Alberts talks schedule changes, using in-game tech, and more on radio
While Nebraska is in the thick of its debut season under Matt Rhule, it made some moves with its future scheduling on Wednesday.
The Huskers announced two non-conference schedule changes to its home-and-home series with Cincinnati. The first game was initially scheduled in Lincoln in 2020, but the COVID-19 outbreak canceled that.
Rather than only play a 2025 road game at UC’s Nippert Stadium, the schools agreed to a neutral-site contest at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. That matchup will open the 2025 season on Aug. 30.
The Bearcats will also travel to Lincoln on Sept. 11, 2032, to replace the canceled 2020 game.
During his monthly appearance on the Huskers Radio Network, Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts said multiple layers went into the changes.
First, Cincinnati had to agree to move a home game to Lucas Oil Stadium. The Huskers then negotiated a deal with Northwestern to take on a previously scheduled game with Louisiana-Monroe.
Nebraska was set to pay ULM $1.65 million for a late-season non-conference game at Memorial Stadium, “which was a pretty steep price,” Alberts said.
Instead, NU will pay $850,000 of that bill, and Northwestern will cover the remaining $800,000 to add a future matchup with the War Hawks. The Huskers also added a home game vs. FCS program Houston Christian on Sept. 13, 2025, which carries a $500,000 payment.
When all was said and done, Alberts said NU saved $300,000, turned a true road game into a neutral-site contest, and added a home game vs. Cincinnati in 2032.
“In an 18-team Big Ten schedule that’s going to be very challenging, you’re going to see a different approach in scheduling with non-conference games,” Alberts said. “We now, in the Big Ten, have the capability of playing an FCS team every year, so we’re going to have to be careful. Obviously, you look at our 2025 schedule, and with the addition of those four schools out west, there are going to be very challenging schedules for our coaches.
“We’re going to have to be smart about our scheduling. I think you’ll probably see us maybe have a more marquee game, a Group of Five game, and then perhaps an FCS game quite often in the non-conference moving forward.”
Alberts said future Big Ten schedules are coming soon
The Big Ten has set a conference call with its member athletic directors on Thursday to discuss future conference football schedules.
Alberts was confident the league would solidify its new matchups and dates shortly.
“We’re close,” Alberts said. “That’s our constant conversation we’re having… It’s going to be presented tomorrow, but my understanding is that within a couple weeks, we’re going to be able to get, what is the sequencing of games and what are those dates. That’s the goal.”
Adding in-game technology has become a priority in college football
This week’s top story in college football has been the sign-stealing allegations against Michigan.
On Monday, Rhule offered a solution to the problem – bringing modern in-game technology to the sport.
Rhule noted that high school and NFL teams used helmet microphones and electronic tablets on the sidelines. The college game, though, didn’t have any of that.
Alberts agreed with Rhule’s suggestion. He added that he was “surprised” by the NCAA’s slow response to adapting that technology. Those changes could be coming “in the very near future,” Alberts said.
“I’m a huge proponent – we are huge proponents – of anything we can do to modernize our game and make it better,” Alberts said. “Let’s use technology in a way to ensure fair and equitable approach… You’re going to see it. It’s coming.”
Alberts added that NCAA Football Rules Committee head Steve Shaw told ADs they planned to experiment with an in-game tech pilot program during some bowl games this postseason.
“We’re pushing hard,” Alberts said. “You’re going to see some more modernization like that with technology, and coach-to-player communication will be a part of college football, I think, in the very near future.”
Quick hits
***A caller expressed concerns about how Nebraska’s upcoming renovations to Memorial Stadium would impact longtime season-ticket holders.
Alberts said NU needed to ensure that being a football season ticket holder “carries value.” They were already discussing plans to make that happen.
He declined to give specific ideas that were being floated around. But Alberts said he just got a draft for a plan on Wednesday.
“It needs to mean something to be a season ticket holder, and we can honor and recognize that,” Alberts said.
***Many fans have long wondered why Nebraska chooses to be on the West sideline at Memorial Stadium. Early in the season, especially in September, the Huskers are often in the hot sun while their opponents are in the shade.
Alberts said Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh asked him about that after their game in Lincoln last month. Harbaugh told him their sideline was “30 to 40 degrees cooler” than NU’s.
Alberts said the main reason Nebraska was on the East side was because there was more space. That was important when the Huskers had a much larger roster and needed more room to operate during games.
He didn’t say when, but Alberts clarified that NU would soon switch to the West sideline.
“Coach Rhule wants to be on the West side,” Alberts said. “We’re ultimately going to move to the West side… We think there’s good rationale for it, and we’ll work with Coach Rhule and the football staff.
“But I would anticipate, eventually, the football team will move over to the West side.”
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