When wide receiver Malachi Coleman first committed to the Nebraska football team, it felt like the Lincoln prospect had big things ahead of him for the Huskers. He's since moved on, but he may be finally ready to explode on the scene. Unfortunately, if he does, it will be with a Big Ten rival.
Coleman, gearing up for the season with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, got quite a bit of praise from his new head coach during Big Ten Media Days.
PJ Fleck touts Malachi Coleman’s 'elite' skills as Gophers eye Nebraska football clash
"He has elite, elite skill sets," PJ Fleck said about the former Nebraska football player. "He doesn't say much; he just works his tail-end off. Fought through some injuries, which he's recovered from, which has been really good."
"You talk about a dynamic playmaker that can do things in the air that I haven’t seen many people do at the wide receiver position throughout my entire coaching career. You talk about playing for the Niners, coaching for the Buccaneers, coaching all the receivers we have - he’s got very rare attributes."
Make no mistake, Huskers head coach Matt Rhule thought the same of Coleman when he first signed him. In 2023, he appeared in 11 games and had eight catches for 139 yards and one touchdown. In 2024, he sat out the season. The coaching staff said it was to get him trained up and keep a redshirt.
However, late in the season, rumors began to fly fast and furiously that he wasn't happy with the Cornhuskers anymore. When the transfer portal opened in the winter, Malachi Coleman said goodbye to the Nebraska football program. He'll meet his old teammates again this fall when they visit Minnesota on October 11.