The Nebraska Cornhuskers start their fall camp next Monday, but there’s a little business to take care of off the field before they start popping the pads. Big Ten Media days kick off on Wednesday morning, and it sure feels like there’s more newsworthy stuff for the two-day event available to talk about than most years.
There is, of course, Matt Rhule’s first such event since taking over the head coaching job of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, but he won’t speak until Thursday afternoon.
There’s also new presumptive Nebraska football starting quarterback Jeff Sims. The Georgia Tech transfer will also speak alongside teammates offensive lineman Ethan Piper and linebacker Luke Reimer on the second day of the event.
Everything is kicked off with new Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti who will almost certainly be asked about any number of subjects, including the handling of the Northwestern fiasco by that school’s president and athletic director.
Speaking of Northwestern, the three-player contingent that was supposed to come to Indianapolis announced on Tuesday afternoon they would no longer attend. That decision makes plenty of sense. They would be asked about the hazing incidents that eventually got former head coach Pat Fitzgerald fired.
A statement from our student-athlete representatives regarding Big Ten Media Day: pic.twitter.com/er6vCO3iRH
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) July 25, 2023
Taking those bullets will be this year’s interim head coach David Braun. He speaks on Wednesday from 11:45 to noon and then will also be fielding more questions at the podium later in the afternoon. Of course, the people who should be facing the media are the school president and AD. But as has been the case since the hazing scandal became public, they won’t be speaking to the gathered media here.
Nebraska Cornhuskers gearing up
Outside of the Big Ten Media Days, the Nebraska football team is preparing to begin its first season under a new coaching staff and many new players. Steve Sipple of On3 recently wrote about the expectations that the Huskers’ head coach believes are realistic for the upcoming year.
Long story short, Rhule believes that the Nebraska Cornhuskers are about where Baylor and Temple were in his second year of their rebuilds. That’s a good thing. That means he believes he and his staff can win this year.
Nebraska basketball shorthanded
The Nebrasketball team was expecting to use its offseason trip to Spain to start to gear up for what seems like a make-or-break season for Fred Hoiberg. However, due to various injuries and other obligations, five Huskers won’t be in attendance.
Guard Keisei Tominaga and new center Rienk Mast will represent their countries at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Forward Josiah Allick and center Blaise Keita will be out as they recover from off-season ankle surgery.
The good news, however, is that Juwan Gary has been cleared to return to play. He’s expected to get some minutes for the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Spain, though he will likely be taking it easy for a bit.