When the Nebraska football team laced it up against the Cincinnati Bearcats on Thursday, there were all kinds of contributors to the close win. However, a look up and down both the stat sheet and who played the best in some things that aren't measured with basic stats showed one trend. Transfers on both sides of the ball made a ton of impact.
At the top of the list of transfers that made their presence known with authority were wide receivers Nyziah Hunter ( from Cal) and Dane Key (Kentucky). Each caught a touchdown pass from Dylan Raiola. Hunter's TD was a circus catch on a 5-yard pass with 11 seconds to play in the first half to increase Nebraska's lead to 13-3. Hunter finished the game with 65 yards on six receptions.
How the transfer portal shaped Nebraska football’s Week 1 victory
On Nebraska's offensive line, transfers chipped in as well, including Rocco Spindler (Notre Dame) and Elijah Pritchett (Alabama), who were among the best performers. Pritchett did not start but saw considerable action. While most remember his costly false start, he also came into the game. He made an immediate impact, pushing defenders off the line.
Transfers contributed on defense, too, with 17 total tackles. Williams Nwaneri (Missouri) had six tackles and recovered Cincinnati's only fumble, setting up Hunter's touchdown.
Andrew Marshall (Idaho) had five tackles; Dasan McCullough (Oklahoma) made four tackles; and Marques Watson-Trent (Georgia Southern) had two tackles.
Running back and quarterback were really the only spots that didn't see any contribution from the transfer portal. Of course, the portal did have an impact there in one way. Nebraska football running back Emmett Johnson, who had 108 yards on 25 carries, did think about entering the portal over the offseason, but decided to stick around.