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Rhule on White: 'He's just the coolest dude in the room'
Big Ten announces volleyball home and away pairings for 2024
Nebraska learned its home and away matchups for 2024.
Michael Bruntz
MICHAEL BRUNTZ
4 hrs
4
(Photo: Getty)
The Big Ten announced its volleyball conference schedule rotation for the 2024 season on Thursday.
Although the additions of Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington will bring the conference up to 18 teams, the schedule will remain a 20-game schedule with 10 home games and 10 away games.
Nebraska will play three opponents both home and away - Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. Double-play opponents were determined with consideration for competitive balance, geography and rivalries.
The Huskers will host Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA and USC.
Nebraska will travel to Maryland, Michigan State, Northwestern, Oregon, Ohio State, Penn State and Washington.
Each Big Ten school in the Central and Eastern time zone will make a single trip to the Pacific time zone during the season.
Double-Play (Home and Away)
Illinois
Iowa
Wisconsin
Home Only
Indiana
Michigan
Minnesota
Purdue
Rutgers
UCLA
USC
Away Only
Maryland
Michigan State
Northwestern
Oregon
Ohio State
Penn State
Washington
Rhule talks addition of 'physical freaks' to wide receiver group
Nebraska's Matt Rhule on the power of a pair of transfer portal additions so far this spring.
Michael Bruntz
MICHAEL BRUNTZ
2 hrs
1
Nebraska may have taken a more limited approach with the transfer portal this offseason, but head coach Matt Rhule said the Huskers addressed important needs at wide receiver with the additions of Texas and Wyoming wide receiver Isaiah Neyor and former Wake Forest wide receiver Jahmal Banks.
In an appearance on a podcast with ESPN’s Rece Davis, Rhule said getting older at wide receiver was an area of emphasis in the offseason. Rhule has only been able to watch offseason workouts in the last week or so, he said the veteran wide receivers have arrived as-advertised.
“They’re really explosive,” Rhule said. “They’re physical freaks. They’re 6-foot-3. They can run, they can jump. I haven’t seen them play football yet, but I’ve seen them move, so I can tell they have all of that.”
Banks brings a lofty resume on the field from Wake Forest, where he had 59 receptions for 653 yards and four touchdowns this past season. Overall, Banks has 107 receptions for 1,404 and 13 touchdowns in four seasons at Wake Forest. All but six of those catches and nearly 1,300 yards came in the last two seasons.
Rhule said he’s been most impressed so far with how Banks has been a leader early in his time in Lincoln. Banks is at the top of Nebraska’s offseason competitions off-the-field, and has helped to raise the standard among the wide receivers, Rhule said.
“What that’s helping me do is what was good enough last year is no longer good enough and what was great last year is no longer great, it’s just good enough,” Rhule said. “He’s completely raised the bar and that’s what good players do. They go to a program and show everybody that to be great on the field you have to be great off the field, and that’s what Jahmal is doing — he’s an excellent student, excellent person, works his tail off.”
Neyor began his career at Wyoming before moving on to Texas. At Wyoming he was an All-Mountain West performer following a 2021 campaign where he hauled in 44 receptions for 878 yards and 12 touchdowns as a sophomore. His 19.95 yards per reception and 12 receiving touchdowns both led the MWC and ranked sixth and eighth in the FBS, respectively. He had back-to-back 100-yard games against the likes of Boise State and Utah State that season.
He battled injuries at Texas and is getting a new opportunity in Lincoln.
“Neyor, he’s healthy now, he’s so athletic — really anxious to see him,” Rhule said.
The pair of transfers, plus Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda represent the only seniors in the wide receiver group, and Rhule said adding Banks and Neyor to the group will help the younger players in the group.
“The early returns are pretty good,” Rhule said. “We’ve got a really dynamic, young receiving corps. They’re just young. And I think having a couple of older guys — being able to watch a guy like Jahmal, will accelerate all of their development.”
College football recruiting: Top programs trending up, down heading into 2024 season
How the nation's best programs are recruiting compared to past years.
Grant Hughes
GRANT HUGHES
3 hrs
1
The 2024 college football recruiting class is firmly in the rearview mirror. As coaches shift their focus to 2025 and beyond, we decided to look back at how several of the nation’s premier programs recruited this cycle compared to past years. We averaged out class rankings from the previous three cycles (2021-23) and compared them to our 2024 team rankings to determine which teams are trending up and down.
Georgia and Alabama battled for the No. 1 overall class for a second-straight year, with the Bulldogs pulling ahead of the Crimson Tide late. Fellow SEC teams, Texas (No. 6), LSU (No. 7), Oklahoma (No. 8) and Auburn (No. 10), joined the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide with top-10 classes. No other conference had more than two programs finish in the top 10.
Ohio State signed five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit, despite late charges from Florida State and Miami. Several other teams mentioned on this list, including Texas A&M, Tennessee, Penn State and Nebraska, inked a five-star recruit but are trending in different directions.
30% off annual VIP membership! Get the latest football and recruiting scoop on your favorite college team today.
Here are where some of the nation's top college football programs are trending on the recruiting trail:
TRENDING UP: AUBURN TIGERS
(Photo: Getty)
2024 Class Ranking: No. 10
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 19.3
Auburn is one of the highest risers on this list, thanks to Hugh Freeze’s efforts since taking the helm ahead of the 2023 season. Under former head coach Bryan Harsin, with some Gus Malzahn recruits mixed in, the Tigers finished at No. 19 and No. 21 in the recruiting rankings in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Auburn signed the No. 18 class in 2023 and just inked the fifth-best class in the SEC, headlined by five-star wide receiver Cam Coleman, the conference’s highest-rated offensive commit in 2024.
TRENDING DOWN: TEXAS A&M AGGIES
(Photo: Texas A&M Athletics )
2024 Class Ranking: No. 19
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 8.0
It was always going to be hard for Texas A&M to recreate the recruiting magic used to sign the nation’s No. 1-ranked class in 2022. In fact, the Aggies signed four-straight top-10 classes from 2019-22. Disappointing results on the field dropped the program outside the top 15 the last two cycles, but there’s already hope that new head coach Mike Elko, and the university’s strong alumni base, will get the Aggies back in the top 10 for 2025.
TRENDING UP: FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES
(Photo: Melina Myers, USA TODAY Sports)
2024 Class Ranking: No. 12
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 20.7
Willie Taggart left Florida State recruiting in shambles. Though Mike Norvell hasn’t quite got the Seminoles into the upper-echelon of high school talent, his classes have improved year over year, and he just notched his highest-rated signing group overall at No. 12. Florida State didn’t land a five-star this cycle but pulled in a whopping 16 four-star prospects and 10 players rated in the Top247.
TRENDING UP: TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
(Photo: Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel, Getty)
2024 Class Ranking: No. 13
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 16.3
Tennessee continues to trend up on the recruiting trail even though its 2024 class couldn’t quite match the top-10 haul Josh Heupel and Co. pulled in last season. The Volunteers signed its highest-rated recruit since 2009 in five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava in 2023. Tennessee landed top-10 edge prospect Jordan Ross and got Iamaleava some added weapons with top-100 wide receivers Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley.
TRENDING DOWN: PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
(Photo: Grace Brennan, USA TODAY Sports)
2024 Class Ranking: No. 15
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 13.7
James Franklin is still searching for his first College Football Playoff appearance. His Nittany Lions haven’t recruited at the level of rival Ohio State and haven’t developed players to the extent Jim Harbaugh did at Michigan. Penn State signed the No. 6 overall class in 2022 but hasn’t achieved that same level of success in the two classes since, though five-star tight end Luke Reynolds looks like a future first-round NFL Draft pick.
TRENDING UP: GEORGIA BULLDOGS
(Photo: Joshua L Jones, USA TODAY Sports)
2024 Class Ranking: No. 1
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 3.0
Georgia signed the No. 4 class in 2021 and has gradually crept up the rankings. The Bulldogs finished No. 3 in 2022, No. 2 in 2023 and atop the rankings at No. 1 overall this cycle. Five-star cornerback Ellis Robinson is the highest-rated defensive player to commit to an SEC school, and Kirby Smart and Co. further bolstered the defense with linebacker Justin Williams and safety KJ Bolden, both the top-ranked players at their positions. Alabama must find its footing under Kalen DeBoer, and Georgia is poised to strengthen its grip atop college football recruiting.
TRENDING UP: NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH
(Photo: 247Sports)
2024 Class Ranking: No. 9
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 9.3
Notre Dame is arguably the most consistent recruiting team in the nation. The Fighting Irish pull in fringe top-10 classes year in and year out but are still looking for their first top-5 finish under head coach Marcus Freeman. Elite defensive lineman Bryce Young headlines Notre Dame’s 2024 class and is the first five-star prospect to commit to the Fighting Irish since Michael Mayer in 2020. Freeman and Co. signed 12 Top247 players in 2023 and eight this cycle.
TRENDING DOWN: MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
(Photo: Alejandro Zúñiga, Getty)
2024 Class Ranking: No. 16
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 13.0
Michigan built its 2024 national championship roster with little blue-chip talent in the fold, speaking to the Wolverines’ elite developmental staff. With Jim Harbaugh and strength coach Ben Herbert off to the NFL, head coach Sherrone Moore will have his work cut out for him. The Wolverines signed the No. 9 class in 2022 but tumbled down the rankings the last two years, finishing No. 17 and No. 16 in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
TRENDING UP: NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS
(Photo: Ron Johnson, Getty)
2024 Class Ranking: No. 18
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 28.7
Matt Rhule is a salesman. Nebraska went four cycles without a top-20 class until the former Baylor and Carolina Panthers coach came to town and quickly assembled the No. 18 class in the nation. Traits matter more than ratings for Rhule, and the Cornhuskers signed some freaks in 2024, including four-star tight end Carter Nelson and 6-foot-7 athlete Eric Ingwerson. Rhule also managed arguably the biggest win of the cycle in flipping five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola from Georgia. He’s the second-highest-rated recruit to commit to the Cornhuskers in the modern recruiting era.
TRENDING DOWN: OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
(Photo: Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire, Getty)
2024 Class Ranking: No. 5
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 3.3
Ohio State’s No. 5 finish in the recruiting rankings is actually the program’s lowest since 2020, which also finished at No. 5. However, nobody in Columbus is complaining about another top-5 class, especially one that includes the top overall prospect in wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. The Buckeyes did miss on several offensive line prospects, an area that is a projected weakness for the Buckeyes next season. Ohio State signed just three offensive linemen this cycle, and four-star IOL Ian Moore is the only one ranked in the Top247.
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© 2005-2024 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc.
LOG INJOIN
Image Title
TRENDING
Rhule on White: 'He's just the coolest dude in the room'
Big Ten announces volleyball home and away pairings for 2024
Nebraska learned its home and away matchups for 2024.
Michael Bruntz
MICHAEL BRUNTZ
4 hrs
4
(Photo: Getty)
The Big Ten announced its volleyball conference schedule rotation for the 2024 season on Thursday.
Although the additions of Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington will bring the conference up to 18 teams, the schedule will remain a 20-game schedule with 10 home games and 10 away games.
Nebraska will play three opponents both home and away - Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. Double-play opponents were determined with consideration for competitive balance, geography and rivalries.
The Huskers will host Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA and USC.
Nebraska will travel to Maryland, Michigan State, Northwestern, Oregon, Ohio State, Penn State and Washington.
Each Big Ten school in the Central and Eastern time zone will make a single trip to the Pacific time zone during the season.
Double-Play (Home and Away)
Illinois
Iowa
Wisconsin
Home Only
Indiana
Michigan
Minnesota
Purdue
Rutgers
UCLA
USC
Away Only
Maryland
Michigan State
Northwestern
Oregon
Ohio State
Penn State
Washington
Rhule talks addition of 'physical freaks' to wide receiver group
Nebraska's Matt Rhule on the power of a pair of transfer portal additions so far this spring.
Michael Bruntz
MICHAEL BRUNTZ
2 hrs
1
Nebraska may have taken a more limited approach with the transfer portal this offseason, but head coach Matt Rhule said the Huskers addressed important needs at wide receiver with the additions of Texas and Wyoming wide receiver Isaiah Neyor and former Wake Forest wide receiver Jahmal Banks.
In an appearance on a podcast with ESPN’s Rece Davis, Rhule said getting older at wide receiver was an area of emphasis in the offseason. Rhule has only been able to watch offseason workouts in the last week or so, he said the veteran wide receivers have arrived as-advertised.
“They’re really explosive,” Rhule said. “They’re physical freaks. They’re 6-foot-3. They can run, they can jump. I haven’t seen them play football yet, but I’ve seen them move, so I can tell they have all of that.”
Banks brings a lofty resume on the field from Wake Forest, where he had 59 receptions for 653 yards and four touchdowns this past season. Overall, Banks has 107 receptions for 1,404 and 13 touchdowns in four seasons at Wake Forest. All but six of those catches and nearly 1,300 yards came in the last two seasons.
Rhule said he’s been most impressed so far with how Banks has been a leader early in his time in Lincoln. Banks is at the top of Nebraska’s offseason competitions off-the-field, and has helped to raise the standard among the wide receivers, Rhule said.
“What that’s helping me do is what was good enough last year is no longer good enough and what was great last year is no longer great, it’s just good enough,” Rhule said. “He’s completely raised the bar and that’s what good players do. They go to a program and show everybody that to be great on the field you have to be great off the field, and that’s what Jahmal is doing — he’s an excellent student, excellent person, works his tail off.”
Neyor began his career at Wyoming before moving on to Texas. At Wyoming he was an All-Mountain West performer following a 2021 campaign where he hauled in 44 receptions for 878 yards and 12 touchdowns as a sophomore. His 19.95 yards per reception and 12 receiving touchdowns both led the MWC and ranked sixth and eighth in the FBS, respectively. He had back-to-back 100-yard games against the likes of Boise State and Utah State that season.
He battled injuries at Texas and is getting a new opportunity in Lincoln.
“Neyor, he’s healthy now, he’s so athletic — really anxious to see him,” Rhule said.
The pair of transfers, plus Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda represent the only seniors in the wide receiver group, and Rhule said adding Banks and Neyor to the group will help the younger players in the group.
“The early returns are pretty good,” Rhule said. “We’ve got a really dynamic, young receiving corps. They’re just young. And I think having a couple of older guys — being able to watch a guy like Jahmal, will accelerate all of their development.”
College football recruiting: Top programs trending up, down heading into 2024 season
How the nation's best programs are recruiting compared to past years.
Grant Hughes
GRANT HUGHES
3 hrs
1
The 2024 college football recruiting class is firmly in the rearview mirror. As coaches shift their focus to 2025 and beyond, we decided to look back at how several of the nation’s premier programs recruited this cycle compared to past years. We averaged out class rankings from the previous three cycles (2021-23) and compared them to our 2024 team rankings to determine which teams are trending up and down.
Georgia and Alabama battled for the No. 1 overall class for a second-straight year, with the Bulldogs pulling ahead of the Crimson Tide late. Fellow SEC teams, Texas (No. 6), LSU (No. 7), Oklahoma (No. 8) and Auburn (No. 10), joined the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide with top-10 classes. No other conference had more than two programs finish in the top 10.
Ohio State signed five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit, despite late charges from Florida State and Miami. Several other teams mentioned on this list, including Texas A&M, Tennessee, Penn State and Nebraska, inked a five-star recruit but are trending in different directions.
30% off annual VIP membership! Get the latest football and recruiting scoop on your favorite college team today.
Here are where some of the nation's top college football programs are trending on the recruiting trail:
TRENDING UP: AUBURN TIGERS
(Photo: Getty)
2024 Class Ranking: No. 10
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 19.3
Auburn is one of the highest risers on this list, thanks to Hugh Freeze’s efforts since taking the helm ahead of the 2023 season. Under former head coach Bryan Harsin, with some Gus Malzahn recruits mixed in, the Tigers finished at No. 19 and No. 21 in the recruiting rankings in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Auburn signed the No. 18 class in 2023 and just inked the fifth-best class in the SEC, headlined by five-star wide receiver Cam Coleman, the conference’s highest-rated offensive commit in 2024.
TRENDING DOWN: TEXAS A&M AGGIES
(Photo: Texas A&M Athletics )
2024 Class Ranking: No. 19
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 8.0
It was always going to be hard for Texas A&M to recreate the recruiting magic used to sign the nation’s No. 1-ranked class in 2022. In fact, the Aggies signed four-straight top-10 classes from 2019-22. Disappointing results on the field dropped the program outside the top 15 the last two cycles, but there’s already hope that new head coach Mike Elko, and the university’s strong alumni base, will get the Aggies back in the top 10 for 2025.
TRENDING UP: FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES
(Photo: Melina Myers, USA TODAY Sports)
2024 Class Ranking: No. 12
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 20.7
Willie Taggart left Florida State recruiting in shambles. Though Mike Norvell hasn’t quite got the Seminoles into the upper-echelon of high school talent, his classes have improved year over year, and he just notched his highest-rated signing group overall at No. 12. Florida State didn’t land a five-star this cycle but pulled in a whopping 16 four-star prospects and 10 players rated in the Top247.
TRENDING UP: TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
(Photo: Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel, Getty)
2024 Class Ranking: No. 13
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 16.3
Tennessee continues to trend up on the recruiting trail even though its 2024 class couldn’t quite match the top-10 haul Josh Heupel and Co. pulled in last season. The Volunteers signed its highest-rated recruit since 2009 in five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava in 2023. Tennessee landed top-10 edge prospect Jordan Ross and got Iamaleava some added weapons with top-100 wide receivers Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley.
TRENDING DOWN: PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
(Photo: Grace Brennan, USA TODAY Sports)
2024 Class Ranking: No. 15
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 13.7
James Franklin is still searching for his first College Football Playoff appearance. His Nittany Lions haven’t recruited at the level of rival Ohio State and haven’t developed players to the extent Jim Harbaugh did at Michigan. Penn State signed the No. 6 overall class in 2022 but hasn’t achieved that same level of success in the two classes since, though five-star tight end Luke Reynolds looks like a future first-round NFL Draft pick.
TRENDING UP: GEORGIA BULLDOGS
(Photo: Joshua L Jones, USA TODAY Sports)
2024 Class Ranking: No. 1
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 3.0
Georgia signed the No. 4 class in 2021 and has gradually crept up the rankings. The Bulldogs finished No. 3 in 2022, No. 2 in 2023 and atop the rankings at No. 1 overall this cycle. Five-star cornerback Ellis Robinson is the highest-rated defensive player to commit to an SEC school, and Kirby Smart and Co. further bolstered the defense with linebacker Justin Williams and safety KJ Bolden, both the top-ranked players at their positions. Alabama must find its footing under Kalen DeBoer, and Georgia is poised to strengthen its grip atop college football recruiting.
TRENDING UP: NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH
(Photo: 247Sports)
2024 Class Ranking: No. 9
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 9.3
Notre Dame is arguably the most consistent recruiting team in the nation. The Fighting Irish pull in fringe top-10 classes year in and year out but are still looking for their first top-5 finish under head coach Marcus Freeman. Elite defensive lineman Bryce Young headlines Notre Dame’s 2024 class and is the first five-star prospect to commit to the Fighting Irish since Michael Mayer in 2020. Freeman and Co. signed 12 Top247 players in 2023 and eight this cycle.
TRENDING DOWN: MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
(Photo: Alejandro Zúñiga, Getty)
2024 Class Ranking: No. 16
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 13.0
Michigan built its 2024 national championship roster with little blue-chip talent in the fold, speaking to the Wolverines’ elite developmental staff. With Jim Harbaugh and strength coach Ben Herbert off to the NFL, head coach Sherrone Moore will have his work cut out for him. The Wolverines signed the No. 9 class in 2022 but tumbled down the rankings the last two years, finishing No. 17 and No. 16 in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
TRENDING UP: NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS
(Photo: Ron Johnson, Getty)
2024 Class Ranking: No. 18
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 28.7
Matt Rhule is a salesman. Nebraska went four cycles without a top-20 class until the former Baylor and Carolina Panthers coach came to town and quickly assembled the No. 18 class in the nation. Traits matter more than ratings for Rhule, and the Cornhuskers signed some freaks in 2024, including four-star tight end Carter Nelson and 6-foot-7 athlete Eric Ingwerson. Rhule also managed arguably the biggest win of the cycle in flipping five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola from Georgia. He’s the second-highest-rated recruit to commit to the Cornhuskers in the modern recruiting era.
TRENDING DOWN: OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
(Photo: Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire, Getty)
2024 Class Ranking: No. 5
Average Class Ranking (2021-23): 3.3
Ohio State’s No. 5 finish in the recruiting rankings is actually the program’s lowest since 2020, which also finished at No. 5. However, nobody in Columbus is complaining about another top-5 class, especially one that includes the top overall prospect in wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. The Buckeyes did miss on several offensive line prospects, an area that is a projected weakness for the Buckeyes next season. Ohio State signed just three offensive linemen this cycle, and four-star IOL Ian Moore is the only one ranked in the Top247.
ABOUTCONTACT USADVERTISERSHELP CENTERCAREERSPRIVACY POLICYCALIFORNIA NOTICETERMS OF USESUBSCRIPTION TERMSTOGGLE FULL/MOBILE
YOUR PRIVACY CHOICES
© 2005-2024 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc.
