The World-Herald’s Sam McKewon and Evan Bland talk offseason Nebraska football by assigning a word (or words) to describe three Husker-related happenings this week.
* * *
A Gap: The new NCAA eligibility model has arrived granting players five seasons to play five while eliminating redshirts. In a broad sense, one underrated effect of this change for Nebraska football could be ___.
Sam: More roster churn for Nebraska and just about every other program. You won't see a ton of guys taking their fifth year at the same school, for starters. Further, if a freshman isn't getting on the field by midway through their second year, there'd better be a better-than-average reason for why they're not doing it. And while I remain highly skeptical that the NCAA ignores injury waivers — all it'll take is one sad story going viral on social media for the usual national media members to point, Sophie Cunningham style, at the NCAA's new protocol — you will, in theory see an emphasis on quicker recoveries.
People are also reading…
Evan: A deeper talent pool to draw from for special teams. During the era of four-game redshirts that began in 2018, Nebraska often rotated true freshmen onto various kicking and return units while mixing in walk-ons and some starter-caliber players. Now, everyone is available all the time. The Huskers will still deploy some 1s and 2s in the third phase but gone are limits on younger members other than whether they’re good enough. That’s good news for new touted arrivals like cornerback Danny Odem and offensive lineman Claude Mpouma and linebacker Jase Reynolds, among others. Good for NU too as it puts its best groups together.
Another pondering: Could five in five nudge Nebraska back into the world of junior-college recruiting? Only a few juco players have made an impact in Lincoln under coach Matt Rhule — think safety Deshon Singleton and defensive linemen James Williams and Kai Wallin. Now those additions could be three- or even four-year investments. The only juco alum Big Red actively pursued last cycle, All-America defensive tackle Andy Burburija, now has three years of eligibility at Clemson.
B Gap: One Husker upperclassman who gains another season of eligibility from five in five — say, other than quarterback Anthony Colandrea — and will benefit most from it along with Nebraska is ___.
Sam: Carter Nelson. I think you'll see him begin to truly emerge this season as a tight end who can block, catch, run the whole nine. He'll have to compete a bit with Janiran Bonner for the hybrid role, but that extra year means he can work through some adversity to reach his ultimate goal of being a complete player. George Kittle didn't become George Kittle at Iowa until his fourth year on campus. Nelson still has a lot of time — that NU is willing to take to help Nelson reach his potential.
Evan: Jamir Conn. He’s the perfect example of an underrecruited portal-era player who grinds at a lower level and eventually thrives late in a power league. Often, that’s just for a year. Conn has two seasons of eligibility left now after the former Southern Illinois transfer appeared in every Nebraska game as a rotational contributor in 2025. He has pole position to start at safety as NU’s best on-field communicator, now more filled out physically and with Big Ten experience. Singleton followed a similar path successfully when he received an extra campaign. An NFL future for Conn is unclear but a chance for a longer college career is an obvious win for him and the Huskers.
C Gap: The Husker Camp Countdown series continues with training camp a month away. The Nebraska player currently outside the top 40 with the best chance to be inside the top 20 at some point in their career is ___.
Sam: Lots of them will, but Dylan Berymon's either going to do it here or somewhere else. The 6-foot-2, 330-pounder is a space eater with enough athleticism to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. Again — some team is making this guy into a major contributor. He'll expect to play early, and I think, in this defensive line rotation, he just might log 10 snaps per game. That'll grow over time. By Year 3, he should be a run stuffer at the very least.
A highly favorable comp would be Texas' T'Vondre Sweat from a few years back. That 6-4, 360-pound mountain made life hard on opposing run games.
Evan: Tyson Terry. The second-year defensive lineman may well be inside the top 40 now if not for an ACL injury that cost him all of last season and part of spring workouts. He made a couple splash plays in the Red-White scrimmage and, with listed measurables of 6-foot-2 and 310 pounds, is already physically ready to make his rotational snaps count this season. The Omaha North graduate could be a starter soon after. He plays a position, at D-tackle, where he will have opportunity and where finding transfer help is difficult and expensive. Deep local ties also mean he’s more likely to see his career through in Lincoln even if suitors emerge elsewhere.
