2 hours ago
1
On a balmy Sunday brunch hour which has seen the temps rise from a midnight low of to a toasty 31 degrees, I’m smiling at last Friday’s news that “spring” football practice will be kicking off sometime in late February per Matt Rhule during his appearance on Sports Nightly. Saturday the 28th perhaps?
I only throw that out there since that would make it an even month between the first practice and (drumroll please) the reinstatement of:
Advertisement
The Nebraska Cornhuskers annual SPRING GAME!!
If y’all remember – and I’m sure you do – last year’s spring game turned into something more like a spring county fair with goofy games and contests such as roping, sprints, and an Ekeler-Compton bench press-off among others. There was a Midland-Huskers women’s flag football game which, in retrospect, makes us very happy Nebraska has until Spring 2028 to get the new Huskers flag football team together. The football team had the reserves go at it in pads as well.
With the choice between that and a trip to the Pacific Northwest to turn covering the Huskers’ softball series at Washington in Seattle on the shores Lake Washington into a vacation, I chose 10 days on the road. The multiple taco trucks on hand did give me a slight pause, but sights like Mt. St. Helens up close and personal after a short hike let me know I made the right choice.
But 2026?
Advertisement
Football is back, baby.
The reason for the 2025 step-back was a good one. In the televised 2024 game, performances by young players such as Dylan Raiola and Jacory Barney led to a late flurry of cash offers and tampering from other schools. They were trying to persuade transfers at a time when there was an open window to enter the portal following the spring practice sessions nationwide.
The portal entry dates have since been reduced to a single window in early January; that one being chosen to allow players make their selection following the 2025 season (exception: teams still alive in the CFP) and have time to enroll at their new school. Since anyone on the roster is now prevented from jumping until next January, the reason for not wanting to hide the new talents is moot.
So let’s get down to the nitty-gritty so y’all can get to planning. All stuff stated as fact (*) is per Matt Rhule on the above-mentioned show. Me trying to be funny should be obvious and probably not as funny as it sounded in my head.
Advertisement
Date: Saturday, March 28th*
Site: Memorial Stadium*, duh.
Time: I dunno, noonish?
Tailgating: ICE & the Texas National Guard together couldn’t stop it. Historically, this is much more fun than the game itself. Come early, come big & hug all those people you haven’t seen since freezing together in a foul mood at the Iowa game.
Format: Hell if I know, but as Rhule & the staff juggle injury prevention vs. competition, I can say it’s gonna piss some people off. As always. Can I get some green jerseys and a two-hand slap?
Offensive schemes: Vanilla, no chocolate syrup.
My favorite part: Hopefully, the 2nd half again when I used to write about the bottom half of the roster getting to shine. Trevin Luben and John Bullock made a couple of those games.
English (US) ·