Spring Football Thread

[SOHusker11]

 

[SOHusker11]

showcase 'em for the portal

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[SOHusker11]

 

[SOHusker11]

 

[SOHusker11]

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule​

***Rhule opened his press conference by addressing Jack McCallister entering the transfer portal. He praised McCallister’s character but said Nebraska would shift more to a rugby-style punting team under Mike Ekeler.


McCallister is more of a traditional punter, and they decided it was best for all parties to move on. He remains with the team this spring and even practiced today. Rhule said he felt “terrible about the circumstances” around his departure, adding, “I don’t feel good about how it happened.”

***Rhule followed by praising Lee Corso, who announced his upcoming retirement as an ESPN analyst. Rhule added that he expected ESPN College Game Day would be in Lincoln at some point this season.

***Ekeler’s mother-in-law recently passed away, and Ekeler was currently back in Tennessee with their family.

***Rhule said Nebraska would bring in a new punter “sometime this summer.” He said they had “some things in the works.”

***Rhule said he always wants recruits “that are serious about Nebraska” to come watch practices. He wants guys to see what the program is truly about, not just the red-carpet treatment. He also wants to showcase NU’s coaches and demonstrate to recruits how they can be developed.

Rhule announces ‘live football’ at the April 26 Husker Games​

***Rhule said he expected the roster limit to stay at 105 players. He added that he wants to “go live and do some Red and White stuff” on Saturday, April 26. The portal will close on that Friday, and he wanted to allow guys to showcase themselves with some “real football.”

It sounds like it will mainly consist of guys that might be outside of that 105 cut and others that are right on that line. “I owe it to those kids to give them one last chance to put some stuff on tape.” He added that it “probably won’t even be all the twos” that play, but he wanted to give those guys one last chance.

***He thought there would be a grandfather clause with current walk-ons, but that no longer appears to be the case.

***Rhule confirmed that Nebraska’s staff had made it a point this spring not to single out players during their interviews to keep the hype under control.

***On the balance between recruiting the state and giving local kids a chance and maintaining a 105-man roster, Rhule said his only job was “to win at Nebraska.” Wherever players come from, all that matters is if they help the Huskers win.

“I love the state, I love the (local) players … I just have to make sure that they’re good enough.”

***Rhule said walk-on linebacker Jacob Bower was now on scholarship because he earned it with his play, effort, and consistency every single day. He said Bower was the epitome of a guy making the absolute most of every opportunity, which is what he wants Nebraska’s program to be all about.

***Rhule said he wanted more forced turnovers from the defense, but part of that was the offense doing a better job of protecting the football this spring. He thought both aspects would continue to improve, but you never know where you stand until the season starts.

Center Justin Evans​

***Justin Evans said moving to a full-time center was “a totally different position from guard,” but there were aspects he’d carried over from guard. He’s really focused on communication and technique this offseason.

***Evans admitted he was a quiet guy who maybe said “two words to the team last year.” However, moving to center forced him to “come out of my shell and be one of the leaders of the team.”

***Being more vocal wasn’t just about being louder, but not “freaking out” when things don’t go as planned on the field. He wants to be a voice of stability for the offensive line and the team this season.

***Evans said Rocco Spindler and Elijah Pritchett had “blended in well” on and off the field.

***Evans said he knew he’d move to center as soon as “when Ben (Scott) left.” He had planned on making that move for some time.

***Evans said he was excited for the guys who would play in the live scrimmage on April 26. He thought many talented players would have the opportunity to showcase their abilities.

***Evans said becoming a more vocal leader started right after last season. He said his teammates know that when he says something, “it means something.”

Defensive lineman Keona Davis​

***Keona Davis said the transition to stepping up as a leader on the defensive line had been “easier than I expected” because of all the support he has around him.

***Davis said he first arrived at Nebraska weighing 245 pounds. He’s now up to 270.

***Davis said losing his defensive line coach had him “kind of scared and confused” because of the uncertainty over what was next. After talks with Nebraska’s staff and connecting with DC John Butler and DL coach Terry Bradden, he felt comfortable staying in Lincoln.

***Davis said he’d quickly bonded with Bradden, whom he called “a big ball of energy.” That started with their first FaceTime once Bradden took over.

***Davis said he’d put more time into film study on his own and with the coaches.

***On the April 26 scrimmage, Davis said it was a chance for guys to “prove themselves” on a big stage.

***Davis said Riley Van Poppel had been “a great help” in his development on and off the field this offseason.

 

[SOHusker11]

 

[Tsakoi]

Gonna be so interested in seeing who doesn't play that weekend.

 

[nja13]

showcase 'em for the portal

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3D chess. He waited until it was too late for BTN to televise it. (Or is downplaying it so much they don't want to)

 

[Frogsker30]

Rhule is a stand up guy

 

[JerryBones5]

Rhule is fed up with the media members, lol. I truly can't believe that guy asked about walking the tight rope on in-state recruiting. Do these guys not understand that Nebraska high school football is a joke? It's so frustrating. If someone in the state is good enough to play at Nebraska and is a need, they will take em. It's really that simple. Rant over.

 

[Carm]

i always thought Bower would make it - 1st team all conference in the Trinity League in California, member of the US U18 National Rugby team. He was a great PWO find.

Trinity League

 

[Kaladin]

Good deal now we now who is on the 2 deep

 

[SoCal_Corn]

I know, let's just NOT Punt.

All year.

Only Scoring Drives allowed.

Problem solved.

 

[vailhusker]

Free

 

[vailhusker]

 

[Blbmeb]

Wasn’t he one of our smallest D lineman???

 

[vailhusker]

 

[vailhusker]

 

[vailhusker]

 

[Huskerbuck85]

Rhule is fed up with the media members, lol. I truly can't believe that guy asked about walking the tight rope on in-state recruiting. Do these guys not understand that Nebraska high school football is a joke? It's so frustrating. If someone in the state is good enough to play at Nebraska and is a need, they will take em. It's really that simple. Rant over.

Didn’t he also call out a couple guys for whispering while he was talking?

He looked the direction Deab is usually sitting