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Nebraska Offensive Line Shows Marked Improvement in Purdue Win

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Nebraska Offensive Line Shows Marked Improvement in Purdue Win


A week ago, against Illinois, the Huskers’ offensive line had a nightmare night, culminating in a disaster in overtime that fans will never forget.

It was a problem that had to be fixed going forward or Nebraska would not have much hope for a great season. But this past weekend, in the 28–10 victory over Purdue, the offensive line answered some of those questions.

For starters, in this game, the Huskers had 161 rushing yards compared to only 50 for Purdue. They averaged 5 yards per carry, which is up from 1.5 a week ago. The running game could not get going at all against Illinois, but the poor yards-per-carry average was not even the worst part. The Fighting Illini sacked quarterback Dylan Raiola six times for -52 yards. That is not a stat that can usually be overcome, and the Huskers could not overcome it. This week, albeit against an inferior team, they turned that number around.

The Husker O-line only gave up one sack the entire game, and Raiola had a much cleaner pocket to throw from. As a result, he was much more confident and mistake-free than when he was being bombarded from all angles and running for his life. Though the line can certainly play better than this, it was a good recovery performance and a step in the right direction.

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The offensive line also showed its strength in the running game on fourth and goal from the one-yard line. The Huskers handed it to Dante Dowdell for a one-yard rushing touchdown that made a statement about who dominated the game up front.

The way Purdue’s defensive front was flattened, Dowdell could have walked into the endzone instead of diving if he wanted to. That play was a demonstration of how the unit showed improvement after its embarassing showing against Illinois.

Even though it came against Purdue, that improvement is a good start.

MORE: Nebraska Volleyball’s Lexi Rodriguez Claims First Conference Honor of Season

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MORE: Purdue Football’s Ryan Walters Compliments Nebraska Football’s ‘Creative’ Offense

MORE: It’s Rutgers Week for Nebraska Football: Updates from Husker Head Coach Matt Rhule

MORE: QB Grade: Nebraska Football’s Dylan Raiola vs. Purdue

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.

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No. 22 Maryland women’s basketball at Nebraska preview

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No. 22 Maryland women’s basketball at Nebraska preview


Maryland women’s basketball’s road trip got off to an ideal start when it upset Michigan State on the road, ending a four-game losing streak.

The Terps will try and turn that into a winning streak in Lincoln when they visit Nebraska on Saturday afternoon. The game will tip at 2 p.m. EST and be broadcast on Big Ten Plus.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (16-7, 5-7 Big Ten)

Led by ninth-year head coach Amy Williams, Nebraska rattled off 12 straight wins to start its season thanks to a relatively weak non-conference schedule in which it handled business well enough to go undefeated.

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As is common in the Big Ten, once conference play started, it was a different story for the Huskers. They have been a streaky team, capable of handling the conference’s lesser teams but falling against the teams at the top of the standings. Coming into the contest against Maryland, they have lost two straight to No. 9 Ohio State and No. 8 Michigan.

Britt Prince, sophomore guard, 5-foot-11, No. 23 – After an impressive freshman year, in which Prince earned all-conference honors, she has only raised her level during her second season in Lincoln. A dynamic scorer from multiple levels, Prince is averaging 18 points per game — good for ninth in the conference — and will be Maryland’s primary focus. She had 13 points when the Huskers upset Maryland in College Park last year.

Amiah Hargrove, sophomore forward, 6-foot-2, No. 33 – Unlike Prince, Hargrove was not a major contributor her freshman year, coming off the bench and averaging less than five points per game. But she has also taken a massive leap and is now one of the team’s biggest threats. Hargrove averages 13 points and six boards as a game as a stretch forward, giving the team both size and spacing. She shoots 42.6% from beyond the arc.

Callin Hake, senior guard, 5-foot-8, No. 14 – Hake starts in the back court alongside Prince as a veteran do-it-all leader for the Cornhuskers. She averages eight points, almost four assists and over one steal per game. She’s also a threat from 3-point range, where she’s just under 40% on the season.

Causing and avoiding turnovers. Nebraska has a turnover margin above five, putting it in the top 35 nationally in that category. It forces its opponents into over 18 giveaways per game, but perhaps more importantly, averages just 13.7 itself. This could be an advantage against the Terps, who rely on creating offense in transition and can be prone to bunches of turnovers.

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Defense. The Cornhuskers have not been a particularly successful defensive team this season, particularly since the start of conference play. Against the Big Ten, they’ve allowed roughly 77 points per game. Maryland should have exploitable 1-on-1 matchups in Lincoln.

1. Familiar face. Nebraska junior Emily Fisher spent her first two years at Maryland, where she was primarily a reserve guard despite showing flashes of potential. Unfortunately for Fisher, she has had a similar role after transferring to Nebraska, appearing in just 15 games for an average of seven minutes per game.

2. Can Maryland get revenge? Maryland losing by 20 points on its home floor to the Huskers was the low point of its season last year. The Terps get the opportunity to return the favor in Lincoln in a game they need to regain winning momentum.

3. Walker’s usage. Kyndal Walker made a huge impact against Michigan State, scoring 12 points off the bench while starting point guard Addi Mack struggled and went scoreless. It is unlikely Frese would change her starting lineup, but Walker could have an opportunity to seize a larger role against the Huskers.



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Police searching for missing couple find human remains

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Police searching for missing couple find human remains


The Lincoln Police Department on Thursday said it has found human remains in an area of Saunders County where it has been searching for the bodies of a missing couple.

“At this time, LPD cannot confirm the number of individuals or their identities. Investigators are awaiting DNA or dental records to make a positive identification. CSI technicians and investigators remain on scene collecting and processing evidence,” LPD said in an update on social media.

Law enforcement officials were searching an area near Malmo looking for the bodies of Hannah Neville and her husband, Roberto Tanner, who have been missing since early January.

Neville, who was 32 weeks pregnant, was last seen Jan. 15 leaving her home in Stromsburg on her way to see Tanner in Lincoln. Her burning car was found in Lincoln the next day.

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Lincoln Police officials on Monday said they believed that Neville and Tanner were dead, and they arrested Sterling James on suspicion of two counts of first-degree murder, and his wife, Sayde Titus, on suspicion aiding and abetting the killings.

James, who is Tanner’s half brother, was charged Thursday with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of murder of an unborn child in the first degree, and a felony charge of tampering with evidence. Titus was charged with three counts of accessory to murder and tampering with evidence.



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Nebraska Quarterback Commit Trae Taylor Talks Junior Day, Selling Nebraska to Peers

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Nebraska Quarterback Commit Trae Taylor Talks Junior Day, Selling Nebraska to Peers


It was a busy 48 hours for four-star quarterback commit Trae Taylor, who helped Nebraska football welcome in some of the top offensive players in the country this past weekend.

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With the help of several members of the Huskers’ 2027 class, Nebraska opened its doors to 12 prospects in total. With a clear emphasis on the offensive side of the ball, at least for this past weekend, Taylor had the opportunity to reunite with future teammates while also continuing to build relationships with potential ones as well.

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With several of the nation’s top pass catchers in attendance, the weekend served as a prime opportunity to make lasting impressions and put Nebraska firmly on their radar. Based on Taylor’s perspective, he believes the Huskers’ staff, with his help, was able to do just that.

Here’s the latest coming out of Junior Day, from Taylor’s thoughts on a five-star wide receiver’s first visit to campus, to what it was like being back in Nebraska after announcing his in-state transfer, and his early impressions of the program’s new-look staff.

A major storyline surrounding Taylor for some time has been his willingness and ability to peer recruit. In doing so, he’s not only helped set a standard for what Nebraska is looking for at the quarterback position, but he’s also established a blueprint for how quarterbacks across the country can impact recruiting before ever arriving on campus.

Taylor’s helped position Nebraska in the conversation for some of the nation’s most elite offensive talent, and his commitment to the Big Red has prompted those prospects to at least seriously consider the opportunity that Lincoln has to offer. His presence alone has changed how Nebraska is being viewed in certain recruiting circles and inarguably benefits this staff’s pitch to prospects on both sides of the ball.

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Because of this, the Huskers are being made available to recruits they otherwise likely wouldn’t have gotten a chance to close on before Taylor’s decision. That means that the young signal-caller’s interest alone in making top talent around him want to jump on board as well.

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No recent recruit embodies that sentiment more than five-star wideout Kesean Bowman. Ranked as the No. 32 overall recruit in the class and sixth-best pass catcher in the country, Bowman took a visit to Lincoln for the first time this past weekend. While Taylor’s relationship with the 6-foot-2, 175-pound budding star is not new, he’s likely a recruit the Huskers don’t garner much interest from without their quarterbacks’ help.

When asked about how he thought his 7-on-7 teammate viewed his visit to Nebraska, Taylor didn’t shy away from how excited he was. “He was shocked at what Nebraska is,” Taylor said. “I’m just glad he listened to me and gave the Huskers a real chance.  Now we just have to keep building our relationship.”

From the soon-to-be Millard South Patriots’ eyes, he allowed Nebraska to open the door. Now, the pairing of Taylor and the rest of Rhule’s staff will need to close the deal. For now, if social media is any indication, Bowman very well may have had a new school to have entered the mix.

Nebraska also hosted Baron Marshall of Overland Park, KS, as well. Listed at 6-foot-3, 175 pounds, the lengthy pass catcher is ranked the No. 50 overall player in his class. Despite being just a sophomore in high school currently, the Huskers aren’t wasting any time getting Taylor surrounded by top talent regardless of the class. And even though Marshall is listed as a 2028 recruit, the Big Red fully expects Taylor to be at Nebraska for the long haul, giving them reason to aggressively recruit players in classes immediately following his own.

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“I think he really likes Nebraska,” Taylor said. “It will be our job to keep getting Baron around this 2027 class. Our relationship will only get stronger with me being in Lincoln soon, because every time he comes, I’ll be there.  I hope I get to throw to him at camp this summer”.

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With Marshall being a 6-foot-3 pass catcher with room still to grow, it’s not hard to see why Taylor and Nebraska are interested in the recruit. They’ll have to battle the likes of Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and a growing list of other Power Conference schools, but the work Rhule’s staff has done early currently puts them in the lead, per reports from On3.

Another topic we discussed wasn’t about recruiting, his decision to uproot his life for the betterment of Nebraska’s football program, or even playing quarterback at all. Instead, it was about the relationships he’s been able to build with the assistant coaches responsible for recruiting the players protecting him on the offensive line.

 “I actually knew Coach Teasley from my visits to South Carolina,” said Taylor. “What he brings to Nebraska is elite.” While Teasley was named run game coordinator for the Huskers this offseason, Nebraska also hired Geep Wade as offensive line coach. Of the new head man, Taylor also had nothing but good things to say.

“Coach Geep,” Taylor said. ” I actually got to spend some time with him, and I see why linemen want to play for him. [He’s] so easy to be around and has a no B.S. sense about him when it’s time to work.”

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That’s exactly the kind of things you’d like to hear from quarterback recruits, and likely feelings that will only get stronger as their relationship expands over the coming years. Regardless, for now, early reports are positive to say the least.

Quick Hits

*On reconnecting with Antayvious Ellis after publicly announcing the duo will be teammates together at Millard South (NE) next fall, Taylor said, “It was good. Tay and I have a ton of work to do to fit in with the rest of the team and their culture, but we are kids ready to work”.

*On being back in Lincoln for the first time since his transfer announcement, Taylor said, “It was amazing this weekend. I really learned how to navigate the city, hang out with other athletes, and build relationships with them as well.”

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Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.





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