Nebraska

BSB Preview: Nebraska vs. Washington in Big Ten opener

Published

10 months ago

March 7, 2025

BSB Preview: Nebraska vs. Washington in Big Ten opener

Nebraska baseball started the year with a bang, and now the Huskers are searching for answers as conference play begins.

Nebraska (4-6) entered the season ranked in the national Top 25 and moved up one spot after upsetting Top-15 club Vanderbilt as part of a 2-1 start. Since then, the Huskers have lost five of their last seven games – including dropping four of the past five – and are now shifting the starting rotation upon losing Friday ace Mason McConnaughey for the season.

NU star pitcher McConnaughey suffers season-ending arm injury

Fortunately for the Huskers, next up on the board are their first home games this weekend, and they will be welcoming a similarly struggling team in the Washington Huskies.

Washington (5-8) has won two straight games, but the Huskies were on a skid prior to that after losing two consecutive games and dropping six of their previous seven games – defeats at the hands of No. 15 Texas, Illinois (which did not count as a conference game) and a four-game sweep at Stanford.

Here is a look at this weekend’s matchups between the Huskers and Huskies in the Big Ten opening series for both clubs.

Nebraska vs. Washington: How to watch, stream, listen

SATURDAY – GAME 1

Time: 1 p.m. CT

Pitching: RHP Ty Horn (0-1, 5.52 ERA) vs. RHP Jackson Thomas (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

TV/Streaming: B1G+

Radio: Huskers Radio Network, Huskers.com, Huskers App

**********

SATURDAY – GAME 2

Time: Approx. 45 minutes after Game 1

Pitching: LHP Will Walsh (2-1, 2.77 ERA) vs. RHP Reilly McAdams (0-1, 6.75 ERA)

TV/Streaming: B1G+

Radio: Huskers Radio Network, Huskers.com, Huskers App

**********

Sunday, March 9

Time: 12 p.m. CT

Pitching: LHP Jackson Brockett (0-1, 5.00 ERA) vs. RHP Tommy Brandenburg (0-1, 6.28 ERA)

TV/Streaming: B1G+

Radio: Huskers Radio Network, Huskers.com, Huskers App

All games played at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park in Lincoln

Follow the games

>> All three games of this weekend’s series against Washington can be seen on B1G+.

>> Fans can also listen to Ben McLaughlin and Nick Handley call the action this weekend on the Huskers Radio Network.

>> Every game this season can be heard for free on Huskers.com and the Official Nebraska Huskers App for both iOS and android devices.

Nebraska vs. Washington: Series History

>> Through nine all-time meetings, Nebraska holds a 6-3 advantage over Washington in the all-time series.

>> The Huskers and Huskies last met in the 2014 Aramark Pac 12/Big Ten Challenge in Surprise, Ariz., where the Big Red picked up a 13-3 win against Washington.

>> Nebraska has won the last two matchups against Washington, recording victories over the Huskies in 2014 and 2011.

>> This weekend’s series marks the first time the Huskers and Huskies won’t face off in neutral-site matchup after playing at a neutral site in each of the first nine all-time meetings.

Weekend Rotation: Replacing Mason McConnaughey

>> With Brett Sears taken in the 2024 MLB Draft, Drew Christo’s transition to the bullpen and Mason McConnaughey’s season-ending injury, it’s a new-look weekend rotation for the Huskers this year.

>> Ty Horn takes mound for the series opener against Washington after holding down the No. 2 spot in the weekend rotation this season. The sophomore is 0-1 with a 5.52 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 14.2 innings on the year.

>> Redshirt senior Will Walsh is set to take the mound on game two for the Huskers. Walsh is 2-1 with a 2.77 ERA and 14 punchouts in 13 innings and is coming off a relief outing with four perfect innings and six strikeouts in a win vs. Sam Houston last weekend.

>> Senior Jackson Brockett is scheduled to start the series finale, holding an 0-1 record with a 5.00 ERA and eight strikeouts in three appearances this season, including starts against Grand Canyon and Kansas State.

Nebraska Game Notes

Huskers in home openers

>> Nebraska is 48-7 in its home openers since the 1970 campaign.

>> Since the opening of Haymarket Park in 2002, the Huskers are 20-2 in home openers.

>> The Big Red have won four of its last five home openers after falling 11-3 to South Alabama last season.

McConnaughey out for season with arm injury

>> Nebraska coach Will Bolt announced Wednesday that junior right-handed pitcher Mason McConnaughey will miss the remainder of the 2025 season after suffering an arm injury against Sam Houston last weekend.

>> McConnaughey began the season as the first Husker named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List since 2016 and earned Preseason All-American recognition from D1Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Nunez named Big Ten Freshman of the Week

>> Freshman Devin Nunez was named the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Week after leading the Huskers at the Frisco Classic last weekend.

>> The Navasota, Texas, native hit 7-of-14 with a home run, three RBI and four runs scored in three games while tallying a .714 slugging percentage and a .533 on-base percentage.

>> In Nebraska’s 8-3 win against Sam Houston, Nunez was 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI, a run scored and a walk. The designated hitter had a 3-for-5 night with a pair of runs scored against No. 2 LSU on Saturday.

>> Nunez wrapped up last weekend’s action at the Frisco Classic with a 2-for-5 performance against Kansas State, including a two-run inside-the-park home run for his second homer of the season.

Walsh among nation’s most efficient pitchers

>> Will Walsh comes into the weekend as one of 24 pitchers nationally to record at least a 14-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and surrender sub-0.70 walks/9 innings on the season.

>> The southpaw has recorded a pair of appearances with six punchouts against UC Irvine and Sam Houston while allowing just one walk on the season through 13 innings.

>> Walsh is one of seven P4 players with at least a 14:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and less than 0.70 walks allowed per nine innings this year.

Flashing the Leather

>> As of March 6, the Huskers are ranked 11th nationally with a .986 fielding percentage, including one of two P4 teams with a .985-plus fielding percentage and five-or-fewer errors on the season.

Youth movement on the mound

>> The NU pitching staff has seen four true freshmen put up strong outings to begin their time at Nebraska on the mound in the first three weeks of the season.

>> Pryce Bender, Colin Nowaczyk, Gavin Blachowicz and Blake Encarnacion have combined to deal 8.1 innings, allowing just one run on five hits with six punchouts and four walks.

Huskers own dominant record when scoring 6-plus runs

>> Nebraska is 108-23 under head coach Will Bolt when scoring at least six runs.

>> The Big Red have scored six-plus runs in all four victories this season, defeating No. 16 Vanderbilt (6-4), San Diego State (13-0), Louisiana (6-1) and Sam Houston (8-3).

>> The Husker offense reached the six-run mark 34 times last season, compiling a 28-6 record.

>> Nebraska scored six-plus runs in 33 contests (26-7) in 2023 after tallying at least six runs 23 times (19-4) in 2022, 28 times (26-2) in 2021 and seven times (5-2) in 2020.

Hot bats in Husker lineup

>> Devin Nunez is slashing .500/.571/.833 with a pair of homers, four RBI and six runs scored in six appearances, including four starts this season.

>> Will Jesske is second on the team in hitting with a .316 batting average in seven games played. The sophomore has two doubles, a triple, two RBI and three runs while holding a perfect 2-for-2 mark in stolen bases.

>> Cayden Brumbaugh leads the Huskers with four multi-hit games and three multi-RBI performances while serving primarily as the Huskers’ leadoff hitter this season.

>> Joshua Overbeek holds a .286 batting average with three doubles and a triple in eight games, followed by Dylan Carey with a .256 hitting clip, three doubles, a homer and eight runs driven in this year.

>> Cael Frost has homered twice and driven in five runs in eight starts, while Riley Silva has five hits, two RBI and a pair of stolen bases in eight games.

>> Gabe Swansen leads the Husker offense with nine RBI through 10 games, and Case Sanderson has drawn a team-leading six walks on the year.

Huskers in the ‘pen

>> Luke Broderick has appeared in three games for the NU bullpen, including a one-inning save in 6-4 win against No. 16 Vanderbilt.

>> Jalen Worthley is 1-0 on the season and has made a team-high four relief appearances, holding 1.69 ERA and three punchouts in 5.1 innings of work.

>> Pryce Bender has pitched 3.1 scoreless innings and is holding opponents to a .167 batting average across three appearances, while Colin Nowaczyk hasn’t allowed a run in two innings of action.

>> Grant Cleavinger and Caleb Clark have each made three appearances on the mound, while Ryan Harrahill has toed the rubber twice for the NU pitching staff this season.

>> Casey Daiss made his season debut last weekend vs. K-State, dealing 1.2 scoreless frames with just one hit allowed and a strikeout against the Wildcats.

>> Carson Jasa has totaled five strikeouts across 3.2 innings in three appearances, while Drew Christo has taken the mound a team-high four times through the first 10 games.

>> TJ Coats and Gavin Blachowicz have made two relief appearances for the Huskers on the mound this season, while Blake Encarnacion made his collegiate debut against No. 2 LSU last weekend.

All stats & info provided by Nebraska Athletics

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Who Can Be Nebraska’s Diego Pavia? The Search for the Next Husker Quarterback

Published

8 hours ago

December 25, 2025

Press Room

Who Can Be Nebraska’s Diego Pavia? The Search for the Next Husker Quarterback

Let’s get this part out of the way first: you have to prioritize the offensive and defensive lines. Whether or not you like my preferred quarterbacks won’t matter if the linemen aren’t up to snuff! Regardless, Nebraska now needs some quarterbacks on this roster.

As people throw around their favorite Christmas movies, one movie that doesn’t get enough love is Gremlins. How can I possibly connect Gremlins to Nebraska’s quarterback search, you ask?

Well, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia kind of reminds me of a gremlin. He wreaks havoc. He’s aggressive, destructive, and mischievous. If you take the Heisman Trophy away from him, he’ll lash out as if you’ve just fed him after midnight. A volatile spirit he may be, but nobody can deny his hunger to win. In my opinion, Nebraska’s overall roster needs a little more Stripes and a little less Gizmos.

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia | Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For too long, Nebraska football has lacked nastiness. Many might say “soft.” Physical and mental toughness have largely eluded the Huskers. Matt Rhule knows it. Diehard and casual fans know it. Opponents know it.

Recall Biff Poggi’s comments, the Gophers comparing Nebraska giving up sacks to Oprah giving away free cars, and Kirk Ferentz’s tearful “tougher team” statement that you shake your head at but ultimately have to agree with. Even if you personally dismiss the “soft” claim, that is the perception of Husker football right now.

Nebraska is in dire need of initiative-takers, difference-makers, and butt-kickers. Some folks call these players “dudes” or “dawgs.” I’ve personally coined the term “killaz”. The departure of Dylan Raiola and hiring of offensive line coach Geep Wade signals an opportunity for an attitude adjustment of sorts, certainly on offense.

Whether it’s been Marcus Satterfield or Dana Holgorsen on the offensive coordinator headset, the offense has been… difficult. Despite Emmett Johnson’s heroics (can’t stress enough just how great he was), you couldn’t help but feel like every yard gained through the air was like a tooth being pulled.

Jacory Barney Jr.’s talent withered on the vine. Luke Lindenmeyer was yet another in a long line of underused Husker tight ends. Although Nyziah Hunter and Dane Key made a handful of impressive plays, they failed to make others that less-heralded WRs elsewhere often do. The red zone offense was a slog.

This is largely because Nebraska doesn’t know who they want to be. Rhule bringing in Jeff Sims in year one indicated his desire to run an offense through a mobile quarterback. A combination of things threw a wrench into this desired style offense: Sims was a turnover machine who shrank when the lights turned on, his tough-as-nails backup could ONLY run, a generational five-star pocket passing legacy wanted to be a Husker (you can’t say no to that), and the hiring of Holgorsen in an effort to complement said pocket passer.

Dylan Raiola helped Nebraska to a pair of bowl berths after a long postseason drought for the program. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

To label the Dylan Raiola era a “failure” is a bit of a stretch. Back-to-back bowl games are an oasis in what had been a desert in Lincoln. In 2025, Nebraska blew out cupcakes and won close games they more than likely would have lost pre-Dylan. (Mike Ekeler’s special teams had a lot to do with those wins.) But you can’t help but feel Nebraska’s offense has been largely listless and wandering in the wilderness due to not knowing who they want to be. What do we do well?

In a close game, can we lean on something or do the sphincters get tight? Just when it seemed like they figured it out for a few minutes, they would stray away from it again. Yes, the term is overused, but it means something: identity. Nebraska lacked one. What should it be?

This author’s desired offensive identity is probably different from yours, dear reader. Simply put, I want a quarterback who runs. A lot. I’ve received flak for my love and admiration of service academy football. There’s a misnomer out there that the “option run” won’t win a lot of games in this day and age (are we still expecting national titles?). To counter this, I say we Nebraskans need to realize this is a place that generally doesn’t attract Ohio State-level WRs.

Sure, we had fun with “F’ it, Trey Palmer’s down there somewhere”… but he played on a 4-8 team. Nebraska needs a quarterback that the defense has to account for. A defender who doesn’t have to respect a quarterback’s ability to run is a defender who’s comfortable. On Black Friday, when the ball feels like a slab of concrete, and the frigid Memorial Stadium wind is whipping in all directions, can we impose our will on the Hawkeyes? Or will Iowa continue to treat us like a dog that’s just pooped in the house and shove our noses in it?

Former Nebraska wide receiver Trey Palmer | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

When it comes to portal quarterbacks, Nebraska will not have the pick of the litter. They are not getting Sam Leavitt or Brendan Sorsby. These guys want not only money, which we supposedly have, but they also want to compete for a national championship as well. That is not happening here next year. Another unattainable quarterback who would be my top choice, even above Leavitt and Sorsby, is USF’s Byrum Brown. Alas, he’s going to be an Auburn Tiger. Too bad.

Whether Matt Rhule goes for a multi-year quarterback he can develop or a one-year mercenary who can guide you through a tough 2026 schedule, the price will be a bit lower. Nebraska needs to spread the wealth this portal season, as there are numerous holes to fill on this roster. All that being said, the Huskers need to get a quarterback who is physically and mentally tough. No kidding.

Here are the key datasets I feel best exemplify that:

Start at least 1 full year – any level
Over 6’0” and 200 lbs. – to withstand the B1G meatgrinder
100+ carries – whether designed or improvised
No more than 5 fumbles – a QB who doesn’t “Sims” a lot
TD:INT ratio – INTs under 10 ideally
Winning track record – speaks for itself

Nebraska QB Targets | NBNR Table

Now, ordered alphabetically by last name, here are the quarterback possibilities that also largely fit the Pavia/King/Chambliss prototype, with one obvious exception (Lincoln Kienholz). An asterisk (*) indicates a deviation from the criteria. Note that some of these quarterbacks have NOT entered the transfer portal… yet:

Nebraska QB Targets | NBNR Table

A significant number of Husker fans have wavering trust that Rhule can even soundly evaluate quarterbacks to begin with, so allow me to go ahead and do the research for him!

As of Christmas Eve, the hottest name on the board is Michigan State’s Aidan Chiles. This begs the following questions, as it would for any quarterback he gets: Is he a “killa”? Is he going to make everyone else around him better and raise their level of play? Will he demand excellence from his teammates, even if this makes him less likable?

With the 2026 schedule being a gauntlet, can Rhule count on Chiles to use his Big Ten experience (not all of it good, mind you) to be a steady and dependable leader? When a Gopher or Hawkeye tries to clown his team… and they’d love nothing more… Will he be a docile mogwai or a hostile gremlin?

Let’s just hope Amigo’s doesn’t look to him to sell more crisp meat burritos.

Want more from No Block No Rock? Check out their YouTube channel, subscribe for weekly episodes, and visit nbnrpodcast.com for more content.

Missing Nebraska mother found dead after more than a year; Homicide case opened

Published

20 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Press Room

Missing Nebraska mother found dead after more than a year; Homicide case opened

article

Jerica Hamre (Credit: Lincoln Police Department)

LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska authorities said they have found the remains of a deceased mother, who had been missing for over the year.

Investigators have identified a person of interest who is currently in custody on unrelated charges, and there is no ongoing threat to the community.

What we know:

The Lincoln Police Department said Jerica Hamre was found on December 17 on a rural farm in Furnas County, near Oxford.

A representative of the property’s owner was inspecting the farm in preparation for a sale when the body was discovered in a remote outbuilding.

Investigators do not believe Hamre had any connection to the property or its owners.

Her death is being investigated as a homicide.

What we don’t know:

The investigation is now entering its next phase, focusing on how and when she died and identifying who is responsible for Jerica’s death.

What they’re saying:

“LPD [Lincoln Police Department] wants to thank all of you — thousands on social media — who shared about her disappearance, called in tips and kept her story in the news,” authorities said in a Facebook post.

The backstory:

Hamre was reported missing from Lincoln on July 3, 2024.

What you can do:

Anyone with information is asked to call our non-emergency number at 402-441-6000. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 402-475-3600, report online at lincolncrimestoppers.com or download the free P3 app.

The Source: Information in this story was provided by the Lincoln Police Department. This story was reported from Los Angeles.

Missing PersonsNebraskaCrime and Public SafetyNews

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‘I just enjoy doing it:’ Nebraska woman sews thousands of pillow cases for people in need

Published

1 day ago

December 24, 2025

Press Room

‘I just enjoy doing it:’ Nebraska woman sews thousands of pillow cases for people in need

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Joyce Boerger says she learned to sew at around nine years old, starting out with dresses in a 4-H program. Now she’s helping to supply hundreds of pillow cases for those in need every year.

“I just enjoy doing it,“ Boerger said. “My proudest moment is I sewed a dress that took a purple at the state fair. I sewed about anything and everything.”

At 81 years old, she’s spent the better part of the last decade taking any extra fabric she can get her hands on and turning it into pillow cases, making around 400 to 600 a year.

And she does it all using the same sewing machine she’s had since 1963.

“I made my oldest son’s baby clothes on it, and I love it,” Boerger said. “It’s the hot dog method, and once you learn to do the hot dog method it goes pretty fast.”

While she started off with a pretty good stash of fabric 10 years ago, she said that friends, family and even members of her hometown church in Wymore have helped to keep her going with supplies.

Her sister Jan and the church’s pastor, Jim, also help by trimming, pinning and pressing each pillow case before it’s donated.

Designs patterns range from animals to flowers to dollar bills, which Boerger says makes the process more fun.

“I make the remark that I’m making pillow cases and people say ‘oh are you making them in white?’” she said. “Long ways away from white. They’re very colorful.”

This holiday season, she’s working with a friend, Tammy Hillis, to donate the pillow cases to places like the Friendship Home. She’s also brought pillow cases to the People’s City mission, supplying the shelter with more than 180 last year.

Hillis said they’ve also branched out to give some to the Orphan Grain Train, Sleep in Heavenly Peace out of Omaha and even Brave Animal Rescue.

Hillis, who runs a south Lincoln gas station and car repair shop, said she got to know Boerger as she brought her car in over the years, before she began offering up pillow cases to donate.

“She would play Christmas music in her car 24/7,” Hillis said. “When she’s got so many it’s like ok we only see so many customers throughout here, so we gotta branch out and help to spread the love.”

Boerger said even after thousands of pillow cases over the years, she isn’t planning to stop sewing any time soon, and will keep supplying them wherever they’re needed.

“It gives me something to do,” she said. “I’ve had them go to hurricane relief, I’ve had them go to, would you believe it an orphanage in Mexico, a foster outlet in Gretna … They just go kind of wherever somebody asks.”

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