Husker in WI

Does this mean anything for Loftin/Zebert? I know Satt loves his TEs, but how many do we need? This guy looks more like a true inline TE unlike those two so I'm sure we'd still take Loftin, but for all the talk of this being a small class I didn't figure we would be taking multiple TEs and definitely not 3.

Yeah I don't have a problem with a 220 lb safety as long as they are fast enough, and I think he is. The problem is anytime he's trying to cover a guy and they make a cut, I don't think he's sticking with them through the turn. But I'm sure the coaches will figure out what he can and can't do.

I think he's more of a straight-line guy which makes it tough to play DB. He'll lose some speed as he puts on LB weight, but he doesn't really need to run a 10.5 there to be fast.

They did just bring in an OSU transfer, but I don't think they're happy to lose Edwards. They'll get some dudes, but I don't think enough to outweigh the losses.

Right, seems like that might be the plan. I think we can all agree he (and any player for that matter) would likely be better served to stick it out and be pushed, but it's his career.

He would be one of our best five linemen even without being in great shape, and there are other schools who would take that. It's almost easier in fall camp because there's less time to not meet expectations - spring ball is a grind. He's not going to Georgia or Ohio State, but there are P5 schools that would take him in the fall, let him use fall camp to get in shape, and play him week one. Honestly we would probably let him do that at the end of the day, but maybe the constant pushing to do better than that isn't what he wants. But he's a proven P5 starter, lots of schools would take him and play him if he's better than what they currently have.

I don't follow basketball (especially non-Nebrasketball) closely enough to verify this, but the talk here is he was "under-utilized" because he doesn't play defense and the coach got frustrated with that.

Sure sounded like it to me too - wasn't paying super close attention, but sounded like Dvoracek has been calling plays (maybe just for the scrimmage) and then getting feedback from White. What wasn't clear to me was if the other assistants were also doing that and we just heard about it from Dvoracek. Either way makes sense to me, there's clearly mutually interest between White and head coaching gigs and I'm sure Rhule would love to promote from within when he leaves. That's easier if they've at least practiced calling plays.

Right, but my point is just because somebody thinks we have 95 scholarship players doesn't mean we do. Several prominent players who were on scholarship at one point, either here or at another school, are not technically on scholarship now. The Athletic just had an article about it ($), some teams focus their NIL on their top players and others use it to add a few scholarship-caliber players over the 85 limit. We're in the latter group.

You can pretty much assume anyone who started their career as a walk-on (even if they were on scholarship at one point) and most of the guys transferring in each year are not technically on scholarship. Also guys coming back for 5th/6th years - my understanding is guys who sign out of high school get that scholarship for 4 years, but after that they could be taken off. Several high school guys are not on scholarship either. There are a lot more than 10 guys in those buckets.

I don't think any QBs in the portal will be interested in coming here. Sure it's only 3 scholarship QBs, but we're clearly planning on Raiola winning the job so there's not a path to playing time. The portal QB ship sailed for this year when we didn't push for McCord.

There are just some dudes with a natural feel for it - Dejuan Groce comes to mind, and then most recently Demornay Pierson-El. Haven't had one of those guys since. Nation deserves more of a chance, but gotta say he didn't look 'different' than the other guys back there so I don't have super high hopes with those two options. I know there's more to a punt return than pure speed, but I don't understand why Lloyd, Charles, Barney, or even Brice Turner aren't in the mix. Can they not catch a punt or something?

I imagine it's like those DB drills where they aren't allowed to use their hands - you have to use the right footwork this way. And it's easier to work the hold in than it would be to take it out when you've been relying on it and get a ref who decides he's going to call it. Still kinda weird, but I'm sure the selling point for the next level is their technique must be phenomenal to have any degree of success at this level without holding. Should be easy to teach them to hold "correctly" if their footwork and hand placement is good.

Rhule dropped some moderately interesting nuggets today: Mazzccua working second team at the moment JEJ is starting at Guard and then working some at Center Lutovsky is starting at Guard but also repping some tackle Knaak is doing well I don't think this contradicts the quoted statement either, I imagine Mazzccua is with the 2's right now due to a combination of deference to the guys who have been here and him not showing up in great shape, and potentially some motivation. You can afford to work guys in different spots when the first game is still months away. Also really surprised by Lutovsky at tackle, but we don't have a lot of depth there and Rhule said some guys look like Guards and just play more naturally at Tackle and vice versa. Also said Brix is a Tackle, and basically they will keep guys at Tackle if there's a chance they can handle it because they're hard to find.