S S >> WITH A BYE WEEK DOWN, THE HUSKERS GEAR UP FOR THE FINAL FOUR GAMES OF THE SEASON.

IN THE MEANTIME, WE'LL DIVE INTO THE NEW NAME IMAGE AND LIKENESS RULES THAT WENT INTO EFFECT IN JULY.

NOW, NEBRASKA STUDENT ATHLETES ARE IN POSITION TO BENEFIT FROM THOSE CHANGES.

WE'LL ALSO RECAP THE 2021 SEASON SO FAR.

OUR GUEST TONIGHT TO HELP US COVER IT ALL IS FORMER HUSKER AND "OPENDORSE" CEO, BLAKE LAWRENCE.

SEAN CALLAHAN WILL BE ALONG TO UPDATE THE LATEST IN BIG RED RECRUITING.

IT'S ALL COMING UP NEXT ON "BIG RED WRAP-UP."

S S >> HI, EVERYONE.

I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.

WELCOME TO "BIG RED WRAP-UP" ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA, NEBRASKA COMING OFF OF THEIR FIRST BYE OF THE YEAR AND WE WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING WE KNOW ABOUT "BYES" RIGHT NOW.

JAY MOORE JOINING US, SEAN CALLAHAN.

IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT BYES LAST WEEK.

YOU DIDN'T EVEN LIKE THEM WHEN YOU WERE A PLAYER.

>> I HATED 'EM -- HATED 'EM.

>> HOW ARE THEY AS A FAN FOR YOU?

>> THEY WERE GREAT.

STRESS-FREE.

>> YES --.

>> THEY WERE VERY, VERY STRESS-FREE.

YOU GOT TO WATCH -- YOU GOT TO PLAY A LITTLE GOLF, WATCH SOME FOOTBALL, YOU GOT TO SEE A NINE-OVERTIME GAME, YOU GOT TO SEE PURDUE LAY AN EGG AGAINST WISCONSIN -- YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO SEE NOTRE DAME, USC -- I MEAN, IT WAS - IT WAS A VERY RELAXING SATURDAY -- NOT SO TENSE AS THESE LAST, WHAT -- EIGHT OR NINE SATURDAYS HAVE BEEN FOR NEBRASKA FANS SO FAR.

>> A NINE-OVERTIME GAME WHERE THEY SCORED 18 POINTS.

IT STILL EXPLODES YOUR MIND.

>> AN OPEN GAME.

>> HOW WAS YOUR BYE?

>> HOW WAS YOUR BYE?

>> HOW WAS YOUR BYE?

>> HOW WAS YOUR BYE?

>> HOW WAS YOUR BYE?

>> HOW WAS YOUR BYE?

OR A WEDDING, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON THE BYE WEEKEND BECAUSE EVERYBODY IN NEBRASKA TRIES TO SCHEDULE ON THE BYE WEEKS.

>> AND, THE WORST PART ABOUT IT IS THERE REALLY WEREN'T ANY GOOD GAMES, FOR THE MOST PART.

AND, IT WAS EITHER --.

>> THE NIGHT GAMES WERE NOTHING.

>> I KNOW.

I KNOW.

WE ENDED UP WATCHING A TV SHOW INSTEAD OF WATCHING NIGHT GAMES -- DON'T TELL ANYBODY.

THERE WAS A LOT TO COVER, OF COURSE, AS ALWAYS OVER THE COURSE OF THE BYE WEEK AND TONIGHT, WE NEED YOUR HELP FOR THE CONVERSATION TO KEEP GOING.

THE GUYS FROM PHI KAPPA THETA ARE HERE ENJOYING SOME VALENTINO'S PIZZA AND READY TO ANSWER YOUR CALLS.

OUR SPORTS INTERN, ALEC, IS HEADING UP THE CALL CENTER, SO LET'S GET TO THEM.

PUT 'EM TO WORK RIGHT NOW.

YOU CAN ALSO REACH US BY EMAILING AND TEXTING bigred@nebraskapublicmedia.org CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER, AS WELL.

WE'LL GET TO AS MANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS AS WE CAN TONIGHT.

HERE ARE THE RESULTS OF LAST WEEK'S "SIDELINE SURVEY."

WE ASKED YOU WHICH IS MORE CONCERNING ON THE OFFENSIVE SIDE OF THE BALL AND NOT SURPRISINGLY, YOU GUYS WENT WITH "ALL OF THE ABOVE" - "LACK OF SCORING OFFENSE, OFFENSIVE LINE PLAY, AND SLOW STARTS," 63% OF THE PEOPLE SAID, "ALL OF THE ABOVE."

HERE'S THIS WEEK'S ALL NEW "SIDELINE SURVEY."

"HOW DOES NEBRASKA FINISH THESE FINAL FOUR GAMES?

4-0, 3-1, 2-2, 1-3" -- 0-4 WOULD NOT BE GOOD FOR THIS SHOW OR MY WELL-BEING.

HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE NOW TO VOTE AND HEAD BACK EACH WEEK FOR A BRAND NEW SURVEY.

SO, WHAT WAS IT -- IF YOU WERE GOING TO PICK TWO OR THREE THINGS THAT YOU THINK NEBRASKA'S COACHES NEEDED TO GET INTO THE FILM LAB, GET INTO THE -- YOU KNOW, DO SOME SCIENCE -- WHAT DO THEY NEED TO FIX?

>> YOU KNOW, MY INITIAL RESPONSE TO THAT QUESTION WOULD BE RED ZONE OFFENSE, BUT THEN YOU HEAR -- IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE -- I GO BACK AND FORTH FOR THIS -- BECAUSE YOU HEAR FROST'S COMMENTS IN HIS PRESS CONFERENCE, HE GOES, "IF I HAD - IF YOU PRACTICE 25 PLAYS IN THE RED ZONE, YOU'RE WASTING PRACTICE TIME."

YOU'RE LIKE, "OKAY, SO IS HE NOT OVERC -- IS HE -- IS HE MAKING IT TOO EASY, OR--."

IT'S WEIRD BECAUSE I - IT'S --.

>> YOU'RE HEAD COACH, BILL CALLAHAN - HAD EIGHT QUADRANTS IN THE END ZONE THAT THEY WORKED ON EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM TO GET RED ZONE TOUCHDOW >> YEAH.

>> IT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR THOSE NFL GUYS LIKE A BILL CALLAHAN.

IT SHOULD BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THEY DO.

>> TOTALLY.

TOTALLY.

AND, I JUST DON'T -- IT'S WEIRD BECAUSE -- SO YES, I'D SAY YOU'D BETTER FIGURE OUT YOUR RED ZONE SCORING ISSUES.

I MEAN, THAT'S BEEN HIS ACHILLES HEEL FROM DAY ONE, AND I SAID IT LAST WEEK -- IT'S NOT ABOUT YARDS, IT'S ABOUT POINTS.

THEY HAVE STRUGGLED, WHETHER IT'S IN THE KICKING GAME OR JUST -- WE'RE JUST SEEING TH HIGHLIGHTS NOW.

THEY JUST -- WHAT CAN YOU SAY?

THEY OVER-COMPLICATED IT, THEY'VE MADE IT TOO SIMPLE AND DEFENSES CAN PICK UP ON IT?

YOU KNOW, IT'S EITHER SIX OF ONE OR HALF A DOZEN THE OTHER, TO BE HONEST, AND YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY DO SCORE POINTS, YOU KNOW, IT'S FROM, YOU KNOW, THE 30-YARD LINE AND OUT, SO IT'S - I DON'T KNOW WHAT - WHERE THEY CAN GO BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE YOU CAN JUST COMPLETELY OVERHAUL WHAT YOU'VE PUT IN TO THE FIRST EIGHT GAMES AND FOR THESE, YOU KNOW, THREE AND A HALF YEARS WITHIN THIS PROGRAM.

SO, TO ME, IT'S A PHYSICALITY THING.

YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY, THEY GOT SOME DECENT GOOD-ON-GOOD ACTION THIS WEEK AND, THEY'VE GOT TO EXECUTE.

THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING AND -- AN WHEN YOU GET DOWN THERE, YOU'VE GOT TO -- I KNOW THE KICKING ISSUES HAVE -- HAVE -- THAT MAKES IT A TOUGH ON SCOTT FROST.

WHEN YOUR KICKER STRUGGLES MAKING EXTRA POINTS AND MAKING 25-YARD FIELD GOALS, THAT PUTS SOME EXTRA PRESSURE ON HOW YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT CALLING PLAYS IN THERE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, POINTS ARE A PREMIUM.

BUT, THAT'S STILL -- I DON'T TRY TO -- DON'T LIKE TO MAKE EXCUSES FOR THE SITUATION BECAUSE IT'S NOT BEEN GOOD -- HOPEFULLY THEY CAN GET THIS FIGURED OUT THE LAST FOUR GAMES BUT I'M NOT HOLDING MY BREATH.

>> SEAN, HERE'S THE FUNNY PART ABOUT THAT MINNESOTA GAME IS THE TWO TIMES WHEN THEY HAD RAHMIR JOHNSON DOWN THERE, THEY SCORED SO WHEN THEY COULD RUN THE BALL, THEY CAN SCORE.

>> YOU THINK ABOUT THAT MINNESOTA GAME, KNOWING WHAT WE KNOW NOW ABOUT ADRIAN MARTINEZ -- HE WAS NOT ABLE TO RUN THE BALL AND HE HAD ZERO QUARTERBACK SCRAMBLE YARDS, AND TWO DESIGN-RUN YARDS, AND I THINK THOSE WERE ALL IN THE RED ZONE AREA, SO YOU TAKE OUT RAHMIR JOHNSON AND YOU KNOW NOW THAT MARTINEZ COULDN'T RUN -- I MEAN, THEY HAD NEXT TO NOTHING IN THE RED ZONE AS FAR AS EXPERIENCE OPTIONS, AND JAQUEZ YANT -- THEY TRIED TO GO TO HIM --.

>> ALTHOUGH SEVION MORRISON HAS, I THINK, THREE TOUCHDOWNS.

AND, ARE YOU ARE SURPRISED HE DIDN'T --?

>> HE RAN IT WELL.

HE SCORED A TOUCHDOWN ON OKLAHOMA.

HE RAN IT WELL DOWN THERE.

>> I THINK HE HAS THREE, OR FOUR, TOTAL TOUCHDOWNS.

>> BUT, YOU'D LIKE TO THINK A 240 OR 250-POUND GUY LIKE YANT WOULD GET IT IN, AND LIKE TODAY RYAN HELD SAID -- HE GOES, "LOOK, 99 OUT OF 100 TIMES, JAQUEZ SCORES ON THAT PLAY."

AND, HE'S HURT MORE THAN ANYBODY ABOUT THAT PLAY AND IT WAS A REAL HUMBLING EXPERIENCE FOR HIM TO KIND OF DEAL WITH THE HIGHS OF RUNNING OVER NORTHWESTERN AND THEN THE LOWS OF REALLY THE LAST TWO GAMES FOR HIM.

>> YEAH, IT'S -- IT'S TOUGH LIKE THAT, BUT WE ALL TALK ABOUT IT.

YOU GET HIM TO CENTER, YOU HAVE YOUR QUARTERBACK -- IF HE'S HEALTHY AND IF HE'S NOT -- SO, THAT'S ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD.

YOU'RE GAME PLANNING ALL WEEK LONG.

YOU KNOW THAT ADRIAN MARTINEZ IS INJURED.

HE ONLY PRACTICED ONCE, RIGHT, ALL WEEK LONG, SO YOU KNOW HE'S INJURED.

WHAT ABOUT A SECONDARY OPTION OF A GUY LIKE A MATT MASKER, WHO IS A BIG PHYSICAL GUY?

>> TRAVELED HIM.

>> HE TRAVELED HIM.

HEINRICH HAARBERG WAS THERE, AS WELL, RIGHT?

HE TRAVELED.

WHAT HAPPENS WITH -- DURING THAT WEEK THAT YOU DON'T COME UP WITH A PLAN "B."

>> I DON'T KNOW.

IT'S AMAZING, TOO, WHEN YOU HEAR A RESPONSE LIKE, "WE DON'T PRACTICE UNDER CENTER THAT MUCH AND WE'RE NOT THAT COMFORTABLE WITH THE --."

>> THEY DON'T.

THEY DON'T, AND WHEN THEY DO --.

>> AND, TOO, THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT MAYBE THE CENTER CHANGE.

>> CENTER CHANGE, YEAH --.

>> YEAH, SO THAT'S -- BUT TO ME, THAT'S NOT YOU'RE DEDICATING 30 MINUTES - I MEAN, THAT'S A PRE-PRACTICE, POST-PRACTICE DEAL.

HEY, CAM - HEY, WHOEVER YOUR BACKUP CENTER IS.

LET'S GET 20 SNAPS HERE BEFORE PRACTICE.

>> FIRED OFF.

>> AND, LET'S GET 20 SNAPS HERE.

THAT'S NOT -- YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, RE-DESIGN -- YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE "E=MC SQUARED"-TYPE STUFF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.

I MEAN, IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE, EXECUTION-TYPE OF FOOTBALL.

YOU'D THINK THEY'D BE E LE TO SAY, "HEY" -- AGAIN, NOT TRYING TO OVER-THINK IT -- "LET'S JUST MAKE THIS HAPPEN."

AND, YOU CAN - I MEAN, ANY MORE, THE RUNNING BACKS CAN PUSH ON THE QUARTERBACK, YOU KNOW, IN THIS SITUATION --.

>> OH, YEAH --.

>> AND GET HIM THROUGH.

>> YEAH, IT'S -- AGAIN, I'M ALWAYS FOR THE HIGH PERCENTAGE TYPE OF PLAYS, BECAUSE THAT'S A VERY HIGH-PERCENTAGE TYPE OF -- AND EVEN HANDING OFF TO YANT- THERE AT THE, YOU KNOW, HE DOESN'T STUMBLE, HE'S SCORING -- NO PROBLEM.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S JUST -- THEY JUST CAN'T GET OUT OF THEIR OWN WAY, I MEAN, IT'S SHOOT YOURSELF IN THE FOOT, IT'S -- YOU CAN NAME ALL THE SILLY SAYINGS -- THIS TEAM CONTINUES TO FIND A WAY TO GET IN THEIR -- TO BE THEIR OWN WORST ENEMY.

>> I RE-WATCHED PURDUE/IOWA TODAY AND TWICE IOWA LINED UP, UNDER CENTER, AND HAD TWO YARDS, A ONE-YARD, AND THE TACKLE LOOPED AROUND TO PUSH ON THE QUARTERBACK, ALONG WITH IVORY-MARTIN.

THEY BOTH WERE PUSHING HIM TO GET THE FIRST DOWN.

>> IOWA MIGHT BE THE BEST QB SNEAK TEAM IN THE CONFERENCE.

>> YES.

>> THEY'VE MADE A LIVING ON -- I MEAN, FOURTH AND TWO, THEY WERE SNEAKING THEIR QB ACROSS --.

>> YEAH, THEY DID AND THEY GOT A PRETTY --.

>> IS THERE AN OFFICIAL STAT ON THAT?

>> I MEAN, I THINK --.

>> IT'S CALLED THE "TOM BRADY AWARD."

>> IT TAKES SOMEBODY LIKE SCOTT DOCHTERMAN, I'M SURE HAS TRACKED IT OVER THE YEARS AT IOWA BEAT WRITER, BUT YEAH, IT'S - YOU KNOW, IF YOU GET IOWA IN ANYTHING LESS THAN TWO, THEY'RE GOING TO SNEAK YOU FOR THE FIRST - AND THAT'S HOW THEY PLAY.

THEY'LL SLOW DOWN THE GAME.

>> IN THE FIRST PART OF THE SEASON, OBVIOUSLY, THREE-QUARTERS OF THE WAY DONE.

OUT OF ALL THESE LOSSES, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE ONE THAT STAYS WITH THE FAN BASE?

WHAT'S THE ONE WE LOOK BACK ON AND SAY, "UGH, I REMEMBER THAT ONE"?

>> I THINK ILLINOIS HAS TO BE.

>> IT HAS TO BE.

THAT'S THE MOST DISAPPOINTING, MOST UNEXPLAINABLE, AND MOST -- THE ONE THAT YOU REMEMBER.

LIKE, ALL THREE TOGETHER --?

>> MICHIGAN STATE FOR ME.

>> THAT ONE?

>> THE PUNT.

>> OH, YEAH.

>> THAT DOES, BUT I JUST THINK ABOUT ILLINOIS'S RECORD AND HOW -- I MEAN, OTHER THAN THIS, YOU KNOW, THE NINE-OVERTIME WIN AT PENN STATE, YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT BE MORE OF AN ANOMALY.

BUT, I MEAN, THIS TEAM --.

>> TO YOU HAVE THEIR HEAD COACH COME OUT AND SAY THAT NONE OF THEIR GUYS ON THEIR OFFENSIVE LINE WERE GOOD ENOUGH TO PLAY IN THE BIG TEN - BEFORE THEY PLAYED THAT GAME AGAINST PENN STATE.

HE SAID HE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH PLAYERS TO BE COMPETITIVE IN THE BIG TEN THAT WEEK.

HE CALLED OUT HIS WHOLE TEAM AND THEY WENT OUT THERE AND THEY BEAT PENN STATE.

>> IT WORKED.

>> THAT'S ILLINOIS.

>> IT'S CALLED "REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY."

>> YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT, MICHIGAN STATE PROBABLY --.

>> MICHIGAN STATE DOES ALL THESE THINGS --.

>> THEY'RE ALWAYS GOING TO REMEMBER THAT PUNT.

>> MICHIGAN STATE DIDN'T HAVE A FIRST DOWN THE ENTIRE SECOND HALF.

>> RIGHT.

>> THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE TO DRIVE THE FIELD FOR A TOUCHDOWN TO TIE THE GAME, SO I -- I LIKE NEBRASKA'S CHANCES THERE AS LONG AS THAT PUNT WAS AROUND THE 20.

I MEAN, YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE MICHIGAN STATE GO 80 WHEN THEY HADN'T EVEN GOTTEN A SINGLE FIRST DOWN.

>> ILLINOIS IS -- IT WAS -- THE SEASAS WAS SO - NEBRASKA HAD TO GET OFF TO A GOOD START.

YOU KNOW IF YOU GOT OFF TO A -- YOU BEAT ILLINOIS, YOU HAVE FORDHAM, YOU HAD BUFFALO -- YOU GET THE 3-0 AND THEN MAYBE YOU'RE - YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED AGAINST OKLAHOMA AFTER YOU HAVE THREE WINS IN A ROW.

I JUST LOOK AT THAT LIKE YOU HAVE TO THIS - WHEN THIS TEAM GETS OFF TO A GOOD START, YOU JUST LOOK AT IT -- NORTHWESTERN GAMES -- JUST WHEN THEY GET OFF TO A GOOD START, IN GENERAL, THEY'RE -- YES, THOSE SLOW STARTS ARE E YOU'RE JUST -- I MEAN, THE MINNESOTA GAME WAS, LIKE, "OH, BOY, HERE WE GO.

BUCKLE UP."

>> BEST START LAST YEAR WAS PURDUE.

THE FIRST FOUR DRIVES THEY WENT DOWN AND SCORED.

>> SO, THAT'S WHY I WAS JUST WANTING THE ILLINOIS GAME SO BAD BECAUSE YOU JUST KNEW WHAT IT MEANT FOR THE SEASON.

YOU KNEW HOW TOUGH THIS BACK END OF THE SCHEDULE'S GOING TO BE.

>> NO DOUBT --.

>> SO, YOU HAD TO GET OFF TO A GOOD START AND THEY DIDN'T, AND YOU SEE WHAT ILLINOIS'S TROUBLED WITH THIS YEAR AND YOU'RE LIKE, "MAN, WHAT HAPPENED."

AND THEN, YOU SEE, "OH, OKAY," THEN YOU SEE EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED AGAINST MINNESOTA.

SAME TYPE OF DEAL.

>> ADRIAN MARTINEZ, TENTH IN THE COUNTRY YARDS PER PASS AT 9.5 YARDS, TOP 25 QUARTERBACK RATING.

HE IS NUMBER FOUR IN THE COUNTRY IN QUARTERBACK RUSH YARDS, TAKING OUT SACKS.

IN THE END, HOW DO YOU THINK ADRIAN MARTINEZ IS REMEMBERED THIS YEAR?

I KNOW HE'S GOT FOUR MORE GAMES, BUT LOOK AT THOSE STATS THROUGH EIGHT GAMES, AGAINST SOME GOOD DEFENSES, THAT'S PRETTY AMAZING.

>> I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF DEBATE ON, LIKE, SHOULD HE COME BACK?

WILL HE COME BACK FOR ANOTHER YEAR?

>> YEAH.

>> I THINK IF YOU SURVEYED THE OTHER 13 COACHES IN THE BIG TEN, WOULD NEBRASKA BE BETTER WITH MARTINEZ OR WITHOUT HIM?

THEY - EVERYBODY WOULD BE LIKE, "YEAH, MARTINEZ WOULD MAKE THEM BETTER" AND THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE HIM BACK ANOTHER YEAR.

BUT I GET IT.

THERE'S ALMOST A MARTINEZ FATIGUE AT NEBRASKA.

I MEAN, IF YOU THINK ABOUT ADRIAN HAS STARTED -- IT COULD BE FIVE YEARS -- TAYLOR STARTED FOR FOUR.

YOU KNOW, FROM 2010 TO 2022 --.

>> MISSED HALF OF A SEASON --.

>> YOU COULD HAVE NINE OF THOSE 12 YEARS WITH A MARTINEZ STARTER AT NEBRASKA, AT QUARTERBACK POSITION, BUT YEAH, IT COMES DOWN TO WINS AND -- AND, HE HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO DELIVER A CLUTCH-MOMENT DRIVE IN CAREER.

I THINK THAT'S UNFORTUNATELY WHAT HE'S GOING TO REMEMBERED FOR, THAT HE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REALLY, TRULY FINISH A GAME.

NOW, I WILL SAY RUTGERS LAST YEAR HE DID -- HE KIND OF CLOSED THAT ONE OUT.

>> RUNNING THE BALL.

>> GOING LEFT -- RUN THE BALL, RUN THE BALL, RUN THE BALL.

>> THERE REALLY HASN'T BEEN A MOMENT OTHER THAN THAT RUTGERS GAME WHERE HE'S KIND OF FOURTH-QUARTER FINISHED IT OFF FOR NEBRASKA.

>> I KNOW, JAY, THAT AS A PLAYER YOU'D RATHER BE JUDGED BY YOUR PEERS, RIGHT, BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND.

YOU LOOK AT COACH FITZGERALD, YOU LOOK AT P.J.

FLECK.

BOTH THOSE GUYS EMBRACED THEM AND SAID BASICALLY THE SAME THING, YOU KNOW, KEEP WORKING HARD, I ADMIRE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

YOU'VE REALLY MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT ON US.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE COACHES, YOU KNOW, TAKING TIME OUT AFTER THE GAME TO DO THAT?

>> I ALSO THINK LIKE, HEY, MAYBE THEY THINK HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO COME OUT HERE NEXT YEAR AFTER IT'S DONE --.

>> THAT'S CERTAINLY A POSSIBILITY, YEAH.

>> YEAH, THEY MIGHT BE SUCKING UP TO HIM A LITTLE BIT, BUT --.

>> BY THE WAY - ARE YOU --.

>> YEAH, YEAH.

NO, I MEAN, LISTEN, ADRIAN IS -- PEOPLE LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, HARP ON HIM AND BAG ON HIM.

HE IS A PHENOMENAL TALENT.

HE IS A HELLUVA QUARTERBACK.

HE JUST CANNOT GET IT DONE WHEN IT MATTERS MOST AND YOU WANT TO SAY IS IT THE "CLUTCH GENE," OR, YOU KNOW, I LISTEN TO -- I GOT TO GIVE -- I LISTEN TO A LOT OF NICK BAUGH PODCASTS AND HE HAD BOOKED MITCH SHERMAN LATELY AND THEY TALKED ABOUT THIS, AND NICK WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, "I'D LOVE TO GO BACK AND SEE HOW ADRIAN -- HOW HE WOULD BE ABLE TO FINISH GAMES IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND IN BASKETBALL, AND ALL THAT STUFF.

YOU KNOW, HOW WAS HE ABLE TO FINISH GAMES HERE?"

BECAUSE -- DID HE HAVE AN ISSUE.

YOU KNOW, WAS HE ON GOOD TEAMS?

>> WAS HE HURT --.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, HOW MANY GAMES DID HE ACTUALLY PLAY -- HE STARTED IN THE ONE YEAR?

>> YEAH - YEAH.

SO, THAT WAS -- THAT MAKES YOU THINK, LIKE, "YEAH, YOU KNOW WHAT?

MAYBE --."

YOU KNOW, NOT TO OVERDISSECT IT, BUT LIKE THAT IS - THAT'S SOME DEEP DIVING STUFF, LIKE, BECAUSE THAT GOES BACK TO IT.

BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE MICHIGAN STATES ISSUES SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN HIS FAULT.

>> YEAH, THAT'S NOT HIS FAULT.

>> YOU KNOW, THE MICHIGAN GAME, TOTALLY HIS FAULT.

>> THAT'S HIS FAULT.

>> THAT'S HIS FAULT.

YOU KNOW, AND HE'S BANGED UP AGAINST MINNESOTA AND, YOU KNOW, ILLINOIS, IT WAS A - THAT WAS A WHOLE BUNCH OF --.

>> FUMBLED, THOUGH.

YEAH, IT JUST -- HE SEEMS TO DO WHAT YOU CAN'T DO IN SITUATIONAL FOOTBALL BEFORE HALF, YOU KNOW, HE FUMBLES THE FOOTBALL, YOU KNOW, IN A TWO-MINUTE DRILL, FUMBLES IT.

AND, IN OKLAHOMA, EVEN THOUGH HE HAD NO TIMEOUTS WITH 45 SECONDS, YOU CAN'T TAKE SACKS.

LIKE, GET RID OF THE BALL.

SO, LIKE HE JUST - HE IS GREAT.

HE IS AWESOME.

I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE COME BACK FOR ANOTHER FIFTH YEAR, TO BE HONEST, BUT CAN'T -- HE JUST SEEMS TO NOT BE ABLE TO GET IT DOWN WHEN IT HAS TO GET DONE AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S -- AND, A LOT OF GOOD FOOTB -- A LOT OF GOOD QUARTERBACKS, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE JUDGED ON.

>> THAT'S HOW YOU'RE JUDGED.

>> THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE JUDGED ON, POINT BLANK.

>> DO YOU THINK HE COMES BACK?

>> TODAY?

I'D LEAN TOWARDS HIM COMING BACK.

I MEAN --.

>> WITH THE OPTION, RIGHT?

HE CAN COME BACK AND MAKE A BUNCH OF MONEY -- NIL MONEY --.

>> NIL MONEY.

I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING A GUY LIKE THAT CAN MAKE SIX-FIGURE MONEY COMING BACK FOR ANOTHER SEASON BUT, YOU KNOW, HE'S GOING TO GO THROUGH -- EVERY ONE OF THESE GUYS, IT IS A DECISION.

THEY'RE GOING TO PUT THEIR NAME IN, THEY'RE GOING TO GET EVALUATED.

THEY'RE GOING TO GET A GRADE FROM THE DRAFT ADVISORY.

YOU KNOW, HE WOULD BE FOOLISH NOT TO DO THAT -- TO GET AN IDEA OF WHERE HE'S AT ON THE BOARD AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF GUYS ON THIS TEAM, LIKE, AUSTIN ALLEN, CAM TAYLOR-BRITT, CAM JURGENS, DAMION DANIELS, TRAVIS VOKOLEK.

THERE'S FOUR OR FIVE GUYS THAT HAVE LEGIT DECISIONS AND I THINK THAT'S AS BIG OF A RECRUITING JOB FOR NEBRASKA RIGHT NOW AS SIGNING HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS RIGHT NOW, IS THOSE FOUR OR FIVE GUYS.

>> YOU KNOW, ALL I CAN TELL YOU KNOW IS THE FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD ROUND, ADRIAN'S NOT GETTING THAT GRADE AND WE KNOW THAT ALREADY, SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT HE'S GOING TO BE JUDGING BASED OFF OF THAT.

>> SO EVEN LIKE AUSTIN ALLEN - I MEAN --.

>> AUSTIN ALLEN COULD EASILY BE A FIRST, SECOND PICK GUY, I THINK.

BUT I DON'T KNOW ADRIAN BEING IN THAT SITUATION, SO HIS CHOICES ARE TO BE AN UNDRAFTED FREE AGENT AND TRY TO GO SOME PLACE --.

>> OR TRANSFER PORTAL.

>> OR TRANSFER PORTAL.

>> OR, OF COURSE, WHAT YOU WERE JUST SAYING ABOUT --.

>> OR, CFL --.

>> WHICH, I DON'T EVEN THINK.

YOU HAVE TO BE VERY ACCURATE IN THE CFL, AS WELL.

I DON'T KNOW, FOR HIM THE MONEY IS --.

>> IT'S NOT GREAT.

>> HE'D MAKE MORE MONEY AT NEBRASKA NIL.

>> OH, 100%, 100%.

>> HE'S ALREADY GRADUATED.

HE'S DONE EVERYTHING HE WANTED TO DO HERE.

IF HE WAS TO LEAVE, I'D UNDERSTAND THAT BUT COMING BACK HERE FOR A FIFTH YEAR I THINK IS HIS BEST CHANCE FOR SUCCESS.

>> WELL, WE COULD ASK BLAKE, BUT I MEAN, IS THERE ANY OTHER PLACE THAT HE CAN MAKE MORE MONEY AT IF HE --.

>> IN NEBRASKA?

>> IN NEBRASKA.

>> ALL RIGHT, LET'S SAY LANE KIFFIN OFFERED HIM A SPOT, BECAUSE CROWSLEY - I MEAN, JUST THROWING OUT SPECULATIVES.

YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF NIL MONEY WOULD A PLACE LIKE THAT GET TO A GUY JUST IN ONE YEAR?

I MEAN, IT WOULDN'T BE THE SAME HERE.

>> IT WOULD BE PRETTY DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE ALREADY KNOW HIM HERE.

>> AND - AND, WHEREVER HE WENT, HE'D PROBABLY HAVE TO BATTLE FOR THE STARTING JOB AGAINST SOMEBODY ELSE.

>> YEAH, THERE'S NO GUARANTEES.

>> THAT'S WHY NO ONE WANTED TO COME TO NEBRASKA AS A TRANSFER PORTAL QUARTERBACK LAST YEAR --.

>> MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

>> JUST, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE NO GUARANTEES THAT YOU'D GET THE JOB.

>> RIGHT.

>> IMPROVEMENTS FROM THE OFFENSE.

I WROTE A COUPLE THINGS DOWN.

THEY ONLY - ONE GIVEAWAY A GAME, WHICH IS DOWN FROM 2.2 LAST YEAR.

YARDS PER PLAY IS UP BY A HALF A YARD, AND THIRD-DOWN CONVERSATION RATE IS UP BY 4.5%.

THEY HAVE MADE IMPROVEMENTS, ALTHOUGH WE -- I DON'T THINK ANY OF US AGREE -- THINK THAT OFFENSE IS PLAYING REALLY WELL.

>> YEAH, IT JUST ALWAYS COMES DOWN TO, AGAIN, THE - THE POOR O-LINE PLAY.

YOU KNOW, NOT VERY CONSISTENT ON THAT END, YOU KNOW, WITH TEDDY GOING DOWN I THINK IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE HIM BE HEALTHY.

I THINK HE PROVIDED A SPARK WITHIN THIS OFFENSE.

I THINK -- I REALLY LIKED -- OH, GOSH, I'M BLANKING ON HIS NAME -- BUT --.

>> NOUILI?

>> NO, THE RIGHT TACKLE.

THAT -- HE -- >> BRANT BANKS?

>> TANNOR --.

>> TURNER CORCORAN?

>> TURNER CORCORAN.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

TOO MANY HITS TO THE HEAD.

TURNER CORCORAN.

I LIKED HIM BETTER AT RIGHT TACKLE.

I THINK HE PERFORMED THERE BETTER.

>> YEAH.

>> SO, I LIKED THAT -- THAT MIX OF GUYS.

O-LINE ISSUES, THAT'S STILL GOING TO BE THE DEAL FOR ME.

I THINK THAT'S JUST THEIR BIGGEST MISSTEP, AND THEY STILL HAVE INJURIES AND JUST - GUYS JUST NOT PERFORMING.

I MEAN, THE BIGGEST THING IS, YOU KNOW, THE -- YOU SEE RAHMIR JOHNSON STEP UP, BUT WHERE ARE THESE OTHER GUYS AT?

SEVION MORRISON, MARKESE STEPP - LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

>> MARVIN SCOTT.

>> MARVIN SCOTT, YEAH, I MEAN, ALL THESE OTHER GUYS, SO IT'S KIND OF AN INTERESTING THING TO ME RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS THE INCONSISTENCY OF THE O-LINE.

THE RED ZONE SCORING IS ANOTHER THING TO BE -- WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT.

>> WE TALKED OFFENSE THERE.

DEFENSE-WISE, WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST IMPROVEMENT?

OBVIOUSLY, GUYS, DAMION DANIELS HAD A GREAT YEAR.

JOHO, REIMER, HEINRICH -- A LOT OF GUYS THAT HAVE STEPPED UP THIS YEAR.

>> YEAH, THERE'S BEEN JUST SOME DOMINATING STRETCHES THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN.

I MEAN, TALK ABOUT THE SECOND HALF OF MICHIGAN STATE -- YOU TALK ABOUT THE SECOND HALF AT MINNESOTA, OR NEBRASKA --.

>> THIRD QUARTER.

>> PICK, PICK, AND THEN FOUR STRAIGHT PUNTS.

I MEAN, THAT'S SIX WINNING STOPS IN A ROW WHERE ANYBODY SHOULD WIN THAT GAME AT THAT POINT AND WHEN YOUR DEFENSE GIVES YOU PICK, PICK, FOUR PUNTS, YOU'D BETTER WIN THE GAME.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND NEBRASKA COULDN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT DEFENSIVE PLAY AND, YOU KNOW, THE PASS RUSH I THOUGHT AT ILLINOIS, YOU'RE LIKE, "MAN, WE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF SACKS THIS YEAR.

THEY'RE GETTING AFTER IT," BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S - THEY LACK THAT DIFFERENCE-MAKER, MIKE'L, OR IF -- IF IT'S TEAMS SCHEME THEM TO LIKE GET RID OF THE BALL QUICKER BECAUSE THAT ILLINOIS GAME, WHEN BRANDON PETERS WAS MAKING THE FIVE-STEP DROPS, THEY WERE GETTING AFTER HIM PRETTY GOOD.

BUT, EVEN AGAINST RATTLER, THERE WERE TWO OR THREE MOMENTS WHERE THEY COULD HAVE GOT RATTLER, AND THAT MIGHT HAVE CHANGED THAT GAME -- THEY JUST COULDN'T GET TO HIM.

>> YOU REMEMBER THE ILLINOIS GAME, THOUGH, THEY GOT ALL THOSE SACKS IN THE FIRST PART OF THE GAME.

I THINK THEY HAD THREE OR FOUR BEFORE THE FIRST --.

>> ILLINOIS CHANGED --.

>> QUARTER AND SIKOWSKI CAME IN AND HE STARTED DOING SOME BOOTLEG STUFF AND IT WAS HARDER TO GET TO HIM.

THE DIFFERENCE-MAKER'S A BIG THING AND YOU PLAYED WITH ONE, YOU WERE ONE -- HAVING A GUY THAT YOU KNOW IS GOING TO GET YOU FIVE, SIX, SEVEN SACKS IN A SEASON, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT.

>> YEAH, AND IT'S -- I MEAN, I PLAYED WITH A FIRST-ROUND, YOU KNOW, DRAFT PICK ON THE OTHER END OF THAT CHARACTER, SO YOU KNOW IN OUR -- WE RAN UNDER FRONT AS A DEFENSE, SO -- BUT, WE HAD FOUR SENIORS UP FRONT AND THEN WE ALSO HAD A GUY LIKE STU BRADLEY, WHO WAS A THIRD-ROUND PICK.

I MEAN, WE WERE REALLY GOOD DEFENSIVE --.

>> EVEN OCTAVIAN --.

>> YEAH, YEAH.

SEE, WE WERE REALLY GOOD DEFENSIVELY MY JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR, SO WE HAVE A LOT OF GUYS YET TO PAY ATTENTION TO.

>> WAS BARRY A FRESHMAN?

>> BARRY TURNER WAS A FRESHMAN MY JUNIOR YEAR, YEAH, SO HE PROVIDED A LOT OF SPARK.

SO, YEAH, YOU HAVE -- WHEN YOU HAVE GUYS THAT -- IT'S NOT JUST ONE GUY BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE ONE GUY YOU CAN FOCUS ON, YEAH, YOU COULD SLIGHTLY PROTECT THE ONE SIDE -- YOU CAN CHIP AT THE TIGHT END -- YOU CAN CHIP AT THE BACK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'RE LIKE, "OKAY, WE'VE GOT TWO GUYS HERE -- WE GOT ANOTHER GUY HERE," AND IT'S LIKE, "OKAY, NOW WE REALLY GOT TO, YOU KNOW PAY ATTENTION."

THAT'S WHY, I MEAN, THE SEASON THAT JARED CRICK WAS ABLE TO HAVE WITH TSU.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU KNOW?

BECAUSE HE'S GETTING DOUBLE, TRIPLE-TEAMED AT TIMES -- HE HAD FIVE SACKS IN ONE GAME AGAINST BAYLOR.

YEAH, RIGHT, SO THAT'S --- THAT STUFF'S UNHEARD OF, SO WHEN YOU HAVE THAT ONE GUY, OR TWO GUYS, AND IT'S -- EVERYONE ELSE REAPS THE REWARDS FROM THAT TYPE OF PRODUCTION SO, YEAH, IT'S -- NEBRASKA'S GETTING THERE -- THEY'RE DEFINITE GETTING CLOSE.

I WOULDN'T SAY THEY'RE QUITE THERE TO A TSU-JARED CRICK-TYPE DEAL, BUT THEY'RE NOT THAT FAR OFF.

>> HOW MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE HAS NIL MADE OVERALL?

IS ABOUT WHAT YOU EXPECTED WHEN IT GOT PASSED IN JULY?

>> I STILL THINK IT'S IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL PHASES, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON AND I THINK A LOT OF ORGANIZATION WITHIN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA, PARTICULARLY WITH ABM, A LOCAL COMPANY THAT'S BEEN FORMED THAT HAS REALLY KIND OF ORGANIZED A LOT OF BIG SUPPORTERS OF NEBRASKA, AND THE BUSINESS OWNERS INTO ONE UMBRELLA, AND I THINK THAT WILL BE KIND OF THE -- A GAME CHANGER, AS FAR AS SOMETHING THAT NEBRASKA CAN HAVE, YOU KNOW, DATA THAT THEY CAN SHOW, LIKE, "WELL, THIS IS THE KIND OF MONEY OUR FOOTBALL PLAYERS HAVE MADE."

BUT, I THINK IT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY, ESPECIALLY JULY 1, IT WAS HARD TO REALLY HAVE TOO MUCH ORGANIZED BECAUSE I THINK EVERYBODY'S LIKE -- NOBODY WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT UNTIL YOU KNEW IT WAS HERE, YOU KNOW, LIKE WOW!

NIL'S HERE.

WE'D BETTER -- WE BETTER FIGURE THIS OUT PRETTY QUICKLY AND I THINK NEBRASKA, AT LEAST WITH SOME OF THE THINGS GOING ON IN THE STATE, IT'S MOVING PRETTY QUICKLY.

>> THERE WILL BE MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT AND COMING UP ON "BIG RED WRAP-UP," WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT "NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS" WITH FORMER HUSKER, AND CEO OF "OPENDORSE," FORMER CO-HOST OF THIS SHOW WITH GREAT SOCK GAME, BLAKE LAWRENCE, AS WELL.

BEFORE WE GO TO BREAK, IMAGES FROM THROUGHOUT THE '20-'21 SEASON COURTESY OF "HAIL, VARSITY."

WE'RE BACK SOON.

S S S S >> WELCOME BACK TO "BIG RED WRAP-UP."

TIME TO DIVE INTO THE BEST FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'RE STARTING OFF WITH SOME WORDS OF WISDOM FROM NEBRASKA TIGHT END, TRAVIS VOKOLEK, AND HIS HASHTAG, "MULLET MONDAY THOUGHTS."

"SHIPS DON'T SAIL WITH YESTERDAY'S WIND."

PRETTY POIGNANT RIGHT THERE.

WE ALSO LIKE TO GIVE ANOTHER TIP OF THE CAP, OR THE MULLET -- KEEP IT UP THERE, TRAVIS.

NEXT UP, GBRHOMER, ON TWITTER WRITES SIMPLY, "MORE LIKE PERDON'T."

THAT'S PRETTY GOOD, TOO.

WE CAN EXPECT MORE PURDUE PUNS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK AND PLENTY OF VIDEOS OF THAT GUY WITH THE BAD EYES -- THEIR MASCOT TERRIFYING.

BEFORE WE DIVE FARTHER INTO NIL DISCUSSIONS, HERE ARE SOME QUICK THOUGHTS FROM THE HUSKERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON.

( whoosh ) >> FOR STARTERS, I THINK IT'S AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY AND I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT I HAPPEN TO BE PLAYING COLLEGE FOOTBALL, HAPPEN TO BE IN COLLEGIATE DISTRACTIONS.

THERE'S GOING TO BE OTHER ISSUES THAT WE'VE TRIED TO COME UP WITH -- EVEN TAX ISSUES -- WITH KIDS THAT START MAKING MONEY AND DON'T KNOW HOW TO PAY THEIR TAXES OR EVEN KNOW THAT THEY HAVE TO.

( whoosh ) >> WE ARE THE BRAND.

WE ARE THE PRODUCT, SO THAT ASKS A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, 18-YEAR-OLD KIDS.

THAT'S ASKING A LOT OF THOSE GUYS AND I REALLY HOPE THAT AS THIS THING GROWS AND MATURES, THAT THE NIL AND THE NCAA REALLY JUST TAKES MORE STEPS INTO LOOKING OUT FOR THE PLAYERS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE IN THE BEST SITUATION POSSIBLE.

( whoosh ) >> FUN FOR NOW, BUT WHEN SEASON COMES AROUND IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE TO PUT YOUR PRIORITIES IN ORDER AND MAKING SURE THAT MYSELF AND THE REST OF THE GUYS HAVE THAT SITUATED IS A CRITICAL PIECE RIGHT NOW.

( whoosh ) >> NEBRASKA FOOTBALL PLAYERS AND THE STUDENT ATHLETES ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS.

BECAUSE OF THE FAN INTEREST IN NEBRASKA, IT'S THE ONLY SHOW IN TOWN.

ALL EYES ARE ON THEM.

I EXPECT OUR PLAYERS TO DO AS WELL AS ANYONE IN THE COUNTRY WITH THIS WHEN THE DUST ALL SETTLES.

( whoosh ) >> WE ARE PLEASED NOW TO BE JOINED BY A FRIEND OF THE SHOW, FORMER HUSKER BLAKE LAWRENCE.

BLAKE, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE BACK.

HOW YA DOIN'?

>> IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE, Y'ALL.

I WISH I WAS THERE IN PERSON, YOU KNOW.

I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE SAVING A SEAT FOR ME.

I'LL BE THERE SOON.

>> THE ONLY REASON WE WERE HOPING YOU'D BE HERE WAS THE SOCKS.

WE WANTED TO SEE THE SOCKS AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO POSSIBLY SEE THE SOCKS ON TV.

>> MIKE'L'S GOT SOCKS ON.

>> I ALWAYS WEAR SOCKS --.

>> HEY, I HAVE NO -- THERE'S NO RULES, GUYS --.

>> HE'S GOT OPEN-TOED SOCKS --.

>> BECAUSE I BREAK ALL THE RULES.

>> OH, NICE.

>> YEAH, I'M ALL BRANDED -- PLAN TO COME BACK ONCE A YEAR.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE OPENDORSE LOGO, I'M GOING TO BE SHOWING MY SOCKS.

AGAIN, I WISH I WERE THERE IN PERSON.

I HAD TO PUT ON PANTS SIMPLY SO I COULD SHOW YOU MY SOCKS - OTHERWISE, IT WOULD JUST BE THE, YOU KNOW, TOP UP.

>> YOU KNOW, BLAKE, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT LEADING UP TO NIL.

I KNOW YOU GUYS DID A WHOLE BUNCH OF INVESTIGATING TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT WAS GOING TO BE.

BIGGEST SURPRISE SINCE JULY - MAYBE SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T EXPECT THAT'S COME OUT OF THIS?

>> YEAH, I WOULD SAY THERE'S -- THE BONA FIDE NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS ACTIVITIES, WHICH ARE APPEARANCES, AUTOGRAPH SIGNINGS, PHOTO SHOOTS, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, ARE GOING TO THE FEMALE STUDENT ATHLETES.

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, THERE'S REALLY A TIE RIGHT NOW BETWEEN THE AMOUNT DOLLARS THAT ARE BEING INVESTED WITH FOOTBALL, AND VOLLEYBALL.

NOW, IN NEBRASKA, THAT MAKES SENSE.

THE VOLLEYBALL IS A SIGNIFICANT PROGRAM, BUT THAT TREND HAS BEEN TRUE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THE NATIONAL ADVERTISERS ARE LEANING INTO STUDENT ATHLETES FROM WOMEN'S SPORTS IN A MUCH BIGGER WAY THAN WE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED.

BUT, THERE'S ALSO A NEW TREND IN LOCAL SUPPORT FROM FANS AND BOOSTERS, AND DONORS, SUPPORTING STUDENT ATHLETES DIRECTLY, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT FAVORS NEBRASKA QUITE WELL WITH THE PASSION THAT NEBRASKA FANS HAVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY THERE IN LINCOLN.

>> HEY, BLAKE, WITHOUT GETTING INTO, LIKE, SPECIFIC NAMES, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT JUST NEBRASKA ATHLETES, WHAT TYPE OF FINANCIAL DEALS HAVE SOME OF THESE GUYS BEEN ABLE TO MAKE FROM JUST STANDARD OPPORTUNITIES TO MAYBE SOME OF THE BIGGER DEALS OR DOLLAR AMOUNTS MAYBE AN ATHLETE'S BEEN ABLE TO CAPITALIZE ON SINCE JULY 1?

>> YES, CERTAINLY.

SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AT OPENDORSE IS WE ARE PARTNERS NOW WITH MORE THAN 100 COLLEGE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THEY USE OUR SOFTWARE TO TRACK AND UNDERSTAND WHICH ATHLETES ARE GETTING PAID BY WHICH BUSINESS, OR INDIVIDUAL, FOR WHAT TYPES OF ACTIVITIES, AND OVER THE LAST 120 DAYS, OR SINCE JULY 1ST, YOU LOOK AT THIS AND THERE IS -- THERE'S ONLY ABOUT THREE OR FOUR SCHOOLS THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO CHALLENGE NEBRASKA -- ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN TERMS OF TOTAL COMMITMENT TO STUDENT ATHLETES SINCE NIL STARTED IN OUR DATA SET.

AND, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS IS A SIX-FIGURE A YEAR OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENT ATHLETES AT NEBRASKA.

A SIX-FIGURE A YEAR IN TERMS OF EARNINGS FROM NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS ACTIVITIES LIKE IN APPEARANCES, ENDORSEMENTS, LICENSING RIGHTS, SELLING PRODUCTS, POSTING ABOUT BUSINESSES ON SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE SIX FIGURES AT NEBRASKA JUST IN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS, AND THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO TREND INTO A WORLD WHERE THERE MIGHT BE A DAY WHERE SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY IS -- OR, SOMEONE ON CAMPUS IN NEBRASKA -- MIGHT PUSH SEVEN FIGURES IN NIL EARNINGS, WHICH IS A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF COLLEGE SPORTS.

>> BLAKE, YOU'RE TRAVELING TO DIFFERENT CAMPUSES EACH AND EVERY WEEK.

HOW ARE EVERY PROGRAM SCHOOLS HANDLING THIS SITUATION?

I KNOW, YOU KNOW, LINCOLN, IN NEBRASKA, IT'S THE ONLY SCHOOL -- ER, IT'S THE ONLY PROGRAM KIND OF IN TOWN, ONLY SHOW IN TOWN, BUT YOU GO TO SOME OTHER BIGGER CITIES, SOME OTHER, BIGGER PROGRAMS IN BIGGER STATES,HOW ARE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS HANDLING THE NIL DEAL?

I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE YOUR MODEL AT "OPENDORSE," BUT HOW ARE THEY - ARE YOU TRYING TO GET EVERYONE ON THE SAME PAGE, I GUESS I'M TRYING TO SAY?

WITH "OPENDORSE," OR ARE YOU JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO AND YOU'RE TRYING TO ADAPT TO HOW THEY WANT TO ACHIEVE ATTACKING THIS NIL SITUATION?

>> YEAH, CERTAINLY FOR THE VIEWERS TO UNDERSTAND HOW "OPENDORSE" WORKS, OUR COMPANY IS REALLY AN INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN.

WE PROVIDE THE TECHNOLOGY THAT THESE SCHOOLS AND THESE LOCAL COMMUNITY BUSINESS SUPPORTERS CAN USE TO KEEP ALL THE NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS TRANSACTIONS COMPLIANT.

WE'VE BEEN PROVIDING THEM TO THE PROS' SPACE FOR A DECADE, SO NOW IT'S JUST APPLYING IT TO THE COLLEGE SPACE.

BUT, I WOULD COMPARE IT TO A WEIGHT ROOM, RIGHT?

EVERYONE IN COLLEGE ATHLETICS AND COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEEDS A WEIGHT ROOM, AND YOU'VE GOT THE SAME EQUIPMENT IN THOSE WEIGHT ROOMS -- IT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT BIGGER HERE, SMALLER THERE -- WHATEVER IT IS, BUT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE EQUIPMENT IN THE WEIGHT ROOM DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE SAME AS THE OTHER TEAMS, LIKE, WHAT YOU DO IN THAT WEIGHT ROOM MATTERS.

"OPENDORSE" IS REALLY THE TOOL THAT ALL THE NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS PROGRAMS ARE BUILT ON AND WHAT'S UNIQUE AT NEBRASKA IS NOBODY'S INVESTING MORE IN EDUCATING EVERY STUDENT ATHLETE ON CAMPUS THAN NEBRASKA.

IT'S A FACT THAT THESE ARE -- YOU KNOW, STATES OF PUBLIC RECORD, SO YOU CAN LOOK IT UP AND NEBRASKA - IT'S SAID THAT WE ARE THE FIRST IN NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS, WE WILL BE THE BEST IN NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS, AND THE STATS IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THE MARKET WILL PROVE THAT THE INVESTMENT HAS BEEN WORTH IT, THE SUPPORT FROM THE FAN BASE IS BIG, AND IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO STAY THAT WAY.

>> BLAKE, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE YOU CAME ON -- WHAT ADRIAN MARTINEZ'S DECISION TO COME BACK FOR A FIFTH YEAR -- ONE OF THE OPTIONS IS MAYBE GO ON THE PORTAL.

THERE'S REALLY NO OTHER SCHOOL OUT THERE, RIGHT, WHERE HE COULD GO AND BE ABLE TO MAKE THE KIND OF MONEY HE MAKES HERE IF HE STAYED?

>> THERE IS -- AND, JAY, YOU MENTIONED THIS -- JUST AGAIN, FOR THE FANS, YOU'VE SEEN ME ON THIS SHOW FOR YEARS AND YOU PROBABLY WONDERED WHAT I DID.

I WAS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, LAST WEEK WITH THE HEAD COACH OF THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM AND I BELIEVE THAT BEING, RIGHT NOW, IN ITS CURRENT STATE OF THIS ECONOMICS OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL, BEING THE STARTING QUARTERBACK AT TEXAS, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR RECORD IS, IS ONE OF THE MOST LUCRATIVE POSITIONS IN ALL OF COLLEGE SPORTS.

IT JUST IS, RIGHT?

IT'S THE BIGGEST SHOW IN TOWN.

THEIR BUDGET IS $80 MILLION LARGER THAN OTHER SCHOOLS THAT WE ALL CHEER FOR, AND IT'S THE MOST PROFITABLE SPORT IN COLLEGE ATHLETICS.

THAT MATTERS.

BEING THE QUARTERBACK IN NEBRASKA IS IN THE TOP FIVE MOST DESIRED POSITIONS IN ALL OF COLLEGE ATHLETICS TODAY AND WITH NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS, THAT IS SO, SO TRUE.

SO, I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT THERE'S ANYTHING MORE APPEALING THAN STAYING HERE FOR AN EXTRA YEAR AND FOR THAT REASON, NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS IS GOING TO PUT NEBRASKA BACK ON TOP -- I JUST KNOW IT BECAUSE NO ONE ACROSS THE COUNTRY CAN TOUCH THE FANDOM THAT EXISTS IN THE STATE.

THE DATA BACKS THAT UP.

THE SMALL BUSINESSES SUPPORTING, AND THE SPONSORS, EVEN, THAT WE ALL KNOW, LOVE, AND CHEER FOR WE SEE IN THE ARENA, THEY HAVEN'T STARTED TO SPEND IN A BIG WAY YET, SO NEBRASKA WILL BE A LEADER IN NIL AND THAT'S A GOOD REASON THAT STUDENT ATHLETES SHOULD STAY BECAUSE THEY CAN PROFIT WHILE ON CAMPUS.

>> BLAKE, THAT LEADS YOU TO OUR NEXT QUESTION.

IT FEELS LIKE NEBRASKA'S GOTTEN MORE ORGANIZED HERE ON THE GROUND.

ABM, A COMPANY IN LINCOLN, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER A LOT OF MONEY IT LOOKS LIKE, IN DEALS -- HAVE YOU SEEN OTHER SCHOOLS FORM ON-THE-G-GUND COMPANIES LIKE AN ABM THAT KIND OF REALLY ORGANIZES THAT -- THAT CORPORATE MONEY WITHIN EACH OF THESE COLLEGE FOOTBALL FAN BASES?

>> YEAH, CERTAINLY AND ONE THING I'LL SAY AGAIN, FOR THE VIEWERSHIP IN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, SHOULD BE PROUD.

THERE IS A PRIDE THAT WE ALL HAVE AS NEBRASKA FANS, MYSELF AS AN ALUM, THAT WE HAVE IN WANTING TO SUPPORT STUDENT ATHLETES IN A MAJOR WAY.

AND, THAT EXISTED BEFORE NIL, BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER WE CAN SUPPORT THEM DIRECTLY, OKAY?

I WAS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AT A VERY PROMINENT SCHOOL THAT COMPETES IN THE PAC 12, AND THEY HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT NEBRASKA DONORS AND SUPPORTER GROUPS ARE DOING TO DIRECTLY SUPPORT STUDENT ATHLETES IN NEBRASKA AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT EVEN WITH THE PROMINENCE OF SOME OF THE BACKERS OF THAT PROGRAM, THERE'S MORE COMMITTED TO ENSURING STUDENT ATHLETE SUCCESS AT NEBRASKA THAN ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.

AGAIN, I'VE SEEN THE BLUE-CHIP BRANDS -- I'VE BEEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY OVER THE LAST YEAR.

NEBRASKA IS THE LEADER IN THIS SPACE, IN TERMS OF WHAT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FOR EDUCATION BY THE INSTITUTION - LIKE TECHNOLOGY BY THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT ITSELF, AND IN TERMS OF DONOR SUPPORT FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS OWNERS.

SO, THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO KEEP NEBRASKA IN FRONT.

BUT, IT BODES WELL.

THIS IS THE TYPE OF COMMUNITY WE HAVE, THE TYPE OF FAN BASE WE HAVE, IS THAT WE KNOW THAT THE STUDENT ATHLETIC AT NEBRASKA IS DIFFERENT -- THAT WE WILL SUPPORT YOU FOR LIFE.

IF YOU'VE WON THE IN FOR A DAY, WE'LL SUPPORT YOU FOR A DECADE AND BEYOND, AND THAT MATTERS, AND NIL'S JUST PUT A DOLLAR AMOUNT TO IT.

>> BLAKE LAWRENCE JOINING US FROM "OPENDORSE," TALKING MORE ABOUT NIL.

SO, WHAT'S THE FUTURE?

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AHEAD ON THE NEXT 120 DAYS, THE NEXT TWO YEARS, THE NEXT TEN YEARS -- WHAT'S THE FUTURE OF THIS?

>> CERTAINLY.

I THINK THAT FANS ARE -- SO MUCH HAPPENED JULY 1, ALL NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS RULES WERE LIFTED, STUDENT ATHLETES COULD MONETIZE, AND THEN LESS THAN A FEW WEEKS LATER, FALL CAMP STARTED FOR FOOTBALL.

AND NOW, WE'RE IN MIDDLE OF SEASON AND, YOU KNOW, ADRIAN GOT HIS DEGREE DEAL, WE'VE GOT CAMERON JURGENS DOING HIS OWN MERCHANDISE LINE, JOJO DOMANN DOING A PODCAST WITH OUR OWN SEAN CALLAHAN, LIKE, THERE'S A LOT OF THOSE THINGS.

BUT NOW ONCE THE OFF-SEASON HITS, IT'S GOING TO BE ALL OPEN AND YOU'RE GOING TO START SEEING A LOT MORE ACTIVITIES -- STUDENT ATHLETES HOSTING.

I MEAN, THERE'S A BYE WEEK IN THIS LAST WEEK AND HOW MANY FOLKS THERE WATCHING WENT AND GOT AN AUTOGRAPH, AND PAID FOR AN AUTOGRAPH FROM THEIR FAVORITE STUDENT ATHLETE?

I MEAN, CAN YOU IMAGINE?

BUT, THAT'S THE REALITIES THAT ONCE IT'S THE OFF-SEASON, THERE'S A LOT MORE ACTIVITIES AND THESE THINGS MATTER FOR THE STUDENT ATHLETES TODAY, BUT SEAN YOU'VE MENTIONED THIS - I WAS JUST LISTENING IN -- IS THAT THIS MATTERS FOR THE NEXT CLASS.

LIKE, IT REALLY, TODAY'S NIL DOLLARS ARE ABOUT NEXT YEAR'S CLASS AND THE CLASS AFTER THAT.

IT'S ABOUT SAYING THAT, "THIS IS A FACT.

IF YOU COME HERE, YOU WILL BE SUPPORTED."

TO WHAT DEGREE, WE HAVE DOLLARS AND FACTS AND FIGURES TO SHOW THAT AND THAT MATTERS IN NEBRASKA.

SO, GET READY FOR THE OFF-SEASON FOR NEBRASKA FOOTBALL PLAYERS WILL BE FILLED WITH MERCHANDISE, AUTOGRAPH SIGNINGS, APPEARANCES, AND IF YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF HOW NIL BRINGS NEBRASKA TO THE TOP, THEN THOSE LISTENING, TUNING IN, SHOW UP.

BUY THE MERCHANDISE -- YOU KNOW, BUY THE AUTOGRAPHS.

>> BLAKE, WE HAVE A GRAPHIC TO PUT UP THAT SHOWS THE ATHLETES THAT HAVE THE MOST FOLLOWERS.

HOW DO FOLLOWERS THEN TRANSLATE INTO DOLLARS?

IS THERE A NUMBER THAT DOES IT, WHETHER IT BE INSTAGRAM, OR TWITTER, OR OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS?

>> YEAH, SO NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS RIGHTS REALLY COMES DOWN TO THE INDIVIDUAL'S VALUE OF THEIR MARKETABILITY.

AND, IN TODAY'S SOCIETY, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT, LOVE IT, OR WANT TO LEAVE IT, YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWER ACCOUNT AND YOUR BANK ACCOUNT ARE LINKED.

IF YOU HAVE MORE FOLLOWERS, YOU CAN GET MORE DOLLARS AND THAT'S THE BONA FIDE NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS ACTIVITIES, SO LET'S SAY LEXI SUN MAY NOT BE THE STAR ON THE COURT THAT SHE WAS AT THE START OF THE SEASON, BUT SHE IS STILL THE MOST MARKETABLE PERSON ON CAMPUS IN NEBRASKA, RIGHT?

AND, IT'S INTERESTING.

I WROTE THIS DOWN BECAUSE I KNEW YOU GUYS WOULD SHOW THIS GRAPHIC, SO THERE'S A GUY NAMED NOAH URWILER, AND I KNOW THAT NONE OF YOU GUYS KNOW THIS NAME.

NOAH URWILER IS A MEN'S GYMNAST AT NEBRASKA AND HE'S ONE OF THE MOST FOLLOWED ATHLETES ON CAMPUS.

HE'S ONE OF THE MOST MARKETABLE ATHLETES.

HE'S A MODEL - HE'S LIKE A NATIONAL -- LIKE A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED MODEL.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND, HE HAS AS MUCH MARKETABILITY AS CAM JURGENS AND ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO FIGHT ME ON THAT, THAT'S CRAZY.

CAM'S A GOOD-LOOKING GUY, BUT NOAH CAN DO SOME FLIPS AND HE CAN PULL ON SOME DOLLARS OR TWO, SO FOLLOW ACCOUNT AND BANK ACCOUNT -- THEY'RE LINKED.

AND, IT WOULD SURPRISE YOU WHO CAN EARN BIG IN NIL.

IT MAY NOT BE WHO YOU THINK.

>> I'VE SEEN THE LIST BEFORE.

TWO OR THREE OF THE TOP EARNERS ARE GYMNASTS, RIGHT?

I KNOW THERE'S A YOUNG WOMAN AT LSU -- THERE'S SOME OTHER ONES.

GYMNASTS DO REALLY WELL IN THIS NIL.

>> YEAH, CERTAINLY.

I THINK THAT'S THE THING IS THAT FOR THOSE FANS AT HOME, THEIR BONA FIDE NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS ACTIVITIES COMES DOWN TO A NATIONAL ADVERTISER LIKE "DEGREE," OR "VELVEETA," OR "PEPSI," OR "DR. PEPPER," OR "RED BULL," LIKE, PAYING BIG TO A VERY MARKETABLE INDIVIDUAL.

IN TODAY'S SOCIETY, THE 18 TO 22-YEAR OLDS THAT ARE MOST MARKETABLE ARE TIK-TOK STARS, INSTAGRAM STARS -- LIKE, THERE IS A GYMNAST AT LSU THAT HAS SIX MILLION TIK-TOK FOLLOWERS.

IF YOU ADDED UP THE TIK-TOK FOLLOWERS OF EVERY ATHLETE IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA, YOU WOULDN'T EVEN TOUCH THAT, RIGHT, SO THAT PERSON IS MORE MARKETABLE THAN THE ENTIRE STATE OF STUDENTS AND THAT'S WHY THEY EARN THE BIG BUCKS.

>> SO, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT OFF THE FIELD AND WHAT NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS MEANS.

WHAT ABOUT ON THE FIELD?

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE WAY NEBRASKA'S PLAYED SO FAR THROUGH EIGHT GAMES?

>> I AM A HUGE FAN AND OF THE CRITICAL DEBATE AROUND NEBRASKA HAS BAD LUCK.

OKAY, I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR THE BAD LUCK BUNCH, RIGHT?

AND SO, IF YOU ARE LISTENING, GIVE ME A FOLLOW: BLAKE _LAWRENCE, AND WE CAN JUST TALK ABOUT IT, OKAY?

BECAUSE, NEBRASKA, THE ONE-SCORE GAME CATEGORY IS JUST -- IT'S JUST STATISTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR NEBRASKA TO LOSE THE PERCENTAGE OF ONE-SCORE GAMES THEY HAVE IN THE SCOTT FROST ERA AND THE ONLY THING WE CAN CHALK IT UP TO IS SOME BAD LUCK, GUYS.

AGAIN, IF YOU'VE PLAYED THE GAME -- JAY, I KNOW, THOSE ONE-SCORE GAMES EVERY TIME IN THE BUS RIDE, EVERY TIME IN THE LOCKER ROOM -- "GOD, JUST IF THAT ONE POINT DIDN'T HAPPEN!

THAT ONE POINT DIDN'T HAPPEN!"

AND THEN, WHEN YOU WIN A ONE-SCORE GAME, YOU'RE LIKE, "OOH, IF THAT ONE POINT DIDN'T HAPPEN -- IF THAT ONE POINT DIDN'T HAPPEN," SO EVERYONE AT HOME, ONE SCORE GAMES COMES DOWN TO A LITTLE BIT OF LUCK AND RIGHT NOW, NEBRASKA'S ON THE BAD SIDE OF IT AND I'M FROST FOREVER.

AGAIN, I WILL DEBATE THIS FOR TIME AND TIME AGAIN, BUT FROST FOREVER AND NEBRASKA HAS BAD LUCK - WE'LL BE BACK ON TOP SOONER THAN YOU WANT, IF YOU ARE CHEERING AGAINST US, BUT SOONER THAN YOU'D HOPE IF YOU'RE CHEERING FOR US.

>> HEY, BLAKE, BACK TO NIL.

IF YOU WERE ADVISING, LIKE A PARENT OF A HIGH SCHOOL KID THAT'S KIND OF COMING UP THE RANKS, WHERE WOULD YOU TELL THEM TO KIND OF BUILD THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA?

WOULD YOU SAY INSTAGRAM, TIK-TOK, OR TWITTER?

I MEAN, HOW WOULD YOU ADVISE A YOUNG PERSON TODAY TO KIND OF START BUILDING THEIR BRAND?

>> THE DOLLARS ON INSTAGRAM AND INSTAGRAM'S EASY - EASY-ER, OKAY, SO THAT IS IF YOU'RE GOOD LOOKING.

SO, SEAN, YOU'VE GOT A GOOD INSTAGRAM FOLLOWING BECAUSE OF THAT.

IF YOU'RE GOOD-LOOKING, IF YOU'RE GOOD AT CREATING CONTENT - WHICH THOSE TWO THINGS YOU GOT GOING FOR YOU, LIKE, INSTAGRAM'S GOOD FOR YOU.

NOW, IF YOU'RE CREATIVE WITH BOTH THOSE ELEMENTS, TIK-TOK IS WHERE A LOT OF THE FUTURE MONEY IS.

TWITTER -- A LOT OF THESE VIEWERS ARE LISTENING AND UNDERSTAND TO FOLLOW ALL ATHLETES ON TWITTER -- TWITTER TAKES A LITTLE MORE INTELLECT THAN THOSE OTHER TWO PLATFORMS.

IT'S MORE ABOUT THE WRITTEN WORD AND WHAT YOU SAY THERE VERSUS THE VISUAL THAT HAPPENS ON TIK-TOK AND INSTAGRAM.

END OF THE DAY, IF YOU ARE WELL-SPOKEN -- IF YOU CAN GET BEHIND A PODIUM AND IMPRESS, THEN YOU CAN DEFINITELY IMPRESS IN A SOCIAL POST, SO JUST BE WELL-SPOKEN, BE REPRESENTATIVE AND KNOW THAT NIL IS A JOB -- LIKE, BONA FIDE NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS ACTIVITIES WILL FAVOR THOSE THAT LEAN INTO IT, WORK HARD, ARE WELL-SPOKEN, AND GET OPPORTUNITIES ON THEIR OWN.

>> BLAKE, WE APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME - HOPEFULLY WE CAN SEE YOU BACK HERE IN LINCOLN SOMETIME SOON.

>> MISS YOU ALL.

THANKS, Y'ALL.

>> THANKS, BLAKE.

COMING UP NEXT ON THE "WRAP-UP," SEAN AND I WILL UPDATE YOU ON NEBRASKA'S RECRUITING, BUT FIRST, ANOTHER LOOK AT A 2021 SO FAR, COURTESY OF "HAIL, VARSITY."

STAY WITH US.

S S >> BE SURE TO VOTE ON THIS WEEK'S "SIDELINE SURVEY" QUESTION.

HOW DOES NEBRASKA FINISH THE FINAL FOUR GAMES?

OH, PRETTY MUCH POSITIVITY.

2-2, 38% -- 3-1 SAYS 19% -- AND 1-3, 31%.

THERE IS 1% OF PEOPLE WHO THINK NEBRASKA'S GOING UNDEFEATED - THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE THAT THINK NEBRASKA WILL NOT WIN ANOTHER GAME.

MAKE SURE TO VISIT OUR "WRAP-UP" WEBSITE AND CAST YOUR VOTE.

WELCOME BACK.

SEAN CALLAHAN JOINING US HERE ON THE "WRAP-UP" TO TALK MORE ABOUT RECRUITING.

WHAT WAS THE BYE WEEK LIKE FOR NEBRASKA RECRUITING-WISE.

>> YEAH, YOU LOOK AT THE BYE WEEK, NEBRASKA'S COACHES WERE ON THE ROAD, MIKE'L, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER 620 DAYS AND SCOTT FROST, LIKE, TWICE THIS WEEK --.

>> HE'S ASKED YOU TWICE.

>> LIKE, "HOW MANY DAYS, AGAIN?"

LIKE, 620.

>> YEAH-YEAH.

>> AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS - YOU KNOW, YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, A STRENGTH FOR NEBRASKA IS GOING ON THE ROAD, GETTING PEOPLE ON CAMPUS, AND THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.

SO, THEY STARTED LOCAL.

THEY HIT A LOCAL SCHOOLS -- WENT TO A LOT OF LOCAL GAMES.

THEY WENT OUT AND SAW COMMITS -- MADE A COUPLE JUCO OFFERS, MADE A COUPLE CHICAGO AREA OFFERS, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER BYE WEEK, AS WELL, AND STILL THEY COMMIT AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT 12 TO 13, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME WE HEARD SCOTT FROST SAY THAT THEY'RE REALLY GOING TO MAKE A PUSH, AS WELL, WITH THE TRANSFER PORTAL.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS - FIVE SPOTS, SIX SPOTS, SEVEN SPOTS - HOW MANY ARE THEY GOING TO BRING IN REALLY DEPENDS ON KIND OF WHAT THE FINAL NUMBER LOOKS LIKE IN DECEMBER.

>> AND, THE PEOPLE WHO MAY BE LEAVING, TOO.

>> YEAH, PRO GUYS THAT HAVE DECISIONS TO MAKE.

>> WHO THEY HAVE TO REPLACE.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S TALK WITH ONE OF THE COMMITS FROM THE CLASS -- GRANT PAGE JOINING US HERE ON THE "WRAP-UP."

GRANT, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

WHAT WAS THE ULTIMATE DECISION OF PICKING NEBRASKA?

>> YOU KNOW, I LOVED IT.

YOU KNOW, I HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COACHING STAFF AND THEN ROAMED AROUND ON CAMPUS AND GOT A TOUR AND GOT A VISIT, AND I KNEW IT WAS THE RIGHT PICK FOR ME.

>> GRANT, HAVE YOU BEEN TO LINCOLN YET, AND KIND OF WHAT'S YOUR PLAN AS FAR AS COMING UP FOR SOME GAMES THIS YEAR?

>> YEAH, I'VE BEEN UP THERE FOR THE SPRING GAME AND I WENT THERE FOR MY OFFICIAL VISIT, BUT, YEAH, I THINK I'M GOING TO GO UP THERE FOR THE IOWA GAME.

>> YOU KNOW, GRANT, HE'S STILL A LEGEND, KENNY BELL IS HERE IN NEBRASKA - EVERYWHERE HE GOES, PEOPLE STILL WANT TO TALK ABOUT HIS AFRO.

AS A GUY FROM COLORADO, YOU HAD A CHANCE TO MEET WITH, TALK WITH, KENNY BELL AT ALL?

>> OH, YEAH.

LINCOLN AND BUCKEYE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP, YOU KNOW -- HE'S F FM THE SAME CITY AS ME, AND FROM THE SAME AREA AS ME, SO WE TALK A LOT.

WE TEXT HERE AND THERE, BACK AND FORTH, BUT I'VE GOT A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.

>> GRANT, HOW MUCH HAVE YOU TALKED TO MATT LUBICK, YOUR WIDE RECEIVERS COACH, AND JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK OF NEBRASKA'S OFFENSE AND THE BIG PLAYS THESE WIDE RECEIVERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PUT UP THIS YEAR?

>> YEAH, ME AND COACH LUBICK HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP.

WE TALK, LIKE, PROBABLY A COUPLE TIMES A WEEK, YOU KNOW - BECAUSE HE'S JUST REAL BUSY SO IT'S NOT AS MUCH AS LIKE THE SUMMERTIME AND STUFF, BUT, YEAH, WE STILL COMMUNICATE A LOT AND, BUT THEY ARE SERIOUSLY MAKING SOME BIG PLAYS - FUN TO WATCH, YOU KNOW.

IT'S -- I DEFINITELY CAN SEE MYSELF IN OFFENSE AND MAKE THOSE BIG PLAYS AND ON A BIG-TIME STAGE, YEAH.

>> GRANT, HOW'S YOUR REHAB COMING ALONG?

>> IT'S GOING GOOD.

MAKING PROGRESS EVERY DAY, FEELING GOOD, YEAH.

FEELING GOOD, FEELING GOOD.

>> GRANT, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT TIMELINES, ARE YOU A GUY THAT PLANS TO ENROLL EARLY AND, KIND OF, WHAT IS YOUR MAP TO GET HERE TO LINCOLN?

>> YEAH, I'M GOING TO BE UP THERE IN JANUARY.

I'M GOING TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL IN DECEMBER AND THEN BE UP THERE IN JANUARY AND FINISH THE REST OF MY REHAB UP THERE AND BE READY TO GO.

I'LL PROBABLY BE READY BY THE SPRING, SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE.

>> HEY, GRANT, WE APPRECIATE IT.

JUST GET HEALTHY, MAN, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME.

>> YEAH, SURE, THANK YOU, ALL.

>> HE'S ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT YOU WATCH.

HE'S 6'3".

HE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE HE'S MOVING THAT FAST, BUT HE'S PULLING AWAY FROM GUYS.

YOU COULD REALLY TELL, PART OF HIS GAIT IS JUST -- HE'S A QUICK, LONG-STRIDER.

>> AND, HE WAS HAVING AN OUTSTANDING SEASON BEFORE THE INJURY, SO I LIKE BOTH RECEIVERS THEY SIGNED -- VICTOR JONES AND GRANT PAGE.

>> YEAH.

>> AND, THEY'VE GOT TWO REALLY, REALLY HIGH LEVEL RECEIVERS IN THIS CLASS, AND THEY'RE ONLY TAKING TWO RECEIVERS TOTAL.

>> IN-STATE-WISE, I'VE SEEN SAM SLEDGE PLAY AT, I THINK, THREE DIFFERENT POSITIONS.

HE WAS AT A TIGHT END POSITION.

HE MOVED IN AND PLAYED SOME TACKLE.

I KNOW HE'S PLAYED SOME INTERIOR.

WHERE DO YOU SEE HIM EVENTUALLY SETTLING?

>> WELL, HE STARTED AS A FRESHMAN AT CREIGHTON PREP ON VARSITY, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EVER HAPPENED IN THAT PROGRAM'S HISTORY.

I MEAN, IT USED TO BE YOU COULDN'T EVEN LEAVE THE FRESHMAN FIELD AT PREP FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, SO IT TELLS YOU HOW GOOD HE IS BUT, YOU KNOW, HIS FATHER, BOB SLEDGE, FORMER HUSKER, ALL BIG-EIGHT LINEMAN, IS A LONG-TIME HIGH SCHOOL OFFENSIVE LINE COACH - COACHES PREP'S OFFENSIVE LINE WITHIM YOUNG AND, YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN WELL-GROOMED AND TAUGHT HIS ENTIRE CAREER, BUT I THINK HE'S A GUARD, MIKE'L.

I REALLY - WHEN I LOOK AT HIM, THE WAY HE MOVES.

>> MAYBE EVEN CENTER, BECAUSE HE'S PRETTY ATHLETIC.

WHEN HE WAS PLAYING TIGHT END, I THOUGHT, "WELL, THAT'S A PRETTY ATHLETIC KID.

MAYBE THAT'S A GOOD TRANSITION."

WE'VE SEEN THAT ALREADY, A GUY GO FROM TIGHT END IN CAM JURGENS, TO PLAY CENTER.

>> WELL, AND HE WRESTLED THIS YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME -- I GUESS, LAST YEAR, AND HE QUALIFIED FOR STATE, AND HE'D NEVER DONE IT BEFORE, SO HE'S A NATURAL ATHLETE -- HE PLAYED BASKETBALL.

YOU KNOW, JUST AN ALL-AROUND GUY THAT CAN MOVE AND, LIKE YOU SAID, PLAYED TIGHT END FIRST AND THEN HAS GROWN INTO KIND OF WHAT WE ALL THOUGHT HE WOULD BE AND THAT'S A VERIFIED 6'4", 264, FROM THE SPRING.

I'D IMAGINE HE'S GOING TO BE PUSHING 280 AND CHANGE BY THE OFF-SEASON AS HIS BODY CONTINUES TO GROW.

>> REAL QUICK, WHERE DO YOU THINK HE ENDS UP?

>> I MEAN, RIGHT NOW, IT'LL BE INTERESTING.

HE'S JUST GOT THE MIAMI OF OHIO OFFER, BUT THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE.

I THINK HE'S GOING TO GET THE K-STATE OFFER.

YOU'VE GOT TO REMEMBER, CONNOR RILEY, THE LINE COACH FOR K-STATE'S A PREP GRAD, SO I THINK K-STATE, NEBRASKA WILL BE IN THE PICTURE, IOWA, A LOT OF THOSE TEAMS.

>> THANKS, SEAN, WE APPRECIATE IT.

NOW, HERE'S THE LATEST FROM THE PURDUE GAME AND THIS WEEK'S "BIG RED REPORT."

( whoosh ) >> WE'RE PLAYING MORE PHYSICAL.

WE'RE BIGGER, FASTER, STRONGER.

THERE'S SOME AREAS WE NEED TO FIX, BUT I THINK PEOPLE ARE RECOGNIZING THAT WITH THE TYPE OF TEAM OF WE HAVE AND THE LEVEL WE'RE PLAYING AT, AND IT'S UP TO US TO MAKE THE -- THE PLAYS WHEN IT COUNTS TO GET IT OVER THE HUMP.

( whoosh ) >> I FEEL LIKE WE'RE PLAYING WITH GREAT EFFORT, GREAT INTENSITY AND JUST BEING LOCKED IN IN THOSE KEY MOMENTS, THOSE KEY PLAYS THAT ARE MAKING US LOSE THESE ONE-SCORE GAMES THAT ARE REALLY GOING TO BE THE TURNING POINT, SO IF WE CAN JUST START WINNG MORE OF THOSE KEY -- KEY PLAYS, THEN I FEEL LIKE WE'LL BE A HAPPIER PROGRAM.

( whoosh ) >> THE BYE WEEK WAS VERY HELPFUL, I THINK, FOR EVERYONE NOT ONLY PHYSICALLY, BUT MENTALLY -- MAYBE TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK AND GET READY FOR THIS LAST FOUR WEEKS.

( whoosh ) >> IT WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY JUST, YOU KNOW, UNPLUG, RECHARGE, YOU KNOW.

EVERYBODY'S A LITTLE BEAT UP AND JUST GET EVERYONE BACK -- ALL THE ENERGY AND EVERYTHING BACK UNDERNEATH YA, AND I THINK IT WAS GOOD FOR A LOT OF GUYS.

( whoosh ) >> YEAH, YOU ALWAYS WANT TO HAVE EVERYBODY UP WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING A TEAM LIKE THIS - THEY'RE GOING TO THROW A LOT OF STUFF AT YOU.

YOU HAVE TO BE READY, YOU HAVE TO BE DISCIPLINED, AND THEY GOT SOME GOOD PLAYERS EVERYWHERE AND DEFINITELY A RECEIVER THATTAN BEAT YOU, SO WE'VE GOT TO HAVE EYES ON HIM AND GOT TO COVER WELL, AND TRY TO GET TO THE QUARTERBACK.

( whoosh ) >> THERE'S A SENSE OF PATIENCE WHEN IT COMES TO WHERE THIS PROGRAM IS AND WHERE WE KNOW WE CAN BE, WHERE WE WANT TO BE AND HAVING CONFIDENCE IN THAT.

THE URGENCY CAN'T STOP AND IT WON'T STOP.

WE OBVIOUSLY NEED THIS WIN AND IT'S A HUGE GAME FOR US.

>> LET'S TAKE A QUICK LOOK AROUND THE BIG TEN.

OHIO STATE CRUISES, I MEAN CRUISES, TO ANOTHER WIN THIS WEEK OVER INDIANA 54-7.

ILLINOIS UPSETS NUMBER SEVEN PENN STATE.

IT WAS A WILD, NINE-OVERTIME GAME, ENDING AT 28-18 - THE LONGEST GAME IN THE NCAA HISTORY.

AND, WISCONSIN, AS WE SAID EARLIER, SHUT DOWN A RANKED PURDUE TEAM, 30-13.

LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT THAT TEAM.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU SEE FROM THEM THAT IMPRESS YOU.

DAVID BELL MIGHT BE -- IF HE'S NOT THE BEST WIDE RECEIVER IN THE COUNTRY, HE'S ONE OF THE BEST.

THAT THE FIRST THING YOU CONCENTRATE ON?

>> YEAH, BUT THAT DOESN'T CONCERN ME.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, DEONTAI WILLIAMS BEING BANGED UP, PROBABLY NOT BE ABLE TO PLAY THIS WEEK -- THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A CONCERN, BUT I LIKE THE CHANCES THAT YOU HAVE WHEN YOU'RE BEST DEFENDER'S A CAM TAYLOR-BRITT, YOU KNOW, COULD LINE UP ON HIM.

YOU KNOW, OUR SECONDARY HAS PERFORMED REALLY, REALLY WELL THIS SEASON, SO I LIKE THAT.

AND, I THINK WE'VE HAD SOME SUCCESS GETTING AFTER THE QUARTERBACK AGAINST PURDUE, SO I LIKE OUR ABILITY TO GENERATE A PASS RUSH, TO DISRUPT THAT -- THAT TIMING.

WHOEVER'S BACK THERE AT QUARTERBACK, THEY'VE PLAYED THREE QUARTERBACKS SO FAR THIS YEAR, SO YEAH, I MEAN, HE'S GOT TO HAVE YOUR FULL ATTENTION, BUT I THINK THAT WITH THE STRENGTH OF OUR DEFENSE AND OUR BACK END, I -- I -- I THINK WE CAN -- WE CAN HANDLE BELL AND, YOU KNOW, QUIET HIM DOWN FOR QUITE A BIT.

>> OTHER SIDE OF THE BALL, GEORGE KARLAFTIS, RIGHT?

YOU'VE GOT TO STOP HIM.

THIS IS A GUY WHO HAS AN AMAZING MOTOR.

>> YEAH, YOU TALK ABOUT THEIR DEFENSE, I MEAN, EVERYTHING RUNS THROUGH HIM AND HE COMMANDS SO MUCH RESPECT.

AND, FOR NEBRASKA, THEY'VE SEEN GOOD DEFENSIVE ENDS ALL YEAR - GOOD EDGE RUSHERS - BOYE MOFE AT MINNESOTA, AIDAN HUTCHINSON AT MICHIGAN, AND YOU KNOW, OKLAHOMA HAD A COUPLE THAT GAVE THEM A LOT OF PROBLEMS.

MICHIGAN STATE OBVIOUSLY HAD A COUPLE THAT GAVE THEM A LOT OF PROBLEMS, SO THEY'VE BEEN TESTED.

THEY'VE SEEN GUYS AS GOOD AS KARLAFTIS, HOPEFULLY A WEEK OF RECOVERY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, TURNER CORCORAN WAS RECOVERING ALL YEAR FROM AN INJURY.

MAYBE A WEEK OFF WILL HELP TURNER CORCORAN JUST BE A LITTLE BIT QUICKER OFF THE EDGE THIS WEEK.

>> WE HAD A QUESTION FROM VINCE, IN OMAHA.

HE SAYS, "IF YOU HAVE TWO 300-POUND GUYS LINED UP AGAINST EACH OTHER, IT'S HARD TO MOVE ONE BACKWARDS.

ARE THEY GOING TO START TEACHING THE OFFENSIVE LINE BETTER TECHNIQUE IN TERMS OF CREATING HOLES INSTEAD OF JUST PUSHING?"

I THINK HE'S TALKING MORE ABOUT LEVERAGE AND ALSO THE LOW MAN WINS KIND OF STUFF.

>> YEAH, THAT'S INTER -- I'M NOT THAT PRACTICED.

I DON'T EXACTLY KNOW WHAT GREG AUSTIN IS TRYING TO DO, BUT I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT SOME BIG BOYS NOW.

THEY'RE RECRUITING A LOT OF 6'5", 6'6", 6'7"s -- THE LOW MAN MIGHT NECESSARILY WIN, BUT IT SHIFTS.

A LOT OF WITH WHAT NEBRASKA'S TRYING TO DO IS -- IS VERY TIMING-ORIENTED.

YOU KNOW -- AND, BUT ONE THING THAT WILL ALWAYS WIN IN FOOTBALL IS PHYSICALITY, AND YES, THERE'S SOME TECHNIQUE TO THAT BUT I WOULD LIKE -- BUT I WOULD LIKE TO - YEAH, I THINK THEY COULD WITHOUT A DOUBT GET BETTER.

I MEAN, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO, BUT I THINK IT'S JUST GETTING - I THINK THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO FIND THE PUZZLE PIECES OF THIS OFFENSIVE LINE, RIGHT?

I DON'T THINK BRYCE BENHART IS A TACKLE.

I THINK HE'S MORE OF A GUARD.

WE'VE KIND OF DISCUSSED THAT.

I THINK CORCORAN IS BETTER AT RIGHT TACKLE -- GET PROCHAZKA IN HERE -- YOU'VE GOT TOIND THE RIGHT MIX AND EVEN THROUGH THIS FOURTH YEAR I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE STILL FOUND THE RIGHT MIX OF GUYS SO FAR.

>> A COUPLE QUESTIONS THAT IS SAME, SEAN -- TOM, FROM OMAHA ASKED THE QUESTION AND ANOTHER PERSON ASKED THE QUESTION, I BELIEVE IT WAS - "HUSKER RAD," WHAT HAPPENED TO MARVIN SCOTT.

HE JUST KIND OF DISAPPEARED.

>> I MEAN, UNFORTUNATELY, ONLY ONE GUY CAN PLAY, BUT YEAH, GOING INTO THE YEAR, HE HAD THE MOST CARRIES OF ALL THE RETURNING BACKS, HAD HIS OPPORTUNITIES TO PLAY AT TIMES AS A FRESHMAN, BUT, YEAH, HE JUST FELL OUT OF FAVOR.

I MEAN, THERE'S JUST NO OTHER WAY TO SAY IT.

RAHMIR JOHNSON'S PLAYED REALLY WELL AND, YOU KNOW, YANT HAS KIND OF STEPPED UP AT TIMES.

THEY WANT TO GET SEVION GOING.

>> STEPP HAS NOT STEPPED UP, BY THE WAY.

>> AND STEPP, YES.

STEPP HAS -- I MEAN, HE HAD THE ONE GAME AGAINST FORDHAM WHERE HE KIND OF BULLIED A SMALL TEAM, BUT WE REALLY HAVEN'T SEEN -- WE HAVEN'T SEEN HIM SINCE THE FORDHAM GAME.

>> YEAH.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE NEBRASKA REQUIRE, OBVIOUSLY USING AN H-BACK-TYPE, BUT A FULLBACK FOR NEBRASKA IN THE SITUATIONS?

WE WATCHED IT.

IOWA BROUGHT THEIR FULLBACK OUT AGAINST PURDUE A WHOLE BUNCH.

>> A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT HAVING AN "I" FORMATION.

>> I WOULD BECAUSE I'D -- I MEAN, A REALLY GOOD PLAY IN THE RED ZONE -- I'M TALKING ABOUT THE RED ZONE, IS ALL POWER PASS BECAUSE, I'VE BEEN AN OUTSIDE LINEBACKER AND HAD TO TRY TO DEFEND THAT AND YOU RUN THE POWER, AND THE OUTSIDE LINEBACKER, DEFENSIVE END IS ALL OF A SUDDEN, BOOM, YOU'VE GOT TO SPILL THAT FORCE TO EVERYTHING OUTSIDE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU SEE THAT FULLBACK COME AT YOU AND, BOOM, HE SLIPS OUTSIDE YOU AND HE'S WIDE OPEN FOR A TOUCHDOWN.

>> YEAH.

>> SO, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT WRINKLE.

YEAH, I'M ALWAYS FOR -- I'M AN OLD-SCHOOL GUY -- I KNEW WHAT THE -- I GREW UP IN THE '90's, YOU KNOW, WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE COREY SCHLESLINGERS, JOEL MAKOVICKA - YOU KNOW, WILLIE MILLER BACK THERE, YOU KNOW - BACK THERE.

>> WELL, THAT'S BETTER TWO-WIDE THINKING, YOU CAN GO TO THE --.

>> OH, YEAH, DANE TODD, YOU KNOW, COME ON!

I THINK WE COULD GO THROUGH ALL THIS, BUT YEAH, I THINK THERE'S SOME WRINKLES YOU COULD THROW IN THERE BUT YOU'VE GOT TO PRACTICE IT AND YOU'VE GOT TO IMPLEMENT IT, AND I DON'T THINK THEY WANT TO IMPLEMENT IT YET.

>> SO, A QUESTION WE ASK EVERY WEEK -- WE GET IT EVERY WEEK, SEAN, DO YOU THINK THERE'S A NUMBER ON HOW MANY GAMES NEBRASKA NEEDS TO WIN TO ENSURE THIS COACHING STAFF IS BACK?

>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THAT SIMPLE AND TREV ALBERTS HAS SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, I - OBVIOUSLY, THE SEASON'S NOT GOING HOW PEOPLE WANT IT TO GO AND I THINK IF THEY ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SCOTT FROST INTO YEAR FIVE, I MEAN, TREV WILL -- I THINK TREV WILL SAY THAT AT A CERTAIN POINT HERE, SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

I DON'T THINK -- IF YOU KNOW HE'S GOING TO BE THE GUY, I DON'T THINK YOU WANT TO LET THIS JUST LINGER ALL THE WAY INTO IOWA.

I -- I THINK YOU'VE GOT TO -- YOU KNOW, AND HE MADE SOME COMMENTS ON HIS SHOW TONIGHT, AGAIN -- SOMEWHAT BODES OF CONFIDENCE FOR COACH FROST, BUT THEY'VE GOT TO WIN GAMES AND EVERYBODY KNOWS IT AND EVERYBODY KNOWS THEY'RE CLOSE, BUT WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE WE'RE TIRED OF CLOSE.

>> YEAH.

>> WE WANT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, RESULTS AT THIS POINT.

>> REAL QUICK - A GOOD QUEST FROM FERDIE BY EMAIL: "DOESN'T HEAR A LOT ABOUT SOME OF THE WALK-ON PROGRAM GUYS.

IS THERE ANYBODY YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT THAT MAY BE UP AND COMING WALK-ON PERSON?"

>> THERE'S A COUPLE - I MEAN, THERE'S ALWAYS A COUPLE.

I MEAN, THE KID FROM PREP LAST YEAR -- HIS BROTHER'S ON -- BULLOCK, YOU KNOW, HE'S A -- THERE ARE TWO BULLOCK BROTHERS - BOTH ARE WALK-ONS IN THE PROGRAM.

THERE'S SOME -- OBVIOUSLY, THE KICKERS ARE RIGHT IN THE MIX RIGHT NOW, BUT IT TAKES TIME.

I MEAN, IT TAKES TWO, THREE YEARS FOR A LOT OF THESE WALK-ONS TO GET TO THAT POINT AND BOERKIRCHER, LOOK AT HIM, I MEAN, HE'S PLAYED A LITTLE BIT AT TIGHT END.

I MEAN, THERE'S BEEN GUYS THAT CAN FIND THESE LITTLE ROLES ON A TEAM AND YOU HOPE THAT YOU GET THAT LUKE REIMER EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

>> ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO "BURNING QUESTIONS."

YOU'RE UP FIRST, SEAN.

>> MY BURNING QUESTION IS, WHAT WILL THIS TEAM LOOK LIKE WITH REST AND RECOVERY?

WILL IT BE A DIFFERENT TEAM?

OR, WILL THEY COME OUT HUNGRY AND LOOK LIKE A TEAM THAT'S HAD A WEEK OFF?

>> YEAH, NEBRASKA HASN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL UNDER SCOTT FROST COMING AFTER A BYE WEEK.

CAN THEY BE RESTED AND FOCUS AND GET SOME OF THESE THINGS CLEANED UP AND GET THIS THING GOING?

THEY GOT A FOUR-GAME SEASON HERE TO GET THIS THING BACK TO WHERE IT SHOULD BE TO HOPEFULLY PLAY IN A BOWL GAME.

>> YOU'RE BRINGING UP A LOT.

IT'S FINISHING DRIVE RATE.

WE'VE GONE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

TWO THINGS NEBRASKA COULD IMPROVE COMING OFF THE BYE WEEK: SCORING IN THE FIRST QUARTER AND ON THAT FIRST DRIVE, AND THEN FINISHING DRIVES THROUGHOUT THE GAME.

DON'T FORGET TO HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE AND CLICK ON "THE PREDICTION."

JAY AND I WILL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT ON SATURDAY.

THE HUSKERS COME OFF A BYE WEEK, HOPEFULLY RESTORED, RECOVERED AND READY TO TAKE ON THE PURDUE BOILERMAKERS, AT HOME.

KICKOFF IS SCHEDULED FOR 2:30 ON ESPN2.

WE'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH A TRUE RECAP AND BREAKDOWN OF THE GAME WITH OUR SPECIAL GUEST, KETV SPORTS DIRECTOR, ANDY KENDEIGH.

OUR THANKS TO BLAKE LAWRENCE AND GRANT PAGE FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

FOR JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN, I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK ON NEBRASKA'S PUBLIC MEDIA'S "BIG RED WRAP-UP."

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