Nebraska

‘Great Players Love Competition’: Nebraska Football Coach Matt Rhule Sees Added Depth in the Secondary

Published

11 months ago

April 13, 2025

‘Great Players Love Competition’: Nebraska Football Coach Matt Rhule Sees Added Depth in the Secondary

Nebraska football coach Matt Rhule wants his defense to be better on third down this fall.

In 2024, Husker opponents converted on 35.2% of third downs. That rate was good for 31st in the nation and fifth in the Big Ten Conference.

But in the first five losses last year, the opponents converted at a 40.4% clip. Iowa, the sixth loss of the season, went 0-for-10 on third downs.

Iowa quarterback Jackson Stratton (19) hands the ball off to wide receiver Seth Anderson during the Hawkeyes’ 2024 game against Nebraska. / Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rhule said the defense this fall, now under the direction of new defensive coordinator John Butler and with help from associate head coach Phil Snow, won’t “just sit in a 3-3.”

“We’re going to put five corners on the field at times, five safeties,” Rhule said at his Saturday media availability. “I want different groupings out there. I want a ton of guys playing.”

Rhule said the depth in the secondary is “really strong.”

“We can start six different guys at corner right now,” Rhule said. “We could start four or five different guys at safeties.”

Nebraska defensive back Malcolm Hartzog Jr. celebrates a play against Rutgers.

Nebraska defensive back Malcolm Hartzog Jr. celebrates a play last season against Rutgers. / Amarillo Mullen

Rhule acknowledged that the dynamic of the secondary and depth could change this coming week with the spring transfer portal window. Still, the addition of multiple transfer defensive backs, the return of guys like Marques Buford, Malcolm Hartzog, DeShon Singleton and Ceyair Wright, as well as the development of Jeremiah Charles, Mario Buford, Caleb Benning and more, the secondary is primed for a solid 2025.

“But for the most part, great players love competition,” Rhule said.

On the front end, Rhule has been impressed with what the pass rush is beginning to look like.

“We have some guys I know can rush. I think we have some really athletic guys. Phil’s doing a great job with those edge guys. (Defensive line coach Terry Bradden) is doing a great job with the other guys and they’re working together. I see a comprehensive rush plan starting to come together,” Rhule said.

You can watch Rhule’s full media availability from Saturday below.

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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Nebraska

Nebraska Lottery results: See winning numbers for Powerball, Pick 3 on March 2, 2026

Published

9 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

The results are in for the Nebraska Lottery’s draw games on Monday, March 2, 2026.

Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on March 2.

Winning Powerball numbers from March 2 drawing

02-17-18-38-62, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from March 2 drawing

21-28-58-65-67, Powerball: 25

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 2 drawing

7-5-8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 2 drawing

03-08-09-17-25

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning 2 By 2 numbers from March 2 drawing

Red Balls: 14-26, White Balls: 17-18

Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning MyDay numbers from March 2 drawing

Month: 05, Day: 03, Year: 23

Check MyDay payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 2 drawing

28-41-42-50-55, Bonus: 02

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Nebraska Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3, 5: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
Lucky For Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
2 By 2: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
MyDaY: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
Lotto America: 9:15 p.m CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Nebraska

NioCorp to start work on its minerals mine in southeast Nebraska

Published

21 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

NioCorp to start work on its minerals mine in southeast Nebraska

NioCorp announced Monday that it plans to start work on its critical minerals mine in southeast Nebraska.

The project, which the company is calling its mine portal project, will involve building a main entrance to the Elk Creek underground mine and will serve as the primary access point for personnel, equipment, and materials for the underground mining operations. It also will include excavating bedrock, drilling and blasting to establish the twin mine ramps, on-site access road construction, and construction of on-site supporting infrastructure.

The project, which will cost nearly $45 million, is set to get underway before the end of the month. It marks the first time Colorado-based NioCorp will actually start any significant work on the main mine, from which the company hopes to extract niobium, scandium, titanium and other minerals.

“Given the size of this excavation work, the portal project really marks the beginning of a major pre-construction activity at the Elk Creek Project site and is an important step toward preparing for underground development,” Scott Honan, the company’s president and chief operating officer, said in a release.

Mark A. Smith, Niocorp’s chairman and CEO, called the project, “a significant milestone.”

Niocorp has spent more than 15 years trying to develop the mine on land in Johnson County, about 65 miles southeast of Lincoln.

The company still needs to raise a significant amount of money to make the $1.2 billion mine a reality, though. In December, NioCorp said it had raised about $360 million, or a little more than a quarter of the total cost. It is still waiting for approval of a $780 million debt financing application from the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

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Nebraska Lottery results: See winning numbers for Pick 3, Pick 5 on March 1, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

The results are in for the Nebraska Lottery’s draw games on Sunday, March 1, 2026.

Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on March 1.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 1 drawing

7-6-5

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 1 drawing

04-20-28-30-39

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning 2 By 2 numbers from March 1 drawing

Red Balls: 02-10, White Balls: 25-26

Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning MyDay numbers from March 1 drawing

Month: 11, Day: 28, Year: 38

Check MyDay payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 1 drawing

10-11-12-35-56, Bonus: 04

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Nebraska Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3, 5: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
Lucky For Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
2 By 2: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
MyDaY: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
Lotto America: 9:15 p.m CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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