S S THOUGH THE 2021 SEASON HAS ENDED ON THE FIELD, IT WAS AN EVENTFUL WEEK FOR NEBRASKA FOOTBALL.

ADRIAN MARTINEZ ANNOUNCED HIS DECISION TO TRANSFER AND MICKEY JOSEPH OFFICIALLY SIGNED TO RETURN TO NEBRASKA, FILLING ONE OF FOUR OPEN ASSISTANT COACHING POSITIONS ON SCOTT FROST'S STAFF.

WHAT WILL THIS WEEK BRING?

JOIN US AS WE BREAK DOWN ALL THE NEWS, PLUS EXAMINING ALL OF 2021 WITH OUR GUEST, SAM MCKEWON FROM THE OMAHA WORLD-HERALD.

SEAN CALLAHAN WILL ALSO HAVE THE LATEST ON A VERY BUSY RECRUITING WEEK.

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

S S >> HI, EVERYONE, I'M MIKE'L SEVERE AND WELCOME TO "BIG RED WRAP-UP" ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

ON THIS SHOW WE WRAP UP 2021 AND WE GIVE YOU HOPE FOR 2022.

AT LEAST THAT'S THE GOAL.

JOINING US, FORMER HUSKER JAY MOORE, AND SEAN CALLAHAN.

CAN WE GIVE FOLKS -- YOU KNOW WHAT THE HOPE IS?

I'LL START WITH MICKEY JOSEPH, WIDE RECEIVER, ASSISTANT HEAD COACH, AND PAST GAME COORDINATOR, IS THAT HOPE FOR YOU?

>> YEAH, THAT'S HOPE.

THAT'S A GUY I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THAT THEY GOT.

YOU CAN NEVER -- I ALWAYS SAY YOU CAN'T HAVE ENOUGH FORMER GUYS ON THERE AND HE WAS AROUND HERE IN REALLY GOOD TIMES.

AND, I LOVE WHEN YOU CAN BRING IN TIES TO THE SOUTHEAST - RECRUITING AREAS OF LOUISIANA AND EAST TEXAS, AND JUST THAT SEC KIND OF CORRIDOR, AND JUST HAVING THOSE CONNECTIONS THERE BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW IT'S ALL ABOUT RECRUITING, MAN.

YOU WANT TO GET THE GOOD COACHES BUT YOU ALSO HAVE THE TALENT.

TO HAVE HIM COME UP THERE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF BEING AT LSU AND JUST WINNING THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP JUST A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND, I MEAN, HE'S HAD SOME -- HE'S HAD SOME DUDES IN THAT WIDE RECEIVER ROOM WITH HIM DOWN THERE, SO -- HAPPY.

HAPPY TO FINALLY GET A GUY LIKE THAT HERE, BRING BACK HERE TO LINCOLN, AND HOPEFULLY GET THIS GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

>> STARTED HIS CAREER AT OMAHA NORTH AS A RUNNING BACK --.

>> '94, '95, YEAH.

YOU KNOW, ALL THE WAY BACK THEN AND HE'S EARNED HIS COACHING CAREER.

I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT HOW HE GOT TO WHERE HE GOT.

I MEAN, HE TOOK EVERY STEP.

HE WASN'T GIVEN ANYTHING OVER THE COURSE OF HIS CAREER -- TOOK THAT LSU OPPORTUNITY AND REALLY CATAPULTED IT AND, YOU KNOW, HE BRINGS THE RECRUITING CONNECTIONS.

WE'VE ALREADY SAW IT TODAY - MICKEY JOSEPH, SCOTT FROST, AND RON BROWN WERE IN ST. CHARLES, LOUISIANA, IN THE LIVING ROOM WITH THE NUMBER TWO-RANKED RUNNING BACK IN THE COUNTRY.

AND, THAT DOOR WAS OPENED BECAUSE OF HIM.

AND, YOU'RE FROM THAT PART OF THE COUNTRY, MIKE'L -- YOU'VE GOT TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE TO GET AROUND THAT PART OF THE COUNTRY.

>> AND REMEMBER, HIS TWITTER NAME IS "DA BOOT," WHICH IS WHAT WE CALL LOUISIANA BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S SHAPED LIKE A BOOT.

NAW, HE'S AS LOUISIANA, AS I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE, MY JUNIOR -- MY SOPHOMORE YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL, HE PUT SEVEN TOUCHDOWNS ON US AT DE LA SALLE WHEN HE WAS AT SHAW.

HE WAS THE BEST HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER I EVER SEEN IN PERSON, STANDING THERE WATCHING HIM GO UP AND DOWN THE FIELD BUT HE ALSO UNDERSTANDS THAT -- YOU SAID THE LANGUAGE, BUT HE ALSO UNDERSTANDS WHAT THOSE KIDS WANT AND WHAT -- AND, TO TELL THEM --.

>> AND THE PARENTS --.

>> HOW THEY CAN GET, AND WHAT THE PARENTS WANT, AS WELL, SO HE'S VERY GOOD AT THAT, BUT IT'S NOT JUST MICKEY.

IT ALSO LOOKS LIKE A COUPLE COACHING HIRES POSSIBLE.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING, SEAN, IN TERMS OF THINGS THAT MAY BE ANNOUNCED TONIGHT, OR MAYBE EVEN TOMORROW?

>> YEAH, I THINK THERE'S TWO PIECES IN PLAY THAT HAVE PLAYED OUT THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

MARK WHIPPLE AT PITTSBURGH APPEARS TO BE THE GUY FOR THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR.

I MEAN, I THINK THE BALL IS AT THE ONE-YARD LINE.

THEY'RE JUST KIND OF DOTTING THE --.

>> THAT'S NOT GOOD NEWS FOR NEBRASKA BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET IT IN.

>> WELL, EXACTLY.

>> A QUARTERBACK SNEAK, MAYBE?

>> BUT, THE INTERVIEW HAPPENED SUNDAY.

SCOTT FROST FLEW THE PLANE TO PHOENIX AND YOU'RE LIKE, "WAIT A MINUTE, MARK WHIPPLE COACHED IN CHARLOTTE ON SATURDAY NIGHT."

WELL, MARK WHIPPLE KEEPS A RESIDENCE, A PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN THE SCOTTSDALE/PHOENIX AREA, SO THE INTERVIEW ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE AT MARK WHIPPLE'S PLACE ON SUNDAY.

SO, NEBRASKA'S PLANE WENT OUT THERE WITH SCOTT FROST, THEY TALKED ON SUNDAY.

ON MONDAY, I THINK IT WAS KIND OF DECIDED THIS IS THE DIRECTION THEY WANT TO GO.

YOU HAD SOME OTHER GUYS IN PLAY LIKE GRAHAM HARRELL, ROBERT ANAE FROM VIRGINIA, BUT THIS WAS THE GUY AND TODAY, THIS MORNING, THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS STARTED AND IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING AROUND LUNCH TIME THERE WAS KIND OF A RECRUITING MEETING AND HE JUST SAID, "HEY, COACH, I'VE GOT TO RESIGN."

>> AND HE RESIGNED IN PITTSBURGH.

>> RESIGNED AT THAT POINT AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE SOME INITIAL "OH, IT WAS HEALTH," NO.

I MEAN, HE RESIGNED BECAUSE OF THE NEBRASKA OPPORTUNITY, SO WE'LL SEE WHERE ALL THIS GOES.

AND THEN, DONOVAN RAIOLA, THE OFFENSIVE LINE COACH - ASSISTANT OFFENSIVE LINE COACH FOR THE CHICAGO BEARS - THAT ONE'S ALL BUT DONE, AS WELL.

SO, I THINK YOU'LL SEE IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS, WHIPPLE AND RAIOLA OFFICIALLY ON THIS STAFF ANNOUNCED.

HE'LL COME IN, OBVIOUSLY, FORMER BIG TEN PLAYER, THE BROTHER OF DOMINIC REALLY HIGHLY REGARDED WITH THE BEARS AND WHAT HE'S ACCOMPLISHED THERE.

TALKED TO A GUY JUST RANDOMLY THAT'S ON THE BEARS STAFF LAST WEEK AND HE SAID HE'S LIKE, "MAN, IF NEBRASKA HIRED THAT GUY," HE GOES, "THAT WOULD BE AN OUTSTANDING HIRE.

HE REALLY IS AS SHARP OF A YOUNG COACH," AND HE BRINGS THAT FIRE AND THAT EDGE THAT YOU WANT TO SEE AT THE COLLEGE GAME.

>> YOU LOOK AT A GUY LIKE DONOVAN AND OBVIOUSLY HE UNDERSTANDS THE CULTURE OF NEBRASKA, BUT HE WAS ALSO A VERY TOUGH OFFENSIVE LINEMAN AT WISCONSIN.

>> YEAH, HE WAS --.

>> YOU DIDN'T WANT TO GO AGAINST HIM.

>> I -- WHEN WE WERE JUST SPEAKING BEFORE WE GOT WITH THE SHOW, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT OUR TIMES -- MY TIMES --.

>> YEP --.

>> AND, DONOVAN WAS THE CENTER FOR A COUPLE YEARS.

A REALLY GOOD GUY, YOU KNOW, AND HE NEVER LET ME FORGET ABOUT ALL THE BEATINGS WISCONSIN GAVE NEBRASKA THAT -- BUT, HE HAS THAT RAIOLA EDGE TO HIM.

HE IS GOING TO MAKE THESE GUYS PLAY TOUGH.

IF THIS COMES TO FRUITION, HE'S GOING TO MAKE THEM TOUGH AND HAVE SOME ATTITUDE AND, DOES IT HELP - YOU KNOW, AGAIN ANOTHER CONNECTION TO HAWAII, AND WITH THE TONGAN/SAMOAN-TYPE OF CONNECTIONS THERE, WE'VE SEEN SOME BIG BOYS COME OUT THERE THAT CAN PLAY SOME FOOTBALL.

SO, I MEAN, IF THAT'S GOING TO BE THE HIRE, IT'S A GOOD ONE, IN MY OPINION.

I JUST WANT -- I WANT SOMEONE TO BRING SOME EDGE AND NASTINESS BACK TO THIS OFFENSIVE LINE AND I THINK DONOVAN WOULD DEFINITELY BRING THAT.

>> I THINK IT'S THREE PRETTY GOOD HIRES.

LOTS TO TALK ABOUT AS THE SEASON HAS ENDED BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE YOU HELP US WITH THE DISCUSSIONS.

GIVE US A CALL TONIGHT AND SHARE YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.

THE GUYS FROM PHI KAPPA THETA ARE RIGHT THERE ENJOYING SOME VALENTINO'S AS THEY WAIT FOR YOUR CALLS.

DON'T MAKE THEM WAIT TOO LONG.

OUR SPORTS INTERN, ALEX, IS HERE AS WELL.

HE'S MONITORING EVERYTHING.

YOU CAN ALSO REACH OUT BY EMAILING OR TEXTING TO BIGRED@NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG OUR EYES ARE PEELED ON SOCIAL MEDIA THIS EVENING.

CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER AND WE'LL GET AS MANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS ON AIR AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

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

IT'S THE BIG QUESTION OUT THERE: "WHO WILL BE THE STARTING QUARTERBACK IN 2022, WITH ADRIAN MARTINEZ LEAVING?

WILL IT BE LOGAN SMOTHERS?

ANOTHER QUARTERBACK THAT'S ON THE ROSTER -- MATT MASKER, OR HEINRICH HAARBERG, OR, A TRANSFER ADDITION?"

RIGHT NOW, 64% OF THE PEOPLE ARE PREDICTING THAT IT WILL BE A TRANSFER ADDITION, STARTING THAT SEASON OFF IN IRELAND HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE NOW TO VOTE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, SEAN?

I KNOW IT'S UP IN THE AIR - IT'S A HARD QUESTION TO ASK.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> THE TRANSFER THING INTRIGUES ME RIGHT NOW AND WHERE THAT GOES.

THERE'S AN AKRON GUY COMING IN NOW.

I JUST TEXTED WITH HIM BEFORE THE SHOW.

HE'LL BE COMING IN THIS WEEKEND AND I STILL THINK THERE'S SOME OTHER TRANSFER LINES IN THE WATER -- WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE, KIND OF, WHAT DIRECTION ALL OF THAT GOES.

I'M ALSO INTRIGUED ABOUT HEINRICH HAARBERG.

PEOPLE FORGET ABOUT HIM, BUT I'VE GOT TO THINK MARK WHIPPLE, WHEN HE SEES HIM, AND THE TOOLS THAT THIS KID HAS, HE'S GOING TO BE REALLY EXCITED TO WORK WITH HIM.

LOGAN SMOTHERS, YOU KNOW, SPRING FOOTBALL ALL OF A SUDDEN, TO ME, IS A LOT MORE INTERESTING.

I THINK, AFTER THE IOWA GAME, LIKE "GEE," BUT NOW YOU'RE LIKE, "ALL RIGHT - YOU KNOW WHAT - I'M REALLY INTRIGUED TO SEE WHAT NEBRASKA LOOKS LIKE" AND WE KNOW THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SHOW ANYTHING IN TERMS OF, LIKE, TV AND WHAT THEY DO, BUT JUST TO KIND OF SEE A NEW GUY RUNNING THE OFFENSE FOR SCOTT FROST THAT HE CAN TRULY TRUST WILL BE FUN TO WATCH.

>> YEAH, THIS IS NOT A PERFECT COMP, BUT HEINRICH HAARBERG, HIS SIZE, HIS WEIGHT -- I DON'T -- BEN ROETHLISBERGER - I MEAN, THAT WAS A GUY THAT WHIPPLE WORKED WITH AS A ROOKIE HIS FIRST COUPLE YEARS IN THE LEAGUE AND HAARBERG CAN MOVE LIKE THAT.

HE'S GOT A BIG ARM.

YOU COULD SEE THAT POTENTIAL, AT LEAST.

AND, CERTAINLY, KENNY PICKETT, DEFINITELY, YEAH.

>> WITH - WITH THE PITT, YEAH.

>> YEAH, HAARBERG MAY RUN A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN PICKETT.

>> YEAH.

MAYBE A LITTLE BIGGER --.

>> YEAH, I THINK HE IS.

>> MORE OF A HERBERT TYPE --.

>> YEAH, MORE OF YOUR JUSTIN HERBERT --.

>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD COMPARISON.

YEAH, MAN, IT'S GOING TO BE -- WITH EVERYTHING COMING TO A HEAD NOW, IT'S JUST - THE WHIPPLE HIRE, TO ME, IS AN INTERESTING ONE JUST BECAUSE OF HIS EXPERIENCE.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK --.

>> DONE EVERYTHING, SEEN EVERYBODY --.

>> YOU LOOK AT THE MAJORITY OF THE COACHES ON FROST'S STAFF, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN IN COACHING VERY -- AS LONG.

YOU COME WITH HIM AND IT'S LIKE, "HEY, IF YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO GIVE THE KEYS OVER TO THE CAR AND LET SCOTT TRULY BE THE CEO-TYPE OF ROLE, IT'S LIKE, I WANT TO HAVE SOMEONE I CAN ABSOLUTELY TRUST WHO'S HAD, YOU KNOW, WHO HAS SOME SKIN IN THE GAME AND HAS BEEN IN IT FOR A LONG TIME AND OBVIOUSLY YOU SAW THE LIST OF WHERE WHIPPLE HAS BEEN, FROM COLLEGE AND NFL, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN DEFINITELY TRUST HIM.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS I KNOW WHIPPLE'S EXCITED ABOUT IS GETTING THE CHANCE TO LEARN FROM SCOTT FROST, AS WELL, BECAUSE HE'S LIKE "I WANT TO LEARN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU KNOW" AND, SCOTT'S LIKE, "I WANT TO LEARN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU KNOW" SO, IT WILL BE FUN TO SEE THEM KIND OF PUT THEIR BRAINS TOGETHER AND TRY TO MERGE WHAT THEY THINK IS GOING TO WORK AT NEBRASKA.

>> YEAH, IF YOU GO INTO THE BIG PLAY GRAPHIC ON CB METRICS, TOP TWO TEAMS MOST OF THE YEAR, PITTSBURG WAS UP THERE WITH TOP 20-YARD PASSES, NEBRASKA WAS UP THERE WITH TOP 20-YARD PASSES, SO TWO OFFENSES THAT HAVE VERY SIMILAR BIG PLAYS.

DID IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY, BUT VERY SIMILAR BIG-PLAY OFFENSES, SO THAT CERTAINLY FITS FOR.

IN TERMS OF THE LEGACY OF ADRIAN MARTINEZ BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR DOWN THE ROAD, LOGAN SMOTHERS OBVIOUSLY IS KIND OF WAITING IN THE WINGS, BUT WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO REMEMBER MOST ABOUT ADRIAN AFTER HIS FOUR YEARS?

>> JUST HIS TOUGHNESS AND THE CLASS THAT HE CARRIED HIMSELF WITH.

WHAT MADE 39 OR 38 STARTS, AND HE NEVER MISSED A MONDAY PRESS CONFERENCE, NEVER MISSED A POST-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE AND OBVIOUSLY THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF POSITIVE POST-GAME PRESS CONFERENCES OVER HIS CAREER.

SO, HE ALWAYS TREATED EVERYBODY WITH CLASS, WITH RESPECT, AND YOU KNOW, YOU THINK ABOUT THIS YEAR, HE BROKE HIS JAW, TURNED HIS ANKLE, AND DISLOCATED HIS SHOULDER, AND HE PROBABLY MADE ONE OF THE BEST THROWS WE SAW ALL YEAR IN THE FOURTH QUARTER WITH A TORN LABRUM - THAT FOURTH DOWN R.P.O SIDEARM SLING.

SO, YOU KNOW, ADRIAN DID EVERYTHING THE RIGHT WAY AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S TOUGH TO SEE A GUY LEAVE NEBRASKA, BUT HE'LL ALWAYS BE WELCOMED BACK TO NEBRASKA, EVEN THOUGH HOW TOUGH THE ENDING WAS, IN MY OPINION.

>> YOU KNOW, I KNEW THAT PEOPLE -- BECAUSE YOU GUYS KNOW FORMER PLAYERS -- AND YOU SEE ALL THE FORMER PLAYERS, GUYS WHO DIDN'T EVEN PLAY WITH ADRIAN -- THAT WERE TWEETING AT HIM.

YOU SEE TREV ALBERTS, "YOU ARE A TRUE NEBRASKAN."

YOU SEE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY - HE'S MEANT A LOT TO THIS UNIVERSITY.

>> OH, WITHOUT A DOUBT.

YOU KNOW, HE CAME IN HERE PLAYING AS A TRUE FRESHMAN AND THEN CONTRIBUTING RIGHT AWAY AND, YOU KNOW, HE'S DEALT WITH THE INJURIES.

YOU KNOW, YOU PULL UP HIS STATS, I MEAN, HE'S ON THE TOP OF EVERYTHING BUT THE BIGGEST KNOCK IS THAT HE'S NOT AT THE TOP OF THE WINS AND THAT'S -- UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO BE KIND OF HIS TAINTED RECORD FOR HIM BECAUSE HE NEVER HAD A WINNING SEASON IN HIS FOUR YEARS OF BEING THE STARTING QUARTERBACK.

GRANTED THAT YOU HAVE A PANDEMIC YEAR IN THERE WHICH WAS ALL GOOFY FOR EVERYONE BUT, YEAH, HIS ABILITY TO CREATE AND GET OUT OF CHAOS BECAUSE THE OFFENSIVE LINES HE HAD HAS NOT BEEN VERY GOOD BUT HE'S ABLE JUST TO MAKE PLAYS AND BE TOUGH AND LIKE SEAN SAYS, STAND UP AND STAND IN THE FACE OF CRITICISM FOR GOOD AND BAD, AND I JUST WISH IT HAD WORKED OUT BETTER FOR HIM.

IF HE HAD GOT A LITTLE BETTER SPECIAL TEAMS PLAY AND A LITTLE BETTER O-LINE PLAY, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF HELP ON THE EDGES AT THE WIDE RECEIVER POSITION, YOU'RE PROBABLY BE TALKING ABOUT A FEW MORE WINS FOR HIM --.

>> YOU MEAN, KICKER?

>> MAYBE -- YES, YEAH, A KICKER.

>> THAT'S THREE OR FOUR WINS RIGHT THERE.

>> YEAH, YEAH, SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THINGS -- A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT CAME DOWN TO HIM AND PEOPLE WANT TO POINT FINGERS AT HIM, YOU KNOW, IT'S PROBABLY NOT HIS FAULT, YOU KNOW?

BUT, HE TOOK IT LIKE A MAN AND I WISH HIM -- I WISH HIM THE BEST OF LUCK WHETHER IT'S AT CAL OR K-STATE, THE TWO KIND OF FINAL SCHOOLS THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE WHERE HE MIGHT END UP.

>> OR WASHINGTON.

I'LL BE CHEERING FOR HIM WHEREVER HE GOES.

NOT THE ONLY LOSS.

YOU COULD -- DEFENSIVE LINE, D-TRAIN PROBABLY GONE.

DAMION DANIELS GONE.

PHELDARIUS PAYNE GOING INTO THE TRANSFER PORTAL.

>> DEONTRE THOMAS.

>> YEAH, DEONTRE'S A D-TRAIN -- I GAVE NICKNAMES -- MY FAULT.

BUT, IN TERMS OF THAT LOSS, COULD YOU SEE THEM LOOKING TO THE PORTAL TO TRY TO KIND OF TRY TO REPLACE THAT?

>> YEAH, I THINK NEBRASKA AS OF NOW HAS MADE NINE PORTAL OFFERS -- THREE HAVE BEEN OFFENSIVE LINEMEN.

TWO HAVE BEEN TO WIDE RECEIVERS.

THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THE HEAVY EMPHASIS HAVE BEEN AND YOU LOOK AT THE GUYS THEY'VE OFFERED - EVERYONE'S KIND OF OFFERED 'EM.

I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE THESE NINE GUYS THEY'VE OFFERED ALL HAVE TEN POWER-FIVE OR MORE OFFERS.

>> INCLUDING THE TWO GUYS FROM SNOW COLLEGE?

>> WELL, THOSE AREN'T TRANSFER PORTAL GUYS.

>> THOSE ARE JUST JUNIOR COLLEGE GUYS, RIGHT?

>> YEAH, AND THEY'RE COMING IN THIS WEEKEND, SO -- BUT, YEAH, I THINK THAT RIGHT THERE, THOSE TWO GUYS COMING UP THIS WEEKEND AND, YOU KNOW, THE POLYNESIAN CONNECTION ESPECIALLY.

NOW YOU HAVE RAIOLA AND YOU'LL HAVE TUIOTI, SO THERE'S A LOT GOING FOR NEBRASKA WITH THE POLY PIPELINE THERE.

BUT YEAH, THE PHELDARIUS PAYNE ONE, I THINK PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED TO SEE BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SITUATION, IT DIDN'T SURPRISE YOU BECAUSE HE WAS BEHIND CALEB TANNOR AND HE WAS BEHIND GARRETT NELSON, AND HE WANTS TO BE A STARTER.

AND, HE WAS REALLY GOING TO BE A SITUATIONAL GUY AGAIN AND I THINK HE WANTED TO TRY TO GO SOMEWHERE WHERE HE COULD BE THE MAN.

>> LEAVES YOU WITH ONLY ONE EXPERIENCED BACKUP, THOUGH, IN GUNNERSON, RIGHT?

I MEAN, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THOSE BODIES BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE ROTATION.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PLAY TWO GUYS THE WHOLE GAME AT YOUR OUTSIDE LINEBACKER SPOT.

>> YEAH, YOU'VE GOT HAVE -- YOU'VE GOT TO SPELL THEM EVERY NOW AND THEN AND WE SAW BLAISE GUNNERSON, YOU KNOW, THE LAST COUPLE GAMES, WITH JOJO DOMANN BEING DINGED UP AND CALEB TANNOR BEING DINGED UP, AS WELL, SO I LIKED WHAT I SAW FROM HIM, BUT YEAH, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEVELOP SOME DEPTH AND GET SOME GUYS READY DURING SPRING BALL AND FALL CAMP BECAUSE CALEB TANNOR AND GARRETT NELSON ARE -- YOU KNOW, THEY'VE DEFINITELY ELEVATED THEIR PLAY BUT AGAIN, YOU CAN'T RELY ON THOSE GUYS TO STEP OUT THERE AND PLAY 60, 70 SNAPS, 80 SNAPS, EVEN THOUGH MANY GUYS HAVE DONE THAT BEFORE, BUT YOU JUST HAVE THAT -- YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT LUXURY OF AND HAVE TO KNOW THAT, HEY, WE'VE GOT TO DEVELOP SOME GUYS.

AND, I MEAN, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYBODY BEHIND THEM THAT'S TOUGH BECAUSE YOU'RE SKATING ON SOME THIN ICE.

>> SEAN, MAYBE THE BIGGEST LOSS AND IT HASN'T BEEN ANNOUNCED YET, BUT IT'S A POSSIBILITY -- IF CAM JURGENS DECIDES TO GO INTO THE NFL, A GUY WHO'S GOTTEN BETTER EVERY SINGLE YEAR HE'S PLAYED CENTER ON THE NEBRASKA.

THAT'S BE A BIG LOSS.

>> YEAH, IT'S TRENDING IN THE DIRECTION OF HIM NOT COMING BACK, SO WE'LL SEE KIND OF HOW HE WANTS TO GO ABOUT IT.

I KNOW HE WAS SUPPOSED TO GET A GRADE BACK FROM THE NFL ADVISORY BOARD THIS WEEK.

NOW, SIX-YEAR GUYS LIKE DAMION DANIELS, AUSTIN ALLEN, THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE GRADES.

THEY ONLY WILL DO IT FOR UNDERCLASSMEN GUYS LIKE THIS, SO THAT'S THE LUXURY HE HAS, WHERE DANIELS AND ALLEN JUST HAD TO GO OFF HUNCH, OR GENERAL MANAGER FEEDBACK, NEBRASKA MIGHT GIVE, OR WHOEVER THEY TALK TO, BUT THAT WOULD BE A HUGE BLOW.

I COULD SEE, LIKE NOUREDIN NOUILI MOVING TO CENTER.

TRENT HIXSON HAS PLAYED CENTER.

THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF OPTIONS THERE.

PIPER COULD MAYBE BE A CENTER, BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY'VE GOT TO FIGURE THAT OUT WHAT THEY WANT TO DO AT CENTER AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG PART OF RAIOLA'S SPRING AND HE MIGHT HAVE A TRANSFER OR TWO THAT HE BRINGS IN HERE SO STAY TUNED ON THAT.

>> WHAT ABOUT, IN TERMS OF A COUPLE OTHER POSITIONS, LIKE MAYBE ANOTHER VETERAN WIDE RECEIVER.

IS THAT A POSSIBILITY?

AND, THE RUNNING BACK POSITION.

I KNOW THEY'RE TALKING TO SOME YOUNG GUYS BUT WHAT ABOUT SOMEBODY ELSE MIGHT BE ABLE TO COME IN WITH MORE EXPERIENCE?

>> YEAH, THEY'VE MADE TWO TRANSFER PORTAL OFFERS AT RECEIVER, ONE FROM FIU, AND THEY VISITED HIM LAST WEEK AND HE AVERAGED 23 YARDS OF RECEPTION, AND --.

>> WOW, SAMORI TOURE NUMBERS.

>> YEAH, HE HAD 1,000 YARDS RECEIVING SEASON AND THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE THERE -- I THINK HE MIGHT BE COMING IN THIS WEEKEND.

YOU NEVER KNOW, THOUGH.

I MEAN, THESE GUYS HAVE LIKE 20 OFFERS AND EVERYONE WANTS THEM TO COME IN THIS WEEKEND, SO IF YOU GET ONE OF THESE GUYS TO VISIT THIS WEEKEND THAT'S THE LAST WEEKEND YOU CAN HAVE VISITORS -- PRETTY GOOD CHANCE THEY'RE GOING TO SIGN WITH YOU.

AND THEN, THEY OFFERED A NEW MEXICO STATE WIDE RECEIVER, AS WELL, SO THEY'VE TARGETED TWO PORTAL GUYS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE PUT UP NUMBERS AT THE FBS LEVEL AND I FEEL LIKE THAT'S THE TREND.

THEY'RE LOOKING MORE FOR A PRODUCTIVE FCS, OR FBS GUY, VERSUS A FLAME-OUT FOUR AND FIVE-STAR GUY THAT HAS NO STATISTICS OR ANYTHING FROM THE SCHOOL THEY'RE LEAVING.

I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT SEEMS TO BE THE FORMULA.

THERE'S A TACKLE RIGHT NOW FROM FIU IN THE PORTAL, AND HE'S GOT LIKE 25 POWER-FIVE OFFERS ALREADY.

>> WOW.

>> HE WAS THE STARTING LEFT TACKLE FOR BUTCH DAVIS AT FIU.

MYLES FRAZIER, I BELIEVE -- OR IS IT MYLES JONES IS HIS NAME, BUT YEAH, AND - YOU KNOW, IT'S CRAZY.

HE'S GOT THE GRAPHIC HERE, SO NEBRASKA'S OFFERED TYRESE CHAMBERS, THE RECEIVER, SIONE FINAU, THE GUARD, HAS GOT AN OFFER, AND THEN MYLES FRAZIER'S PROBABLY THE HOTTEST NAME IN THE PORTAL RIGHT NOW AND NEBRASKA'S MADE OFFERS TO ALL THREE OF THESE GUYS.

TALK ABOUT FIU - I MEAN, THEY HAD 13 PLAYERS ENTER THE PORTAL.

IT MIGHT BE MORE THAN THAT NOW.

>> IF YOU READ ABOUT FIU, THEY HAD TO GET USED SHOULDER PADS BECAUSE THEIR SHOULDER PADS WERE SO OLD THEY HAD TO GET USED SHOULDER PADS FROM ANOTHER TEAM.

THEY COULDN'T EVEN GET FUNDED - ACCORDING TO BROOKS DAVIS, THEY COULDN'T GET ANYTHING FOR THAT TEAM IT WAS STRUGGLING SO MUCH.

>> GEEZ, THAT'S UNHEARD OF.

SEAN, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, SO FOR THESE TRANSFER PORTAL GUYS, IDEALLY YOU'D WANT THEM TO SIGN EARLY PERIOD SO THEY CAN COME IN AND PARTICIPATE IN THE SPRING BUT IF NOT, IF THEY GO TO THE FEBRUARY SIGNING DATE, THEN THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE UNTIL THE SUMMER.

>> RIGHT.

SO, YEAH, IN MOST, IF NOT ALL CASES, THESE GUYS ARE ALL GOING TO BE HERE BECAUSE WHEREVER THEY PUT THE NAME IN THE PORTAL, THEY'RE GOING TO BE OFF SCHOLARSHIP IN JANUARY.

>> GOTCHA.

>> SO, YOU - I MEAN, YOU WANT TO BE ON THE MONEY.

YOU DON'T WANT TO BE OFF THE MONEY AND OUT OF THE NUTRITION PROGRAM, AND EVERYTHING, SO I THINK ANYBODY THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH NOW ALL PLAN TO BE AT A SCHOOL IN JANUARY.

>> WHAT ABOUT - SO, ONE MORE POSITION -- OBVIOUSLY, RUNNING BACKS COACH.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT BEING RON BROWN?

I MEAN, YOU OBVIOUSLY -- HE'S BEEN -- HE'S BEEN COACHING AT NEBRASKA LONGER THAN ANY OF THESE RECRUITS HAVE BEEN ALIVE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HIM AS MAYBE TAKING OVER THAT JOB?

>> I WOULD - I WOULD BE ALL FOR THAT IDEA, OR THAT PLAN.

AGAIN, GUYS WHO HAVE BEEN HERE AND BEEN HERE WHEN NEBRASKA'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL, THAT'S VERY KEY, IN MY OPINION, TO GETTING THIS PLACE TO GO BACK.

I KNOW WHEN HE WAS THE RUNNING BACK COACH HERE WITH - WITH BO, YOU KNOW - THERE COULD BE TIMES BO HAD TO BACK HIM IN PRACTICE BECAUSE HE WAS PUTTING HIS RUNNING BACKS THROUGH THE RINGER, LIKE, OLD SCHOOL - LIKE, BULL IN THE RING, CRAZY STUFF.

>> AND THE PADS --.

>> OH, YEAH --.

>> EVEN WITH THE PADS.

>> BUT, YOU KNOW WHAT?

THEY -- I THINK THEY NEED THAT STUFF SOMETIMES.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU KNOW, IN MY OPINION, IS -- SOME OF THESE GUYS ARE TOO SOFT AND, YOU KNOW, THAT SHOWS ON THE OFFENSE, SO I THINK THESE GUYS NEED -- NEED THAT TOUGHNESS AND I THINK HE BRINGS THAT IN THE STRONG FIGURE THAT RON -- THAT HE IS - AND I THINK HE CAN PROVIDE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS, BUT I THINK THAT RUNNING BACK ROOM NEEDS SOME MORE TOUGHNESS AS LONG AS THE OFFENSIVE LINE, SO HOPEFULLY HE CAN GET SOME OF THAT GOING THEIR WAY, TOO.

>> YOU THINK THAT'S IN THE - THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?

>> YEAH, I THINK THAT LAST SPOT -- I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH IT?

IS IT GOING TO BE BILL BUSCH AS A SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR?

AND, YOU KNOW, BRINGING IN AN ELITE RECRUITER, OR DOES SCOTT FROST HAVE A HUNCH THAT, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT?

I WANT RON IN THIS ROLE AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO --.

>> TEACH AND DEVELOP.

>> WE'RE GOING TO STICK WITH WHAT WE HAVE WITH MIKE DAWSON AND HAVE AN ANALYST.

IT'S REALLY HARD TO SAY.

I'D LEAN TOWARDS IT BEING THE BILL BUSCH ROUTE, BUT THAT'S NOT WRAPPED UP YET.

THAT'S THE ONE - AND, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A BIG RUSH.

BILL'S IN THE BUILDING RIGHT NOW.

RON BROWN'S IN THE BUILDING RIGHT NOW, SO IT'S NOT LIKE THEY HAVE TO MAKE THIS DECISION THIS WEEK.

WITH RAIOLA AND WHIPPLE, THEY WANT THIS DONE NOW SO THEY CAN GET THESE GUYS IN SOME LIVING ROOMS THIS WEEKEND AND, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE A FINAL PUSH BEFORE SIGNING DAY.

>> REAL QUICK BEFORE WE END THIS SEGMENT, GIVE ME ONE OF THE TRUE HIGHS FROM THIS SEASON ON THE FIELD.

>> ONE OF THE TRUE HIGHS?

>> YEAH.

>> THE MICHIGAN GAME.

I JUST THINK THAT NIGHT, THAT STADIUM --.

>> IT WAS A GREAT ATMOSPHERE.

>> GOING INTO THE FOURTH QUARTER, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND ANYTHING BETTER THAN THAT IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL.

LIKE, JUST THINKING ABOUT THAT THUNDERSTRUCK SCENE WITH THE LIGHTS --.

>> OH, YEAH.

>> THE MICHIGAN PLAYERS COMING OUT.

THEY WERE FRIKKIN' DOWN TO NEBRASKA IN THE FOURTH QUARTER.

>> YEAH.

>> THE TEAM THAT WON THE BIG TEN.

AND, IF IT WASN'T FOR A FUMBLE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN STOPPED FOR PROBABLY FORWARD PROGRESS, NEBRASKA'S DRIVING TO BEAT THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONS.

I MEAN, THEY WERE THAT CLOSE, BUT THEY WERE SO FAR AND THAT -- THAT - THAT IS THAT SEASON IN A NUTSHELL.

I MEAN, THEY HAD THE BIG TEN CHAMPS ON THE ROPES.

>> THERE ARE TWO CROSSING ROUTES THIS SEASON THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HIT, ONE IN THE MICHIGAN GAME AND ONE LATER IN THE SEASON THAT COULD HAVE MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

WHAT'S YOUR HIGH?

>> YEAH, MAN, THAT MICHIGAN -- THAT SCENE IS CLOSE.

I'M GOING TO GO WITH THE NORTHWESTERN GAME.

THEY WERE JUST SO DOMINATING.

>> OH, YEAH.

GOOD JOB.

>> I MEAN, THAT WAS --.

>> I MEAN, I'LL TAKE POINT, YOU KNOW --.

( LAUGHTER ).

>> YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO TRY TO OVERTHINK OR OVER-ANALYZE THAT, BUT I'LL TAKE THE 56-7 WIN BECAUSE THOSE WERE VERY HARD TO COME BY THIS YEAR.

>> NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

I COMPLETELY AGREE.

I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT.

IT WAS THINKING ABOUT TRYING TO EXAMINE ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.

I'M GOING TO GO WITH FORDHAM.

NEXT UP ON THE "BIG RED WRAP-UP" WE'LL BE JOINED BY SAM MCKEWON FROM THE OMAHA WORLD-HERALD TO DISCUSS ALL THE LATEST NEWS COMING FROM THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM AND A MORE OF A RE-EXAMINATION OF THAT 2021 SEASON.

BEFORE THAT, THOUGH, LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW YOU CAN HELP SUPPORT NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA AND PROGRAMS LIKE OURS.

S S >> THANKS, MIKE'L.

I'M NANCY FINKEN AND I'M IN OUR CONTENTS AREA HERE AT NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA AND I'M SO EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH THE "BIG RED WRAP-UP" TEAM TONIGHT.

FROM THE PRE-SEASON SPECIAL TO TONIGHT'S SEASON RECAP, YOU COUNT ON "BIG RED WRAP-UP" EVERY WEEK AND WE'RE COUNTING ON YOU TO SUPPORT HIS PROGRAM.

BECAUSE YOU LOVE "BIG RED WRAP-UP" AND THE SPORTS COVERAGE HERE ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA, PLEASE JOIN OUR SPORTS PARTNERS CLUB RIGHT NOW.

CALL 800-989-8236, OR GO ONLINE TO NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE AND BECOME A MEMBER AND WE'LL THANK YOU WITH ONE OF THESE GIFTS.

AT THE $10 A MONTH LEVEL, WE'LL SEND YOU A "HUSKER CENTURY" THREE-DVD SET.

YOU CAN LEARN AND RE-LIVE CORNHUSKER HISTORY WITH THE "HUSKER CENTURY" THREE-DVD SET.

THIS IS A TRILOGY OF DOCUMENTARIES PRODUCED RIGHT HERE AT OUR STATION DETAILING 100 YEARS OF HUSKER FOOTBALL.

OR, AT THE $10 A MONTH LEVEL, YOU COULD INSTEAD CHOOSE THIS NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA COOLER BAG.

IT'S PERFECT FOR A TAILGATE OR A WATCH PARTY.

IT HOLDS MORE THAN TWO DOZEN CANS, IT ZIPS SHUT, IT HAS A CARRYING HANDLE, OR A DETACHABLE SHOULDER STRAP.

CALL 800-989-3286, OR GO ONLINE TO NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO LOCAL SPORTS COVERAGE THAT MATTERS TO YOU.

YOU WATCH "BIG RED WRAP-UP" EVERY WEEK FOR HIGHLIGHTS, ANALYSIS, RECRUITING UPDATES, AND INTERVIEWS ABOUT HUSKER FOOTBALL.

BUT, OUR SPORTS COVERAGE GOES FAR BEYOND THAT, AS YOU KNOW.

IN FACT, WE PRESENT MORE THAN 200 HOURS OF COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS PROGRAMS EVERY YEAR.

YOU MAYBE WATCHED THIS RECENT COVERAGE OF -- AT MEMORIAL STADIUM FOR OUR NSAA HIGH SCHOOL STATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS.

WE WERE THERE BROADCASTING THAT LIVE FOR YOU, HERE ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA, BECAUSE OF YOU, AND YOU CAN COUNT ON US FOR COVERAGE OF HIGH SCHOOL STATE WRESTLING COMING UP.

THERE'S SWIMMING AND DIVING.

BOWLING AND GIRLS' AND BOYS' STATE BASKETBALL, PLUS SOCCER.

YOU COUNT ON THIS COVERAGE EVERY YEAR.

IT'S A TRADITION AND IT'S POSSIBLE THANKS TO MEMBERS JUST LIKE YOU.

IF YOU'RE ALREADY A MEMBER, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IF YOU'RE NOT YET A MEMBER, RIGHT NOW SUPPORT OUR HUSKER SPORTS COVERAGE AND OUR HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS COVERAGE BY BECOMING A MEMBER.

CALL 800-989-8236, OR ONLINE NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE.

AND, WE'LL THANK YOU AT THE $10 A MONTH LEVEL WITH A THREE-DVD SET.

THIS DVD SET TELLS THE STORY OF THE NEBRASKA FOOTBALL PROGRAM'S FIRST 100 YEARS, FROM BUG-EATERS TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN THREE CHAPTERS.

OR, DONATE AT THAT $10 A MONTH LEVEL AND CHOOSE INSTEAD THIS COOLER.

IT'S A REALLY HANDY COOLER BAG.

IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT FOR TAILGATING OR A WATCH PARTY.

IT HOLDS MORE THAN TWO DOZEN CANS, IT ZIPS SHUT, IT HAS A CARRYING HANDLE, AND AN ATTACHABLE SHOULDER STRAP AND, OF COURSE, THE NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA LOGO RIGHT THERE TO SHOW THAT YOU ARE A PROUD SUPPORTER -- A PROUD MEMBER, AND YOU MADE SPORTS COVERAGE POSSIBLE ON YOUR PUBLIC TELEVISION NETWORK.

THE NUMBER TO CALL, 800-989-8236, OR, N.E.T.

NEBRASKA, OR RATHER, NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE, AND THANK YOU.

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

WE'RE PLEASED TO BE JOINED ON THE SET BY SAM MCKEWON, THE SPORTS EDITOR AT THE OMAHA WORLD-HERALD, AND OF COURSE FINE PODCAST HOST, FROM HUSKER EXTRA, AS WELL.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.

HOW YOU DOIN'?

>> IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE.

DECEMBER, I PICKED THE LAST ONE AND OF COURSE IT'S A NEWSY DAY.

>> YES IT IS.

>> AFTER RECAPPING THE SEASON.

WE'RE LOOKING AHEAD TO 2022.

>> IT WAS A REALLY CRAZY LATE AFTERNOON.

MARK WHIPPLE, WHO HAD BEEN MENTIONED AS A RUMOR ON MONDAY, RESIGNS AT PITT.

YOU START HEARING MORE ABOUT DONOVAN RAIOLA.

ALL THIS STUFF HAPPENING - WHAT'S THE LATEST THAT YOU KNOW.

>> WELL, I THINK THAT'S WHERE IT'S AT RIGHT NOW IS THAT, I WOULD SAY, THAT THEY'RE CLOSE.

THE SOURCES THAT I'VE HAD HAVE SAID, "CLOSE, MOVING THERE, GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO FINALIZE DEALS WITH THESE TWO HIRES."

THAT WILL MAKE, THEN, THREE OF THE FOUR THAT THEY NEED.

MICKEY JOSEPH'S ALREADY ON BOARD.

AND SO, YOU GET THOSE TWO IN AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THAT LAST SPOT, WHETHER YOU WANT TO USE IT ON ANOTHER OFFENSIVE ASSISTANT BECAUSE THEY FIRED FOUR OFFENSIVE ASSISTANTS OR, YOU WANT TO BORROW A GUY LIKE SEAN BECKTON, HAVE HIM COACH MAYBE ANOTHER POSITION, AND THEN USE THAT AS A SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR -- MOVE SOME PEOPLE AROUND - YOU CAN DO THAT.

THAT'S KIND OF WHERE IT'S AT RIGHT NOW AND THEN THERE'S THE RECRUITING PIECE, WHICH HAS BEEN GOING ON.

YOU KNOW, ZACH GIBSON, A TRANSFER QUARTERBACK FROM AKRON COMING THIS WEEKEND.

A KICKER FROM KANSAS, JUST -- YOU KNOW, A POWER -- PREFERRED WALK-ON, COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA, SO IT HAS BEEN A REALLY BUSY SEVEN DAYS AND IT FEELS LIKE NEBRASKA'S GOING TO ROUND THE CORNER AND GET SOME PRETTY GOOD HIRES.

>> SAM, LOOKING AT THAT LAST SPOT, AND WE TALKED ABOUT WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE A SPECIAL TEAMS GUY OR ANOTHER OFFENSIVE ASSISTANT, WHERE DO YOU THINK -- WHERE DO YOU LEAN FOR NEBRASKA?

BECAUSE, YOU LOOK AT NEXT YEAR, A WINNING RECORD IS A NON-NEGOTIABLE TYPE OF THING.

THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN NEXT YEAR.

FOR THEM TO GET THERE, WHERE DOES THAT LAST SPOT NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON TO MAKE SURE TO GET MORE WINS?

>> I WOULD APPORTION IT TO SPECIAL TEAMS.

>> YEAH.

>> I THINK THAT NOT ONLY WOULD I SAY THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE A SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR WHO'S RELATIVELY DEDICATED, I THINK DAWSON KIND OF HAD DOUBLE DUTIES THIS YEAR, BUT I THINK SCOTT FROST IN BECOMING MORE OF THAT CEO GLOBAL HEAD COACH HAS TO ALSO BECOME A LITTLE BIT MORE INVESTED IN THAT MOMENT.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO BRING A GUY LIKE MARK WHIPPLE IN -- LET'S SAY THAT THAT'S THE NAME THAT WE HEAR WHEN IT'S ANNOUNCED.

MARK WHIPPLE CAN RUN THE WHOLE OFFENSE.

HE DOESN'T NEED, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY KIND OF LOOKING OVER HIS SHOULDER.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A GUY THAT WAS A HEAD COACH FOR 21 YEARS, WHO'S BEEN A PLAY-CALLER AT A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT SPOTS, WORKED IN THE NFL.

HE CAN HANDLE THAT.

WHAT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD FOR NEBRASKA IS IF SCOTT FROST IS THAT GUY WHO IS ABLE TO CALL A TIME OUT WHEN IOWA'S GOT THAT FUNKY FORMATION ON THE BLOCK - JUST LIKE JIM HARBAUGH DID ON SATURDAY IN THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP.

THE GAME WAS STILL IN DOUBT, HARBAUGH CALLS A TIME OUT, THEY FIGURE IT OUT, THEY RUN -- YOU KNOW, IF FROST CALLS THE TIME OUT IN THAT MOMENT, IT CHANGES THE WHOLE DYNAMIC OF THAT IOWA GAME AND IT -- I THINK THAT'S WHERE HE'S GOT TO BE LASER-FOCUSED IS ON THE ENTIRE MANAGEMENT OF THE GAME, AND I THINK IF HE INVESTS MORE IN SPECIAL TEAMS, IT'LL GET BETTER REGARDLESS OF HOW GOOD OF A COORDINATOR THEY HAVE.

>> NOT TRYING TO MOVE ANYBODY OUT, BUT AS A GUY WHO PLAYED DEFENSIVE END OUTSIDE LINEBACKER AT DIFFERENT LEVELS, DO YOU NEED TWO LINEBACKER COACHES, OR CAN YOU HAVE ONE LINEBACKER COACH FREEING UP A CHANCE TO HAVE A FULL-TIME SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR?

>> IT'S HARD, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE IN THE 4-3, I WOULD SAY "NO," BECAUSE DEPENDING ON YOUR OVER/UNDER -- I'M NOT GOING TO OVER-ANALYZE THAT, BUT IF YOU'RE IN A 3-4, YOU'RE OUTSIDE GUYS AND YOUR INSIDE GUYS ARE VASTLY DIFFERENT POSITIONS.

>> CAN YOUR OUTSIDE GUYS GET PART OF THE LINE COACHING ROOM?

>> YES.

I WOULD THING YOU'D FIT MORE INTO THAT SCENARIO BECAUSE YOUR COMMUNICATION IS -- I THINK YOU'D HAVE THE SPLIT DUTIES BETWEEN BOTH ROOMS.

I THINK YOU'D HAVE TO SIT IN MEETING TIMES WITH YOUR INSIDE LINEBACKER COACH.

WHEN I WAS AT THE 49ERS, WE RAN THE 3-4, WE HAD AN OUTSIDE GUY - WE HAD AN INSIDE GUY: MIKE SINGLETARY AND JASON TARVER, BUT ALSO OUR D.C. WAS ALSO A LINEBACKERS' COACH, AS WELL, SO WE MET TOGETHER.

BUT ALSO, THE OUTSIDE GUYS WOULD ALSO MEET WITH THE D-LINEMEN BECAUSE YOU'RE WORKING ON PASS RUSH STUFF AND - YOU KNOW, AND COMMUNICATION, BUT IT'S SUCH A HARD DEAL BECAUSE THOSE OUTSIDE GUYS, THEY ARE -- THEY WORK WITH EVERYONE.

THEY'RE WITH THE D-LINE, THEY WORK WITH THE CORNERS AND THE SAFETIES AND THE PASS COVERAGE, INSIDE GUYS.

THEY WORK WITH EVERY SINGLE POSITION, SO IT'S HARD.

I DO THINK YOU NEED TWO GUYS AT THAT -- IN THAT -- IF YOU WANT TO CALL THEM THE LINEBACKER ROOM BUT IF NOT, I THINK YOU COULD MAKE IT WORK WITH A D-LINE COACH.

BUT, YOU'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE THEM AROUND IN MEETINGS IN THE FIRST 30 MINUTES WITH D-LINE, SECOND 30 MINUTES WITH INSIDE LINEBACKERS TO DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, ROUTE-TREE COMBINATIONS AND ALL THIS STUFF, SO IT'S -- IT'S -- THERE'S A LOT OF PUZZLE PIECES.

>> WE TALKED EARLIER TODAY -- I KNOW YOU WEREN'T SURPRISED BY ADRIAN MARTINEZ'S DECISION.

>> NO.

>> AND, I THINK YOU'D BE VERY GOOD AT THIS BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE PROGRAM LONG ENOUGH - HIS LEGACY?

WHERE DOES IT FIT?

NOW THAT IT'S OVER, FOR A GUY WITH ALL THOSE STARTS, ALL THE RECORDS, HOW DO WE REMEMBER ADRIAN MARTINEZ?

>> THERE'S PROBABLY TWO.

SO THE ONE ABOUT ADRIAN IS, GOOD KID THAT EVERYBODY LIKED, WHO DIDN'T QUITE GET IT DONE ON THE FINAL DRIVES OF GAMES.

HE WASN'T QUITE CLUTCH.

AND, I THINK THE NUMBER ONE NARRATIVE THAT I'VE GOTTEN, MIKE'L, OVER THE LAST HOWEVER MANY WEEKS, MONTHS, SINCE FROST FIRED HIS COACHES - WAS, WANT TO SEE FROST BACK, WANT TO SEE HIM WITH A NEW QUARTERBACK.

THAT'S BEEN THE TWO THINGS THAT I'VE HEARD.

FROST, YES.

MARTINEZ WE'VE SEEN ENOUGH.

I THINK THERE'S THE ONE PIECE IS THAT ANYTIME THAT GUY COMES BACK, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO PAT HIM ON THE BACK AND LOVE HIM.

THE SECOND PIECE IS HE'S KIND OF A CAUTIONARY TALE.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LEAN ON A QUARTERBACK TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT HE NOT ONLY BECOMES YOUR BEST RUNNER, BUT HE BECOMES YOUR ONLY BIG PLAY ASSET IN THE RUN GAME, AND YOU DON'T SURROUND HIM WITH ALL THE PIECES.

HE'S A CAUTIONARY TALE BECAUSE IF ADRIAN HAD STAYED HEALTHY AND HE HAD BETTER PIECES AROUND HIM, WE'RE PROBABLY TALKING ABOUT HIM IN A VERY DIFFERENT WAY THAN WE ARE NOW.

WE'RE AT LEAST TALKING ABOUT HIM MAYBE THE WAY THAT WE TALK ABOUT JOE GANZ BUT WITH ADRIAN IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE HE DIDN'T ALWAYS HAVE THOSE PIECES AROUND HIM, SO HE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A CAUTIONARY TALE AND HE'S ALSO A GUY THAT'LL BE WELCOME ANYTIME HE COMES BACK, OBVIOUSLY.

>> KNOWING WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT MARK WHIPPLE BEING THE POTENTIAL OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR, IS NEBRASKA'S QUARTERBACK FOR 2022 CURRENTLY ON THE ROSTER OR DO YOU SEE THAT BEING A TRANSFER PORTAL GUY TAKING THOSE SNAPS IN SPRING BALL AT THE ONES?

>> I'D LOVE TO SEE HIM COME IN AND ASSESS.

I DON'T WANT TO -- YOU KNOW, I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF LOGAN SMOTHERS IS EXACTLY WHAT HE WOULD WANT IN THAT POSITION.

I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT HAARBERG ISN'T.

HAARBERG GOT SOME COLLEGE OFFERS FROM SCHOOLS THAT RUN OFFENSES THAT YOU WOULD DESCRIBE AS SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO PITTSBURG.

MY SENSE IS YOU'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING IN A TRANSFER QUARTERBACK, AND THIS IS PROBABLY THE CLOSEST THEY'VE BEEN TO BILL CALLAHAN, LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, AND -- AND BILL WORKED WITH JOE FOR A YEAR AND THEN THEY BROUGHT IN TAYLOR SO, THEY HAD TO.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE - LIKE, YOU KNEW - AND YOU KNOW THAT VERY WELL.

AND SO THIS, TO ME, IS THE CLOSEST THEY'VE BEEN TO CALLAHAN IN THE SENSE THEY'RE GOING TO BRING IN A GUY WHO CAN THROW THE FOOTBALL AND CAN RUN THE OFFENSE, TOO.

>> YEAH, IT'S FUNNY YOU SAY "THROW THE FOOTBALL," BECAUSE THEY HAD THE SAME AMOUNT OF EXPLOSIVE PLAYS, KIND OF, AS NEBRASKA, IN TERMS OF PASS PLAYS.

A LOT OF IT WAS WIDE RECEIVER-BASED, BUT YOU'VE SEEN WHIPPLE WORK WITH A YOUNG ROETHLISBERGER WHERE THEY PROTECTED HIM A LOT, AND THEN YOU ALSO HIM IN A WIDE-OPEN OFFENSE AT MIAMI AS AN O.C.. WE'VE SEEN IT AT PITT.

DO YOU THINK IT'S A COMPLETE OFFENSIVE OVERHAUL?

ARE WE GOING TO LOOK AT THE OFFENSE AND GO, "I DON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE WHAT THIS IS COMPARED TO 2021?"

>> NO, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A COMPLETE OVERHAUL.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OPTION CONCEPTS ARE GOING TO BE INCORPORATED.

I DON'T KNOW THAT, AGAIN, THAT'S NECESSARILY IF YOU -- I MEAN, WHIPPLE I ASSUME CAN DO ALMOST ANYTHING.

HE COACHED JACORY HARRIS AT MIAMI AND THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A RUN ELEMENT THERE, BUT I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF IT WERE AS A HEAVY OPTION AS IT WAS THIS MOST RECENT YEAR, AND SO I THINK YOU WANT TO TRY TO PROTECT YOUR QUARTERBACK, KEEP HIM UPRIGHT.

I WOULD TEMPER EXPECTATIONS ON TOUCHDOWN PASSES.

YOU NEED THE RECEIVERS TO DO THAT.

I'VE ALREADY WATCHED INTERVIEWS THAT HE'S HAD THIS YEAR ABOUT, "WELL, WHY IS YOUR QUARTERBACK SO MUCH BETTER THIS YEAR?"

AND, THE FIRST THING HE SAID IS, "WELL, WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY DROPS."

AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOUR QUARTERBACK IS --.

>> ESPECIALLY RED ZONE DROPS.

>> -- CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH.

YOU NEED THE PIECES AROUND HIM TO MAKE THE PLAYS AND SO, PICKETT HAS HAD A LOT OF GREAT PLAYERS AROUND HIM THIS YEAR BUT I THINK ONCE YOU GIVE HIM ALL THOSE PIECES, YOU SEE WHAT HE CAN DO AND I THINK -- I THINK NEBRASKA'S PIECES AREN'T BAD.

IF YOU -- IF MICKEY JOSEPH, WHO IS - WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT A TON - COMES IN AND GETS ZAVIER BETTS AND OMAR MANNING GOING, ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'VE GOT BOOKENDS THAT I THINK ARE PRETTY GOOD.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY ABOUT MICKEY, I REMEMBER WHEN JUSTIN JEFFERSON GOT TO LOUISIANA -- GOT TO LSU - HIS BROTHER, JORDAN, WAS THERE.

THAT'S THE ONLY REASON HE WAS THERE, WENT IN THREE-STAR.

AND, SOME COACHES ON THAT STAFF WERE NOT EXCITED ABOUT HIM AND MICKEY'S LIKE, "GIVE HIM A SECOND."

FIRST YEAR WASN'T VERY GOOD.

NOW, HE'S ONE OF THE BEST WIDE RECEIVERS IN THE NFL.

HE'S A DEVELOPER, TOO.

I DON'T TALK -- THEY TALK SO MUCH ABOUT RECRUITING, BUT HE HAS DEVELOPED A LOT OF THOSE GUYS WHO'VE BEEN IN THERE.

>> HE'S THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.

HE GOT THE FIVE-STAR IN JAMAR CHASE THAT OTHER PEOPLE COULDN'T GET --.

>> FLIPPED HIM.

>> AND THEN, CHASE WAS AS GOOD AS ANYBODY THEY'VE EVER HAD.

SIMULTANEOUSLY, THEY DEVELOPED JEFFERSON INTO A QUALITY PLAYER, THEY HAD SLOT RECEIVERS WHO WERE GOOD - EVERY --.

>> TERRACE MARSHALL --.

>> EVERY PIECE ON THAT TEAM WAS REALLY, REALLY GOOD, BUT JOSEPH HAD A LOT TO DO WITH IT AND SO I FEEL LIKE HE CAN COME IN HERE AND HE CAN MAKE THOSE TWO GUYS BETTER AND THEN, I THINK YOU'VE GOT TO FIND AN INSIDE RECEIVER WHO ISN'T SAMORI TOURE, AND TOURE HAD A NICE YEAR -- DON'T GET ME WRONG, BUT YOU NEED A GUY THAT CAN CATCH THE FOOTBALL AND CAN RUN AFTER A CATCH IN A WAY THAT TOURE NECESSARILY CAN'T.

QUICK-THROW GAME, YOU KNOW, SIDE-TO-SIDE STUFF THAT GETS PEOPLE OUT IN THE OPEN.

TOURE WAS GOOD VERTICALLY, BUT IF YOU THREW IT TO HIM AND HE HAD TO TRY TO MAKE TWO OR THREE GUYS MISS ON A QUICK FLARE, THAT DIDN'T GO AS WELL.

THEY NEED TO GET A DEVELOPER, A WILL NIXON OR ALANTE BROWN, TO BECOME THAT PERSON.

>> YEAH, I'D LIKE TO SEE EITHER ONE OF THOSE GUYS DEVELOP.

>> ME, TOO.

>> WE WANT TO SEE THEM ON THE FIELD.

WHAT ABOUT THE DEFENSE?

OBVIOUSLY, MADE PROGRESS THE LAST TWO YEARS IN ALL THE DIFFERENT STATS -- MAYBE NOT AS MUCH WITH SACKS, BUT THEY'RE REBUILDING, RELOADING -- WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THEM IN 2022?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY WERE ONE KIND OF DEFENSE FOR 10 GAMES AND THEY WERE ONE WITHOUT JOJO DOMANN.

>> OH YEAH.

>> AND THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING TO WATCH.

NOW, FORTUNATELY, THEY HAVE A WHOLE OFF-SEASON WITH ISAAC GIFFORD.

THEY GET JAVIN WRIGHT BACK, PRESUMABLY, FROM INJURY.

THEY NEED TO GET HIM BETTER.

THEY NEED TO MAKE THAT POSITION STRONG WITH JOJO GOING.

AND THEN, THEY'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY -- THEY HAVE A GREAT SYSTEM OF CARRYING PASS ROUTES DEEP.

I MEAN, THEY DON'T GIVE UP MUCH DEEP, AND I STILL DON'T THINK THEY WILL.

THE QUESTION IS RUN DEFENSE.

CAN THEY SLOW THE RUN DOWN?

>> THEY MISSED THE RUN DEFENSE.

ONE GUY THAT I HAD HIGH HOPES -- HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS PAST YEAR, SAW HIM AT TIMES, BUT HE NEEDS TO BE MORE CONSISTENT, TY ROBINSON.

>> HE'S GOT TO PLAY LOWER.

>> HE'S WITH -- YOU DON'T HAVE STILLE -- WHAT KIND OF EXPECTATIONS -- AND, YOU NEED TO HAVE THE PRESSURE PUT ON HIM TO BUMP IT UP AN EXTRA YEAR NEXT YEAR.

>> I THINK -- I THINK THE EXPECTATIONS ARE REALLY HIGH AND I THINK TY IS A REALLY SHARP KID AND I THINK HE KIND OF PUTS A LITTLE BIT OF PRESSURE ON HIMSELF, AND SO I THINK PART OF IT IS HE NEEDS TO PLAY INTO HIS POTENTIAL AND NOT WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE NECESSARILY THE OUTSIDE NOISE.

THEY MAY NOT HAVE A COMPLEMENTARY PIECE.

BEN STILLE, DAMION DANIELS LOOKS LIKE DEONTRE THOMAS IS GONE, TOO, SO THEN IT BECOMES TY ROBINSON, CASEY ROGERS, AND --.

>> CASEY ROGERS HAS POTENTIAL, HEALTHY.

>> YEAH, CASEY'S --.

>> HE DOES.

>> CASEY'S A WORKER.

THAT HELPS.

AND THEN, YOU'VE GOT TO FIND A THIRD GUY IN THERE.

I WOULD -- I WANTED TO ASK YOU THIS IN WATCHING THIS SHOW.

WHAT DO YOU CALL NEBRASKA'S DEFENSIVE FRONT WHEN IT'S TWO-DOWN LINEMEN, BASICALLY FOUR-OUT -- FOUR LINEBACKERS, JOJO, AND A SECOND -- AND A DEFENSIVE --.

>> THAT'S A GOOD --.

>> WHAT DO YOU CALL IT?

>> THAT'S A GOOD -- IT'S TECHNICALLY -- YOU KNOW, IT'S CALLED, LIKE THAT'S THE BILL BELICHICK 3-4, ESSENTIALLY.

THAT'S WHAT YOU KIND OF SEE WITH HIM.

THAT'S A BILL PARCELLS KIND OF 3-4 STYLE WHERE, YOU KNOW --.

>> TWO GUYS COVERING THE GUARDS, RIGHT.

>> YEAH, THE GUARDS, AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR OUTSIDE GUYS.

AND THOSE, YOU CAN KIND OF MOVE 'EM AROUND, TO WHEREAS THE 3-4 I PLAYED IN, THAT'S MORE OF YOUR -- OH, GOSH, IT WAS THE OLD DALLAS COWBOYS' DEFENSE COORDINATOR --.

>> TOM LANDRY --.

>> ( LAUGHS ) WELL, HE WAS ONE OF 'EM, YEAH.

>> HE WAS THE FLEX, YEAH.

>> YEAH - YEAH - GOSH -.

>> WADE PHILLIPS.

>> NOT MORT TILLEY?

>> WADE PHILLIPS, THERE YOU GO -- THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR THAT -- TOO MANY HITS TO THE HEAD.

THAT'S -- YOU HAVE YOUR THREE -- YOUR TRUE NOSE, FOUR TECHNIQUES - ALMOST LIKE A FIVE-MAN FRONT, AND - ESSENTIALLY, AND SO - STILL, IT'S JUST A DIFFERENCE, A TWIST.

THEY'RE DEFINITELY MORE -- I'VE ASKED FROST IN CHINS, YOU KNOW - ARE YOU GUYS - YOU LOOKED LOT LIKE THE PARCELLS, BELICHICK - HE GOES, YEAH, IT'S JUST WHAT HE KNOWS, WHAT HE LEARNED, AND WHAT THEY LIKE TO UTILIZE AGAINST THE --.

>> WISCONSIN.

>> YEAH, CORRECT.

>> COMES DOWN TO ABOUT TO -- THE GUY THEY JUST HIRED DOES -- OUT OF OKLAHOMA STATE -- THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT DEFENSE TO OHIO STATE AND IT'S THAT 2-4, OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT 3-4 THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THEN OHIO STATE'S ABOUT TO RUN IT, TOO.

>> IT'S A "REVERSE EAGLE," IS WHAT IT IS.

IF YOU LOOK AT THIS SEASON OVERALL, 3-9.

YOU HAVE THAT IOWA GAME -- EVERY GAME THAT NEBRASKA HAD A CHANCE, THE FANS SHOWED UP FOR IT.

IT IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE SEASON, WITH THE FANS STILL BEHIND THIS TEAM NOT MATTER HOW BAD IT WAS.

IT WAS REALLY INCREDIBLE SEASON FOR THAT.

>> I THINK THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THE SAME MOVIE AND THEY KEPT FIGURING THERE WAS GOING TO BE A NEW ENDING.

>> A DIFFERENT ENDING, YEAH.

>> AND THERE WASN'T.

YOU KNOW, AND I -- IT SHOCKED ME, TOO.

I KIND OF THOUGHT THEY'D BEAT IOWA AND I THINK THEY WOULD HAVE IF THEY -- IF THEY HAD HANDLED THAT BLOCKED PUNT.

>> YEAH.

WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU -- WHAT WENT WRONG?

LAST QUESTION.

BUT, BEYOND SPECIAL TEAMS, WAS THIS A LEADERSHIP ISSUE?

I MEAN, THAT IS ONE THING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A LOT, TAKING SOME OF THAT PRESSURE OFF OF SCOTT FROST.

IS THAT WHY WE ENDED UP WHERE WE DID THIS SEASON?

>> A LITTLE BIT.

I THINK -- I THINK THE WAY -- TEAMS GOT TO THE POINT, AND THIS IS TRUE OF MANY DEFENSES NOW -- YOU GET - YOU'RE WILLING TO GIVE UP YARDS TO THE 20 AND THEN YOU TIGHTEN UP, AND DEFENSES ARE GETTING SMARTER ABOUT SAYING, "WE'RE WILLING TO GIVE UP A 40-YARD PLAY, BUT WHEN YOU GET IN THE 20, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT AWAY, AND WHEN NEBRASKA GOT INSIDE THE 20, IT BECAME A DIFFERENT OFFENSE.

PART OF MARK WHIPPLE'S JOB - ONE OF THE REASONS MATT LUBICK'S NO LONGER HERE AND MARK WHIPPLE IS, IS TO FIX WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE THE 20, AND IF HE FIXES THAT, NEBRASKA WILL BE A BETTER TEAM.

>> EVERY SINGLE GAME THIS YEAR WAS A REFERENDUM ON THE FUTURE.

THE NEXT ONE'S IN IRELAND.

IS IT, AS WELL?

ARE WE GOING IN THE GAME ONE AGAINST NORTHWESTERN IN A "MUST-WIN" SITUATION?

>> IT'S IN IRELAND, FOR ONE THING -- YEAH.

NORTHWESTERN WAS A BAD TEAM.

THEY WEREN'T - I MEAN, I THINK THEY FINISHED 3-9, AS WELL, BUT THEY WERE A BAD 3-9.

NEBRASKA WAS NOT.

NORTHWESTERN WAS A BAD TEAM AND YOU -- YOU CANNOT GO LOSE THAT GAME.

FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, I WOULDN'T DONE ANY OF THESE, THE WEEK ZEROS, THE IRELANDS, I WOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT.

I THINK IT PUTS YOUR TEAM IN A BAD SPOT BY BRINGING THEM BACK EARLY AND PREPARING IN A SITUATION THAT'S TOUGH.

I THINK THAT HAPPENED AT ILLINOIS, AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH AGAIN THIS YEAR.

IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO PLAY A "MUST-WIN" GAME IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY WHERE YOU PRACTICE IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY FOR A WHOLE WEEK, BASED ON A GAME THAT YOU DECIDED TO HAVE THREE YEARS AGO FOR RECRUITING PURPOSES.

TOUGH, TOUGH SITUATION.

NEBRASKA WILL DO WELL TO WIN IT, BUT THEY CAN'T LOSE IT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

>> YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB, AS ALWAYS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AT THE OMAHA WORLD-HERALD AND, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN ON BEING SPORTS EDITOR.

>> YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT, THANK YOU.

>> WE APPRECIATE YOU, SAM.

AND, OF COURSE, COMING UP NEXT ON THE "WRAP-UP," SEAN WILL JOIN US.

WE'LL HAVE THE LATEST ON - UPDATE ON RECRUITING, BUT FIRST ANOTHER CHANCE TO LEARN HOW TO SUPPORT NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

>> THANKS, MIKE'L, WE ARE BACK FOR A VERY SHORT BREAK FROM "BIG RED WRAP-UP" TO THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND SUPPORTING NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

BECAUSE YOU'RE WATCHING RIGHT NOW, WE ALREADY KNOW YOU'RE A BIG FAN OF "BIG RED WRAP-UP."

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS PROGRAM AND ALL OF OUR SPORTS COVERAGE BY BECOMING A MEMBER OF NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

CALL 800-989-8236, OR GO ONLINE TO NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE, BECOME A MEMBER, RENEW YOUR SUPPORT, GIVE AN ADDITIONAL GIFT AT $10 A MONTH AND YOU COULD HAVE A THREE-DVD SET, SO YOU CAN LEARN AND RE-LIVE CORNHUSKER HISTORY WITH THE "HUSKER CENTURY" THREE-DVD SET.

IT'S A TRILOGY OF DOCUMENTARIES PRODUCED RIGHT HERE AT NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA, DETAILING 100 YEARS OF HUSKER FOOTBALL.

OR, ALSO AT THAT $10 A MONTH LEVEL, YOU COULD CHOOSE INSTEAD OUR COOLER BAG.

IT'S JUST PERFECT FOR TAILGATING, OR A WATCH PARTY.

IT HOLDS MORE THAN TWO DOZEN CANS, IT'S GOT A NICE ZIPPER TO KEEP IT SHUT, AND HAS A CARRYING HANDLE OR A DETACHABLE SHOULDER STRAP.

THE NUMBER TO CALL, 800-989-8326, OR MAKE YOUR $10 A MONTH DONATION ON OUR WEBSITE, NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE.

WE JUST LOVE IT WHEN YOU CALL US WITH QUESTIONS FOR OUR "BIG RED WRAP-UP" ANALYSTS.

TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT, THOUGH TO CALL AND BECOME A MEMBER AT THAT OTHER MEMBER, AS WELL.

WE BRING YOU SPORTS COVERAGE YEAR-ROUND, WHETHER IT'S A TUESDAY NIGHT "BIG RED WRAP-UP" EPISODE, LIVE COVERAGE OF HUSKER VOLLEYBALL, OR ONE OF OUR DOCUMENTARIES.

THIS YEAR, MAYBE YOU SAW "NEBRASKA SPIRIT - GO BIG RED" AND LEARNED ABOUT THE MARCHING BAND AT UNO, THE MASCOTS, THE YELL SQUAD, AND THE DANCE TEAM.

AND, OF COURSE, WHEN THE PANDEMIC CAUSED A FALL SPORTS SHUTDOWN, BE BROUGHT YOU INSIGHT FROM NEBRASKA AND CREIGHTON'S HEAD VOLLEYBALL COACHES AND JORDAN LARSON, FOR A SPECIAL CALLED, "STATE OF VOLLEYBALL."

AND THIS YEAR, WE'RE RECOGNIZING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF TITLE IX, WHICH HAPPENS NEXT SUMMER.

ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF YOUR SUPPORT, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR YOU RIGHT NOW TO CALL IN, $10 A MONTH, OR MAKE THAT $10 A MONTH DONATION ONLINE.

WE'VE GOT "THANK YOU" GIFTS FOR YOU -- THOSE THREE-DVD SETS, "HUSKER CENTURY," OR THAT COOLER BAG AT $10 A MONTH.

IT'S UP TO YOU RIGHT NOW.

PICK UP THE PHONE, CALL 800-989-8236, OR, YOU CAN MAKE THAT PLEDGE AT NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE.

NOW, LET'S GET RIGHT BACK TO "BIG RED WRAP-UP."

WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.

S S >> TIME FOR SOME OF THE BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA OVER THE LAST WEEKEND.

FIRST UP, FROM SATURDAY, AND THE HEART OF HUSKERLAND TWEETED OUT, "MICHIGAN VERSUS IOWA - THE "MOST OF US ARE ONLY HERE BECAUSE NEBRASKA SELF-DESTRUCTED BOWL."

PRETTY FUNNY, AND TRUE IN A LOT OF WAYS.

THAT'S FROM THE BIG-TEN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.

AND THEN, ALSO, THIS MEME, "WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO IN NEBRASKA NOW THAT FOOTBALL IS OVER?"

AND, THE ANSWER ALWAYS IS TO TALK MORE ABOUT HOW THE WEATHER CHANGES, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO HERE IN NEBRASKA, OF COURSE.

AND THE HEIGHT OF CORN, OF COURSE, DURING THE SUMMER.

WELCOME BACK - THANKS FOR JOINING US ON THE "WRAP-UP," JOINED BY SEAN CALLAHAN.

LOTS OF RECRUITING UPDATES, SEAN.

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO START?

>> WHOOF.

WELL, I MEAN, LET'S GIVE A TIMELINE OF WHERE THINGS ARE AT RIGHT NOW.

NEBRASKA, THEIR COACHES CAN BE IN LIVING ROOMS UNTIL MIDNIGHT ON SATURDAY AND VISITORS CAN BE ON CAMPUS UNTIL SUNDAY, AND THEN THE QUIET PERIOD STARTS, AND THEN RECRUITS WILL SIGN LETTERS ON WEDNESDAY.

SO, YOU LOOK AT THE CRUNCH TIME WITH THESE NEW HIRES, WITH MICKEY JOSEPH ON THE ROAD RIGHT NOW, ALREADY.

YOU'D HAVE TO THINK THAT MARK WHIPPLE AND DONOVAN RAIOLA, AT MINIMUM, COULD BE INVOLVED IN THE RECRUITING WEEKEND IN LINCOLN, THIS WEEKEND, SO THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS ON THINGS RIGHT NOW FOR NEBRASKA.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE RECENT COMMITS.

BRODIE TAGALOA, A GUY WHO'S SOME WE TALKED ABOUT HIM LAST WEEKEND -- HE ALREADY COMMITTED.

>> LAST WEEK, ON THIS SHOW WE TALKED ABOUT THESE TWO VISITORS COMING IN AND THOUGHT BOTH WOULD COMMIT.

BRODIE TAGALOA COMMITS OUT OF CONCORD DE LA SALLE, CALIFORNIA.

>> GOOD SCHOOL.

>> POWERHOUSE PROGRAM IN SAN FRANCISCO, AND 6'4", 260, PLAYED TIGHT END, BUT HE HAS REALLY GROWN.

>> BIG KID!

>> AND, CAME UP WITH HIS FAMILY AND, YOU KNOW, HE'S GOT A LOT OF RELATIVES THAT - I FEEL LIKE EVERY POLYNESIAN GUY YOU DEAL WITH, THEY ALL HAVE RELATIVES THAT PLAYED HIGH-LEVEL FOOTBALL, AND HE COMES FROM A GREAT FOOTBALL FAMILY, AS WELL.

>> AND MALCOLM HARTZOG, AS WELL, ANOTHER GUY THAT HAS COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA.

>> YEAH, MALCOLM HARTZOG, MISSISSIPPI'S CLASS 3A "MR. FOOTBALL".

>> "MR.

FOOTBALL."

>> HIS TEAM WON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP ON FRIDAY.

THEY PLAYED AT 11:00 A.M. AT HATTIESBURG, AT SOUTHERN MISS'S STADIUM - HE GOT ON A PLANE, GOT TO LINCOLN THAT NIGHT, BASICALLY GAVE HIM A SOFT VERBAL SUNDAY, MADE IT PUBLIC ON SOCIAL MEDIA ON MONDAY, BUT HE'S AN ELECTRIC RETURN SPECIALIST.

I BELIEVE HE HAD CLOSE TO 10 -.

>> ELEVEN.

>> ELEVEN KICKED PUNTS FOR TOUCHDOWNS.

>> TOUCHDOWNS --.

>> AVERAGED 17 YARDS PER CARRY AS A BALL CARRIER --.

>> WOW.

>> BUT, HE WILL PRIMARILY BE A DEFENSIVE BACK FOR ERIK CHINANDER.

DURING THE BYE WEEK IN NOVEMBER, ERIK CHINANDER WENT DOWN THERE, WATCHED HIM, AND THEN THEY KIND OF THOUGHT ABOUT THINGS AND I DON'T THINK THEY WANTED TO MOVE TOO QUICKLY ON THE OFFER BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME AND -- AND, YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE TIME TO MAYBE GET INVOLVED AND I THINK CHINANDER STRATEGICALLY PLACED THE OFFER, GOT THE VISIT, AND NOW HE PLAYS IN THE MISSISSIPPI/ALABAMA ALL-STAR GAME THIS UPCOMING WEEKEND, SO HE'S OFF THE BOARD.

I MEAN, NOBODY ELSE COULD REALLY GET INVOLVED WITH HIM.

>> PRETTY COOL.

LET'S GO TO ONE OF THE 2022 COMMITS, A VERY ELECTRIC KID, AND ASHTON HAYES JOINING US OUT OF RENO, NEVADA.

ASHTON, WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME.

HOW YA DOIN'?

>> I'M GREAT, HOW ARE YOU GUYS?

>> WE'RE DOING REALLY WELL.

KIND OF WRAP YOUR SEASON UP FOR US.

HOW'S IT BEEN?

HOW DID YOU DO?

>> I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE I HAD A PRETTY GOOD SEASON OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO THE STATE GAME AND WE LOST THAT, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I HAD A PRETTY GOOD SEASON RUSHING AND, YOU KNOW, MY FIRST GAME RETURNING, I RETURNED TWO KICKS FOR TOUCHDOWNS AND I GOT INTO THE PASS GAME A LITTLE BIT, SO REALLY JUST UTILIZING SOME OF MY SKILLS, YOU KNOW, THAT I'LL BE ABLE TO USE AT NEBRASKA NEXT YEAR.

>> ASHTON, WE'RE WATCHING SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF YOU.

DESCRIBE TO NEBRASKA FANS WHAT TYPE OF RUNNING BACK YOU ARE.

WHAT IS YOUR SKILL SET?

>> DEFINITELY GOING TO USE MY VISION AND MY SPEED.

I FEEL LIKE I'M VERY EXPLOSIVE AND I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE BIG PLAYS.

>> 5'11, 185, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE YOU AT.

IS THAT ABOUT RIGHT, STILL?

>> UH, YEAH, I'M ACTUALLY PUSHING CLOSER TO 190 NOW AND I PLAN ON COMING INTO NEBRASKA IN THE MID-190'S.

I'M GOING TO TAKE THESE NEXT SIX MONTHS AND JUST LIVE TO EAT AND RUN.

>> OBVIOUSLY, A LOT OF MOVING PARTS AT NEBRASKA, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE PITT'S MARK WHIPPLE, THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR FOR PITT, WILL BE COMING IN.

JUST HOW OPTIMISTIC AND EXCITED ARE YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE CHANGES GOING ON THIS -- WITH WHAT NEBRASKA PLANS TO DO ON OFFENSE WITH SOME OF THESE NEW HIRES THEY'RE BRINGING IN?

>> I MEAN, I'VE ALWAYS -- I'VE ALWAYS HAD MY TRUST IN COACH FROST AND EVERYBODY ELSE ON THE STAFF TO BRING IN GOOD GUYS AND, LIKE YOU SAID, THESE GUYS ARE GOING TO BE GREAT AND I'M JUST EXCITED TO GET THERE.

>> WAS IT TOUGH ON YOU, ASHTON, WITH RYAN HELD GETTING LET GO?

A GUY THAT I'M SURE YOU COMMUNICATED WITH ALMOST EVERY DAY?

>> I MEAN, DEFINITELY.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY A SHOCK TO ME, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE RELATIONSHIP THAT HIM AND COACH FROST HAD, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IS BEST FOR THE PROGRAM IS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, AND LIKE I SAID, I PUT MY TRUST IN COACH FROST AND I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHOEVER HE BRINGS IN.

>> ASHTON, WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR THE REMAINDER OF YOUR SENIOR YEAR?

OBVIOUSLY, YOU'RE GOING TO SIGN WEDNESDAY - WILL YOU BE AN EARLY ENROLLEE?

KIND OF GIVE US AN IDEA OF THE NEXT STEPS FOR YOU TO GET TO NEBRASKA.

>> LIKE I SAID, THE NEXT STEPS IS REALLY JUST GETTING MY BODY READY AND MY MENTAL READY TO START STUDYING THE PLAYBOOK AFTER I SIGN, BUT I UNFORTUNATELY AM NOT GOING TO BE AN EARLY ENROLLEE DUE SOME OF THE TROUBLES WITH MY SCHOOL BECAUSE I TRANSFERRED.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST GOING TO BE WORKING AND READY FOR JUNE.

>> ASHTON, WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME.

>> NO PROBLEM.

>> REALLY IS AN ELECTRIC GUY, WATCHING HIM ON TAPE.

REMINDS YOU A LITTLE BIT, THE WAY HE RUNS, OF ROY HELU, WHO'S BIRTHDAY, BY THE WAY, IS TODAY.

LOOKS TO KIND OF STRAIGHT UP, SNEAKY SPEED --.

>> AND, HIS RECRUITMENT WAS LIKE ROY HELU'S.

NOT - I MEAN, IT DIDN'T HAVE THE HYPE, BUT HE'S FROM A PART OF NEVADA THAT'S NOT VEGAS.

IT'S RENO, AND, YOU KNOW --.

>> THE BIGGEST LITTLE CITY IN AMERICA.

>> AND, HE DOESN'T GET THE SAME HYPE A BISHOP GORMAN GUY IS GOING TO GET, BUT HE WAS THE BEST RUNNING BACK IN NEVADA THE LAST, BASICALLY, THREE YEARS AND HE'S PUT UP BIG NUMBERS.

>> LET'S TALK KICKING BECAUSE PLACE-KICKING HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR NEBRASKA FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

SIGNED A KID FOR -- WELL, GOT A COMMITMENT --.

>> THEY'VE GOT TWO WALK-ON COMMITMENTS, SPENCER PANCRATZ, FROM FURMAN, REALLY NEVER WAS AT FURMAN.

IT'S KIND OF CONFUSING.

YOU KNOW -- IN 2020 -- THE LAST YEAR - NOW, WHAT IS WHERE HE WAS AT THIS LAST YEAR, BUT THEN THEY GOT CHARLIE WEINRICH, TODAY, OUT OF KANSAS CITY --.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND THEN, TOMMY BLEEKRODE, -- TIMMY BLEEKRODE, FROM FURMAN, IS BEING GIVEN A SCHOLARSHIP OFFER.

>> HOW OLD IS HE?

THAT'S THE COACH, RIGHT?

THAT'S NOT THE PLAYER.

>> THAT'S THE KID.

>> OKAY, WOW.

I THINK HE'S NOT A KID.

>> SO, TIMMY BLEEKRODE WAS OFFERED A SCHOLARSHIP, AND THEN THEY'VE GOT LIKE TWO REALLY GOOD WALK-ONS COMING IN TO THE PROGRAM AND SO, THEY'RE NOT MESSING AROUND WITH KICKING.

>> RIGHT-RIGHT.

>> I MEAN, THEY'RE LIKE, "WE'RE GOING TO JUST BRING IN 55 KICKERS AND WHATEVER HAPPENED THESE LAST COUPLE YEARS, WE CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN AGAIN."

>> YOU MENTIONED NEXT WEDNESDAY.

WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW LEADING UP TO EARLY SIGNING DAY?

>> SO, EARLY SIGNING DAY IS WEDNESDAY MORNING.

JUNIOR COLLEGE PLAYERS, HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS, YOU KNOW, THEY WILL SIGN THEIR LETTER OF INTENT.

THEY HAVE A WINDOW THAT RUNS UNTIL FRIDAY, I BELIEVE -- A 48-HOUR WINDOW OR SO THEY CAN SIGN THOSE LETTERS.

NOW, THE TRANSFER PORTAL GUYS, THEY LITERALLY HAVE ALL THE WAY UNTIL THE FIRST DAY OF CLASSES IN JANUARY --.

>> WHICH IS THE 18TH OF --.

>> SO, THERE'S MORE TIME FOR THE PORTAL, SO THE PORTAL ADDITIONS -- THAT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT FOR A MONTH.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND, THE HIGH SCHOOL RECRUITING WILL WRAP UP -- THE JUCO RECRUITING WILL WRAP UP ON WEDNESDAY, AND MAYBE A COUPLE GUYS COULD GO THURSDAY, BUT I THINK 95, IF NOT ALL GUYS WILL SIGN ON WEDNESDAY.

>> YOU GUYS WILL HAVE THAT ALL COVERED.

>> YEAH, IT'S BEEN -- IT'S TUESDAY RIGHT NOW AND FEELS LIKE FRIDAY ALREADY.

>> I UNDERSTAND.

WE APPRECIATE IT, SEAN.

LET'S CHECK ON THE VOTE FOR THIS WEEK'S "SIDELINE SURVEY" QUESTION: "WHO WILL BE THE STARTING QUARTERBACK FOR NEBRASKA WHEN THE SEASON STARTS?"

PERHAPS OVERSEAS AGAINST NORTHWESTERN.

LOGAN SMOTHERS, BEING 39% OF THE VOTE.

ANOTHER QUARTERBACK ON THE ROSTER, LIKE A HEINRICH HAARBERG, 3% AND, TRANSFER ADDITION RIGHT NOW IS WINNING AT 58%.

BE SURE TO GO TO THE "WRAP-UP" WEBSITE AND CAST YOUR VOTE.

WE'VE GOT A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO GET TO, OF COURSE, AND, SEAN, A BIG ONE IS, OF COURSE, THE IDEA OF A PORTAL QUARTERBACK.

THAT'S THE VOTE.

AGAIN, KIND OF REFRESH US A LITTLE BIT ON THE CHANCES OF GETTING A PORTAL QUARTERBACK.

>> THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE ONE --.

>> JUST ONE?

>> ONE FROM AKRON THIS WEEKEND AND WE DON'T KNOW IF HE'S BEEN GIVEN AN OFFER.

HE HAS NOT TWEETED A PUBLIC OFFER.

HE'S COMING IN FOR A VISIT, SO WE'LL SEE.

I STILL BELIEVE THERE WILL BE A HIGHER PROFILE NAME THAT EMERGES FROM THIS PACK, ESPECIALLY WITH WHIPPLE'S HIRE AND TIME NOW TO REALLY LOOK AT IT, BUT THEY ARE GOING TO BE MOVING INTO THE DEAD PERIOD, SO I DON'T BELIEVE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO BRING IN A GUY FOR AN OFFICIAL AFTER THIS WEEKEND.

I THINK THE SAME RULES APPLY FOR THE TRANSFER PORTAL GUYS, SO YOU KNOW, IT WON'T BE THE SAME PROCESS, BUT I DO THINK YOU'LL SEE -- I MEAN, I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THEY TRIED FOR TWO.

I MEAN, NOTHING WOULD SURPRISE ME RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY WANT COMPETITION AND THEY WANT OPTIONS.

>> SAM, OF UP IN IOWA SAYS, "WHY DOES NU ALWAYS HAVE THE TOUGHEST SCHEDULE IN THE BIG TEN WEST?"

IT DOES LIGHTEN UP NEXT YEAR.

YOU DO LOSE OHIO STATE AND YOU LOSE MICHIGAN, RIGHT?

>> IT'S TV RATINGS-DRIVEN.

I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT WHAT THEY DID -- NEBRASKA AND WISCONSIN GOT IN THIS A-TIER GROUP AND NEBRASKA PLAYED A SIX-YEAR CYCLE AGAINST OHIO STATE --.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND, I BELIEVE IT'S A SIX-YEAR CYCLE NOW THAT STARTED THIS YEAR, WITH MICHIGAN.

AND, I THINK WHEN THE BIG TEN LOOKS AT IT, LIKE, IT'S FINANCIALLY DRIVEN.

WE WANT TO HAVE THE BEST WEST TEAMS AND THE BEST EAST TEAMS THAT DRAW PLAYING ONE ANOTHER, AND NEBRASKA DRAWS A LOT BETTER THAN IOWA AND NORTHWESTERN, AND WISCONSIN FOR THAT MATTER A LOT OF TIMES.

AND, FOR NEBRASKA'S STRUGGLES -- AND YOU COULD SPEAK ON THIS, MIKE'L, THEY CONSISTENTLY PROBABLY DRAW BY FAR THE BEST TV RATINGS IN THE WEST.

>> THEY DO, BUT IT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE.

THEY BRING THOSE OUT EVERY MONDAY, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY PLAY IOWA.

THEY ALWAYS PUT A BIG NUMBER AGAINST IOWA.

SPENCER RATTLER HAS NOT BEEN IN LINCOLN, CORRECT?

>> NO, HE HASN'T.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE GAINED TIKTOK FOLLOWERS AND INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS OFF THESE LITTLE VIDEO TRAILERS ABOUT SPENCER RATTLER COMING AND I'M, LIKE, GOOD FOR YOU MAN.

BUT HE HAS NOT BEEN IN LINCOLN.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT.

YEAH, IT'S FUNNY THAT I'VE HAD TO ASK SOME PEOPLE TO DOUBLE-CHECK, BUT THAT'S THE POWER OF THE INTERNET.

>> YEAH, QUICK QUESTION ABOUT WINNING THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.

OBVIOUSLY, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

WHY DO YOU THINK NEBRASKA HAS STRUGGLED SO MUCH THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WINNING THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE?

>> A LITTLE BIT YOUTH UP ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE.

I'M JUST SPEAKING MORE TOWARDS THE OFFENSIVE LINE.

THE DEFENSIVE LINE HAS DEFINITELY KICKED IT UP A NOTCH.

I THINK YOUTH WAS ONE OF THE REASONS.

AND, I DON'T THINK -- THEY DON'T PRACTICE BEING PHYSICAL ENOUGH.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THEIR PRACTICES ARE RUSHED, BEING IN THE MORNING, YOU KNOW, YOU ONLY HAVE SO MUCH TIME TO PRACTICE AND -- BECAUSE THE KIDS HAVE TO GET OFF TO SCHOOL.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GETTING VICE-VERSA, ONCE SCHOOL'S DONE, AND YOU HAVE YOUR PRACTICE, YOU CAN BE THERE FOR A COUPLE EXTRA - YOU KNOW, AN EXTRA HALF HOUR, OR, IF YOU'RE NOT --.

>> GOOD POINT.

>> BUT, THEY ARE -- THEY HAVE TO GET THROUGH PRACTICES SO THAT KIDS CAN GET TO CLASS.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S -- I DON'T THINK THEY -- THEY HAVE TO GET SO MUCH ACCOMPLISHED IN THOSE TWO AND A HALF HOURS, AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY.

>> WE'RE GOING TO WRAP THINGS UP, OF COURSE, AS WE ALWAYS DO, WITH THE BURNING QUESTIONS, BUT, ONE MORE TIME, HERE'S NANCY FINKEN.

>> THANKS SO MUCH, MIKE'L.

AS PART OF THE CONTENT TEAM HERE, I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT SPORTS PROGRAMMING IS TO THE STATE.

YOU CAN HELP US KEEP IT A PRIORITY BY BECOMING A MEMBER, RENEWING YOUR MEMBERSHIP, OR GIVE AN ADDITIONAL GIFT.

CALL OR TEXT THE WORD "DONATE" TO 800-989-8236, OR GO TO OUR WEBSITE, NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE.

WE HAVE SOME FANTASTIC THANK-YOU GIFTS WHEN YOU BECOME A MEMBER.

AT $10 A MONTH, YOU CAN HAVE THE "HUSKER CENTURY" THREE-DVD SET.

YOU CAN LEARN AND RE-LIVE CORNHUSKER HISTORY WITH THIS THREE-DVD SET.

IT'S A TRILOGY OF DOCUMENTARIES THAT WE'VE PRODUCED THAT CHRONICLES THE 100 YEARS OF OUR WONDERFUL HUSKER FOOTBALL PROGRAM.

OR, AT $10 A MONTH, YOU CAN HAVE OUR COOLER BAG.

THIS IS SOMETHING GOING TO COME IN HANDY WHEN YOU'RE TAILGATING, OR GOING TO A PARTY.

IT HOLDS A LOT OF CANS, IT ZIP SHUTS, AND IT HAS A NICE CARRYING HANDLE ON IT.

THE NUMBER TO CALL TO CLAIM EITHER OF THOSE THANK-YOU GIFTS IS 800-989-8236, OR NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/DONATE.

WELL, MIKE'L SEVERE IS HERE WITH ME NOW.

MIKE'L, AGAIN, I TOLD BEFORE THE SHOW STARTED TONIGHT WHAT A FABULOUS JOB YOU'VE DONE ALL YEAR LONG.

IT'S A TOUGH SEASON FOR THE TEAM, A TOUGH SEASON FOR "BIG RED WRAP-UP," BUT YOU AND THE TEAM HERE MADE IT SO INTERESTING.

REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> YEAH, WE DID OUR BEST TO TRY TO ALSO PREACH HOPE A LITTLE BIT, IN TERMS OF ALL THE PAIN THAT WAS HAPPENING, BUT I REALLY THINK A LOT OF FOLKS GOT A LOT OUT OF "BIG RED WRAP-UP," IN RECRUITING AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TALK ABOUT.

HOPEFULLY, 2022 IS TALKING A LOT MORE ABOUT WINS THAN TALKING ABOUT, OBVIOUSLY, JUST HOPE.

>> WELL, YOU'RE A VETERAN SPORTS JOURNALIST AND YOU AND OUR PRODUCER, GAVIN FELIX, YOU GUYS BRING SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO THIS PROGRAM THAN ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S OUT THERE AND I WONDER IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.

WHAT MAKES THIS SHOW DIFFERENT AND SPECIAL?

>> THIS SHOW, AND OVERALL, JUST EVERYTHING THAT WE COVER IN TERMS OF THE VOLLEYBALL AND THE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS, BUT TALKING ABOUT JUST NEBRASKA.

WE REALLY GET DEEP INTO IT, GET INTO THE RECRUITING ASPECT OF IT, GET INTO THE PLAYERS, YOU KNOW - IT'S A SHOW THAT YOU JUST CAN'T FIND ANYWHERE ELSE.

>> AND, WE'RE SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU AND JAY AND SEAN, AND EVERYONE HERE.

BECAUSE YOU'RE A REGULAR VIEWER OF "BIG RED WRAP-UP" AND YOU APPRECIATE THE COVERAGE THIS SEASON, SHOW YOUR SUPPORT RIGHT NOW.

GIVE US A CALL.

BEGIN YOUR MEMBERSHIP, RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP, MAKE AN ADDITIONAL GIFT.

IT'S 800-989-8236.

AT $10 A MONTH, WE HAVE THE "HUSKER CENTURY" THREE-DVD SET.

IT TELLS YOU THE STORY AGAIN AND AGAIN OF OUR 100-YEAR HISTORY OF BEING THE BUG-EATERS TO BEING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS HERE IN NEBRASKA.

OR, AT $10 A MONTH, YOU COULD CHOOSE INSTEAD OUR COOLER BAG.

WE NEED YOU NOW MORE THAN EVER.

CALL NOW AND PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT IN SUPPORT OF SPORTS HERE ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA - 800-989-8236, OR ONLINE, NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG, AND THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

>> LET'S GO STRAIGHT TO OUR BURNING QUESTIONS FOR THE OFF-SEASON.

IT STARTS WITH YOU, SEAN.

>> WELL, HOW MUCH BETTER CAN THEY MAKE THIS ROSTER OVER AN OFF-SEASON?

THAT'S THE TRANSFER PORTAL, THAT'S JUNIOR COLLEGE PLAYERS, THAT'S RECRUITS, THAT'S NEW COACHES.

HOW MUCH BETTER CAN THEY IMPROVE THIS ROSTER, A ROSTER THAT'S OBVIOUSLY LOST A LOT?

>> WHAT'S THIS FINAL HIRE GOING TO BE?

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WHIPPLE, RAIOLA - YOU KNOW, MICKEY JOSEPH.

I'M HOPING IT'S SPECIAL TEAMS.

THAT NEEDS A LOT MORE FOCUS TO GET US OVER THE HUMP AND WIN THESE CLOSE BIG TEN GAMES.

>> TRANSFER PORTAL, TRANSFER PORTAL, TRANSFER PORTAL, TRANSFER PORTAL (LAUGHTER), BRING AS MANY VETERAN GUYS AS YOU CAN AND TO GET EVERYTHING AS YOU CAN, BECAUSE 2022 NEEDS A BUNCH OF WINS.

OF COURSE, WE'VE WRAPPED UP THE 2021 SEASON ON "BIG RED WRAP-UP."

WE'LL TAKE SOME FIRST LOOKS AT THE 2022 WHEN WE LOOK AT 2022, RECRUITING CLASS, COMING UP IN FEBRUARY.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR DOWN FOR A SPECIAL RECRUITING SPECIAL ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3RD, AT 8:00 P.M. CENTRAL.

THAT'S 8:00 P.M. CENTRAL TIME.

MY THANKS TO SAM MCKEWON, ASHTON HAYES FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

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

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

S S CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY CAPTION SOLUTIONS, LLC WWW.CAPTIONSOLUTIONS.COM