Locked On Nebraska

Metro area and region sports discussion

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Locked On Nebraska

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Locked On Nebraska is back! Mitch Sherman of The Athletic and Connor Happer of Omaha's 1620 The Zone are here for the re-launch to discuss their plans for the podcast. Coach Matt Rhule and the Huskers received a visit from Bill Belichick during spring practice. We've got an update on the Polar Bear. Changes are afoot in Lincoln as new AD Troy Dannen gets settled. And Dylan Raiola earns some high praise.
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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Nebraska Football Spring Overreactions



Mitch Sherman and Connor Happer are back and ready to overreact to all that’s happening in spring football practice at Nebraska. Freshman QB Daniel Kaelin enjoyed a nice performance during a period of practice open for media to watch. What does that mean for the quarterbacks? The Nebraska wideouts suddenly look strong, perhaps even a formidable group because of the offseason additions. And Evan Cooper heaps praise on senior safety Isaac Gifford, a clear leader for the Huskers on defense.
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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Is the O-Line a strength for Nebraska?



Connor and Mitch dig into the Nebraska offensive line, always a hot topic, on this Thursday. Did Matt Rhule make a genius move in 2022 by keeping Donovan Raiola on staff as the lone holdover from the previous regime? Who is the Huskers’ most reliable player up front on offense? And we discuss Nebraska baseball as Will Bolt’s squad heads to Rutgers for an important Big Ten series.
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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How Much Do Spring Position Battles Matter?



Mitch and Connor are back after a hot weekend to discuss the remaining priorities for Nebraska in the last weeks of spring football practice. Are positions really won or lost in March and April. Connor mowed his lawn. Mitch has suggestions. The Huskers added a pair of recruits. What's next for the 2025 class? Nebraska baseball lost a series at Rutgers. And new AD Troy Dannen is about to jump into the deep end with an important period of days around the upcoming Red-White game.
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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Nebraska wide receivers:
A strength or still a liability?




Connor and Mitch are here on a Tuesday to discuss Garret McGuire's group of Nebraska wide receivers. There's a case to be made that the wideouts rate among the deepest groups on this team after the addition of transfers Jahmal Banks and Isaiah Neyor. And we will make that case. Something is cooking with the Nebraska Spring League. Somehow, it involves Keisei Tominaga. And Nebraska basketball signs one transfer and picks up a commitment from another as Fred Hoiberg continues to work on rebuilding his roster.
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Quiet at Nebraska as the transfer portal re-opens



As the transfer portal opened on Tuesday around college football, all was quiet at Nebraska. Connor and Mitch discuss the stability that coach Matt Rhule has already brought to Lincoln -- and how it's keeping the drama at a minimum in a tumultuous time for the sport. We've got updates on Nebraska baseball and basketball. And QB Dylan Raiola sat down for an interview with ex-Husker Will Compton, showing some of his personal side as the five-star freshman discussed his relationship with Patrick Mahomes.
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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Is Tony White the Big Ten's best Defensive Coordinator?



Tony White has already earned a strong reputation among the best defensive coordinators nationally after one season at Nebraska. Connor and Mitch discuss his plan in Year 2 at Nebraska to improve the Blackshirts after a breakthrough season in 2023 -- and we rank him among DCs in the Big Ten. We're also talking about the 85-player scholarship limit in college football. Does it even matter as collectives reward all players with NIL payments? And we chat about the unsustainable nature of Colorado's portal recruiting strategy as the Buffs aim for a fourth consecutive win against Nebraska this fall in Lincoln.
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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Nebraska spring defensive risers and Chucky Hepburn in the portal



The end of the week is on the horizon, but not before Mitch and Connor take stock of five defenders at Nebraska who've improved their standing this spring within Tony White's scheme. We examine the Huskers' chances to land not only Chucky Hepburn from the transfer portal -- but also his former Bellevue West basketball teammates Frankie Fidler and William Kyle. And we introduce a dramatic segment to the podcast entitled, Things That I Don't Care About.
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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Movement in the QB race at Nebraska?



Nebraska's quarterback picture is starting to come into focus after a Saturday scrimmage dominated by the offense. Freshman Dylan Raiola looks good, as we've seen on the program-produced video highlights, but coach Matt Rhule continues to keep his cards hidden in discussing the QB race. Rhule also makes a case for the importance of media coverage at Nebraska -- something that we've not heard much in years past. And Connor and Mitch review the weekend for Nebraska baseball on the field and men's basketball in the portal.
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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Nebraska's top concern as spring nears an end



It's time to talk about the Nebraska running backs here in the final week of spring practice. Connor and Mitch assess the position group, which is still operating at less than full strength as backs rehab from injuries and transition to the Huskers' system. Does the inexperience and lack of clarity here rate as a concern? Also, we discuss the new in-helmet communication systems available in college football -- and how it might help Nebraska in 2024. And we take a look at the spring season for Nebraska's lone protected Big Ten rival, Iowa.
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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Marcus Satterfield speaks up on Dylan Raiola and the turnover issue



We're back on Wednesday to review the comments made this week by offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield, who was unusually transparent about the progress made by freshman QB Dylan Raiola in spring practice. Satterfield also offered an interesting reaction on Tuesday to a question about the Huskers' turnover issues in the coach's first year at Nebraska. The transfer portal was a busy place on Tuesday as the Huskers added a player, their first of this spring period, and watched from afar as others entered. And we check in on Texas A&M AD Trev Alberts, who had to make some difficult moves in his early days on the job after leaving Nebraska.
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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When will Nebraska snap its NFL Draft first-round drought?



Who's climbing the ladder for Nebraska on offense this spring? Connor and Mitch choose four players. The NFL Draft has arrived, without much of any buzz around the Huskers. Is Matt Rhule set to soon change that trend? And we offer a recruiting update ahead of the spring game Saturday as five-star prospect Michael Terry and QB TJ Lateef are set to visit, along with coveted in-state targets Christian Jones, Reiman Zebert and Chase Loftin.
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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Should Nebraska take a QB from the transfer portal?



The football season at Nebraska opens in four months. Tuesday marks the end of the transfer-portal entry period for undergraduates. So we're asking this question: Should the Huskers take a quarterback from the portal in the weeks ahead? Matt Rhule has some thoughts on the subject. So do Connor and Mitch, who also address the portal departure of linebacker Chief Borders. We're also talking about the Nebraska defense after its lackluster finish to the spring season. Is any of that a concern?
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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Nebraska spring breakout performers:
The Miami connection is back




May is here, and Connor and Mitch are back to talk about the spring breakout performers at Nebraska. They chose a pair of true freshmen -- one on each side of the ball -- who came to Lincoln from the Miami area. The Huskers may have struck gold in Florida. Also, Creighton baseball beat Nebraska again in downtown Omaha on Tuesday night. The Huskers remain positioned to play in the NCAA postseason, according to the metrics, but is this a regional-caliber squad?
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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A no-hitter at Haymarket Park:
What it means for Nebraska baseball




Hello, Jackson Brockett! The Nebraska sophomore cooked up a no-no on Wednesday night at Haymarket Park, the such first nine-inning individual performance for the Huskers in seven decades. How might this impact the postseason possibilities of Will Bolt's team here at the outset of May? Mitch and Connor discuss. We also dive into Mitch's projection of the preseason football roster and look back at Matt Rhule's comments from last week about tampering in college football.
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Is Matt Rhule ahead of schedule at Nebraska?



Connor and Mitch open a new week with this: Is Matt Rhule ahead of schedule at Nebraska? It's a simple question with a complex answer and a layered backstory. We discuss. Also, Nebraska baseball went on the road and won a series at Minnesota. But the Huskers still haven't done everything to put themselves in the best position to win the Big Ten -- and possibly to secure an NCAA regional at home. It's there for them over the next three weeks to take. We end this episode with a discussion about the importance of the Huskers' youth football camp event on Saturday in Omaha.
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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Looking down the line at Nebraska's QB situation



Our series of pertinent questions continues on Tuesday with this: Should Nebraska try to redshirt its other true freshman quarterback, Daniel Kaelin? There's much to consider in trying to formulate an answer, considering the landscape nationally around the QB position and the situation now and into the future for the Huskers. Also, Nebraska assistants were out in force around the Omaha area on Monday, making stops in Wahoo, Platteview, Omaha North, Millard North and Millard South.
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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Who is Matt Rhule's most indispensable staff member?



We're talking about Matt Rhule's staff on this Thursday -- and not just the coaching staff. Connor and Mitch ask this question: Who is the most indispensable position coach at Nebraska? Our answers are in the show. Mitch shares more about his experience in Lincoln this week to interview Kristin Coggin, the Huskers' director of performance nutrition, for a piece to be published Thursday on The Athletic. Finally, Nebraska baseball lost at home against South Dakota State on Wednesday in ugly fashion. We discuss the ramifications.
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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Talking Matt Rhule's progress and Colorado's revolving door with guest Max Olson



Guest Max Olson of The Athletic stops by to give his observations of Matt Rhule's progress through one season at Nebraska. Connor and Mitch talk with Max about his fascinating recent article on the 53 players who left Colorado during Deion Sanders' first year as coach. What is the outlook this year for the Buffs, who visit Nebraska in Week 2? And we finish the week by tapping into Max's expertise on national trendlines involving the the transfer portal and NIL.
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Is Nebraska football in position to land five-star talent in recruiting?



Mitch and Connor are back after the weekend to discuss the commitment that Nebraska landed on Sunday from California quarterback TJ Lateef. But the big question posed today is this: Can the Huskers land more five-star talent after signing Dylan Raiola in the Class of 2024? Five-star offensive lineman David Sanders Jr. visited Lincoln over Mother's Day weekend. Other five-star prospects have seen the Huskers, too. Finally, we get to Nebraska baseball, which won a series against Indiana after an ugly loss on Friday and remains in contention for a Big Ten regular-season championship with one week left in the regular season.
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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Colorado-Nebraska at night,
the most hyped non-conference home game since...?




It's official, Colorado and Nebraska will play at night on NBC in Lincoln on Sept. 7. The kickoff time announcement on Monday opens the door for conversation aplenty about the anticipated atmosphere at Memorial Stadium in Week 2. Why does this one seem to mean so much to Nebraska fans? And will the Buffs be ready for that environment? Connor and Mitch discuss, then wrap the show by addressing the concern of some fans about the Huskers' kicking-game performance in the spring.
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Bridging the talent gap under Matt Rhule:
Nebraska is closer than you might think




For the second time in five years, no player from Nebraska was drafted into the NFL last month. Coaching turnover and roster attrition drained talent out of the program. But are the Huskers close to bridging that gap? Mitch and Connor offer a promising outlook on the talent that exists among the older (and younger) groups on the roster. Also, Matt Rhule talked this week about the importance of a 1-0 start in 2024. Why would it provide such a giant sense of relief? And we discuss the significance of transparency in Rhule's program provided last week by media sessions with GM Sean Padden and chief of staff Susan Elza.
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Nebraska's $450 million question about Memorial Stadium



Troy Dannen is coming up on his two-month anniversary as athletic director at Nebraska. And the future of Memorial Stadium still hangs in the balance. How might the university move ahead with plans to renovate the Huskers' 100-year-old home for football after former AD Trev Alberts gained approval for a $450 million plan? Connor and Mitch also discuss Dannen's other priorities in his first year on the job in Lincoln. And we preview Nebraska baseball at Michigan State. The regular-season-ending series opens on Thursday.
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Who is Nebraska in 2024 as a road opponent in the Big Ten?



We're back on the third Monday of May to discuss Nebraska's road games in 2024. Specifically, who are these Huskers as a road opponent, and what do they mean to a host school? It's changed over the years. Mitch has got an odd fact on the four schools (outside of Iowa) at which Nebraska will play this year in the Big Ten. Also, what road game for Nebraska would you prefer to attend? And we're talking about the news from Friday on Troy Dannen's reshaped plan for Memorial Stadium renovation.
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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The future of the walk-ons at Nebraska and in college football



Big subject right now in college football: A potential legal settlement that involves power conferences and could ultimately lead to revenue sharing with student-athletes. Ramifications exist, including the possibility of eliminating walk-ons, according to media reports. Nebraska coach Matt Rhule, not surprisingly, is against that idea. We discuss the continued importance of walk-ons at Nebraska -- and why an 85-player roster cap would dramatically alter the Huskers' program. Is it likely to happen? Also, we're talking Big Ten baseball and some house-cleaning issues around the league's football landscape.
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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Who to watch among the next wave of Nebraska football newcomers



The summer arrivals are getting to Lincoln, still more than a week ahead of Nebraska's official start to the next phase of offseason training. The portion of Matt Rhule's 2024 recruiting class that showed up in January delivered several potential impact players. Who could make a difference among the next wave of newcomers? We talk about Carter Nelson and the rest of the freshman group. Also, Nebraska laid an egg in its Big Ten baseball tournament opener on Tuesday night. Why? And pay attention, Nebraska fans, to the settlement that's coming in the House vs. NCAA lawsuit. It's one of the most significant things ever to happen to college sports.
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How to feel about Friday night football for Nebraska at Memorial Stadium?



It's official. The Big Ten and Fox are sending Illinois to play Friday night football at Memorial Stadium in September, the first-ever Friday night kickoff for Nebraska at home. Plenty of reasons have existed for the Huskers' resistance to play at home on a weekday. But should we embrace this event? Connor and Mitch discuss. Also, Nebraska beat Purdue on Wednesday at the Big Ten baseball tournament. It's got more work to do in Omaha -- but can begin to look ahead at NCAA regionals. And we discuss the media availability from Wednesday in Lincoln with the Nebraska football recruiting and personnel staffers.
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Dirk Chatelain joins to discuss Nebraska
under Matt Rhule and the new age of college sports




Former Omaha World-Herald reporter Dirk Chatelain joins the Locked On Nebraska podcast on this Friday to give his perspective on the Huskers under Matt Rhule. What is the second-year football coach doing well to win over Nebraskans, and where does he fit in that way among coaches of the past two decades in Lincoln? Also, Dirk weighs in on the City of Omaha and its historical -- and current -- importance to the Huskers. And we discuss an unintended consequence of the recently reached settlement in the NCAA legal case.

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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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Nebraska baseball:
The Big Ten champs are headed to Stillwater for NCAA play



We're back on this Memorial Day to react to the NCAA baseball postseason field. Will Bolt's Nebraska squad, the newly crowned Big Ten tournament champion, is headed to Stillwater, Okla., to face Florida in the opening round of regional play. Who are these Gators, and what type of challenge awaits the Huskers this week in their quest to win a regional for the first time since 2005? Also, Connor and Mitch revisit Nebraska's five-game run in Omaha to win the conference tourney and take a look at the Big Ten as a baseball conference.
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Nebraska's most overlooked football players to enter the 2024 season



Nebraska's "Chasing 3" documentary series is coming back with an episode that features the returns to good health of running back Rahmir Johnson and tight end Thomas Fidone. It got us thinking: Is Johnson overlooked ahead of the 2024 season? The senior did rush for 495 yards when given an opportunity that lasted most of one season early in his career. Mitch and Connor dissect the Nebraska roster to find more candidates who fit the label as potentially overlooked. Also, Big Ten coaches talked anonymously about their peers' program. How did Nebraska fare?
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Matt Rhule's commitment to the run and what it means for Nebraska football



Nebraska ran the football on nearly 65 percent of its offensive plays in 2023. We agree it's a number that will drop this year. But how much? Connor and Mitch examine tendencies for Matt Rhule, along with his offensive braintrust duo of Marcus Satterfield and Glenn Thomas, in their previous work at Temple and Baylor. What does it spell out for Dylan Raiola, the Nebraska quarterbacks and the offense as a whole? Also, Nebraska AD Troy Dannen is helping John Cook get a horse. And we look at the Stillwater regional for Nebraska baseball. Can the Huskers keep the ball in the yard?
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Re: Locked On Nebraska

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Why the month of June for Nebraska football
is bigger than any other in the offseason




On this first Monday of June, Mitch and Connor are here to tell you why this month is so important for Matt Rhule and the Nebraska football program. In fact, it rates as perhaps the most important month of the entire offseason. Not sure? Listen to our explanation. The weekend included lots of baseball for our hosts. Nebraska's season is over on the diamond. We discuss the Stillwater regional -- and what's happening nationally on the road to Omaha. And we finish with more conversation about the football scheduling news from late last week.
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Is Nebraska's offense built to feature a 1,000-yard running back?



Does Nebraska need a 1,000-yard running back? Connor and Mitch debate the benefits and drawbacks -- yes, there are drawbacks -- of the Huskers' reliance on a workhorse in the backfield. If championship-level teams in the college game still lean on one back, why not Nebraska? Also, we're talking about Nebraska basketball as it adds another transfer in former UCLA forward Berke Buyuktuncel. Fred Hoiberg’s roster is perhaps complete for the 2024-25 season. How do we see it? And the latest episode of "Chasing 3" is out, featuring insight into Thomas Fidone, Rahmir Johnson and the new coach-to-player helmet communication system. Finally, some roster and recruiting news from this week.