A polar bear debut and an opportunity to give back
If you took any time away from Nebraska news over the weekend, well . . . let’s just say there is a lot to catch up on.
If you took any time away from Nebraska news over the weekend, well . . . let’s just say there is a lot to catch up on.
We’ll keep this short and sweet. There was a debut, there was news, there was speculation, you name it! Quite the week for the first week of January.
Let’s dive in.
The Polar Bear’s debut
Nash Hutmacher, a starting defensive lineman for the Nebraska football team, returned to the wrestling mat on Saturday. Hutmacher — who was a four-time state wrestling champion in high school — made his debut for the Huskers and defeated Wyoming's Mason Ding in the 285-pound weight class with a pin just 52 seconds into the first period.
But that’s selling the whole thing a bit short, honestly. Amie Just of the Lincoln Journal Star had a great look at what exactly it took to get to this moment for Hutmacher — and what it meant — that’s worth a read.
One of the more special aspects of the whole thing — you know, besides what Hutmacher himself did — was the fact that a large contingency of the Nebraska football team showed up in support. That included wide receiver Malachi Coleman. who considered the meet to be the “most lit.”
“I'd never been to one before and all I can say is that I will be back for more,” Coleman said. “There were like 30, 40 of us there and we were all just packed in a little section.
“It was crazy.”
Fly Like Chi Sports Combine
Speaking of Coleman, he hosted the inaugural Fly Like Chi Sports Combine — powered by Runza — at Speedway Village in Lincoln on Sunday. The event allowed athletes ages 10-18 to show off their skills and get official times and test results to help with recruiting and more. Proceeds from the event benefited the Fly Like Chi Foundation, which aims to be a champion for kids in the foster care system.
Just over 50 athletes showed up for the event, with the furthest traveling from Valentine, Nebraska, to participate.
Seeing the event come to life only further inspired Coleman for what’s possible in years ahead.
“People came from all over to be part of something that just started and now that I’ve seen it in person, I’ve got even bigger dreams of what it could be now,” Coleman said. “I want this to be huge. We had 50 people this year. Next year, I want to double that or triple that. I just want to keep it going and I want to reach as many kids as I can.”
Coleman wasn’t the only Husker on hand Sunday. He had support from incoming quarterback Daniel Kaelin and wide receiver Dae’Vonn Hall. All three helped the athletes through their drills and tests, and signed autographs and took photos after the event.
For Kaelin, it was the easiest yes when asked to be part of the day.
“I think very highly of (the Colemans) and it meant a lot to me that they reached out to me to be a part of this and kind of help impact the next generation of kids coming up,” Kaelin said.
Hall feels similar. He sees Coleman using his influence for good, which inspires him too.
“Obviously seeing somebody like Malachi doing what he's doing and the influence that he has and choosing to be a light in the world for kids that maybe don’t have a home to go to or a family to go to, that’s what you do this all for,” Hall said. “I feel like people need to come to these events and support.”
We’ll have more from the Fly Like Chi Sports Combine on Counter Read later in the week, as well as more from Coleman, Kaelin and Hall as the three prepare for the spring semester at Nebraska.
A name to know in Lincoln?
It’s allegedly Dana Holgorsen, the former head coach at West Virginia and Houston. Reports surfaced on Saturday that Nebraska is exploring a role with Holgorsen, and sources confirmed that to be true with Counter Read.
What does that role entail exactly? Considering Nebraska doesn’t currently have a full-time assistant role open on its staff, it’s all speculation at this point. However, it does seem coach Matt Rhule might target someone to take over the quarterback room, removing that from offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield’s plate. To make that possible, Rhule could move Josh Martin — who stepped in as the tight ends coach in late July — back to an offensive analyst role (or Martin could move on from Nebraska). In that case, Satterfield could take the tight ends.
Holgorsen was fired from Houston in November and hasn’t yet found a landing spot. For whatever it’s worth, some have said that the man sitting next to Nebraska football chief of staff Susan Elza in the second photo is Holgorsen.
A need fulfilled
Nebraska did not take a scholarship running back in its 2024 recruiting class, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Huskers sought one out in the transfer portal. On Saturday, former Oregon running back Dante Dowdell committed to Nebraska after making a visit to Lincoln.
At 6-foot-2 and 218 pounds, Dowdell is a dynamic rusher who has three years of eligibility left. In his one season with the Ducks, Dowdell saw action in six games. He rushed for 90 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries.
Nebraska also added wide receiver Isaiah Neyor from Texas through the transfer portal on Friday. Neyor, who is 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, will add experience to a talented but young Huskers wideout room. He spent three seasons at Wyoming before transferring to Texas for the past two.
Neyor will have two seasons of eligibility remaining, pending a medical hardship waiver from the NCAA.
Inaugural fan day event
One last thing that we can’t ignore, because it’s pretty dang cool.
There’s a lot of excitement surrounding Nebraska softball heading into spring, and the Huskers are capitalizing on that. Nebraska announced late last week that it plans to host a fan day event in early February. It’s the first fan day for the program ever.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. There will be introductions and autographs. More information on the event will be released at a later date.
Told you it was a wild few days. Might just get wilder in the days to come. For now, enjoy the national championship matchup between Michigan and Washington.
A Big Ten matchup for the ages!
🤔🤔Hmm, a softball fanday? Has Nebraska added an impact softball player since last year? 🤔🤔
I hope she can stay after her eligibility and turn Nebraska into a softball school.