We have entered what is traditionally a slow time for Nebraska football. The holiday break always gives everyone a time to step back and recharge before official visits come back in January. This year is a little different. There is still a lot to be decided for the Huskers in the transfer portal. The team is also resetting the recruiting boards a bit with new coaches on staff giving input. There are a lot of big picture items coach Scott Frost needs to iron out as we celebrate the holidays with our families.
Let’s get to the Recon.
2022 Commits
Chase Androff, Tight End, Lakeville, Minnesota
Jake Appleget, Outside Linebacker, Lincoln, Nebraska
Decoldest Crawford, wide receiver, Shreveport, Louisiana
Justin Evans-Jenkins, Offensive Lineman, Irvington, New Jersey
Jaeden Gould, Defensive Back, Oradell, New Jersey
Malcolm Hartzog, Defensive Back, Bassfield, Mississippi
Ernest Hausmann, Outside Linebacker, Columbus, Nebraska
Emmett Johnson, Running Back, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Victor Jones Jr., Wide Receiver, Orlando, Florida
Jalil Martin, Defensive Back, Chicago, Illinois
DeShon Singleton, Defensive Back, Greensburg, Louisiana
Gage Stenger, Athlete, Omaha, Nebraska
Brodie Tagaloa, Defensive End, Concord, California
Richard Torres, Quarterback, San Antonio, Texas
2022 Needs
| QB | 1 | DL | 1 |
| RB | 0 | MLB | 0 |
| WR | 1 | OLB | 1 |
| TE | 0 | DB | 0 |
| OL | 2 | K/P | 0 |
The Recon:
>> It is not a matter of if the Huskers bring in a transfer quarterback but when. The Huskers have seen two targets pass on joining the team so far. Myles Brennan decided to stay at LSU after a meeting with Brian Kelly. Kedon Slovis picked Pittsburgh. That hurt since I thought Slovis was going to be a home run pickup for the Huskers.
Now it appears that the Huskers are interested in Texas transfer Casey Thompson. Beyond Thompson the names I hear are Chubba Purdy, Zach Calzada, and Cam Ward. I don’t think its time to panic yet for Husker fans. Nebraska just needs the signal-caller in place by Jan. 18 when classes start.
>> The transfer portal has brought some interesting names into the mix for Nebraska this offseason. One of the latest is former Bellevue West star running back Jay Ducker. He’s transferring from Northern Illinois after being named MAC Freshman of the Year. Nebraska and Iowa are among the schools to reach out at this point. No official offers have been made yet. It will be interesting to see where Ducker lands.
>> Former defensive line coach Tony Tuioti has departed for Oregon. Frost gets a chance to make more staff changes. It doesn’t sound like the staff setup has been decided 100%. It makes sense if Mike Dawson slides down to coach defensive line. He can alsoe keep some outside linebacker responsibilities.
Defensive coordinator Erik Chinander could continue coaching the nickel position. He also can handle the field outside linebackers. That would give Frost the ability to promote Bill Busch to special teams coordinator/recruiting coordinator. Frost could also hire a running backs coach from outside the program. There have been so many staff shakeups around the country. It has some good running backs coaches looking for jobs. Things change quickly but that would all make sense.
>> Nebraska wide receivers coach Mickey Joseph is known for being a great recruiter. He’s got a big reputation for identifying talent and landing big-time players. He told his favorite recruiting story when he held his roundtable interview on signing day.
“I guess it’s gotta be Ja’Marr Chase, just recruiting him,” Joseph said. “Tuesday night and I got wind that, ‘Ooh, Auburn’s coming to town, Auburn’s coming to town,’ so I called him. He answered the phone and we talked and he kept trying to hang up. I wouldn’t let him hang up. I kept him on the phone for like, four or five hours. And he said, ‘Coach, I’m tired.’ I said, ‘You signing those papers in the morning?’ He said, ‘Yessir, I’m signing.’”
It takes a different level of commitment and hard work to be the level of recruiter that Joseph is. The Huskers should benefit in a big way from having him on staff.
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.
