Friday Five: New eras, old rivals and fixing what broke
It was a week of firsts and a week of returns for Nebraska Athletics. Let's dive in.
It was a week of firsts and a week of returns for Nebraska Athletics.
That included the announcement of the Huskers’ first head flag football coach, which is a prominent hire. The associate head coach is too.
Beyond that, women’s basketball scheduled old conference rivals in a familiar venue, rifle qualified as a national contender once again and football… well, football is trying to fix what wasn’t working.
Here are five things that stood out.1
A new era starts in Lincoln
Nebraska officially named Liz Sowers as the first head coach of its women’s flag football program on Thursday, with her twin sister Katie Sowers joining as associate head coach.
Let’s be clear: these are big-time hires.
Liz arrives from Ottawa University in Kansas with five straight NAIA national championships and an 88-8 career record. She’s coached USA national teams. She’s won gold medals as a player in both tackle and flag football. She’s recruited nationally and internationally. She’s built something sustainable. Now she’s being asked to build something from scratch.
“This is the start of a new era, and we intend to set the standard,” Liz said in a statement. “It’s an honor to lead the first flag football program at Nebraska, and even more meaningful to build it alongside my twin sister in a place with such deep tradition. We want young girls across Nebraska to see this team and know there’s a future here for them.”
We know that Nebraska isn’t adding flag football just to check a box. It’s trying to position itself at the front of a sport that is gaining national momentum and is expected to expand rapidly at the collegiate level.
Katie’s résumé only strengthens the hire. She’s had NFL coaching stops with the Chiefs, 49ers and Falcons. She has experience as a defensive coordinator and director of operations. On top of it, she also has international head coaching experience with the Italian Women’s National Flag Football team. Not bad.
“I am proud to join the Nebraska family as part of the first coaching staff in program history,” Katie said. “This is a fanbase that lives and breathes excellence, and I can’t wait to give this amazing fanbase another sport to rally behind.”
Nebraska won’t play its first competitive season until spring 2028, but that will be here before we know it. It’s good too, because the time gives the Sowers two years to recruit, build, organize and define culture.
Old rivals, familiar floor
Women’s basketball is heading back to the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls and the foes are familiar.
The Huskers will face Kansas on Nov. 14, 2026, and Kansas State on Nov. 6, 2027, as part of The Invitational at the Pentagon.
“We are thrilled to return to the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls again the next two seasons,” Nebraska coach Amy Williams said. “It is an incredible basketball venue, and Husker fans have proven that for both men’s and women’s basketball games the past two seasons. Playing quality opponents and old conference rivals like Kansas and Kansas State the next two years should give Husker fans some great reasons to be excited about following us to the Pentagon.”
There is strategy to be had here for Nebraska. It’s strong non-conference scheduling and regional accessibility, which means the atmosphere should be solid. Plus, The Pentagon is now about consistency for the Huskers. They’ve made this venue part of their annual rhythm.
Should be fun.
Rifle is right where it wants to be
Nebraska rifle continues to do what it does.
The No. 2 Huskers qualified for the 2026 NCAA Championships and will head to Columbus, Ohio, to compete against Kentucky, TCU, West Virginia, Ole Miss, Alaska-Fairbanks, Navy and Georgia Southern.
It’s the program’s first team appearance under head coach Richard Clark and the 21st overall since rifle became a varsity sport in 1998.
“We are very excited to be heading back to NCAA Championships in a couple of weeks,” Clark said. “Qualifying as the No. 2 seed is a testament to the hours of work this team has put in over the season staying dedicated to their craft. This team has been very fun to watch perform day in and day out and I’m looking forward to seeing what they can accomplish on the big stage to cap off an already great year.”
Nebraska has already defeated five of the seven teams in the championship field this season. Senior Emma Rhode returns for her fourth NCAA appearance. Sophomore Maddy Moyer is back after qualifying individually last year.
The 2026 NCAA Championships will take place on Friday-Saturday, March 13-14.
Fixing what broke up front
The Nebraska defensive line struggled in 2025. Run fits were inconsistent, pass rush lanes opened up and a strong secondary eventually felt the domino effect.
That’s something coach Matt Rhule has wanted to address in the offseason. Enter Corey Brown.
Brown was hired to coach the interior. Roy Manning followed defensive coordinator Rob Aurich from San Diego State to coach the edges.
“If you work for a head coach who coached your position, that’s unique,” Brown said Wednesday. “Some coaches don’t like that because they feel like the coach may be hands-on too much, but I look at it the other way. He’s coached it. He knows how important it is.”
Manning was more direct.
“Blame no one. Expect nothing. Do something. It’s that simple,” Manning said. “This is a results business. This is a ‘leave all your stuff at the door’ business. This is a ‘rent’s due every day’ business.”
Anthony Jones, the UCLA transfer who is expected to factor into the edge rotation, put it simply when asked about Manning’s ability to still demonstrate drills.
“Shows that he’s still an athlete,” Jones said.
Nebraska needs that edge room to be deeper and more consistent. Manning has said he wants at least five, preferably six edge players capable of contributing.
Speaking of Jones
Jones doesn’t talk like someone trying to save a position group. He talks like someone trying to belong in it.
The UCLA transfer is part of Nebraska’s defensive line overhaul, arriving at a moment when the room has been told—directly—that last year wasn’t good enough. There’s urgency to get it fixed too.
Jones understands what that means. He’s transferred before. He knows the outside perception that it’s a shortcut. He also knows the reality.
“Everybody thinks that transferring is like the easy way out. But, you know, getting up and moving is pretty difficult at times, but my mom and my younger brother, I take care of them and football allows me to do that,” Jones said. “...my fiance and I, we just got married, and we have a baby boy on the way. So, you know, that’s that helps me get up every morning, just go attack the day.”
When he was asked what Nebraska was getting in him, he didn’t talk about his measurables or production. Instead, he focused on mentality.
“Competitor, true competitor, true competitor, a guy that’s going to go out there and do his job at a high level,” Jones said.
That fits what Manning has been preaching. Rent’s due every day. Results business. No excuses. Jones is trying to meet the standard.
“Coming in, like I said, and getting to know the guys, being able to actually put in energy to get to know them, understand what the standard is in the culture is, because when you come in, and if you can uphold the standard, then guys look at you differently,” Jones said. “So that’s definitely what I tried to come in and do is just work my butt off and earn the respect of those guys. And then off the field stuff handles itself.”
That’s the defensive line story in one answer.
Spring will tell us how much actually changes up front. But if Nebraska is serious about resetting that room, the tone Jones brings is aligned with what the coaches are demanding.
And that’s a start.
I’d also like to point you toward my feature on Harper Murray from earlier in the week. It deserves some love in the Friday Five too.