Episode 43: The Above Average Awards | The Average Joe Sports Show

Bill Doleman, Chris Schmidt, Gary Sharp, and Elijah Herbel return for another episode of The Average Joe Sports Show to look back at the 2023-24 Nebraska Athletics year as a whole, beginning by giving a quick overview of the year before discussing the end of the Husker Baseball season. They also discuss the month of recruiting that awaits the Husker Football team before they finish the show by giving out the first ever “Above Average Joeys” to honor some of the University of Nebraska Athletics moments and athletes that made this year so memorable.

hey it’s Chris Schmidt with the average Joe Sports show the year in review with the Average Joe’s I’m Gary sharp we’ll talk some football of course because this a huge month for Nebraska when it comes to building future rosters hey it’s Bill dolman the Nebraska baseball team season wrapped up disappointing trip to still water but a great season nonetheless winning 40 games for the first time since 2014 and it’s Elijah herbal here we’ll finish this show off by giving out the first ever above average Joe show award so stick around for [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] that welcome to it it’s the average Joe Sports show back in reunited episode 43 make sure you like and follow the AJ Sports pod on Twitter and the average Sports show can find it on YouTube like And subscribe there also Spotify and iTunes Gary sharp bill dolman Elijah herble Chris Schmidt fellas it’s good to huddle back up how we feeling uh yipp Kay it’s good to see everybody we’re we have our own version of ESPN’s Squeeze Play We have the average Joe quad box go and one of the things I’m coming to today is can we believe that it’s another Husker athletic year in the books like fully I know they had the night at the lead like what was that a month ago but and like finals are all done but like I don’t know this this year really seemed to fly by for me maybe that’s just getting older I’ve heard that tends to happen the older you get but it’s uh it’s wild that this started off with when you go back to Nebraska Minnesota the Jeff Sims experience that seems like it was not as long ago as it was and here we are preparing ourselves for another summer and then another not long enough don’t don’t you guys think and we kind of talked about this a couple of months ago the success of Nebraska men’s basketball and how long we paid attention to basketball and the fact that they played the NCAA tournament kind of sped things up because we really didn’t dive into Spring football and I know Spring football started a little bit later this year we didn’t really start diving into Spring football until it was actually started so I think that also helped with making it go it seemed like it went really fast I agree with you Elijah and you know what that’s not just an old thing all right time flies when you’re having fun and as the old as the representative of the three olds on this uh quad box uh you know we’re just having a good time and there was there was a lot of fun to be had across a lot of husker Sports this year to add to that there was Intrigue with basketball as you said Intrigue with baseball late in this season Nebraska had the month of October in football uh and the volleyball team making a run to the national title game it was a it was a good year for Husker Sports I know a a bowl game would have been the cherry on top you didn’t get that but just kind of weird that man it’s another year in the books and I’m another year older but you know the way it ends too with the baseball team not having a great trip to Still Water did get a win wasn’t two and Q uh but with with what baseball did in Omaha that was uh that was a pretty uh significant way to wrap up it look I can’t think of a of a year with so many twists and turns I mean from the from the start of the of of volleball and that the Jeff Sims experience as you put it and all that Nebraska football put fans and observers through volleyball was that constant in the fall and then basketball with are they going to make it are they not going to make it are they gonna make it are they not going to make it and then you know women’s basketball had a good year I mean we’re going to talk more about the the the year in total but I think for the for baseball obviously but I think for the whole athletic department in the year for baseball to win in Omaha have a dog pile you know regardless of what happened in Stillwater in front of no fans other than Husker fans um that’s a pretty good way to wrap up the 20 23 24 academic athletic year don’t you yeah don’t you guys also think this like there were moments you know you started with 92,000 people watching volleyball in a football stadium and you kind of finished with a dog pile it at the downtown ballpark in Omaha is that 2324 Athletics season in Lincoln which it seemed to write the ship because you feel a little bit better there really are not any programs where you’re like ah it’s trending in the wrong direction as you get ready for the offseason and then you turn around and kick it back up in August I mean that’s pretty impressive kind of a quick turnaround in Nebraska Athletics because man it was not just football it it a couple years ago dire across the board I don’t I don’t want to come down on Paul CLA and the women’s bowling team but it’s not the same kind of success as the bill strawber all right you know finishing as the runner up at the at the NCA regionals not what Nebraska bowling is used to again I’m a big Paul clena fan I think that women’s bowling program is gonna is gonna have you know re the heights again but you know when you see Regional final runner up it’s not kind of what we’re used that’s not yeah rle Bill I’m right there with you I mean I think that’s probably a a discussion that’s got to be had about where bowling is going um but rifle wasn’t as good as they’ve been in the past but as as programs go down did you guys see the Nebraska Esports rocket League team reverse sweep of Purdue as one giant Fades another giant Rises so can can I also say one more thing to to kind of note that friends have texted me about but I put things in perspective in the moment it sucks but you look back as Schmitty has just left us completely briefly and we leave a a box open for those that are watching on the YouTube channel uh by Schmitty um it’s kind of nice for a change once you get a little bit out of the moment to think about what it means to have heartbreak as somebody who follows Husker Sports because a lot of Seasons ended in in seemingly heartbreak with Husker football so close to a bowl game in the month of November happens and there’s heartbreak there you have the Husker volleyball team following in the national championship you have the Husker basketball team making it to the NCA tournament you think this is the year they finally win one and Texas A&M rips their soul right out you have Husker baseball advancing to a regional and you think they have momentum going that maybe they have a chance and then they get absolutely Guerilla balled by Florida they didn’t get to see Oklahoma State but Oklahoma State I feel like probably would have done the same and one more to add to it you have the all the offseason hype with Husker softball with Jordy ball coming in homegrown Husker coming back and you think maybe rising or taking them to a a regional Super Regional a Women’s College World Series and that ends in heartbreak with her injury but it is nice I guess in a way that there was enough hope around Husker Athletics this year that that seasons did end in heartbreak because as painful as some of those were that is a a a welcome change after so many years of just mediocrity and and fans not caring fans checking out you didn’t have to care about Husker basketball after Christmas you didn’t have to care about Husker football once you got into November though the seasons didn’t end how a lot of Husker fans wanted I think it is a welcome change that there was enough of a care level within Husker fans among Husker fans that there was some heartbreak to be had guys you had success on different fields of play and to Echo Elijah that’s been different and I think we feel that it’s going to be a a string of successful Seasons the way Amy has the basketball program Roland Fred got to the tournament got to do some reconstruction but it’s uh it’s looking okay you have couple of guys coming back that are big uh baseball we’ve touched on we’ll get into more down in Stillwater in a moment and then football from a recruiting and a development standpoint the excitement’s ramping up nationally locally there’s uh there’s some Smiles with that schedule and uh yeah volleyball is still the standard to meet and good luck beating because of what John Cook has done so pretty good let’s dive in to Nebraska basball really uh listened well to will bolts postgame he wasn’t happy with how it finished none of them are but what a uh what a run they had to get positioned well in still water and just not enough complimentary ball Sharpie with uh getting some outs after you you jump out you get a lead you you you come back with another two-run shot and then the the weather delay wasn’t good and then the bullpen came in and had some problems and Florida’s damn good we’ll say that as well yeah and they Prov that by winning that Regional I mean they could have easily been uh you know a two seed but because of their record you know they they would Dro down to a three seed and and Nebraska had a play I think the whole Regional and still was kind of a microcosm of Nebraska season Nebraska was good they weren’t great they had moments they were resilient uh when they would lose a game it didn’t turn into a two or three game losing streak they found a way they had certain guys that got hot at the right time or were were consistent throughout the entire season if they were Sears or MCC um I I think it was a successful season it was a good season not a great season good season and but I I I think it is a good season because it gives you a a place to start for 2025 and I think Nebraska’s in a good spot you know and the roster is going to look a little bit different but for the most part the key guys are coming back uh except for the Big 10 pitcher of the year because he’s out of Eligibility but you need to moving forward after that experience in still water is every time you put your head down on the pillow between now and the beginning of next season you have to figure out your ultimate goal is how do I construct my rock roster and my schedule so that we are hosting a regional because it’s now 19 years since Nebraska’s gotten out of the regional and that has to be the goal next year because I think the inw workings are fine it’s can they accumulate enough talent to host a regional they’re not going to be able to construct a roster to go toe-to-toe with the SEC you’re going to need intangibles whether it be great out of the Dugout but I think they’ve they’ve got a baseline where they can build in 2025 and I think they’ve got some momentum it’s just kind of going back to our previous discussion about what Elijah and Bill said and also you Schmitty about Nebraska Athletics there have been many times where a Nebraska Athletic program has had a good season and you get excited and you might buy a season ticket and you’re staring at the roster and you’re following recruiting and then it’s a let down the next year they don’t make the big 10 tournament they don’t make the NCAA tournament you’re like ah we got to start over I think that’s something Nebraska’s got some momentum and something that they can build on as they you know go into 20 25 step one for next year eliminate midweek games just throw them to the side you don’t need them just recuit one pitcher for midweek game only you’re not going to see the weekend you’re only pitching on Tuesday or Wednesday wouldn’t wouldn’t if Nebraska’s able to turn the corner on their midweek success wouldn’t that give you a better feel for their NCAA hopes because that basically would mean that they have built up depth in the on the staff and they probably built up their back end of the bullpen which is very much lack when you’re a big 10 school and you get to the third game of a regional and you’re on that number three starter or some arms have been worn out you have the big crooked numbers that the three big 10 teams had yesterday so you know I I I think if they can turn things around in the midweek that gives me hope I mean they were close this year I mean guys they were to the middle of April and they were still being considered a host a regional so it can be done but you got to correct what happens in the midweek you can’t be losing to Summer League teams I mean that’s just not acceptable at all in in depth is is as you said hard to build in the Big 10 because I do feel like Nebraska this year I I know last year you had you had Anderson uh Max Anders has to say and Bryce Matthews two guys I think could have played on a lot of college baseball rosters in America um and I think you even added that this year Sears was a guy that I know he didn’t have his best stuff against Florida but he was still able to hold them below their season runs average and I think as you saw on Sunday that was a roster that is really really hard to keep to just five runs in a baseball game um you the uh so you have sear you have MCC I think MCC would have been a starter a lot of places guys like Swanson and Karen I add Worley out of the the bullpen he turned himself into a guy who I think a lot of bull pins in America would have liked to have had it’s just whenever you run up against Florida who has guys that can hit one through nine and pitchers that are throwing in the high 90s and even a guy that’s pitched limited Innings so far this year is coming in on a day three guy and throwing High 90s I know he didn’t have his best stuff either but that’s kind of the difference between Nebraska and the rest of America right now is is that drop off between your top level guys and your guys that are filling out the roster and that’s going to be a tough Hill to climb if you’re coach bolt but you look at some of the younger faces that are on this roster and guys that we’re going to assume are going to be back next season some faces you can pick up in the transfer portal I think there was some some momentum that you can build on for this year that you would hope can uh can help because he’s shown to me at least will bolt that he can recruit and develop at a level that will take you near the top of the Big 10 I know he had some struggles with it in the past two years but this was the year his own fully constructed roster it required some development but it proved to me that he can build a roster that will compete and win a big 10 title it’s about sustainability and in those small little adjustments in order to get yourself a couple more guys that can take you to a place where you can go out there and actually compete in a regional once you can compete in a regional then you can talk about hosting a regional but you know the key is is sustaining that roster and you know Gary Gilmore the outgoing coach it’s Gary Gilmore right the the outgoing coach at Coastal Carolina uh wrapped up his career there uh you know talked about how much he loves his team but then on the way out the door much kind of like Nick Sabin on a much smaller scale talking about the the problems of trying to put together and keep and maintain a roster at at a high level they won a national championship there and and he’s saying look I’m going to miss my guys but I am not going to miss the Reconstruction the recruiting and the nil and all those things that it takes to maintain your team now yeah can can Will bolt put together a roster of will bolts like he did this year yeah um that was a team that you know put together the first 40 win season at Nebraska since 201 what 14 and the only the second in the last uh 15 or more years you know so yes you talk about players who are coming back but you know are they is Nebraska baseball going to be able to have the the same minimal turnover that Matt rule appears to be fostering with the football program where it’s only a couple of guys or is is Will bolt still in the the process of going to have to bring in six or seven new players that are going to play significant and key roles year after year after year until things stabilize this is still Big 10 baseball how much will USC and UCLA and Oregon and Washington change the complexion of that and will there now have to be a greater investment in baseball throughout the Big 10 to match what those four pack 12 schools are going to be bringing to the league if that’s the case I think Nebraska’s in if there’s going to be an investment that needs to be made in baseball I think Nebraska is one of the programs in the Big 10 that will say all right we’ll match whatever those guys are bringing because we want in you may not get the same kind of commitment from the rest of the Big 10 I know that’s kind of a big picture overview and I think you’re right will bolt can assemble a roster but can he keep that roster together that’s going to win and how much support will he get to to keep Nebraska baseball in that 40 plus win Club they’ve got uh a good collection they love junior college players because you know the the the instate High School guy you know the two top high school guys are going to SEC schools I mean it’s tough when you’re competing you don’t have the advantage of the Big 12 in selling local players to stay because this is a really really good state for high school baseball talent and they now get out and play in prospects camps and perfect game and so their exposure is a lot more so LSU and Arkansas and Texas A&M are dropping offers so Nebraska is really focused on the junior college they got some really good players coming on the mound and in the field and so I think there’s going to be some guys that are current starters that may not be starters next year I think they can keep the roster together I want to go back to something that after you watch how beautiful the stadium was in Stillwater and you look at the support of the Nebraska fan base when it comes to baseball and we on 19 years since they won a regional I I have to caution people because I know it’s like wow Oregon’s coming they’re going to two straight supers look at what they’re going to do for the league UCLA USC and Washington haven’t been very good and you already know a conference that how they treat baseball I wonder after year 4 will wins 40 gets back to the regional is they’re going to be A Renewed commitment to baseball because as we sit here Nebraska is seventh in the Big 10 in spending behind Iowa and Michigan and there isn’t a lot of money to be had right now in Nebraska there are other things that are in front of Nebraska baseball I do know that there are some former players and local business owners in Lincoln and Omaha that want to help Willow so the nil has gotten better but you can’t compete head-to-head with the SEC so it’ll be very curious on what is the commitment to Nebraska baseball from the athletic department it may take Nebraska winning then to get money instead of we’ll give you money that’ll help you win so just like the program will walked into with Van Horn right it was Buck before you got Hay Market and you fast forward 25 years later and uh you might be in the same situation you’ve got a glorious ballpark but it’s it’s a ballpark that I think if he had his way would update and add and tweak a little bit correct yeah and it would be more for the players like they do want a pitching lab and then they they would like their their Clubhouse to be upgraded because they would like to be able to on selection Monday sit in their Clubhouse and have that shown live on TV and people go wow that’s a cool place they actually don’t really want that right now and I mean one of the things you have to think about is their even their current indoor facility they have at Hay Market Park was thanks in large part to a donation from a former player in Alex Gordon that’s how that got purchased that was going on 10 plus years ago now where that was uh finally finished up but it took a donation from a for player to get that done and that was 10 years ago hey Bill how do we find so looking at Oklahoma State they got Boon Pickins and they got this Mr o’ how come we can’t get any gas and oil money in Nebraska I don’t know but be nice to be able to find it wouldn’t it I’ll tell you doesn’t it see we don’t have Nebraska Athletics doesn’t have that one big booster Dan Cook was that guy he unfortunately has passed away and he loved Nebraska Athletics that’s Cook Pavilion and then the Hawks family has been super generous but outside of that there’s nobody that’s been like Nebraska’s tbon pickings if you get Nebraska for all nebras you talking about for Nebraska baseball well Nebraska baseball in particular but also like as a whole and because Nebraska Athletics need some money I got some projects that you know the funding you’re you’re scraping to find some funding to turn the faucet on you’re having to go back to the same fishing hole that’s what you’re doing yeah that’s why that’s why they keep going back of hey uh Matt rule if you could win this year that would really help us out well how do you get how do you get Uncle Warren to to get big red fever we we spend his money so much it is so much fun but it’s unfortunately play money we’ got all these ideas for Warren he could drive to Lincoln and you know drive down in his Honda Accord pull up and just you know drop a 100 million and say hey whatever you guys want to do with this we’ll get you some ice cream waren come on man try quickly tell you mentioned the the Cook family Gary quickly my dad accidentally total uh Dan Cook’s widow’s Mercedes um this was back whenever I was I think a senior in high school wow did not see that coming tonight it wasn’t his fault to be fair it was that cook trivia on the next Average Joe it was 27th Street uh he was headed Northbound on 27th Street uh and there’s Woodsdale Boulevard right there she was leaving some dinner at the country club and you have terrible lines of sight right there so she pulled out in front of him and he kind of T-boned her and her she got her Mercedes total my dad got his truck to to and insurance took care of all of it but yeah quick little story so so have so were you allowed in the Cook Pavilion then no no his pictures up on the wall do not let this man pass no but like after like they exchanged information and whatnot my dad was like I wonder what she does to to get all that money for that nice car and he went oh sorry hey how do we reverse this conversation about Nebraska and baseball where they’re at right now and we know that the move to the Big 10 probably impacted baseball about as much as anyone how can we turn the conversation into instead of man the Big 10 hurts Nebraska baseball to man you can actually benefit from Nebraska being in the Big 10 in baseball can you have that conversation I don’t know you can you can you can have that conversation but you need to be the the top dog and and just go own the league I mean it’s it’s as simple as that yeah you can you can keep scheduling RPI like will did this year but you need to have be just go on a run become the Forgotten baseball league Dynasty and just went out it sounds simple right that’s an easy answer but that’s that’s it I mean you’ve got your your your four pack 12s that you’re need to get better that’ll that’ll give you another team presumably on selection Monday but just be better than everybody else and kill your RPI opportunities win your midweeks and it’ll take care of itself you can be a great Squad in the bad league but you got to win the league how good is the Big 12 though I mean you know Texas and Oklahoma leaving Oklahoma State I was so I was so prepared to watch because you know I used to do Big 12 baseball did the Big 12 championships and all that I remember talking a holiday about when they what they were going to do to build that stadium and it was gonna have every it’s he talked about building the baseball stadium like Rule and Trev Alberts and all those who built the Nebraska football Factory that just opened up right that’s what Nebraska has with this football complex now is what Oklahoma State 10 years ago or eight years ago was envisioning for its baseball field every possible Bell whistle and toy you could have and yet I watched that game today and there’s like a thousand people maybe at that game and I okay you got bad weather in Oklahoma I get it but if you don’t have any better support for Oklahoma State baseball the last two days in a regional situation at that beautiful ballpark tell me what’s the state of Big 12 baseball is okay Kansas State’s having a miracle run right now to get to a super Super Regional that’s great how much how much is that program going to S sustain its success I mean they might be parallel to what Nebraska is doing I think but I think Nebraska’s program is in better shape but it to right now you’ve got the SEC and with whatever is going to be left at the ACC in the next six months or two years that’s going to be like the Pack 12 I I it’s it’s basically the SEC and the Big 10 if some big 10 schools could get better the spots are there for a team like Nebraska to invest a little and become a perennial Regional team and get to an NC get to a regional CWS but I look at the Big 12 right now and right now I think that is fool’s gold in terms of being a dominant Baseball Conference like everybody thinks it is but what what concerns me is not that that the Big 10 is going to continue what it’s being my concern is that the SEC is going to grow to completely dominate the sport with all the Great Schools down there like the concern I have is Gary talked about the type of nil resources these SEC schools have I could potentially see this becoming a type of baseball landscape where the SC everyone and their mother wants to go to the SEC every high school player in America wants to go play in the SEC and there’s not going to be that many roster spots available so yeah Nebraska will end up with some talent but you know what you go play two strong years of baseball and here comes an SEC team with money bags of uh nil cash Galore saying hey we want you for a run next year uh you got one year left until you’re MLB eligible we’re going to come in and offer you this much money Envision how much it’s going to be I not going to put a number on it but we’re going to give you this much money to come and play for us for a year as we try to make a College World Series run where some of the their conferences in America just become developmental leagues for the SEC like yeah you get one or two years out of this great player that you happened to get because there was no more room down in the SEC because it’s such a good basball conference but hey in year three whenever we need a ready-made starter at third base we’re going to come calling to Nebraska or to Oklahoma State or to whatever’s left of the ACC and say hey we’ll give you more than they can we need a third baseman for a year and then we’ll let you go off the MLB that’s kind of my concern that even if you get good players at Nebraska it’s only going to be shortterm because eventually there’s going to be that SEC team that comes knocking I agree with you Elijah I’m watching Texas A&M the other night and the five hole hitter I’m like gosh his name sounds familiar look him up online yeah he was at Michigan last year you know think he got some money to go from Ann Arbor to college absolutely um that’s why in Nebraska’s situation you have to be a good bounceback program I think you can do well in the junior colleges but you have to be a good bounceback program from instate guys so when a kid goes to LSU because he’s enamored with LSU but doesn’t play right away but he still wants to play college baseball you’re there for him to come back you know it’s kind of you know Max Anderson was supposed to go play for Rob chers at Texas A&M Co hit the roster shrunk he had a look a place Nebraska was still in the mix you know there’s players like that um it’s just going to take you’re going to have to be very creative with your roster but I also think even more so because I’m gonna use Kansas State as an example Kansas State isn’t just we got hot and now we’re playing in a super with Pete Hughes there as their head coach they’ve been pretty good of late and you know they should have made the tournament last year they’ve invested in their facilities twon Family Stadium is really really nice down in Manhattan they’re really good in The Dugout they construct their roster well but they’re good in the Dugout it just shows you that will rob and you know whatever is left of the staff because Mike serani is up for the Arkansas state job they’re going to have to be really good out of the Dugout you’re gonna have to win a a fair amount of games because of decisions you make along with your talents so it’s going to be it’s doable to to to get to the point where you can say we’re Nebraska baseball we just happen to be located in Middle America instead of uh we’re Nebraska baseball we play in the Big 10 you just go hey we’re Nebraska baseball we play in Lincoln Nebraska and then go from there if you can get to that point where that’s what you’re discussed about and you don’t really bring up the Big 10 and its hindrances you’re just the program on your own that is housed in the Big 10 then you’re cooking with peanut oil well you’re you’re turning into what witto state used to be right I mean they they were in h a league that maybe had a a second or a third team that challenged but Shockers were in Omaha forever and quite often right turn into that that Midwest hub for sure that’s Gary sharp bill dolman Elijah herble Chris Schmidt the average Joe sport show the AJ Sports pod give us a follow there like And subscribe on Twitter and of course YouTube for the show Spotify and iTunes will take reviews good bad or ugly let us know what you think as we wind down baseball the guy I’m looking at fellas and we go around the the horn here a a player that you that you’re excited for uh I’m gonna say Ty horn and I saw a little bit of him this season but I really liked what I saw in the ninth against Florida maybe I’m I’m making too big a mountain out of a mole hill moment but love his stuff love mid 90s love his aggressiveness and you know if coach childis can keep doing his thing where a guy like MCC and Sears as Sharpie as watching live college baseball Horn’s a guy I think we could be looking at as somebody in that Friday Saturday mix next year did LSU just do something is that what happened yeah so they’re in the top of the 10th and it’s 33 there are two out guy hits a line drive to the wall and right field the right it wasn’t going to go out of the ballpark it was probably a couple of feet from the wall and the LSU right fielder didn’t know whether to jump or he was kind of in between and he completely fanned on it and so it’s a two out double for Carolina there there’s the play bypl sorry uh I will say because I think Nebraska has some intriguing arms for next year and you know I mean look at Rob chers has got a track record I will tell you a guy that I Brett Sears I thought kind of got tired towards the end of the year but he had still good enough stuff that he was able to gut out things like Friday against Florida man Mason MCC did not look like he wore down all season long I me here’s a guy that struck out 91 in 73 Innings he started 11 games for you he was your Saturday guy he’s your Friday guy and I think Mason MCC is ready to take the next step um and he could just put up some monster numbers and we could be looking at Nebraska has back-to-back Big 10 pitchers of the year and is the one that I would Target I I thought that what he was able to do the second half of the season for them have 11 starts in all Nebraska had four guys that made 10 plus starts with Sears being the leader in that in that category but from a con to kind of emerge really I don’t say out of nowhere but kind of out of nowhere to have a nine- win campaign uh yeah I think I think right now if you’re Rob CH you go okay we we have another guy that we can go into next season with that is our like you say our Friday guy and hopefully he can duplicate what he did this year he should have a ton of confidence off of that uh I think that was really really significant the the the season that he had for him if he doesn’t do that they probably don’t make a regional it’s fair another name I want to add to this list I’m looking at towards some of the Freshman there’s a large freshman class that was brought in this season we got to see some of them uh I’ll list off a couple names I’m excited for it’s not the will Jesy I think there’s a reason they turn to him coming in pinch hitting situations so much that might be your catcher next year should Josh Karen be on the way out which I think we can assume he is following that big 10 tournament I think Jessy might be your starting catcher next year we’ll see I also Cas Sanderson How Could You Forget about him he had a great freshman season but a guy that confused me as the year went on I’m curious to see what type of jump he makes between freshman and sophomore year because we’ve heard a lot of people say it across a lot of sports guys make the biggest jump they’ll make in their college career between freshman and sophomore year Tucker Timberman Tim was a guy early in the season we thought was going to be a dude out of the bullpen as a freshman came in in some big moments early in the season looked really good and then as the year wore on I’m not sure if it was a a lack of confidence if his arm just wasn’t ready to take on as many appearances as he was getting throughout the year really faded late and we I don’t even think we saw him once following about mid April in this season I was wondering what was going on behind the scenes with him but I’m curious what type of of jump he can make between year one and year two because I really liked what we saw from him early in the season no timberman’s a good name for sure I mean they’re going to have some arms I mean Jaylen Worley could be the closer next year instead of going closer by committee um maybe they they let Jaylen be the back end of the uh the bullpen and I mean I think he can handle it we’ve seen at times this year when he was asked to do that he could so there’s a lot of optimism for 2025 they’re they’re gonna they’re going to be active in the portal and they might be active with instate guys I mean a lot of kraton guys kraton good players are in the portal right now so I think Nebraska will have some good additions but look out they’ve got that income coming class as Elijah was kind of alluding to along with the freshman and they got some guys coming they did a really good job recruiting in last year’s offseason and let me ask you this is is Silva I know Silva’s a junior could is will he get drafted and go or if he or does he come back I think he comes back and I tell you what I would recruit over him I mean the the guys that I’m looking at leaving that are in the junior class this year I mean Swanson with his hot he was at the end of last season we’ll see what type of MLB looks he gets I think Karen’s pretty much a certainty to go other than that I think you have a lot of guys that are going to be coming back do you see I mean I’m I’ve got the roster pull up in front of me and for reference if you’re unaware junior year is the first year if you go to a four-year institution that’s the first year you can get your name back into the MLB draft following your high school career so that’s the the kind of time frame you look at I mean I I look at Brockett as being a GU a junior that probably comes back Christo comes back uh MCC is only a sophomore so he has to come back I think over week comes back back he said that in his postgame uh press conference following the loss to Florida I’m not sure what type of MLB looks he’ll get but I don’t think he’s ready for that just yet I mean there’s a lot of guys on that Junior list that you’re assuming are going to be coming back and played a lot of baseball this season so uh there’s there’s high hopes for me for 2025 but especially when I look at the arms um talked about Worley we talked about MCC we talked about timman you can add some guys that picked up some steam late in the year and Christo and Brocket there’s going to be some options to turn to assuming none of those guys end up going off to to professional baseball well the re the reason I I mentioned Silva is and I agree with you Gary I I think you if he comes back you put a little heat on him he he was such a threat goinging into the season and he h what about 260 259 something like that on the season as a leadoff guy with that speed if if he wants to have a career Beyond Nebraska that he has to have a 290 in season in that lead off not north of 3 300 he can’t be the leadoff guy with that kind of speed and hit 259 so I would if I’m if I am uh will bolt I’m saying uh you could be the guy next year and you could make yourself a lot of money in professional baseball if you can just and and I say just that’s 40 Point 30 to 40 points higher he has got to hit the ball at 290 plus with that kind of speed in a lead off position and for him to be hitting 259 or 26 is unacceptable with what he could have done for that team and I know he stole a lot of bases and I know he set the table when he got on there and he covered a lot of territory in center field but 260 with that just does not cut it he’ll uh need to get back in the cage and up that number for sure let’s talk a little football as it is summer camp season uh Nebraska trying to to replicate guys what they did last June with getting their uh their verbal commits Nebraska out to a number of kids got Jones of course at Westside uh hot race for him Nebraska down in campus down in Texas rather at some of the satellite camps and uh big red going to be hosting a sleo of guys Sharpie uh you’re kind of the recruiting expert my friend do you like the the attack of Matt rule with what he’s done and how he’s uh turned I guess to his his recruiting plan for Nebraska it worked last year you saw some young guys perform they’re going to try and do it again with adding to the eight they already have this 2025 class I I think you know they’ve had success off a five and7 season and that says a lot they’ve got a lot of interest they’ve got guys that are coming and June is turned into the month for recruiting and Nebraska’s at eight right now I think Dawson Merritt is one to watch the linebacker from Kansas City who Nebraska’s made up a lot of ground and I I like where Nebraska’s at with him um you know he’s going to go to Alabama this weekend and it’s been Alabama or Nebraska but Nebraska’s in a really good spot in my opinion and if you can add Christian Jones from Westside who’s going to make his official visit the following weekend uh June 14th if that’s your linebackers for 2025 andan that’s pretty impressive um I expect them to have a busy month of June they they have a really organized effort and they’ve gotten in front of a lot of prospects and they’ve got a lot of interest and they’re using a lot of peer recruiting so I expect month uh the month of June to be very productive for them again but those are that’s where I’m looking if they can fill linebacker with those two in this month of June um Merritt’s going to decide before the month of June is over I’m not sure about Christian um but if they can add those two guys that is a great great addition on the defensive side of the ball but they need offensive lineman they need offensive lineman you know I don’t know guys I mean I I’ve been following recruiting for a long time and it’s really shifted where High School football recruiting is important it still is important it will always be important but the attention I think is waned a little bit because of the portal you know people get more excited about what might be in the portal what you could get that is ready made a little bit compared to what you can do in high school but Nebraska doesn’t think that way for ask to be successful they have to be very good in the high school recruiting ranks and they they’ve cast a wide net from not only the 500 mile radius but they’re down in the places where they know the people in Texas and Florida and I think you’ll see a good month of June one thing too with that that readymade it it’s nice to go pick up a roster Edition that’s got 50 starts 40 starts 30 starts under their belt but for what they want to do on the lines of scrimmage offensively and defensively it is going to take that High School recruitment to get that kid in to get a group a position group in have them work together for a year or two get them developed then get them ready to go perform and that’s easier said than done and keep them engaged in interested so they stick around so you can develop them and I think rules done a good job of of being able to to make contact with kids and then develop that relationship I think they really the kids that are in Lincoln I call them kids but they enjoy their position coaches I mean they they like coach Donnie they like pot roast I mean it’s it’s a win when you’re going to work offseason or during season uh playing for a guy that you really respect and uh you’ve seen some some work uh on the field I mean you saw that defensive line really Thrive uh with a first year guy last year so I think the reputation is out on both of Nebraska’s lines of scrimmage coaches and it’s not just wow that guy’s pretty good to get connected with it’s hey he’ll turn me into a hell of a good football player are you saying they didn’t have that in the Dio days I don’t know that that dirty Bob or disco Bob knew everyone’s name but thank you for for making his name come up at 41 P if you had that in the office pool bill will buy you a shot of tequila here’s what I hope is not a negative for Nebraska and that is you know I’m sure other places are utilizing it against um the two linebackers you know how long is Tony white going to be at Nebraska how long is Terence knon going to be at Nebraska rob dorek you don’t hear his name all that much he a great job though but you hear about you hear about white and you hear about Knighton and so if you’re recruiting uh heavily you know defensive players are they recruiting on that relationship and what those guys have done to develop and be a part of what’s going on and prominently I me those are the two names that are talked about the most with in ter especially in terms of relationship and the prospects of the future so if those if those linebackers are saying ah I don’t know how much longer those guys are going to be around so I’m gonna look elsewhere um I that that’s fair I I think they are very honest with recruits that ask that question that you know there’s going to be interest in coach white if Nebraska has another successful year and you made no bones that he’ like to be a head coach but I think what they’re telling recruits is for right now he is here and if he’s not here trust us we have a plan in place you know and it it kind of feels like it’s Rob dorchak so I I think they just just like rule is you know and Rule is turned into one of the greatest PR head coaches that the University of Nebraska Lincoln has ever had in any sport because he’s very open and transparent I think they they are exactly the same way on the recruiting Trail they uh seem to be pretty upfront with what their message is and yeah I mean there’s got to be a succession plan don’t they have to have one they do and that’s probably been communicated or inferred and as we uh I assume wrap this conversation here on recruiting can I ask the question can we set a prediction now an over under totaler of how many recruits Nebraska has one month from today whenever the Fourth of July rolls around Camp season is done how many commits are in the boat if it stands at eight right now if remember last year June was a busy busy month last year for picking up guys and uh and really filling out that that class how many you think it is this time around I’ll say 14 I’m going to double it I’m going to say 16 because I think now that building is done and they’ve got a little uh momentum uh with uh despite five and seven the messaging has been consistent for a year and a half now and rules reputation and I wouldn’t doubt if there are a couple of five stars that are in that uh those 16 I’m going to go prices right in the middle 15 well I’m going to Price Right $1 one they’re going to lose seven won’t go over uh but in in all seriousness you guys kind of hit the nail in the head I I see it being at least four or five um probably a Max of his bills at about eight I think you’re all probably in that range but just to be unique I guess I’ll go 13 okay Lucky 13 we’ll see well it is the end of the uh the sports season for Nebraska Athletics Average Joe sport show at the AJ Sports pod follow that on Twitter like And subscribe on YouTube the average Joe Sports show Spotify iTunes Gary sharp bill dolman Elijah herbal Chris Schmidt well we’re gonna hand out the above average Joe Awards the congratulations to one and all or or or the joies and go around the room with who we have as male and female athlete of the year uh male and female Team of the Year and uh we can also go with moment of the year when it comes to all of Nebraska Athletics and my female athlete uh all first team Big 10 and I’ve enjoyed watching in covering Alexis marowski uh for uh a lot of years and she just continues to do work down in the paint for Nebraska and uh that that’s that’s my pick I know there’s other options there’s other team options but I’m going to jump into the deep end of the pool first Alexis can touch down there I can’t uh and gonna go with with marowski as my choice uh I will go uh you know there’s a lot of great options I mean once again Nebraska Athletics on the female side had another Banger of a year Eleanor Dale from soccer John John Walker change mind we can’t have oh no we can you hey she can get to because she led Nebraska soccer one of their best seasons ever I mean she was she was a dominant player in the Big 10 this year she was the forward of the year um and she would get my vote as a female athlete of the Year okay Bill I I wholeheartedly agree with with Ellen or Dale but I I I’m gonna I’m gonna throw another name out there then just because um and I don’t know which one to throw out I was going to say Jazz shell because I think coming back to Nebraska was a big deal for her this for the for the program this year to get to the NCA tournament but I I think Meritt B’s presence with that Nebraska volleyball team as great as the year was and as much as everybody loves Lexia Rodriguez and all of that there is just some maturity about Merritt B that is one makes her one of the most unique athletes I have ever seen in Nebraska and the way she well the way she does an interview and the way she handles herself and uh uh represents the program and the whole department I I think she is a phenominal representative but there Ellard Dale was was was my was my first pick but uh I’m gonna throw Meritt Bon out there in jazz Shelly well how about an athlete that was talked about more than anyone else Harper Murray just kidding that’s in poor taste maybe um if we’re going uh fully serious uh I think I’m going to give some love to the softball team it wasn’t the year that they wanted but Billy Andrews really really good year at Short Stop another All-American season she was a team captain and things didn’t always go their way uh this season whenever you think about Jordy ball going down and they’re still a really good Big 10 team but their season didn’t end the way they wanted it to uh she still quietly had a really really good season one of the best in the Big 10 so I’ll go with Billy Andrews and give the softball team A Little Love okay home alltime home run leader too yep y mens uh I’m going to go with Brett Sears uh that’s my call pitcher of the year for sure but just that tone Setter on Friday nights Nebraska needed some monster performances uh and he got him and even if he didn’t get the win which was rare he got him far enough along to to be in position to uh to do some big things so probably obvious but I’m going with Sears with you I’m I’m with you man a Friday night guy in college baseball um Nebraska has been C searching for one of those and they got it this year and I I would add my vote for Brett Sears as well Billy D all right I’m throwing you a curveball pun intended Ty Robinson okay it wasn’t exactly Jordan es sending a fax like he did by saying I’m back okay good but Ty Robinson’s you know he he was great on the field in that defense all right um but his decision to come back because he wants to be a part of what’s going on in Nebraska and take him up on the developmental thing now you know there’s there’s look I think he could have been a second or third round draft pick um this year but him believing in whatever it is that Matt rule is selling to develop himself and do what I will probably I would say he’ll be a first round pick next year but to send the message to his teammates uh to the department to recruits whoever comes on campus and they go that guy right there could have gone to the NFL and he wanted to come back to be a part of what we’re doing here and I think that that is a significant um maybe one of the most significant things that happened to Nebraska football in 2023 was his decision to come back for 2024 and now we’re to mean I feel like I’m the guy at the end of the first round of a fantasy football draft that said how I just look my way into Christian MCA um no one no one want to throw Quay toa’s name out there well I did but come on that’s obvious it’s a it’s a little obvious and I have a less a less than obvious I had a I had a backup answer ready to go because I assumed someone else would have said casay but casay had Nebraska talked about on a national scene I think more than anybody else what he did against Indiana in the Big 10 tournament I know the season didn’t end the way Husker basketball wanted to um we talked about that a lot but people were talking about Nebraska and Nebraska basketball specifically which is a team that doesn’t get talked about much because of one guy that one guy was Kay tominaga and every single time he stepped foot on the floor uh it was absolutely electric so that’s my number one choice my backup option because I thought he was going to be taken by now was going to be pton Rob Husker wrestling who that’s a great story battled his way back from Mera last season and was uh battling battling for an NCA t almost lost his leg near death he comes back and wrestles another year for Husker wrestling and quietly had a very very good season for what has become a juggernaut of a program under Mark Manning uh pton Rob was going to be my backup answer and I feel like the guy at the back end of the first round of a fantasy draft again that just had a world of options at his at his fingers so I want to make sure both of those guys are accounted for here in Mills student athlete of the Year all right since you picked last you now pick first in true Fantasy Football Draft mode so Team of the Year men’s Team of the Year men’s team of the year that one tough basketball baseball I’m I’m I’m between the two winter sports teams because Husker basketball be to make it to an NCA tournament after some years of turmoil under Fred hyberg and a lot of doubts about his ability to run the uh the basketball program that’s a great option Mark Manning I think gets slided a little bit just because of as I said earlier the Juggernaut that he has built that like oh yeah going through and and competing for a big 10 title and sending guys off to an NCA Championship that’s just what he does that’s what they do um but it was quietly a very very good year for Husker wrestling and some awesome moments with nashin to get out there on the the wrestling mat so with that in mind I think I’m going to go with Husker wrestling I don’t think I should slight them because of the dominance that they have had at Nebraska for going on 20 years now under Mark Manning so Husker wrestling is my pick for the team of the Year okay charie uh there’s a lot of good candidates that have been mentioned um I’m going to add a new one to this because they were dominant once again um Men’s Track and Field won the Big 10 outdoor for the second straight year four times since 2003 uh you know they’re trying to complete the track uh which is one of the priorities of Troy dandon is get that track on the Innovation campus finished uh but while they are working and working out on a unfinished uh track Stadium uh they are dominant and they’re they’re the only thing that’s still going with the track and field uh NCAA still coming up so I will go Men’s Track and Field B well I guess I looked into the back end of the draft and be able to say Nebraska uh men’s gymnastics finishing fourth at the NCA championships that’s an honorable mention uh you know what Fred hyberg did to you know keep that team uh not together but just to keep it so relevant for so long and to get to the NCA tournament and I mean they they battled and they finally got some Road winds you know toward the end of the year that was just that was the most fun Nebraska basketball season probably since 1996 or you know Tim’s team in 2014 but you know good on Fred hyberg Big 10 Coach of the Year sharing uh great moments at the uh at PBA look you got to celebrate that that season I’m gonna I’m gonna sank it the men’s basketball female Team of the Year Sharpie uh I go Nebraska volleyball is it unanimous with volleyball it’s it’s it’s volleyball for me I’m going soccer okay okay the elite eight John Walker you know the that dude he’s been there since day one with Nebraska soccer never had another coach and uh just you know’s he’s very much like a Terry pedit and he is such a cerebral intellectual the way he approaches his game and to get that team look will they repeat like is this sustained success I don’t know but they have that magical run to the Elite 8 and you know they probably could have been in the what do they call call it the whatever the four are um cup the college cup so I’m I’m I’m a big fan of John Walker for sticking around and having a season like that moment of the year as we say goodbye what’s your women’s team with you was volleyball yeah yeah I I went volleyball yeah yeah yeah bill was the the scent which is fine it’s all good so we look at moment of the year and does it come down oh geez to what it comes down to Big 10 postseason baseball championship the dog pile just a little over a week ago comes down to volleyball day with that the world celebrated at Memorial Stadium uh I John Cook another volleyball moment to add to that would be taking down Wisconsin at home when you get the moment of John Cook and the cowboy hat after the game that was good R him R him Cowboy yeah he’s got a good-looking several cowboy hats and you also of course uh have the Purdue CT storming Nebraska knocks off number one those are three pretty cool y discussion points I’m gonna say give me Purdue I’ve watched a lot of basketball section B to Annie center with my family we flip coins for see to see who got to draft what tickets for my brother and I and I always got KU and Roy uh which was great so I’m going to go with uh that win that win over prod do they just throttled him incredibly just uh moment where everyone’s partying second was that Wisconsin Moment The Comeback against Wisconsin was great where you kind of broke the Badgers but I’m gonna stick with Purdue and Nebraska sharpy Europe up uh all four of those are fantastic and I happen to be in attendance for all four um God I I that that Purdue game shmitty I’m there with you I think the Purdue game at uh PBA when they blew out Purdue who is ranked number one to me is the moment of the Year slightly ahead of some of the ones we mentioned and the superstars performance at halftime the nebras bill and I were sitting next to each other for that halftime performance and I think we both thought somebody may have slipped us something in the first half Billy D W Sharpie may have Trump Dio um gosh I mean I’m I’m writing all I’m writing the cloggers busy or red panda um you know look I I can’t get it down to one and a couple of mine are off off the court Dylan Rola committing to Nebraska I mean wow that was I mean that whole flipping of the of the script in that was December right uh and then look I was at the you know I got a call to to meet a I got a call to meet a football recruit at the journalism College one afternoon and so to be a part of all that was pretty unique to know it was kind of going down but uh that and then the Trev Albert’s day of of I always stay I stayed uh and you went positive with Dylan but but I’m just say I mean you’re talking about moments the whole the moment of hey Dylan Rola might might flip this might happen and then for however many days that went on I don’t remember it maybe a week or two maybe it’s more than that even but when he made the decision to come to Nebraska I mean this that’s up there with Ty Robinson deciding to stick around right and uh and but then the day that waking up you Schmitty I think sent me the the the text that Trev Alberts was talking to Texas saying am and and that what 12h hour period Sharpie you were probably on the air when that was all going down early in the morning and then by five or six o’clock that night he’s on his way to College Station and then a week later or less than a week later you know Dennis oblanc one of the greatest athletic directors Nebraska’s ever had uh you know hires you know I mean it’s just to me just those those two new Cycles Will Stand Out forever but in terms of on the court Jaz Shell’s three-pointer to help beat Iowa and Caitlyn Clark at PBA and that nationally televised game on Super Bowl Sunday one of the Great Moments for Nebraska women’s basketball history too holy cow what this what what this points out what a what a year in Nebraska athletic the more we talk we let off the show with some thoughts now we’re closing wow A lot happened this year um you got an exclamation point we’re at this point we haven’t even talked about volleyball day in Nebraska in terms of moment of the year to get 990,000 plus to set a record that will likely never again be broken at Memorial Stadium in terms of attendance for volleyball is something that no one else in the country would be able to do I mean it’s leading off ESPN here’s volleyball day in Nebraska where you get 990,000 packed in it’s hard to to to skip over that one but I also think about on a a Husker game day in Nebraska the football team was not the main event it was Husker volleyball against Wisconsin that night I mean I remember being downtown and the people that were packed into bars and places cuz they couldn’t get into the the the Bob Deany Sports Center that night so they’re packed around at barries and in the rail yard at bruskies and everywhere I’m just giving everyone some free shout outs right now they’re packed around the TV cheering on Husker volleyball in unison that was like something I hadn’t experienced before where the Husker football team was the the the appetizer to the entree the main event of husker volleyball that was also super different and it I deserves a good shout here but I’m going to go with volleyball day in Nebraska being my moment of the year that’s how it started the year and it set the table right I can’t believe you’re disrespecting the Northwestern game that was played before that Wisconsin volleyball match as you look back which which moment do you remember more is it Husker volleyball or Nebraska and Northwestern um well I remember the Northwestern kicker after he made a field goal was milk in the cow we hope good point absolutely Hope on that note that was the first ever Joy the above average Joe Sports show awards hey can I give him an honorable mention to somebody look and I know he had a horrible last appearance in as as a Husker but you know dog G I love Kyle Perry the guy’s been around forever so Florida you know and like I and look I had him in a couple classes got to know him really well and I hate him for what happened in his last outing as a Husker but you talk about somebody uh who deserves to be above average joist for at least a little while okay you know and the emotional scene in the locker room you know saying goodbye and and finally you know ending his career uh I love the guy and uh he he he’s he’s a good Husker that’s cool that’s that’s well put sharpie will uh check in again Bill dolman Billy D will’ll say hi next week and Elijah we’ll uh keep rolling and this has been episode 43 of the average Joe Sports show and before we get out I’d like to encourage everybody if there’s any moments we missed any student athletes we miss drop them in the comments on our YouTube video and maybe we can see any revisions I think we got all of them we’re not Santa’s list of moment if there’s anything that stands out in your mind that you think we miss drop in the comments let us know we’ll get to next episode all right we’ll talk to you next time on the average show sport show thanks [Music]