Anyone who doesn’t think that the Nebraska gameday atmosphere and the energy from the fanbase are still a massive recruiting weapon for the Huskers needs only pay attention to what Sam Hirschy said about his planned visit to Lincoln this fall. One of the best defenders in the 2028 class, Hirschy was offered earlier this month by the Huskers, and he’s quite intrigued to see the program in all its glory as he considers becoming a Cornhusker in his college career.
Speaking to Tim Verghese of Rivals, the defensive lineman made it clear that it’s in fact, the gameday atmosphere that has him most intrigued. “I know that they got some of the best fans in the country for college football,” he said. “I can’t wait to see the fans and the atmosphere in a game in the fall.”
It’s also worth noting that Hirschy is not a prospect that’s long been tracking Nebraska. He’s not someone who has been sitting around waiting for an offer from Matt Rhule. Now that he has an offer, he’s been honest in saying that he doesn’t know much about the program. And yet, one of the things he’s most excited about seeing is Memorial Stadium when it’s full and rocking on fall Saturdays.
The 6-foot-4, 258-pound three-star defensive lineman from New Palestine High School (New Palestine, IN) is ranked as the No. 267 player in the 2028 class, the No. 25 player at his position and the No. 5 player in the state of Indiana according to Rivals Industry Rankings. It is also worth noting that he’s still largely an under-the-radar player whose profile is still growing. That’s demonstrated by the 247Sports Composite ranking him as the No. 500 player in the 2028 class, the No. 51 player at his defensive lineman position and the No. 7 player in the state of Indiana.
Sam Hirschy sees Nebraska football’s gameday atmosphere as a major draw
Those rankings are a notable discrepancy. Yes, they’ll likely get closer together as the 2028 class plays another season of football and scouts get more looks at the players. Still, it’s clear that Sam Hirschy is one of those guys who has a pretty high ceiling once he’s more of a household name.
Still, the defensive lineman has been plenty productive in his young career. Hirschy recorded 63 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, one pass breakup and one forced fumble during his 2025 sophomore season. He has 85 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, one pass breakup and one forced fumble through two varsity seasons.
His offer list is almost certainly about to grow, but for now, the Huskers might have the inside track in that they’re one of the more high-profile schools on his trail. In addition to Nebraska, he’s currently got offers from Auburn, Bowling Green, Buffalo, California, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Miami (OH), Missouri, Purdue, Tennessee, Toledo, UConn, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin. Interestingly enough, so far, neither Indiana nor Notre Dame has come calling. The game will likely change quite a bit if one or both of those programs enter the hunt.
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