Nebraska

Matt Rhule details what Isaiah Neyor brings to Nebraska offense

Published

2 years ago

May 21, 2024

Matt Rhule details what Isaiah Neyor brings to Nebraska offense

Addressing Pushback On Ranking Nebraska Cornhuskers, Matt Rhule In Top 25 Post Spring Rankings

Nebraska is looking to add a more reliable and proficient passing game starting this season. Several additions could help the ‘Huskers to do that, including the pickup of WR Isaiah Neyor.

Matt Rhule explained Neyor’s potential impact in Lincoln during a recent interview on ‘Always College Football’ with Greg McElroy. He noted how their offense is hoping to add a different dimension with a pass attack that they don’t see as much of within their own conference.

“Yeah, I think, when you look at the Big Ten? You put on a bunch of Big Ten games. Then you put on, like, SEC games, obviously I’ve been in the Big 12. I think the difference you see is explosive passing games,” Rhule said. “Like, there’s just not as much of it in the Big Ten. There’s a lot more underneath passing games, controlling the middle of the field. Maybe some of that has to do with weather at times.”

That’s where a receiver like Neyor comes in. He can be a vertical threat for Nebraska and be a weapon that can get them on top of and past defenses that are playing them in certain looks.

“What we wanted – and Isaiah was a guy that could take the top off in coverage. Two years ago here, they had Trey Palmer. They went to Iowa, beat Iowa and really it was because he ran by them,” said Rhule. “Neyor brings to us a guy at six-foot-three, 220 pounds who’s a 4.3 player. He has got good ball skills.”

“If you’re going to try to play man coverage, we want to try to run by you. If you’re going to try to play quarters coverage, we want to try to run by you. We weren’t really able to do that very much last year – here and there we could,” Rhule said. “That’s what Isaiah brings.”

Neyor has spent the four seasons of his collegiate career at Wyoming and Texas with two apiece with the Cowboys and Longhorns.

In a pair of years in Laramie, he caught 52 passes for 1,126 yards and 12 touchdowns. Almost all of that came as a redshirt sophomore with 44 receptions for 878 and each of his dozen scores.

However, his two seasons on The 40 Acres weren’t what anyone wanted them to be. Neyor didn’t appear in his first year in Austin after a knee injury in fall camp cost him the entire campaign. He then only appeared in one game for the Longhorns last year, which was the season opener against Rice, and caught just one ball for 14 yards.

Now, with Neyor joining Nebraska in the portal this offseason, he’ll look to add to a passing game that struggled last season. The Cornhuskers completed less than a dozen throws a game at 52.1% for an average of 135.9 yards and 0.8 touchdowns from their three quarterbacks. Their leading receiver, Billy Kemp, finished with 35 catches for 310 yards and a touchdown. Thomas Fidone III, although a tight end, also found some success with 25 receptions for 260 yards and a team-high of four scores.

A little life in the passing attack wouldn’t hurt for an offense like Nebraska’s. They’ve certainly tried to address that, though, both at the key position in quarterback and with potential targets like Neyor.

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Nebraska

What Iowa coach Ben McCollum said after defeating Nebraska on Thursday

Published

5 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

What Iowa coach Ben McCollum said after defeating Nebraska on Thursday

Iowa coach Ben McCollum met with the media following his team’s 77-71 victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Sweet 16. The Cornhuskers led by three at the half but Iowa was able to outscore Nebraska 34-25 in the second half.

Pryce Sandfort led all scorers with 25 points while shooting 8 of 13 from the field and 6 of 10 from the 3-point line. Bennett Stirtz led the Hawkeyes with 20 points and played for all 40 minutes.

Iowa shot 52% (27-52) from the floor, 43% (13-30) from beyond the arc and 83% (10-12) from the free throw line. Nebraska struggled shooting 41% (24-58) from the field, 34% (13-38) from the 3-point line and 91% (10-11) from the charity stripe.

The Hawkeyes’ head coach acknowledged that his team had a poor start but a great finish and said that his team will need to play better to advance beyond the Elite Eight.

Yeah, I think to start we weren’t fantastic to start. They had an elite game plan to start. They played with elite pace. They adjusted their defense quite a bit. I think a lot of people will talk about the rivalry. I was around it when I was in Iowa, you know, and grew up in Iowa and understand the rivalry and whatnot. It’s nice to have — I guess if you would a call it rival that runs such a class program.
I think Coach Hoiberg, they have got great kids. They completely turned everything around from the previous season, and they have absolutely nothing to hang their heads about or anything. I have the utmost respect for them, all their players, and especially Coach Hoiberg. Heck of a season. I know it’s no consolation, but we still want to beat ’em every time and they want to beat us every time.
But from and internal perspective, there’s not a lot of bad blood there. It’s actually a lot of respect. I was really pleased with our second-half performance. I thought we actually decided we were going to try — not try. They had a lot to do with it, but kind of. Yeah, they’re smiling over there because they saw me break my marker.
And I thought our kids did a good job of executing offensively in both halves. We spent a lot of time trying to make sure that we could score, and you saw the result of that. We didn’t defend. But we were able to score, so we were able to stay in the game long enough and then get enough stops and had some big possessions down the stretch. Really good program win for everybody, coaches, managers, everybody included.

Iowa advances to the Elite Eight with the victory. Nebraska’s season ends with a record of 28-7.

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: What Iowa coach Ben McCollum said after defeating Nebraska on Thursday

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Nebraska

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen appoints Antonio Gomez to Racing and Gaming Commission

Published

17 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen appoints Antonio Gomez to Racing and Gaming Commission

LINCOLN, Neb — Gov. Jim Pillen has appointed Antonio Gomez of Jackson to the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission, adding a longtime Siouxland business leader and public servant to the panel.

Commission members serve four-year terms and are subject to approval by the Nebraska Legislature.

Gomez launched Gomez Pallets in South Sioux City in 1983. He has since retired from daily operations, but last year the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce recognized him with the W. Edwards Deming Business Leadership and Entrepreneurial Excellence Award.

Gomez previously served on the Nebraska Commission on Latino Americans from 1981 to 2002. He also served as a Dakota County commissioner for 12 years and was on the Foundation Board for Northeast Community College.

Gomez’s appointment is effective April 1.

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Nebraska

CBS Sports predicts Nebraska-Iowa basketball in the Sweet 16

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

CBS Sports predicts Nebraska-Iowa basketball in the Sweet 16

The Nebraska Cornhuskers will face the Iowa Hawkeyes on Thursday in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. This is the Huskers’ first Sweet 16 in program history, while Iowa is playing in its first Sweet 16 since 1999.

Nebraska defeated Vanderbilt 74-72 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Iowa advanced after beating the defending national champion, the Florida Gators, 73-72.

CBS Sports reporter Isaac Trotter broke down Thursday’s Sweet 16 matchup. Trotter started by looking at the two previous matchups in this series.

These teams have played twice. Iowa won at home in a 57-52 rockfight. Nebraska returned the favor by winning at home, 84-75 in overtime, in another to-the-death brawl.

It’s no secret that Nebraska’s defense caused significant problems for the Iowa offense in the second game, and if the Hawkeyes are going to win the rubber match, Trotter believes that turnovers will be the key.

There are no secrets in the rubber match. Nebraska’s no-middle defense has given Iowa real problems both times. The Hawkeyes turned it over 20% of the time in Game 1 and 26% of the time in Game 2. That can’t happen in the third encounter.

CBS Sports believes that Iowa has the best player on the floor in Bennett Stirtz, but Trotter also believes that Nebraska’s defense is just too much in the end for Iowa.

Iowa has the best player on the floor, Bennett Stirtz, and can hurt Nebraska on the glass, but the Huskers get the nod because of this pick-and-roll defense. You have to be able to guard ball screens effectively to shut down Iowa, and Nebraska has been an elite pick-and-roll defense, rating in the 99th percentile nationally, per Synergy.

In the end, Trotter selected Nebraska as his pick. Should the Huskers advance to the Elite Eight, Nebraska would play the winner of the Illinois-Houston game. Nebraska-Iowa play in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 26 at 6:30 p.m. CT on TBS.

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: CBS Sports predicts Nebraska-Iowa basketball in the Sweet 16

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