LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska’s three-pronged approach to December continued on Tuesday with a morning football practice, management of a changing roster with an eye on the wide-open transfer portal and work to fill out a coaching staff in flux.
Coach Matt Rhule ducked out of a practice session for an hour-long teleconference with athletic director Troy Dannen and representatives from Boston College to preview the Dec. 28 Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium.
The conversation featured banter about Rhule’s passion for New York, his hometown, and plans with BC coach Bill O’Brien to absorb their families’ shopping bills while in the big city over the holiday season.
Most of the talk, though, focused on the pressing issues in college football.
“Who makes these rules,” O’Brien said. “Who opens the portal during bowl season?”
Rhule offered praise for many of the non-scholarship players on the Nebraska roster who won’t have an opportunity to play for the Huskers after this season finale because of the 105-player roster limit set to take effect next year as part of the NCAA v. House settlement.
“This is probably the most grateful I’ve ever been to be a part of a bowl,” Rhule said.
Even before the walk-on exodus hits in full, the roster math in Lincoln poses a challenge.
As the portal opened Monday, the list of Nebraska players who went into it or had declared their intentions since the end of the regular season grew to 19.
Keona Davis, a talented freshman defensive end, entered the transfer portal on Monday.
Departures are a part of the sport, Rhule said. “I can’t complain about the portal and then recruit it.”
The Nebraska roster includes 106 returning players — take the 2024 numbers and subtract all the players who participated in senior day and those known to be bound for the portal.
Add 20 December signees and 15 anticipated transfer additions.
That’s 141. It needs to be 105. So 36 still must exit.
No, Nebraska won’t lose an additional 36 players this month. Perhaps it will go into spring practice 10 to 15 players heavy. There will be competition for spots in practice before Rhule and his staff whittle the roster to the mandated 105 by July.
Even with an overloaded roster, Nebraska is staring at some major needs to fill from the portal.
In order, here’s a list:
1. Defensive line
Nebraska ought to overpay via NIL if needed to find quality defensive linemen. This is already the area hit hardest by portal departures. And it’s the toughest position group to fix via the portal. Transfers on the D-line come at a premium.
The task is significant to replace portal entries Jimari Butler, James Williams, Davis, Kai Wallin, Vincent Jackson and Brodie Tagaloa. That’s not to mention the loss of Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher to graduation.
It’s made more difficult as Nebraska looks for a defensive line coach and a permanent D-coordinator after the departure of Terrance Knighton and Tony White. At the moment, Nebraska looks at a top group of Elijah Jeudy, Riley Van Poppel and Cameron Lenhardt, with no proven depth.
I will be entering the Transfer Portal, Thank You Husker Nation for all the Memories, 🙏🏿 pic.twitter.com/SavtrEtSFz
— Keona Davis (@KeonaDavis34) December 9, 2024
2. Offensive line
Much like up front on defense, Nebraska likely needs to find multiple readymade replacements. Guards Justin Evans and Henry Lutovsky and tackle Gunnar Gottula return with starting experience. The status of tackles Teddy Prochazka and Turner Corcoran remain uncertain after injuries ended their seasons in 2024.
Is that a group capable of holding up for 12 games to rate in the top half of the Big Ten? Highly doubtful.
Corcoran is eligible to return as a sixth-year senior. But it’s tough to count on him or the fifth-year senior Prochazka because of their injury history.
Behind that group and reserve guard Jason Maciejczak, there’s only youth and inexperience. Nebraska coaches like some of the youngsters in the pipeline, but most of them simply are not ready.
3. Linebacker
Does the return from Florida State of Philip Simpson as outside linebackers coach signal Rhule might be open to a switch from the 3-3-5 — which was often a 4-2-5 in 2024 — to a 3-4 alignment?
Nebraska’s got Rob Dvoracek to coach inside linebackers. And it’s got top talent in Vincent Shavers, Willis McGahee IV and incoming freshmen Dawson Merritt and Christian Jones. But the Huskers are looking for more.
Javin Wright provides a wild card. He’s a playmaker. Wright played in a total of three games in his first three seasons. This year, as blood clots returned, he had to sit out of all contact in practice. His health and injury problems are well documented, and he could surely get a seventh season of eligibility if requested.
4. Quarterback
Dylan Raiola silenced the speculation on Monday that he’s a risk to leave in December by posting on Instagram that he’s “all in” on the Huskers.
His words reverberated through the fan base and locker room.
NEW: Dylan Raiola reassures Nebraska fans he’s locked in despite Transfer Portal rumblings 🔒 🌽 https://t.co/8wr6Xzp3kF pic.twitter.com/WFBUzJoEOn
— On3 (@On3sports) December 10, 2024
But the Huskers remain thin at QB after Daniel Kaelin’s decision to enter the portal. Heinrich Haarberg as a senior wants to test his skills at other offensive spots. Nebraska coaches appear intent on giving him that shot.
Californian TJ Lateef is on the way as an early enrolling freshman. The Huskers could still use a transfer. The problem is, most quarterbacks in the portal are looking for a place to start.
5. Specialists
Problems with execution spoiled Nebraska’s special teams performance from the start of this season to the finish. Long snapper Aidan Flege, a midseason replacement, showed improvement before botching a snap against Iowa. It led to a key field goal miss in the second half.
Punter Brian Buschini is gone after the bowl game. Is Kamdyn Koch ready to take over? Regardless, Nebraska needs two punters and two kickers on its 105-man roster. At the moment, it has just one reliable kicker in John Hohl. Perhaps Tristan Alvano gets healthy or Nico Ottomanelli emerges.
Bottom line: It will be in the market for at least one specialist.
(Photo: Dylan Widger / USA Today)
