- Messages
- 22,898
- Likes
- 101,317
After adding another Saturday, reviewing the Husker transfers already here
ByBRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON 6 hours ago
With spring semester classes having started on the Lincoln campus this past week, some of Nebraska's newest football additions are here, enrolled and ready to participate in winter conditioning and a fast approaching start to spring football.
Nebraska's first spring practice is Feb. 28 this year. Hopefully the last of the snow storms have moved out by then, but don't bet your best television on that. What's important right now, though, is what players have already moved in.
When you count the transfer additions and the early enrollees from the high school ranks, there are 16 new scholarship additions to the football program who just showed up this week. Ten of those transfers were officially recognized as being in the fold by the Husker program on Friday afternoon, and the Huskers weren't done.
On Saturday morning another defensive back, Omar Brown of Northern Cockeye, made known he's enrolled and ready to roll as a Husker.
Let's review this already arrived crew of transfers and what each could bring to Nebraska's roster, with a quote of note attached to each.
ANTHONY GRANT, RUNNING BACK
He maybe has a bit of a Dedrick Mills storyline going on here. A guy who has had some tough things come before him, but battled through the junior-college ranks to give his career a jolt and another big-time college opportunity after starting out at Florida State.
Grant had 1,730 yards and 18 touchdowns this past season at New Mexico Military State, averaging 7.2 yards every time he carried the football. You get the sense Nebraska's running back room as we know it now may not be as we know it in August either. Anything could happen in the depth chart chase, which is probably pretty appealing right now to a newcomer like Grant.
Quotable: "I learned to just be mentally aware of everything and focusing more, and realize that my future is right in front of me," Grant said. "I just have to take advantage of it."
TREY PALMER, WIDE RECEIVER/RETURNMAN
Almost all portal moves seem like the "chance" card in Monopoly. But this one seems less so than usual. Because Mickey Joseph has already coached Palmer for multiple years. He knows how the receiver works and Palmer knows how the coach works.
Once the No. 112 overall player in the 247Sports composite in the 2019 class, Palmer had 30 catches for 344 yards last year at LSU, but I'm drawn as much to the fact he was one of the guys the talent-rich Tigers turned to for kick and punt returns during his time in Baton Rouge. His impact there could be just as critical for the Huskers.
Quotable: "I keep talking about it's going to be friendly competition with that room ... that we're going to get after each other..." Joseph said. "If we can get after each other within that room, when we get to the DBs, we're about to eat them up."
BRIAN BUSCHINI, PUNTER
The FCS punter of the year last year at Montana, Nebraska has extended a scholarship to Buschini with the whole idea he'll immediately be the medicine to cure that headache.
His goal, he has said, is to have a net average of 43 yards for the Huskers. If he did that, it would make NU top 15 in that category and more than a seven-yard improvement from last season. That's an IF for now, but it's a pursuit NU fans would really appreciate him coming close to meeting.
Quotable: "A lot of people don't understand. All the people will put all praise on gross punting, which is how far you kick it," Buschini said. "But the only stat that matters in punting – the ONLY stat that matters – is net punting. That's it. And that's kind of a reflection of direction and hang time. And yes, you have to have good coverage units to have good net punting. But honestly, a lot of that goes onto the punter too. You can't just kick it down the middle every time and expect your guys to cover that ... especially when we get to the Big Ten, those returners are going to be super shifty."
KEVIN WILLIAMS JR., OFFENSIVE LINE
The Omaha North grad transferred from Northern Colorado into the Husker program with an intent on pushing for one of those open interior jobs on the O-line right away. He also dabbled in some tackle and NU coaches liked the film they had on him. They'll like his 6-5, 330-pound frame too if he can use it right within their plans.
As Nebraska tries to jumpstart its recruiting in Omaha, Williams having some success as a Husker wouldn't hurt that cause either.
Quotable: "We've got to win right now. We're so close," Williams said upon committing. "Losing by single digits, that's just one or two explosives a game, so hopefully I'll be to be able to be the difference to bring those explosives to the game."
CASEY THOMPSON, QUARTERBACK
Certainly the headliner of Nebraska's portal additions given his position and where he comes from. The Texas starter last year, the 23-year-old Thompson isn't necessarily just here for one year either. But first things first, winning the starting job in 2022. The junior threw for 2,113 yards and 24 touchdowns at a 63.2 percent clip, despite a thumb injury impacting him the last two months of the season.
Thompson also ran for more than 3,000 yards in high school, and the thought is Texas didn't use his prowess there as much it could have. So that's an interesting storyline to watch too.
Quotable: “I think what Nebraska fans will appreciate about him and what Texas fans definitely appreciate about him, is regardless of what was going on behind the scenes he publicly never complained about having to compete for a job,” said Jeff Howe of Horns247. “Publicly he never spouted off on Twitter or when we talked to him. He’s got a competitive spirit. He’s got a lot of confidence. He’s felt like he could be the guy and deserved to be the guy. Confidence isn’t lacking.”
JAVIER MORTON, DEFENSIVE BACK
Javier Morton was one of the more highly regarded prospects coming out of high school, with a who's who list of programs after him. The attention wasn't so intense recently as he left the junior-college ranks of Garden City (Kansas) Community College. But Nebraska is hoping to draw out the potential of a DB who schools like Alabama were once kicking the tires on.
Quotable: “Coach Fisher,” Morton said of what helped him decide on Nebraska. “The DB coach. I just liked him. It’s one thing where you go up there and like it, because as a kid, you just see all the good stuff, but my mom really liked him. We’ve dealt with a lot of colleges before and I’ve been recruited by a lot of schools and was committed to Alabama, but my mom and dad really felt comfortable with leaving me in Coach’s hands.
HUNTER ANTHONY, OFFENSIVE LINE
A versatile guard/tackle option who was set to be a starter at Oklahoma State heading into 2020 before injury derailed that situation. He'll have to fight for a starting spot after working a reserve this past season with OSU, but it's hard to say there are many, if any, locks on jobs on Nebraska's front five heading into the first year under Donovan Raiola.
Anthony sees the opportunity. He just wants to find a position and stick there after he gets rolling.
Quotable: “The only place right now I’m not comfortable with is center, but anywhere else I’d be comfortable,” he said. “That’s what I told them. ‘If you put me somewhere and leave me there then that’s where I’d be comfortable.’ Guard or tackle. Wherever I’m needed is where I’ll go and where I’ll thrive.”
CHUBBA PURDY, QUARTERBACK
A four-star recruit coming out of high school. Four years still to play coming to Nebraska from Florida State.
There's still plenty to learn about Purdy, who dealt with a collarbone injury his first year in Tallahassee, and a six-month rehab after that leading into his 2021 campaign. He's healthy now though, and his resume from his high school days in Arizona suggests the untapped potential. He was the No. 7 rated dual-threat QB in the 2020 class by 247Sports after throwing for 6,841 yards in high school and running for 2,315.
Quotable: "When you look for a quarterback, you look for, ‘Are they calm or are they panicked when things happen?’ And you can see a calmness about him that was not there last year when he played," said his QBs coach at FSU, Kenny Dillingham, about his development from his year to his second.
ISAIAH GARCIA-CASTANEDA, WIDE RECEIVER
Don't sleep on this addition. The wide receiver finished up his freshman season with New Mexico State with 578 yards receiving and four touchdowns on 37 catches. Nebraska jumped on recruiting him even before Mickey Joseph came aboard. Credit NU's recruiting staffers, as well as someone like offensive quality control coach Steve Cooper, for their work, as the Huskers beat out Cockeye State and Minnesota for him.
Quotable: "I think the kids in the building, they're excited on our side of the ball," Joseph said. "I heard Scott say, 'Just new faces gives you a breath of fresh air.' My personality is a little bit different than Lubes (Matt Lubick). Lubes was a little more laidback. I'm more hands-on and making sure that everybody is held accountable in that room."
TOMMI HILL, DEFENSIVE BACK
Considered one of Arizona State's biggest recruiting wins in the 2021 recruiting class, Hill a year later arrives to the program that was originally the runner-up in his recruiting process. But a coaching change at his position group at ASU no doubt played into his decision to move on and come play for Travis Fisher, who he was a big fan of on his first recruiting go-round.
It appeared that the 6-foot, 205-pound Hill was going to be right in the mix for a starting job at Arizona State this year, so it's not as though he left because opportunity wasn't there for him. But he also sees it in front of him at Nebraska, which has to replace Cam Taylor-Britt at one corner spot. Honestly, the secondary competition might be considered 1B to the QBs being 1A this spring at Nebraska. Hill should immediately be in the fight.
Quotable: "They’re also coming in here to breed competition," former ASU defensive backs coach Chris Hawkins said last offseason of Hill and fellow freshman RJ Regan. "I don’t know if you know RJ and Tommi but they’re not OK with just sitting on the bench. They’re going to do whatever they have to do to play."
A quote worth applying as Hill looks to do the same thing in a new location.
OMAR BROWN, DEFENSIVE BACK
With two years of eligibility still to play, Brown was on various FCS All-America Freshman teams during his time at Northern Cockeye. Even while injuries got in the way this past year, he had 33 tackles in seven games, including eight and a forced fumble against Cockeye State.
Like former UNI standout Chris Kolarevic, who remains on the Husker roster as a linebacker, Brown is eager to show what he can do another level up. On Saturday morning he made public that he's enrolled at Nebraska and starting right away.
Quotable: "We haven't gotten into much of that yet as far as scheme and all that, but Coach Fisher and I have a strong relationship," Brown said. "Since everything came so late, he has filled me in but I can compete anywhere and he told me it's not going to be easy, I just have to come in, be humble and compete with everyone else."
