Thursday Afternoon Sports – Betts No Longer with Huskers, Frost Post-Practice Comments, McDermott Signs Bluejay Extension, UNK Wrestling Dominance Continues, Local Sports Schedule

ZAVIER BETTS NO LONGER WITH HUSKERS:

Nebraska head coach Scott announced on Thursday that wide receiver Zavier Betts is no longer with the Nebraska football team.

According to a source with knowledge of the situation, when the Huskers returned from spring break Betts was a no-show on Sunday and has not been with the team all week.

Betts leaves the Huskers after hauling in 32 catches for 417 yards and one touchdown over 18 games of action in 2020 and 2021.

Wide receiver remains one of the deeper position rooms on the team led by Trey Palmer, Omar Manning, Alante Brown, and Brody Belt.

HUSKER PRACTICE COMMENTS: SCOTT FROST

FROST – BETTS NO LONGER WITH TEAM

Head Coach Scott Frost confirmed on Thursday post-practice that sophomore receiver Zavier Betts is no longer a Husker… 

As Frost eluded to, he would not elaborate further on why Betts was no longer with the team. The Bellevue West grad had last reported to the Huskers on March 14 during Spring Break. 

FROST – NO COMMENTS ON INJURIES YET

Head Coach of the Nebraska Football team Scott Frost would not speak into more detail about potential injuries that the Huskers are facing this spring session… 

The Huskers are currently without a tight end active in spring camp with an in-season rep, and have faced some injuries in the linebacking corp as well. 

FROST – RECEIVERS ARE LOOKING STRONG UNDER JOSEPH

Nebraska Wide Receivers coach Mickey Joseph has been a highlight of the Big Red’s offseason changes, and Husker Head Coach Scott Frost has noticed some of the improvements in the wideouts… 

The Huskers will be without Zavier Betts after he was reportedly no longer with the team, but do return a nucleus of starters and experienced veterans. 

McDERMOTT EXTENDS WITH CREIGHTON:

Creighton coach Greg McDermott has signed a new multi-year contract after leading the Bluejays to the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32.

Athletic director Marcus Blossom announced the new deal Thursday. Terms weren’t disclosed.

McDermott owns a 276-137 record with seven NCAA Tournament appearances in 12 seasons at Creighton and has the second-highest win total in program history.

FORMER BEARCAT GABLE SIGNS WITH CFL:

Kearney High School graduate Josh Gable has signed with the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League, first reported by the Kearney Hub.

Gable, a soccer/football standout for the Bearcats, has had several tryouts with NFL franchises and has posted viral videos of kicking trick shots. He was on the New England Patriots’ practice roster in 2019.

Most recently, Gable kicked for the Massachusetts Pirates of the Indoor Football League where he is this week’s Special Teams Player of the Week after kicking a game-winning 33-yard field goal for the Pirates, who are the defending IFL champions.

UNK WRESTLING EARNS MORE DOMINANT ACCOLADES:

Five members of the national championship Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team find themselves on the 2021-22 NCAA awards list for dominance.

The NCAA recognizes leaders in Division I, II and III in the categories of “Most Dominant”, “Falls” and “Technical Falls.” 

The Most Dominant standings are calculated by adding the total number of team points awarded through match results and dividing that number by the total number of matches wrestled.

Super senior Matt Malcom (Glenwood, Ia.) won his second national championship to complete a 24-0 season vs. D2 competition at 165 pounds. He earned the Division award for “Most Dominant” with a 4.63 average team points this season. 

In falls, redshirt sophomore Lee Herrington (Kearney H.S.) ranked 16th in D2 with eight in 24:47. The leader was Nicholas Mason of Tiffin (Ohio) with 17 in 52:56

SWEET SIXTEEN MATCHUPS TONIGHT:

Teams look to punch their tickets to the Elite Eight with a win today in the Sweet Sixteen. Games in action today include:

No. 1 Gonzaga v. No. 4 Arkansas – 6 PM

No. 2 Villanova v. No. 11 Michigan – 6:30 PM

No. 2 Duke v. No. 3 Texas Tech – 8:30 PM

No. 1 Arizona v. No. 5 Houston – 9 PM

COREY HOELCK UNK PRO DAY COMMENTS:

HOELCK – ANXIOUS PRIOR TO PRO DAY, BUT MEANT TO BE THERE

Former UNK Football Offensive Lineman Corey Hoelck spoke with KGFW’s Austin Jacobsen about his recent Pro Day in front of NFL Scouts on Tuesday at the practice facility for the Huskers. Hoelck adds he was anxious to get the day started earlier this week… 

Hoelck added that scouts were impressed with his performance and that the Dallas Cowboys showed major interest in the former Loper. 

HOELCK – NFL INTEREST SHOWED BACK IN 2019

Former UNK Football star Corey Hoelck recently completed his Pro Day at the Hawks Practice Facility in Lincoln on Tuesday. The Loper alum added however that the NFL’s interest in the Giltner native’s services came back when he was still a redshirt junior… 

Hoelck is likely to be an undrafted free agent. The last Loper alum to be asked to an NFL training camp was Hoelck’s teammate – the late Hinwa Allieu – as he signed with the Atlanta Falcons practice squad in 2020. 

EVERITT NAMED CO-BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE WEEK:

Senior Griffin Everitt has been named the Big Ten Baseball’s Player of the Week, the league office announced Wednesday, sharing the weekly honor with Maryland’s Troy Schreffler Jr.

The Lincoln native hit .450 with two doubles, a triple, four home runs, 10 RBI and seven runs in six games against Omaha, New Mexico State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, while recording a 1.250 slugging percentage and .560 on-base percentage.

Everitt had a career day in Nebraska’s walk-off win vs. Omaha on Monday, going 4-for-5 with a double, two homers, four RBI and two runs. Everitt’s walk-off double in the bottom of the ninth scored Max Anderson to give the Huskers a 6-5 win in the home opener.

Everitt launched a two-run homer in Nebraska’s 12-6 win vs. New Mexico State on Tuesday night and had a three-hit game in the series opener against Texas A&M-CC.

HUSKER PRO DAY COMMENTS:

DEONTAI WILLIAMS – PRO DAY SHOWS TOUGHNESS

Former Blackshirt defensive back Deontai Williams showed some grit in his Pro Day performance on Tuesday as he fought through injury, and he wants to continue to fight for his NFL dreams… 

Williams is currently projected as a borderline draft pick, likely being an undrafted free agent. 

CAM TAYLOR-BRITT – EMOTIONAL IN FINAL PERFORMANCE AT PRACTICE FIELD:

One of the top Husker prospects for the upcoming NFL draft is former cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt, who participated at the Nebraska Pro Day on Tuesday in front of NFL Scouts. Taylor-Britt was emotional leaving the practice facility for the final time… 

Taylor-Britt is a borderline end of second round pick with most projections having him anywhere from a third to a sixth round selection.

JOJO DOMANN – FOCUSED PERFORMANCE AT PRO DAY

Former Blackshirt JoJo Domann was happy with his Pro Day performance on Tuesday, saying he was locked in from the start… 

Domann is projected from anywhere as high as a third round pick to a potential sixth or seventh round selection. 

SAMORI TOURE – END OF JOURNEY, BEGINNING OF ANOTHER

Receiver Samori Toure had a tremendous Pro Day performance on Tuesday in front of NFL Scouts, and was asked afterward to summarize the feeling as he awaits the upcoming NFL Draft… 

Toure awaits the NFL draft to potentially hear his name selected from April 28-30. 

AUSTIN ALLEN – NEED TO ADD MUSCLE, WORKOUT WENT WELL

Aurora native and former Husker Tight End Austin Allen spoke on his Pro Day performance from Tuesday and what the NFL may be expecting of him… 

Allen is projected as early as a stretch third rounder to potentially going undrafted. 

THURSDAY SPORTS NIGHTLY SCHEDULE:

Greg Sharpe and the Sports Nightly crew will be joined from 6-7 PM with Nebraska Athletic Director Trev Alberts as they recap the past month for Husker Athletics. The crew will then discuss Head Coach Scott Frost’s media appearance earlier this week. 

HUSKER BASEBALL PREPARES FOR WEEKEND WITH MICHIGAN

Nebraska opens Big Ten play with a weekend series vs. Michigan on Friday-Sunday, March 25-27 at Hawks Field.

First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 7:32 p.m., followed by a 2:02 p.m. start on Saturday and an 11:02 a.m. first pitch on Sunday.

Nebraska dropped a non-conference series at home last weekend vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. 

Michigan enters the weekend with an 11-9 record after falling 8-2 at Xavier on Wednesday night.

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • T&F: Lincoln Northeast Relays (Girls Only)
  • GIRLS SOCCER: v. North Platte – 5:30 PM
  • BOYS SOCCER: v. North Platte – 7:30 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS TENNIS: v. Hastings – 4 PM
  • T&F: @ Minden Triangular – 4 PM

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BASEBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X Tournament
    • 11 AM v. Norris
    • 1:30 PM v. Lincoln Pius X
  • T&F: UNK Invite (Boys Only)
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BASEBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X Tournament
    • 11 AM v. Norris
    • 1:30 PM v. Lincoln Pius X
• UNK:
  • M/W TRACK & FIELD: @ Emporia Relays – 3 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • MENS GOLF: @ Doane University Invite

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BASEBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X Tournament
    • Time & Opponent TBA
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BASEBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X Tournament
    • Time & Opponent TBA
• UNK:
  • M/W TRACK & FIELD: @ Emporia Relays – 3 PM
  • SOFTBALL: v. Fort Hays State @ Patriot Park – 1 PM, 3 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • MENS GOLF: @ Doane University Invite
  • MENS TENNIS: @ Mount Marty University
  • WOMENS TENNIS: @ Mount Marty University
  • BASEBALL: v. Dordt University @ Duncan Field – 1 PM (Doubleheader)
  • SOFTBALL: v. Briarcliff – 1 PM (Doubleheader)