LINCOLN, Neb. — Preseason camp is here in Nebraska. On Sunday, the Huskers held their annual fan day. Practice begins Monday morning.
It’s time to turn the page on the summer and focus on the four weeks remaining before Nebraska travels to Minnesota for the opener of the Matt Rhule era.
Here are 10 topics that should grab your attention as preseason camp begins:
The head coach
Nebraska Athletic director Trev Alberts has been tracking Rhule for about 10 months, since the early days of the coaching search last fall. Rhule has been on the job for more than eight months.
“Coach Rhule is the guy I thought he was,” Alberts said last week.
For the artistic director and many Huskers, the details make the difference. Rhule leaves little room for chance in the Huskers’ daily routine and in his plan to restore a winning culture. Every moment has a purpose, every person has a job.
At Nebraska, his style represents a change from the training regimen of the past five years.
“There were some guys I didn’t like,” the linebacker said. Luc Reimer “Or maybe it took them a little while. I respect the old staff and the old coaches, but they’re not here anymore.”
A new era is dawning. It is worth keeping an eye on the man at its head.
The dormitories
Nebraska Players — and the coaches — moved into Selleck Hall on Sunday. They will stay in the residence for two weeks, according to the plan established by Rhule in June.
I went camping! ⛺️ #GBR pic.twitter.com/SA9BnmCY0x
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFBNation) July 30, 2023
The Huskers did not know the identities of their camp roommates as of late last week. In many cases, Nebraska The staff aimed to pair players with teammates who might not be a natural fit for them.
“I feel like it’s going to be an experience that takes the team to another level in terms of building a brotherhood and bonding,” the quarterback said. Jeff Sims said.
That’s the goal. In another camp twist, Nebraska players will read and discuss a book, “Twin Thieves: How Great Leaders Build Great Teams,” by Steve Jones and Lucas Jadin, about a fictional coach who helps his players overcome self-doubt. Rhule selected it on the recommendation of offensive line coach Donovan Raiola.
The installation
The Huskers’ new football complex isn’t quite ready yet. Before the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the project in 2020 and 2021, it was supposed to open this time last year. At that time, the entire 315,000-square-foot, $165 million building was supposed to be ready for the start of camp this year. Other delays have forced Nebraska to focus only on preparing the first floor, player-specific areas such as the locker room, practice and recovery areas and the weight room for move-in before the season.
“Everything is going well,” Alberts said. “It’s been a challenge, too.”
Nebraska wants to minimize disruption to players around the move. The building is just east of Memorial Stadium, but transitioning to a new space remains a “herculean task,” Alberts said. The Huskers could move into the new complex the same time they vacate the dorms. Or it could happen at the end of camp.
“We also have excellent facilities where we currently reside,” Alberts said.
The football coaching, training and administration offices are still on track to go live later this year.
The Quarterback
Sims has earned Rhule’s trust and the admiration of his teammates for reasons beyond his obvious physical attributes.
“What impresses me the most is his ability to rally a locker room behind him,” Reimer said. “That’s something I’ve noticed.”
Sims worked during the offseason to gain weight and improve his body composition. He arrives at camp at 230 pounds. Georgia Tech University The transfer said he’s ready to be everything Nebraska needs him to be as a pass-first quarterback, ready to run when needed.
“I know that as the starting quarterback at Nebraska, I represent the entire state,” he said. “It’s a real honor. I’m blessed to be in this position. I’m ready to take on this situation and give everything I have to the state of Nebraska.”
The waiver
Nebraska continues to await NCAA notification on waiving immediate eligibility Georgia transfer Arik Gilbert. Gilbert, a former five-star tight end prospect who began his career at Louisiana State Universityhas played just three games over the past two seasons with the Bulldogs while dealing with personal issues.
He is eligible to practice at Nebraska but needs approval to play without sitting out a season due to his two-time transfer status.
“I just want to help the kid,” Rhule said of Gilbert, a 6-foot-5, 275-pound sophomore. “I’ll say this: He should be able to play, in my opinion. But it’s not my decision. I hope he can play, but if he can’t play, we’ll support him.”
Arik Gilbert began his career at LSU before moving to Georgia for the final two seasons. (Mitch Sherman / The Athletic)
Youth
For all the talk of trades like wide receiver Sims, Billy Kemp IV and center Ben Scottwho all add experience to the roster, Rhule’s first team at Nebraska is young.
How old are they? Of the 137 players on the roster, 101 are freshmen and sophomores. This team only has 10 seniors. That’s nine if you count the offensive linemen. Nouredin Nouili as a junior. He is listed as a senior but has only played two of his four years in college — and 2020 does not count against his eligibility.
In a sign of college football’s transitional times and Nebraska’s struggles to retain talent in recent seasons, only cornerback Quinton Newsome among the seniors signed as scholarship players by the Huskers out of high school. Reimer and defensive back Phalen Sanford The other seven were transferred to the program.
So while Nebraska is old on the offensive line and experienced at several other positions, it’s still a young team.
The list
There is often a certain fluidity when the calendar turns to August. On Sunday, during fan day inside the Hawks Championship Center, the juniors Myles Farmer was not present. He started 11 games last year as a safety and left the spring as the favorite to start as a safety or rover.
Wide receiver Marcus Washington had a cast on his right hand.
Recruited to play both sides of the ball, true freshmen Jason Maciejczak And Mason Goldman will begin his stay in Lincoln with the defensive line. Recently, the tight end Chase Androff and linebacker Seth Malcom left the program. Nebraska added a tight end Nate Boerkircher and linebacker John Bullock on the stock exchange in May.
Rhule will be available to answer questions about the list on Monday.
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Huskers return from the portal
Zavier Betts And Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda They are considered valuable pieces for Nebraska. Both receivers entered the transfer portal last year and returned to the program after Rhule was hired.
Betts, who withdrew from the university in spring 2022, had to complete 18 credit hours in spring 2023 to regain eligibility. He completed 21, according to Rhule.
“He’s very smart and he cares about people,” Rhule said. “I hope Zavier sees what he’s capable of.”
Sims sees it.
“Zavier made plays that would blow your mind: receptions, runs through people,” the QB said. “He’s a great player, and he just wants to get better.”
“He attacks the game hard. He has made great progress. I am very proud of Zavier for that.”
The schedule
For the third straight season, Nebraska will open its season against an away conference opponent. You know how that went for the Huskers at Illinois two years ago and against Northwest in Ireland last year.
The trip to Minnesota on Aug. 31 is shaping up to be a tougher road trip for the Huskers than those two games. It will impact camp as the Huskers open the season with two Power 5 opponents on the road. Rhule and his team can’t afford to let up.
The Gophers will look to punish Nebraska physically. The Huskers must walk a fine line to create a physical environment in Lincoln over the next month without limping into the opener — or they risk falling behind against Minnesota And Colorado before leaving the house.
GO FURTHER
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Respect
Rhule exposed it last week at Big Ten media days.
“We have a lot of work to do,” he said. “If we move forward in that direction, people will respect us. Our players will respect us. Our opponents will respect us. And that’s the first step toward a championship mindset.”
Respect is earned through video, Reimer said, not through a teaser video or a social media campaign. It all starts with the game film.
“We want to be a team where you look at the film,” Reimer said, “and you’re like, ‘Gosh, these guys are different. These guys are violent.'”
Nebraska’s efforts to regain respect began in the early days of the offseason. A new chapter should begin when play resumes in a few weeks.
(Top photo of Malachi Coleman: Mitch Sherman / Athletics)
