Better through the Portal
In football there is a saying, “Live by the blitz, die by the blitz.” With the addition of the transfer portal, you’ll now sometimes hear, “Live by the portal, die by the portal.” For Curt Cignetti and Indiana, it’s been, live by the portal. Cignetti and his team are shining examples of what the transfer portal can do for you. In his first season people were saying Cignetti got lucky, but with the addition of QB Fernando Mendoza in 2025, it’s hard to argue Cignetti has figured it out. Other teams have been hit and miss with the portal. Nebraska has been one of those teams. But it would also be hard to argue that Rhule hasn’t gotten better with the portal in each of his three years.
An easy example would be the wide receiver position. In Rhule’s first year 2023, he brought in Billy Kemp IV and Marcus Washington. On the season Kemp was the Huskers leading receiver, finishing with 35 receptions for 310 yards and 1 TD. Washington had 8 receptions for 176 yards and 0 TDs. In defense of both guys, the Huskers struggled at QB and both players were limited due to injuries. Kemp played 11 games and Washington 6.
In 2024 they brought in Isaiah Neyor and Jahmal Banks. Banks finished as the Husker’s leading receiver with 44 receptions, 587 yards and 3 TDs. Neyor had 34 receptions for 455 yards and 5 TDs. And of course, they played with two different offensive coordinators, and their QB was freshman Dylan Raiola.
This season the Huskers brought in Nyziah Hunter and Dane Key. After 10 games Hunter leads the team with 41 receptions for 592 yards and 5 TDs. Key has 28 receptions for 360 yards and 5 TDs. Part of their success is due to Riola being in his second year, a new receivers coach in Daikiel Shorts and Dana Holgorsen as the OC. However, both guys will finish the last two games with freshman TJ Lateef as their QB.
It’s difficult to measure the success of a transfer portal player beyond stats. But if you look at the impact a player has on the team or the game you can establish their value. I won’t try to single one player out, but I will give you the top two for all three phases of the game.
Nebraska brought in 13 players through the portal, 4 on offense, 7 on defense, and 2 on special teams. They were Nyziah Hunter, Dane Key, Roco Spindler, Elijah Pritchett, Williams Nwaneri, Gabe Moore, Jaylen George, Marques Watson-Trent, Desan McCullough, Andrew Marshall, Justyn Rhett, Kyle Cunanan, and Kevin Gallic.
Some people will use the term hit and miss. I won’t do that, I don’t think any of these guys have been a miss. Some have just found more success than others this season. We’ll start with offense, where Nyziah Hunter is an easy selection for one of the two offensive players. Hunter has been an explosive playmaker and still has three more games to showcase his abilities. Behind him I’m selecting Roco Spindler. Some will say it should be Dane Key. But Spindler has brought something to the offensive line that has been missing. Attitude. This group has been different this season. They’ve struggled with pass protection but look at Emmett Johnson and tell me he would have accomplished what he has without them.
On defense my first pick is cornerback Andrew Marshall. In 10 games he has 25 solos tackles, 10 assists, 3 TFLs, and 1 interception. Opposite Ceyair Wright, Marshall has given the Blackshirts shut down corners. My second pick is defensive lineman Williams Nwaneri. In 10 games Nwaneri has made 26 tackles, 9 solo, 5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, 1 pass defended, 2 fumble recoveries with 1 being for a TD. When taken into consideration Nwaneri’s youth and experience, he’s shown the potential to be a difference maker.
And finally, on special teams, while I only had two choices, I would’ve chosen both players anyway, because both have been difference makers. We’ve seen it all season. Start with placekicker Kyle Cunanan. In 10 games he’s gone 41/41 on extra points and 12/15 on field goals. 4/4 from 20-29 yards, 6/6 from 30-39 yards, 1/3 from 40-49 yards, and 1/2 from 50 yards plus. And as we’ve witnessed, the kicker’s success starts with the snap, and long snapper Kevin Gallic has been perfect this season. They both have been part of the special teams turnaround that Nebraska desperately needed.
With the bowl game being the last game for between 18 to 19 seniors and the Huskers currently only having 10 commits in the 2026 class, there will be positions to fill from the transfer portal.
Current 2026 commits are cornerback Danny Odom, offensive lineman Claude Mpouma, wide receivers Nalin Scott and Larry Miles, tight end Luke Sorenson, interior offensive lineman Hayden Ainsworth, offensive tackle Rex Waterman, linebacker Jase Reynolds, running back Jamal Rule, and QB Dayton Raiola. Offensive lineman Leon Noil Jr. decommitted this week.
So, come January what positions will the Huskers target in the portal? With struggling against the run this season one must believe the Huskers will try to find at last one big body to help anchor the center of the defensive line. Some believe the Huskers need players off the edge, but I like the young guys we have. A run stopping sideline to sideline linebacker and a shutdown cornerback could help with depth.
And offensively, I think all Husker fans would agree in finding a replacement for Emmett Johnson, because we can’t be sure that guy is on the roster now. The Husker are also in need of at least one experienced offensive tackle and two if Elijah Pritchett decides to move on. And finally, perhaps another experienced wide receiver. With Raiola at QB and Holgorsen as the OC, you can never have too many good receivers.
GO BIG RED!!
Photo courtesy of The Falls City Journal
Stay on top of Husker football at CarrikerChronicles.com