Nebraska held private one-hour workouts with around 20 prospects on Friday. Here are updates from some of the different targets that worked out on Friday.
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n.rivals.com
Nebraska City standout Blake Miller was put through his paces at a few positions during his personal workout in Lincoln Saturday afternoon.
"It was great, it was good! They kind of put us through our workouts and showed us around a little bit. It was awesome! I started out at defensive back, like safety; and then, Coach Frost asked me to run a couple routes at receiver, and then I did a couple punts for him as well."
Miller believes he received the best feedback after working out as a safety.
"I think I did the safety drills pretty well and I didn't drop a pass. It was good."
Miller was measured at 6-foot & 1/2 and 196-pounds. He was not shown any of his testing results.
"Yeah, for sure, it was a productive day. It was definitely good to get up there, have them see me, and work out in front of them. It was definitely good."
Miller had previously camped at Northwest Missouri State, and he would like to get up to North Dakota and North Dakota State for summer camps, as well to Northern Iowa.
"I think that I'm a well-gifted player and I can play the game. I think I'm really good at making plays and I'm a really smooth player. I'm a quick learner as well. I can learn any position any coach wants me to play."
(Mike)
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Wilbert Phillips traveled by car the 6 hours from Jefferson City (Mo.) to Lincoln in order to get a personal workout in front of Nebraska's football coaching staff. The Capital City high school product has been in contact with the NU coaches for over a month and they invited the first-team all-district and all-conference designee to get a close look at his lineman skills.
"Coach (Sean) Dillon was like, 'We want to get you down here for a one-on-one camp' after we had a virtual visit online. They're recruiting me to play offensive tackle.
"When we first got there, we walked around and got weighed and measured. We did like a little physical checkup thing, and then we went to the indoor field and did warmups and ran forties. We then did the 5-10-5, and went to our position groups."
Phillips measured in at 6-3 & 3/4 and 315-pounds. Prior to his Nebraska workout, he attended camps at Missouri and Memphis. He was also at the Lindenwood Mega Football Camp.
He was pleased with what he did while in Lincoln and the feedback he got from Coach Greg Austin.
"We did bag drills, and other drills and stuff I don't know the names of. I think I did OK. Coach Austin said I did good and suggested that maybe I should lose a little weight so that I can move better. He said I did good, though, and he plans to watch me throughout the season."
Phillips said he is leaving Big Red country with a very favorable first impression.
"I liked it and thought it was a good campus setup. I liked the players' lounge because they had games and stuff in there. I liked that. I like Nebraska. It's a good school. I also really liked the city. It was different than what I was expecting."
Next on tap for Philips will be an unofficial visit to Ball State on June 18.
"If Nebraska wants me to come back for a game, I will!"
(Mike)
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How did today go at Nebraska?
“We spend a lot of time up there today. First thing we went through some physical training where we stretched our bodies out then we did the workout for about an hour. Then they showed us the facilities.”
What did you think about how you performed?
“The workout was pretty good. I was proud of my performance. I was mostly with coach Lubick and I spoke with coach Fisher. I worked out on both sides of the ball. I did a bunch of routes on air and then went well and then I went over to the other side of the ball and did a bunch of backpedal drills and cuts and they said that they liked me there too.”
What did you measure in at?
“I was 5-foot-11.5 and I was 176-pounds. They measured my whole body. I don’t even know what they measured but they measured it. I didn’t get a chance to take a picture of the card or anything. They were very thorough.”
How did you test?
“I think that I did pretty good. I didn’t get my card back after we were measured. After my 5-10-5 all of the coaches got together and they were comparing their watches. I thought that was pretty good.”
Was this your first time on campus? What did you think about the facilities from the tour?
“This was my first time in the state and at the school. I liked everything that they had. It’s unmatched. I loved their locker room and all of the wood. It was sick.”
What were the conversations like for you after your workout?
“After the workout I spoke with coach Lubick. He told me that I am definitely good enough to play in their program but because of Covid and how limited they have with their spots they have to wait to see if the guys that they have offered are going to commit. If they commit they wouldn’t have any more spots. He said that if they don’t commit that my name would be the first one for a potential spot in the class.”
Did you hear anything again about playing defense after your workout?
“I talked to coach Fisher also, but it was coach Sean Dillon and coach Matt Lubick that really invited me up to Nebraska. He didn’t have a chance to really watch any of my film before. He said that he would like to go to my social media and look at all of the stuff I have been doing and get back to me.”
What have you done so far this month and what are you planning on doing?
“We just got back from Notre Dame last week. This week we had Nebraska, Mizzou on Sunday, next week we have Northwestern and Vanderbilt and I also have Purdue coming up.”
(Bryan)
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Change in plans for Roy leads him to Nebraska for individual workout.
“I was supposed to come to Nebraska today for the 7v7 but our school system canceled any of our team out of state camps. I don’t know why. I assume it’s Covid related.”
How did the workout go?
“The workout went good. I kind of had a pulled hammy today. I was not 100%. I couldn’t go full speed because of my hammy.”
What did you measure in at?
“I was 6-foot-2 on the dot and 207-pounds.”
Which coach did you workout for and what did he tell you after the workout?
“I worked out for Coach Mike Dawson. He told me to keep up the work. He told me to keep working hard.”
What did you think about the tour of the facilities? Was this your first time seeing them? What did you like the most?
“I thought it was awesome. That was my first time seeing their facilities. I really liked the environment of it. When we were near the weight room the music was really loud with all of the guys in there. I liked the environment.”
How did the conversation go with head coach Scott Frost?
“It was good. I was in his office. He called us in to talk to us. He told me that I was now a lot higher on his board and they were going to keep looking at me.”
What have you done so far this month and what are the rest of your upcoming plans?
“I have been to Mizzou for a camp and I have an Arkansas camp on the 20th and then back to Missouri on the 24th for a team camp. I have OU on the 26th and Kansas State after that.”
Did Nebraska mention to you about coming back again for another visit?
“They didn’t talk to me about getting back this summer. They did bring up coming back this fall for a game.”
(Bryan)
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Thoughts on his performance today at Nebraska?
“I actually thought that I did pretty good. I did better than I thought that I would. We did some running stuff and regular testing and some line work. It was what I expected.”
What did he measure in at and did he get any times from his testing?
“I was 6-foot-3.5 and 282-pounds and my wingspan was 6-foot-7 I believe. I didn’t get any of my testing times.”
Which coaches did you work with or speak with today?
“Barrett Ruud warmed everyone up and then I worked out for Greg Austin. I said ‘what’s up’ to coach Frost. He told me that he was going to call me when I was on my way out. Kind of wondering what that was about.”
What did you think about the tour following the workout?
“It was good. I got to see it again because I went there on June 1st and Greg Austin just gave us a tour. This was a more in-depth tour. This time we had the phot shoot too and that was cool. I grew up a Husker fan so I got to put on the jersey and the helmet.”
Did you pick up on any vibes that Nebraska may have been sending about your workout?
“The thing that really gave off a good vibe was when we were leaving Sean Dillon brought me and my dad into the hallway. He just said that Greg Austin and coach Frost thought I had a really good workout and that they were really impressed. He said that Greg Austin is going to call tonight.”
What have you done before today at Nebraska and what are your plans the rest of the month?
“I was in St. Louis for the Lindenwood camp last weekend. I was in Nebraska for June 1 and again today. Next weekend I am going to the Iowa Big Man camp. I am either going there or to Air Force. I have to figure that out because of flights or stuff.”
(Bryan)
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Legacy wide receiver target Chris Brooks Jr. was on campus for a one-hour private workout on Friday. He's the son of former Huskers wide receiver Chris Brooks (2005-2009).
Brooks Jr., who plays for St. Louis (Mo.) University currently holds eight offers, but none from the Power Five at this point.
Brooks Sr. said the workout "went really good" and "he impressed me as well." His feel is they are waiting on some big names like Landon Sampson right now, but there's no question Brooks Jr. got on the radar of the staff. It's the first time they have been able to see him.
(Sean)
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One of the more under-the-radar prospects from Colorado worked out for Nebraska on Friday.
Aurora (Colo.) Smoky Hill wide receiver Anthony Harris Jr. had a strong workout for head coach Scott Frost and wide receiver coach Matt Lubick.
The 6-foot-5, 195-pound Harris Jr. said he jumped a 38-inch vertical and ran his 40-time in the 4.5’s. As a junior, he had 962 yards receiving and 15 touchdowns in six games, taking home second-team All-State honors in Colorado’s highest classification.
He currently has offers from both Colorado State and Eastern Michigan. CSU offered him after his second game in 2020. Nebraska, Ohio State, Nevada, Colorado, UNLV and Oregon State have all been in contact with Harris thus far.
“I thought everything went good,” Harris Jr. said as he and his family were eating lunch. “They want me to come back to campus and meet with Coach Frost later. I got a lot of good one-on-one time though with the staff.”
As for his trip to NU, Harris Jr. had this to say: “I liked the campus. I love how they fit their offensive scheme and how they pass and run the ball and keep everything within the scheme. They think I really fit their scheme.”
Later this summer Harris Jr. also plans to attend a satellite camp at UNLV that will feature several Pac-12 schools. He has also been to Colorado State.
We will keep tabs on Harris Jr. and if anything comes out of his meeting with Coach Frost later today.
(Sean)
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Outside linebacker Michael Bunyan from Port Washington, Wisconsin felt confident in his performance during his one-hour private workout with Nebraska’s OLB coach Mike Dawson.
“I thought I performed really well,” he said.” I was happy with how I went in there and handled myself mentally and physically and I put my body in the best position and the chance to go out there and do my best. I was pretty pumped about it.”
Bunyan (6-foot-3, 222-pounds) said Dawson coached him on hand placement and gave him tips on how to make a move “100 times easier”. Dawson was the only coach Bunyan spent much time with but he made a big impression.
“I can tell right away that if coach (Dawson) represents everyone else on the staff, it's a great staff they got there, they really care about us, the players, and it was a great experience overall,” he said.
Bunyan, who has camps lined up at Air Force, Wyoming and Louisville during June, said his favorite part of the tour was seeing the weight room and some of the current players working out.
Nebraska is definitely a place Bunyan would like to return and get to know better.
“It's a great culture and people down there and I would love to get to know more about it,” he said. “And I really do think that it's an amazing place. I would love to come back.”
Bunyan said Dawson plans to call him later today for a follow-up conversation.
(Abby)
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Shoring up special teams this off-season we know is a big priority for Nebraska, particularly adding more length strength.
NU has brought in a number of different specialists this month, and today their focus was on former Morningside kicker Brendan Franke.
The Gretna product went in the transfer portal after one season, with the hopes of playing at the highest level. From the sounds of it, he didn’t disappoint.
“My kickoff ability was the thing they were most interested in,” the 6-foot-3, 235-pound Franke said. “My first one was a warm-up and then my second one went through the back of the end zone with great hang time.
“After that, Scott Frost came up to me said, ‘can you do that every time?’ I said ‘yes.’”
Later in the workout, they were also doing step-back field goals from distances of 46, 50 and 60 yards. They asked Franke if he was ok with going from 60, and he put it back to 63 and the kick went right down the middle.
This past season for Morningside, he put 65 percent of his kickoffs through the end zone for touchbacks and handled all field goals from 35 yards or deeper.
“Anytime there was no wind or a little bit of wind behind me, I put the ball through the uprights a lot of times,” Franke said.
Former Husker All-American Aaron Graham was one of Franke’s high school coaches at Gretna. Graham is who put Franke’s tape in front of the Husker staff which led to Friday’s workout.
“Once they saw my film, they reached out and said they liked what they see,” Franke said. “They said all aspects are important, but they want to focus on my kickoffs right now."
Franke grew up a soccer player and only played football for about a year and a half in high school. He did grow up an avid Husker fan though and is well aware of the issues they have had with kickoffs the last couple of years.
“I went to Gretna from kindergarten to 12th grade and I know the stories of guys like Andy Janovich,” Frank said. “I know the walk-on story of guys like Alex Henery. If I can be the next Alex Henery, no complaints here.
“I know everybody probably remembers where we played Iowa and it was a game that we lost by a field goal. Barret Pickering came back out and did a line drive kickoff and they ran it back. The point of what I’m making here is when you do a line drive kickoff you give your guys going down there no time to set up and cut off any angles. You give them all the time to set up the return. When there’s a stud athlete in the back like almost every team in the Big Ten does, if they can set up their return they are going to break it big. That was just the No. 1 thing I really looked at. Obviously, the field goal situation has been sub-par. I know last year Connor Culp did a great job, but before that, we lost plenty of games by field goals.
“Coach Frost walked up to us today and said ‘guys, we need help.’ I want to just tell him ‘I’m your guy. I’ll be there. I’ll get the job done. You don’t need to look any farther than 30 minutes down the interstate.
“I think the tryout went fairly well. I’m fairly confident that I’ll be getting good news soon. I was prepared if they offered me a spot today, I was going to pack my bags and move to Lincoln right away.”
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Running back Dominic Rezac saw the behind the scene of Nebraska football during his one-hour private workout on Friday. This was something he had always dreamed about a child growing up in Omaha, Nebraska.
“I grew up a big fan and grew up going to all the games on Saturday, so it's cool being able see the behind the scenes and be around the coaches and the players and potentially be able to be a part of it,” Rezac said.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound back worked with coach Ryan Held who told him he was impressed with Rezac’s performance and really liked what he saw, Rezac said. He ran a 4.53-second 40-yard dash, recorded 35 inches on his vertical and completed the pro agility test in 4.2 seconds.
Rezac had several highlights of his visit. He was able to see his friends current Husker ILB Grant Tagge and ILB Garrett Snodgrass and speak with coach Scott Frost. He said he was very impressed by the current and future facilities.
“The fact that they're building the brand new one in two years, they said it will be 10 times better. So, based off what they already have, 10 times better than that, is pretty crazy,” Rezac said.
On Sunday, he’ll be at South Carolina for an individual workout. Rezac also has unofficial visits and camps at Air Force and North Dakota State this month and hopes to schedule a time to travel to San Diego State.
As a junior at Omaha Westside, Rezac rushed for 1,310 yards on 168 carries and accounted for 17 touchdowns. Because he lives so close to Lincoln, he hopes to take advantage of the Huskers potentially inviting him for a game day.
“That would definitely be a cool experience being able to be memorial for game day and be down on the sideline,” he said.
(Abby)
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For Fremont High School running back Micah Moore having a private workout at Nebraska along with a tour of the Memorial Stadium, the stadium he grew up attending, was surreal.
He worked one-on-one with coach Ryan Held and tried to soak up all of his tips on accelerating and cutting quicker. Moore said felt good about what he displayed and Held liked what he saw. He ran a 4.57-second 40-meter dash and jumped 32-inches for his vertical.
At Fremont during his junior season, Moore rushed for 1,024 yards on 208 carries during 10 games. As a sophomore, he had 149 carries for 799 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns. He has long rushes of 68 and 63 yards for his two years on varsity.
Moore plans on going to a camp at South Dakota State and potentially to Iowa’s camp.
During the tour, Moore was impressed with the player’s lounge where Husker players were playing Madden and Ping Pong. And of course, the stadium itself impresses Moore every time.
He would love to return to Nebraska for a game day and maybe see a game from a view he hasn’t seen yet, from the sideline.
(Abby)
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Defensive lineman Kyson Van Vugt, like several recruits who performed private workouts for Nebraska on Friday, grew up a Nebraska football fan. Unlike the rest of them, he grew up in Iowa and now plays for Western Christian High School in Hull, Iowa.
Van Vugt and his dad, who have been “huge Scott Frost fans” since Frost arrived in Lincoln from UCF, talked with the head coach himself.
“He’s definitely passionate about Nebraska football,” Van Vugt said.
He worked one-on-one with defensive coordinator Eric Chinander and tried to soak up all of his advice like a ‘sponge’. Chinander said Van Vugt moved well and worked on his hip flip with 6-foot-7, 225-pound lineman. He ran a 4.8-second 40-yard dash and clocked the same time during the three cone drill as well.
Van Vugt has offers from Eastern Michigan and South Dakota. He has an unofficial visit at Minnesota and hopefully, one at Kansas State as well. He already attended a camp at Iowa and is in communication with Iowa State.
At Nebraska, his favorite part of the day was wearing a Husker uniform, something he’s dreamed about.
“My favorite part was probably the pictures,” Van Vugt said. “It felt really good being in the Nebraska uniform, putting that helmet on.”
(Abby)
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Kelby Azure, an outside linebacker from Northwood high school in North Dakota, had an overall “eye-opening experience” at Nebraska during his private workout and tour.
Coach Mike Dawson helped Azure through drills he wasn’t familiar with and Azure said he felt himself improve during the one-hour workout. That was his first eye-opening experience.
Then the 6-foot-4, 230-pound athlete and his family went on a tour of Nebraska facilities. He called Memorial Stadium “unbelievable.”
‘All those facilities are kind of eye-opening to what's actually out there,” Azure said. “My family and I enjoyed the tour a lot and the visit. My favorite part was probably seeing everything at first and then meeting the coaches and showing what you have and just getting yourself out there.”
Azure has a packed schedule this week. On Sunday, he is attending South Dakota State’s junior day and then will head to a camp at North Dakota State on Monday. On Thursday, he has another camp at The University of North Dakota. He‘ll top off his week with a three-day camp at North Dakota State University.
(Abby)
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Blake Miller 2022 Wide Receiver
Blake Miller - 2022 Wide receiver for Lourdes Central Catholic (Nebraska City, NE) on Rivals.com
Nebraska City standout Blake Miller was put through his paces at a few positions during his personal workout in Lincoln Saturday afternoon.
"It was great, it was good! They kind of put us through our workouts and showed us around a little bit. It was awesome! I started out at defensive back, like safety; and then, Coach Frost asked me to run a couple routes at receiver, and then I did a couple punts for him as well."
Miller believes he received the best feedback after working out as a safety.
"I think I did the safety drills pretty well and I didn't drop a pass. It was good."
Miller was measured at 6-foot & 1/2 and 196-pounds. He was not shown any of his testing results.
"Yeah, for sure, it was a productive day. It was definitely good to get up there, have them see me, and work out in front of them. It was definitely good."
Miller had previously camped at Northwest Missouri State, and he would like to get up to North Dakota and North Dakota State for summer camps, as well to Northern Iowa.
"I think that I'm a well-gifted player and I can play the game. I think I'm really good at making plays and I'm a really smooth player. I'm a quick learner as well. I can learn any position any coach wants me to play."
(Mike)
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Wilbert Phillips traveled by car the 6 hours from Jefferson City (Mo.) to Lincoln in order to get a personal workout in front of Nebraska's football coaching staff. The Capital City high school product has been in contact with the NU coaches for over a month and they invited the first-team all-district and all-conference designee to get a close look at his lineman skills.
"Coach (Sean) Dillon was like, 'We want to get you down here for a one-on-one camp' after we had a virtual visit online. They're recruiting me to play offensive tackle.
"When we first got there, we walked around and got weighed and measured. We did like a little physical checkup thing, and then we went to the indoor field and did warmups and ran forties. We then did the 5-10-5, and went to our position groups."
Phillips measured in at 6-3 & 3/4 and 315-pounds. Prior to his Nebraska workout, he attended camps at Missouri and Memphis. He was also at the Lindenwood Mega Football Camp.
He was pleased with what he did while in Lincoln and the feedback he got from Coach Greg Austin.
"We did bag drills, and other drills and stuff I don't know the names of. I think I did OK. Coach Austin said I did good and suggested that maybe I should lose a little weight so that I can move better. He said I did good, though, and he plans to watch me throughout the season."
Phillips said he is leaving Big Red country with a very favorable first impression.
"I liked it and thought it was a good campus setup. I liked the players' lounge because they had games and stuff in there. I liked that. I like Nebraska. It's a good school. I also really liked the city. It was different than what I was expecting."
Next on tap for Philips will be an unofficial visit to Ball State on June 18.
"If Nebraska wants me to come back for a game, I will!"
(Mike)
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How did today go at Nebraska?
“We spend a lot of time up there today. First thing we went through some physical training where we stretched our bodies out then we did the workout for about an hour. Then they showed us the facilities.”
What did you think about how you performed?
“The workout was pretty good. I was proud of my performance. I was mostly with coach Lubick and I spoke with coach Fisher. I worked out on both sides of the ball. I did a bunch of routes on air and then went well and then I went over to the other side of the ball and did a bunch of backpedal drills and cuts and they said that they liked me there too.”
What did you measure in at?
“I was 5-foot-11.5 and I was 176-pounds. They measured my whole body. I don’t even know what they measured but they measured it. I didn’t get a chance to take a picture of the card or anything. They were very thorough.”
How did you test?
“I think that I did pretty good. I didn’t get my card back after we were measured. After my 5-10-5 all of the coaches got together and they were comparing their watches. I thought that was pretty good.”
Was this your first time on campus? What did you think about the facilities from the tour?
“This was my first time in the state and at the school. I liked everything that they had. It’s unmatched. I loved their locker room and all of the wood. It was sick.”
What were the conversations like for you after your workout?
“After the workout I spoke with coach Lubick. He told me that I am definitely good enough to play in their program but because of Covid and how limited they have with their spots they have to wait to see if the guys that they have offered are going to commit. If they commit they wouldn’t have any more spots. He said that if they don’t commit that my name would be the first one for a potential spot in the class.”
Did you hear anything again about playing defense after your workout?
“I talked to coach Fisher also, but it was coach Sean Dillon and coach Matt Lubick that really invited me up to Nebraska. He didn’t have a chance to really watch any of my film before. He said that he would like to go to my social media and look at all of the stuff I have been doing and get back to me.”
What have you done so far this month and what are you planning on doing?
“We just got back from Notre Dame last week. This week we had Nebraska, Mizzou on Sunday, next week we have Northwestern and Vanderbilt and I also have Purdue coming up.”
(Bryan)
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Change in plans for Roy leads him to Nebraska for individual workout.
“I was supposed to come to Nebraska today for the 7v7 but our school system canceled any of our team out of state camps. I don’t know why. I assume it’s Covid related.”
How did the workout go?
“The workout went good. I kind of had a pulled hammy today. I was not 100%. I couldn’t go full speed because of my hammy.”
What did you measure in at?
“I was 6-foot-2 on the dot and 207-pounds.”
Which coach did you workout for and what did he tell you after the workout?
“I worked out for Coach Mike Dawson. He told me to keep up the work. He told me to keep working hard.”
What did you think about the tour of the facilities? Was this your first time seeing them? What did you like the most?
“I thought it was awesome. That was my first time seeing their facilities. I really liked the environment of it. When we were near the weight room the music was really loud with all of the guys in there. I liked the environment.”
How did the conversation go with head coach Scott Frost?
“It was good. I was in his office. He called us in to talk to us. He told me that I was now a lot higher on his board and they were going to keep looking at me.”
What have you done so far this month and what are the rest of your upcoming plans?
“I have been to Mizzou for a camp and I have an Arkansas camp on the 20th and then back to Missouri on the 24th for a team camp. I have OU on the 26th and Kansas State after that.”
Did Nebraska mention to you about coming back again for another visit?
“They didn’t talk to me about getting back this summer. They did bring up coming back this fall for a game.”
(Bryan)
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Thoughts on his performance today at Nebraska?
“I actually thought that I did pretty good. I did better than I thought that I would. We did some running stuff and regular testing and some line work. It was what I expected.”
What did he measure in at and did he get any times from his testing?
“I was 6-foot-3.5 and 282-pounds and my wingspan was 6-foot-7 I believe. I didn’t get any of my testing times.”
Which coaches did you work with or speak with today?
“Barrett Ruud warmed everyone up and then I worked out for Greg Austin. I said ‘what’s up’ to coach Frost. He told me that he was going to call me when I was on my way out. Kind of wondering what that was about.”
What did you think about the tour following the workout?
“It was good. I got to see it again because I went there on June 1st and Greg Austin just gave us a tour. This was a more in-depth tour. This time we had the phot shoot too and that was cool. I grew up a Husker fan so I got to put on the jersey and the helmet.”
Did you pick up on any vibes that Nebraska may have been sending about your workout?
“The thing that really gave off a good vibe was when we were leaving Sean Dillon brought me and my dad into the hallway. He just said that Greg Austin and coach Frost thought I had a really good workout and that they were really impressed. He said that Greg Austin is going to call tonight.”
What have you done before today at Nebraska and what are your plans the rest of the month?
“I was in St. Louis for the Lindenwood camp last weekend. I was in Nebraska for June 1 and again today. Next weekend I am going to the Iowa Big Man camp. I am either going there or to Air Force. I have to figure that out because of flights or stuff.”
(Bryan)
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Legacy wide receiver target Chris Brooks Jr. was on campus for a one-hour private workout on Friday. He's the son of former Huskers wide receiver Chris Brooks (2005-2009).
Brooks Jr., who plays for St. Louis (Mo.) University currently holds eight offers, but none from the Power Five at this point.
Brooks Sr. said the workout "went really good" and "he impressed me as well." His feel is they are waiting on some big names like Landon Sampson right now, but there's no question Brooks Jr. got on the radar of the staff. It's the first time they have been able to see him.
(Sean)
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One of the more under-the-radar prospects from Colorado worked out for Nebraska on Friday.
Aurora (Colo.) Smoky Hill wide receiver Anthony Harris Jr. had a strong workout for head coach Scott Frost and wide receiver coach Matt Lubick.
The 6-foot-5, 195-pound Harris Jr. said he jumped a 38-inch vertical and ran his 40-time in the 4.5’s. As a junior, he had 962 yards receiving and 15 touchdowns in six games, taking home second-team All-State honors in Colorado’s highest classification.
He currently has offers from both Colorado State and Eastern Michigan. CSU offered him after his second game in 2020. Nebraska, Ohio State, Nevada, Colorado, UNLV and Oregon State have all been in contact with Harris thus far.
“I thought everything went good,” Harris Jr. said as he and his family were eating lunch. “They want me to come back to campus and meet with Coach Frost later. I got a lot of good one-on-one time though with the staff.”
As for his trip to NU, Harris Jr. had this to say: “I liked the campus. I love how they fit their offensive scheme and how they pass and run the ball and keep everything within the scheme. They think I really fit their scheme.”
Later this summer Harris Jr. also plans to attend a satellite camp at UNLV that will feature several Pac-12 schools. He has also been to Colorado State.
We will keep tabs on Harris Jr. and if anything comes out of his meeting with Coach Frost later today.
(Sean)
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Outside linebacker Michael Bunyan from Port Washington, Wisconsin felt confident in his performance during his one-hour private workout with Nebraska’s OLB coach Mike Dawson.
“I thought I performed really well,” he said.” I was happy with how I went in there and handled myself mentally and physically and I put my body in the best position and the chance to go out there and do my best. I was pretty pumped about it.”
Bunyan (6-foot-3, 222-pounds) said Dawson coached him on hand placement and gave him tips on how to make a move “100 times easier”. Dawson was the only coach Bunyan spent much time with but he made a big impression.
“I can tell right away that if coach (Dawson) represents everyone else on the staff, it's a great staff they got there, they really care about us, the players, and it was a great experience overall,” he said.
Bunyan, who has camps lined up at Air Force, Wyoming and Louisville during June, said his favorite part of the tour was seeing the weight room and some of the current players working out.
Nebraska is definitely a place Bunyan would like to return and get to know better.
“It's a great culture and people down there and I would love to get to know more about it,” he said. “And I really do think that it's an amazing place. I would love to come back.”
Bunyan said Dawson plans to call him later today for a follow-up conversation.
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Shoring up special teams this off-season we know is a big priority for Nebraska, particularly adding more length strength.
NU has brought in a number of different specialists this month, and today their focus was on former Morningside kicker Brendan Franke.
The Gretna product went in the transfer portal after one season, with the hopes of playing at the highest level. From the sounds of it, he didn’t disappoint.
“My kickoff ability was the thing they were most interested in,” the 6-foot-3, 235-pound Franke said. “My first one was a warm-up and then my second one went through the back of the end zone with great hang time.
“After that, Scott Frost came up to me said, ‘can you do that every time?’ I said ‘yes.’”
Later in the workout, they were also doing step-back field goals from distances of 46, 50 and 60 yards. They asked Franke if he was ok with going from 60, and he put it back to 63 and the kick went right down the middle.
This past season for Morningside, he put 65 percent of his kickoffs through the end zone for touchbacks and handled all field goals from 35 yards or deeper.
“Anytime there was no wind or a little bit of wind behind me, I put the ball through the uprights a lot of times,” Franke said.
Former Husker All-American Aaron Graham was one of Franke’s high school coaches at Gretna. Graham is who put Franke’s tape in front of the Husker staff which led to Friday’s workout.
“Once they saw my film, they reached out and said they liked what they see,” Franke said. “They said all aspects are important, but they want to focus on my kickoffs right now."
Franke grew up a soccer player and only played football for about a year and a half in high school. He did grow up an avid Husker fan though and is well aware of the issues they have had with kickoffs the last couple of years.
“I went to Gretna from kindergarten to 12th grade and I know the stories of guys like Andy Janovich,” Frank said. “I know the walk-on story of guys like Alex Henery. If I can be the next Alex Henery, no complaints here.
“I know everybody probably remembers where we played Iowa and it was a game that we lost by a field goal. Barret Pickering came back out and did a line drive kickoff and they ran it back. The point of what I’m making here is when you do a line drive kickoff you give your guys going down there no time to set up and cut off any angles. You give them all the time to set up the return. When there’s a stud athlete in the back like almost every team in the Big Ten does, if they can set up their return they are going to break it big. That was just the No. 1 thing I really looked at. Obviously, the field goal situation has been sub-par. I know last year Connor Culp did a great job, but before that, we lost plenty of games by field goals.
“Coach Frost walked up to us today and said ‘guys, we need help.’ I want to just tell him ‘I’m your guy. I’ll be there. I’ll get the job done. You don’t need to look any farther than 30 minutes down the interstate.
“I think the tryout went fairly well. I’m fairly confident that I’ll be getting good news soon. I was prepared if they offered me a spot today, I was going to pack my bags and move to Lincoln right away.”
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Running back Dominic Rezac saw the behind the scene of Nebraska football during his one-hour private workout on Friday. This was something he had always dreamed about a child growing up in Omaha, Nebraska.
“I grew up a big fan and grew up going to all the games on Saturday, so it's cool being able see the behind the scenes and be around the coaches and the players and potentially be able to be a part of it,” Rezac said.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound back worked with coach Ryan Held who told him he was impressed with Rezac’s performance and really liked what he saw, Rezac said. He ran a 4.53-second 40-yard dash, recorded 35 inches on his vertical and completed the pro agility test in 4.2 seconds.
Rezac had several highlights of his visit. He was able to see his friends current Husker ILB Grant Tagge and ILB Garrett Snodgrass and speak with coach Scott Frost. He said he was very impressed by the current and future facilities.
“The fact that they're building the brand new one in two years, they said it will be 10 times better. So, based off what they already have, 10 times better than that, is pretty crazy,” Rezac said.
On Sunday, he’ll be at South Carolina for an individual workout. Rezac also has unofficial visits and camps at Air Force and North Dakota State this month and hopes to schedule a time to travel to San Diego State.
As a junior at Omaha Westside, Rezac rushed for 1,310 yards on 168 carries and accounted for 17 touchdowns. Because he lives so close to Lincoln, he hopes to take advantage of the Huskers potentially inviting him for a game day.
“That would definitely be a cool experience being able to be memorial for game day and be down on the sideline,” he said.
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For Fremont High School running back Micah Moore having a private workout at Nebraska along with a tour of the Memorial Stadium, the stadium he grew up attending, was surreal.
He worked one-on-one with coach Ryan Held and tried to soak up all of his tips on accelerating and cutting quicker. Moore said felt good about what he displayed and Held liked what he saw. He ran a 4.57-second 40-meter dash and jumped 32-inches for his vertical.
At Fremont during his junior season, Moore rushed for 1,024 yards on 208 carries during 10 games. As a sophomore, he had 149 carries for 799 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns. He has long rushes of 68 and 63 yards for his two years on varsity.
Moore plans on going to a camp at South Dakota State and potentially to Iowa’s camp.
During the tour, Moore was impressed with the player’s lounge where Husker players were playing Madden and Ping Pong. And of course, the stadium itself impresses Moore every time.
He would love to return to Nebraska for a game day and maybe see a game from a view he hasn’t seen yet, from the sideline.
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Defensive lineman Kyson Van Vugt, like several recruits who performed private workouts for Nebraska on Friday, grew up a Nebraska football fan. Unlike the rest of them, he grew up in Iowa and now plays for Western Christian High School in Hull, Iowa.
Van Vugt and his dad, who have been “huge Scott Frost fans” since Frost arrived in Lincoln from UCF, talked with the head coach himself.
“He’s definitely passionate about Nebraska football,” Van Vugt said.
He worked one-on-one with defensive coordinator Eric Chinander and tried to soak up all of his advice like a ‘sponge’. Chinander said Van Vugt moved well and worked on his hip flip with 6-foot-7, 225-pound lineman. He ran a 4.8-second 40-yard dash and clocked the same time during the three cone drill as well.
Van Vugt has offers from Eastern Michigan and South Dakota. He has an unofficial visit at Minnesota and hopefully, one at Kansas State as well. He already attended a camp at Iowa and is in communication with Iowa State.
At Nebraska, his favorite part of the day was wearing a Husker uniform, something he’s dreamed about.
“My favorite part was probably the pictures,” Van Vugt said. “It felt really good being in the Nebraska uniform, putting that helmet on.”
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Kelby Azure, an outside linebacker from Northwood high school in North Dakota, had an overall “eye-opening experience” at Nebraska during his private workout and tour.
Coach Mike Dawson helped Azure through drills he wasn’t familiar with and Azure said he felt himself improve during the one-hour workout. That was his first eye-opening experience.
Then the 6-foot-4, 230-pound athlete and his family went on a tour of Nebraska facilities. He called Memorial Stadium “unbelievable.”
‘All those facilities are kind of eye-opening to what's actually out there,” Azure said. “My family and I enjoyed the tour a lot and the visit. My favorite part was probably seeing everything at first and then meeting the coaches and showing what you have and just getting yourself out there.”
Azure has a packed schedule this week. On Sunday, he is attending South Dakota State’s junior day and then will head to a camp at North Dakota State on Monday. On Thursday, he has another camp at The University of North Dakota. He‘ll top off his week with a three-day camp at North Dakota State University.
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