Nebraska’s spring season starts this week. The coaching staff is inviting recruits to Memorial Stadium and Hawks Championship Center to see if the practice environment is right for them.
Head coach Matt Rhule wants to be transparent and honest with recruits. The standard his staff is attempting to install at Nebraska isn’t for everyone. He’s willing to pull the curtain back for recruits to make sure they know what to expect if they commit to Nebraska.
“I want to make sure that guys who we take, whether we take 10, 15, 20, 25, next year, that we take the right guys for the right reasons, that want to be here,” Rhule said earlier this month. “That, to me, when you’re really transparent, I want people to come watch us practice. I don’t know how you could commit to play for me without watching me at a mat drill or at a practice, because I am who I am.”
Nebraska’s head coach asserted he won’t change who he is for recruits. Neither will any member of his coaching staff. In a way, the honesty and vibes in the re-establishment of a standard by the new coaching staff could effectively determine which recruits are willing to meet the new Nebraska standard.
“I want people to see it because some people will love it,” Rhule said. “Some people will be like ‘wow, they’re going to maximize me.’ Some people will want a different vibe. So I want them to see it, know it. Hopefully we have a really good recruiting class, hopefully it goes through this year, goes through the spring, but I think people would be smart to come watch us practice and figure out if this is the right place for them.”
The star-studded Junior Day at the end of the week will likely include a look at Saturday’s practice, which is one of the few closed to media. That’s not the only gathering of recruits this spring. Four-star edge rusher Willis McGahee IV and 3-star offensive tackle Kaedin Massey are both scheduled to visit Nebraska on Monday. They’ll watch parts of the first spring practice during their visit. Four-star tight end Jaden Reddell from Raymore, Missouri, plans to visit later this week as well.
Elkhorn South lineman Ashton Murphy visited in the middle of the week earlier this month. He largely enjoyed his visit and said the one-on-one nature of the mid-week visit made it even more special. He plans to visit Nebraska again this spring but hasn’t locked in a date yet.
Recruit Watch
Nebraska recently offered a duo of 2024 recruits out of Westside High School in Macon, Georgia. Tony Mathis Jr., a safety, and Jiquavious Marshall, an athlete, both announced offers from this Nebraska coaching staff over the weekend. Mathis has not yet been evaluated by any of the major recruiting services while On3 gave Marshall a 3-star rating.
Four-star receiver Aeryn Hampton, out of Texas, tweeted about Nebraska on Sunday. He planned to visit Nebraska in January but plans changed. At the time, he said he still planned to visit Nebraska. He was once committed to Texas and is still linked with the Longhorns as well as Alabama.
#GBR🌽
— Aeryn “Bubba” Hampton (@AerynHampton) March 19, 2023
Mario Buford, younger brother of Nebraska safety Marques Buford Jr., enjoyed a visit to Michigan State this weekend. He returned to 7-on-7 action wearing fresh Spartans gear. The 4-star cornerback from DeSoto, Texas, is scheduled to visit Nebraska as part of Junior Day this upcoming weekend.
ICYMI
>> Maryland leapfrogged Nebraska in Hail Varsity’s latest Big Ten softball power rankings. The Huskers swept Omaha on Wednesday before a dominant performance on Sunday. The latest episode of Behind The Plate is now on Hail Varsity’s YouTube page.
>> Two members of the Nebraska men’s basketball team already announced they’ve entered the transfer portal. Follow movements within the Huskers’ roster here.
>> Nebraska baseball, softball and women’s basketball teams were all in action on the eve of Nebraska football’s spring season. Hail Varsity has coverage of it all. Make sure you and every Husker fan in your life stays up to date by subscribing here. You can also visit our Hail Varsity shop to spring into some new gear.
