So is revenue sharing.
What does this mean for Nebraska? The Huskers, for better or worse, are in the spotlight. Heading into this season, Nebraska remains the only Power 4 school to not play a bowl game since 2016. Even Kansas and Vanderbilt have been to bowl games more recently. And every offseason in the past eight years has come with some level of op- timism. “This year’s the year,” goes the common refrain. Only for miscues and close losses to break hearts and turn even the most optimistic fan into a jaded one. But, after years of heartache, years of being the proverbial ugly stepsister… could this be the year? Will this be the year that Nebraska gets its Hollywood ending? It could be. On paper, it sure looks like
things could unfold in that direction. The twelve games: home against UTEP, home against Colorado, home against Northern Iowa, home against Il- linois, at Purdue, home against Rutgers, at Indiana, at Ohio State, home against UCLA, at USC, home against Wiscon- sin, at Iowa. Surely there are six wins in there somewhere, right? I think so. Especially when you factor in the starring cast. Presumed starting quarterback Dylan Raiola — five-star generational tal- ent — has the weight of the world on his shoulders. And he’s only 18 years old. But he seems to be embracing the lime- light. The receiving corps — like Isaiah Neyor, Jahmal Banks, Jaylen Lloyd, Malachi Coleman and others — all have
AUGUST 2024 | 5
HUSKERS PREVIEW
Nebraska’s sideline switch has competitive advantage
Temperatures for Nebraska’s game against Illinois on Aug. 28, 2021, neared 100 degrees. JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO
NATE HEAD Lincoln Journal Star A gameday at Memorial Stadium can get sweaty. Don’t let the “fall” fool you— it can get hot in Lincoln in August and even Septem- ber. Before heading to the stadium, many folks check real-feel temperature readings,
which factor in variables such as humidity. We’re still waiting on smartphones to gauge the Husker-feel, which is the unof- ficial measurement of the fans’ collective temperature. Put it this way: if the real- feel is 92 degrees when Nebraska plays UTEP in its Aug. 31 season opener, it’ll feel more like 104 if the Huskers trail at any point in the second half. Last season’s drubbing to Michigan comes to mind in this conversation — the real-feel temperature ticked up to 96 degrees (on Sept. 30!) and felt even hotter in the stands as the even- tual national champions out- classed the Huskers.
the west sideline o cial earlier this month in an email sent out to season-ticket hold- ers. The message highlighted the “com- petitive advantage” of being on the east, which includes both the heat and the con- cealing of signals. Of course, Michigan is relevant in this piece of the story, too, considering its cen- tral involvement in the sign-stealing scan- dal that rocked college football last season. Opposing coaches who sit in the press box at Memorial Stadium theoretically have a straight-on view of the Husker coaches and players who are signaling to players on the field. Those will be much more di cult to identify this season. “We want to do everything possible to support our coaches and team and put us in a position to succeed,” the email read in part. The move will take some getting used to. After all, the Huskers have set up shop on the east side since 1962 under Bob Dev- aney. That streak was briefly interrupted in 2020 when Scott Frost moved his team to the west sideline when only select people could watch the games in person. “It’s real easy with us signaling in, to be able to see the east sideline from the coaches’ box,” Frost said at the time. “I wanted to make sure we could do everything we could to protect our signals, particularly when there’s less chaos in the stadium.” Like with any break from tradition, there will be logistical considerations to settle. Chief among them is the simple fact that there is more space on the east sideline, which is necessary to accommodate Ne- braska’s large group. On the other hand, the move west will restore fluidity to the Tunnel Walk, which moved to the north- east tunnel last season. Add it all up, and it’s a correct step taken by Rhule, who will certainly enjoy cranking down the Husker-feel, you know, if things happen to get tough. Nate Head is the sports editor of the Journal Star. On Twitter @NateHead_LJS.
After that game, Jim Harbaugh called up his old playing buddy Trev Alberts, both of whom are now in
new roles, and sug- gested Nebraska move its gameday setup to the side of the stadium that eventually gets covered by shade. Here’s guess- ing Alberts had already heard from Matt Rhule. After all, the new Husker coach had just stood on blazing turf for three hours. It’s notable that
Harbaugh estimated the di erence in temper- ature was 30 to 40 degrees cooler for his group. The vi- sual was somewhat ironic. The visiting Wolverines, cool and com- fortable in the shade, while the home Huskers squinted, shielded their eyes and took turns getting sprayed by misting fans. Nebraska Athletics made the move to
6 | August 2024
HUSKERS PREVIEW
What history tells us about true freshman quarterbacks
LUKE MULLIN Lincoln Journal Star N ebraska football may have a rare situation at the center of its offense this season. At the time of this writing, late July, head coach Matt Rhule has yet to decide upon a starting quarterback, but the likelihood of five-star recruit Dylan Raiola winning the camp competition re- mains high after a strong spring campaign. If Nebraska were to name Raiola the starter prior to the program’s Aug. 31 season opener against UTEP, it’d place the Huskers in rare
legendary Nebraska coach oversaw one of the most impactful seasons from a true freshman quarterback in college football history. Tommie Frazier was a simi- larly heralded recruit who made a major impact as a seven-game starter in 1992 — but the situations around Frazier’s rise into the starting role mirror that of many other freshmen. It was Mike Grant who began the year as Nebraska’s starter, not Frazier, only ceding the role weeks after the Huskers dropped their first game of the season. Injuries or poor per- formance are often what vault true freshmen quarterbacks into the spotlight — starting right away is a rarity. Even in the modern era of college football where freshmen sign big-money NIL deals prior to playing a single snap, the nation’s best quarterback prospects still take time to find the field. During the 2020 season, just two of the top-50 true freshmen quarterbacks according to Phil Steele Magazine started the majority of their team’s games: Ken Seals at Vander- bilt and former Husker Jeff Sims at Georgia Tech. Vanderbilt went 0-9 with a true fresh- man at the helm while Georgia Tech posted a 3-7 record. Meanwhile, future No. 1 overall NFL draft pck Bryce Young completed just 13 passes for Alabama as top-ranked recruits at Texas, Or- egon, Ohio State and Georgia didn’t see the field at all. A return to a full 12-game regular season in 2021 didn’t reverse the trend, either, as only two players — Caleb Williams and Shedeur Sanders spent over half the season in a start- ing role. The nation’s best incoming quarterback recruit, Williams began the year backing up Spencer Rattler at Oklahoma before going 5-2 as a starter across the Sooners’ final seven games. Sanders, meanwhile, featured as Jack- son State’s starter for the entire season at the FCS level and led the Tigers to an 11-2 record. Even fewer true freshmen have won start-
i n g j o b s in the two years since. Con- necticut’s Zion Turner was a 12-game starter in 2022 after team- mate Ta’Quan Roberson was injured in the season opener
TOMMIE FRAZIER
fresh- m a n quarter-
backs too. Cody Green started two games as a true fresh-
company as a team starting a true freshman quarterback from day one. The time needed to further physical development and knowledge of the playbook are factors that keep true freshmen off the field re- gardless of position. Particu- larly at quarterback, where a high-level knowledge of the
man in 2009, and then Taylor Martinez took over as a 12-game starter the next year, albeit following a redshirt season. It was only when Adrian Martinez led the offense in 2018 that Nebraska ticked off a new first: a true freshman starting quarterback in the team’s season opener. Martinez led Ne- braska to a 4-7 record across his 11 starts. Recent history suggests that not only are true freshman starting quarterbacks uncom- mon, programs that field an untested signal- caller rarely find themselves with a winning record at the end of the year. If Raiola wins the camp competition and leads Nebraska onto the field this August, it’ll be because the Nebraska coaching staff be- lieves his talent and skillset gives the Huskers the best chance of winning — both immedi- ately and down the road. “You’ve got to make some plays and have the freedom to make plays so we can’t be safe,” Rhule said of his philosophy with young quarterbacks. “Remember when you first started driving? You had two hands on the wheel and you never got into a wreck but you didn’t get anywhere. The key is to be able to drive real fast, go fast and take chances with- out making a ton of mistakes. That’ll come as we go.”
and led the Huskies to a 6-7 record overall. Vanderbilt’s AJ Swann, meanwhile, won his first-ever start but lost the next six games he appeared in. And in the most recent campaign, it was a quiet year for the nation’s freshmen signal- callers overall. UCLA’s Dante Moore and Arizona State’s Jaden Rashada both came into the year as day-one starters, only to find themselves on the sidelines by the end of the season after Moore struggled and Rashada suffered a thumb injury. Others, like Texas’ Arch Man- ning, Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava and Okla- homa’s Jackson Arnold, only saw the field as backups. For programs that start true freshmen quarterbacks, many experience initial grow- ing pains — but it’s Rhule’s belief that such a process is beneficial for a player’s long-term development. “To me, it seems the best thing, if we look back in 10 years, is to bring in young players and let them play through their mistakes and eventually have a confident guy out there,” Rhule said. “We played Heinrich (Haarberg) last year, it was really his first time playing (quarterback), and we let him play through his mistakes. Dylan and Danny (Kaelin) right now are playing through their mistakes.” Nebraska has its own recent history with
Raiola
offense, excellent decision-making and lead- ership skills are needed to excel, those traits are rare in an 18-year-old with no prior col- legiate experience. Yet, Rhule sees plenty of those skills in Raiola. “He spends a lot of time learning the foot- ball and understanding because as a freshman it’s hard to process,” Rhule said of Raiola at Big Ten Media Days. “I was talking to coach (Tom) Osborne about playing freshmen and he’s like, ‘They get really good against the de- fense they see every day and all of a sudden you go to Week 1 and Week 2 and it’s a whole different defense. When they’re juniors, it’s easy, but when they’re a freshman it’s a lot of learning.’ “What Dylan has shown me is that he’s willing to put that time in, and the game comes natural to him because he puts the work in.” It’s fitting that Rhule consulted Osborne for advice on playing freshmen considering the
HUSKERS PREVIEW August 2024 | 7 OFFSEASON SNAPSHOTS E ven when there are no games, Nebraska football doesn’t stop.
Here’s a look at our favor- ite images since last season ended. From top left, Matt Rhule hosts a girls football camp; Sadie Dougherty, of Fort Calhoun, participates in the girls camp; Dante Dowdell outruns defenders in spring game; Nebraska wide receiver Hayes Miller helps run a youth camp.
GETTING HUSKER FANS BACK ON THE ROAD 1979
eustisbodyshop.com Cozad Eustis Grand Island Kearney Lexington Lincoln
8 | August 2024
HUSKERS PREVIEW
Sounds of the summer Here are a few of our favorite quotes from the summer
ally dove into the playbook and I can’t say enough things about how well he’s done with that.” — Nebraska WRs coach Garret McGuire on Jaylen Lloyd’s progression, July 16 “N ow the expectation for him now from our staff has risen. For himself, the expectation
LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR “W e have 20 graduates heading into the season. We’ll have 10 more in December. So when we go to our bowl game, we’ll have 30 col- lege graduates on our team.”
has risen.”
— Matt Rhule, July 24
— Nebraska RBs coach EJ Barthel on Emmett Johnson, July 23
DOUG MCSCHOOLER , ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule
DARRON CUMMINGS , ASSOCIATED PRESS
Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti.
“W e care about what happens at the stadium as well and what happens on campus. But if you look at it, it’s an opportunity to get programs to showcase them as they build in matchups.” — Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti, July 23 “I t’s a blemish. It’s nothing I’ve ever done before, to be minus 17. We gave the ball away 31 times. We only took it away 14. Both sides have onus, but to give the ball away 31 times, and our season would have been different had that not happened.” — Rhule, July 24 “I f anything, it’s just brought us closer as teammates. There’s a lot of young guys in the group and a lot of guys recruited by coach Cooper, so I feel for them.”
KENNETH FERRIERA , JOURNAL STAR
“W e’ve been blessed to have some really high-level recruits, some of which have been recruited by Nebraska (in the past), but it is completely different with this staff; they’re genuine.” — Blue Valley (Kan.) High School coach Allen Terrell, early June “W e have to get on guys to sit down and focus on professional de- velopment and sometimes their personal development, because right now they’re focused on one thing — that’s football — and they’re not looking at life after football’s over with.” — Nebraska football’s director of player development Gus Felder, June 20 “H e’s taking a real step of being a three-down receiver and not just a package guy, so he’s re-
“H e’s taking a real step of being a three-down receiver and not just a package guy, so he’s really dove into the playbook and I can’t say enough things about how well he’s done with that.” — Nebraska WRs coach Garret McGuire on Jaylen Lloyd’s progression, July 16 “I think the biggest thing I regret from last year was, when you’re in pro foot- ball, it’s kind of quiet, and there aren’t bands and things like that.” — Rhule, July 24 “I won’t say ‘10-2’s good’ or ‘8-4’s good.’ (Because if I do that), I’m sitting here telling you I’m thinking we’re going to lose four games. I want to go out and try to win every game. That seems right to me.”
Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson
“I can see they’re (Nebraska) doing a really good job, we had a great game with them last year so we probably we know them a little bit better than we do some of the new opponents.” — Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell on Nebraska, July 23 “I t’s not just things. It’s not just baubles and trinkets and toys. It’s philosophies, it’s ease of ap- proach, it’s ‘how can we make things easier.’” — Nebraska Athletic Director Troy Dannen, July 24 “W e can potentially be a good offense.” — Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz on the Hawkeyes’ offense, July 24
— Nebraska’s Luke Gifford, July 24
— Rhule, July 24
August 2024 | 9
HUSKERS PREVIEW
How Nebraska is navigating college football’s changing financial landscape
LUKE MULLIN Lincoln Journal Star
“I hear it all the time that people tell me, ‘I don’t really believe in NIL,’” Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule said on July 24. “What do you mean you don’t believe in it? You might not agree with it, but it is what it is.” The growing financial footprint of college football has been a long time in the making. The seven- year, $8 billion television deal that the Big Ten Conference signed last summer may be an eye-watering total — but it wouldn’t have been possible without a landmark court ruling 40 years ago. A lawsuit brought forth by Georgia and Oklahoma challeng- ing the NCAA’s control of national television rights was decided by
the Supreme Court in 1984, which eventually turned over the rights to individual conferences. Further litigation decades later has brought the sport to a point where billion-dollar television deals and million-dollar NIL con- tracts are the norm. It was only three years ago, after battling sev- eral player-led lawsuits, that the NCAA removed long-standing rules preventing players from be- ing compensated in exchange for their image rights. As businesses began pursuing NIL deals with student-athletes, schools were also scrambling to find out how they could recruit and retain talent while staying in
A full-ride scholarship simply doesn’t have the same ring to it anymore. What was once the be-all, end- all goal for high school players seeking a future at the next level is now merely a part of the finan- cial compensation package that schools present to recruits. The current era of college foot- ball, where student-athletes are eligible for payments tied to their name, image and likeness, con- tinues to evolve and transform on a weekly and monthly basis. No matter what the future holds, there’s no letting the genie back in the bottle as increasing amounts of money flow into the sport.
KATY COWELL , JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO Nebraska fans reach out to Dylan Raiola after the Red-White Spring Game on April 27 at Memorial Stadium.
Please see FINANCIAL, Page 11
10 | August 2024
HUSKERS PREVIEW
Amie Just takes a movie-style trip through Nebraska’s schedule STANDING OVATION
GAME 4 Illinois
AUDIENCE RATING: 6 It’s brunch. At Purdue. While it’s not the most riveting matchup, a win here likely puts Nebraska on the cusp of bowl eligibility. STANDING OVATION: While Purdue’s Hud- son Card had a favorable season last year overall, he couldn’t make any hay against Nebraska’s pass defense. Same went for the Boilermakers’ top running back in Devin Mockobee. If the Blackshirts execute there like last year? Should be smooth sailing. THROWING TOMATOES: Purdue will be gunning to win this one considering the Boil- ermakers’ bowl hopes likely depend on it due to a spicy schedule that features Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Washington and Oregon. It’s hard to predict what des- perate teams are going to do.
STANDING OVATION: Colorado could not stop the run last year with the Huskers clearing 250 yards on the ground. With a healthy trio of Gabe Ervin Jr., Rahmir John- son and Emmett Johnson, could the Huskers run over the Buffs again? THROWING TOMATOES: Two players stand in the way of Nebraska’s potential success: Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. Sand- ers threw for nearly 400 yards last year and Hunter added 73 yards receiving with four tackles and a pass breakup. If those guys get going again, avert your eyes.
AMIE JUST | Lincoln Journal Star
GAME 1 UTEP
THE BLURB: For the first time in what feels like forever, Nebraska gets to open its Big Ten slate at home. But be careful what you ask for, because this one’s on Friday. Pre- pare accordingly. AUDIENCE RATING: 7 It’s the first-ever Friday night game at Memo- rial Stadium. Against a team that Nebraska handled easily last year. Let the drone show commence for the third straight week. STANDING OVATION: One big question for Illinois heading into this season is how it’ll fare in the run game. Having a question mark there when you’re playing one of the best run defenses in the country might make for a long night for the Illini. THROWING TOMATOES: Quarterback Luke Altmyer has shown flashes of what’s possible. While he was up and down last year with his 1,883 yards passing with 289 of those against NU, Nebraska can’t afford to let him sling it.
THE BLURB: It’s the first game of new UTEP coach Scotty Walden’s tenure and it comes at Memorial Stadium. But it’s also the first game of Dylan Raiola’s Husker career, pre- suming he gets the starting nod at QB. AUDIENCE RATING: 7 The Miners aren’t a flashy opponent to start the season with, but it is a season-opening home game — for once. The rating gets turned up a notch with the excitement sur- rounding Raiola’s debut. STANDING OVATION: Nebraska’s defense — the No. 11 defense in the nation last year — returns the majority of its starters, including a slimmed-down version of Nash Hutmacher. Put NU’s defensive talent and athleticism against an offense that returns just two starters? Could be a Blackshirt field day. THROWING TOMATOES: UTEP, after a rough go last year, has a new coach and an entirely overhauled roster with nearly 50 new players. All the unknowns could benefit the Miners early. Will it pay off? Playing the game in general will pay off for UTEP, as it’ll go home with $1.6 million.
GAME 3 Northern Iowa
THE BLURB: There isn’t any storied his- tory between these two programs, but Ne- braska’s athletic director Troy Dannen sure is familiar with his old stomping grounds. Nebraska is shelling out $600,000 for this likely victory in NU’s first game against an FCS foe since 2022. AUDIENCE RATING: 5 Buy-games against FCS schools rarely move the needle from a hype perspective, but at least it’s a night game. Memorial Stadium at night, regardless of opponent, is hype. STANDING OVATION: Nebraska is 8-0 against FCS opponents. It’s unlikely that streak changes. THROWING TOMATOES: Nebraska is 8-0 against FCS opponents. A loss would make Nebraska fans inconsolable.
GAME 6 Rutgers
THE BLURB: This isn’t the Rutgers of years past that you’ve come to dismiss. After go- ing 7-6 last season, the Scarlet Knights could actually be pretty good this season. Don’t write them off, especially with Athan Kaliak-
GAME 5 Purdue
manis in the shotgun. AUDIENCE RATING: 8
THE BLURB: Somehow, this is Nebraska’s first road game of the season. And it’s also Nebraska’s first 11 a.m. contest of the year. Nebraska won last year’s matchup in Lin- coln, but the Huskers haven’t won in West Lafayette since 2020.
While the kickoff time is unknown as of yet, this one could be before bowl eligibility for the first time since 2016. Turn it up. STANDING OVATION: There are question marks abound regarding Rutgers’ offensive line’s depth and overall talent in pass pro- tection. If Nebraska’s Blackshirts can exploit that, it’ll be a long game for Rutgers. THROWING TOMATOES: Kaliakmanis has picked apart Nebraska before, like with his 196-yard game last year at Minnesota and again in his six-pass, 137-game in his debut in 2022. Can he do it again to give Nebraska what could be its first loss of the season?
GAME 2 Colorado
THE BLURB: All eyes were on Boulder last year for the rivalry renewal, and Nebraska shot itself in the foot with all its turnovers. With a new-look offense, can Nebraska re- deem itself from the last time out? AUDIENCE RATING: 10 It’s Matt Rhule vs. Deion Sanders, Part II. At night. In Lincoln. What more could you ask for? Expect chaos, both on the field and out in the tailgates.
Please see GAMES, Page 26
August 2024 | 11
HUSKERS PREVIEW
the public with $25 tickets going toward 1890’s fundraising total was one such ex- ample of cooperation. Speaking at Big Ten Media Days in July, Rhule showed his support for Nebraska’s NIL setup while adding that the Huskers have “a long way to go” in order to compete financially with the nation’s top programs. “We’re blessed at Nebraska; we have a great setup with 1890,” Rhule said. “Tom and Shawn Peed have really stood in the gap and provided us with a lot at a time when we don’t have it. But make no mistake, we’re not at the level of those guys; we’ve got a long way to go.” Alongside Schott on the 1890 team are president Matt Davison and vice president Joe Selig, who primarily focus on fundrais- ing. Veronica Cucci works with the collec- tive’s charitable partners and ensures play- ers fulfill the terms of their contract, while the newly hired Kyle Fisher, who spent the 2023 season as a recruiting assistant for the Nebraska football team, has joined on to work directly with the athletes. “He’s helping on the recruiting side, so if we need to talk about NIL, he’s helping out with that,” Schott said of Fisher. “He’s been on the job for three weeks now and it’s already paying dividends.” One area of pride for 1890 is the collec- tive’s focus on looking out for the well- being of its student-athletes. According to Schott, the collective edu- cates players upfront about taxes and ba- sic financial literacy before they sign any contracts. For athletes who are interested in investing funds, 1890 is able to connect them with financial advisors outside of the organization. Unlike other collectives nationally, 1890 also withholds taxes on behalf of the play- ers to ensure they don’t fall behind or ne- glect that area of financial responsibility. “A lot of these kids, you know, they’re 18, 19, 20 years old, so they don’t know about withholding taxes, and when their taxes come due in April, the last thing we want
NU SPRING GAME, 4.27
Financial From 9
Nebraska’s Dante Dowdell (left) celebrates his 49- yard touchdown with Barret Liebentritt in third quarter during the Red-White Spring Game, Saturday, April 27, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. KENNETH FERRIERA PHOTOS , JOURNAL STAR FILE
compliance with rules requiring payments to be handled by third-party sources. NIL collectives quickly began popping up all over the country, sometimes with multiple organizations seeking to support the same school. At Nebraska, Athletic Branding & Marketing (ABM) worked as the school’s primary collective prior to the launch of the 1890 Initiative, which later absorbed ABM in 2022. The 1890 Initiative has led the charge ever since, and was named Nebraska’s of- ficial NIL collective in early July. “The needs of the collective have con- tinued to scale and grow as we’ve brought on more athletes and higher-profile ath- letes who have agents involved,” 1890 CEO Carson Schott told the Journal Star. “The fundraising needs have grown with these partnerships and as we’ve taken on more sports.” The primary focus for 1890 is the foot- ball program, though athletes on the men’s basketball, women’s basketball, volleyball and softball teams have also received NIL compensation. According to Schott, 1890 currently has roughly 150 athletes con- tracted to NIL deals. “It’s not just all about the big-money guys,” Schott said. “It takes 100 guys on the football team, it takes 10 guys on the basketball teams and it takes a number of athletes in these sports to have these NIL deals in order to make successful teams.” A former Nebraska football player in the early 2000s, Schott joined the collec- tive from Sandhills Global with the goal of scaling and growing 1890’s NIL opera- tion. Crucially important in doing so has been the presence of athletic director Troy Dannen and Rhule, who have worked both publicly and privately to support 1890’s fundraising efforts. An August practice that was opened to
them to be stuck with is a big tax liability,” Schott said. Thanks to its position as the univer- sity’s official NIL collective, and the close working relationships 1890 holds with the Athletic Department and the Huskers Ath- letic Fund, any ground-breaking changes to Nebraska’s NIL operation appear unlikely. The system that they operate within, however, continues to grow and evolve as further legal judgments and NCAA rule changes are passed down. A recent settle- ment approved by both the nation’s top athletic conferences and the NCAA will al- low schools to directly compensate players in addition to any third-party NIL deals. Whether or not 1890 retains control over the finances of Nebraska’s NIL program, Schott feels the collective is ready to adapt and evolve as needed. “If it’s us being a supplement to what the university provides with (revenue) share, if it’s us becoming more of a marketing agency and helping drive these NIL op-
portunities in the future, or whatever the case may be, I think we’re positioned well,” Schott said. “It’s really hard to kind of see through the fog and see where this is all going to be in another year. But, as long as we have great cooperation with the university, I think we’ll be able to pivot and be able to provide the support that we need for them.” Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola throws a pass in the second quarter during the Red-White Spring Game last April.
12 | August 2024
HUSKERS PREVIEW
POSITION BREAKDOWN
QUARTERBACK | DYLAN RAIOLA
THE STAR It doesn’t get any bigger than a five-star addition, but is Raiola ready for the spotlight as a true freshman? Raiola’s arm talent is evident, but Nebraska may need to readjust its offensive philosophy to account for the pocket passer’s strengths. In just the first 15 practices of his college career this spring, Raiola already did enough to impress his vet- eran teammates and pass-catchers.
THE STUNTMEN It’s been seven years since Nebraska had a 12-game starter at quarterback, so the likes of Heinrich Haarberg and Dan- iel Kaelin must be ready to go. Haarberg, who started eight games last year, is the likeliest to play while Kaelin may take a redshirt season. NAIA transfer Jalyn Gramstad is in the mix, too.
THE CAST No. 10
Heinrich Haarberg Daniel Kaelin Dylan Raiola Luke Longval Bode Soukup Jalyn Gramstad
6-5 6-3 6-3 6-2 6-2 6-0
225
Jr.
No. 12 No. 15 No. 19
220 230 210 195 200
Fr. Fr.
So.
No. TBD No. TBD
Fr. Sr.
August 2024 | 13
HUSKERS PREVIEW
POSITION BREAKDOWN
RUNNING BACK | GABE ERVIN JR.
THE STAR Ervin is a dynamic star — but will he play the lead role for the entire season? The junior has played in just 15 games across his three- year career due to injuries. When healthy, his powerful running style has led to immediate success.
THE STUNTMEN Multiple running backs will feature in Nebraska’s offensive system. A sopho- more, Emmett Johnson, burst onto the scene late in the 2023 season as a starter, while the veteran Rahmir John- son is a pass-catching back with major upside. Oregon transfer Dante Dowdell will hope to earn a larger role as well.
THE CAST No. 14
Rahmir Johnson Emmett Johnson
5-10 200 Sr. 5-11 200 So.
No. 33 No. 45
Maurice Mazzccua
5-8 200 Sr.
No. 21 No. 22 No. 23 No. 25 No. 28
Izaac Dickey
5-10
215 Fr.
Gabe Ervin Jr.
6-1 220 Jr.
No. TBD Trent Uhlir
6-1 230 Fr.
Dante Dowdell
6-2 5-9 6-3
225 So.
No. TBD Ryker Evans No. TBD Rowdy Bauer No. TBD Mekhi Nelson
5-11 5-11 5-10
180 Fr. 190 Fr. 185 Fr.
Kenneth Williams
180 R-Fr. 210 R-Fr.
Kwinten Ives
JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO
14 | August 2024
HUSKERS PREVIEW
POSITION BREAKDOWN WIDE RECEIVER | JAHMAL BANKS
THE STAR Banks is the big-money addition to a position room that desper- ately needed a star. Banks filled that role before for Wake For- est, and now he’ll be called upon as Nebraska’s top pass-catcher. Thanks to his big frame and dependable hands, Banks’ position coach said this summer that he’s a “quarterback’s best friend.” THE STUNTMEN Texas transfer Isaiah Neyor is another experienced veteran who should claim a starting spot, while second-year wideouts Mala- chi Coleman and Jaylen Lloyd are set to continue their growth. Returning veterans Alex Bullock and Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda will also play key roles within the offense.
THE CAST No. 11
Demitrius Bell
6-0 6-5 6-2 6-4 5-10 5-10
185 210 220 220 180 170 185 220 200
R-Fr.
No. 84 No. 86
Alex Bullock
6-2 6-3 5-11 6-0
205 210 195
Jr.
No. 15 No. 16 No. 18 No. 19 No. 26 No. 41 No. 80 No. 82 No. 83
Malachi Coleman
So. So.
Keelan Smith
Fr.
Janiran Bonner
No.88
Cooper Hausmann
So.
Isaiah Neyor Jaylen Lloyd
Sr.
No. 89
Jacory Barney Jr.
170
Fr. Fr. Fr.
So. So.
No. TBD Quinn Clark
6-5
205
Roman Mangini
No. TBD Isaiah McMorris
5-10
170
Elliott Brown
5-11
Jr.
No. TBD Hayes Miller
6-0
180 230
So.
Jahmal Banks
6-4
Sr. Sr. Fr.
No. TBD Carter Nelson
6-5
Fr. Fr.
Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda
6-1
No. TBD DJ Singleton
5-10
155
Dae’vonn Hall
6-2
190
JUSTIN WAN , JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO
August 2024 | 15
HUSKERS PREVIEW
POSITION BREAKDOWN
TIGHT END | THOMAS FIDONE
THE STAR The returning leader of the group, Fidone’s 2023 season was the first fully healthy year of his ca- reer. He was highly impactful in all areas of the field, having caught a pass in 11 consecutive games to close the season. Fidone will again be counted upon as a key red zone and short-yardage target. THE STUNTMEN In addition to their pass-catching skills, Nebras- ka’s tight ends have to be adept blockers. Nate Boerkircher and Luke Lindenmeyer fill that role well and will feature in many two-tight end offen- sive sets.
THE CAST No. 24
Thomas Fidone II
6-6
255
Jr.
No. 44
Luke Lindenmeyer
6-3
250
So.
No. 47
Ian Flynt
6-4
255
Fr.
No. 48
Cayden Echternach
6-4
250
R-Fr.
No. 87
Nate Boerkircher
6-5
250
Jr.
No. TBD
Eric Ingwerson
6-6
250
Fr.
No. TBD
Connor Schutt
6-6
215
Fr.
No. TBD
Danny King
6-4
245
JUSTIN WAN , JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO
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POSITION BREAKDOWN DEFENSIVE LINE | NASH HUTMACHER AND TY ROBINSON
THE CO-STARS The veteran co-stars of the Nebraska defensive line room both opted to run it back with the Huskers rather than looking to the professional ranks. Hutmacher, who often plays on the interior of the line, is a top-level pass rusher while Robinson’s impact is often shown by plugging gaps and freeing up his teammates for one-on-one assign- ments. THE STUNTMEN One of the deepest position groups on the roster has no shortage of young talent. Jimari Butler, who led Nebraska with 5 1/2 sacks last year, will be joined by Cameron Len- hardt and James Williams as key pass-rushing options. Elijah Jeudy and Riley Van Poppel will also feature heavily.
THE CAST No. 0
No. 86 No. 87 No. 90 No. 92 No. 93 No. 96 No. 98
AJ Rollins
6-5 6-5 6-6 6-3 6-5 6-6 6-4 6-4 6-5 6-7
255 270 250 295 250 270 265 250 255 255
Jr.
Nash Hutmacher
6-4 6-6 6-5 6-3 6-3 6-5 6-5 6-5 6-5 6-5 6-4
310 310 260 260 285 290 290 265 260 315 300
Sr. Sr. Jr.
Brodie Tagaloa James Williams
So. So.
No. 9
Ty Robinson Jimari Butler
No. 10 No. 11 No. 16 No. 44 No. 55 No. 57 No. 58 No. 61 No. 73
Sua Lefotu Kai Wallin Leslie Black
R-FR.
Cameron Lenhardt
So.
So.
Elijah Jeudy
Jr.
R-Fr. R-Fr.
Riley Van Poppel Vincent Jackson Ashton Murphy Mason Goldman Dylan Parrott David Borchers
So.
Conor Connealy
R-Fr.
No. TBD Jordan Ochoa No. TBD Keona Davis No. TBD David Hoffken
Fr. Fr. Fr.
Fr.
R-Fr.
So.
R-Fr.
KENNETH FERRIERA JOURNAL STAR
18 | August 2024
HUSKERS PREVIEW
POSITION BREAKDOWN
POSITION BREAKDOWN
LINEBACKER | JOHN BULLOCK
DEFENSIVE BACKS | ISAAC GIFFORD
THE STAR Bullock is a grizzled veteran who’ll lean on his teammates to get the job done. In order for the NU defense to be at its best, Bullock will need to be on the field as the team’s most experienced in- side linebacker and top run-stopper. THE STUNTMEN Javin Wright and Mikai Gbayor will both see plenty of the field due to their ability to fill multiple linebacker roles. Nebraska will get a major pass-rushing contribution from its top “Jack line- backers,” MJ Sher- man and Princewill Umanmielen, while Syracuse transfer Stefon Thompson could be an impact addition.
THE CAST No. 5
THE CAST No. 2
No. 37 Evan Taylor
6-2 185 Fr.
Isaac Gifford
6-1 205 Sr.
John Bullock
6-0
230
Sr.
No. 8
DeShon Singleton
6-3 210 Sr.
No. 38 Cooper Wilson
6-3 195 R-Fr.
No. 17 Willis McGahee IV
6-1
235
Fr.
THE STAR Having played in every single Nebraska game for the last four seasons, there are few Husk- ers as experienced and knowledgeable as Gif- ford. The senior safety patrols the backend of the defense, often dropping into coverage or attacking the line of scrimmage. Gifford led NU with a career-high 86 tackles a year ago. 6-1 200 Fr. No. 13 Malcolm Hartzog Jr. 5-9 180 Jr. No. 15 Roger Gradney 6-0 205 Fr. No. 19 Taveon Thompson 6-3 215 Jr. No. 21 Dwight Bootle II 5-10 180 R-Fr. No. 23 Blye Hill 6-4 190 So. No. 24 Marques Buford Jr. 5-11 190 Jr. No. 25 Jeremiah Charles 6-0 170 R-Fr. No. 26 Koby Bretz 6-2 205 Jr. No. 29 Mario Buford 6-0 175 Fr. No. 31 Tommi Hill 6-0 205 Sr. No. 32 Rahmir Stewart 5-11 210 R-Fr. No. 35 D’Andre Barnes 6-0 195 R-Fr. No. 36 Blake Closman 5-9 195 Jr. No. 12 Rex Guthrie
No. 39 Derek Branch
5-11 195 Jr.
No. 18 Princewill Umanmielen
6-5
245
So.
No. 40 Brice Turner
6-1 185 R-Fr.
No. 22 Maverick Noonan
6-4
240
R-Fr.
THE STUNTMEN Nebraska returns a veteran secondary with top-level depth at safety, where Marques Bu- ford and DeShon Singleton are set for major roles. Tommi Hill projects as one of the Big Ten’s best cornerback and Malcolm Hartzog returns as a third-year starter. 5-10 175 Fr. No. 44 Syncere Safeeullah 6-3 180 R-Fr. No. 45 Mason Jones 5-11 200 R-Fr. No. 85 Jaidyn Doss 6-0 195 R-Fr. No. TBD Caleb Benning 5-11 200 Fr. No. TBD Donovan Jones 6-1 195 Fr. No. TBD Braylen Prude 6-4 200 Fr. No. TBD Amare Sanders 6-1 175 Fr. No. TBD Preston Okafor 6-2 180 Fr. No. TBD Kahmir Prescott 6-1 200 Fr. No. TBD Thomas D’Onofrio 6-1 185 Fr. No. 41 Larry Tarver Jr.
No. 33 Javin Wright
6-5
230
Sr.
No. 34 Gage Wager
5-10
190
R-Fr.
No. 42 Mikai Gbayor
6-2
230
Jr.
No. 43 Michael Booker III
6-1
225
Jr.
No. 46 Grant Buda
6-0
225
Jr.
No. 47 Gage Stenger
6-2
220
So.
No. 48 MJ Sherman
6-3
245
Sr.
No. 49 Danny Pasko
6-1
225
R-Fr.
No. 50 Noah Bustard
6-1
225
R-Fr.
No. 51 Vincent Shavers Jr.
6-1
225
Fr.
No. 52 Dylan Rogers
6-3
240
R-Fr.
No. 53 Jacob Bower
6-1
220
R-Fr.
No. 56 Stefon Thompson
6-1
240
Jr.
No. 81 Ismael Smith Flores
6-4
245
R-Fr.
No. TBD Derek Wacker
6-1
220
Fr.
No. TBD Ethan Duda
6-5
230
Fr.
No. TBD Vincent Genatone
6-0
225
So.
KENNETH FERRIERA JOURNAL STAR
JUSTIN WAN , JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO
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