The transfer portal giveth and taketh away. But how has it impacted each of the Huskers' opponents for the 2023 season?

Let's start with Minnesota:

May 9

1914 - President Woodrow Wilson, acting on a joint congressional resolution, signed a proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day.

1926 - Explorers Richard E. Byrd and Floyd Bennett flew over the North Pole.

1936 - Fascist Italy annexed Ethiopia.

1945 - With World War II in Europe at an end, Soviet forces liberated Czechoslovakia from Nazi occupation.

1945 - U.S. officials announced that a midnight entertainment curfew was being lifted immediately.

1951 - The U.S. conducted its first thermonuclear experiment as part of Operation Greenhouse by detonating a 225-kiloton device on Enewetak Atoll in the Pacific nicknamed "George."

1962 - The Massachusetts Institute of Technology succeeded in reflecting a laser beam off the surface of the moon.

1962 - The Beatles signed their first recording contract and hired George Martin to be their producer.

1970 - President Richard Nixon made a surprise and impromptu pre-dawn visit to the Lincoln Memorial, where he chatted with a group of protesters who’d been resting on the Memorial steps after protests against the Vietnam War and the Kent State shootings.

1974 - The House Judiciary Committee opened public hearings on whether to recommend the impeachment of President Richard Nixon. (The committee ended up adopting three articles of impeachment against the president, who resigned before the full House took up any of them.)

1978 - The body of slain former Italian prime minister Aldo Moro was found in an automobile in Rome.

1980 - Thirty-five people were killed when a freighter rammed the Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay in Florida, causing a 1,400-foot section of the southbound span to collapse.

1994 - The South African parliament chose Nelson Mandela as president.

2004 - Chechnya's Moscow-backed leader, Akhmad Kadyrov, was killed in a bombing. Six others were killed and another 60 wounded.

2018 - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in North Korea to finalize plans for a summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Three Americans who had spent more than a year in prison in North Korea were freed during his visit and left North Korea aboard Pompeo’s plane.

2019 - Pope Francis issued a groundbreaking new church law requiring all Catholic priests and nuns to report clergy sexual abuse and cover-ups by their superiors to church authorities.

2020 - Rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Little Richard, known for his piercing wail, pounding piano and towering pompadour, died in Tennessee at the age of 87 after battling bone cancer; he had helped shatter the color line on the music charts while introducing Black R&B to white America.

Birthdays
21 - Cree Cicchino (actress)
22 - Alexandra Chaves (actress)
27 - Mary Mouser (actress)
27 - Noah Centineo (actor)
37 - Grace Gummer (actress)
38 - Audrina Patridge (reality star)
41 - Rachel Boston (actress)
44 - Rosario Dawson (actress)
45 - Daniel Franzese (actor)
48 - Tamia (singer)
61 - Dave Gahan (singer)
62 - John Corbett (actor)
67 - Wendy Crewson (actress)
70 - Amy Hill (actress)
72 - Alley Mills (actress)
74 - Billy Joel (singer)
76 - Anthony Higgins (actor)
77 - Clint Holmes (singer)
77 - Candice Bergen (actress)
81 - Tommy Roe (singer)
86 - James L. Brooks (producer)
89 - Alan Bennett (actor)

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Today in Sports History - May 9

1961 - Jim Gentile (Baltimore Orioles) set a major league baseball record when he hit a grand slam home run in two consecutive innings. The game was against the Minnesota Twins.

1973 - Johnny Bench hit three homeruns in a game. It was the second time he had achieved the feat.

1984 - It took the Chicago White Sox 25 innings, eight hours and six minutes, over the course of two days, to finally defeat the Milwaukee Brewers, 7-6. (It was the longest game -- in elapsed time -- in MLB history.)

1987 - Eddie Murray (Baltimore Orioles) became the first player to switch hit homeruns in two consecutive games.

1993 - The Phoenix Suns beat the Los Angeles Lakers 112-104 in overtime to become the first NBA team to lose two playoff games at home and then come back to win three straight.

1995 - The Cleveland Indians tied a record when they recorded 8 runs before making an out. They beat the Minnesota Twins 10-0.

1997 - The San Diego Padres retired Randy Jones' #35.

1999 - Marshall McDougall of Florida State set several NCAA records, including hitting six home runs and recording 16 RBIs in a 25-2 win over Maryland.

2001 - In Accra, Ghana, at least 120 people died in a stampede at a soccer match.

2010 - Dallas Braden pitched the 19th perfect game in major league history. The Oakland Athletics won 4-0 over the Tampa Bay Rays.

I am not trying to start something here I just have an honest question because I am baffled about their start to the season. I have only really been paying attention to Contreras' stats like I do with all former Cubs from that 16 season. What is going on with them? Is it just the pitching as I noticed they are 21st ranked according to MLB. As I said not starting anything just genuinely curious because I expected them to win this division. Any insight would be appreciated.

I am definitely not one, but I will be watching. I’ve had a few too many to use google, but I can write a paragraph here. What’s going on with horses being euthanized this week? Am I reading that right?

1) Tommie Frazier
2) Ndamukong Suh
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4) Lavonte David
5) Lawrence Phillips

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Echols has been shooting up recruiting boards like crazy this spring. He’s up to 25+ offers and told me tonight that he’s locked in an official visit to Nebraska June 13-15. He was also in Lincoln this spring when he was offered by the Huskers.

He’s also got Texas A&M locked in June 2-4.

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What are some movies generally considered bad, but you like?

Some of my list...

MacGruber
Step Brothers
Rad
A Night at the Roxbury
The Counselor
Mojave
Valerian and the City of One Thousand Planets
Starship Troopers (Debatable if it's considered a bad movie or not)

Meechigan 10.5
Bucknuts 10.5
Penn St 9.5
Wisconsin 9
Ioway 7.5
Maryland 7
Illinois 7.5
Gophers 7.5
Huskers 6
Sparty 5.5
Boilers 5.5
Indiana 3.5
NW 3.5

You’d think Herky would have a higher win total without NO tOSU and Michigan and Rutgers as their cross division rival game..

He pretty much sees it like the rest of us; patiently waiting to see if Rhule can turn the program around. Cautiously optimistic...

Hey, everyone. @Foremanjay5655 and I are back for another Blackshirt Breakdown.

Today, we're taking a detailed look at Ashton Murphy, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound three-star defensive line commit in the Huskers' 2024 class out of Elkhorn South High School. Some really good, knowledgeable stuff from Jay as always.

Appreciate @Steve Marik sharing this with me, but it appears we may have another college baseball gambling scandal, but this time with Iowa. This comes fresh off the discovery that the Alabama baseball coach was in on a huge bet against the Crimson Tide when they scratched their best pitcher when facing nationally ranked LSU. Keaton Anthony is one of four players to be involved with this and he's arguably the best hitter on Iowa. Curious to see what comes out of this.

Mini doubleheader tonight at Charles Schwab Field. Hit the link.

How does everyone feel about the new season?

Big Ten QB rankings for 2023: Will transfer quarterbacks hit at Wisconsin, Nebraska and Iowa?
by Bill Bender, Sporting News
Half of the Big Ten could have a transfer quarterback starting In Week 1.


The Big Ten West could have six transfer quarterbacks under center, a list that includes Illinois' Luke Altmyer, Iowa's Cade McNamara, Purdue's Hudson Card, Wisconsin's Tanner Mordecai and Nebraska's Jeff Sims. Cincinnati transfer Ben Bryant could make it six if he lands the job at Northwestern.

The Big Ten East has a more established quarterback pecking order. Maryland's Taulia Tagovailoa is a three-year starter, but he did transfer from Alabama. Indiana's Tayven Jackson also is a transfer.


Meanwhile, the top-10 powerhouses in the conference have in-house elite talent. Which one of Michigan's J.J. McCarthy, Ohio State's Kyle McCord and Penn State's Drew Allar will get in the Heisman Trophy mix?

Sporting News ranks the quarterback situations at all 14 Big Ten schools heading into the summer:

Big Ten QB Outlooks for 2023

1. MICHIGAN
Starter: J.J. McCarthy (JR) (13 career starts at Michigan)
Backup: Jack Tuttle (grad transfer)

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has the quarterback position figured out. It took a few games, but McCarthy beat out Cade McNamara for the starting job last season. He is 12-1 as a starter and led Michigan to its first victory at Ohio State since 2000 last season. He averaged 255.7 passing yards with eight TDs and three interceptions through Michigan's last three games. McCarthy is a five-star talent, and projections vary on his potential place in the 2024 NFL Draft. Tuttle provides a veteran presence as a backup, and Michigan locked in five-star quarterback Jadyn Davis for the 2024 recruiting class.

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2. OHIO STATE
Starter: Kyle McCord (JR) (1 career start at Ohio State)
Backup: Devin Brown (redshirt FR)

Ohio State's last three quarterbacks – Dwayne Haskins, Justin Fields and C.J. Stroud – were first-round picks. McCord had a chance to distance himself from Brown – who missed the spring game with a finger injury. Brown showed a rapport with high school teammate Marvin Harrison Jr., but there will be a learning curve. McCord did make one start against Akron in 2021 – and he passed for 13 of 18 passes for 319 yards and two TDs. Brown could make a push in fall camp, but it's difficult to see Ohio State coach Ryan Day not at least starting with McCord in the season opener against Indiana.

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3. PENN STATE
Starter: Drew Allar (SO) (0 career starts)
Backup: Beau Pribula (redshirt FR)

Sean Clifford, a four-year starter, finally moved on to the NFL. Anticipation around Allar – a 6-foot-5, 242-pound sophomore with a five-star pedigree – is high in Happy Valley. Allar played in 10 games last season, and he showcased that ability to push the ball down-field in the passing game – albeit with growing pains. It's a small sample, but Allar did have four TDs and no interceptions. Allar finished 18 of 29 for 206 yards and a touchdown in the Blue-White game, which created distance with Pribula for the starting job. Pribula might still have a niche in the offense because of his mobility, but Allar is the quarterback Nittany Lions fans have been waiting for.

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4. MARYLAND
Starter: Taulia Tagovailoa (redshirt SR) (29 career starts at Maryland)
Backup: Billy Edwards Jr. (redshirt SO)

Tagovailoa is the elder statesman of Big Ten quarterbacks. He ranked fifth in the Big Ten with 3,008 passing yards, and he had 18 TDs and eight interceptions. It was a regression from his 2022 season, but he closed last season with a strong stretch that included a 293-yard performance against Ohio State and a victory in the Mayo Bowl against NC State. Tagovailoa has already set school records for passing yards (7,879) and TDs (51). Now, it's about leading Maryland to the next step under Mike Locksley – meaning a signature victory against a Big Ten heavyweight – and getting ready for the next level.

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5. IOWA
Starter: Cade McNamara (SR) (16 career starts at Michigan)
Backup: Deacon Hill (redshirt SO)

The Iowa offense became a national punchline last season after its quarterbacks combined for seven TDs and seven interceptions. The Hawkeyes averaged just 17.7 points per game. McNamara is a godsend for this offense. He led the Wolverines to a Big Ten championship as a starter in 2021 before losing the job to J.J. McCarthy last season. Michigan tight end Erick All also transferred to Iowa. McNamara is an upgrade who had a 63.1% completion percentage with 21 TDs and seven interceptions with the Wolverines. Hill is a Wisconsin transfer who adds depth. Iowa isn't going to change its ways under Kirk Ferentz, but McNamara will make this offense better.

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6. WISCONSIN
Starter: Tanner Mordecai (redshirt SR) (24 career starts at SMU)
Backup: Nick Evers (redshirt FR); Braedyn Locke (redshirt FR)

The Luke Fickell era is upon Wisconsin, and the first-year coach's top three quarterbacks are transfers. Mordecai has the most experience through stints at Oklahoma and SMU, and he totaled 7,791 yards, 76 TDs and 23 interceptions through those stops. The ability to limit mistakes while making the transition to new offensive coordinator Phil Longo's offense will be the key for Mordecai. Wisconsin's leading passer hasn't had a completion percentage above 60% the last two seasons. Mordecai should bring improved efficiency, and transfers Evers (Oklahoma) and Locke (Mississippi State) add depth to the position.

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7. PURDUE
Starter: Hudson Card (redshirt JR) (5 career starts at Texas)
Backup: Ryan Browne (FR)

Aidan O'Connell had an outstanding career with the Boilermakers and was a fourth-round pick by the Las Vegas Raiders. Coach Jeff Brohm left for Louisville, however, and first-year coach Ryan Walters is turning to Texas transfer Hudson Card – who lost the starting job to Quinn Ewers last season. Card still saw substantial action the last two seasons, and he averaged 7.9 yards per attempt with 11 TDs and two interceptions. Don't be surprised if Card thrives with realistic expectations at Purdue, even with a first-year coach. Allen is an in-state four-star recruit, entered the transfer portal for the second time on April 25.

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8. NEBRASKA
Starter: Jeff Sims (JR) (23 career starts at Georgia Tech)
Backup: Chubba Purdy (redshirt SO); Heinrich Haarberg (SO)

Casey Thompson -- last year's starter -- entered the transfer portal on April 28, which means first-year coach Matt Rhule will go with Georgia Tech transfer Jeff Sims in Year 1. Sims finished 9-of-13 for 139 yards in the spring game. Sims started for most of three seasons with the Yellow Jackets, and he totaled 4,464 yards, 30 TDs and 23 interceptions. He also had 1,152 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. He has an 8-15 record as a starter, and the Yellow Jackets had some rough teams in that stretch. He remains an intriguing talent paired with Rhule, a make-over artist who should be able to maximize that talent.

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9. MINNESOTA
Starter: Athan Kaliakmanis (redshirt SO) (5 career starts at Minnesota)
Backup: Cole Kramer (SR)

All of Minnesota's quarterback options have been developed within the program, and Tanner Morgan is gone. Kaliakmanis had a 3-2 record as a starter last season, and that included a breakout performance against Wisconsin where he hit 19 of 29 passes for 319 yards and two TDs. Kaliakmanis was inconsistent, but the redshirt sophomore has been with offensive coordinator Matt Simon for three years. P.J. Fleck also hired Greg Harbaugh Jr. as a co-offensive coordinator. Kaliakmanis is the best option for the Gophers. Kramer is a seasoned backup, and that will allow freshman quarterbacks Drew Viotto and Max Shikenjanski to develop.

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10. ILLINOIS
Starter: Luke Altmyer (SO) (1 career start at Ole Miss)
Backup: Donovan Leary (redshirt FR); John Paddock (SR)

Bret Bielema will play transfer roulette for the third consecutive season at Illinois, and this time Altmyer – who has appeared in nine games the past two seasons for the Rebels – is the heavy favorite. The Illini played an open scrimmage instead of a true spring game, so it's hard to get a gauge on whether Leary or Paddock – a Ball State transfer – will be the primary backup. It's a limited sample, but Altmyer struggled with accuracy (51.9% completion percentage) and had three TDs and three interceptions. That is something he must clean up with offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr.

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11. INDIANA
Starter: Tayven Jackson (redshirt FR) (0 career starts)
Backup: Brendan Sorsby (redshirt FR)

This is a tough one because Dexter Williams II would likely be the starting quarterback, but he suffered a dislocated knee in the regular-season finale against Purdue. Williams likely will not be ready to start the regular season, which forces Hoosiers coach Tom Allen to roll with Tayven Jackson, a Tennessee transfer and the younger brother of Indiana basketball star Trayce Jackson-Davis. Sorsby made six passing attempts last season as a backup to Connor Bazelak and Jack Tuttle. Jackson likely will get the first shot, but it won't be easy with the home opener against Ohio State.

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12. RUTGERS
Starter: Gavin Wimsatt (redshirt SO) (6 career starts at Rutgers)
Backup: Evan Simon (redshirt SO)

Wimsatt was a four-star recruit, and he took over last season when Noah Vedral suffered a hand injury. Simon – a three-star recruit from the class of 2020 – also played in nine games last season and made two starts, so it's a toss-up competition for Greg Schiano and the Scarlet Knights. The spring game wasn't a decider given Wimsatt hit 10 of 20 passes for 124 yards and a TD and an interception. Simon hit 9 of 17 passes for 71 yards. Neither QB was much of a threat in the running game last season. It feels both quarterbacks could see time in the home Big Ten opener against Northwestern on Sept. 2.

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13. MICHIGAN STATE
Starter: Noah Kim (redshirt JR) (0 career starts)
Backup: Katin Houser (redshirt FR)

The Spartans' quarterback room took a turn when starting quarterback Payton Thorne entered the transfer portal on May 1. Thorne, a two-year starter who had 46 TD passes and 21 interceptions the last two seasons, is headed to Auburn. That means Kim – who was 14 of 19 passing with three TDs in limited action last season – will be the starter in Week 1. Houser is a talented redshirt freshman, but the spring quarterback battle focused on Thorne and Kim. This is not an ideal situation for fourth-year coach Mel Tucker, but at least Kim has experience within the program.

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14. NORTHWESTERN
Starter: Brendan Sullivan (redshirt SO) (0 career starts)
Backup: Ryan Hilinski (redshirt JR); Ben Bryant (grad transfer)

This quarterback battle added a new wrinkle when Cincinnati quarterback Ben Bryant transferred to Northwestern last week. Bryant is a sixth-year quarterback who could wedge into this undecided battle. Hilinski – a South Carolina transfer – started six games last season but did not participate in spring practice because of injuries. Sullivan has the edge for now. He had a 74.5% completion percentage with four TDs and three interceptions last season. Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald also has Cole Freeman and Jack Lausch on the roster. This is a multiple-choice derby heading into fall camp.

We were visiting with my ex wife and her husband a while back and the topic of groceries and dining out came up. I couldn't believe how often and how much they spend dining out. Just curious what my fellow scrollers spend on restaurants each month.

BTW they averaged about $1800/mo at restaurants and $500 for groceries/incidentals for the two of them (over the last three months.)

Keelan Smith is N.

The three-star athlete is the Huskers’ sixth commitment in the 2024 class and their first in the month of May. The commitment from the Liberty North (Mo.) standout gives Nebraska a recruiting win in the Kansas City metro area for the second year in a row.

Smith broke down why he picked the Huskers in an interview with @Greg Smith



Here's our analysis on the impact of Keelan Smith's commitment:


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Leslie Black from Georgia

Update: Ajay Allen announced his transfer to Miami on Monday evening.

Nebraska Football: FPI sees tough road ahead in 2023; can Rhule beat their odds this first season?

If he had liberal leaning tendencies?

Former Husker QB Richard Torres lands at Incarnate Word, a really solid FCS program in Torres’ hometown of San Antonio.

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