It’s hard to believe that the Huskers’ season finale is here. It feels like the season has gone by very quickly but at the same time a lot has happened with the program since August.
It’s going to be a very busy time after the season concludes against Iowa. There are many decisions that need to be made by players returning to Nebraska or not. Coach Scott Frost needs to hire four new assistant coaches. Recruiting starts in full force soon too as we race toward the early signing period. These next few weeks will be wild.
Let’s get to the Recon.
2022 Commits
Chase Androff, Tight End, Lakeville, Minnesota
Jake Appleget, Outside Linebacker, Lincoln, Nebraska
Ernest Hausmann, Outside Linebacker, Columbus, Nebraska
Ashton Hayes, Running Back, Reno, Nevada
Victor Jones Jr., Wide Receiver, Orlando, Florida
Jalil Martin, Defensive Back, Chicago, Illinois
Grant Page, Wide Receiver, Boulder, Colorado
Gage Stenger, athlete, Omaha, Nebraska
Richard Torres, Quarterback, San Antonio, Texas
2022 Needs
| QB | 0 | DL | 0 |
| RB | 0 | MLB | 0 |
| WR | 0 | OLB | 1 |
| TE | 0 | DB | 2 |
| OL | 2 | K/P | 0 |
The Recon:
>> It was a quick turn of events with Reese Mooney’s recruitment for a lot of fans. The Louisiana signal-caller had long been the Huskers’ top target at the position. As the season went along things changed quickly. Former quarterbacks coach Mario Verduzco getting fired during the bye week didn’t help.
There is a bigger reason for the move away from Nebraska. As the season went along, it became clear to Mooney that Nebraska’s offense wasn’t a good fit for his skillset. He’s looking for more of a pro-style offense and the Huskers are heavy on quarterback run. The family holds no bad feelings toward the Huskers and they still wish the best for Nebraska. Mooney even thinks that Frost will be the coach to turn things around at Nebraska. Class of 2023 quarterback recruiting is on hold until the team has an offensive coordinator and/or quarterbacks coach.
>> The most intriguing storyline for the game against Iowa is something during pregame. We will get senior day ceremonies before that game kicks off. That will give us indications of which players are thinking about leaving school. There are three players that I am curious to see if they take part in the ceremony. Quarterback Adrian Martinez, defensive lineman Damion Daniels and center Cameron Jurgens are important for 2022. Each player has an interesting decision to make about leaving school. Of that group I feel most confident we will see Martinez take part in the ceremony. Daniels and Jurgens are candidates to leave early for the NFL. Both have been at Nebraska long enough to earn a degree as well.
>> The visit list for the weekend is intriguing. Once again, there are no official visitors. The Huskers have really slowed down bringing players in for officials. It will be interesting to see how many come in for out of season visits in December. That doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of players to watch coming to Lincoln this weekend. The Huskers will have seven committed visitors in for unofficial visits. That includes Richard Torres and Grant Page and both are taking in their first Husker game.
>> There are a handful of in-state players from different classes that will be at the game. North Platte 2022 defender Vince Genatone will be back for another visit. We are getting to the end of the cycle so if the Huskers are going to offer him it needs to happen soon. Bennington star running back Dylan Mostek will make his first trip to Lincoln as a visitor after his record-setting season.
There are a lot of important 2023 players from the state who will be at the game. Athlere Malachi Coleman, wide receiver Beni Ngoyi, outside linebacker Maverick Noonan, outside linebacker Teitum Tuioti and Creighton Prep offensive lineman Sam Sledge will be on the sidelines. That’s not it for in-state talent. Bellevue West 2024 wide receiver Dae’vonn Hall will be back. So will 2025 Omaha Burke linebacker Christian Jones. Those two are always good to get on campus.
>> There are four 2022 prospects that have my attention this weekend. Kicker Charlie Weinrich will be back for his second visit this season. He holds a preferred walk-on offer from the Huskers. Missouri outside linebacker Cooper Roy will be on an unofficial visit. Roy led the state of Missouri in sacks this season. The Huskers will want to see him in person to verify his size and get to know him.
Transfer long snapper Brady Weas will be taking a look at the Huskers this weekend. The Huskers offered the Georgetown transfer a preferred walk-on spot. Defensive end Kyson Van Vugt (6-7, 232) is committed to South Dakota. He recently was offered a preferred walk-on spot at Iowa. It will be interesting to see how the Huskers evaluate him.
This weekend could be very important for laying ground work for the future. That’s if the Huskers can make good impressions and come away with a win.
>> The Huskers will need to reshape the roster over this offseason. There could be changes we didn’t see coming to help get players on the field that are in a logjam. One place there is a logjam right now is defensive line. The Huskers have done well recruiting and developing there. Offensive line needs help. It wouldn’t surprise me to see freshman Jailen Weaver move over to the offensive line this offseason. He’s like what happened with Brant Banks. Schools were recruiting him to play offensive line. TheHuskers signed him as a defensive lineman. Banks also made that switch early in his Husker career. A similiar path could come for Weaver.
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.
