Jacob Bower story offers a unique kind of hope for Nebraska faithful

Unfortunately, quite a bit has been made about the 105-roster limit that’s coming this fall and all the negative connotations that go with it. Chief among those for the Nebraska football team is that some players will have to be cut. However, it doesn’t appear that Jacob Bower will be among those, despite first joining the Huskers as a walk-on.

Bower has stood out to Matt Rhule and the other coaches since first arriving. He’s played well enough this spring that the Huskers’ head coach called him specifically in his most recent press conference. During that conversation, he made it clear that Bower was not only a leading contender for the 105-man roster but could also be a starter in 2025.

"He wasn't even invited to camp last year, and he pays for school, doesn't have an NIL deal," Rhule said, "and he just plays and plays and plays and plays and plays and plays,” the Nebraska football head coach said about the linebacker from California.

Jacob Bower’s rise shows what Nebraska football still stands for

Bower, a 6-foot-1, 220 pound defender out of Santa Margarita Catholic, in California committed to the Huskers in May of 2023 as a walk-on knowing that he didn’t have a ton of interest from other schools despite tallying 116 tackles in his senior season with nine tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three pass breakups, an interception and a fumble recovery. However, he’s made it clear that he wants to be one of the best at NU. He’s proved it to Rhule to the point where he earned a scholarship earlier this week.

"I told the guys out there, and it wasn't planned ahead of time ... I said, 'We'll pay for your school next year.' And they all tackled him. And not one of those someone walks out (to give a scholarship deals) ... I just was like, 'This is ridiculous. This kid gets nothing and he plays this good. He's on scholarship.' Or whatever the rules are. I don't know the rules yet but we'll pay for his school."

It was a happy message, considering things are still up in the air regarding almost everything in the sport. There’s still a worry that Huskers will leave for the portal window. There’s worry about who makes the 105-man this fall. But for now, the Nebraska football team and its head coach was able to do something great for one of the hardest workers on the team. And that’s still what college football is about.