The Weekly Rundown: Nebraska prepares for a big transfer portal recruiting week
Nebraska prepares for a big transfer portal recruiting week, as the Huskers are expected to host at least two high-profile visitors.
We hit on that and more as we start your Monday with The Weekly Rundown Column.
Sure bets
You have to feel good about these things right now:
A massive visitor week for Nebraska: It’s been a quiet month of December thus far for Nebraska regarding on-campus visitors. There have been none to this point.
That will all change this week when the Huskers host a pair of former five stars from the transfer portal in Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord and wide receiver Julian Fleming.
This type of off-season week will ultimately play a significant factor in possibly reshaping the Husker roster with potentially a few key pieces that could bring them over the top.
All eyes on NU’s NIL: It’s another big week for Nebraska’s NIL collective – The 1890 Initiative.
This type of week for NU’s NIL could help send a statement everywhere that the Huskers are willing to spend if the situation is right. And let’s make this point clear: if Nebraska’s NIL was not where it needed to be, McCord and Fleming aren’t considering the Huskers. Now it’s time to see what impact it can have for head coach Matt Rhule.
A Big Red migration to Tampa: The Nebraska volleyball team is set to play Thursday in the Final Four against Pittsburgh, with a chance to move on to Sunday’s nationally televised championship match.
One thing is sure: there will be a Big Red migration this week to Tampa. It would not shock me if close to 10,000 Husker fans made their way into Amalie Arena.
It has a capacity of just over 20,000 for basketball games, so it may be easier for some to get a Husker volleyball ticket in Tampa than in Lincoln. I would also expect both Wisconsin and Texas to travel well.
And for those wondering, the Iowa vs. LSU women’s Final Four championship game drew 19,482 this past year in Dallas. It would be quite an accomplishment if the volleyball finals could outdraw that number.
QB Alex Manske’s priority for 2025: I’ve said this several times, but Algona (Iowa) quarterback Alex Manske remains a No. 1 priority for the Huskers in 2025.
Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield flew a private plane to see Manske on Friday. That alone should get your attention, as most of the focus is on 2024 recruiting, with the December signing day looming.
Surprises
These were my surprises of the week:
How quickly things have moved with McCord: I am not necessarily surprised that McCord will visit Lincoln this week. I am more surprised by just how quickly things played out.
I am guessing that on Monday, the Huskers probably didn’t know McCord was entering the transfer portal after an 11-1 season as a starter at Ohio State. By Tuesday at 5 p.m., Satterfield was in Columbus. He sandwiched his visit to see McCord between a trip to Waco to see Baylor QB Blake Shapen and Pullman to see Washington State’s Cam Ward.
When the week started, it was a mystery where this was all heading. By Friday, everything began to point to McCord, especially after Shapen committed to Mississippi State and Michigan State’s Sam Leavitt had not heard from the Big Red after meeting Satterfield on Monday.
JD Crisp’s recruiting process with Nebraska: I was surprised when Nebraska, seemingly out of nowhere, took the commitment of Cypress (Texas) Second Baptist athlete JD Crisp. He had not been on the radar until his unofficial visit in September. When they took his commitment, they were already loaded with recruits at wide receiver and defensive back in the 2024 class.
Things went pretty quiet with Crisp after he committed. He tore his ACL as a senior and then announced his de-commitment from Nebraska on Thursday. It never had a great feel.
Nebraska basketball’s path to a 1-1 start in the Big Ten: I think we all thought Nebraska had a decent chance to start Big Ten play 1-1. I’m not sure anyone thought it would involve blowing a 17-point lead at Minnesota and returning to beat Michigan State in Lincoln on Sunday.
The Huskers are 8-2. You really could not have asked for much of a better start at this point.
The jury is still out
Questions still surround these things:
Other portal targets besides McCord and Fleming?: We know about McCord and Fleming. Who else is Nebraska targeting in the portal?
One would expect we will see more than just McCord and Fleming visiting in Lincoln this weekend.
Jeff Sims and when he’ll officially enter the portal: It was reported this week that quarterback Jeff Sims is expected to enter the transfer portal. The question now is when?
Is Sims waiting to finish finals to ensure he graduates before entering? That is the only way Sims can be a double transfer if he earns his degree.
Other Husker portal entries: We saw just three scholarship Husker players enter the transfer portal this week. What will the second week bring, especially after final exams wrap up this week?
This has my attention
Moving forward, this has my attention:
Matt Rhule at Omaha Westside on Friday: Rhule’s visit to Omaha Westside on Friday sure received a lot of attention. According to one Westside official, it’s the first time a Nebraska head coach had been in their building in 15 years.
Rhule owned the moment, as expected. Rhule took over 100 pictures with fans and stayed 30+ minutes after the game to visit and interact with fans.
After he left the gym, Rhule and secondary coach Evan Cooper spent a few hours at the home of 2024 defensive back commit Caleb Benning. He made quite the statement in Omaha.
Storylines this week in Tampa: There are many storylines with the volleyball Final Four in Tampa this week. Former Husker Keonilei Akana plays for Texas. A match-up against her in the finals would sure draw some attention.
You then have the Wisconsin angle and what that match-up might bring. I’m also interested to see the television rating the finals draw now that the NCAA has moved the game to ABC on a Sunday afternoon. This is a massive opportunity for college volleyball.
Another thing I’ll say is ESPN’s Sweet 16 coverage was disappointing. Daytime matches on Thursday? Two-hour windows for the Elite 8 when most of these matches take 2.5 to 3 hours? ESPN’s commitment to the sport needs to improve. Otherwise, a new broadcast partner should step up.
Another big hoops game with K-State: Nebraska basketball will make its first trip to Manhattan, Kansas, since 2011. This is another big game for Fred Hoiberg’s squad. A win on Sunday over Kansas State could take the Huskers to 11-2 heading into Big Ten play in January.
Finals week: Final exams will take place this week in Lincoln. It’s a big week on many fronts, as Nebraska’s players will go home for about a month after Friday.
Sean Callahan can be reached at sean@huskeronline.com and is heard daily at 6:45 a.m. and 5:05 p.m. on Big Red Radio 1110 KFAB in Omaha during the football season. He can also be seen on KETV Channel 7 in Omaha during the fall, and each week, he appears on Nebraska Public Media’s Big Red Wrap-Up Tuesdays at 7 p.m.
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