UNK FOOTBALL PREPARES FOR MISSOURI SOUTHERN:
For the fourth time in the last five years the Nebraska-Kearney football team opens the fall against the Missouri Southern State Lions.
The 116th season in Loper history kicks off Thursday night (Sept. 1) at 7 p.m. from Fred G. Hughes Stadium in Joplin, Mo.
UNK, ranked in the nation’s top 15 in a series of national preseason polls, has won four straight to grab a 12-7 all-time series lead. Last year’s 38-0 win featured an unforgettable 2.5 hour weather delay with the game not wrapping up close to midnight.
Missouri Southern was picked to finish tenth in the preseason conference coaches poll. UNK is 7-2 all-time in Joplin.
UNK FOOTBALL – LYNN COMMENTS:
LYNN – LOPERS PLAYING LOOSE; ONE GAME AT A TIME:
The UNK Football team begins their season tonight against Missouri Southern State in Joplin with a season full of pre-season expectations. Head Coach Josh Lynn said his team is just focused on one game at a time…
The Lopers were voted preseason No. 2 in the coaches and media poll for the MIAA and battle the Lions tonight at 7 PM.
LYNN – MISSOURI SOUTHERN IS YOUNG BUT TALENTED:
The Loper Football team looks to showcase their talent tonight opening their season at Missouri Southern State in Joplin. The Lions were voted to finish tenth in the conference’s preseason poll, but UNK Head Coach Josh Lynn says not to overlook Missouri Southern…
The Lions and Lopers faced off to open the season last year in a long weather delay in which UNK pounded the rock for a Loper 38-0 win. Kickoff tonight is set for 7 PM.
HUSKER VOLLEYBALL HOSTS LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT:
The No. 2 Nebraska volleyball team is back at home this week for a pair of matches. The Huskers will host Loyola Marymount tonight at 6 pm and Ole Miss on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
Nebraska leads the nation in opponent hitting percentage after holding its three opponents at the Ameritas Players Challenge to a combined .010 hitting percentage.
Nebraska is 4-0 all-time against Loyola Marymount. The teams met in 2019 at the Devaney Center with the Huskers claiming a 3-1 win.
Pregame coverage on KGFW begins at 5:30 PM with first serve at 6 PM.
HUSKER PRACTICE COMMENTS – COORDINATORS:
WHIPPLE – GOOD PRACTICES AFTER RETURNING FROM IRELAND:
Offensive Coordinator for the Huskers Mark Whipple addressed the media after Wednesday’s practice and said it has been a good first few days of practice since returning from Ireland…
The Huskers aim to improve their third down efficiency according to Whipple as they prepare for North Dakota on Saturday.
WHIPPLE – NO ISSUES WITH FROST POSTGAME COMMENTS:
Offensive Coordinator Mark Whipple was asked after Wednesday’s practice if he took any offense to the Scott Frost post game remarks regarding his playcalling. Whipple said he didn’t even notice…
Nebraska has put their focus on North Dakota as Nebraska looks to even their record to open Memorial Stadium.
WHIPPLE – CASEY WAS ABOVE AVERAGE AGAINST NORTHWESTERN:
Mark Whipple, the Huskers offensive coordinator, gave his grades of first-year Huskers starter Casey Thompson after his Northwestern performance…
Thompson threw for 355 yards, the most in a Huskers quarterback in their debut for the Big Red.
CHINANDER – SOME THINGS NEEDED TO FIX; NOT ENERGY:
Defensive Coordinator for the Huskers Erik Chinander was asked at Wednesday’s practice what needed fixed from the Blackshirts defense after the loss to Northwestern…
Chinander and the Blackshirts would like to redeem themselves with a stellar performance on Saturday against Northwestern.
CHINANDER – PASS RUSH NEEDS TO EARN THIRD DOWN:
Blackshirts coordinator Erik Chinander was disappointed in his pass rush from the Northwestern contest, but gave credit to Northwestern after Wednesday’s practice…
Nebraska had trouble generating any type of pass rush throughout the contest and have made it a point of emphasis in this week’s practice preparation.
CHINANDER – DEFENSE HAS TO STEP UP AND GET IT DONE:
Defensive Coordiantor for Nebraska Erik Chinander made no bones about his Blackshirts performance from Northwestern; he thinks it is time for his defense to step up…
Chinander also added that he will continue to play the same rotation of players from last week’s contest into this week, ensuring more rest and fresh bodies for later parts of the contest.
SPORTS NIGHTLY: TREV ALBERTS – WASTED ENERGY IN DISCUSSING COACHING CHANGE:
Nebraska Athletic Director Trev Alberts spoke on Sports Nightly regarding any potential coaching changes coming for the Nebraska Football team after the Week Zero loss to Northwestern in Ireland…
Alberts has said he’s paid attention to media conferences and chatted with coordinators but is excited to see how Nebraska prepares for North Dakota on Saturday.
NCAA APPROVES NEW TRANSFER PORTAL WINDOW:
The NCAA Division I Board of Directors on Wednesday approved the implementation of set time periods when athletes can enter the transfer portal and immediately be eligible to compete at their new schools, along with reforms to the enforcement process.
The proposed changes came from the Transformation Committee as part of the first phase of that group’s work.
The changes to transfer rules will go into effect immediately. Sport-specific windows will be set during an academic year when athletes would be required to enter their names in the transfer portal to be eligible immediately to compete the following school year.
UNK CROSS COUNTRY BEGINS SEASON IN TOP 40:
The Nebraska-Kearney cross country teams are ranked 20th (men) and 32nd (women) in the U.S. Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) preseason Division II Top 30 polls.
In the Central Region preseason polls, the Loper men are fourth and the women fifth.
On the men’s side, a veteran UNK squad tallied 78 points to be one of four Central teams in the nation’s Top 30. Defending MIAA Championships, a young women’s squad was third among those receiving votes (13 points).
The regular season begins this Friday with the annual Augustana Twilight meet in Sioux Falls.
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
THURSDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Boys Tennis: Varsity Dual @ GISH – 4 PM
- Girls Cross Country: @ Concordia University – 4:45 PM
- Softball: v. Lincoln High @ Patriot Park – 6:30 PM
- Volleyball: v. Lincoln Southwest @ Kearney High – 6:30 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Girls Golf: @ GICC Invite – 9 AM
- Boys Tennis: v. Adams Central – 4 PM
- Softball @ Twin River Triangular (v. Twin River, Aquinas) – 4:30 PM
- Volleyball: @ Hershey – 5 PM
- Cross Country: @ Lexington Invite – 5 PM
- UNK:
- Women’s Golf: @ Mount Marty Invite
- Football: @ Missouri Southern (Joplin, MO) – 7 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Nebraska Volleyball v. Loyola Marymount – Pregame @ 5:30 PM, First serve @ 6 PM
FRIDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Girls Golf: @ Grand Island Invite @ Jackrabbit Golf Course – 9 AM
- Football: v. Fremont @ Ron and Carol Cope Stadium – 7 PM
- KGFW Pregame @ 6:30 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Boys Tennis: @ Crete Invite – 9 AM
- Football: v. Hershey – 7 PM
- UNK:
- Women’s Golf: @ Mount Marty Invite
- Volleyball: v. Shorter U. (GA) @ Kentucky Wesleyan Invite – 9 AM
- Volleyball: v. Kentucky State @ Kentucky Wesleyan Invite – 1 PM
- Women’s Soccer @ Colorado Mesa (Grand Junction, CO) – 8 PM
- M/W Cross Country: @ Augustana Twilight – 9 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- High School Football Preview Show; 6 PM – 6:30 PM
- Kearney High Football v. Fremont – Pregame at 6:30 PM, Kickoff at 7 PM
SATURDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Boys Cross Country: @ Walnut Grove Park – 8 AM
- Softball: @ Norfolk Invite – 9 AM
- Boys Tennis: Kearney Invite @ Harmon Park – 9 AM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Women’s Tennis: @ Southwest Minnesota State – 9 AM
- Volleyball: v. Lincoln Memorial (TN) @ Kentucky Wesleyan Invite – 11 AM
- Women’s Tennis: @ MSU-Moorhead – 1 PM
- Volleyball: v. Saint Anselm (NH) @ Kentucky Wesleyan Invite – 3 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Nebraska Football v. North Dakota – Pregame at 10:30 AM, Kickoff at 2:30 PM
SUNDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Women’s Tennis: v. Minnesota State – 9 AM
- Women’s Soccer: v. Western Colorado (Grand Junction, CO) – 12 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- N/a
