Pick Six Podcast: Dylan Raiola signs, Chubba Purdy transfers and more Nebraska Signing Day news

In the latest episode of the Pick Six Podcast, Sam McKewon, Evan Bland and Tom Shatel break down why Dylan Raiola signed with Nebraska, Chubba Purdy’s transfer and more Nebraska Signing Day news.

The biggest Signing Day in a number of years for Nebraska football hello everybody Sammy K along with Evan Bland and Tom chatel for the pi six podcast post Signing Day Edition Dylan rayola the five star in really good class of offensive lineman pretty good class of

Cornerbacks too this is uh this was a fun one for Husker football Evan was in Iowa yesterday talking to Grant Brad Tom was down at the press conference listening to Matt rule uh I was a Donovan Jones and also to rule and uh you know we we had a fun time yesterday

It was a long day um it felt like long even though the press conference was early uh gentlemen this was a signing day to remember right it was fun it was a long day uh you know Logan’s uh Logan Iowa is 90 miles from Lincoln and and so it’s was

Fun going out there and presser was earlier than it typically has been over the years right I mean usually those are two in the afternoon somewhere in that range and so that thing in the ear in the in the early portion of the day pretty good Signing Day for Nebraska in

Terms of Signing Day decisions and flips and things of that nature and really the only uh I suppose damper to the day from from some perspectives would be chubba py going into the transfer portal but pretty much as ideal of a signing day as Nebraska could ask

For we’ll get to that in a minute Tom when you when you thought about you know just just the I mean you you’ve covered a lot of these obviously they all start to bleed together but this one felt like it stood out a little bit just because

Of Dylan Rola yeah they they don’t have those that kind of guy um you know uh sign up every here he doesn’t show up every year um especially at that level um I guess there was Marlin lucky uh one year with Callahan and and um that was a whole

Different uh sort of a whole different feel and program that program was all about recruiting that’s why Steve Peterson did what he did and and uh you know um the the total Embrace of the recruiting culture the stars and all that stuff so it it felt like that was sort of a new

Normal this is like okay we’re about development but here’s this Superstar player and it but I was struck by how it it he didn’t make it about recruiting and he didn’t even make it about Dylan Rola uh rule made it about everybody the whole press conference was about he mentioned

Everybody it was like an Oscar speech like he talked about every I’d like to thank the I I he mentioned a hotel in Lincoln I I looked it up to see where it was he mentioned like two restaurants I mean what do you how do you get away

With just two restaurants you got to mention everybody don’t you so it was um it it was funny to see uh but but that’s Rule and he’s going to take care of everybody um mention all these players first guy I mentioned uh talking to Eric Olsson of the a last night at the

Basketball game and we were talking about and um and we both covered the 90s and I said yeah the first guy he mentioned was Abdul Muhammad I thought that that was interesting but Abdul’s doing a lot of good work in Omaha North Omaha Omaha Central and and um he’s he’s

He’s really connected in with a lot of young men and and um so they’ve got these former Huskers that are you know Steve Warren uh these guys are are trying to help and um the news is that Ru and his staff are asking for their

Help and um so it’s it’s it’s the whole dynamic is is interesting it’s it’s he’s created this not only culture but sort of a family thing going on here and he’s the you know the the the papa Walton of the family and he’s going to take care mentioning everybody and make sure everybody’s

Involved and you know Daniel cayin we love this guy and you know we he’s going to he’s going to be good and it just goes on down the line and it’s just you know it was a sort of a celebration day about Dylan Raa but it turned into the Nebraska program

Day the culture the development and so on and so forth so that struck me as you know no matter what happens here rule is going to make sure that that gets taken care of that’s good thought yeah for sure I mean I think I think he does a really good job of

Trying to incorporate the whole story often times on Signing Day the thing that we focus on are the flips and Evan Nebraska had three yesterday all for well they had two flips and then they had um a a kid Amari Sanders who picked Nebraska on signing day I you know I I

Thought he was going to do that a long time ago but he didn’t do it um so it was notable in that regard wasn’t it that that that they get these three kids from Miami and we weren’t even paying much attention to Miami and all of a

Sudden they get you know I think five total players from that City yeah it’s something it’s uh I mean essentially they matched what they pulled out of Texas and I don’t know that we would have you know six months ago probably said that would be the case that Miami

Or or South Florida would be as much of a of a Target area for this staff as Texas and I think uh you know Philip Simpson the the the former High School coach out there who was a player under rule uh was a big part of that Evan Cooper who was down there

Briefly uh in like the six months that he wasn’t part of rues Staff in the last decade he had he built some connections so those guys did some work out there and maybe it says something about the quality of this class that like the fact that and and I think Larry Tarver and

Vincent Shavers could be good players for Nebraska maybe sooner than later but like it it does say something I think about the class that like that wasn’t the focus of the day that that wasn’t of what everyone was rejoicing about there was still the glow sort of

The Afterglow of of the Dylan Rola commitment I think it was just there there’s a depth to this class and I keep thinking Sam back to something rues said before the season about how they don’t want to Outsource winning to young players and outside of Rola I think I

Think he’s the exception but like I think you look at the rest of this class and like very few of these guys are are are people that you would point to to say Nebraska needs them to come through right away like most of these guys I think agree have the luxury

To develop behind the scenes for a year or two maybe Carter Nelson bursts onto the scene um you know or kelen Smith we don’t know but like it just this doesn’t feel it feels different from a lot of past Cycles in that Nebraska is not pinning its hopes and dreams for its

Immediate future on some of these young guys and I think that’s the the sign of a program that’s healthy yeah I think that’s fair I mean I think that’s a good point yeah uh I would agree they had to get a bunch of guys back in their own

Portal as they called it but they did that um I think they’re a little they’re a little thin at linebacker um but that’s what the transfer portals there for right like if they have to go out and get a player they can still do that um whether it’s in January or it’s in

May or June you don’t have to rely on young guys until uh until they’re ready and the one guy they signed yesterday from the transfer portal is Bly Hill and that is one of the more interesting stories that that I’ve seen in in some time you know the their one transfer is

St Francis Pennsylvania which is in the alany mountains and it’s a school of 2,000 it’s on a hill and the town is about 1,000 and so they bust all their games most their games and this kid ended up there because he was so small in high school

He just didn’t get a bunch of offers and then he he grows and now all of a sudden he has a chance to to play to play at Nebraska I mean he he could be the number four corner on this team next year he might even be the number three

Corner because at this point there’s there’s only a certitude there let’s get into Dylan Raa obviously um you know what Tom what jumps out to you about just about his story uh and maybe and maybe the the amount of uh attention and pressure that are going to be on him almost immediately

Well i’ I i’ I’ve seen or read a couple times that he’s coming home and I I don’t believe he he the rools ever ever lived in Nebraska so I don’t he he didn’t grow up here um but but he might have grown up in Nebraska football just

In his house so I think that’s this this an interesting angle for me I I uh I know Dominic rayola haven’t spoken to him in a long time but um uh I’ve seen him on the golf course a few times um and uh he he’s it’s it a long way um but

Covered him and um I just remember my image of him is uh that a guy that didn’t say much but when he talked everybody listened right um um you know he he he always has something good to say and um very soft spoken for a you

Know sort of a gentle giant type of guy but not very gentle on the field um I just remember the the 99 Texas game with they they gave it away down in Austin uh there was a fumble and they they end up losing and uh he’s coming

You know to get to the locker room you have to walk downstairs right by the edge of the stands and so the the team’s walking down the stairs to the locker room and uh the fans the Texas fans are giving him hell and yelling at him and

Uh Dom is giving it to him back and he’s it’s like he’s going to go after him he was so mad and fury there so much passion in in this guy and you know he was his whole game was passion um and uh I just see you know obviously had a

Passion for Nebraska and I just wonder you know as as I’ve I’ve tried to pay attention to the story and as as a dad myself I you I try to stay out of the way I don’t want to tell my my my my daughter you know where to go to school

Or you know I want them to make their own choices and and so I figure I think that’s what he’s done with Dylan and so I just wonder how much of the Nebraska his passion for Nebraska um and and teammates he may stay in touch with over the years uh you

Know does he wear a Nebraska shirt is there a Nebraska Jersey on the wall how much of that maybe rubbed off on Dylan um because he sounded like he I believe this was the interview you uh you got with with um Sam and he it sounded like Dylan came to him and said

I I I need to come back I need to I need to you know and um I really do think it was about okay you can go to Georgia and there’s all all these riches and uh you know Riches of players and talent everywhere and you’re just sort of

Another guy uh the Georgia quarterbacks don’t really stand out and maybe not that he wanted to stand out but I think he wanted to make a bigger difference somewhere and and maybe for him what better place to do that than here I think that was exactly it yeah I

Had a good conversation with dom uh last night uh it was you know uh I think everything that you just said you know they they’ve grown up in a house that had a lot of Nebraska stuff uh you know when the Nebraska football was on it was on the TV Nebraska volleyball Nebraska

Basketball it’s a Nebraska family um Dominic told me that that the younger son Dayton is a huge Nebraska fan like he just he just grew up loving everything Nebraska uh I don’t know that Dylan was quite that um but but the Dayton kind of was and uh what’s interesting about the

Story and this will be in a Sunday story is that Dylan and Dayton actually were having conversations on their sort of their daily rides to school they drive to you know Dylan drive to school and Dayton would go with him it was actually Dayton who texted Dominic and said I think Dylan

Might want to go to Nebraska and so I think Dylan was a little skittish about about doing about telling you know people telling his parents uh but but you know they figured it out and and you know they wanted to make sure he really meant that and and

So there then they make the you know they make the visit uh last week I don’t think there’s a whole bunch of coincidence I mean you know I think Kyle McCord saw the writing on the wall knew that he would have to beat out a five-star player and maybe wanted to go somewhere

Where he knew he was going to be guaranteed the job I don’t think Nebraska made an offer either uh so you know at the end of the day I think Nebraska passed rule kind of said that yesterday and you know Dylan ra just brings so much to the table as a player

Uh his armed Talent is is real he can throw the football uh he’s mobile he’s not a runner per se like he’s not Lamar Jackson but he can he can get around and he can scramble and uh he’s going to be a very Dynamic player in the program they got to protect him

All those things and uh he’s got to have a backup and you know and he’s gonna battle hinr harber for the starting job let’s just let’s just call it what it is jber pie is gone he left like that I think he would have left anyway

If K McCord had come um but he’s gone and so it’s it’s a man room do you guys do you guys think that um that they’re they’re trying to find somebody right now to come in and and be U if if not a mentor at least somebody

To kind of start the season I mean do you think they want to start the year with Dyan uh season opener uh get under this you know I at the first Snapper would they prefer again I use the the Tommy Frasier anal analogy the of um you know he he they

They had Mike Grant start the 92 season and by by game six Tommy was ready to go um and and so he he they brought him in on on the road it was his first start but do you think they’re trying to were they trying to maybe talk K mord into

Doing that would would would they try to chubba end up doing that and maybe they just didn’t want to do that um or or do you think they’ll just be fine with but throwing them out there I think they wanted to move on from K mccort so yeah

I don’t think I don’t think they wanted him yeah and Ru kind of said that yesterday yeah it’s not necessarily what I would do but of course I’m not a coach uh but yeah I think they moved on as far as chubba yeah I’m sure they I’m sure

They wanted chubba back um and that that’s just not that’s obviously not the cards he’s going to go into the portal so maybe they knew that going into the press conference yesterday I mean we kind of asked him point blank are there anybody is there anybody else leaving

And he didn’t mention chuba the way that he spoke about it to me would would say that he did not see that coming I mean he his way to talk about how chba and Hinrich could earn the right to compete and and and move forward in that way and

Like I personally I thought chba was in a decent position I mean you’re talking about being in a room with two freshman H Hinrich harberg who you know maybe isn’t best suited for the offense that they want to run right next year he’s a guy’ been in college for four

Years so like and and the fact of college football is you’re probably going to play even if you’re the backup Nebraska’s experienced that for many years now so I you know I don’t know what better situation he’s going to have in the at the power level maybe he’ll

He’ll go more group of five and and maybe playing time ultimately is what he’s looking for but uh it just felt like there was some stability there second year in a system he he by all accounts enjoyed his time here um and and instead he’s graduating and moving

On so I I think it was a little bit of a surprise and and from from what rule said my opinion is he didn’t see it coming yeah well he’s apparently he’s going to Boise that’s that’s the that’s the the one thing I I looked in next

Year and you know not every quarter not every freshman has to red shirt not every freshman quarterback has to sit out of year um and so I’m not saying Dylan is one way of the other but I look at the schedule next year and the first six games are maybe not friendly but

Certainly friendlier than they had this year and friendlier than the last six the second six games so um if you want them to sit for six games and then you’re going to throw them up in there against USC and UC CLA and and uh at Ohio State and these kind of you know

These kind of games are at the back end so um you know maybe and I I don’t know what he would do and a lot of that would have to do with the offensive line and the the receivers and things around him who’s calling the plays uh how he’s

Developed as a quarterback who the quarterback coach is but the the first six games may not be the worst idea to get him out there either I agree I think biggest question for him to answer is going to be well for Nebraska to answer is how much are they

Willing to run him I again you you have to you have to make a decision and commit to it and you you know and that commitment is hard because you get in a football game and you know it’s 1410 you’re up on UTEP early third quarter do you run your quarterback like

This happens all the time you know we we watched a first a half of Adrian Martinez in Illinois not run right I remember that in 2021 they tried and then they got behind and then they ran and then they ran him for the rest of the year like they did the same thing

With haror um it’s like you just can’t resist him and uh you know guys turn the ball over and they get hurt and so are they are they going to stick to hey we’re we’re going to let this kid run around and do what he does as a passer

But we are not going to run him on six quarterback Powers today you know I I don’t know well Centerfield the play caller will be under the spotlight big time um when you when you present the man with a Five Star Quarterback um everything everything

Uh I it’s magnified so um you know this a throwing you know the a throwing guys out there that that haven’t necessarily played or you know you have to hold their hand necessarily I mean you’ll certainly he’s going to have to be brought in you know at at a certain Pace

But I mean this will be and I don’t know who’s calling the plays yet we don’t there may be some very true the one question he didn’t want to answer yesterday and I don’t blame him for that I don’t know that they have that plan all the way set in place but

We don’t know that that’s right didn’t you think it was interesting too I mean he mentioned multiple times uh San Francisco the 49ers and their style of offense and like H Brock pie doesn’t run a lot in that offense right I mean that’s they’re he’s a facilitator and

That’s what he’s good at and and lets the the skill guys do what they do and they’re positionist and so I would I mean riola that hasn’t been his game to run anyway and so if if that’s not his game and if they want to be a a 49ers

Style attack with the Carter Nelsons of the world and and other position players like I don’t see how that would necessarily be something that you’d be tempted to do um but maybe maybe they would I just think you don’t win games doing it that’s why but situation don’t

Win games that’s the problem it’s hard to do but maybe they maybe he has the talent to win games other ways he’s he’s he’s a better passor than harberg and Adrien were like his talent he’s different in that way right well that’s I mean that’s what

I was struck by and what what I wrote for for today was in the 49er angle was we haven’t heard that it’s the first we’ve heard of this um they haven’t really given us any kind of U specific identity the offense really had no identity because they didn’t they

Had all these different guys were hurt and they had to they had to patch up holes and all this stuff um now we have a direction now we have a okay here we go and so you know my question is is is is this rule sound like rule he’s really

Bought into this is this also satterfield’s idea and is he bought into it and is is is the play calling you know follow accordingly you know what I mean so you know you can’t run the quarterback if you’re running this offense so you know what’s he going to

But all we’ve heard about Centerfield is he wants to throw it downfield he wants to get after it so he likes to throw so maybe this will all fall into place but um it’s going to be a story to watch you know come spring and next fall just sort

Of the the uh hierarchy of the the the offensive staff and the the roles and who’s doing what and um um I just wonder if we’ll see rule take more of a you know I think more charge with the offense here now or if if he’ll get more

Involved I mean I I don’t know if that’s his style or not but um when you get a five-star quarterback you know everything is um you know there’s a lot of responsibility there for the coaching staff you got to take care of it I totally agree um yeah as it relates

To the offense thing again I’m I’m Pro not running the quarterback I’ve written it many times because when you do it your quarterbacks get hurt and they turn the ball over and it it it’s there’s like a correlation there and we don’t need to go back over it the challenge

Becomes um are you committed to that even knowing that you will score fewer points if you run your quarterback not at all and you know like at Penn State for example Penn State had a great team this year they’re 10- two they couldn’t move the ball against Ohio State or

Michigan they didn’t run their quarterback they just hired a guy from Kansas you know what he’s going to do he’s going to run the quarterback whether it’s the festar or it’s a guy behind him they’re running the quarterback because that’s what James Franklin wants because you can’t they

Don’t feel like they’ve got good enough receivers to be able to beat Michigan and Ohio State just playing you know pro ball and so Nebraska has to that’s going to be the challenge and it’s right Dylan rail is really talented and so hopefully what they get out of it is they’re able

To kind of move the football and you know Bill this is Bill Callahan that I mean Bill Callahan ran a pro style offense they didn’t run the quarterback they had to run the ball normal you know it I’m not saying that I’m just saying that’s part of the tension and we’ll see

How they handle it I I Sam I don’t think they’re going to run the quarterback I think that was just it’s just something they did this year I mean they didn’t come in the did the job saying they wanted to do that they wanted to play

Physical and throw the ball I think they had to do it this year because the harberg was just limited throwing it and he was better a runner so and so was Sims Sims was a runner and obviously not a thrower so uh I think they just did

That because of who they had it was a one-year deal to get them through this year try to get to a ball game the best they could I don’t think I don’t think it’s going to happen uh going forward I I I just don’t I’ll be surprised if it

Does they’ll he’ll hear about it they will they certainly will with Dylan yeah how much do you guys think the riola decision shapes or changes the way that Nebraska’s offense will look next year like like say he stuck with Georgia and kin came and prie stayed how different

Do you think that offense would have looked compared to what we’re talking about it might look like under Rola well if McCord was here then I think they would have tried to you know throw the ball it would have looked like the offense that Tanner Lee had you know back in 2017

But I don’t know you know I think I think um I think that the 49ers thing is based as much on Carter Nelson as it is R sure I I think you could you could put kayin in there and certainly CH up py the name

Pie I mean you know not saying is like his brother but I think you you could you could run the same offense you’re just it’s the I’m I must I mean the name Carter Nelson was as big yesterday as rayola in some ways he was really

Talking him up and what he’s going to do and he’s going to be sort of like the the Debo or sounded like the or the mcaffrey of this thing so and and that’s if you’re a football player that kind of stuff is exciting if you’re a recruit that’s what you want to hear

I don’t have to play a position I can be everything right that’s what kids want to do so this is really smart if you know but you got to have the guys to pull it off taking a six foot 10 high jump and and and jumping over the pile

At the goal line what a vision that is I mean stretch the imagination it’s it’s a good idea was his number 22 in high school Evan that sounds right yeah I’m not sure maybe he’ll be 22 he won’t be 22 because Gabe Irvin will keep in maybe he’ll go

To 23 or some other number he’ll get Anthony gr old number and he’ll he’ll be 23 and fedon will be 24 there you go that would be kind of fun to to watch yeah I mean I this will be lots of offseason fodder about about the offense for sure and

Again like I you know I’m the guy that liked Mike Riley’s offense um but you know and this is similar to that or what they want to do but you know there’s a tension you know there they there’s just always a tension um with like can you

Gotta have the receivers gotta have the whole thing and and uh I assume what I will say is that in two or three years time the the quality of offensive line that they could have could be really really good because last year’s class all red shirted and this year’s class in

Terms of talent is maybe the best class they’ve had in a really long time since they had Nick Gates and and DJ Foster and Tanner fer I mean this is a really good class of lineman it’s been overlooked because of Dylan Raa but I mean it’s it’s Quality Group Donovan Raa

Did he was the best recruiter in this class in my opinion um I I love that because it’s and I love the Evan the the whole Brick story and I just I think it’s it’s it’s it’s time to get those kind of guys back back into the program

Not saying they don’t have them but the uh the stud linemen I mean that changes the offensive line when you can get you know a couple guys that are just you know AB absolute studs and and um how can you not like the name bricks

I mean it’sit like a ton of bricks you know we’re we’re we’re building this thing Bricks by bricks I mean you could go crazy with this thing but I just love the small town is he’s like a little Legend he’s a a a run blocking machine I mean it’s the the possibilities are

Endless but I love these are the kind of guys they always used to get that on on Signing Day were as big a names as some of the the quarterbacks half the time you you remember hey they got this this lineman from so and so you know so

Um I I think that’s a big step and if they can if they can put together an offensive line starting now I think it’s um it’s every been as newsworthy as everything else agreed yeah it reminds me of you know the last class for rule

Was so celebrated for what it did on the defensive line Cam lenhardt and Prince Will and rley Van Poppel and you can kind of see how they were building that I feel like this class has that on the offensive trenches like Jake Peters could be a really good lineman for

Nebraska in two years Grant bricks uh Gibson pile and I think the guy we always we forget about because he’s out in Hawaii is Preston tamoa too I mean he’s a a fourstar lineman who uh could be a major player for them in two years

And so like you you put them behind the scenes for a year or two you see a veteran group coming back from Nebraska in 24 and you got these guys that Nebraska’s already working from gunar Gula to Sam Sledge to you know guys that have already been impressing behind the

Scenes so like to me that’s the strength of this class definitely is is that that offensive line um and just it’s it’s remarkable that that has gone under the radar just because a lot of those guys committed early and Bricks was an exception there but uh you can you can

Just kind of see the foundation coming together for sure I like to see rukan Buckley playing offensive tackle um that’ll be interesting that’ll be a really interesting thing to see Florida State recruited Buckley out of high school to play offensive tackle um a couple other schools did too Nebraska

Wanted him on defense I always thought it was an odd odder fit defensively because he’s such a big guy uh and uh so it’ll be really interesting to see that move I I I think they’re doing what they want to do on the offensive line like I

I think they’re going in the direction they want to the running back thing I I you know that’s still a question mark reportedly they’re bringing in a guy from Oregon who you know was part of the 23 class maybe he might visit in January I I think that

Would be a good idea for them to add a transfer running back but because you just don’t know exactly how healthy those two injured guys are going to be but but it’s I mean if you look at the roster this sets up is about as robust as they’ve been obviously

They’ve got some players that aren’t on scholarship and are on some sort of nil thing because they’re like 16 over or something some huge number but it’s pretty robust I mean this looks like a team that that uh that can be very competitive um and is not necessarily

Looking around the corner and wondering what they’re going to be next year it looks like they could be pretty competitive in 24 in 25 and in 26 based on the recruiting the rule is done yeah totally agree uh and they’re gonna have to be pretty selective here

Into January and we allude it to it they’re going to probably add a guy or two you would think a receiver still whether that’s Julian Fleming who appears to be a p State lean or somebody else but I think the numbers would say that there’s always somebody in the

Portal that can fill a need as a pass catcher Nebraska’s experienced that what four Cycles in a row now so I think you can address that linebacker is an interesting one that might be the one spot in this class outside a running back that they didn’t necessarily

Address I think Shavers could maybe be that guy you know the couple other DBS that they brought in like Roger gradney could be potentially moved down as their careers go along you don’t know uh but that’s that’s kind of that other spot with Henrich and Rymer moving on you

Have maai Bayer and Javin Wright in the middle there’s not a ton of proven depth there um so I don’t know maybe that’s a spot that you add somebody too but for the most part like you can just see the depth building up across the line and

Again I think it’s it’s a big deal that for the most part you’re not pointing to any of these guys to say this needs to be someone who who fills a gap in 24 like these these are guys who do have the luxury I think to develop and be

Players in 25 and Beyond good point good point Evan I wonder if this defense puts as much stress on the linebackers some as some other defenses do I I wonder if that because it’s almost like Isaac gford is a linebacker too he’s a Rover I don’t know it feels like they’re they’re

Able to they they did not have and I’m I’m still going through the games they did not have a giant dip in production when Henrich or Rymer was off the field and Bayer or Wright had to play there were some moments Wright had a Miss in the Wisconsin game that was painful uh

When morai got loose that was a painful play but Wright also made some plays that I don’t think Henrich would have made so it felt like they were able to create some continuity uh at that spot and that defensive line spot’s really crucial and they’re bringing basically everybody

Back it’s it’ll be one of the the three or four best defensive lines in the Big 10 it really will long time since they’ve had that say that 2015 when they had Malik Collins andin and Valentine but but yeah it hasn’t happened very often they had one of the five best defensive lines

This year I thought I think they thought that too but any other recruiting day any other Signing Day thoughts I would put out that I thought was interesting and Rule mentioned it too eight eight instate scholarship guys and then whatever the number was five or six Legacy

Players I think that’s a big deal espe like it was people always pay attention to that stuff but I think in the last five years with the in in this free transfer free agent era like that’s even more important to keep those guys around those are the guys that uh don’t don’t

Leave as easily those are the guys who grew up kind of knowing the culture of Nebraska football we talked about Rola but you know Quinn Clark from out of out of Montana coming in and like that strikes me as a guy who’s probably a little bit more committed to the program

Than to someone else out from the Mountain Time Zone so like I think and we’ve seen it play out this month with with the retention that Nebraska’s had and guys that have wanted to come back like I think the emphasis not just on talent and positional need but like guys

Who who like this place and are invested in this place like it’s an intangible thing but I do think again the more that you can create that core in this era when 10 to 20 guys in every roster of around the country are leaving I think

That’s quietly like a big deal and maybe something that wasn’t necessarily an accident from this staff too yeah agreed what would you guys grade this class if you gave it a letter grade oh I don’t know my dad was the the teacher and Coach I don’t he gave the

Grades um I’m always bad at grades um I just like the fact that there’s a lot of different um because you know first of all you try to grade a class you don’t know how it’s going to pan out you kind have to grade him two or three years down the line but

Um I think everybody’s are different um you know and and so I I think but the fact that they they got a a headliner at quarterback quarterback is the most important position in on any team and whe whether you’re building or you’ve got you know you’ve got to have a guy

And if you get a sort of a guy who can be the P Piper and bring other people that is just invaluable for this program right now to get other skill talent and other guys um lineman whatever just more more players and so uh in that case it’s

It’s it’s a great year because they they they I think R brings them credibility he brings them a lot of stuff that that they need right now um it’s it’s you one year one to year two it’s it’s an unbelievable uh the timing is unbelievable right now

So I don’t know I don’t I’m not going to grade it I’m just going to say it was a very good year like you said the instate guys that you get your base um but you get the offensive lineman you get the the flips you’re going into Miami that’s

An incredible place to be um all these years later it’s still you know and you’re getting guys from there and you’re getting the the guys out of Texas you’ve already got that figured out um I think things are in good shape it it’s going to go

Win yeah I’d give it a good grade um ideally would love to have a 60% hit rate and that would be 17 players who became starters um that’s bold that Nebraska hasn’t been anywhere near that I don’t even know what the 2020 class was four four out of whatever five out of

Whatever yeah so 17 out of 28 would be a great hit rate and then you’d love to have four or five of those guys be uh first or second Team all conference in a league like the big 10 uh with 18 really good teams being second Team all

Conference is an accomplishment all its own so uh that’ll be a big deal too so I don’t know maybe they can get that I think the offensive line class is strong the quarterback class is the strongest they’ve had in a long time since Eric Crouch and Bobby nuke

Um you know the wide receivers are fine I think Ken Smith will be good uh maybe right away uh linebackers will see Corners will see I it’s hard to tell it’s hard to tell with the with with that group but I wonder I mean they’ve got a ton of

Them now so part of me feels like there’s going to be a lot of competition in the spring and the summer and the fall and then some guys are just you know after the 2024 season just aren’t going to be here because they’re going to see the riding on the

Wall um let’s get to the picks okay we’re doing the Bulls if we need to after the fact we will do the national title game I don’t know that we will have to uh Tom is up nine so we got a we got a long list here this is not a short

List this is the the whole thing so this will take about five 10 minutes um and uh you know I don’t know that we need to go in sort of any sort of snake War Tom’s gonna win this thing and he’s going to take us to the place of his

Choosing right I I’m I’m not there yet we we haven’t won you know we know you know it’s still the beginning of the fourth quarter I’m holding up my four fingers Let’s uh we got to close the deal you do all right so I don’t know we

Need to do a snake thing we’ll just you know people can just say what they want to say kind of kind of go from there and we’ll try to have fun I know maybe it was a little strategy between Evan and I see who finish this second all right here we go Utah

Northwestern it’s first one what ball game I I I need to know the site the site of the bowl game just what bowl game is it it’s the Vegas Bowl game okay um Utah Utah let me let me bring up all the names of the bowl game so I don’t get

Any of them wrong I want to make sure that we we get that right okay Utah Utah Utah the Quick Lane Bowl Bowling Green Minnesota Minnesota Bowling Green Oh okay quarterback gonna be Cole Kramer okay I think they basically signed him to an nil deal to around like he he’s he’s leaving but

He’s going to get some money so they’re going to let him stay it’s unbelievable it’s unbelievable the guarantee rate Bowl the bow that I thought Nebraska would be in but isn’t Kansas UNLV UNLV had to be stuck into the bowl because there weren’t enough big team Big 10 teams guarantee rate KU

UNLV ku ku for me as well Evan Kansas KU the Military Bowl to Lane at Virginia Tech the Hokies are a big favorite 12 and a half I don’t know why but they are Virginia Tech Virginia Tech for Evan yeah take Tech I have no idea too Lane for

Me the duk’s mayil bowl by the way I get a thing of Duke’s Mayo every year it’s good I get it Amazon Prime I recommend it North Carolina West Virginia in Charlotte West Virginia West Virginia for Evan I’m gonna go with the Tar Heels there I mean you know Turf and all

That yeah Carolina better uniforms okay the Holiday Bowl one of my favorite bowls obviously one of Tom’s favorite bowls maybe maybe the Big 10 will be back in it next year Louisville at us playing USC in in uh you know Qualcomm is it so called Qualcomm I don’t even know

No Qualcomm got raised it’s gone oh it’s the Aztec Stadium or the no it’s at the uh baseball park uh right PCO Petco down down to the gas flamp it’s awesome yeah that is cool that’s a great area yeah um that’s um who who’s USC playing The Ville Louisville oh

Boyss what did you say Evan Cardinals all right yeah I’ll go Louisville I don’t I don’t like USC and I’ll go with Louisville too the Texas Bowl this is a good one Oklahoma State vers Texas A&M um Mike Elco on the sidelines I don’t know

Yeah old Big 12 South I’m I’m going to go I’m going to go Gundy I I think Elco is he’s going to Syracuse Ian he’s got one foot in Syracuse so yeah Oki State I will take Oklahoma State as well the next one on the list Ruckers Miami the Pinstripe Bowl this is

A Greg shano Bowl basically in Yankee Stadium going Ruckers Rod Cruz okay fair enough I’m going to go with Miami there I uh although they’re quarterback is left so yeah interesting it’s interesting next one up the Pop-Tarts Bowl the edible mascot Bowl North Carolina State and Kansas State K

State K State do they just are they just gonna eat the mascot afterward yes they take a bite out yeah apparently it’s got an edible crust that’s really disturbing but I can’t look away it’s something man do you guys like Pop-Tarts they’re okay I I want the pizza bow and I want the

Mascot to be a all Meat Lovers Chicken by the way I’ll take NC State one I’m not going to pick this this is not one of our bowl picks but did anybody see the picture that Tim Beck the Coastal Carolina Coach had with the the dance team on the beach no not

Not his best choice there they deleted the photo from online but yeah that was pin Beck was sort of at the beach there yeah not not not not the best move there like a Larry you st moment or what was that no no no uh it was it was like

A it was Coastal Carolina promotional material uh but coal Carolina thought better of it the minute it hit Twitter which was wise I’m in par the Almo Bowl one of the best bowls every year Arizona Oklahoma I’m sticking with Arizona I like that coach I like that team I’ll go Oklahoma yeah I’ll

Calla Clemson Kentucky tax Slayer Gator bull Husker memories this one’s on Friday December 29th for some reason Clemson Kentucky Gator bow Kentucky I can’t doubt Dabo feel he might know so I’m going Clemson okay that’s good I like that I’ll go Clemson too Oregon State Notre Dame in the

Sunbowl one of my favorite bowls every year the sunbowl they got man they’re going to get a great crowd for that one they got lucky Oregon State Notre Dame I’m going to take Notre Dame not Dame yeah not Dame well liy I’m rooting for Trent Bray though he is now the the

Permanent head coach for organ State and that will be his first game uh so rooting for him Memphis Iowa state in the Liberty Bow I think these two teams have played in the Liberty Bowl before these specific two teams I’ll take Iowa State Iowa State as well yeah Cyclops Cy

Cyclops let me have them Missouri Ohio State in the cotton bow oh Mis M Evan who’s Ohio State’s quarterback gonna be they Brown de brown yeah uh yeah Missouri yeah Buckey the Peach Bowl Penn State always gets the worst like new year six bowl games Mississippi Penn State oh

Miss oh miss I won’t hear any peach bow slander that was a great time when we went down there when when yeah that’s right that game was great but a lot of them are Penn State I’m just saying Penn State gets these weird matchups they don’t they played Western Michigan and they

Played you know Memphis one year yeah that’s yeah Penn State I’ll take Penn State as well the Music City Bowl we had a great time there too Auburn Maryland give me Auburn Maryland uh yeah Mar we’re almost done the Orange Bowl Georgia Florida State uh I’ll take ugga yeah

Georgia Georgia they are the largest favorite of all the all the Bulls just a a few points just a couple points fewer than Florida state was against Nebraska in 94 oh actually I stand corrected Oregon is the largest favorite uh they play Liberty or everybody want Oregon on that one yeah yeah hawyes

Volunteers they’ve played like a million times in bowl games the Citrus Bowl Iowa Tennessee I’m taking Iowa Tennessee I’m a sick man yeah I’ll take the vs you guys hear the shade that Burke baren put a Lincoln Riley I thought that was Frost too it was it was Frost in the first sentence

And Lincoln Riley in the second you know here here’s a guy that and and I and I guess rightfully so got got all bent out of shape when a certain Nebraska athletic director uh took a shot at his program and that and that now he’s handing out the shots he

Does different guy well he’s feeling it uh Wisconsin LSU in the reliaquest bowl I don’t even what is that though former Outback Bowl must be who’s playing in this game all these guys oped out LS 10-point favorit so apparently enough enough of those I’ll take LS damn Tigers I’ll take

Whiskey all right here we go now the games where everybody’s going to play Texas Washington Texas Washington in the Sugar Bowl college football playoffs go Washington Washington okay what do you got Tom um Texas I’m going with Tom I’m going to go Texas um B really good defense and they’ve

Played a lot of teams like Washington in the Big 12 and the last one the big one the granddaddy Rose bow Michigan Alabama a lot of people gonna watch that game oh my God I’m I’m going Bama Whoa I I am too I think they’re gonna find a way they always do they get in and they find a way Michigan hadn’t played anybody like them in the Big 10 all year but Pence penate does have any speed or offense you a qu like that Ohio State

Didn’t have much I mean they had the receivers but I think this is and this is Nick Sabin coming around the back the com coming down the home stretch on the on the outside I will take the villains which in this case is Michigan I’ll take

Michigan so there’s our PI there’s a lot of difference here so things could get interesting you never you guys might rally I think I think you’re going to Rally we’re not going to Rally we’re not we both picked kraton in that in that most recent game we would

Only be seven behind but we we blew it so what were we thinking I don’t know what we were thinking hey guys have a happy holidays uh I don’t know if we’ll be back next week um we’re probably going to take next week off and we will

See you guys in uh probably in the new year but if we come back next week great but if not happy New Year and happy holidays thanks for listening to the pi six podcast we’re lucky to have you guys as listeners and uh we enjoy doing this thanks everybody happy merry Christmas

Happy New Year