Nebraska
Survey shows Nebraska rural youths like their small-town living • Nebraska Examiner
LINCOLN — Five years of data from a student survey coordinated by the Nebraska Community Foundation is in. The consensus: Rural youths like their small-town living.
The foundation on Monday released cumulative results of an annual youth survey conducted since 2020 in partnership with the Center for Public Affairs Research at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Respondents are about 4,000 middle and high school students from 43 schools in cities and towns as small as Diller, population less than 250, and as large as Norfolk, which has nearly 26,000 residents.
Future of rural Nebraska
With a network that stretches across 270 Nebraska communities, foundation officials said the survey was designed to better understand priorities and perspectives of young people growing up in rural areas — and their expectations for the future.
An goal is talent retention, said the survey team.
Brain drain, or educated professionals leaving the state, has been a persistent concern, noted Josie Schafer, who heads CPAR at UNO.
But the exodus of Nebraskans overall from the state, those of all ages and education levels combined, has slowed down, according to the most recent U.S. Census data for 2023. That suggests that perhaps younger people may not be fleeing in the same way and speed as in the past, Schafer said. Specific and updated brain drain census data won’t be available until later this year.
Jeff Yost, president and CEO of the foundation, said he is encouraged by the findings of the rural youth survey.
“In our global society, young people have more options than ever, but because of technology, the opportunities our rural communities present are also abundant,” he said. “These five years of data indicate great promise for the future of our rural hometowns and our state.”
Survey highlights
Key five-year findings reported by the foundation:
- Nearly three-fourths reported no negative stigma with returning or staying in the place they now lived.
- Of the students surveyed, 59% said they were somewhat or extremely likely to live in the area they now live when they are an adult. In 2020, 68% of the students surveyed said they felt connected to the place they lived. The cumulative five-year percentage showed 76% reporting connection to their community.
- When asked about ideal community size, students most often answered “small like my hometown.” In 2020, 47% of those surveyed answered as such, and in the following years that percentage rose, averaging 55% over the five years.
- When asked to rank qualities of an ideal community, students put safety from violence at the top. Good schools and proximity to family followed, in that order, for five straight years.
Schafer said the multi-year trend of the Greater Nebraska Youth Survey shows that, for the most part, “rural youth really love their communities.”
The middle and high schoolers feel positive about what their hometowns have to offer, she said.
However, respondents cited job opportunities elsewhere as the main reason they would not live in their community as an adult.
According to a more extensive 2023 survey, students said they recognized availability of health care and agriculture jobs in their towns, but do not see as much opportunity in other fields of interest such as the arts, recreation, tourism, business management, information technology and media.
That’s when “we worry they might trail off” and look for bigger places with more growth for economic advancement, Schafer said.
“Can we promise brain drain will turn around? I can’t,” she said. “But the kind of energy and passion we see from these youths (who participated in the survey) is a good sign.”
DEI valued by youth
Schafer said the data offers more clarity to rural communities about what they’re doing well and where opportunity exists to keep young people in their midst.
Since the survey was launched in 2020, for example, only 34% of students have agreed with the statement: “I play a role in this community.”
Foundation representatives said their affiliates are seeking ways to better engage youths with decision-making opportunities that could strengthen ties.
The foundation said in a news release that the survey reinforced the importance of inclusion, equity and diversity — “something students say is of great value to the places they choose to live in the future.”
Can we promise brain drain will turn around? I can’t. But the kind of energy and passion we see from these youths is a good sign.
– Josie Schafer, Center for Public Affairs Research
Headquartered in Lincoln, the foundation said that since 1994 it has reinvested $553 million in Nebraska’s people and places.
Carrie Malek-Madani, foundation spokeswoman, said this year’s youth survey was less widespread than prior years but capped a five-year accumulation of data with just over 4,000 respondents. She said organizers view results as solid and received confirmation of trends they saw early on.
Basic key questions remained consistent over the years, though some questions were added as years went on.
Differences arise by gender, race
The foundation last year surveyed nearly 1,000 students and reported that, overall, the group expressed positive sentiments about their communities. Differences were evident, however, when broken down by gender identity, race and ethnicity. Female students, for instance, reported being less likely to live in their current community as adults.
Students of color reported feeling less connected to their communities and were more likely to report having been bullied and having witnessed someone being treated unfairly in the community due to age, race, gender, sexual orientation, physical illness or mental health, the foundation said.
Three-fourths of all students reported they would act to stop unfair treatment, and 60% said they were likely to advocate for diversity and inclusion.
Malek-Madani said that when the survey began, some were surprised at the degree of positive attachment youths felt to their communities.
Conventional thought was that rural youths want to move on to bigger places as soon as they can, she said. “I think there’s been a real shift.”
Malek-Madani said the youths surveyed consistently ranked safety, good schools and proximity to family as aspects of their ideal community.
“Small towns offer those things,” she said.
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As we watch Indiana football destroy whatever is in its path, several Nebraska-related questions.
* Are there lessons Nebraska can learn from Indiana?
* Where does Nebraska stand in this rapidly changing, new-world Big Ten?
Indiana’s football program continues to be one of the great comeback stories in Big Ten history. That’s in football and probably in any sport.
Where did Indiana come from? In two seasons under coach Curt Cignetti, the Hoosiers are 26-2, a remarkable .929 winning percentage. Plus a Big Ten championship.
And one game away from a national championship.
Trying to learn from the Hoosiers
Nebraska and many other college teams should study Indiana’s program in great detail. Teams undoubtedly probe the Hoosiers, watch their tapes, try to glean whatever they can from IU’s amazing success.
When you watch the Hoosiers, they look like a championship team. Their body language exudes confidence, fueled by their accomplishments. In the Hoosiers’ 56-22 CFP semifinal win over Oregon, they looked faster, stronger, more intense.
Indiana was helped by Oregon’s early turnovers but the Hoosiers’ lines looked dominant. Indiana’s defense took apart Oregon, sacking Dante Moore three times and putting relentless pressure on him. It was almost unfair how the normally potent Ducks offense could do so little against the Hoosiers.
Once, that sounded like Ohio State, which might be trying to figure out Indiana this offseason, too.
Let’s face it: Until Cignetti arrived at Indiana, he largely was unknown. He was a career assistant coach until landing head-coaching jobs at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2011-16), Elon (2017-18) and James Madison (2019-23).
He had two outstanding seasons as a head coach at James Madison, going 19-4 in the Sun Belt Conference. There was little indication he would jump into the Big Ten and turn into Knute Rockne.
What in the name of Bobby Knight is going on?
What’s next for Huskers?
If there were a sure-fire formula for Indiana’s level of success, everyone would try it. How to start for the Huskers? Recruiting, transfer-portal prosperity and luck, and the most important factors, both lines and the uncertain quarterback position.
Nebraska allowed 33 sacks this season and with Dylan Raiola at quarterback for eight-plus games, his lack of mobility was glaring. Sacks are drive-killers.
Indiana’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza was sacked 21 times this season but generally, it was a case of him trying to extend plays, not sitting in the pocket holding the ball too long, which was a valid criticism of Raiola.
Nebraska must improve against the rush — emphasize “must”. The Huskers allowed an average of 175.4 yards per game on the ground, 98th in the nation. What in the name of Tom Osborne was going on?
Teams gashed the Huskers on the ground and while Nebraska’s pass defense finished third in the nation at 154.1 yards per game, the run defense at times was brutal.
Another Nebraska problem, and a major one at that: Its red-zone defense ranked next to last in the nation. Opponents has 38 red-zone trips and scored on 37 of them. Incredible, if not impossible. The breakdown: 24 opponent rushing touchdowns, six passing touchdowns and seven field goals.
Look at 2025. Nebraska’s portal players made important contributions but they weren’t season-changing. The Huskers needed players who could influence a game’s outcome, or grab a game by the throat and win it.
Quarterback is an area of great uncertainty for Nebraska. Is TJ Lateef the answer? Someone from the transfer portal?
Look at Indiana. When the Hoosiers brought in Mendoza, who knew he would win the Heisman? He came from the University of California, where he had two nice seasons but gave no indication he would turn into the sport’s best player.
Mendoza stepped in and the Hoosiers followed, knowing what they had in their new quarterback and what it could mean.
Big Ten bullies and where Huskers fit in
The last two national champions are from the Big Ten — Michigan, Ohio State. Indiana is warming up in the bullpen, a win over Miami away from the title.
Skip past Indiana for a second and you have Ohio State — the biggest of the Big Ten bullies. Yet, the Buckeyes haven’t won the Big Ten championship since 2020. Ohio State hasn’t had a losing season since 2011. The Buckeyes’ record since 2011: 165-21 with national titles in 2014 and 2024.
Eight Big Ten teams won at least nine games in 2025. A ninth team, Minnesota, won eight games. Minnesota, which beat up Nebraska in Minneapolis and dropped the Huskers to 5-2, maybe changed the trajectory of Nebraska’s season.
Nebraska (7-6 for the second consecutive season) is one of three B1G teams that won seven games. That’s 11 other Big Ten teams on the same level or having better a better record than the Huskers. And that doesn’t include two four-win teams — Wisconsin and Michigan State — with a history of success. The Badgers and Spartans won’t be dormant for long.
Ohio State and Indiana are the monsters of the midway. Big Ten teams have to deal with these two teams, and Oregon, if they ever hope to rise to the top of the conference. Michigan, Penn State and USC probably will be better next season — they aren’t going away.
That leaves Nebraska slugging it out with Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Washington for a place at the Big Ten big-boy table. And there’s an enormous step up to the elite teams.
Yep, the Big Ten has changed, as has college football itself.
Rhule’s changes
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule did what coaches of underachieving teams normally do — he made significant changes to his coaching staff. He fired offensive line coach Donovan Raiola and replaced him with Geep Wade from Georgia Tech.
He hired a new defensive coordinator. San Diego State’s Rob Aurich replaced John Butler, who was fired. Butler arrived in Lincoln with a ton of NFL experience. Either Butler’s message didn’t get through, or he didn’t have the talent to play his system at this level.
Nebraska also hired Roy Manning to work with the edge rushers. Got to go get the other guys’ quarterbacks.
The lines, more than anything else, are the quickest road to success —some think the only road to success — whether it’s the Big Ten or high school ball. When teams lose the line battles, they usually can kiss the game goodbye. Having a quality quarterback is a given for success but without a strong offensive line, a quarterback is limited.
Savvy football people and fans know this. Glamour positions and skill-position players get the attention. Think about this a second: Nebraska had one of the best running backs in the nation in Emmett Johnson, who gained 1,451 yards on the ground. That total was fourth in the nation and Johnson didn’t play in the bowl game.
And still, the Huskers didn’t dominate many Big Ten defenses. Nebraska was 4-5 in the conference and didn’t beat a Big Ten team with a regular-season winning record — Michigan State (4-8), Maryland (4-8), Northwestern (6-6) and UCLA (3-9).
Nebraska’s final three games looked like a program either in decline, or simply outmanned on the field and on the sideline. Penn State scored 37 points, Iowa scored 40 points, and Utah scored 44 points. In those three games, Nebraska was outscored, 121-48.
These were hugely important games for Nebraska. Going against reeling Penn State looked like an opportunity. Nebraska was long overdue for some payback against rival Iowa. You always want to win a bowl game, and the Las Vegas Bowl offered Nebraska a chance for an improved record over 2024, and the opportunity for a less stressful offseason and a jump start for 2026.
In his postgame news conference after losing to Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl, Rhule looked ahead, as he should. He talked about the coaching changes. He sounded upbeat about the portal. He talked about all of the young guys who played against Utah. To his credit, he didn’t make excuses.
All in all, Rhule talked with some level of optimism about 2026. Did he have any other choice?
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It was a very exciting and high-scoring Saturday in Big Ten basketball. Michigan’s flaws finally caught up to the Wolverines. Their loss to Wisconsin became a source of hope for everyone else in the Big Ten. Nebraska keeps rolling, and the Huskers now look like the top team in the conference, with star Lamar Wilkerson going off in yet another game.
Here are the scores and the rest of my analysis from Saturday night in Big Ten basketball:
No. 10 Nebraska 83-77 vs Indiana
Jamarques Lawrence and Lamar Wilkerson battled in a shootout as both players had career nights. Indiana has been hot this season, almost as hot as Nebraska. Ultimately, the Cornhuskers proved to be battle-tested once more, and Lawrence led the Cornhuskers to overcome a 16-point deficit to secure a big victory. The Cornhuskers continue to be one of the best stories in college basketball, as their win streak moves to 5 in a row in the Big Ten. They are 16-0 overall.
Wisconsin 91-88 vs No. 2 Michigan
Down goes Goliath. Just like I said in one of the last Big Ten reports, no game is a layup. Michigan almost lost its last game to Penn State. Every team the Wolverines face will give them their best, and all they have to do is upset them. The Badgers did exactly that. Nick Boyd and John Blackwell both had 20-point showings and looked like stars. The Badgers entered the second half down 14 points, and just like last game for the Wolverines, another lead was lost. Michigan missed 8 of their last 9 shots, to end the game, which was one of the biggest reasons for the loss of the lead. The Wolverines were not on their game, and for the first time this season, and it cost them big time.
No. 5 Purdue 93-85 vs Penn State
Braden Smith puts together a complete game, flashing his scoring ability and his elite decision-making. The Boilermakers took care of business and handled Penn State exactly like Michigan should have. Penn State’s hot three-point shooting start kept them in this game, but it was the Boilermakers’ insane crowd, insane defense, and stars stepping up that propelled them to an 8-point win.
UCLA 67-55 vs Maryland
Another day, another game where the Terps get outmatched. The Bruins were coming off two losses heading into this game, and they got the exact bounce-back game they needed. While the Bruins were amazing defensively, the Terps still dominated the glass. That makes for trouble for the Bruins against the competent Big Ten teams. Had the Terps been able to buy a bucket, they fairly well could have stolen this game. Instead, the Terps move to 0-5 in the Big Ten. The Terps can’t catch a break early in this season, while the Bruins get the exact break they needed to move forward.
Overview
Michigan does not learn from its last game, and they suffer their first loss of the season. The Badgers get a huge scoring outburst from their two guards, as another guard, Braden Smith, is dominant in an impressive win by Purdue over Penn State. As the Big Ten is continuing to ramp up the dominant newcomer, the Nebraska Cornhuskers are now the leader of the sole undefeated team in the conference.
What’s next
Illinois and Iowa highlight the day with a big-time matchup to start the Sunday slate. Big implications in this game, and whoever wins can really consider themselves a legitimate Big Ten contender. Northwestern and Rutgers will match up after that one, and both teams could desperately use a win to get back on track and build some type of momentum. The final game will be Ohio State and Washington squaring off. The Buckeyes will look to build some consistency before their matchup against Michigan. Bruce Thornton getting hot again would definitely help with that.
New Husker offensive line coach Geep Wade has stayed busy in his first few weeks on the recruiting trail for Nebraska football.
Nebraska extended a scholarship offer Saturday to in-state offensive lineman Barrett Kitrell. The 6-foot-4, 270-pound Class of 2027 interior lineman from Ashland confirmed the offer on social media. Iowa offered him earlier in the week, and he has other Division I offers from South Dakota State, Kansas and Iowa State.
Kitrell has visited a number of schools through his junior season, stopping at South Dakota State, Wyoming, Iowa State, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska.
God is so good! After a great conversation with coach @GeepWade I am blessed to receive my 6th D1 offer from Nebraska! @HuskerFootball @AGBluejayFball pic.twitter.com/h3ciXeG727
— Barrett Kitrell (@BarrettK54) January 10, 2026
Kitrell has family ties to Nebraska football across two generations. His father, Barry, was a fullback for the Huskers from 1984-88. His brother Bo was a Husker fullback and tight end 2014 to 2018.
In addition, Barrett’s brother Blake was a Tulsa wide receiver, while brothers Brett and Bryce played at Ohio, having been recruited by Frank Solich.
Barrett Kitrell is a three-sport athlete for Ashland-Greenwood, competing in football, basketball, and track and field for the Bluejays. He has seen varsity action in all three seasons of his football career, playing in 33 games. The Bluejays have won a playoff game each of the past three seasons, advancing to the Class C1 semifinals this past year.
Kitrell becomes the third offensive line prospect offered by Wade and the Huskers this week, joining Grinnell, Iowa, prospect Will Slagle and 2028 prospect Wyatt VanBoening from Mundelein, Illinois. VanBoening also is the son of a former Husker, Simon VanBoening, a linebacker on the Huskers’ 1997 roster.
The Huskers are aiming for a massive overhaul of their offensive line, starting with replacing Donovan Raiola as the position coach. Wade, who came to Nebraska from Georgia Tech, has been retooling his line in early 2026 with transfer portal additions, bringing in Iowa State’s Brendan Black and South Carolina’s Tree Babalade. Nebraska has seen three linemen choose to exit via the portal: Brian Tapu, Houston Kaahaaina-Torres and Jason Maciejczak.
Kitrell could add athleticism to the offensive line, as he finished second in the Class B discus as a sophomore with a personal-best throw of 172’2 while finishing fourth in the shot put. Kitrell averaged four points and four rebounds per game for the Ashland-Greenwood basketball program as the Bluejays claimed the Class C1 championship in 2025.
Kitrell becomes the 16th interior offensive line offer for Nebraska’s 2027 class. The class is headlined by four-star quarterback Trae Taylor and in-state rising stars Tory Pittman III and Matt Erickson.
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