While Nebraska football fans are officially in that period of the year that seems interminable, they are getting little glimpses of what might be a very good 2025 campaign. The latest comes from Jacory Barney, who at least hinted he's ready to become one of the Huskers' leaders on and off the field.
The hint came right around the same time that Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule was nodding his head not-so-subtly that a potentially forgotten weapon in Demitrius Bell is poised for a big fall.
Jacory Barney hints at leadership leap with possible single-digit jersey change
This time, the hint came earlier in the week when Barney posted a picture of himself in a Nebraska football jersey wearing the No. 2 in his Instagram stories. Considering that Barney has worn No. 17 since he arrived in Lincoln, the picture seems notable. He included the caption "deuce" with the eyeballs emoji.
If the picture is indeed a hint, it's more than just a declaration that he's changing his number. Since Matt Rhule took over the program, he's installed a tradition where only certain players can wear single-digit numbers.
Rhule has deemed that anyone who wears single-digits are leaders of the team. Most are captains. Though that isn't a requirement.
It's also worth noting that as of now, there isn't a player on the roster with the No. 2 jersey. The four guys coming into 2025 with single-digit jersey numbers are Vincent Shavers (1), Marques Buford (3), Malcolm Hartzog (7), and DeShon Singleton (8).
Generally, the players that get the honor of these numbers aren't announced until fall practice. So whether Jacory Barney was hinting at something, or maybe just declaring his intentions, we likely won't find out offiically until Nebraska football gets back together as a group at the end of July or early August.