Lincoln, Neb. – I was 9 years old when I first got to step into Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska, the home of the Huskers. The date was Sept 28,1985, Nebraska Vs. Oregon. It is a place that has had a dear place in my heart, even before that day. All I really remember from that day was that it was rainy and just awe inspiring. My first memories of Husker football were sitting on my grandpa’s armrest on his recliner, watching Jarvis Redwine dazzle, and I vividly remember the Big Red losing to Clemson in the 1981 Orange Bowl. The days when your season was punctuated on how the Oklahoma/Nebraska game went. My love for Husker football was something I was born into, and that love has stayed with me ever since and has only grown.
On Saturday, I got to take my two oldest sons to the Spring Game for their first time in Memorial Stadium. Even though so much has changed, a lot is still the same. The pure feeling of awe as you first walk into the stadium and see the massive skybox towering over the field still takes your breath away. The Sea of Red, which you’ve heard so much about, still fascinates you as your senses take it all in. The smell of popcorn and Runzas in the air, the hot dog launcher, Herbie, “Husker Power.” It all still there. The smiles on my boys’ faces and their wide-eyed amazement told me all I needed to know. To them, it was all Dad had hyped it up to be, maybe even more.
The game itself was quite the show as we got to see a pretty exciting offensive performance from the Huskers. Seeing the much hyped QB Dylan Raiola’s first snaps as a Husker was awesome, and he seemed pretty poised for a true freshman QB in that setting for the first time. Heinrich Haarberg and Daniel Kaelin each also had some good plays and younger receivers like Jaylen Lloyd and true freshmen Jacory Barney Jr. showed that they will be a nice addition to the receiving room. Thomas Fidone looks to be a beast this year, and the RB position looks to be on solid ground, with Emmitt Johnson and Dante Dowdell each showing some promise towards a consistent, physical running game to go with the new emphasis on the air attack.
The offensive line brings back a lot of experience, and has the size you’d expect to see from a Big Ten OL. They will be a huge factor in how the 2024 season goes, and OL coach Donovan Raiola has them playing tough and looking to take the next step towards being the dominant line they want to be.
Defensively, it’s harder to gauge too much from the game, as several key players who will play major roles in 2024 were held out, giving lots of reps and opportunity to younger players. Defensive Coordinator Tony White had the Huskers finish 2023 as a Top 10 defense. With the return of players like Nash Hutmacher, Ty Robinson, Isaac Gifford and Tommy Hill along with a wealth of budding young talent, the Blackshirts look to continue their climb to being back among the nation’s elite defenses. Match that up with the new look, potentially high powered offense, and it’s hard not to be excited for the potential of this 2024 team. A new crop of incoming freshmen arriving this summer, highlighted by Alliance’s super TE Carter Nelson only adds to the equation.
Special teams are a bit intriguing as the Huskers return their kicker and punter from 2023 in Tristen Alvano and Brian Buscini. While they each have had their promising moments, they have also struggled at times to be consistent. The return game looks to be a positive with younger players like Barney Jr. providing a spark as shown by his 79 yard kickoff return Saturday.
Second year Head Coach Matt Rhule and his staff have worked tirelessly to get our beloved program on stable ground as we hit this new era of College Football. NIL, conference and playoff expansion has forever changed the game I grew up loving. As we enter this exciting but unknown future, I am thankful that this is where our program is at. The lack of Husker players entering the transfer portal is a great indication of how much the players have bought into Coach Rhule. His passion, commitment, and leadership are what we need as we await the 2024 season.
We’re along for the ride. Go Big Red.
