As Nebraska prepares to take off for New York and their bowl game, there are plenty of fans interested in who will be on the field for the Huskers. The seniors on this team have worked their tails off five to six years to get to this moment. It provides a chance to put an exclamation point on their Nebraska careers, to be the ones that got the Huskers back on track. They need to finish with a win.
But the young players matter too. With the rule changes allowing redshirt players to participate, it’s a great time for coaches to test freshman and for fans to get a glimpse of next season. This game should be a mix of young and old talent. But with everything going on, coaches leaving and transfer portal defections being followed by the hiring of new coaches and picking up talent through the portal, the bowl game has gotten lost. Husker fans have forgotten what it’s like to be going to a bowl game. They’ve spent so many years trying to win the offseason, they don’t remember what the real target is, building momentum for next season by winning a bowl game. The game has almost gotten lost over the last two weeks with everything else going on.
From the day the season was over changes started to both the coaching staff and players on the roster. It’s the new face of college football, an ugly distorted version of what fans are accustomed to. And while gruesomely ugly right now, one must believe …. no, it’s a given …. the face we are seeing right now will need an overhaul and be something that we can all recognize again. Things can’t stay like they are. The new version of college football is a work in progress.
As we all waited for answers, we learned Thursday at Matt Rhule’s press conference that at least three players would not be participating in the Pinstripe Bowl. Tommy Hill, Micah Mazzccua, and Isiah Neyor will not play due to injuries and preparing for professional opportunities. As of now, Ty Robinson, Nash Hutmacher, and several other seniors are slated to play, but it’ll be interesting to see their snap count. I think much will depend on the flow of the game. Ideally, the seniors will play, but it will be the young guns that the coaches will want on the field. This game is as much about next year as finishing this year. So, as a fan, it’ll be interesting to see who is on the field and when.
While not on the two deep roster, I fully anticipate seeing players like Mekhi Nelson, Quinn Clark, and Keelan Smith on the field.
Below is the two deep roster for the Pinstripe Bowl. Seniors are highlighted in gray.
I personally will be watching the coaching staff as well. All the new hires are now official, however, not everyone is with the team. New defensive line coach Terry Bradden will not join the team until the Chiefs season is over. Don’t fool yourself into thinking this staff is set, there will be additional changes before spring ball. As of now, the staff is listed as follows:
Head Coach – Matt Rhule
Offensive Coordinator – Dana Holgorsen
Quarterbacks – Glenn Thomas
Wide Receivers – Daikiel Shorts Jr.
Assistant Wide Receivers – Jamar Mozee
Running Backs – E.J. Barthels
Full Backs/Returners – Ron Brown
Offensive Line – Donavan Raiola
Assistant Offensive Line – Aaron Coeling
Tight Ends – Marcus Satterfield
Assistant Tight Ends – Keith Williams
Defensive Coordinator – John Butler
Associate Head Coach – Phil Snow
Defensive Line – Terry Bradden
GA Defensive Line – Ira Savage-Lewis
Linebackers – Rob Dvoracek
Outside Linebackers – Phil Simpson
Defensive Backs – Addison Williams
Assistant Secondary/Safeties – Adam DeMichele
Special Teams Coordinator – Ed Foley
Assistant Special Teams – Josh Martin
Graduate Assistant – RJ Snead
Graduate Assistant – Tariq Thompson
Graduate Assistant – Mike Williams
The season has been a wild ride, and the offseason won’t be any different. If there is one thing Husker fans have learned, it’s to expect the unexpected. Who knows what we’ll see before the 2025 season kickoff.
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