2025-2026 Portal Updates

[Dr. Strangelove]

How much money exactly are they spending? How much more money than that amount is available that they aren’t spending?

I’m not privy to the NIL budget or expenditures like you must be to make that post.

While I understand what you're saying, it's fairly easy to get an idea of how much they're spending by comparing the level of player that they have landed in the portal. If Nebraska was competing with teams that have qualified for the CFP for portal talent, it's easy to assume that we are spending a considerable about in NIL. If Nebraska is not competing with teams in that tier of football, we probably aren't spending that much in NIL, or at least not enough to compete.

Considering the High School class they brought in, in addition to the way they've recruited the portal, it's really obvious that Nebraska is not spending at a high level this season. I think they spent a lot more to compete last season by trying to build a team around Dylan, but it appears that Nebraska is hitting the reset button in multiple ways - in the coaching staff, in NIL spending, and in high school talent acquisition.

To me, it's pretty obvious what the trajectory is of the Matt Rhule era at Nebraska is. It's just a shame that we're going to take at least two more seasons of bad football before we try, once again, to hire a coach that knows what he's doing.

 

[SouthLincoln Husker]

While I understand what you're saying, it's fairly easy to get an idea of how much they're spending by comparing the level of player that they have landed in the portal. If Nebraska was competing with teams that have qualified for the CFP for portal talent, it's easy to assume that we are spending a considerable about in NIL. If Nebraska is not competing with teams in that tier of football, we probably aren't spending that much in NIL, or at least not enough to compete.

Considering the High School class they brought in, in addition to the way they've recruited the portal, it's really obvious that Nebraska is not spending at a high level this season. I think they spent a lot more to compete last season by trying to build a team around Dylan, but it appears that Nebraska is hitting the reset button in multiple ways - in the coaching staff, in NIL spending, and in high school talent acquisition.

To me, it's pretty obvious what the trajectory is of the Matt Rhule era at Nebraska is. It's just a shame that we're going to take at least two more seasons of bad football before we try, once again, to hire a coach that knows what he's doing.

That means you must know how much we are spending also. NE has been behind on NIL. This is not on Rhule, but you will blame it on him as we all know you don't like him and will not move on.

 

[KC Sker]

How much money exactly are they spending? How much more money than that amount is available that they aren’t spending?

I’m not privy to the NIL budget or expenditures like you must be to make that post.

I’m not, but with a portal signing out of the top 10, they are spending less than the teams ahead of them one would surmise. If they are spending more, they are not getting their moneys worth.

 

[KC Sker]

Would you mind sharing your thoughts on how much more they should spend and on who?

Sure, whatever we are spending, it needs to be more, a lot more. Top talent isn’t exactly clamoring to play for Nebraska or Matt Rhule so we need to buy the roster because this staff has shown it’s not killing it at recruiting.

Who ever your top 10 targets are, offer more than the next guy…simple. Will we over pay? Of course but at the end of the day, you offer 10 top guys, say 500k a piece more than the top offer and I bet most of those guys would sign. At the end of the day 5 million dollars in “overpaying” players is a drop in the bucket for the athletic department.

 

[Hilltop]

Sure, whatever we are spending, it needs to be more, a lot more. Top talent isn’t exactly clamoring to play for Nebraska or Matt Rhule so we need to buy the roster because this staff has shown it’s not killing it at recruiting.

Who ever your top 10 targets are, offer more than the next guy…simple. Will we over pay? Of course but at the end of the day, you offer 10 top guys, say 500k a piece more than the top offer and I bet most of those guys would sign. At the end of the day 5 million dollars in “overpaying” players is a drop in the bucket for the athletic department.

And what happens when 10 schools with virtually unlimited budgets enter the competition? Schools like Texas Tech, and Indiana have billionaires funding their NIL. Nebraska does not...

Edited to add - If you believe it is strictly about money, then why bag on the coaching staff? Our coaches would gladly spend top NIL money on every player they want but they obviously have a budget.

 

[SouthLincoln Husker]

Sure, whatever we are spending, it needs to be more, a lot more. Top talent isn’t exactly clamoring to play for Nebraska or Matt Rhule so we need to buy the roster because this staff has shown it’s not killing it at recruiting.

Who ever your top 10 targets are, offer more than the next guy…simple. Will we over pay? Of course but at the end of the day, you offer 10 top guys, say 500k a piece more than the top offer and I bet most of those guys would sign. At the end of the day 5 million dollars in “overpaying” players is a drop in the bucket for the athletic department.

Where is all this extra money coming from? Just love the lack of common sense. Just because they should, does not mean they can. Don't forget that we need to start moving towards the 105 roster limit.

 

[HuskerNation1]

 

[commando]

paywalled

 

[GSG]

paywalled

 

[KC Sker]

And what happens when 10 schools with virtually unlimited budgets enter the competition? Schools like Texas Tech, and Indiana have billionaires funding their NIL. Nebraska does not...

Edited to add - If you believe it is strictly about money, then why bag on the coaching staff? Our coaches would gladly spend top NIL money on every player they want but they obviously have a budget.

I agree, we probably can’t compete with schools that have mega donors, but don’t think for a second we are broke. Memorial stadium has been sold out since 1962, they sell $40 tee shirts all day plus all the other merch, not to mention food and beverage sales. The athletic program had the #10 valuation in the country based on a quick google search. It seems like we can pull 10s of millions of dollars out our a$$ to fire another failed coaching staff so I refuse to believe the coffers are not brimming over. What am saying is, there is a difference on being broke and being frugal and it looks like we have chosen the ladder.

You do pose an interesting question though, since we won’t spend top dollar on a roster and Matt has proven to not be a great developer, we find ourselves in…well the situation we are currently in: perpetual mediocrity.

 

[HuskerNation1]

 

[KC Sker]

Where is all this extra money coming from? Just love the lack of common sense. Just because they should, does not mean they can. Don't forget that we need to start moving towards the 105 roster limit.

Idk, donors, boosters, ticket/merch/food/beverage sales…the typical sources.

Trimming down the roster would mean cutting dead money. Perhaps redistributing that money to better players would be a good thing for NU. Seems like common sense.

 

[SouthLincoln Husker]

I agree, we probably can’t compete with schools that have mega donors, but don’t think for a second we are broke. Memorial stadium has been sold out since 1962, they sell $40 tee shirts all day plus all the other merch, not to mention food and beverage sales. The athletic program had the #10 valuation in the country based on a quick google search. It seems like we can pull 10s of millions of dollars out our a$$ to fire another failed coaching staff so I refuse to believe the coffers are not brimming over. What am saying is, there is a difference on being broke and being frugal and it looks like we have chosen the ladder.

You do pose an interesting question though, since we won’t spend top dollar on a roster and Matt has proven to not be a great developer, we find ourselves in…well the situation we are currently in: perpetual mediocrity.View attachment 23457

Yes, this is how other Husker teams are funded. No other team runs a profit except for football.

 

[Mavric]

I agree, we probably can’t compete with schools that have mega donors, but don’t think for a second we are broke. Memorial stadium has been sold out since 1962, they sell $40 tee shirts all day plus all the other merch, not to mention food and beverage sales. The athletic program had the #10 valuation in the country based on a quick google search. It seems like we can pull 10s of millions of dollars out our a$$ to fire another failed coaching staff so I refuse to believe the coffers are not brimming over. What am saying is, there is a difference on being broke and being frugal and it looks like we have chosen the ladder.

You do pose an interesting question though, since we won’t spend top dollar on a roster and Matt has proven to not be a great developer, we find ourselves in…well the situation we are currently in: perpetual mediocrity.View attachment 23457

You realize that "College Athletics Valuations" are completely made up and have nothing to do with NIL budgets, right?

 

[Mavric]