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.
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.
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.
LOPER FOOTBALL NAMES NEW OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR:
Nebraska Kearney head football coach Ryan Held announced today 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.
CHICAGO BEARS NAME BIG TEN COMMISSIONER NEW PRESIDENT, CEO:
Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren has been named the next president and CEO of the Chicago Bears.
Warren had previously served as the Minnesota Vikings’ chief operating officer before becoming the Big Ten commissioner in 2019. He also worked with the Detroit Lions and St. Louis Rams before joining the college ranks.
The 59-year-old is set to replace Ted Phillips, who previously announced his plans to retire in February after 40 seasons with the organization. He has been the team’s president since 1999.
The Big Ten has begun their new hiring process to find a new lead commissioner, looking for its third in less than four years.
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
