Nebraska
Hawkeyes Have the Heroes and Humiliate the Huskers
On a frigidly cold Black Friday in Memorial Stadium, the Iowa Hawkeyes held the Nebraska Cornhuskers at bay for a half and then pulled away after intermission for a thoroughly dominating 40-16 victory and retained control of the Heroes Trophy. It was the second straight blowout loss for Nebraska and third on the season that was supposed to be a step forward for the Huskers return to relevance. Nebraska hasn’t beaten Iowa in Memorial Stadium in 14 years. They have now dropped 10 of the last 11 contests. That does not fit the definition of a rivalry, even if many of those games were close. This one wasn’t.
After opening the season 5-1 for the second year in a row, Nebraska goes 2-5 to round out the year and 1-4 in November. That’s 2-12 in November since Matt Rhule assumed the helm. At least the 2024 schedule featured two playoff teams, but the 2025 schedule was considerably weaker and 2026 will be far more arduous as the Huskers play Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon. The Huskers had to get better this year and I’m not sure that they did. Much can be said about this squad being the youngest in the league, but these underclassmen are going to have to markedly improve for the team to flirt with .500 next year.
With NIL and the transfer portal, it’s impossible at this point to know who will return and who will be added. It’s highly likely that the best player this season, Emmett Johnson, will opt out of his senior year and declare for the NFL draft. A reliable backup running back failed to emerge this season. We don’t even know who the signal caller will be as rumors abound about Dylan Raiola exploring his options. Will 3.5 million buy two offensive tackles?
On to the game, which was a disappointing display all its own. After punting on its first possession, Nebraska began their second series at their own 10-yard line and went 90 yards on four plays highlighted by a 70-yard scamper by Emmett Johnson to inside the one. It was extremely well blocked and was about the only highlight for the Huskers. On the ensuing kickoff, John Hohl did exactly what you cannot do; kicked a line drive boot to Kaden Wetjen who returned it 51 yards and then Hohl was flagged for 15 more and Iowa had the ball at the NU 29-yard line. The defense held Iowa to a field goal, before the Hawkeyes scored touchdowns on five of their next seven possessions.
The game was tied at 10-10 after the first quarter before Nebraska traded field goals for touchdowns in the second and trailed 24-16 at the break. At that point, Nebraska had out-yarded Iowa 231-198 and out-rushed the Hawkeyes 189-112. In fact, before Iowa’s 75-yard scoring drive just before half, the Blackshirts had held Iowa to just 123 total yards. Nebraska even forced two punts to begin the second half, before the game turned on a fumbled punt by Jacory Barney that resulted in a safety. Granted, it appeared that the fumble occurred after he was targeted on a direct helmet to facemask shot, but Nebraska seldom will get that call. At that point with 11:16 to go in the 3rd quarter until the end of the game, Nebraska was outscored 16-0 and out-yarded 174-84 with 74 of Nebraska’s yards coming on their last drive, which they fumbled away inside the 1-yard line. Iowa held a 20:36-9:24 advantage in second half time of possession.
Nebraska wasted a stellar performance by Emmett Johnson who rushed 29 times for a career-high 217 yards and one touchdown and had two catches for 22 yards accounting for 239 of Nebraska’s 300 total yards. Johnson ran like a man possessed and was the first Husker to rush for 200 yards since Ameer Abdullah rushed for 225 yards against Rutgers in 2014. His rushing total was the most against Iowa this season, bettering a 145-yard effort by Penn State’s Kaytron Allen and he was just the fourth player to have a 200-yard rushing game against Iowa since 2015. Johnson’s eight 100-yard rushing games this season are also the most for a Husker since 2013. His six 100-yard rushing games in Big Ten play are the most by any Power Four conference player in league games. His 70-yard run was also the longest rush against Iowa since 2014. Imagine what a disaster this season would have been without EJ. No, don’t imagine that.
Freshman quarterback TJ Lateef had an apparent hamstring injury in the first half and was a non-factor as he completed just 9 of 24 passes for a paltry 69 yards with a long completion of 13 yards. He was not sacked but rushed just one time for 2 yards. Iowa covered the perimeter extremely well and harassed Lateef on rollouts leading to multiple overthrown passes. When he threw an accurate pass, Iowa was able to break up almost all the 50/50 balls. After having his way against UCLA’s poor defense, he was incredibly pedestrian against good defenses. With the improvement in blocking by the offensive line, one wonders how the outcome may have been different with a healthy Dylan Raiola taking the snaps.
Dane Key led receivers with 3 catches for 16 yards, and Luke Linenmeyer had 2 receptions for 20 yards. I really thought that the tight ends could have been a more significant factor than they were. Nyziah Hunter and Jacory Barney each had a catch for minimal yards with Hunter at least drawing a DPI. Again, other than Johnson, the Husker offense did about nada.
Defensively, the Blackshirts surrendered six explosive plays that accounted for 194 of Iowa’s 379 total yards. One was a 35-yard passing touchdown and the other five plays all led to scores. Iowa was 7 for 12 converting 3rd downs and 1 for 1 on 4th down conversions as the defense only forced 3 punts in the game. They failed to sack Iowa QB Mark Gronowski who, despite his girth, repeatedly eluded defenders and rushed for 64 yards. I continue to remain puzzled that DC Butler insists on 3-man fronts even on the goal-line. Granted, we may not have the right personnel, but this defense will not allow us to be competitive in the run heavy Big Ten.
Redshirt freshman cornerback Donovan Jones was the co-leader with nine tackles to increase his season total to 51. He is just the fifth freshman with 50 tackles in a season since freshmen regained eligibility in 1972. Javin Wright also had 9 stops and freshman safety Rex Guthrie had three tackles to increase his season total to 60 tackles, leaving him just five tackles from Michael Rose-Ivey’s freshman record of 65 tackles in 2013. Marques Watson-Trent had five tackles to give him 400 career tackles and is just the second active FBS player with 400 career tackles.
Special teams needed to be perfect for Nebraska to have a chance and they weren’t. Place-kicker Kyle Cunanan connected on a season-high three field goals to finish 16 of 19 for the year. Archie Wilson had all four punts against a stiff breeze and averaged just 32 yards but did not allow a return. The kickoff team surrendered 71 yards on two returns with a long of 51 yards. The kickoff team also got a big break when Derek Wacker recovered a kickoff at the Iowa 26. Jacory Barney had a fumbled punt return that didn’t count, then fumbled twice on one that did before having a 28-yard return that was a net 13-yarder after a personal foul penalty.
Nineteen players were honored on Senior Day and they should be thanked for their blood, sweat and effort during their tenure in Lincoln. We will find out by Monday where the Huskers land for their bowl game. It will be interesting to see who will be available to play and who will opt for the NFL or the portal. As I mentioned above, we have no idea what the squad will look like next year. Will Rhule find and pay the coin for offensive and defensive line help? Will we go after a running back if Johnson doesn’t return. Will Raiola return for his junior season? Lots of questions with nothing definitive at this point. Rhule was hired based on his record to show year after year improvement because of his capacity to develop talent. The results thus far are underwhelming, but here’s to hoping for better things to come. Getting blown out by the Ditch Chickens definitely sours one’s perspective. Go Big Red!!
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They say all roads lead home, and for Daniel Kaelin, that remains true as he returns to Lincoln after a year away from the program in 2025.
The former four-star Belleview West (NE) star heads into his sophomore season in his second stint as a Husker, ready to compete for an impactful role. Though he’ll likely be on the outside looking in, in terms of earning the starting job, after gaining starting experience at his previous school, he won’t go down without a fight.
Now, after roughly a week and a half of spring football practices in the books, Kaelin met with the media Wednesday. During his time at the mic, the Nebraska native touched on a variety of topics, including his decision to come home, an ego-less quarterback room in Lincoln, and much more.
It didn’t take long for the will-be sophomore to get asked about his decision to return to Nebraska. After explaining the values he got out of his time away, Kaelin described it as something he’s as excited about as he is thankful for.
“It’s been really good,” said Kaelin. “Nebraska’s my home, and there are so many people on this team that I have a good relationship with. So, the transition has been really smooth. I’ve been enjoying being back, for sure”.
Leaving after the end of the 2024 season, Kaelin’s path towards competing for a starting job appeared to be full of obstacles. But a little over a year after he transferred to Virginia, the situation has changed dramatically. Back in the scarlet and cream, a year older and with more experience, the soon-to-be third-year player is enjoying his return, to say the least.
In his time as a Cavalier, the then-redshirt freshman saw action in seven games. Despite a sparing role, he still managed to throw for the first 339 yards of his career, while also scoring his first collegiate touchdown. Kaelin also proved to be a threat on the ground, with 12 carries for 72 yards.
In total, he amassed 400 all-purpose yards at Virginia and comes to Nebraska more battle-tested than before. Here, the 6-foot-3, 218-pounder will look to grow even more, but was asked to reflect on what he gained during his stay on the East Coast.
“It was my first time being away from home,” he said. “I think that year- doing things on my own- was probably big for me becoming an adult. I think I learned a lot about myself that way”.
Between personal development and his time on the field, Kaelin’s lone season at Virginia was not for nothing. Instead, a more mature version of the young quarterback is what the Huskers are getting back amongst their ranks. He also provides them with the third quarterback to have started a Power Four game in their career.
After discussing what he gained in his time away, Kaelin was then asked to explain how he landed back in Lincoln ahead of the 2026 season. To somewhat of a surprise, the Nebraska native suggested it wasn’t initially planned. Rather, the opportunity presented itself, and both sides agreed.
“I didn’t really even expect to be leaving the last school I was at,” Kaelin said. “Things kind of happened pretty quickly. When I got in the portal, I was able to get in touch with Coach Rhule, and when I knew that this was a possibility, it just made a lot of sense for me. It is really comfortable for me coming back home and being around people that I know”.
Using his past relationships with coaches and players such as Carter Nelson and Bode Soukup, the former in-state signal-caller is what you’d call back home. Confident, comfortable, and with a lot more to prove, he’ll look to make an impact on the field for the first time as a Husker this fall.
Kaelin was then asked to shed light on the dynamic within the quarterbacks’ room, and his response sounded similar to that of quarterback coach Glenn Thomas earlier in the day. Instead of pushing each other away due to competition, the position group is looking to help each other grow. In fact, Kaelin suggested it may be the most unified position group he’s ever been a part of, and something he views as a positive change.
“There’s egos,” he said. There’s money involved. I think that can create some tension or problems sometimes. There haven’t been any type of issues like that with the room that we have right now; it’s been great.”
While some suggest that his comment may be a back-handed dig at former signal-callers within the room, it’s clear that the Huskers no longer have an issue with competition in 2026. Instead, the group is pushing eachother to improve. And when spring ball and fall camp come to a close, the best man for the job will emerge with the others’ full support.
A big change since Kaelin was on campus in 2024 is NU’s retooled wide receiver room. After welcoming in a new position coach, the Huskers have been able to recruit, retain, and add several high-level players to the unit. When asked to offer his thoughts on the room, the will-be sophomore didn’t hold back his early praise.
“A big thing that we’ve noticed so far is we have guys that make plays,” Kaelin said. “We’ve been challenging them to- when the ball is in the air, it has got to be theirs. We don’t want 50/50 balls. They’ve got to go make plays. And so far, they’ve definitely been doing that. It’s been really impressive to watch”.
Not only are the Big Red’s pass catchers bigger, deeper, and faster than before, but it’s beginning to pay off for the offense this spring. There’s still plenty of time for the quarterbacks and wideouts to develop chemistry, but early reports suggest the relationship has started well.
For Kaelin, it was positive to see the metaphorical boy return as a man. Not only has he gained experience and found success on the field, but he’s also come back with a deeper understanding of what it takes to lead a team. By all accounts, it appears his teammates have taken a liking to him, so don’t be surprised if he sees the field in some role this upcoming fall.
Again, he’s far from guaranteed the starting job here in Lincoln and will have to beat out two players with more experience than he has. Still, it is more than likely that he will take his first snaps as a Husker at some point in 2026. Were he to take meaningful reps, the third-year sophomore has already been tested before, and that gives Nebraska reason for optimism about the room.
Overall, he sounded as if he was preparing to be more than ready when his opportunity comes. Returning home did not come without a price, but don’t expect Kaelin to remain silent his second time around. The Huskers are looking for a player who can reliably make plays, and it’s hard to argue that there would be another player in his position group who cares more about the program than he does.
Still, he’ll have to prove his skill is worthy of deserving that chance. Spring should tell a lot about where he stands.
Nebraska
In a first for Nebraska, federal judge awards attorney’s fees to immigrant who was detained without bond hearing
For the first time, a federal judge in Nebraska has awarded court costs and attorney’s fees to an immigrant who prevailed in a lawsuit challenging his detention without bond.
Senior U.S. District Court Judge John Gerrard, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, issued the ruling on Tuesday and awarded $1,535.23 to Edgar Eduardo Cadillo Salazar. Gerrard had previously ruled that Salazar’s detention at the Cass County Jail without bond was unconstitutional and ordered the government to provide him with a bond hearing or release him from custody.
Under the federal Equal Access to Justice Act, individuals and businesses that prevail in civil lawsuits against the federal government can file a motion to hold the government liable for attorney’s fees and court costs. Judges can order the government to cover those costs unless they find that the government’s position was “substantially justified,” or if “special circumstances make an award unjust.”
Before last summer, when the Department of Homeland Security revised its longstanding interpretation of statute, only immigrants who were encountered at the border or other ports of entry were subject to mandatory detention. Immigrants encountered after residing in the U.S. were typically subject to discretionary detention and eligible for a bond hearing.
The new interpretation has led to detention without bond for tens of thousands of immigrants who would have previously been eligible to bond out – and it’s led to an endless stream of wrongful detention lawsuits in Nebraska and around the country. A Reuters investigation found that federal courts have ruled against the mandatory detention policy more than 4,400 times.
In Gerrard’s order granting Salazar’s request for attorney’s fees, he said the government’s position that all undocumented immigrants are ineligible for bond hearings was not substantially justified.
“This ‘new understanding’ of a decades-old statute has resulted in the government detaining hundreds of thousands of nonviolent individuals, often without due process or other constitutional protections,” Gerrard wrote. “It has also sparked thousands of lawsuits where courts have ordered release of those wrongfully detained, for which neither immigration courts nor the Department of Justice have seemed prepared.”
He continued: “The government has not provided any justification, let alone a substantial one, for its radical departure from the historical treatment of noncitizens who entered the United States without inspection. Its arguments rely purely on statutory interpretation; the government apparently expects it can transform an entire area of administrative law because it unilaterally decided that, for thirty years, everyone was wrong about what a statute meant.”
Salazar was later denied bond by an immigration judge and remains in custody, according to his attorney, Alexander Smith.
Two similar motions were denied last month by U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bazis, an appointee of former President Joe Biden. In both cases, Bazis had ruled in favor of the detained immigrants, and they were later released on bond per her orders. But in her opinions denying attorney’s fees under the EAJA, she found that the government’s position on mandatory detention was “substantially justified.”
“The Court cannot say that the Federal Respondents’ pre-litigation decision to treat [the respondent] as being subject to mandatory detention, while not ultimately correct in this Court’s view, lacked a reasonable basis in law or fact,” Bazis wrote in a footnote of her opinions.
The issue of mandatory detention is currently under consideration by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Nebraska and other Midwest states. In oral arguments last month, the appellate court’s conservative judges appeared friendly to the mandatory detention policy.
The UCLA men’s basketball team made Senior Night one to savor Tuesday, dominating No. 9 Nebraska 72-52 at Pauley Pavilion for its 20th victory of the season and third over a top-10 ranked opponent.
The Bruins improved to 20-10 overall and 12-7 in the Big Ten with one regular season game remaining, Saturday at crosstown rival USC.
Trent Perry scored 20 points, Eric Dailey Jr. had 14 and three players — Tyler Bilodeau, Skyy Clark and Xavier Booker — each added eight points.
“Nebraska’s got a great team,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said. “This is the best we’ve played all year — they brought out the best in us. We went from our worst defensive effort to our best. They outhustle everyone they play, but not us. Tonight we were great, but I love the way they play. If we had their attitude we’d have their record.”
Eric Freeny had four points, five rebounds and three steals in 18 minutes for UCLA, which got 26 points in the paint and 17 second-chance points.
“Effort is what it takes to win in March,” Freeny said. “It was our last home game. Coach keeps on pushing me to be better everyday.”
Sam Hoiberg had 12 points to lead Nebraska, but Pryce Sandfort, who began the game leading the conference in three-pointers made per game, was held to nine points.
“Sandford has been unbelievable so to hold him to nine points is amazing,” Cronin said. “Brandon Williams was the unsung hero.”
Williams had six points and three rebounds in 12 minutes off the bench.
The Bruins were in control from the opening tip-off and never trailed the Cornhuskers (25-5, 14-5). UCLA improved to 10-3 in all-time against Nebraska and the win greatly strengthened its resume for the NCAA tournament as the Bruins also beat then-No. 4 Purdue 69-67 on Jan. 20 and then-No. 10 Illinois 95-94 in overtime on Feb. 21 on Donovan Dent’s layup with one second left.
“We have to take attitude we came with tonight, bottle it up and take it on the road,” Dailey Jr. said. “We’ve got so much left. The season’s not over… we’re only as good as our last game. It’s all about how you respond. I love the fight that we played with tonight.”
This is the fifth time in Cronin’s seven seasons that the Bruins have won 20 or more games. They are 17-1 at home (their only loss in overtime to Indiana on Jan. 31).
“Since I’ve been here we don’t lose much at home.” Cronin said.
UCLA went ahead by 15 points, 37-22, on Perry’s three-pointer with 2:41 left and led 37-24 at intermission. The Bruins shot 50% from the field in the first half (15 for 30) while Nebraska was only 31% (nine for 29).
The Bruins increased their advantage to 18 points on Dailey’s dunk less than five minutes into the second half and the visitors got no closer than nine the rest of the way.
Prior to pregame introductions the Bruins honored seniors Bilodeau, Dent and Clark; fifth-year player Jamar Brown; redshirt seniors Steven Jamerson II, Jack Seidler and Anthony Peoples Jr; and redshirt junior Evan Manjikian. In a media timeout, midway through the first half, former coach Jim Harrick (who led UCLA to its 11th national championship in 1995) was honored and got a loud ovation.
“I’m happy for our seniors, I didn’t want them to lose their last game at Pauley,” said Perry, who reversed a subpar performance at Minnesota, where he was 0-for-7 from the field with one rebound and one assist in 26 minutes. “I had to come out here tonight and bounce back for my team. I play for something bigger than myself and I’m fortunate to have the type of guys I do around me.”
UCLA guard Skyy Clark looks to pass while under pressure from Nebraska guard Sam Hoiberg and forward Berke Buyuktuncel in the second half.
(William Liang / Associated Press)
Over the last four games, Dent has 46 assists and just two turnovers.
Bilodeau has scored in double figures in 26 of 28 games played, totaling 20 points or more nine times.
Dailey moved to within five points of reaching the 1,000-career point milestone.
UCLA has now made at least one three-pointer in 887 of 888 games dating to February 2000.
“We had one practice this week, that’s it,” Cronin said. “We watched film, had a heart-to-heart talk and a shoot around today but that’s it.”
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