Football is officially back. Nebraska held its preseason press conferences on Thursday and we got to hear about the excitement for the season. We also got to find out why Jack Stoll’s hair (AKA ‘the Stollet’) can lead the Huskers to glory. Fall camp then officially kicked off for Nebraska in Year 2 of the Scott Frost Era on Friday. It’s a season filled with promise but also a lot of question marks.
On the recruiting trail, things slowed down a bit this week (even with the news of Jahkeem Green staying in the fold).
Let’s get to the recon.
Class Breakdown
Husker Commits
Zavier Betts, wide receiver, Omaha, Nebraska
Alex Conn, offensive lineman, Derby, Kansas
Turner Corcoran, offensive lineman, Lawrence, Kansas
Blaise Gunnerson, outside linebacker, Carroll, Iowa
Nash Hutmacher, defensive tackle, Chamberlain, South Dakota
Tamon Lynum, cornerback, Orlando, Florida
Will Nixon, wide receiver, Waco, Texas
Logan Smothers, quarterback, Athens, Alabama
2020 Needs
| QB | 0 | DL | 3 |
| RB | 1 | MLB | 2 |
| WR | 2 | OLB | 2 |
| TE | 0 | DB | 2 |
| OL | 2 | K/P | 0 |
The Recon:
>> The Huskers got good news this week when junior college defensive lineman Jahkeem Green elected to stick with his verbal pledge to Nebraska. In the end, it was a tough battle between Nebraska and Texas Tech but the Huskers held on to their man. Assuming everything goes correctly with his transcripts, Green will be in Lincoln sometime next week. The Huskers may have gotten a steal here as Green is an SEC-type lineman that certainly has NFL potential.
>> Earlier this week, Hail Varsity caught up with priority linebacker target Choe Bryant-Strother. The Georgia native gave very positive thoughts on his official visit to Lincoln.
“Well, I knew the history of Nebraska and how great it is as a football school”, he explained. “I know Coach Frost’s history too. I knew the visit would be amazing but honestly, they blew it out of the water for me. It was way more than I expected.”
Bryant-Strother’s recruitment will be one to watch. The Huskers clearly put themselves in good position with him but didn’t quite do enough to get a verbal commitment. He plans to take other visits in the fall so it will be imperative that the Huskers can get him back to Lincoln for game. Considering he would have to pay out of pocket for that trip, it would be a great sign for Nebraska.
>> If you ask anyone who has seen incoming transfer tight end Travis Vokolek, they will tell you that he is very well put together. Quietly, there are a lot of people very high on the potential of what Vokolek can do once he sees the field. However, it doesn’t sound like he will be seeing the field this year. Sources close to the team indicate that there really isn’t a basis to pursue a waiver for him to be immediately eligible.
>> During the short time where the dead period is lifted, it appears that Nebraska hosted just one unofficial visitor. Albuquerque, New Mexico, tight end Connor O’Toole came to town on Tuesday. I haven’t been able to reach O’Toole yet but all indications I’ve gotten is that Nebraska won’t be much of a factor with his recruitment moving forward. Keep an eye on Texas tight end Donavon Johnson who will be officially visiting Lincoln for the season opener on Aug. 31.
Greg is the Recruiting Analyst for Hail Varsity and has covered Husker athletics since 2013. He has always had a passion for sports while growing up in the Chicago area. As he got older and had to hang up his cleats and sneakers, he realized his passion for sports went beyond just watching and attending games. He has covered many events from the Rose Bowl to championship boxing matches. If he’s not talking sports, he’s hovering over his grill. He is married to an amazing woman, Kim, and they have a dog that barks when Greg yells at the TV during games.
