Over the past six-plus weeks, Nebraska has added transfers at a rate of more than one per week. The goal was a simple one, laid out by coach Scott Frost back in November: Stock the roster with a few “difference-makers†to help get the program in position to notch his first winning season in five tries.
The Huskers have added players, to be sure. Whether they, collectively, help get the program over the proverbial hump won’t be known until the fall. But beginning with offensive lineman Kevin Williams Jr. on Dec. 11, then specialists Timmy Bleekrode and Brian Buschini, and Arizona State defensive back Tommi Hill days later and all the way through adding cornerback Omar Brown on Saturday, NU has added 10 Division I transfers. Nine of them — all except for Bleekrode — are already on campus.
Now arrives a likely lull in portal activity, or at least a pause on players officially joining the program. Tuesday marks the last day students can enroll in spring semester classes at UNL and, therefore, the last day a football player could join the program and still take part in spring ball.
The mad rush for midyear enrollees is over. Now begins the searching — and waiting — for potential summer additions.
That’s not to say portal recruiting will die down entirely. New players are coming available every day and the Huskers can host official visitors this weekend and then again during spring ball once a February NCAA dead period is past. During the dead period, players can visit campuses on their own, they just can’t meet with coaches or be in the football facility.
The other driving factor, though, is that portal activity will kick up again around the country during and after programs have spring ball.
For Nebraska, that will mean a better idea of who is available on the transfer market and also what needs might pop up due to spring attrition.
There are already a couple of positions that will likely be on the list as the Huskers turn their attention to the next phase of portal recruiting.
Offensive line
Nebraska began addressing its need to stock some veteran presence and talent on the offensive front by adding Williams from Northern Colorado and Oklahoma State transfer Hunter Anthony.
The Huskers tried to get Tre’Mond Shorts on campus in mid-January, but LSU swooped in and landed the East Tennessee State standout. That NU was hard after Shorts, though, is indicative of the fact that they’d like to add another piece to the puzzle in Donovan Raiola’s room.
Certainly, the ideal situation would have been to find another midyear transfer and have everybody on board for spring ball. If you’re looking for a silver lining, perhaps it’s that there are already a lot of players who may end up trying a new position or moving around during the spring as Raiola sizes up the group up close for the first time. Perhaps by the time spring ball is over, he will have a clearer picture of if Nebraska needs help at center — there are several candidates but no sure bets when it comes to replacing Cam Jurgens — on the edge at tackle or just in general.
Another position the Huskers were hoping to add to just before the midyear enrollment deadline, except Miami defensive tackle transfer Nesta Jade Silvera picked Arizona State instead.
NU has young talent up front, even behind returning mainstays Casey Rogers and Ty Robinson, but an experienced player certainly wouldn’t hurt following the losses of Ben Stille, Damion Daniels and Deontre Thomas.
One nonportal way the Huskers could address the defensive front would be to try to land junior college prospect Seleti Fevaleaki, the Snow College standout who took an official visit to Nebraska in December. Fevaleaki’s primary recruiter was Tony Tuioti, who left NU for Oregon, and Fevaleaki has also picked up offers from Oklahoma State and Missouri since visiting NU. He could sign in February or wait until the spring as a juco prospect.
Either way, it’s a safe bet the Husker staff will be evaluating defensive front-line possibilities with particular interest as they hit the portal in the coming weeks and months.
Linebacker
Nobody turns away potential difference-making pass-rushers, but it’s possible the departure of Will Honas via the transfer portal prompts NU to look for depth at inside linebacker, too. The Huskers have their top three returning in Luke Reimer, Nick Henrich and Chris Kolarevic, and several young players trying to get into the mix, too.
This is one where spring ball may tell the story on whether Garrett Snodgrass, Eteva Mauga-Clements, Randolph Kpai, Mikai Gbayor and Seth Malcom provide enough legitimate options or if another player is needed.
The same goes, to some extent, for every other position. The front lines are pretty clear needs, but after that, a lot will depend on who emerges during spring ball and who decides to transfer out.
Keeping up with the transfer portal. Here's who the Huskers have coming to Lincoln