1-on-1 with DP – 93.7 The Ticket KNTK - Who needs to step up for Nebraska in the bowl game: December 31, 11:00am

Episode Date: December 31, 2025

During the Las Vegas Bowl, who needs to take the next step to help the Cornhuskers against Utah. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

it is a game day Vegas old it is fantastic to be with you setting up for the pregame show the 8-1 on a little bit of a pre-game show to follow in an hour Bachman on the board

greatly appreciate you brother for doing what you do 4246404 in here with you on one-on-one VP I don't know if you can hear me but we are having trouble hearing you unfortunately so we will have to get that reset here again but that is fine as we're working I can hear you now yeah I think you can hear me now still struggling to hear you there so let's see if we can get to it now we can probably hear you well we'll keep trying I don't know what it is I'll still having trouble so we'll see how it goes here as we're probably going to get DP to switch in and switch out but DP is

Live from Las Vegas, so as we get bull season, our bull games kicked off today, Iowa already on the board against Vanderbilt. Of course, Nebraska got their big bowl game in Vegas later today against Utah. We'll go ahead and take this chance to go ahead and thank our sponsors here on the show today. Today's show is sponsored by Hamilton Telecommunications, bringing you the latest in, excuse me, bringing you the latest quality technology and communication services since 1901. Whether it's residential or business, Hamilton has the answers. Visit hamilton tell.com for more info today. Deep feedback in the room.

Can we hear you now? Let's hope that you can hear me now. Some reason we're still having trouble hearing you, D.P. I'll go back out again. I just can't, unfortunately, try to tell me something. I just can't tell what he's saying, but we will figure it out. I see some of the comments here. They say that we can hear both of them.

So maybe that's just something on my end as we continue. So we'll get D.P. back in here. As long as he's talking, that's good news. As long as you can hear him, I will figure out what is going on on my end. So we'll see if he can get back in there. Thank you to everybody out there on the text line that let me know that at least you guys can hear him. Don't see what button I'm not. There's probably a button missing here somewhere.

So we'll get Derek Pearson in back in with us. And we can get it work it out that way. But again, of course, it is a big day for Nebraska taking on Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. will continue to talk about it and I can see too on the text line that you can also hear from from him on FM as well so again there just seems to be my headphones are disconnected or something but I could hear the music so whatever it is technology glitches in the way but but it happens and again we'll get Derek Pearson back on with us here momentarily DP I'll go ahead I think it's something on my end so they can hear you speak and I'll figure it out yeah

know we got it figured out i was i was hitting buttons over here to figure out uh what was happening here i thought maybe you know Vegas had taken over uh but it is uh it's interesting it was an interesting night here in Vegas um there's big huge pep rally uh down on fremont um and one they put on heck of a show. So kudos to Vegas and the folks from from bowl committee for what they're what they put on. This is pretty big event. Lots of of red. Of course, the youths showed up. Husker fans showed up, a lot of ticket fans were in the crowd, a lot of engagement. Pretty cool to know that what the reach is and how, of course, Nebraska fans show up. So it'll be a pretty interesting. The vibe has been pretty interesting. I talked to some Utah media folks this morning, and they have a lot of the

same questions that Huska fans have. Again, this is kind of a different deal for them, different leadership. I mean, it's brand new. That, I mean, they're familiar with Morgan Scally. He knows the system. He knows where all the bells and whistles are. But when you change headsets, it changes the chemistry and it changes the communication. Having somebody that had been in that headset for as long as Kyle Whittingham was. A lot of the things that need to be done over the course of a game day week

fell in directly in the hands and we're on the back of Kyle Whittingham. Morgan Fiali's able and capable. That's not my not their question nor is it mine. But how

things lay out. There's a lot of talk for the youths about what coaches are going to leave and go with Kyle with Kyle Whittinghamton, Michigan, what changes need to be made in the in the and the the staff that's returning. The players that are that are not going to play and of course with the transfer portal, how many of the current Utah players are auditioning for Michigan or planning to leave in Michigan or anywhere else for that matter. So they've got questions on their side of the ball and the Husker side of the ball,

T.J. Lateef is a full go. He's a full green flag. He feels healthy enough to put this thing in full, well, they'll have the full playbook for him. He'll be able to run all the bells, whistles, and gadgets. I would imagine some gadgets show up early in today's game to kind of see what Utah's reaction and response will be. And also to get a rhythm. And a lot of the local conversation for the for the huskers was on two things one um kudos uh to derrick branch getting his black shirt which was great news for that young man and his family uh saw him last night he that's that's a that's a pretty good deal for for the special team's captain team captain um to get that honor um deservedly so um but the second part is

where do our eyes go when it comes to Nebraska offensively, what the expectation is? I can tell you that from Husker fans in Las Vegas, a lot of the question is can we see, can we let T.J. Lateef go. Can we let him be fully T.J. Latif? And by that, it's the question of,

Can he, will he actually RPO in full? Will he be explosive with the football, you know, get into space? Can he create some advantages? And then is this a breakout game? The local Husker fans were thinking Luke Lindenmeyer is the safety blanket. And when you don't know what you have elsewhere, you go to the safety blanket. And the easiest throw that T.J. Lateef can make is Luke Lennon Meyer. So we expect that to help him get into rhythm.

and get some blood flow going. And then the explosiveness. Bach, it becomes a question of, does, is this a game for Isaiah Hunter? Is this a Jacori Barney? Is this a special team's game? We don't know what to expect of the run game. I think they have a,

the team has a pretty good idea. I'm not sure that the Husker fans have a real good idea about what to expect from the run game. And is it, will it be the run game? game that we saw with Emma Johnson back there, or is it a different kind of, are we hitting different things or different types of runners? There's lots of questions there. Defensively, both sides, both sidelines have, they feel pretty good about the schemes. Then it becomes about individual matchups and who executes and who can. Utah likes, it's, they think they have a

power advantage. But listening to Nebraska defenders talk about their ability to run and be physical now. There's almost a theory of freedom. Freedom being able to be able

to go run, play hit. So it's been interesting to hear the conversations. Again, the prep, pep rally. I don't know how many people, Fremont Street holds. But my goodness, it was packed. And um the energy was great the bands were both bands were there both tier squires were there um players

got up of course derrick branch got up and talked to uh to the fans um he and coach eckler and there's a bit of fanaticism when it comes to coach mike eckler uh that that that that husker fan base really reacted and responded when he when he came out last night um so it It's a great vibe. Everything is in place for something good to happen here for the Huskers. Now, theory and scheme and jimmies and Joe's, all those things, all those things can line up. But what happens today is on a pretty big stage in an NFL stadium with lots of glitter and unicorns and skittles falling from the sky, you've got to play football. And you've got to play football against some folks that Utah has some questions.

They have some things that they have to find out about themselves. Who they're going to be? Who's going to step up? They kind of know they've got their offensive playmakers in place. They've got some bigs up front that are on both sides of the ball that are going to be out. But they're going to stay true to who they are. And I think they are more comfortable in their identity than maybe Husker fans. are in what we're going to see offensively.

So it'll be some interesting, some things in place. And, Bach, I don't know if you had the opportunity to dive into it. But there were a lot of, there were a lot of questions, Bach, about what the expectation was from Husker fans. And Husker fans had lots of questions. You know, walk through the casinos, you walk on the streets. and the Husker friends. I was dressed in Husker Red yesterday,

so I was easy to identify. And a lot of people came up. And again, shout out to the ticket fans who traveled to Vegas and made themselves known and available to us. But Bach, here was the question that was asked of me that I really didn't have a simple, easy answer to.

Who has to be the offensive? for Nebraska today for a win to happen and I didn't have I the easy answer of course is quarterback because he's going to have the ball the most but I'm not sure it's that simple who's going to help him so Bach I will ask you in your mind what what player what Nebraska offensive player known or not known familiar and not familiar is going to have to have a day for Nebraska to get a win well it's tough to tell because like you said, I mean, the running back position, you're kind of picking between, you know, I've got just as good a guess about who would reach 100 as who's going

to get the snaps, right? So it's just tough to tell there if you're going by name there. I don't know if you've heard anything. I've seen such a couple rumblings about an Isaiah Hunter's availability. I'm still kind of looking to nail down anything there. Obviously, I think he would be a guy that we've seen breakout, the leading receiver for Nebraska this year. So if he's available. That would definitely be one. Jacory Barney, another name, obviously, that it's had a few breakout games or big time performances

that I would think of. You mentioned Luke Lindenmeyer. I think that one's surprised that he wasn't as more utilized with the true freshman quarterback down the stretch, you know, with a little bit more time to kind of game plan and really, I don't say rebuild

the offense, but kind of reshuffle what you're thinking there. I would be surprised if he's not you know, at least, you know, four or five catches, 40 yards today. I mean, I would definitely try to lean into Luke Lindenmeyer. I don't know if that type of performance would necessarily be the biggest that would, that you're kind of looking for here. But again, it's just so hard to tell. That's why you, as you mentioned, there's so many questions going into this game

about the program, about the bull system, about college football, about Nebraska, just about everywhere on the field because of these coaching changes and different people wearing different. hats for this game. That's not even to mention the Utah side where their coach is off to Michigan. I mean, it is such a unique game as every one of these bowl games feels like. But for Nebraska, man, like I, like you said, I think the only pick that you can make safely might be T.J. Latif at this point.

But like you said, that's kind of the obvious answer. And it's not necessarily, doesn't have to be. If you can get a strong ground game going or even somewhat similar to what you had versus UCLA. Yes, he had a good game, but Emmett Johnson did a lot of that caring. So if you can do that or, you know, again, just hit some some underneath passes and, and let Barney and Hunter do a lot of the work with the blocking out there. They could be the answer to the big day, big day there. But it's, it's tough. And that's why it's hard to, to, because Emmett Johnson had become such an identity of this offense that it's hard to tell, like, what are they going to do without

him, keeping in mind the last couple of games even with Emmett Johnson? What are they? averaging 14 points in those games or something like that, you know, 10 and 6, I guess 13 points in those games. So yeah, it's a that I agree with you. I don't, I wouldn't even know, you know, you've got a few ideas, but it's hard to say. And so it might just have to be a team effort today. Yeah, the folks from Utah, I did a couple of radio spots, uh, the stations in, in Utah. And then, you know, I think we landed on the fact that, uh, if Utah doesn't beat itself, it's a tough matchout for Nebraska. If Utah doesn't go out and do 100% not Utah things, then then it is simplified.

Yeah, if Isaiah Hunter is out, that is one thing. But again, that's a part of the bowl game persona is you don't know who you have. You don't know who's going to step up. You're often going to have to rely on people who you haven't relied on or otherwise. But then the question becomes which group, which sideline is more familiar with people, the productive people that are next man up. And, you know, we've heard names from Nebraska about who receivers three, you know, four, five, and six are. But here's the thing. Can you trust them?

Can you rely on them? Will they be able to just? And look, bowl games are about execution. You can get cute. You can get into all the, you know, all the schematic stuff. But it's still blocking, tackling, and running. It really is. And the problem is Utah has a better hold on that, a better feel for it than Nebraska does, at least going into this thing.

Somebody asked the question earlier about how good this Utah team is and maybe, you know, how did Hustper fans feel about the point spread? Bach, I'll ask you that because my initial response was, I don't think. Husker fans are surprised by the points for it. I don't think they're disappointed or mad. Maybe mad that you're in the situation. Maybe you're mad that it could be true. Like it can actually be the thing that the appropriate point spread. But Bach, what say you on the point spread?

Are you surprised by it? Are you disappointed by it? Is it too large, too small? I think it's about right. And again, I think a lot of that isn't necessarily, I mean, I think it's just a much statement about Utah as it is Nebraska. But I think it's also just about the matchup that we have here in the Las Vegas Bowl. It's a team that was knocking on the door of the playoffs against the 7 and 5 team that dropped

their final two games. So, I mean, it's somewhat just situational. Though I will say, you know, I, I, and you're a big Utah guy, so I don't mean to offend anybody when I say this, is that I do think we put them a little bit on a pedestal. Not to say that I do think that there's a good potential that this does get or surpass that point spread, but I am wondering about. Utah a little bit going into this game, simply because if it's a game in the fourth quarter with that point spread, you know, some people would say, well, hey, maybe Nebraska did their job

because the point spread and they're at least keeping it close. And if you, you know, might lose it, whatever. Kansas and Kansas State both had leads going up against Utah, going into the fourth quarter in these last two games. And those are five and seven teams. So I think Utah's really good. I think that they, I wonder what's kind of happened down the last couple of games. Now, we know, you know, opt-outs and stuff like that. This isn't going to be the exact same Utah team. But, I mean, there's almost like this, you know, up in their first 10 games, right? There's the two loss against Texas Tech and VYU.

We know about those. Everybody else, they steamrolled destroyed. I mean, you're talking about 40, 43 points, but, you know, 45, 53 to 7, 55, 25, 20, 48, 45 to 14. And that's a key one because that's against Cincinnati. We know Nebraska played a close one with Cincinnati. I'm just a little intrigued that they struggled down the stretch those last two games. Was that kind of, you know, maybe some outside noise or inside noise about Kyle Whittingham and some pressure or something going on there?

I'm not quite sure. But I do think that that is something that maybe has been a little bit overlooked as we've built Utah up. And again, there's reason to build them up there knocking on the door of the playoffs. They've got the number two rushing teams. So there's a lot of stats that definitely go into that category. I'm just a little intrigued that they maybe we're playing with their food if you want to put it that way against Kansas State and Kansas. Yeah, I thought for a moment that in the match, I kind of saw this matchup happening before we got the end of season.

And so a lot of the discussions that were in play was, okay, what are the better matchups? And before we throw cotton candy at this Nebraska defense, they had, two really bad defensive days, two bad defensive days. But wait a minute, they held UCLA to 10 points. Like they got handled by a really good playoff Texas Tech team. They held West Virginia to 14 Arizona State, who was number 20 ranked at the time, held them to 10 points, held a really explosive BYU offensive team to 24 points. seven they held Colorado seven they held Cincinnati to 14 as you said and then they had the

you know what you finish the season with a 31 21 21 win over Kansas and then back-to-back wins of course Nebraska fans will give them credit from beating Kansas State and Kansas back-to-back to this season you don't want to you don't want to devalue that I think the big thing for me is we know more about who Utah is going to be in the players the coaching aspect of it is where my questions are and not because i don't trust morgan scally it's because i trust him so much that i i feel like he may make more changes than maybe he needs to um and again he knows his staff he knows who he thinks is going to stay who's got a got one you know got their backpacked already um you know there was conversation about

Jay Hill, some of their coordinators and group coaches, it may be a 50-50 ball on the coaches that stay and the coaches that go. And that makes for discomfort when it comes to players. That makes for distraction when it comes to players. It makes for a different rotation, maybe a different lineup, maybe a different play call in a critical situation. And those are opportunities for Nebraska to step up. They're in Nebraska's that new coaches too. So it's kind of just, this, this, this mishmash, a goulash of, of ingredients, it should be, it should be a good matchup. We won't know because there are things that we know. There are things that we think we know. Bach will toward a break. We'll come back. When I go through some of the things

that's got, I mean, this is, I did not, I did not know this. So I apologize. I didn't know that Utah was, that Nebraska was 500 in bowl games. And if I asked you how many bowl, how many different bowl games has Nebraska been to. I'd like your answer, Bob, when we come back one-on-one live from Vegas. Download our app by searching 93.7 the ticket in your app store.

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