LOPER FOOTBALL SIGNS 25 IN HELD’S FIRST CLASS:
The Nebraska Kearney football team announced Wednesday the names of seven transfers and 18 high school seniors who will play for the Lopers this fall.
The class breaks down to 13 defensive players, 10 on offense and two specialists. By position, there are six d-linemen, four receivers, three defensive backs, linebackers and tight ends, two o-linemen, a quarterback, punter and kicker. Next, 13 are Nebraskans with Kansas (three), Alabama, Florida and Georgia (two apiece), Arizona, California and Oklahoma (one apiece) also represented. Finally, four of the transfers are currently enrolled at UNK and going through winter conditioning.
Notable transfers include former Kearney High kicker Gabe Heins returning home after a brief stint at Nebraska and linebacker Joko Willis from Auburn.
UNK went to the Capitol City for prep talent, adding four Lincoln natives, while signing four from the Omaha metro area. This prep class is used to winning as five incoming Lopers were part of state title or state runner up squads in 2022 and 2021.
Full class details can be found at KGFW.com.
NEBRASKA FOOTBALL INKS TOP 25 CLASS:
After signing more than two dozen scholarship players in December, the Nebraska football team added more recruits on Wednesday.
The Huskers received a National Letter of Intent from five high school players, which had all previously committed to the Big Red. The new signees are Sua Lefotu, Jeremiah Charles, Demitrius Bell, D’Andre Barnes, and Ismael Smith Flores.
Joining the quintet are multiple players from the NCAA transfer portal. Arik Gilbert, Jacob Hood, and MJ Sherman all played at Georgia in 2022.
These additions bring Nebraska’s incoming class to 39 players, 11 of which are from the NCAA transfer portal.
The final surprise of the class was Barnes, a Colorado defensive back who committed to Nebraska on Wednesday. Barnes played both wide receiver and defensive back at Regis Jesuit. On offense, he had 37 receptions for 785 yards and nine scores; on defense, he had 55 tackles, six interceptions, eight pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. He is also the reigning 200 meter champion in Colorado.
NEBRASKA FOOTBALL SIGNING DAY – MATT RHULE COMMENTS:
RHULE – IN A SPRINT TO COMPETE:
Matt Rhule, Nebraska Football head coach wrapped up his first recruiting cycle as leader of the Big Red today and spoke about how he’s excited to finally get into developing the Huskers quickly…
9323 – MRSPRINT – 21 sec. “They can be”
The Huskers nabber 39 players in this year’s class; mostly coming from traditional high school or JUCO recruits, but adding 11 players from the transfer portal.
RHULE – PORTAL IS GREAT FOR NEBRASKA:
Nebraska Football head coach Matt Rhule was asked his thoughts on the transfer portal after his first stint returning to collegiate recruiting during his first months at the Big Red…
The Huskers added eleven players – including three from the Georgia Bulldogs – over the off-season.
RHULE – STANDARD IS TO WORK HARD IN RECRUITMENT:
Nebraska Football head coach Matt Rhule spoke at his signing day press conference about the mentality the Big Red coaching staff has when it comes to the recruiting process…
The Huskers appeared to wrap up a Top 30 class by the final tally for Rhule’s first recruiting cycle.
KEARNEY HIGH HAS SIX SIGN LETTER OF INTENT ON WEDNESDAY:
Kearney High School celebrated the spring edition of the National Letter of Intent signing day at their CHaT Auditorium yesterday, as six Bearcats signed to continue their athletic careers.
Ezzy Castro-Torres will continue her soccer career at Northeast Community College; Jhordy Solares signed to keep his talents in Nebraska at Scottsbluffs’ WNCC for soccer; Zach Watson will continue his pole vault career at UNK for Track & Field; Violet Timmons singed with MidAmerica Nazarene University for soccer; Gavin Goodner signed with Central Methodist University for baseball; and Brayden Self-Treffer will play soccer for Central Community College-Columbus.
HASTINGS COLLEGE FOOTBALL INKS 26 NEW RECRUITS:
Hastings College football inked 26 new recruits to a National Letter of Intent Wednesday, first reported by KSNB.
Several players from across the state were signed including multiple players from Grand Island and Hastings, such as: GISH’s Colton Marsh, St. Cecilia’s Cooper Butler, Carson Kudlacek, and Jayden Lagunas, and many others.
HUSKER WOMEN’S HOOPS HOSTS SPARTANS:
The Nebraska women’s basketball team returns to Pinnacle Bank Arena for a pivotal midweek battle with Michigan State tonight.
Tip-off between the Big Red (12-9, 4-6 Big Ten) and the Spartans (11-10, 3-7 Big Ten) is set for 7:30 p.m.
Nebraska has dropped three of its last four games with all of the losses to current top-10 Big Ten opponents. Michigan State has lost five of its last six with four setbacks to top-25 Big Ten foes at game time.
Both teams are battling for position in the conference standings for the conference tournament and at-large bids in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
Nebraska enters the week at No. 41 in the NCAA NET rankings, two spots ahead of No. 43 Michigan State.
RHULE SUES FORMER TEAM PANTHERS FOR SEVERANCE COMPENSATION:
Former Carolina Panthers head coach and current Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule filed an arbitration suit last week against the franchise.
The suit claims the Panthers are refusing to pay Rhule’s severance compensation following his firing from Carolina and subsequent hiring at the University of Nebraska.
In the suit, which was filed with the NFL on Jan. 25, Rhule seeks to receive the offset money he claims is due to him from the Panthers. According to sources, the suit doesn’t allege specifically how much money Rhule is seeking, but contract terms indicate there’s roughly $5 million in dispute.
In January 2020, Rhule signed a seven-year contract worth more than $60 million that would pay him an annual base salary of $8.5 million through the 2026 NFL season. Rhule signed an eight-year contract with Nebraska that pays $74 million in base salary along with $4 million more in deferred salary if he remains employed by the school across various vesting dates.
TOM BRADY RETIRES… AGAIN:
Tom Brady, who won a record seven Super Bowls for New England and Tampa, has announced his retirement.
Brady — the most successful quarterback in NFL history, and one of the greatest athletes in team sports — posted the announcement on social media Wednesday morning, a brief video lasting just under one minute.
He briefly retired after the 2021 season, but wound up coming back for one more year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He retires at age 45, the owner of numerous passing records in an unprecedented 23-year career.
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
WEDNESDAY:
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Women’s Basketball: v. Doane
- HC 65-56 Doane
- Men’s Basketball: v. Doane
- DOANE 80-70 HC
- Women’s Basketball: v. Doane
THURSDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Swimming & Diving: v. Norfolk @ Kearney High School – 4 PM
- Wrestling: @ Grand Island – 7 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Girls Basketball: v. Adams Central – 6 PM
- UNK:
- Women’s Basketball: @ Central Oklahoma – 5:30 PM
- Men’s Basketball: @ Central Oklahoma – 7:30 PM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- N/a
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Sports Nightly (6 PM – 7 PM)
- Nebraska Women’s Basketball v. Michigan State (7 PM – 10:15 PM)
FRIDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Wrestling: @ Arcadia-Loup City Invite – 2 PM
- UNK:
- Softball: v. Colorado Springs @ Lubbock, TX – 11 AM
- M/W T&F: @ Concordia Classic – 12 PM
- Softball: v. Eastern New Mexico @ Lubbock, TX – 3 PM
- Women’s Tennis: v. Midwestern State – 4 PM
- M/W T&F: @ Husker Invitational @ Lincoln, NE – 4:30 PM
- Wrestling: v. Fort Hays State @ Health & Sports Center – 7 PM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- M/W T&F: @ Concordia Classic – 1 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)
SATURDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Swimming & Diving: Kearney High Diving Invite @ Kearney High School – 10 AM
- Girls Basketball: v. Lincoln Northeast @ Kearney High School – 3:30 PM
- KGFW Pregame at 3:15 PM
- Boys Basketball: v. Lincoln Northeast @ Kearney High School – 5:15 PM
- KGFW Pregame after KHS GBB
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Swimming & Diving: Kearney High Diving Invite @ Kearney High School – 10 AM
- Girls Basketball: v. Columbus Scotus Catholic – 2 PM
- Boys Basketball: v. Columbus Scotus Catholic – 4 PM
- UNK:
- M/W T&F: @ Husker Invitational @ Lincoln, NE – 12 PM
- Softball: v. Southwestern Oklahoma State @ Lubbock, TX – 11 AM
- Women’s Basketball: @ Newman – 1:30 PM
- Wrestling: v. Central Missouri @ Health & Sports Center – 2 PM
- Softball: @ Lubbock Christian @ Lubbock, TX – 3 PM
- Men’s Basketball: @ Newman – 3:30 PM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Softball: @ Ottawa, KS – 1 PM
- Women’s Basketball: @ Mount Marty – 2 PM
- Softball: @ Ottawa, KS – 3 PM
- Men’s Basketball: @ Mount Marty – 3:45 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney Girls Basketball v. Lincoln Northeast (3:15 PM – 5:15 PM)
- Kearney Boys Basketball v. Lincoln Northeast (5:15 PM – 7:15 PM)
SUNDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Women’s Tennis: v. Hastings – 8 AM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- N/a
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- N/a