Friday Five: Portals, honors and what lies ahead
As Nebraska closes the calendar year, plenty is still happening. That's never a bad thing.
Can you believe we have less than two weeks left in 2025?
As Nebraska closes the calendar year, plenty is still happening (even with graduation taking place today and tomorrow). There’s roster churn, staff reshuffling, reflections (as there always is this time of year) and programs lining up what’s next.
Let’s get into it.
Matt Rhule steps in, backwards cap and all
During his monthly appearance on Sports Nightly, coach Matt Rhule explained why he’s been wearing his cap backward: he’s taken over the defensive tackles in practice and meetings, operating as an assistant coach rather than just the CEO.
“I’m having a great time,” Rhule said about the change.
In his first public comments since quarterback Dylan Raiola confirmed he’ll enter the transfer portal, Rhule also acknowledged the immediate reaction around the program and beyond.
“Really grateful to Dylan for all that he did, and if he needs a fresh start, I’m going to pray that he finds the right place and that he has so much success,” Rhule said. “With that being said, there’s a lot of great quarterbacks out there, and a lot of guys want to play at Nebraska.”
Rhule framed the decision within the modern reality of college football, pointing out that two of the four Heisman Trophy candidates this season were transfer quarterbacks.
“The portal’s just a natural part of (college football),” Rhule said. “I think there’s been a little bit of anxiety around here like, ‘Who’s going to go in the portal, who’s going to go in the portal?’ The portal will giveth and the portal will taketh away.”
What comes next is already underway. TJ Lateef is slated to start the bowl game (although Nebraska is being very careful through his recovery). The Huskers will also explore portal options, while the new assistants evaluate the roster with fresh eyes.
“This will be the first year that we’re at the higher end of the market,” Rhule said. “We might not be where Texas and Texas A&M and some of those people are, but we’re right there.”
Troy Dannen on change, continuity and competing
Athletic Director Troy Dannen also joined Sports Nightly this week, addressing plenty in the world of Nebraska Athletics. That includes the tension surrounding the football program’s lopsided losses and flurry of staff changes.
“You want continuity and consistency,” Dannen said. “But if you don’t have the right people, you don’t keep the wrong people for the sake of continuity. Getting to where he needs to be from a staff standpoint, frightfully important.”
Nebraska improved from 6-6 to 7-5 this season, which was a positive, but Dannen made it clear improvement doesn’t mean satisfaction.
“The one thing I’ve been really proud of Matt (about) is when he sees things that need to change, they change,” Dannen said. “Now there’s a point of which we need to quit changing. I think we all feel that’s narrowed down.”
The upcoming transfer window — open from Jan. 2-16 — will be another test. Nebraska is better positioned financially than it’s ever been in the portal era, with $8 million redirected from its PlayFly deal into NIL this cycle.
“When you give us wherewithal financially to compete legally with everybody else, I think it’s shown that we can have great success,” Dannen said.
He also praised Nebraska’s volleyball, men’s basketball and women’s basketball programs, noting that sometimes outcomes hinge on things outside of control.
“Sometimes ‘luck’ plays a part,” Dannen said, referencing injuries and illness during volleyball’s regional final. “We’re going to look back on it and probably never, ever forget that match. We wish we would have been on the right side of it, but it was spectacular.”
Four Huskers earn All-America honors
Rebekah Allick set out to have a great final season. She did that and more.
The Nebraska middle blocker was named a second-team All-American, joining teammates Bergen Reilly, Andi Jackson and Harper Murray in a historic showing for the Huskers.
Nebraska placed three players on the first team for the third time in program history, matching a feat last accomplished in 2005.
“I’ve always said iron sharpens iron,” Allick said about the middles. “Our relationship on the court is super competitive but we also celebrate each other on things that we know we’ve been working on.”
Allick finished her career fifth all time at Nebraska in blocks. In her final match, she posted a career-high 15 kills on .480 hitting in a five-set loss to Texas A&M.
While Nebraska would have liked to be in Kansas City this weekend, the truth remains that the Huskers went 33-1 over the season, claimed another Big Ten title and saw multiple Huskers honored in the end.
Nebraska baseball lines up another February gauntlet
Nebraska baseball will open its season with no easing-in period.
At the MLB Desert Invitational, the Huskers will face Connecticut, Northeastern, Grand Canyon and Stanford. Those four teams combined for 145 wins last season.
That’s just the beginning. Nebraska will also play a showcase at Globe Life Field against Louisville, Kansas State and Florida State before heading to Auburn for a road series against last year’s No. 4 national seed.
Nebraska went 33-29 last season and repeated as Big Ten tournament champions.
Wrestling welcomes a measuring-stick weekend
Ranked No. 6 nationally, Nebraska wrestling hosts No. 16 North Carolina on Friday before welcoming No. 5 Oklahoma State on Sunday.
“Two good teams and great competition,” head coach Mark Manning said this week. “It’ll be a chance to see what we’re all about.”
This is a program coming off a historic 2025 campaign that included a national runner-up finish, two individual titles and eight All-Americans. Through seven duals this season, Nebraska sits at 5-2.
“We know what our team’s all about,” Manning said. “Sunday will be a great measuring stick with Oklahoma State.”
The Cowboys already beat the Huskers once this season.
“We’ll see what happens this time,” Manning said.
And here we are. Less than two weeks left in the year and plenty to talk about. That’s not a bad thing, right?
There will be plenty more to come as Nebraska preps for the Las Vegas Bowl as well, so stick with us. We appreciate that you’re here.
Unfortunately, and probably incorrectly, I heard this "there’s a lot of great quarterbacks out there, and a lot of guys want to play at Nebraska." As they are mutually exclusive.