Nebraska football recently wrapped up its mat drills. The first spring football practice is coming quickly. A big year out of the Huskers continues to build momentum by the day.
Three of Nebraska’s transfer portal additions spoke at Tuesday’s media availability. What stood out was their thoughts on how challenging head coach Matt Rhule’s mat drill program is.
Here is what three new Huskers had to say about it:
Rocco Spindler
Notre Dame transfer offensive guard Rocco Spindler just came off his season as a starter in the national championship. The Fighting Irish were quite the story in making it all the way after losing at home to Northern Illinois in week two.
What Spindler said about Nebraska’s mat drills was intriguing for someone who was just on a team that went to the national championship.
“From where I come from we’ve never experienced something like that,” Spindler said. “Those three weeks were very challenging. It was tough to get through. For the most part, the guys attacked it.”
Dane Key
Kentucky transfer wide receiver Dane Key is set to be quarterback Dylan Raiola’s No. 1 target heading into the spring. The former Wildcat brings much-needed production for a young Husker receiving core. Like Spindler, Key was shellshocked with the standard expected in the mat drills.
“It was interesting,” Key said. “We didn’t really do that at my old school. I went back and told [wide receiver] coach [Daikiel] Shorts, ‘What did I get myself into.’ I’m super glad coach Rhule makes us do that because it shows who wants to be a part of this team.”
Dasan McCullough
Oklahoma transfer jack linebacker Dasan McCullough can do it all. McCullough has lined up at all three different levels on the defensive side of the ball. Although the transfer is versatile, McCullough is planning to replace MJ Sherman as a jack for the Blackshirts.
There’s no question that the toughest part of the offseason is the mat drills. The military model of training separates the strong from the weak.
“Mat drills are made for you to struggle and get closer with the guys on your team,” McCullough said. “I felt that it was a struggle and everyone needed to go through it. It made us stronger.”
It is eye-opening that Spinder, coming from the national champion runner-up, Key and McCullough, from the SEC, for them all to point out how different Nebraska’s strength and conditioning program is.
This is why Head strength and conditioning coach Corey Campbell has quite the reputation. Rhule pointed out that Campbell’s work has made him a hot coaching commodity. Two NFL teams tried to lure him out of Lincoln this offseason. The Huskers are put in the offseason work. Will it translate to fall?