HUSKER MEN TRAVEL TO No. 3 PURDUE:
The Husker men’s basketball team looks to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Illinois, as Nebraska travels to No. 3 Purdue this Friday for a matchup with the Big Ten-leading Boilermakers. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
Nebraska (9-8, 2-4 Big Ten) looks to bounce back following a 76-50 setback to Illinois Tuesday evening.
Friday’s game will be the Huskers’ third game in six nights, while Purdue (15-1, 4-1 Big Ten) has been off since a 76-63 win over Penn State in Philadelphia on Sunday evening.
Pregame on KGFW tonight begins at 5 PM.
LOPER FOOTBALL ADDS SCHAFFNER AS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR:
UNK head football coach Ryan Held announced today that Tim Schaffner is the Lopers new defensive coordinator and safeties coach.
Schaffner was defensive coordinator at FCS-member Idaho State in 2022 after spending 17 years at Butler (Kan.) Community College. He was the Grizzlies head coach from 2015-21 and a part of two NJCAA National Championships, nine league titles and seven region titles in his time in El Dorado.
His “Chaos Tempo/1-800-I-GO-FAST” brand of defense emphasizes fast, physical and swarming play that led the region in scoring, total and rushing defense for seven straight years, while finishing in the top two in every other major category during that time period.
His defense has posted 23 shutouts over a 13-season span – nearly two per year.
STORM HOST CONCRETE CARES GAME TONIGHT:
The Tri-City Storm is set to host the organization’s annual Concrete Cares game on the painted ice tonight at the Viaero Center.
Earlier this week, many messages of support and remembrance for family members, friends, and others affected by cancer were painted onto the ice at the Viaero Center. Puck drop for tonight’s rivalry game in Kearney with the Storm hosting the Lincoln Stars is scheduled for 7:05pm CT.
HUSKER FOOTBALL PRESS CONFERENCE COMMENTS – ASSISTANT COACHES:
BARTHEL – THANKFUL FOR NEBRASKA OPPORTUNITY:
New Husker Running Backs coach EJ Barthel opened his introductory press conference comments on Thursday afternoon with a thanks for Head Coach Matt Rhule…
Nebraska has a talented stable of running backs including Anthony Grant – last season’s leading rusher – and Ajay Allen who returns from injury. Rahmir Johnson and Gabe Ervin Jr. both return as well for the Big Red.
BARTHEL – IMPRESSED WITH RUNNING BACK ROOM:
EJ Barthel, new Husker Football Running Backs coach, was asked what his evaluation of the Nebraska running back room appeared to him during his first few weeks on campus…
Nebraska’s running backs were efficient in the beginning of the 2022 season as Anthony Grant led all runners in rushing yards through the Huskers’ first bye week, but petered off late in the season. The Big Red also return Ajay Allen, Rahmir Johnson, and Gabe Ervin Jr.
BARTHEL – COACHING STAFF HAS LEARNED FROM PANTHERS EXPERIENCE:
New Husker running backs coach EJ Barthel was asked what the main lesson learned from his stint in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers taught him coming back to college football…
Barthel continued by saying the entire staff has grown in coaching philosophy, but has also been able to evaluate what an “NFL prospect” looks like, and how to build their players toward that model.
COOPER – RHULE RELATIONSHIP VERY STRONG:
Evan Cooper, the new secondary coach for Husker Football, opened his introductory press conference comments by speaking on his relationship with Matt Rhule and why he came to Nebraska…
Nebraska removed the entirety of Scott Frost’s and Mickey Joseph’s assistant staff through the hiring process, as Cooper arrives with Rhule having followed the coach to each of his stops with the Panthers, Baylor Bears, and at Temple.
COOPER – RECRUITMENT MIND SIMILAR TO RHULE
Evan Cooper, new secondary coach under Matt Rhule, was asked what mindset he shares with his head coach regarding recruiting tactics and practices when building the roster…
Nebraska had a stellar start to the 2023 recruiting cycle, signing multiple star athletes and moving the Huskers recruiting ranking from the mid-60s to a Top 25 class.
COOPER – VERY PLEASED WITH CURRENT SECONDARY:
New Nebraska secondary coach Evan Cooper addressed the media during his introductory press conference on Thursday afternoon and gave his evaluation of the Huskers’ current defensive backs…
The Huskers have lost several talented defensive backs over the years, but do return safety Marques Buford Jr.
KEARNEY BASKETBALL DROPS CONTESTS AT LINCOLN EAST:
Despite a furious rally late in the fourth quarter of the girls contest and a pulse-pounding first half for the boys, both Kearney basketball squads dropped their matchups at Lincoln East on Thursday night. Full recaps are available at KGFW.com.
Kearney’s teams will take a Friday rest day before taking on metro schools on Saturday afternoon; the boys travel to Omaha Bryan to face a 5-5 Bears squad and the Bearcat girls will stay at Kearney High School to take on the Metro Conference champion, Bellevue West.
KGFW will travel on Saturday to Omaha Bryan, pregame coverage beginning at 1:45 PM with tip-off set for 2 PM.
LOPER FOOTBALL NAMES NEW OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR:
Nebraska Kearney head football coach Ryan Held announced Thursday that Colby Ellis is the Lopers new offensive coordinator and quarterback coach.
Ellis is the first assistant coach to be announced by Held who was named the 19th head football coach in UNK history in late December. More staff names will be released in the coming days.
The Oklahoma native spent the last three years at FCS-member North Alabama where he was the Lions wide receivers coach. He also was recruiting coordinator for two years and added special teams coordinator duties in 2022.
Ellis is no stranger to Nebraska and the MIAA as he was a graduate assistant coach for the ‘Huskers in 2018 and 2019 and receivers coach and special teams coordinator at Missouri Southern in 2017.
The new Loper staff is out recruiting this weekend in preparation for Division II signing day on Wednesday, Feb. 1.
FORMER LOPER BASEBALL PLAYER PASSES:
The following is a statement from the University of Nebraska at Kearney on the death of former student and Loper Baseball player Colton Hill, a 2022 UNK graduate.
Hill, 24, died Wednesday night in a plane crash near Auburn, Nebraska. One other person also died.
Colton graduated from UNK in May 2022 with an Aviation Systems Management degree with an emphasis in flight operations. He was also a pitcher on the 2018 Loper baseball team.
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
THURSDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Girls Basketball: @ Lincoln East
- LE 60-53 KHS
- Boys Basketball: @ Lincoln East
- LE 75-57 KHS
- Wrestling: v. North Platte Dual @ Kearney High School
- North Platte 39-27 KHS
- Girls Basketball: @ Lincoln East
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Girls Basketball: v. Broken Bow
- Broken Bow 48-46 KCHS
- Boys Basketball: v. Broken Bow
- KCHS 41-37 Broken Bow
- Girls Basketball: v. Broken Bow
FRIDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Swimming & Diving: @ Lincoln High School (Diving Only) – 4:30 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Swimming & Diving: @ Lincoln High Invite (Diving Only) – 4:30 PM
- Wrestling: Triangular @ Gibbon (v. Gibbon & Mitchell) – 7 PM
- UNK:
- M/W T&F: @ Graduate Classic @ Lincoln, NE – 4 PM
- Wrestling: @ Newman – 7 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Nebraska Men’s Basketball @ Purdue (5 PM – 8:45 PM)
SATURDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Wrestling: HAC Championships @ Lincoln Southwest – 9:30 AM
- Swimming & Diving: @ Lincoln High Invite – 10 AM
- Boys Basketball: @ Omaha Bryan – 2 PM
- KGFW Pregame beginning at 1:45 PM
- Girls Basketball: v. Bellevue West @ Kearney High School – 4:15 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Swimming & Diving: @ Lincoln High Invite – 10 AM
- Wrestling: @ Gibbon Invite – 10 AM
- Girls Basketball: @ Hastings St. Cecilia – 1 PM
- Boys Basketball: @ Hastings St. Cecilia – 3 PM
- UNK:
- M/W T&F: @ Graduate Classic @ Lincoln, NE – 11:30 AM
- Swimming: @ OC Invite @ Irvine, CA
- Women’s Basketball: @ Fort Hays State – 2 PM
- Men’s Basketball: @ Fort Hays State – 4 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney High Boys Basketball @ Omaha Bryan (1:45 PM – 3:45 PM)
SUNDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- N/a
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- N/a
