Nebraska football's struggles with portal o-linemen continue with another loss

The Huskers scored a big wide receiver transfer, but their search for offensive linemen continues to come up empty. What's behind their struggles and can they turn it around?

Northern Illinois v Nebraska
Northern Illinois v Nebraska | Steven Branscombe/GettyImages

There may not be a better indication of just how weird this time of year has gotten on the recruiting front than the ups and downs that Nebraska football is having. On the one hand, the Huskers scored a big wide receiver transfer in Nyziah Hunter. On the other hand, NU is having some serious issues landing an offensive lineman, a position that new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen admitted earlier this week the team badly needs to add bodies.

Despite the Huskers pinpointing the offensive line as a spot of deep need, Friday night equaled another strike out as Keagen Trost pulled the trigger for the Missouri Tigers. Trost was the latest “top” offensive line target to pick somewhere else.

Earlier this week, the Nebraska football team lost out on 6-foot-8, 320 pound offensive tackle Isaiah World. There have been other offensive line targets that NU has pinpointed and lost as well. The question is, why does this keep happening and how do they reverse it?

Nebraska football loses another offensive line transfer battle in Keagen Trost

Trost, a 6-foot-4, 305-pound lineman, started 11 games this past season for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. That’s one of the reasons why the Huskers were so keen on the giant.

Trost joined Michigan transfer Dominick Giudice as the Tigers' second offensive line addition. Guidice, by the way, was another lineman NU at least kicked the tires on. 

Trost posted a 70.3 offensive grade, 69.1 run-blocking grade and 68.8 pass-blocking grade in 772 snaps, according to PFF. It’s clear that the Nebraska football team will have to go back to the drawing board when it comes to offensive line targets in the portal. Their luck in that regard has been shockingly bad. However, one big score could reverse that course quickly.

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