@Steve Marik wrote some thoughts on how Casey Thompson's departure impacts the Nebraska QB room:



@Greg Smith and I hopped on a video to dive into some more detail on Thompson's decision, take a look back at his one season with the program and that electric QB-WR connection he had with Trey Palmer.

Greg also makes a key point on how the room shapes up now with a similar QB style down the line of the depth chart:

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Does anybody know anything about Jack Stoche, a transfer from Mississippi,

To the portal.

The Nebraska baseball team added its 13th member of the 2023 recruiting class with a Friday afternoon commitment from middle infielder Rhett Stokes. It's an epic name and he's spent his first two seasons of college baseball at JUCO New Mexico Military Institute where he's hitting .417 as the leadoff man with 80 runs and 11 steals in 48 games. He's also added 11 home runs, 42 RBI and including a .779 slugging percentage.

The Roswell, New Mexico native will arrive in Lincoln as a junior. He's also worked 40 walks compared to 28 strikeouts this season which may be the most eye-popping statistic.

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Entering the portal? Don’t understand that one with the depth.

The message I'm getting from his portal movement and basically telling kids, leave bc your not good enough. He is saying he isn't a good enough coach to develop a great player. So if your not already the best don't come here!!

And Nebraska needs to drop 15+ players. Should be an interesting couple weeks.

Shocked to see when you only have 9 seniors, i know Covid affects it but still, must be small high school class. Rhule clearly building for year 2-3.

What a clown.

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Home weekend series for the Huskers. Hit the link.

The Huskers' D-line recruit from Pierre will be in Lincoln this summer, but is having a heck of a spring for T.F. Riggs High School. I know the coaching staff is high on multi-sport guys who love to compete. Maciejczak checks the box.

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Power Rankings and the Biggest Questions for Big Ten Football Teams After Spring Practice
by Paul Myerberg, USA Today
It'll only be another 200 or so days until Michigan meets Ohio State, this time back in Ann Arbor.

The annual game of the year in the Big Ten has become even more impossible to miss given the stakes at play following Michigan's revival under coach Jim Harbaugh. The Wolverines have won two in a row in the series, riding these wins to back-to-back Big Ten championships and College Football Playoff berths.

Michigan is a key player in two of the biggest questions this spring in the Power Five:

Can the Wolverines take the next step and win the national championship? Or can Ohio State rebound without star quarterback C.J. Stroud and return to the top of the conference?

Meanwhile, the Big Ten has a third major player in Penn State, which is back on the national map after last year's Rose Bowl win and could be lifted to new heights by projected starting quarterback Drew Allar given his potential to open up the offense with a more dynamic passing game.

1. Michigan
Will transfers boost the offensive line? The Wolverines hit a home run last season with the addition of Virginia transfer Olusegun Oluwatimi, one of the nation's top centers as a junior and senior. This year's offensive line could have three Power Five transfers in the starting lineup. One is left tackle LaDarius Henderson, though he's yet to arrive on campus from Arizona State. Stanford transfers Drake Nugent and Myles Hinton are also in the mix, with Nugent the favorite to take over for Oluwatimi at center.

2. Ohio State
Who takes over at kicker? Two-year starting kicker Noah Ruggles connected on 37 of 41 field goals for the Buckeyes, though his reliability after transferring from North Carolina has been overshadowed by his 50-yard miss in the final seconds of last season's loss to Georgia. One contender to replace Ruggles has already transferred in Jake Seibert, leaving two options heading into the summer: Parker Lewis, a former Southern California transfer, and walk-on Jayden Fielding.

3. Penn State
Is Allar the missing piece? Allar will be the Nittany Lions' replacement for Sean Clifford after tossing four touchdowns in reserve duty as a freshman, even if James Franklin might not name an official starter until closer to the season opener. He represents the possible missing piece for an offense and broader program that has made multiple runs at the playoff but been edged out by Ohio State and Michigan.

4. Iowa
Can the offense average 25 points per game? That's the magic number for offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, at least, after he agreed to a reworked contract that requires a minimum of 25 points per game in 2023. The mandate makes sense: Iowa has allowed more than 24 points in a game four times in the past two seasons, losing each game. While it's unlikely that Ferentz and Iowa reinvent the wheel offensively, the Hawkeyes will be boosted by the arrival of Michigan transfer Cade McNamara at quarterback. He should be a major improvement.

5. Wisconsin
Will the Badgers go all-in on the Air Raid? After years of success relying on an old-school approach, Wisconsin will embrace an offense with Air Raid concepts under new coach Luke Fickell and coordinator Phil Longo. There's obvious interest in seeing how Fickell, Longo and the Badgers marry this new approach with the physicality that has defined the program for three decades. But will there even be a blending of styles, or will Wisconsin run an undiluted version of Longo's scheme? Indications from the spring suggests there will be drastic departure from the norm.

6. Minnesota
Can Minnesota get more at receiver? Chris Autman-Bell is expected to return this summer after suffering a season-ending leg injury last September. Minnesota also brings back Daniel Jackson after his strong close to 2022, which included 159 receiving yards and three touchdowns in wins against Wisconsin and Syracuse to end the season. But the Gophers need much more from the position to balance out the offense. Look for transfers Corey Crooms (Western Michigan) and Elijah Spencer (Charlotte) to contribute from the start, with Crooms on track to grab the starting role in the slot.

7. Maryland
Could both lines be Maryland's downfall? There are reasons to highlight the Terrapins as a possible breakout team in 2023, including of the Big Ten's top collections of skill talent headlined by veteran quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa. The issue could be line play: Maryland has to rebuild up front on both sides of the ball, with the defense taking another hit this spring with the transfer of projected starter Tank Booker.

8. Michigan State
Can the freshmen get to the quarterback? The Spartans will try to reboot the defensive line with several impressive newcomers. This includes Florida State transfer Jarrett Jackson and Liberty transfer Dre Butler, who will contribute on the interior. It's on the edge that Michigan State is leaning on freshmen to beef up a pass rush that finished sixth in the Big Ten last season with 29 sacks. Four-star signees Bai Jobe and Andrew Depaepe are already on campus; Jalen Thompson will arrive this summer. Ken Talley is eligible after redshirting last season following his transfer from Penn State. The biggest addition is Texas A&M transfer Tunmise Adeleye, who has the frame and athleticism to earn all-conference honors.

9. Illinois
What's up in the secondary? Illinois' defense brings back seven starters from one of the nation's top units but will have a new coordinator in Aaron Henry, who was promoted from his role with the defensive backs to replace new Purdue coach Ryan Walters. But the losses in the secondary may be hard to overcome. Illinois has to find a way to match the production of former starters Devon Witherspoon and Sydney Brown, two of the nation's very best in 2022.

10. Nebraska
How deep is the rotation at running back? While questions persist about the depth and quality of the offensive line, Nebraska expects to run the football effectively under first-year coach Matt Rhule and running backs coach E.J. Barthel. (This is especially true if Georgia Tech transfer Jeff Sims is the starting quarterback.) Barring transfers, the Cornhuskers will have four players fighting for snaps in former Florida State transfer Anthony Grant, junior Rahmir Johnson, sophomore Gabe Ervin and redshirt freshman Ajay Allen.

11. Purdue
How good is the marriage of OC Graham Harrell and QB Hudson Card? New Purdue coordinator Graham Harrell takes over an offense that loses three huge pieces in quarterback Aidan O'Connell, wide receiver Charlie Jones and tight end Payne Durham. In comes Texas transfer Hudson Card, who started multiple games the past two seasons with 11 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Early feedback this spring has been positively glowing: Card has been singled out by teammates for his production, command and leadership qualities during the transition to a new staff.

12. Rutgers
Will increased depth lead to more consistency? To cite one position, Greg Schiano now believes Rutgers has the depth on the offensive line to run the ball more consistently in conference play; last season, the Scarlet Knights ran for 682 yards on 4.9 yards per carry against non-conference competition and 856 yards on 2.9 yards per carry against the Big Ten. There's similar optimism at running back and linebacker, where Mohamed Toure and Moses Walker return from injury. There are even some nice pieces at wide receiver, including a very promising youngster in sophomore Rashad Rochelle, though Rutgers does lose its top three at the position.

13. Indiana
Can they put the pieces together in the secondary? A huge influx of transfer talent will support a defense that brings back just two starters — though that may not be a bad thing given the Hoosiers' recent defensive swoon. After making 17 interceptions to spark a memorable 2020 season, Indiana has given up a combined 54 touchdowns against just 12 picks the past two years. Last year's group was one of just three nationally in allow 30 or more touchdowns and at least 8 yards per pass attempt.

14. Northwestern
Can this offense and defense get out of the cellar? Northwestern's defense ranked 10th nationally in yards per play in 2020, when the Wildcats reached the Big Ten championship game, offsetting an offense that ranked 110th in the same category. The defense plummeted to 106th nationally in 2021 but rebounded to 68th last season. Offensively, Northwestern ranked 120th and 123rd, respectively, the past two years and won four combined games. There's more to like from the Wildcats' defense heading into this season but continued concerns over an offense that brings back only a handful of starters and loses one of the nation's best players in left tackle Peter Skoronski.

He gone.

I dove into some things we found out about Matt Rhule's recruiting operation at Nebraska this spring. Hit the link...

I assume a few of you will make an offer soon:

April 28

1788 - Maryland became the 7th state.

1789 - Fletcher Christian led the mutiny aboard the British ship Bounty against Captain William Bligh.

1945 - Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and his mistress, Clara Petacci, were executed as they attempted to flee the country.

1947 - Thor Heyerdahl and five others began their trek across the Pacific Ocean on the balsa wood raft, Kon-Tiki.

1952 - War with Japan officially ended as a treaty signed in San Francisco the year before took effect.

1952 - Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower resigned as Supreme Allied Commander in Europe; he was succeeded by Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway.

1965 - President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered U.S. Marines to the Dominican Republic to protect American citizens and interests in the face of a civil war.

1980 - President Jimmy Carter accepted the resignation of Secretary of State Cyrus R. Vance, who had opposed the failed rescue mission aimed at freeing American hostages in Iran.

1986 - The Soviet Union informed the world of the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl.

1990 - The musical "A Chorus Line" closed after 6,137 performances on Broadway.

1992 - The Department of Agriculture unveiled its first Food Pyramid.

1994 - Former CIA agent Aldrich Ames, who had passed U.S. secrets to the Soviet Union and then Russia, pleaded guilty to espionage and tax evasion, and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

2001 - A Russian rocket lifted off from Central Asia bearing the first space tourist, California businessman Dennis Tito, and two cosmonauts on a journey to the international space station.

2004 - The Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal first came to light when graphic photos of U.S. soldiers physically abusing and humiliating Iraqi prisoners were shown on CBS's "60 Minutes II."

2011 - Convicted sex offender Phillip Garrido and his wife, Nancy, pleaded guilty to kidnapping and raping a California girl, Jaycee Dugard, who was abducted in 1991 at the age of 11 and rescued 18 years later. (Phillip Garrido was sentenced to 431 years to life in prison; Nancy Garrido was sentenced to 36 years to life in prison.)

2012 - Syria derided United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as biased and called his comments “outrageous” after he blamed the regime for widespread cease-fire violations.

2017 - President Donald Trump reaffirmed his support for gun rights, telling attendees of a National Rifle Association convention in Atlanta that “the eight-year assault on your Second Amendment freedoms has come to a crashing end.”

2018 - Alfie Evans, the 23-month-old terminally-ill British toddler who was at the center of a legal battle over his treatment, died at a British hospital; doctors had said further treatment for his degenerative brain condition was futile and that he should be allowed to die, but his parents fought for months to take him to the Vatican’s children’s hospital so he could be kept on life support.

2021 - In his first address to Congress, President Joe Biden called for an expansion of federal programs to drive the economy past the pandemic and broadly extend the social safety net on a scale not seen in decades.

2021 - The Justice Department brought federal hate crimes charges in the death of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man who was pursued and then killed by white men who spotted him running in their Georgia neighborhood. (Three white men were found guilty of federal hate crimes after being convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison in Arbery's shooting death.)

2021 - Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins, who orbited the moon alone while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made their first steps on the lunar surface, died of cancer in Florida at age 90.

Birthdays
28 - Melanie Martinez (singer)
31 - Catherine Wayne (comedian)
32 - Aleisha Allen (actress)
36 - Samantha Ruth Prabhu (actress)
37 - Jenna Ushkowitz (actress)
41 - Harry Shum Jr. (actor)
42 - Jessica Alba (actress)
45 - Drew Scott (TV host)
45 - Jonathan Scott (TV host)
45 - Nate Richert (actor)
49 - Penelope Cruz (actress)
50 - Elisabeth Rohm (actress)
50 - Jorge Garcia (actor)
52 - Chris Young (actor)
52 - Bridget Moynahan (actress)
63 - Elena Kagan (Supreme Court Justice)
67 - Nancy Lee Grahn (actress)
71 - Mary McDonnell (actress)
73 - Jay Leno (TV host)
74 - Paul Guilfoyle (actor)
82 - Ann Margret (actress)


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Today in Sports History - April 28

1923 - London's Wembley Stadium opens.

1930 - The first organized night baseball game was played in Independence, Kansas.

1966 - The Boston Celtics defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games to win the NBA championship.

1967 - Heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali refused to be inducted into the U.S. Army and was thereby stripped of his championship.

1971 - Hank Aaron hit his 600th career home run.

1985 - Fernando Valenzuela sets a MLB record by pitching 41 consecutive scoreless innings to start the season.

1985 - Billy Martin was named manager of the New York Yankees for the fourth time.

1987 - The NBA announced expansion franchises for Charlotte (Hornets) and Miami (Heat) for the 1988-89 season and Minneapolis (Timberwolves) and Orlando (Magic) for the 1989-90 season.

1987 - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Miami (FL) quarterback Vinny Testaverde with the first pick in the NFL Draft.

1988 - The Baltimore Orioles lost their 21st consecutive game to establish a new MLB record for worst start to a season (0-21).

1993 - Dale Hunter (Washington Capitals) executed a blindside check on Pierre Turgeon (New York Islanders). On May 4 Hunter was given a 21 game suspension.

2003 - Andre Agassi becomes the oldest men's tennis player to ever achieve a world's #1 ranking at 33 years, 13 days old.

2007 - The Oakland Raiders select LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell with the first pick in the NFL Draft.

2011 - The Carolina Panthers select Auburn quarterback Cam Newton with the first pick in the NFL Draft.

2016 - The Los Angeles Rams select California quarterback Jared Goff with the first pick in the NFL Draft.

2022 - The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Georgia defensive end Travon Walker with the first pick in the NFL Draft.

2022 - Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer was suspended for two full seasons without pay by Major League Baseball for violating the league's domestic violence and sexual assault policy, which he denied doing.

It seems so wierd to actually trust this staff on what players they are offering. HCMR doing this before at Temple and Baylor along with the extensive staff in place just gives me confidence.

In the past it felt like we were throwing sh!t against the wall and seeing what sticks. It's nice to see a purpose and direction.

no reason we can't host one of these games in Memorial Stadium #24Ours

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to Wake Forest.

Wanted to take a look at a few players who switched positions and see how they did in the spring game. I wound up focusing on three guys: AJ Rollins, Gage Stenger and Janiran Bonner. I know it's just a spring game, but I liked what I saw: