Nick Handley and Kaleb Henry look at yet another weekend series win for Nebraska baseball. How much work is still needed to get the Big Red to Omaha for the Big Ten Tournament?
The softball conference tournament is this week at Purdue. And the newest Husker football commit is already peer recruiting.
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Welcome into Husker Max today. I’m Caleb Henry. That is Nick Handley. A suspension is coming for the Nebraska football game this fall against Michigan. We’ll get into that as well as the newest Husker football commit which happened after our last show. a little bit of a tossing of the cap and infuriating of some Alii fans. Uh Trey Taylor and his commitment and some peer recruiting that he’s got going on. We’re going to preview the Big 10 softball tournament with voice of the Huskers for Nebraska softball, Nate Roar, coming up in uh in just a little bit. But we’re going to start with another phenomenal weekend for Nebraska baseball where things feel terrible on Friday and then just a whole bunch of getting work done late in the game Saturday and Sunday. And I had a little bit busier of a weekend, so there was more time in the car as I was just kind of out and about, which meant a lot of time listening to Nick Handley and Ben Mclofflin. And you guys were phenomenal, of course, with the walk-off on Saturday, but also with uh with Gabe Swanson getting home yesterday and taking the lead and just everything happening there. Always fun to listen to you guys. But now, Nick, this team is finding a way to make make things difficult on themselves and then answer the bell. And it seems like every weekend they’re doing that now. And it’s almost you’d almost at this point, Caleb, be freaked out if they won a Friday game, you know? I mean, at some point you’re like, I don’t know what to do. Okay, what how the hell is this series going to go now? All of a sudden, they just won on Friday. Now, out of all the conference wins, they did beat Ruters, but that’s the only Friday night win they have in conference play. And coming in, Minnesota had two Friday conference wins. So, neither team was really lighting it up on a Friday in conference series play, but I mean, I think you have to start with the response from this team. And I I still go back to two weeks ago. I don’t know how many I know you get it. You you played athletics, you played at a high level, but I don’t know how many people understand what Nebraska was tasked to do two weeks ago when you lose in heartbreaking fashion that Friday night against Northwestern where you work so hard, tied up, Overbeak hits the solo shot to tie the game up. You’re thinking, okay, all the momentum at home is in that third base dugout. And then it was nothing more than just a good two strike little punch out to right field that scored two runs for Northwestern and that proved to be the difference. And so not only do you lose that Friday game, but you lose in really just gut punch fashion. And then what you’re asked to do that following Saturday is okay, normal weekend like, okay, just need to get one. All right, one at a time. We’re focusing on Saturday. Well, you know, you’re you’re showing up to the ballpark. It’s going to be a long day because you got two games. So, you got to sweep a double header. And I don’t care who you’re playing. I don’t care how good you are and who you’re going up against. Sweeping a double header is a lot to ask. And Nebraska did that. So, they showed that that resilience there. And then you fast forward to last weekend in College Park, Maryland where they’re in a situation of they lose on Friday and really kind of got thumped that Friday night, too. That wasn’t a a close call. That was just frustration in I think all facets. And then Saturday, you wake up, hey, we’re going to push the game back a couple hours because there’s lightning in the area. So, you’re kind of sitting around a little longer than you’d like to, especially for this team that’s probably chomping at the bit to get back out there and try to atone to what happened on Friday. They roll with all of that. They win a real solid game. Good performance. Taihorn was really good. Offense was uh was very opportunistic and clutch in moments. And then, so, okay, what does Sunday hold? Well, you just put a barrage of runs on Maryland and that game’s over in the second inning. So, there’s that. And then this weekend, this Minnesota team is they’re scrappy. And the way that Tai McDev used their bullpen was headscratching. But it also drove home the point that Minnesota knew they needed this series. And so, they were firing all their bullets on consecutive days, Friday and Saturday, to try to get that win on Saturday. And if you if you worked a little bit last night, sorry, you’re going to have to put in a little overtime today. And it fortunately for Nebraska it it backfired a little bit but I just you there was that clear case of sense of urgency from a team that is a little worse off than Nebraska as far as getting into the Big 10 tournament. So they were throwing everything they possibly could at Nebraska and Nebraska they win it dramatic fashion on Saturday and then the way they closed out yesterday was again a a tip of the cap to what this team is made of when it does come to resiliency. Then on the other hand though, Caleb, you’re fighting and playing with fire. And I just don’t know that if that’s the way to go. Now, you can look at it in single game situations this year where Nebraska has been good in the midweek, much better than they were a year ago. So, when you’re thinking of a possible Big 10 tournament, okay, it’s a one game as opposed to a three-game series. But eventually, if you start getting into that conversation about regional and dare I say super regional, Yeah. that that Friday inability to to really put it all together. That’s that’s tough. Now, I I want to say other than the Ruters win, Nebraska on the mound against Iowa that Friday against Kate Obermeer did everything they could in their in their in their midst to to win that game. I mean, what what Will Walsh gave you that Friday night, unfortunately, that offense was handcuffed by a really good pitcher. So, it’s not like they’ve just played garbage baseball on Fridays, but that inability to get a win, you wonder how long can you you go that way. And they got another tough one this weekend against Michigan. My concern level would be greater if Nebraska was losing 17-2 every Friday. Like like it’s not good. Like the the baseball’s not good that you’re not winning. Um except for that one against Rutgers. That’s not helpful. But it’s not 17-2 every Friday. Nebraska did fight back in the late innings this this past Friday to force extras. So like you you had that fight there and then it’s just all right. As I wrote in my story, that’s where the luck ran out cuz Nebraska had a few things go their way over the last couple innings to get it to extras. And then you get to Saturday and you’re starting to think, is it is it going to be heartbreak again right at the end or is there some magic because you had a walk-off earlier in the week? Are you going to get another walk-off here? Tell me Robbiey’s story. his his his first year as a Husker coming up from the Jo ranks and then getting getting to have that moment where you are the walk-off guy and you get to push the series level on a weekend. I’ve said this about Robbie Bolan and this a lot of this comes from the coaches. We we sit down Ben, myself and David sit down with both Will Bold and Rob Childers before the season. We did this it would be Greg and myself and Ben in previous years as well. Uh they’re always great of giving us their time and they’re candid when they when they tell us about this team. they want to give us some of that insight, but they also want to help our broadcast on on knowing these guys because that’s a big part of promoting the program as well. Uh Robbie Bolan, they they had a problem with and and this is a good problem, not a bad problem. Their problem was they’re trying to find a place for him in the outfield. They’re trying to find a place for him in the lineup because they loved what they had from him in the fall uh from Barton County in the JC ranks and playing in that Jay-Hawk league. You know, he’s a Topeka kid. So he’s, you know, he knows Midwest baseball as well and they they loved his athleticism. Wills told me on a couple occasions, I know a lot of people say, “Hey, Riley Silva is without question the fastest player on the team.” Wills told me on a couple occasions, it might be Robbie Bolan. Robbie Bolan is step forep with Riley Silva. And yet, they’re built different. Robbie Bolan is completely jacked. I mean, he is he is a large dude. And I think when people saw the walk-off and he’s peeling the shirt off and, you know, he’s he’s showing the excitement. you probably saw some veins in the arms as well. Um he’s he’s a guy that he can help you obviously at the plate and we saw this again this weekend. He tracked down some fly balls out there that were big catches as well and he’s made some really nice catches uh since he’s been put into the lineup and been more of a regular starter in the outfield whether it’s in center or right field. He’s got a plus arm. Uh he’s got obviously plus speed. He can drive the baseball. I I’ve said this though about him. One thing that I’m waiting uh to come in his his little uh upswing right now would be being able to drive the ball out of the park. I think that’s coming. I I think he’s going to have one before uh not too long. And so he does all of those things and yet you had a pretty loaded outfield coming into the season. So they just needed to find spots to to get him some reps and to see what he could do. And you know, he would come in here and there, but it wasn’t anything consistent. And so now you have a situation where he’s a guy that once he kind of like what Max Butenbach did over a month ago, got in the lineup through a pinch hit after Max had started the season and what it, you know, again, inconsistent like we’ve seen a lot of hitters, but then he got that second chance and he was able to grab a a a starting position and really force Nebraska coach’s hands as far as keeping him in the lineup. I think Robbie Bolan’s doing the exact same thing. So I I think the first word that comes to mind when I think of Robbie Bolan is an athlete. He is he is just one of those athletes. One of those guys that was really coveted when remember they switched from the the the original bats to the BB core bats and the emphasis was being able to recruit athletes because you needed guys yeah that could drive the gaps but could run. Guys that could stretch singles into doubles. Guys that could get themselves in scoring position. guys that could handle the bat and put down a bunt if need be, but have a chance to also beat it out as well, but also guys that could track down fly balls and guys that could throw guys out at home or try to tag up from second to third. Bolan can do all of that. So, I I I think there’s there’s all of those things about Robbie Bolan that we’re just starting to scratch the surface on on how good I truly think he can be with this team. And if I’m remembering the series of events correctly yesterday, Nebraska goes up 4-3. And this I’m I’m driving to my my slow pitch softball game. So I’m like, “Okay, what time do I need to get out of the car and I can still not tear my shoulder for this game um and get warmed up, but I’m still listen. Uh oh, we might have lost Caleb. I think we might have lost Caleb. I think we we’re froze there.” So, um, we’ll continue the conversation about baseball. Um, rejoin Caleb here. The the baseball result again last night, if you’re looking or yesterday, I should say, if you’re looking at what to make of this team, and I think it’s a it’s a fair question. I I think a lot of people, uh, myself, Ben, everybody that’s followed this team are probably somewhat included. I think Will Bolt to an extent is included in this as far as what do you make of the last month of April? What do you make of the way this team, maybe not even what this team has shown, but what this team ultimately is? Because as you get into this month of May, this is when much like college basketball teams, I always think in mid to late February, you want to be taking on the type of look that the team you’re going to be when it comes to postseason, if that’s conference tournament or if that’s beyond. And I think for Nebraska, I you have to start with that resiliency. Uh, I think you have to start with the ability to take a a bad moment, whether it’s within the game or take a bad night like Nebraska has the past couple of Fridays and be able to respond. Now, Nebraska, to their credit, it wasn’t bad baseball on Friday. I mean, they tied that game up. They force extras. Uh, again, coming from behind, and you’re thinking all the momentum is with Nebraska and they’re going to be able to pull that one out on Friday. give Minnesota a lot of credit. That is that is a team that there’s nothing about them that you look at from their lineup, from their staff, and even the way that they handle the baseball and say, “Wow, okay, this is what worries me.” But that is, and I know it’s going to sound really cliche, that is a a hardnosed team. That is a team that they try to push the envelope. I think it starts with their head coach, Ty McDevitt, with how he handled his bullpen, but also you get guys on base. I mean, they’re dancing. They’re doing everything they can to try to get a a pitcher to flinch and possibly b all these little things. I mean, they’re pushing the envelope. They’re really trying to get you out of your comfort zone. And I think that’s what we saw. This Minnesota team, they have some good wins. They have a series win against Arizona State. They beat Oregon State in one game as well. So, I mean, they’ve they’ve played some high level baseball in the non-con as well. Uh they’re a team that does have a Big 10 series sweep. They were able to do so against Ohio State in the month of April. They had a nine-game winning streak. So even though their conference record isn’t overly favorable to what how you might view Minnesota, that’s a hard-nosed team. So this was a high stress uh weekend. And so the game that Nebraska had to Caleb’s point on Friday, it it wasn’t this awful baseball game. It was a game where unfortunately for another week, Will Walsh was unable to go any real true distance uh in his start. Could be a problem. We’ll see. Um a guy that I think Nebraska obviously has confidence in, but you know how are you are you thinking it’s not ideal, but are you thinking about possibly changing things up on the weekend rotation? We’ll see. That’s again speculation and just a conversation if and when. But you also look at the Nebraska at times and we’ve seen it this season, but this is college baseball. This is the baseball in general of maybe having a cold inning here and there and there was a countless amount of fly ball outs that Nebraska had. At one point there were eight in a row. So you’re not getting solid contact early in the game. So, the fact that Nebraska comes back and ties it up, you look at, okay, there’s a team that was able to withstand all of those at bats that they’d like to have back, but they’re also able to put together some good at bats, enough to tie the game up, but then I also look at the part of Nebraska baseball that and I’m sure Wilt would say the same thing of those early opportunities in that game on Friday where you’re not getting good contact, you’re not getting good barrels as Caleb is rejoining us. So Caleb, you were you were cut off right as you said you were you were trying to time it well for softball. Okay. So all right, pick up from there. I was just talking a little bit about the the Friday game and what to make of this team right now, but but please continue. No. Yeah, it was interesting to see it’s not exactly in that game you have a big moment and then there’s a little bit of a let down. Uh but late in that game on Sunday, Nebraska takes a and Bolan tracks down a ball and I could hear the excitement in your in Ben’s voice and it was like well good for him. Good for him that he’s coming out and it’s not just there there’s kind of just you’re there for the next next game. No, you’re making plays that matter in the next game. So that I was impressed with that as uh as I was listening to you guys with the with the call yesterday. Yeah. And honestly the the other part about what Nebraska was able to do, they had Oregon help them out with beating Michigan State yesterday, Nebraska’s now putting themselves solely in 11th out of the 12. So that is a good thing. Uh there is a huge huge weekend for Nebraska. I I mean, every weekend from here on out is big, don’t get me wrong, but it’s it’s uh serving two purposes this weekend for Nebraska and Michigan. Nebraska’s got this is without question their biggest RPI week remaining. They’ve got Kraton tomorrow. That game is going to be so much emotion. The last game of Nebraska and Ed Service. Uh I mean, 22 years, tip of the cap to the old skipper from Kraton. That is going to be highly emotional. Kraton feels like they’re playing some pretty darn good baseball right now, too. That’s an RPI opportunity. And then Michigan, the only remaining team, at least in regular season, that Nebraska has a chance to also gain some more RPI momentum. And so, not only do you want to continue, you can ill afford to have a bad weekend considering where the conference standings are right now, but also knowing if you could grab a couple of wins, all of a sudden you do get some more RPI boost opportunities. I know it’s premature to talk about that because you got to get into the tournament first and foremost, but you can’t ignore it either that Nebraska does have a huge huge week when it comes to both of those fronts. A lot on the line still to I know Husker Chuck was asking about is winning the Big 10 the only way to get into the NCAA tournament. I say no. I think there’s still absolutely an atlarge possibility for Nebraska. Uh but you cannot have any letup. Uh it would it would help a lot to to win against uh Kraton tomorrow night and then win the next win the final two series of the regular season. Sweep one if you can. Absolutely. And I think that would go a long way. Uh but a lot of work still to do. I think Nebraska can get in as an atlarge. Uh but number one is find your way to Omaha. So you get those two games up there and you got to do a little bit of work. Um, Big 10 tournament for softball is coming up this week because softball running a little bit of head baseball and the way the schedule works. And the Huskers will be heading out to West Lafayette. Purdue is the host. And we bring on Voice of Nebraska softball Nate Roar. Nate, so good to have you on. It was it was fun to listen to a lot of runs going up, not just this weekend. But throughout the course of the season and of course getting to hear a little bit more of a crowd yesterday from the old Bowlan Stadium with a record for the weekend and on Saturday a record for for one game. That that was fun to uh to to to listen to you with the Huskers Radio Network and everything going on out at Bowling. Yeah, it was really a fun weekend for Nebraska softball. You know, Maryland was a team that was mathematically eliminated from Big 10 tournament contention. So, they weren’t going to bring the excitement, the juice, the importance to the weekend. So, it was going to have to come from the fans and from from everything surrounding the game. And unfortunat, and uh and fortunately uh Saturday and Sunday that delivered. I mean, Saturday was was a poetic day really. Uh, when you consider a school record crowd 3,21, when you consider between 80 and 100 alumni spanning the entire history of the program were in the building to take in the game and see the progress of the program. And I mentioned this on the air that, you know, some of those players, they weren’t on those first teams that had to justify their existence, you know, uh they they had to borrow used uniforms. They had to beg for locker room space. They had to beg for resources to exist as a program. and they could look back and say, “Okay, this thing that we started now is supported, now is of interest to the to the fan base. It plays in a beautiful ballpark that’s full that has been expanded. It had to be really special for him.” I think it was uh in talking to Ronda Rall who wasn’t quite in that generation of players at least at the college level but she was kind of in the next generation of players when softball was still trying to find its legs. So Saturday was very special but you figure okay maybe it was a one-time deal and and and though Sunday we’ll have a big crowd we won’t it it won’t quite feel the same. Not the case. the place was basically full. Uh 2600 fans. Uh and you know, Nebraska came out and performed and and did what they were supposed to do. Ava Cusack and Jordy Ball both hit home runs. Ball pitched well for four innings. So really just a special weekend for Nebraska softball and and a cap on what’s been a very good season uh for this program and uh to lock up the third seed in the Big 10 tournament and a tied for second finish in the conference. I want to point that out. The same conference record as UCLA. uh that that’s really special for this team and this program and and it feels really good going into the Big 10 tournament and then to regionals. I I want to I want to point out that Nate Roar brought some of that offense from Bowling Stadium over to Hey Market Park because once he came into our booth and visited us all of a sudden uh Nebraska started turning it around offensively yesterday. But Nate, you you kind of answered my question there at the very end of I know the goal for every team, and there’s a mental part of this as well. The goal for every team going into conference play is to to feel very confident that you’re playing your best softball, that there are no chinks in the armor, that okay, maybe you’re you’re limping in a little bit and you got to get some things uh tightened up. I I don’t feel like that’s the case with this Nebraska softball team. I feel like they are playing as good as they’ve played. It seems like there’s a consistency. You brought up Maryland situation this weekend. When you have a team like that that is going to throw everything at you, but also it’s easy for the team that has everything to lose like Nebraska in that situation to play down a level. Just their overall business-like approach, I think also bodess very well for the postseason. Would you agree? Oh, absolutely. Yeah. the fact that they were able to maintain their focus, maintain sort of that loose, you know, strength that you have to have. You know, baseball, you can’t play baseball and softball, you can’t play with your teeth clenched, but you also can’t just lolly pop your way through it. And we saw this weekend in the Big 10, you know, the two teams that were ahead of Nebraska have difficulty with teams that we thought they would go out and dominate. I mean, Oregon dropped a game to a Michigan State team that was in the exact same situation that Maryland was. They they were mathematically eliminated from the Big 10 tournament. They’ve not had a very good year at all. And they go out to Oregon, who’s been just rolling through Big 10 play, and they take a game. And then, lest you think it was a fluke yesterday, Michigan State was right in that contest. So, you feel like Oregon backed off a little bit last weekend and then UCLA loses two of three to Northwestern. And a lot of credit to the Wildcats to go out there and and not just win a game, but win two games where their season’s kind of on the brink. I mean, Northwestern is on the wrong side of the bubble as I see it right now. Uh they’re trying to mount a late charge to get back into NCAA tournament consideration. But, you know, when when you’re the favorite and you’re playing a team that has far less pressure on him, it’s pretty easy to let your guard down. And Nebraska did none of that uh this weekend. And in fact, you know, Jordy Ball doesn’t give up an earned run. That’s good. Uh she hits a couple of home runs, that’s good, too. Uh the rest of the offense is producing. and even the fact that they were able to get Kylie McGee going again. You know, Kylie had been steadily trending in the right direction and then took a step back against Washington, really struggled, didn’t get an out, walked four hitters and hit another and it was an ugly outing. Uh but she go she comes out uh on Saturday in a big spot and and shuts down Maryland for four innings. So th this team is playing its best softball. I don’t think there’s any question about it. There’s no worry about how much gas does Jordy Ball have in the tank. She’s she’s fine. She’s 100% which quite frankly is a shock to me. Um and that’s no disrespect to her conditioning level, her preparation level. I just thought the workload of being an ace pitcher would begin to catch up with her. And if not in how she pitched, then how she hit. She’s hitting better than she’s hit all year. So, so this team feels like it’s finding its stride right now. No question. Whether you are a two seed or a three seed, you’re still on the same side of the bracket in the semi-finals if seeds hold. So, for Nebraska, you’re still there. Even though you tie for second, you you get the three seed. What do you think of the the draw for the Huskers with Penn State and Iowa? They’ll get the winner of that game on Thursday. They’ll play bright and early 10:00 a.m. uh central time and then from there just run the morning show life, you know. Helen, that’s lunch time. I know. Yeah, that that’s lunchtime. But I’m also not playing high level softball in West Lafayette on for uh for the conference tournament trying to win the second one in program history, first since 2022. What do you think of Nebraska’s draw this week? I think it’s pretty favorable. Well, I mean, I you know, Iowa has had such a strange season this year. Uh they go out and they sweep Rutgers this weekend. Rutgers was mathematically eliminated from the Big 10 tournament, too. So, where are they? Iowa somehow has played themselves onto the bubble or at least bubble consideration despite the fact that they’ve had three different people serve as head coach this semester. Renee Gillespie came in as their head coach, stepped down two weeks before the season with health concerns. The interim coach takes over, coaches for about a month, steps down due to culture concerns in the program. They’re on their third coach and uh Renee Gillespie, uh Iowa announced Gillespie will not be back next year. So, where is their head right now? Uh I don’t I don’t know where they are. Uh they could be galvanized. they could be locked in or it could be a situation where they’re carrying a lot of baggage with them when they hit the field. And Penn State’s had a disappointing year. Uh they had a great pitcher and Bridget Neoth uh that returned this year but got hurt and has missed the whole season. So where are they? Are they feeling like, okay, we want to keep fighting, or are they of the mindset that look, this has been a battle. we’re we’re ready to to take a knee and reset. And you you put that three seed draw against the two seed draw for UCLA. And you know, Indiana is a team that’s right on the bubble and they’ll be playing just down the road from their campus. So, they’ll have a lot of support and a lot of fans in attendance. And then Washington, they’re another team that’s I think in the NCAA tournament field, but that they’re in the thick of NCAA regional consideration. It’s been a down year for them because they lost big in the transfer portal, but it feels like they’ve come together and they’re starting to play better. So all in all, even though Nebraska has the lesser seed, I think they got the better draw whi which you know, you don’t it it’s not the way it’s supposed to work, but just how the teams are playing and the fact that the middle part of this conference I think is pretty tightly packed. Um, I, you know, I would say the top four, I would say the top two until last weekend were were a shelf above Nebraska and Ohio State and then it was those two teams and then then it was the middle of the pack. But Northwestern’s kind of played its way up to that top shelf. Nebraska and Ohio State have maintained their level of play and Oregon and UCLA stumbled down the stretch. I mean, especially UCLA. So you feel like it’s a tight five at the top and then you feel like six through 11 12 that’s a pretty tight bunch. So it’ll be interesting to see how many upsets come up as a result. Uh I got to ask this and we were rudely interrupted by uh baseball resuming as I asked you during the commercial break yesterday. Um and I know you’ve been asked this question a lot. I know this has been brought up on Sports Nightly as well. Nebraska any chance that exists that they could still host a regional? Yes, it is small, but it exists. Uh I would I would put it at a 5 to 10% chance in these parameters. Nebraska will not be a top 16 seed. They updated the RPI this morning. Nebraska is 25th. There’s not enough meat on the bone. Even if Nebraska wins the Big 10 tournament, which would presumably include wins over UCLA and Oregon, um there’s not enough there to get them in the top 16. However, there is a very unique situation because Stanford is number 15 in the RPI rankings. Stanford this season is renovating their softball stadium. I think they tore it all the way down and they’re starting over. So, they’re playing their softball season at Stanford Stadium, the football stadium in in a corner. So, they did not bid for regionals. Nebraska did. So, Stanford’s going to have to go somewhere. They’re 15 in the RPI. In theory, you could make them a high two somewhere, but maybe you send them somewhere and then you have the high two host, whomever that may be. that high two, especially if the Huskers play well in the Big 10 tournament, might be Nebraska. Other factors, Omaha won the Summit League regular season championship. Kraton is a factor in the Big East. Northern Iowa is a factor in the Missouri Valley. So, you might have two teams that could bust to Lincoln and then you fly in Stanford as the one. That is the scenario. I I still don’t think it’s the most likely one, but it’s certainly a possible one. And that would put Stanford at about a 15 or a 16 national seed, which is where they are right now. Uh Nebraska might be a little overseated as the two, but officially the NCAA tournament uh for ba for softball, and I think this is the case for baseball as well, does not officially seed past 16, past the top 16. So the NCAA is looking for ways to minimize costs uh to have regionals where teams bus. They generally want to bus at least two of the three teams in. And there’s a scenario that exists where Nebraska might just be the right place to bust people in. And bottom line on all of this, Nebraska just hosted a weekend series where they drew just shy of 8,000 people. 8,000 people buying tickets generates a lot of money. The NCAA would look at that and say, “Hey, let’s make some money. Let’s Yeah. play at a very nice stadium, save some money, not having to fly Omaha somewhere, and not having to fly presumably a northern Iowa, a Kraton, a Missouri state, which is a possible in the in the Moval. It It could happen. I’m spending a lot of of wind on a 5 to 10% chance. But you’re you’re leaving no stone unturned on this. This is why I love the response because if there’s a chance, I want to know how that chance comes to fruition. You’re doing that for me. You know, I it it’s a little tough for me to justify rooting for Kraton in anything, but if I were if there were ever a scenario where it might be favorable for the Blue Jays to have success, this might be it where they win the Big East tournament and they are a short bus ride and they’re a possible certainly in the Big East. So, uh, you you’re rooting for those teams that could bust to Lincoln. You know, another team that I left out, uh, that has had a late surge is Iowa State out of the Big 12. Uh, they’re not in regional contention right now. Uh, but but they could maybe play their way in in the Big 12 tournament and certainly if they win it, they would go and and so and they’re a team that could bust to Lincoln. The official rule is 400 miles. That gets stretched a little bit, especially on the margins. So, you know, you could get a team busing up here um you know, that’s 420 mi away, say, but it basically you’re rooting for teams close to win conference tournaments, then fly in Stanford as the one, Nebraska is the two. What other ancillary benefit from this? So the 16 seed would play the one seed in super regionals. Who is tracking to be the number one seed? Oklahoma. Yep. If Nebraska were to come through a home regional, you get Jordy Ball in Norman. The NCAA folks are licking their chops. You’re telling me the NCAA actually tries to do this to to manipulate storylines, too? No, Nate. They never do that. That never happens. Yeah, we’re going to start talking chemtrails and seeding clouds and you know it was the CIA that ticked down JFK. We’re getting it’s all conspiracy theories all the time here on you crazy I tell you. Yeah. Well, uh way before the NCAA does that, we’ll have the conference tournament this week in West Lafayette. Nate Roar, uh, voice of Nebraska softball as well as sports director over at KLN in a beautiful office that you have there in the dungeon of the NRG broadcast house. So, uh, Nate, appreciate all the info and yeah, uh, looking forward to listening to everything you’ve got from West Lafayette this week beginning Thursday morning, 10 a.m. Thanks for having me, gentlemen, and hopefully at the beginning of a very fun May for Nebraska. See you, Nate. There we go. Uh, I remember and I I don’t know if if if you were listening to it what would have been two years ago, Nick, that that run that Nebraska put on through the Big 10 tournament to win their first uh first first Big 10 tournament, but also the fact that, and this took this took like remembering as it was happening is that softball plays single elimination. We’re used to baseball with the double elimination format. Nebraska charging back last year through the consolation bracket and getting all the way back to the the championship game where it’s it’s it’s just the the one game. It’s it’s no longer double elimination once you got there and then the the new format this year. But softball is still it’s single elimination even though they the the field is 12 teams. You if you have one bad game, you you have one bad inning, you’re done. Yeah. It’s it’s a it’s a fast tournament. It’s a tournament that again, this is where there’s there’s a part of me as a as a fan of the the ball bat sports being fair that for the the teams that are going to be favored in a situation like that, you’ve got to sharpen your skill even that much more. more than anything, sharpen your focus because especially for the Nebraskas, the Oregon, the UCLA’s, the the better teams in this conference, they’re the ones that are going to be the hunted. And so, like Nate was bringing up, that’s why I was impressed with what Nebraska did this weekend because you have a Maryland team that has nothing to play for for postseason, but they’re they want to go out a winner. They’re going to they’re going to try to throw the entire kitchen sink and they’re playing with house money. Nothing to lose, everything to gain to go out on a high note. And Nebraska didn’t lower that level of play. They they said, “Hey, if you’re going to do that, you got to match our intensity. You got to match our standard of play.” And it’s easy to to let off the gas a little bit. It’s easy to lose focus a little bit knowing what you’re up against. And I think the fact that you had Oregon suffer that type of consequence because they bring their level down a bit. that those little things right there are the things that really do encourage me of thinking this team, this Nebraska team, even beyond Big 10 play, could have a deep run because I just feel like they’re holding each other accountable. They’re they’re holding themselves to that standard that they have now achieved that they finally have gotten to that point where they’re playing solid softball. But for that format, if you have one little slip up, especially like Nebraska, who Nate said, it’s not a big chance, but there is a small chance that they could host as long as they’re in good standing both in the regular season, which a top three finish would indicate such, and if they could possibly win the Big 10 tournament, that you could do so building up enough RPI and just look at that entire body of work and put yourself in a position of, yeah, this team is playing very, very well, and there’s a lot of great things on top of that that could benefit Nebraska of being a possible regional host. So, I there’s there’s so much that I like about what Nebraska has been able to show and we’ll we’ll see if a team is able to I’m sure it’ll happen at some point, especially as they get further into the Big 10 tournament, but how Nebraska handles some of those higher stressed moments because it’s going to happen and that also is a good indication because this team’s going to the NCAA tournament. We know that they could lose that first game and they’re still going to the NCAA tournament. can lose by 20 and they’re still going to the NCAA tournament. But I want to see how they’re pushed against some of those good teams, how they respond because those are the type of teams that they’re going to be up against in the NCAA tournament. Uh we’re going to transition. We’re going to go football the rest of the show. And some news while I was working on my connection here, I was able to see it pop up as a notification. Husker football has got a 2026 linebacker commit. Chase Reynolds, um 6’2, 210 linebacker out of Elorn, picking the Huskers over Kansas State and Northwestern. He is the fourth commit in that 2026 class. Um since our last show, we saw the 2027 class officially get on the board with a fourstar. Probably going to be a five-star quarterback when all of the re-rankings come back. But Trey Taylor out of Illinois, Chicago area, um got a lot of folks in his home state upset the way he did the uh did his his commitment ceremony. He pushed a couple hats to the side, put on the Illinois hat, said, “I’m going or I’m staying home in going to Illinois, waited a a click, waited another click, waited a third click, and then chucked the hat to the side, put on the Nebraska hat, took the family all takes off the the hoodies and the zip and you’ve got all the Husker gear and a a nice Nebraska baseball jersey getting so Nick that that was last Thursday. You didn’t have a baseball game going on. You weren’t on the road. Were you able to catch any of that and and your reaction of Nebraska now being at least through commitments set up for the next several years on the quarterback room? Yeah, at first of all I I I thought, “Oh, okay. Well, that’s interesting. He’s going to pick Illinois over Nebraska. must have a good NIL deal that’s going to be situated that they’ve already started to present to him and you know the lure of the home state and then within seconds like no I’m just I’m just messing with you. I was I was appreciative of the baseball jersey. I don’t know if they sent that to him or if there’s just a Shields in the area there for for Trey Taylor, but uh the the thing that I I really am excited about what you mentioned that that quarterback room and knowing that you also have uh you got another RA coming in and then Trey Taylor, but also what we’re seeing and hear and already early from TJ Latif that that is a very competitive quarterback room with some talent and again now having a guy like Dana Hogerson that can mold those quarterbacks and Glenn Thomas that can mold those quarterbacks and be able to really I think present a great opportunity for so a lot of young talent for years to come. Now, we don’t know what the endgame is for Dana Hogerson once Dylan is is through the program. Uh we’ll see if Dayton if there’s that similar connection that he wants to, you know, be around and see Dayton’s development, TJ Latif’s development, and then eventually Trey Taylor. But I think as long as Dana Hogerson is on staff and a lot of great things about Glenn Thomas, I I think that that becomes a very attractive place. Now Dylan’s success, I think ultimately is going to is going to answer the question if you can keep that going when it comes to the quarterback recruits and being able to get, you know, four possibly even fivestar type guys in the future. But I I love that and I love the fact that that Trey Taylor wanted to get that commitment out of the way because he wants to do much like even though it was at the very end Dylan Ria did do it and is still doing it. And I think there’s a big reason why you get Trey Taylor is being able to recruit to the team. So now that I’m committed, now that I’m in, who am I bringing with me? Who can I get to come with me? Who can I throw the football to? Who can I get to block for me as well? We know that was a big part of Dylan Riyola’s commitment when he went from Ohio State to Georgia then to Nebraska that he was trying to also bring guys with him. So there’s there’s a lot of similarities, but as far as his game itself, I’m like you, Caleb. Sometimes I don’t get on the film until that guy actually commits, but as soon as he does, I’ll take a look at film. And I will keep in mind, it’s a highlight package for a reason. They’re not always going to show the low lightss. They’re going to show the highlights. But his size, his mobility, his ability to to continue to to scan downfield. He doesn’t get hung up with a lot of the the distractions around him when he’s in the pocket. There’s a lot of things that are only gonna get better as he has more experience, but what he possesses right now as a young player, I think, is very attractive. You could see why he was a four-star guy and why he was highly coveted. I think there is again another exciting player and possibility uh that we could see in Lincoln uh playing in some very big games for Nebraska in the future. If you go to huskermax.com or or Nebraska Cornhuskers on SI, you can actually see a little bit of a film review from our own Caleb Cis. And he’s got a couple stories up right now. We’ve got a few more in the bank that we’re going to roll out. The peer recruiting that Trey Taylor is already doing. And one of them you can read already that we posted yesterday. It’s on a five-star wide out who is committed to Ohio State. Well, they happen to be, you know, guys in the same area. He’s got really talented teammates there at his school in the Chicago area. So, there’s the potential for Nebraska to load up on some future classes. Right now, Taylor is the only guy in that 2027 class. Potentially, he can he can help that grow. Those are guys that are sophomores in high school right now. They are getting ready for their junior year of football this fall. So, a lot of time between now and signing day. And obviously, the Nebraska football program could look very different come December of 2027. Yes, that is when he would sign. December 2027. Um, so, so you’re or wait five. Yeah, junior 56. December 2026. Um, so yeah, you’re yeah, you’re a year and a half out from the signing day for that class. It is nice to see that he immediately even if it’s in small ways, it’s just in social media posts um in just in small ways already helping with the the growth of that class because uh and and Nick, I I want your your thoughts on this as well is that high school recruiting is different right now than it was even two years ago because of the transfer portal and because of wanting to go get guys there and because of the roster limits which are not fully imposed yet, not even approved yet, and could be getting grandfathered in if the NCAA decides to rework some stuff that the judges asked them to rework. But the high school classes aren’t 25 anymore and then a bunch of walk-ons. They might be closer to 10 to 15. And then so when you get your quarterback in and you can go and get a bunch of quality guys to come in with that quarterback, that’s a that’s a big deal to get some some high school guys that you can have in the program for two, three years. while adding those transfers uh that have experience coming from other programs. And Caleb, doesn’t it put that much more pressure on the coaching staff when identifying talent to you almost, then this is the one thing that I’m I’m really interested to see with Matt Rule is he and a lot of the original guys that came over with him in that first staff two years ago pride themselves on being able to find diamonds in the rough and having the developmental guys that come sophomore, junior year could impact the team. but we’re going to use that freshman, even red shirt freshman year to really develop their skills. Time’s not on your side now because now you’ve got to be able to look at the guys that can help you immediately. And and there’s two reasons for that. One, you got less room on the roster, right? But secondly, we now know with the transfer portal, too. If you’re being brought in, I I think it’s very amazing that this coaching staff was able to tell a guy like Riley Van Pppel who played some significant snaps his freshman year than his what would have been his sophomore year, say, “Hey, we want you to red shirt this one because we want this to be a developmental year.” And he bought into that. That is not, in my opinion, the norm. I think you’ve got to have a strong culture and a strong leader to be able to paint that picture of why you want to do that and then to have the player accept that role. I don’t think you can get that all across the board when you’re bringing guys in. So, I think there’s also that part of if the guy is seeing when he’s brought in high level high school guy, uh if he’s more of a project player and he’s not seeing the playing time freshman, sophomore year, he’s gone. So he you’re not going to be able to see even as you’re developing him his freshman year, you may not see the fruits of that labor with your own team. You might see it against you somewhere in the Big 10 or in a different power uh conference school. So that’s that’s the I think the the sense of urgency, the emphasis of your evaluation. You have to find more college readymade guys now. Guys that if they had to play as a freshman, not only could they do that without being completely overwhelmed, but they could make a play or two for you as well. So, I think that that changes a little bit of the outlook of how Matt Rule and this staff like to to recruit the high school way, but what we’re also seeing is they’re more than capable of doing that. They’ve been able to do both. They’ve been able to find the project guy and then find the ready-made guy. Now, you got to focus more on the ready-made guy. But when you get that quarterback situation figured out when you get that bigname quarterback, we know just as you pointed out how easy it can be to have the help of that recruit be able to I don’t want to say do your do your job for you, but be able to really make your job a little easier when it comes to peer recruiting and being able to get more ready-made guys on both sides of the field. whether it’s Trey Taylor or Jace Reynolds who just committed this morning to the big red. Then you’re getting an in-state guy. So that’s its own conversation that a lot of people have liked to have about Matt Rule and instate recruiting with the 2026 class. Um that’s still a ways off. Those guys aren’t playing this fall. Nebraska has the potential of taking on an interim coach week four against Michigan. Yes, Chiron Moore is University of Michigan is looking at a self-imposed twoame suspension for weeks three and four on their schedule. Now, what that’ll do is that allows Moore to coach in the season opener as well as coach in their second game against Oklahoma, which is his alma moater. That could be a fun thing for them. But clearly they’re picking and choosing where some things are to where you have Michigan without its head coach against Central Michigan. And that’s where Connor Stallions was famously in the background on the sideline. So you already have that not happening. And then the first Big 10 game of the season for the Wolverines with Nebraska hosting in Lincoln. I think the NCAA is going to look at that and they’re going to come in and say that’s not enough games or they’re still going through their investigation. there’s the potential that those first two games of the season get added or there there’s a lot to still have itself play out over the next four months, five months before we even get to those games that right now Michigan is saying they will have suspended their head coach for. But clearly Michigan is seeing something in the investigation with the NCAA and saying we have to do something because the NCAA is going to come in here and there’s going to be more brought down with the hammer on top of for us locally Nebraska getting to take on an interim head coach in week four. It’s interesting to the standpoint of we’re still having the lingering effects of this, but this is not a situation. You know it as well as I do that this was oh poor Chiron Moore. He was part of the Jim Harbaugh exodus that Jim Harbaugh was able to leave before anything further came out. Now Jim Harbaugh had some self-imposed through the conference and through the school uh suspensions and penalties. But I think what we’ve learned from this cheating scandal is exactly that and really the the at the meticulous nature that it took place with Connor Stallions and everybody was complicit in this including Chiron Moore and and that was the the thing about Michigan is if they were going to replace Jim Harbaugh, they knew by doing so, you did bring over a guy that was still part of that and that you you made yourself vulnerable to these types of potential suspensions. I do find it very interesting that if you’re looking at a twoame chunk and you brought up who they play right out of the gate and having Oklahoma in that second game, okay, New Mexico, not a big deal, but it’s not like you can have a oneame suspension against New Mexico. That’s laughable is what that is. So, you’d have to do a twoame thing. It’s not like you can go, all right, we’re going to have New Mexico and Central Michigan. We’re going to suspend for games one and three. That’s not going to fly. So, you got to have consecutive games. So, you’re essentially and you got to do it early in the season. So essentially, you’re looking at what is the more challenging stretch in a two game, New Mexico, Oklahoma, or Central Michigan, Nebraska? Well, we think Oklahoma’s going to be more challenging, Nebraska. So, let’s go ahead and take the Central Michigan and Nebraska game. Uh, try to offer that one. I think you bring up a great point though, Caleb. If you’re the NCAA and you’re the ones who ultimately have to sign off on this thing and say, “Okay, yeah, that’s acceptable to us.” You’re looking at that as, “Wait a minute. Why should you be able to dictate the games that your coach is not on the sideline? You know what? We’ll see your your weeks three and four and we’ll raise you weeks one and two. So, how about a four game suspension one through four. So, you do still get your Central Michigan and Nebraska game, but we’d like you to sit out for New Mexico and Oklahoma as well. After that, hey, we will wash our hands of all of this. Everybody is happy. We will move on, but you’re not dictating this thing because the NCAA has been beaten up so badly over the last three years. I have no faith in them. I’ve made that abundantly clear every time I I get into anything involving the NCAA. But I think there are still things within their control that they can try to make statements as they are on their way out. This could be one of them where they say, “Nope, we want one through four or nothing at all.” the little bit of space that the NCAA still has power. I think they might want to they might feel that they can overwe it because powers absolutely it’s pettiness petty power right now and so yeah I I definitely would expect at least for me I’m expecting that Michigan is with an interim head coach for the first four games of the season not just getting to pick and choose games three and four. Nebraska, of course, will get to go through a non-conference uh slate before getting to that Michigan game, which of course begins in Kansas City, August 28th, Arrowhead Stadium taking on Cincinnati. And and I don’t know if you’ve looked at, Nick, if you if you’ve looked at that weekend yet, but the next night for the Royals is Nebraska night at the ballpark. Yeah. what to wear. I I don’t know if it’s if it’s just a hat or if it’s a if it’s a jacket or something, but there’s always incredible gear when the Royals have their Nebraska night there. So, I think they’re trying to take advantage of Husker fans being in KC and making a couple days out of it. Yes. You you you spend Thursday and Friday with us out in Kansas City before you enjoy your Labor Day weekend plans. And by the way, I would I would assume and I think you’ve talked about this before, I’m sure, that uh you would probably have at least one special visitor watching that game Thursday night, if not two. And I think that that would be one Travis Kelce because of course he’s from Cincinnati, Patrick Mahomes. Well, his little couso is playing quarterback for Nebraska. And hey, we all know wherever Travis Kelce goes, there’s always a chance to have Taylor Swift. So, who knows? It could be a Swifty Thursday for the season opener for Nebraska as well. Do you have any idea how mad my wife will be, not would be, will be if I am in Kansas City covering a Husker football game and all said, “Hey, so Taylor Swift just walked by. Um, like, do you want me to try to get a P?” Like, she will put our daughter in the car right then and there. She’ll be like, “I’ll be down there.” Right? Give me the the what the the five hours it takes to get down there. Get we’re getting we’re busting through traffic. And seriously, unless there is something catastrophic and you I’m not even a Chiefs fan, but I don’t wish that upon anybody as far as Travis Kelce physically being unable to attend that game. Uh he’ll be there because absolutely that’s gonna be right after camp, right before the season opener in Kansas City hits his alma mater and then of course his boy his sidekick or maybe he’s Mahomes’s sidekick either way has got his lookalike playing quarterback. Uh and there’s a relationship there too because those guys have worked out together several times. Dylan and Patrick Mahomes, those guys are going to be at the game. The only question is well who’s Taylor Swift? Yeah. What what is what does her tour dates look like? See, I I’m not I’m not that big of a Swifty that I could tell you exactly what the tour looks like when it comes to the end of August, but uh there I would say there’s a possibility. They already have the the private route for her to get from the tunnel up to the suite anyway. So, I mean, they’ve got that down. They might as well start working out the 2025 version of that at the Husker Cincinnati game. That That’s going to be fun. Hey, if you miss anything on the show, you can you can go to Huskermax YouTube page. Make sure you like and subscribe. everything there so you never miss a live show. Go to huskermax.com for everything you need. Huskers, uh we will plan on being back on Thursday. We’ll see if my computer decides to die again. Uh between now and then though, Kraton game, uh Nick, just just real quick, your your expectations for the final non-con game of the season for Husker baseball tomorrow night. I I think this is going to be the most emotion we’ve seen from Nebraska for and I don’t want to say they don’t show that emotion, but I think they always try to go into every game, even Keel, as far as we want to win every game. And that’s true. I think if you’re a division one, hell, if you’re a college competitor, that’s the case every day. This one, I think, is going to have a little bit of emotion, trash talking the way Nebraska, remember Luke Broadick, uh, one of the Kraton players who struck out at the end, was kind of complaining about that third strike. and Luke Broadick gestured and then stomped on it. And so there’s been a lot of trash talking going back and forth. Will Mlan when he hit a home run against Nebraska in downtown Omaha, he kind of he pimped it a bit and Nebraska didn’t love that as well. And again, this is the final game with Nebraska versatraton with Ed Service as the head coach for Kraton after 22 really solid years for a guy that I know that they respect, but I also know the competitiveness of Ed Service, he wants to go out in this series a winner as well. So, I think both teams are going to be chomping at the bit. I think Nebraska, especially being at Hey Market Park and losing that first game to toraton in their ballpark, I think they are going to be hungry tomorrow night for sure. 6:00 first pitch or if you look that deeply into it, it’s like 6:02. But, uh, yeah, Hey, Market Park. Make sure you get out there. Last non-con game of the regular season for the Huskers. This is their last home stand. there in the middle of home this weekend and then on the road the uh the next weekend to close things out. Nick, thanks for uh for putting up with my connection and my computer issues here. Um, for the rest of you, we’ll uh we’ll plan to talk on Thursday. And between now and then, and always, of course, go Big Red.
