Nebraska
Nebraska’s Linebacker Dasan McCullough Wants to Take Lessons Learned to NFL
Nebraska senior linebacker Dasan McCullough declared for the NFL Draft earlier this week. He made the surprising decision to play in the Huskers’ bowl game against Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
Many times, players will opt out of bowl games to not risk injury.
McCullough has a different approach. He is attacking the bowl-preparation practices as a training ground for his hoped-for NFL career.
And, he has a more heartfelt reason to play. His dad can watch him play.
“I know it’s [playing in Las Vegas] huge for all of the guys,” McCullough said at a news conference Friday. “It’s even bigger for me being back home so my dad can see my final game. It’s huge for me.
“I was really going to play regardless, but I was just waiting to see who we played against. I think Utah is a great opportunity and a top-15 team, so I’m excited.”
Bowl practices
The Huskers (7-5) are busy preparing to play the 10-2 Utes. Nebraska, with a victory, can finish with a better record than last year’s 7-6 mark. After a disappointing, up-and-down season, that should be strong motivation for the Huskers.
“I’m treating them [bowl practices] like I’m getting ready for the league [NFL], as I am,” said McCullough a 6-foot-5, 235-pounder from Kansas City.
“I’m working on my technique every day. I’m still improving on stuff I got to improve on. And at the end of the day, we still got to end this season on our terms. We feel like we didn’t do that with Iowa and this is a great second opportunity.”
McCullough said he enjoys working with interim defensive coordinator Phil Snow, who replaced John Butler, who was fired after the Iowa game.
“It’s been pretty cool, actually,” McCullough said. “You know, Snow’s already been really involved with our defense, so it hasn’t been like something like crazy, but he’s just more vocal now. But we all love him.”
Head coach Matt Rhule, who comes from a defensive background, also has been involved with defensive drills. So has special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler.
“Yeah, he’s been coaching with me pretty directly and that’s been pretty cool honestly because I’ve known coach Eckler since I was 10 or 11 when he was at Indiana,” McCullough said.
“So, it’s been pretty cool for us just kind of been going through this together. We’ve definitely been having our smiles out there.
“I’d definitely say coach Rhule, I guess as a whole, has the whole D-line very amped up every day. I mean, if you could see it now it looks crazy out there the way the guys are moving around and playing.
“So, it’s definitely that juice that they both brought. Coach Eck as well. He definitely brings a lot of juice.”
McCullough’s season
McCullough played in 10 games this season, starting seven. He missed a game due to injury. He has 21 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks and one pass breakup. He is tied for the Huskers’ lead in sacks and is third in tackles for loss. He was a media choice as an honorable mention All-Big Ten player.
He was asked what happened in the final two games of the season, blowout losses against Penn State and Iowa.
“Just execution,” he said. “That’s all I can really say. Guys not executing right. We got to be more on point with our jobs.”
Nebraska is McCullough’s third school. He started at Indiana and played one season there. He transferred to Oklahoma and played two seasons with the Sooners. He was at Nebraska for one season.
Now, he hopes to play in the league, “on Sundays” as they say.
“I think I showed that I’m really relentless on all levels of the game,” McCullough said. “I give outstanding effort.
“I’m very well at getting off the ball and bending and rushing the passer. I could bring a lot as a stack-backer as well. So, I feel like my versatility is second to none, seriously.”
He was asked what he learned at Nebraska to prepare him for the NFL.
“A lot. Just taught me a lot of discipline, a lot of technique things, too, from a football perspective that coach [Phil] Simpson [assistant coach-outside linebackers] taught me along with coach Rhule that I’ll be taking to the next level,” McCullough said.
“They’ve redefined a lot of my technique as an edge. So, just taking that to the next level and, you know, there’s a little something I learned from all three schools that I feel like are going to help me be complete.”
Portal time
It’s December, so players are exploring the possibility of entering the transfer portal. Since McCullough has transferred twice, other players seek his advice.
“It’s really different now,” McCullough said. “I mean, there’s still a lot of guys who transfer for really good reasons.
“Obviously, as you guys know, when guys hit the portal the main thing now is the money. It’s how much money they can get and stuff like that. But more importantly it’s going somewhere where you have an opportunity to start and play.
“So I guess that’s kind of how I’ve been kind of trying to help the guys. They asked me a lot of questions about the portal since I’ve been through it and I just tell them the same thing.
“If you guys are looking for a perfect location, you’re not going to find one. There’s nowhere, there’s no perfect university out there. That’s why every school has guys enter the portal. It’s about situations for you.
“So I tell the guys that all the time. Definitely don’t make your decisions just based off money. You need to go somewhere where you’ll actually perform and play.
“Yeah, I transferred a lot, but I also played a lot at all three of those places. So, I was just kind of telling the guys that, to have the right mindset if they’re going to make that decision.”
And about those three transfers?
“I think I made the three perfect decisions,” McCullough said. “I think they all fell in line for an exact reason. So, I have no regrets about anything.”
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Nebraska
Nebraska State Patrol troopers find 242 pounds of cocaine during commercial truck inspection
LEXINGTON, Neb. (KOLN) – Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol arrested one person after finding more than 240 pounds of cocaine during a commercial vehicle inspection.
On Tuesday afternoon, an NSP Carrier Enforcement trooper conducted a commercial vehicle inspection on a semi tractor/trailer driven by Arwinderjit Singh, 30, of California, near mile marker 254 on Interstate 80.
During the inspection, the trooper became suspicious of criminal activity. An NSP K-9 detected the odor of a controlled substance inside the cab of the semi, troopers said.
After searching the cab, troopers located 242 pounds of cocaine concealed underneath the sleeper bed, NSP said.

Singh was arrested on suspicion of possession of cocaine, possession with intent to deliver, possession of an open alcohol container, no drug tax stamp and displaying a fictitious license plate.
Singh was lodged in Dawson County Jail, and his bond was set at 10% of $2 million. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 12.
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Copyright 2026 KOLN. All rights reserved.
Nebraska
Athlete of the Week: Creighton Prep boys wrestling’s Zaiyahn Ornelas
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Creighton Prep senior Zaiyahn Ornelas won his fourth consecutive Nebraska state wrestling title on Saturday.
According to NSAA records, he joins 39 other wrestlers in state history to accomplish the feat.
“It’s a great feeling,” Ornelas said. “It’s a feeling everybody wants.”
Ornelas won three Class C state titles at Wilber-Clatonia at 106, 113 and 120 pounds before transferring to Creighton Prep for his senior season, where he competed in Class A at 126 pounds.
“Three state titles there and then just thought I could bump up my competition,” Ornelas said.
“Zaiyahn is one of the cleanest technicians I’ve ever seen. That’s a huge testament to his coaching staff at Wilber,” Fisher added.
Ornelas was one of four Creighton Prep wrestlers to win state titles this season, helping lead the Jr. Jays to the Class A team title. Teammates said his presence in the practice room raised their level of competition.
“I could never slack off just because my competition in the state was easy. I always had to come in this room and get better or else I was going to get beat,” said sophomore Cruzer Dominguez, a two-time Class A state champion at 106 and 120 pounds.
Sophomore Kameron Green, the Class A 144-pound state champion this year, also credited Ornelas for aiding in his development.
“Zaiyahn being a training partner has helped me in tremendous ways,” he said. “When he wrestles, he’s not the nicest or shyest kid, but he’s tenacious and tough.”
Junior JT Smith, a two-time state champion at 175 and 190 pounds, said the achievement carries weight for the entire team.
“It’s something really special to have a teammate that’s a four-time state champion,” he said. “That’s something everyone wants to be.”
Fisher said Ornelas’s attitude set the tone from the start.
“He has so many skills and then coming into our room, he’s extremely coachable. Every time he came in here he was humble, ready to work, wanting to get better and that’s why he is as good as he is,” Fisher said.
Ornelas signed to wrestle at the University of Nebraska in November. He said the move to Creighton Prep delivered what he was looking for.
“This is the reason why I came here. I went out to explore, to find the best, and this is the territory that I found. If it wasn’t for these guys — the push — I would have not been there,” Ornelas said.
“It’s hard to believe. That’s kind of what I wanted since the beginning, freshman year,” he said.
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Nebraska
Nebraska Chamber taps former state senator to lead during leadership transition
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – The Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry has selected a former state senator and longtime board member to lead the chamber while it searches for a new president and CEO.
Board of Directors Chair Pat Keenan said Thursday that Matt Williams of Gothenburg agreed to serve as interim president.
ALSO READ: Nebraska Chamber president and CEO resigns after less than a year
“The Board is grateful to Matt for stepping into this role during a very active and productive time for the Nebraska Chamber,” Keenan said. “He has steady leadership, strong relationships and trust from his many years of advocacy for economic development, and decades of experience working with the legislature and state government on tax policy and economic development incentives.”
Williams represented District 36 in the Nebraska Legislature from 2015 to 2023.
The chamber said Williams has had a lifelong career in banking and serves as chairman of Flatwater Bank. He previously served as chair of the Nebraska Bankers Association and the American Bankers Association.
His long involvement with the chamber includes membership on the Board of Directors; he currently serves as director for District 6. In 2025, he was named to the Nebraska Business Hall of Fame.
“The Nebraska Chamber is on rock-solid footing, with the clear vision of the Board, and talented and hard-working staff hitting its stride in legislative policy and advocacy, technology, manufacturing, leadership-development, fund-raising and membership. The success of cutting-edge initiatives like 6 Regions, One Nebraska, the launch of the Go Big Future series, and the strong member engagement across the state demonstrate the success and strength of this organization. I’m excited to lend my support in whatever way I can for the Chamber. I know how strong businesses and communities make for a stronger Nebraska, and I’m glad to be part of that.”
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Copyright 2026 KOLN. All rights reserved.
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