Defensive tackle Hutmacher named to Chuck Bednarik Award watch list

Nebraska defensive tackle Nash Hutmacher was named to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List on Monday.

The Nebraska football 2024 season is drawing closer, and more players are being named to award watchlists. The most recent is Nebraska defensive tackle Nash Hutmacher, who was named to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List on Monday. The Bednarik Award is presented annually to the outstanding defensive player in college football.

Hutmacher helped anchor a top-20 Nebraska defense in 2023. The Huskers finished in the top 20 nationally in total defense, scoring defense, and rushing defense. Hutmacher started in all 12 games for Nebraska, totaling 40 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks.

He even delivered a season-high seven tackles, including 2.5 sacks, against Northwestern. He also finished with four or more tackles in six games in 2023.

The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1994. It is named in honor of Chuck “Concrete Charlie” Bednarik, an All-American player at Penn and an All-Pro linebacker and center for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced in November. The winners will be announced in December.

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No. 1 offensive tackle of 2025 projected to commit to Tennessee

David Sanders Jr. is now predicted to head to Tennessee for his collegiate career.

The No. 1 offensive tackle in the class of 2025 is projected to commit to an SEC school next week. David Sanders Jr. is now predicted to head to Tennessee for his collegiate career.

Sanders Jr. narrowed down his choices to the Vols, Nebraska, Ohio State, and Georgia. The 6-foot-6, 290-pound lineman visited Lincoln twice in the last three months.

He took his official visit over Mother’s Day Weekend before returning on July 26 when quarterback Dylan Raiola asked fans to come out and welcome the 2025 recruit to campus.

Sanders Jr. is the reigning Gatorade State Player of the Year in North Carolina after helping Providence Day to another state championship. The Charlotte, North Carolina native is set to announce his commitment on August 17.

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Nebraska baseball lands two 2026 Creighton Prep recruits

The Nebraska baseball team started the month of August off strong, landing two more recruits in the 2026 class.

The Nebraska baseball team started the month of August off strong, landing two more recruits in the 2026 class. Both recruits stand as a home-grown Huskers and hail from the same school, Creighton Prep.

Cal Anthony and Charlie Ziola announced their commitments to Nebraska. Anthony made the announcement first before Ziola made the decision on X (formerly Twitter) Friday afternoon.

Cal Anthony stands at 6-feet, 2-inches and 190 pounds. The southpaw played on Creighton Prep’s JV roster in his freshman year before being elevated to the varsity level his sophomore season as a pitcher and outfielder.

In the 2024 varsity season, Anthony finished with a batting average of .406 off 69 at-bats delivering 28 hits, 19 RBIs, three doubles, three home runs and a triple.

Ziola also pitches and plays outfield but plays first base as well. The left-hander also started his freshman year on JV but was brought up to varsity near the end of the season. In the 2023-2024 season, Ziola finished with a .265 batting average off 83 at-bats. He brought in 22 hits, 16 RBIs, six doubles and two triples.

Anthony and Ziola now joins Brody Jindra and Bryce Fountain in Nebraska’s 2026 recruiting class.

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Senior punter Brian Buschini named to Ray Guy Award watch list for third straight year

Senior punter Brian Buschini was named to the Ray Guy Award watch list.

A Husker enters the 2024 football season with his name on an award watchlist for the third straight year. Senior punter Brian Buschini was named to the Ray Guy Award watch list.

Buschini is one of 34 punters nationally named to the preseason watch list Friday. The Ray Guy Award is presented to the nation’s top punter in the FBS. The winner will be announced during ESPN’s Home Depot College Football Awards Show in December.

In his collegiate career, the Helena, Montana native has averaged 43.7 yards per punt. Buschini has been the starter for the Huskers in the past two seasons. Last year, he averaged 40.7 yards on 57 punts, landing 20 of his 57 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

In his first season at Nebraska, he averaged 44.0 yards per punt, ranking eighth in Husker history and 25th in the nation. He delivered 16 punts of 50 yards or longer, including a 74-yard punt against Wisconsin that ranked seventh-longest in school history.

Before arriving at Nebraska, Buschini spent three seasons at Montana from 2019 to 2021. In his final season with the Grizzlies, Buschini won FCS Punter of the Year and was named first-team All-American. He averaged 46.0 yards per punt and helped Montana lead the FCS in net punting average.

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Defensive back Issac Gifford named to 2024 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List

Nebraska defensive back Isaac Gifford was named to the 2024 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List on Thursday.

Another Husker football player enters the 2024 season on an award watchlist. Nebraska defensive back Isaac Gifford was named to the 2024 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List on Thursday.

Named for Danny Wuerffel, the 1996 National Championship-winning quarterback of the University of Florida Gators, the Wuerffel Trophy is presented to the FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with leadership achievement on and off the field.

Gifford actively contributes to the Huskers’ Life Skills program, volunteering extensively at the Lincoln Food Bank, speaking at schools, and helping with hospital visits.

In the spring of 2024, Gifford received the Sam Foltz 27 Hero Leadership Award and was named to the Tom Osborne and Brook Berringer Citizenship Teams for his community work.

On the field, Gifford led Nebraska with 86 tackles, including 6.5 tackles for loss, and was second on the team in pass breakups with eight. Gifford is one of 11 semifinalists for the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy and will be honored as part of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.

The 2024 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy finalists and recipients will be selected on ESPN’s Home Depot College Football Awards Show in December. The Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Presentation Gala will take place in February at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

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McVeigh scores nine points for Australia in 93-83 loss to Canada

He scored nine points for his home country in the team’s 93-83 loss to Canada.

Former Husker Jack McVeigh once again took the court for Australia in the 2024 Paris Olympics. He scored nine points for his home country in the team’s 93-83 loss to Canada, bringing his Olympic total to 22 points through two games.

McVeigh came off the bench for Australia in the loss but made the most of his 15 minutes of action. He scored all nine of his points from beyond the arc, going three-for-five.

McVeigh landed two 3-pointers in the third quarter, including a buzzer-beater, sending Australia into the fourth down 72-70. He leads the team in 3-pointers made, landing six through two games.

However, Canada pulled away in the fourth quarter, outscoring Australia to win 93-83. Australia falls to 1-1 in Group A and stands with 3 points. Canada leads the group with a 2-0 record and four points. Australia will conclude the preliminaries with a clash against Greece on Friday Tipoff is set for 6:30 a.m. (CT).

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Jack McVeigh helps Australia to victory in Olympic game against Spain

The 2024 Paris Olympics are underway, with men’s basketball taking the floor on Saturday.

The 2024 Paris Olympics are underway, with men’s basketball taking the floor on Saturday. On the tournament’s opening day, one Husker helped his country to victory.

Jack McVeigh scored 13 points for Australia in its opening game against Spain. He shot 4-for-8 from the field and 3-for-6 from beyond the arc. The Aussie also made two free throws.

McVeigh’s 13 points helped Australia start the tournament off strong. They defeated Spain 92-80, going up 1-0 in Group A. Australia faces off against Canada on Tuesday and Greece on Friday. The top eight following the group stage will advance to the quarterfinals.

McVeigh played for Nebraska from 2015 to 2018. Last season, McVeigh led the Tasmania JackJumpers of the NBL with 17.3 points per game, helping them to the NBL championship and earning himself Grand Final MVP. He recently signed with the Houston Rockets.

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Adrian Martinez signs with New York Jets ahead of 2024 season

The New York Jets announced on Saturday that it signed UFL MVP Quarterback Adrian Martinez ahead of the 2024 season.

A former Husker is returning to the NFL following an MVP season in the UFL. On Saturday, the New York Jets announced that it signed UFL MVP Quarterback Adrian Martinez ahead of the 2024 season.

Martinez played for the Birmingham Stallions in the United Football League. He earned UFL MVP honors by throwing for 1,749 yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for 528 yards. Martinez’s performance helped Birmingham to a UFL Championship, where he was named the game’s MVP.

Martinez entered the UFL after being undrafted and signed by the Detroit Lions in 2023. The Lions waived Martinez during the final roster cuts before picking him up by Birmingham. He now joins a Jets quarterback room that includes Aaron Rodgers, Tyrod Taylor, Jordan Travis, and Andrew Peasley.

Martinez played four seasons at Nebraska before transferring to Kansas State in 2022. In his final season with the Huskers, Martinez threw for 2,863 yards and 14 touchdowns, becoming the first player in school history with four 1,000-yard passing seasons.

He also averaged 308.0 yards of total offense per game, breaking his school record set during his freshman season. In his lone season at Kansas State, Martinez threw for 1,261 yards and six touchdowns while rushing for 627 yards and ten touchdowns.

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Top 150 2025 recruit Quentin Rhymes set to visit Nebraska

Small forward Quentin Rhymes revealed he will be visiting Nebraska in September.

A class of 2025 forward is set to visit Lincoln later this year. Small forward Quentin Rhymes revealed he will be visiting Nebraska in September. Rhymes received an offer from the Huskers back in May.

The 6-foot-7, 185-pound forward is one of four small forwards in the class of 2025 to earn an offer from Nebraska. He also received offers from TCU and Wichita State throughout the summer.

Rhymes stands at No. 136 in the rankings for the class of 2025. He is attending Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix, Arizona, after playing for Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Rhymes also plays for the Las Vegas Knicks in the AAU, where he delivered stellar performances throughout the season. Last week against West Virginia Gold, he scored 40 points and landed six 3-pointers.

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Nebraska football to host 2026 QB Dayton Raiola this weekend

A class of 2026 recruit is heading to Lincoln for a visit this weekend.

A class of 2026 recruit is heading to Lincoln for a visit this weekend. Quarterback Dayton Raiola, brother of current Husker Dylan Raiola, is coming to Nebraska on July 27.

Dayton received an offer from Nebraska during his freshman year at Chandler High School in Arizona in 2022. He also received offers from Appalachian State and Charlotte in January 2024. Dayton now enters his junior year at Buford High School in Georgia, preparing to play on the varsity level for the first time.

Dayton sat behind his brother through his freshman year at Chandler and his sophomore year at Buford, playing JV in both seasons. Dylan Raiola threw for 2,666 yards, 34 touchdowns, and just one interception.

Dayton appeared in only six varsity games last season at Buford. He finished 6-of-16 passing for 60 yards and one touchdown. The left-handed quarterback currently stands at 6 feet, 1 inch, and 205 pounds entering his junior year.

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