1-on-1 with DP – 93.7 The Ticket KNTK - 1-ON-1 with DP and Jake Bockoven (Hour 2): August 8th, 12:00pm

Episode Date: August 8, 2025

1-ON-1 with DP and Jake Bockoven (Hour 2)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It's time to go one-on-one with D.P. Coming at you live from the heart of Lincoln America, a 93-7-the-ticket and the ticketfm.com. Here is your host, Derek Pearson, brought to by Canopy Street Market. Hour number two, one-on-one. Appreciate you hanging out with us this morning. It's noon, 1203 in Lincoln. On a Friday, you made it.

You made it through. Whatever you were dealing with this week, you made it true. You made it to fry. Now live a little. Exhale. Put your chest out, chin up. Put your heartbeat race. Well done.

Well done. Well done. All the starter hand in text line is 42464, 565. If you want to be a part of what we're doing, and you want to add to the conversation. You want to add to the conversation. Please do. Greatly appreciate it.

All the live video streams are available to you, Facebook, YouTube, X, Allo, Channel 961. You can download the ticket. app, if you would please, so that you can take us with you wherever you go. Greatly appreciate you for doing so. Bach, who brings hour number two to the ticket? What is the noon hour? And noon hour here means it's lunchtime.

And lunchtime at the ticket is sponsored by our friends at Mulberry Barbecue. Now with two great locations at 11th in Cornhusker and at 61st in Apple's Way, right off highway two over there by Lowe's. Both locations are open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. try their burnt-in sandwich, a brisket burrito, barbecue nachos, a full slab of ribs, a half-smoked chicken, and much, much more, plus incredible sides.

Get fueled for lunch today or make dinner plans at Mulberry Barbecue, located at 11th in Cornhusker and at 61st in Apples Way just off of Highway 2 by Lowe. We're going full nachos, I think. I think we're going full nachos. I think that would be the move. although, although full confession, a well-done burnt end

is a game-changer. It's a game-changer. And they run their burnt-end sandwich, which is an accumulation of it with slaw on top. And they really have really good slaw. That is the top price item that they have available is the burnt-end sandwich. So that's kind of the, that would be the thing.

So if you're going to try it this weekend, try to burn it. Go through. Let me know, let me know what you think. I'm okay with being wrong. They have dinner plates. You can get the quarter chicken meal or you can get the double quarter chicken meal. They have a rib and meat combo. If you choose to do that, full slabs of ribs.

Well, the rib of meat combo at 1850. You get the double quarter chicken meal. for 1425, chicken and ribs for 1925. They have a loaded mac and cheese. That's 1450. Half slab of ribs, $19.15, full slap, 33. You can get two meat, plates and meals. They have a mulberry feast.

Okay, let's go in it, Bach, the mulberry feast. Half slap ribs, and do sausage, smoke sausage, brisket, pulled pork, toast, and two large sides. It serves four people. for $61. Four people. Four full meals. All the fixes is good stuff.

$61. Mouth is watering. Okay. Okay. And they have a three, you can choose. They have a three meat combo, pulled pork, slice, turkey, brisket, sausage,

into a sausage. You can sub in the burnt ends for an additional $2, but you get all three meat for 1950. 2150, if you had to sub in the burnt, the burnt tips for anything. Yeah, sounds like a weekend plane. Sounds like a weekend plane.

We were up and down. Eric, I have to, listen, I'm sorry you're hungry, but that's literally why Mulberry advertisers is doing a lunchtime hour. They want you to think about coming to see them. Go and see them. It's a win. It's an absolute win. Promise you.

Good for you. Um, Bach, the NFL preseason fired you in last night and you got to see some football, some actually live action football. Um, and that Husker football doesn't, doesn't have the outside competition until August 28. So having access to football being contested at that level is important, right? You would, you would like to see. How much more of the Huskers do you want in your, in your day? How much more of the Husker training camp do you want in your day?

I mean, I would take as much as they would show me. Would you, so that was the point. Would you watch streaming? Yeah, absolutely. Right. So if somebody posts a 10-minute video every day from practice, you're watching the full 10 minutes. Well, I'll be honest.

I've been to, you know, I've been to enough practices where not the whole practice. I would be particularly interested, obviously, when they get into the kind of the scrimmages. You know, certain parts of practice might be more interesting and intriguing than others. But, I mean, if you did the best 10 minutes, absolutely. Well, they're purposeful and not allowing you to see the best 10 minutes. Right, right. Like, you can film and record warmups, indie drill, right, where you can kind of see some of the things that are being taught, get a lot of the verbiage, the messaging, right?

as they get folks to transition. You get a lot of transition during the, during the shoot session at practice. How much do you pay attention to depth charts? Oh, I love depth charts. I mean, especially when you're, especially when there's not much else to do, right? That's what we can kind of poke around and say,

well, well, here's it. You know, who's going to be moving up the spots here? And there's always, you know, I always love the first week because there's usually a surprise or two amongst the dev chart. And it's always, rarely is it even at number one. Sometimes it is. But just where people rank compared to the preconceived notion, I think, going into camp.

If we said that Rayola, Dillon-Riole is the top quarterback, how much, where do you stand on quarterback to? Who gives you the most curiosity and question? Well, Jalen Grimstad appears to be, you know, at least, It feels like he's that guy. They talked to convince him into coming back, or he looks like he could be a coach down the line. I think that's just intriguing enough story in and of itself, right?

You know, kind of coming from a lower level to see if he can punch up. Obviously, you kind of think about, you know, perhaps the future. And in a T.J. Latif, at least the guy that they, you know, you put a lot into. So he seems to be getting a lot of attention. But, yeah, I mean, I would say. between those two, though, you know, transfer over from Purdue, not to be forgotten about either. So through all of it, right, if you go through the positions and starters, or at least those contending to start, in the running back room, it looks similar in that

Emmett Johnson is the guy running backs two, three, two and three for you. What's the curiosity? What name pops to mind? I think the new curiosity is, is Mozy, who just, you know, Isaiah Mozy, who just, I should say, transferred, switched positions over there. Yeah. I think that that's more intriguing than anything. Generian Parker, if he would have been healthy, I think would have been intriguing. I think Connor Booth's, and a fascinating story, again, talking about coming from Class C,

now to Big Ten football. But there's also the guys that maybe less intriguing because they've been here, but maybe it's time to, you know, kind of look at him a little bit more in Quint Knives, who's probably the favorite, obviously, to get the. number two spots, been a little bit banged up here in practice so far. And Mackay Nelson, who I've heard a lot about, you know, a lot of good things about from, you know, different whispers of Husker circles, but still kind of waiting to see it on the field. It, we're at that point where the folks who are marched in front of the media post-practice,

certainly play into it. And often, uh, the coordinators, analysts, consultants, uh, group leaders start to talk. and start to give you names to feed. And it's kind of like the Cleveland Brown situation and trying to figure out, are they leading you into something on purpose or are they misdirecting you, right? Are they giving you a name to let you know, okay, you guys need to get your eyes on this young man.

This may be a different thing, right? Can you do that? I'll ask you that about the tight end position because I need for you to tell me which tight end in order, how do they intrigue you lindenmeyer harbord carter nelson that that is a tough one on its own because they're all very intriguing um in every which way i think harburg is probably the most i mean the guy that started at quarterback games at nebraska you know the eyes are on that position um in fact had a five and three record as a starter at nebraska three big ten wins at quarterback and i've still just fascinated

with his whole story and to stay loyal and the state with the Husker in on his on his helmet because I think he probably could have got some interest in in the in the transfer portal as quarterback and we know what that means these days. That means there was probably some would have been some money involved in it too. And so in my mind, he's taken, he's gambled on himself to be the athlete that he is and turn, you know, it has a short time period to turn around his, you know, this position changed at tied in to an NFL career. And so it's crazy because he just doesn't have, you know, a long history of showing off what he can do.

Yet a lot of people would say he would be one of their biggest projections to be maybe drafted next year. And so there's just a lot to be expected with him to make those strides not just throughout the season, but, you know, to begin with. Then throw in Carter Nelson. The off-season hip surgery obviously throws in more insured. intrigue to see if he can, you know, return to full form. But, I mean, this is a, what more do you need?

Eight man football, Alabama coming in to see him Nebraska lands him. That sort of stuff is fascinating. Then I like Luke Lindenmeyer specifically because he's, in my mind, at the top of the debt chart right now. And, you know, he finished that way last season. And he's specifically, and I love when, when tight ends do this, it said, don't just think of me as a blocking tight end.

You know, so he's got some intrigue himself to not, maybe mostly just to defend off these guys, these incredible athletes that are behind him. So I think they're all incredibly intriguing and to choose among which of them is going to start at tight end or in the season at tight end. It's tough. I'm going to ask you to pick one that will show.

If we follow their season, it will tell us about the offensive success of the Huskers. See, that's where I think Harburg and Carter Nelson, and both have maybe higher ceilings, maybe, if you will, just because of their athleticism. If they can pop off and be a big part of the offense, I think that means bigger things for the offense. But I think, and so that's kind of hard,

because if they do that, then maybe they surpass Lyndon Meyer at least as far as targets and stuff like that. But Lindemeyer at least kind of gives me a good guide of what, what it's going to look like, I think, because to me he is going to get some playing time out there. It might not be the first target among the group, or he might be.

So I would Talk about a fascinating position What's some tough questions to answer I would say Harburg I suppose As I come to a conclusion I was going to go with Lyndon Meyer But like I said I mean if somebody does surpass him

Then it's hard to track You know because as tied in number one You can have different set of numbers Than tied in number two expectation Yeah I Meeting the young man and meeting Lyndon Meyer and then to hear coaches talk about Lyndon Meyer as a team leader. That says a lot because he's in a group where, I don't know,

a guy that started at quarterback last year from a leadership standpoint should have the advantage when it comes to that particular group. But no, it's Luke Lindenmeyer that's leading as a team leader and leading group, which I find intriguing. And then you talk about the athletic ability. Everybody will tell you how athletic Cardinaloa. They'll tell you how athletic Hyman Harburg is. But Linda Meyer was a basketball player first.

Like, this is a big young man. This is a big, impressive-looking young man. So athletically, he falls right in line. I'm to say that you have three legitimate athletes in full at the tight-in position, and one of them appears to be leading group. So I find it interesting that this is what we're talking about. The receiver position offers some of the same questions. Same questions.

If Dane Key and Hunter are and Barney are receivers 1A, B, and C. And I think that's a fair definition of them. That 1A, B, and C, who's 1A? Who is the one that, who's the straw that stirs the drink at the receiver position between those three? I would say Dane Key, based on his, his proven history year after year. But I still feel like again, it kind of goes back to the potential. If you can unlock another level of Jacori Barney, oh boy. I'm fascinated that even out of his own mouth in discussing that he, he wants the ball on punt returns.

he wants the ball and kick returns because he wants to make plays. His mission is to lead the Big Ten and leave the country in returns in both of those. And then, oh, by the way, we would try to figure out how to get the ball in his hands to help this offense. And to say that, listen, I'm not sure how it's going to play out and how they're going to position it or scheme it. But one of those three are going to get a nickel back. They're going to get the third best cover corner. and figuring out how to maneuver and take advantage of that is the responsibility Dana Holgerson.

And the attack plan might be pretty interesting to think that you have Emmett coming out of the backfield, three capable pass catching tight ends. Sometimes in some of those cases, you can create a disadvantage versus the defense with using two of these route running tight ends and a running back flowing out of the backfield because what does it mean?

It means the linebacker who may not be your fourth or fifth best player on the defense having to defend a pass catcher in open space as a later option. Pretty interesting stuff. Then who are the next receivers? And that's, we haven't talked about Bonner much this offseason. This was a guy that got tons of reps. They like getting the ball in his hands,

especially in the red zone. right he was really good getting to the corner and the flats in the end zone what are your thoughts the next group of receivers yeah i mean that's it's quite a big question right i mean bonner like you said i think he's proven enough um and is a is a big enough weapon that he's got to be included in that group um and then there's just there's just so much potential in that room between when clark and keelan smith you know you're getting kind of good reports out of out of those guys as kind of, you know, tall wide receivers playmaking wide receivers, you know, obviously with some lineage to him.

You also got, you know, Cortez Mills, a couple freshmen in there to kind of try to compete for playing time. And then I think the one that gets forgotten about a little bit is Demetrius Bell, who was expected to play a big role last year before the spring game injury. If he's back to full go, he was, again, among their best wide receivers last year entering the season, should be able to compete for some playing time there as well. Yeah, the numbers, and I have to remind, I hate that I have to remind people that injuries often to determine rotations and depth charts along the way, whether it be, you know, the Cleveland Browns,

listen, the high repetition of training camp wears people out. Their depth chart is all over the place when it comes to that. The same applies for Nebraska, that the debt chart is the accumulation of offseason work, knowledge of system, production at this level, and then wins and losses at training camp. And those are things. It adjust every day that, quite frankly, Jacori Barney could have an A-plus day on Monday

come out and struggle in a certain sequence of things that they're working on. It could be where they're working on middle half of the field or top of the route work. And if that's not your specialty, you're not going to grade out the way you would if you're living in your specialty. It's just the way it works out. Bach, the offensive line, let me do it this way, that Teddy Perhaska, Turner Corkren, Sam Sledge,

Gunnaker Tullough, if we said that in June of last year, we gave those four names and said, that's the Husker offensive line, where do we go? how do you feel about it? What would you say? I'd been a little bit nervous with, you know, I wouldn't have a seen Gatula by then. But, I mean, I think there's a lot of guys that have had some experience in that group, too. So it wouldn't be, I wouldn't be running away with it. But, I mean, you'd have some experience coming back among that group.

Well, that's two redshirt seniors, right? long experienced players players with there's more starts there's more Husker starts and Big Ten starts in those two players than the rest of the group combined so if that's the case with Phraska and Corker Sledge getting work and moving himself up Gatola we we're familiar with the name and we saw him get some work now let me add to that that Elijah Pritchit comes in, he's a redshirt junior, transferred in, Henry Lottoski, a redshirt senior, Justin Evans as a red shirt junior, Rocco, Spindler being brought in as a transferer in a red shirt senior,

Tyler Kinnak as a red shirt junior. Looking at that group of five plus Pajaska, Corkran, Sledge, Cotola, etc. How do you feel about the offensive? want. I feel like there's a lot of depth with what you said there. And usually that competition is going to push these guys upwards. I would specifically say I'm obviously interested in tackles. I mean, Nebraska has kind of had the same tackles for several years now. Ben Hart now moving on. Corcoran, obviously, injury prevents that. So he's kind of sticking around. But we'll see if, you know, what role that's in. You know, so it's nice to have a lot of depth. It's good to have a lot of

names in the group, but can you get two really solid starting tackles out of it? And Nebraska's it's always one. Nebraska's offensive line since, you know, the pipeline days have passed. It's always kind of been for nine of the 12 games of the year that the offensive line's pretty solid. Not every year, right, but, you know, more often than not. And then it's those Ohio states, those Penn states, when you're seeing a little bit of a different level of edge rusher.

And so, again, that would be my question is when I say. But I'm saying tackles and maybe like pointing that out as a problem over the years, it's not in a majority of the game. And the majority of the games, they're getting it done. It's when you go up against that top level competition. How would you line up that group of five? How would you line up?

People have talked about Justin Evans at Center, either of the guard positions, Spindler as a center a year ago for Notre Dame, his ability to play guard may be part of the transfer conversation, why you want to come here. If you stay at Notre Dame, you're going to do what you did. If you move and change locations,

you can move some things. And he's talked about how talented he thinks this group is. How would you line up? Is Latovsky a guard? How would you lay it out? Well, I like the way that, I mean, I got to trust what they did. Obviously, like you said,

you know, you have some pieces to decide with there at center. But I like the fact if you got Evans at center, remember, they feel really highly about Justin Evans in his potential at that position. And then you have, you know, Latovsky and Spindler at the, at the guard positions. I think you feel pretty good about that. And then again, it's those tackles. Pritchett has all the, all the talent in the world.

Is he ready to take that next step? Nebraska needs him to. Then you talk about, I kind of like Gunnar Gertula. I thought for a young guy, he played pretty well. I haven't got enough of a look at Tyler Kinnack to really, say one way or the other. So I'd have to, you know, in my own, mind. I'd probably go with Kutula there because I haven't seen Nick, but I can't wait to see what he, what he has. And they clearly like what he's able to do if they're lining him up

at tackle. So, you know, I guess it might be a slightly different, but if I got a little bit more of a view on Kineck specifically, then I think that it would probably be around the same of what of what I perceive to be maybe the start in the offensive line. But I also, when we talk about that debt chart coming up, that's what I'm particularly intrigued by is the offensive line the way we think it is the way that we perceive it to be right now. I just think it's so vitally important for the two line groups to elevate themselves in the Big Ten conversation. Both groups, I can't say enough, both groups have to be in the top six,

in the top third of the Big Ten Conference for Nebraska to have the kind of season that the fans want them to have, that they want to have for themselves. The possibility of it is the question. We'll take a break. We'll come back. We'll talk about the defensive group. We'll start about it. Start with that defensive line group. Can they reach top third of the Big Ten status? Can they play at a level that allows them to compete at the top third of the Big Ten conference? We'll ask those questions and we'll take your opinions on it when we come back. Watch live on Facebook, YouTube, or Twitch. You're listening to one-on-one with DP on 93-7 The Ticket and The Ticketfm.com. Welcome back. Talking to the black shirt, black shirt says, listen, we're going to do the jersey.

Names got to be on the back, man. The names are going to have to be on the back, wow. Straight from a Hall of Fame. So that's not a DP thing. That's, you know. That's when you start to wonder, you know, can you have two number 30s up there? You can put Amon Green's up there, Rozier, a couple number sevens up there. In space.

Got the announcement from the Remington Trophy, 2025 watch list of folks that are in play. From the Big Ten conference. Let's see what we got here. Oregon, Iowa, Indiana. Michigan State, Rutgers, Wisconsin, Ohio State. Nobody from Nebraska. Nobody from Nebraska made the watch list. Hi, Penny, from Oregon, the junior,

and Logan Jones from Iowa. Pat Coogan from Indiana. Matt Goulbin of Michigan State, who's a Richard Senior as well. senior Gus Zelenskis of Rutgers, Jake Renfro of Wisconsin, and Carson Hensman of Ohio State. Michigan also did not make the list, kind, sir. No USC lineman made the watch list. Interesting.

Interesting. Man, there were some independent folks who made it in. The SEC had eight members. So seven. So seven, the Big 12 had the most representation. Shocker. Although Utah could have a couple of folks if they really so chose. That is a talented Utah offensive line group.

I'm stunned that none of the Penn State Biggs made the watchlinks. So it's in play. I'm not mad at it, but it's in play. So we read it and go along. Bach, we were talking about the offensive line and the importance. And then the defensive line and then that side of it, that your comfort level, what's the scale you want to use? What scale do you want to use?

You want to use the star system, the five-star system. Do you want to use the one through ten? Bach, what do you? How do you want to do you? One through ten gives you a little more anyway. Is this a five-star defensive line? I'll ask it, though. Let me go back, though.

One through five, what star is the offensive line group rated at? What would you rate then? Three-star? Three and a half-star? I think three, yeah. Three-star. Camelan Hart, Rally Van Pappel, Elijah Judy are the three names, but we have some work behind it.

What are your thoughts on that three? Yeah, I mean, I think that that's at least guys that we've seen right before and no, although maybe limited or in flashes, specifically with Elijah Judy. He's been rotating in and out the last couple of years, Cam Linhard, obviously the same way, maybe had a bigger freshman year than sophomore year. And then Van Pappel, who looked like he could be a contributor last year and they decided to redshirt him and still got him in on the first year. those games. So it's good that we've seen enough of those guys. Of course, it's all about the shoes they're filling, right? I mean, that's that's kind of the discussion with the defensive line group, Ty and Nash out the door. These guys coming in, you know, and can you be those guys? Remember, at one time, Matt Ruehl said they were red-sthooting Riley Van Popple to be the next Ty Robinson.

That's, again, big shoes to fill. So we'll see. I mean, I think you, I think you feel solid about that. To say that that's the three that are the names that are most familiar, who else from the defensive line group gives you positive curiosity? I think that maybe Keona Davis might have the highest ceiling of all of them, perhaps. I mean, there's, there's some pretty good guys in there in that room as well. But, you know, he flashed a lot last year. And then they made, you know, he was flirting with going to the portal. I can't remember how exactly went. Some of those guys were flirting with going to the portal. And actually. and some of them actually went in.

But in any case, apparently a big enough priority to Nebraska to go back in there and get him. And I think so. I mean, I think he's going to probably be one of the starters up front and break into that rotation. Or he's already in the rotation,

but I think, you know, kind of more prominently in that rotation. And then, of course, you know, we're going through these systems. It's hard to get laid land of any five stars, but they do have a five star in the room in Williams,

Wini. And, you know, again, You know, maybe perhaps he went to a top 25 program in Missouri. Perhaps it wasn't as easy the transition from high school to college ball as maybe he had hoped. Maybe it's some other of the pundits have hoped. So, you know, you're always going to wonder.

But he's definitely, he's, what do you call it? All the first guy to get off the bus. He wins the all walkoff team. Yeah, he's got the athleticism. So, I mean, again, when you talk about ceilings, if he can turn out to be, you know, even give Nebraska what James Williams maybe gave them. As a past rushing specialist, I think that could be very beneficial for this team. Is this one of those where you think they're rotationally, this will be the identity of this group,

that this room is a rotation group? See, I think that there are spots maybe where that's more the case. but I mean, I'm, we'll say, I mean, I really do. I believe a lot in Riley Van Popple and Keona Davis. I think those guys are going to be some mainstays on, on this front line. From there, again, we'll see. Camelinhardt, to be able to step in and play as a freshman as he did on the defensive line, that's stuff to do in general.

But again, maybe didn't follow that up with the sophomore breakout season that you would want. So, I mean, he's kind of right, right behind those guys. but I really think Van Poplin Davis, if, you know, no injuries, anything kind of gets in the way there, those, I mean, they, along with Oneere, when you kind of look at the pictures of them, they kind of look, they look the part, right?

So can you play the part? It's a different question, but man, they've got some good, big athletic bodies in there. So in the stand-up and the boundary and run-fit guys, there are some number-to-number, sideline type of defenders in the second line. And I'll start it this way because it strikes me that Vincent Schaevers Jr., Gates Stinger and Willis McGeigh of the fourth, all provide some curiosity, some natural

curiosity as to who they are and how they're going to be utilized. What are your thoughts on those three? Yeah, we'll see. I mean, especially Vincent Schavers Jr. I mean, he looks really good, really starting to come into his own. again, we talk about freshmen getting that playing time toward the end of the season, maybe a better idea of what they're going to look like those last few games going into their sophomore year. And, you know, he's among the team's leading tacklers in that bowl game and just seems to kind of be a natural fit for that linebacker unit.

They've got some other young freshman in here that along those lines that I'd be interested to see if they can kind of follow that up this season as well. It's kind of be this year's version of Vincent Schavers. but, you know, he's definitely among that group. And then, you know, you kind of look at Willis McGahey, particularly in that edge rushing spot or the jack linebackers as they, as they term it, obviously comes from good stock. And he too started to get more playing time toward the end of that last season. And both of them look a little bit more, you know, familiar or comfortable with what they're doing out there.

So we'll see. I mean, again, don't take too much. from what you see at times, but I think in the open practice, Shavers and McGehee were both with the first unit. So that tells you a lot about the upside, not just the upside, but where they think they are right now. Do they look the part of being prepared for a Big Ten full, season full run?

Are they built that way? Do you think that they look like Big Ten backers? I think it's stuff to kind of think about what you normally think about that, right? like Marquis Watson, Trent might not be the guy that looks that way, right? So, you know, you can get it done with different body types, as we know, Levanti, David, Terrell Farley, that sort of thing. So it can be hard. There's less Carlos Polks, you know, big giant linebackers than there used to be.

So, yeah, I mean, I think they, I think they've got the body sport. Do you think that the McCullough, Watson, Trent, Javanwright, Andrew Marshall group, gives you more comfort this year than you had last year or vice versa. I think it's, I think it's probably more comfort. I think I'm watching Twitter specifically, you know, you probably,

and my guess is at least my bet it would be, you probably went on and got your leading tackler based on what he was able to do, you know, clearly has a nose for the ball there, you know, and conference player of the year. I don't think, I feel like that he's somewhat under,

underlooked even going into the season. get a conference, if it's a player of the year from any conference, and they're ready to go out and prove their spot. And that's part of it, too, is he's probably got a chip on his shoulder. Now, again, you go back to it as he, does he look like, you know, is he, he's going to be hovering over guys? No, he's not the biggest guy. But, you know, and then Javan Wright, if, I mean, man, let's just, let's just hope he can get a healthy run at it. He finally looked to be appeared to do that last year. And of course, we know the problems that that kind of popped up there. But he's been, he's flash certainly throughout his career as a playmaking linebacker.

And so, I mean, I think that could be exciting. Desaun McColl is almost the most interesting one to me. Because like I said, I think he's going to be competing with McGahey. And we'll see. It doesn't, again, who starts the first day, might not start the next day. But I'm just so intrigued by him because people, you know, obviously, you love his film. Again, athletic body type moved around a lot. and so, you know, now finally kind of fitting into a position,

there seems to be, I guess, between him and Marquis Watson, Trent, my read would be a lot of more expectation on, I don't want to say a lot more, but just more maybe high-end expectation of McCullough than Watson Trent, when in my mind, Watson Trent has a lot more, have done a lot more proving. Well, I mean, to hear the coaches, including that rule, talk about the professionalism and the fact that they're showing,

up prepared, workmanlike, you know, they're using all the blue collar, a hard hat discussion about coming in and doing the work. And this is, and I think you have to point out that and remind folks, you're talking about the Big Ten. So the linebacker play is vital. No matter what level of this thing you want to be, you need guys who can do everything at a Big Ten level. And that's different.

Whether that's Run Fit, again, run fit in September. is different than run fit in November. We know, okay, your toughness level, your ability to stick it out and remain physical when it's 15 degrees versus 75 degrees. How do you deal with it? Can you handle being in the snow as much as you can handle being in Westwood in November? That's a Big Ten linebacker play. And it's important.

The same thing can be said about the last group. And we talk about the numbers that the shift. that the sheer numbers of the defensive back group make an interesting conversation. And Bach, I do want to spend some time in the special teams group. I want to spend time in it because this coaching staff has made a point to say that, listen, last year and the last couple of years, Nebraska went as the special teams went. When the special teams played well, Nebraska did well. When they did not, Nebraska struggled.

So we have to look at those rooms. key vital opportunities, big time positions where that, that thing that has been past Nebraska special teams, we hope it's gone. We hope it's got. We would like to be able to count on playmakers in the return game, being able to get opponents to the ground, and making the kicks that are required in critical moments.

But we'll talk about that and the defensive back group when we come back. Download our app by searching 93.7. in the ticket in your app store. You're listening to one-on-one with DP on 93-7 the ticket and the ticket FM.com. You're listening to one-on-one with DP. Brought to you by Canopy Street Market. On 93-7 the ticket in the ticket FM.com.

It's Friday. Paint your face. Go into your weekend as a warrior weekend. An ultimate warrior weekend, bot. Paint your face, pump up the biceps. Time up, put the boots on. Go running around your office, running around your, your house,

running around your neighborhood, with a pain to face, do it. It's the ultimate warrior we get. That would be the only proper way to go through this. Greatly appreciate it. Bach, um, we're covered the offense and most of the defense,

but this defensive back group, familiar names, there's a lot of talk. about the second group. Like, you know, a group of five is one thing. Then you get into the particulars, right? I mean, the Jack linebacker certainly plays into it. But then there are names when you talk about Derek Brandt

being familiar in this area, Bly Hill being familiar at the outside edge. Mario Buford, I mean, again, his brother's in the building. Mari Sanders, Caleb Benning, of course, within the building and in the conversation. that those young men all talented, all growing, all developing. Is that a statement about how good this group is? I think so.

I mean, I think there's so many spots around this team where it feels like there's more depth than maybe there has been in previous years. And they got to get ready for it, though, because, you know, it's nice to have, you know, all these seniors coming back this year. What's that mean for next year? Well, it means you better get the,

better get the guys they're going to fill in next year ready. And Nebraska is in a position to do so to rotate those guys in this year. Or maybe some of the other guys just come up and take some jobs. Who really knows? But it is, I think we feel, I think a lot of people feel pretty darn good about a lot of the names in the secondary. The one question mark, of course, is the cornerback spot opposite of Sierra right, where maybe Andrew Marshall is a favorite to slide in there. But like you're kind of saying, there's plenty.

names in the in the in the in the group that maybe not from the transfer portal um from last season that started specifically you know like you said the bennings that the donovan jones that got the the looks in in the pinstrapful does this group reach four star status or they just at three and a half yeah i mean i'd probably still say three and a half i think they still need to take that next step um and and and and whatever that might be now they had um i think last year had several pick sixes that's that's not a given that's tough to do um so you got to give them credit where where credit is due but yeah i don't know i feel like there's still there's still a level to unlock it because a lot of people too feel and then in the same way they did take a little bit of a

step back last year to the previous year so at least they feel like there's room to get back to where they were a couple years ago yeah the rotation will matter um injuries staying injury free uh certainly well matters well. Bach, we will close out this hour and set you up for Bach in the Blackshirt with this. How many stars do you give the special team's room? One. I think there's a lot of potential there, but based on what I saw last year, that was

the worst special teams performance I've seen at any level of football. And that's a problem. That in the big 10, and Matt Ruhl said it. At press around Monday. That was the standard. They understood that as the special teams win, the Huskers went. and it's important to elevate this group. This cannot be a one-star group. You need to have returners to give you positive yardage. You need to keep Big Ten teams on their half of field when you can do so in the kicking game, make the big kicks when needed, don't allow big yardage

and returns, and not put your players at risk, not put your players at risk. So it'll be interesting to see, Bach. A one star at the special team's conversation is tough. It's tough. So that is the thing to circle as they go through the week. I know Jay sent a message. He said he's going to have you pull some of the audio from today's pressure, if you would for old school to get it all set up is there. But up next, Bach, the black shirt, Thorel Farley. He's in the building. Box's in the building. They will carry you through to 3 o'clock here on 937, the ticket.