Three & Out: Addressing the loss on Saturday, the portal is the only way for OTs, and Nebraska coaches hit the road next week
Three & Out is Nebraska On3’s feature in which recruiting analyst Bryan Munson gives his weekly takes on topical issues concerning Nebraska football and recruiting.
In this week’s Three & Out, the loss on Saturday was not overly impactful to recruiting, offensive tackle must be addressed through the portal, and Nebraska coaches will be hitting the road next week during the bye week. Here is your Three & Out:
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Loss on Saturday not overly impactful to recruiting
I have caught up with several recruits who attended the last home game against Michigan. The 45-7 Wolverine trouncing of the Huskers immediately raised recruiting concerns, and rightfully so.
Just hours before the game ended, I had pulled together a visitor preview list that stated around 60 visitors in total would be in attendance, including 14 of the 26 commitments from the 2024 class, and two of the commitments in the 2025 class were also there.
Simple math: around 45 recruits in town this weekend weren’t committed to Nebraska. The good news? The 2024 class is over 95 percent complete. There are risks. Notre Dame is still giving chase to Carter Nelson. Jacory Barney probably will still take an official visit to Arizona. Other recruits like Kewan Lacy are a little isolated and have great years, making them feel like there is a risk.
However, after talking to Barney on Tuesday night, the Nebraska staff has some big plans for this year’s class. Let’s be honest: the skill position players in the 2024 class seem a little more ready to be productive next season than the 2023 class was.
Several 2025 and 2026 recruits also had interesting perspectives, like some of the most highly-ranked recruits in town. Kevin Ford was quick to point out the new coaching staff at Nebraska, the top-ranked team across the field, and that the team will be completely different when he is a senior in high school.
“Win or lose didn’t really matter to me,” Ford said. “It’s a new staff. Also, it was Michigan, and they were a top team. The loss didn’t really matter. This team will be completely different my senior year.”
Another 2026 recruit, top-rated offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell, says that current results aren’t part of his process. He’s trying to look at the bigger picture, and despite the lopsided loss by the Huskers, it wasn’t stopping him from returning later this season for another visit to Nebraska.
“I really don’t care all that much about how the games go right now. I’ll be in college three years from now, so current results aren’t my biggest concern.”
Yes, it’s tough to watch for Nebraska fans. The losses are tough, but not competing is worse.
Fortunately, the recruits’ lens is very different than the conditioned Nebraska fans that want a better-performing team despite Matt Rhule being in Lincoln for ten months and some game plan-altering injuries. It will take some time, and fortunately, the recruits know it.
Nebraska offensive line coach Donovan Raiola. (Photo credit: Ken Juszyk/HuskerOnline)
Offensive tackle must be addressed through the portal
Let’s just cut to the chase: my biggest concern for the 2024 class has been and remains offensive tackle. I know getting a pass rusher is another need, but after the first five games of the 2023 season, offensive tackle is the most significant need, and not by a slim margin.
Seeing Walter Rouse in an Oklahoma uniform stings even more now.
Addressing the offensive tackle need in the 2024 class is futile. Yes, Nebraska is still in the hunt for Grant Brix, and the Huskers have players like Preston Taumua and Gibson Pyle, who have played offensive tackle, in the class. It’s difficult to believe that any of them are short-term solutions.
Nebraska needs to find one, if not two, capable offensive tackles in the portal this off-season. The opportunity to play will be clear as day. Now, the NIL opportunities need to align with what the other “big boy” programs will offer. If this is not part of the strategy, then the rest doesn’t matter.
Rhule and the Huskers can’t afford to come up short this time. Another Rouse that commits and ultimately decides to go somewhere else could have all of us talking about this topic again just games into the season. They need to come through, so I say it needs to be one or two tackles, preferably two. You can’t pin your hopes on one.
There are 11 offensive linemen listed on the two-deep across five positions going into the Illinois game. There is just one senior in those 11 players, including four freshmen and two sophomores. It’s a young group that will need more seasoned players to join and help lead them.
Yes, hindsight is a little 20/20 here, but you have to admit that the focus of that 2023 team was to bring in athletes and potential. Nebraska is getting some better-developed players in the 2024 class who hopefully should be able to provide an impact next year at several positions.
Offensive tackle, though, isn’t one of them, and honestly, it’s a little unrealistic to think that it could be. But getting help at the tackle position will make a significant difference next year with the Nebraska offense. Back up the truck and get the line some help.
Coaches hit the road next week
We can expect the Nebraska coaches to hit the road and try to cover as much ground as possible ove the bye week. What will be interesting is where the coaches will go and who they will see.
The majority of the 2024 class is done. In past years, the Nebraska staff would be looking to go out and see some of those last pieces to the current class. To try and show some love late in the process.
If history plays some role next week, you can expect the assistant coaches to be on the road, and Rhule will stay closer to home. I also expect the coaches to focus on 2025 and beyond prospects. And it makes sense. The visitor lists we have had for the first three home games have consisted mainly of 2024 commits and high school sophomores and juniors.
I anticipate Rhule getting out to see some games but staying local. It’s what we have seen from the head coach in past years. What would be ideal is if Rhule found a game on Thursday night and then split halves on Friday night. We will have to see how that goes next week.
The Nebraska coaches will be out to see the top players on their 2025 and 2026 boards. In chatting with Kevin Ford following his visit last week to Nebraska, he said that coach Garret McGuire said he has plans to get to Dallas to see him next weekend.
Hitting Duncanville (Texas) High School is a must for Nebraska. The Huskers have offered three players from the 2026 class. Ford and wide receivers Zachery Turner and Ace Theus were all in Lincoln this past weekend for the Michigan game.
As we get closer to next weekend, it will be interesting to see where these coaches are going and who they will see. Brix may be the only 2024 player Nebraska may consider visiting next weekend after Kansas State supposedly stopped by to see him a week ago.
The post Three & Out: Addressing the loss on Saturday, the portal is the only way for OTs, and Nebraska coaches hit the road next week appeared first on On3.
