Fred Hoiberg came away from Monday’s media session sounding bullish on his Nebraska basketball team, and the biggest takeaway was pretty simple: he likes what he has.
The Huskers’ head coach said he wanted to hear more from his group in practice, noting it “wasn’t as loud” as it was last season. Even so, several newcomers earned his attention. Boston College transfer Boden Kapke drew especially strong praise from Hoiberg, who described him as one of the team’s top leaders despite being new to the program.
Hoiberg also offered a peek at how Nebraska wants to play. The offense, he said, will be “more random” this season, which suggests fewer called sets. During Nebraska’s most recent scrimmage, Hoiberg said he only called a few plays.
A few other names stood out from that scrimmage. Sam Orme, the transfer expected to handle Nebraska’s four spot, knocked down five triples, according to Hoiberg. Trevan Leonhardt also got a mention, with Hoiberg calling him an “elite passer.”
Kapke’s shooting has apparently been a real plus in camp, too. Hoiberg said the big man has had days where he’s hit four or five 3-pointers.
Another player drawing a specific challenge from the coach is Braden Frager, the Big Ten’s Sixth Man of the Year. Hoiberg wants him to become more of a two-way player.
Frager echoed that theme when he met with the media, saying he wants to stay more “locked in” and not let his offense affect what happens on defense.
On the recruiting front, the latest 2027 quarterback buzz includes one notable development: four-star Brady Edmunds reaffirmed his commitment to Ohio State. There had been some concern that the Buckeyes might try to flip Trae Taylor at one point, but Edmunds now sounds firm in his pledge. Since Ohio State is not expected to take two quarterbacks, the situation appears to leave Nebraska in position to sign the top-ranked QB in the 2027 class.
Nebraska also added another offensive tackle target from Ohio in the 2028 cycle. Carson Adkins, a 6-foot-6, 305-pound lineman, picked up an offer from the Huskers recently. Indiana and Tennessee also offered him this month, and Penn State, Kentucky, Northwestern and Wisconsin have offered since May.
That marks the second offensive tackle Geep Wade has offered from Ohio in the 2028 class. Adkins still does not have an Ohio State offer, and he told Bryan Munson of Husker Online that he was “really excited” about Nebraska’s offer. He added that the Huskers like the way he “finishes blocks.”
Elsewhere around Nebraska athletics, Jordy Frahm received the Honda Award on Monday as the best player in women’s college softball. Frahm has also joined the Nebraska softball staff as an assistant coach and is expecting her first child.
And for Husker hoops fans, there’s another date to circle: Nebraska will play an exhibition game against Kansas State in Grand Island on October 26 at the BigIron Events Center.
“We have a lot of fans in central Nebraska and are excited to bring the Huskers to Grand Island,” Nebraska Coach Fred Hoiberg said. “With a third exhibition game, it provides us an opportunity to build our brand across the state, and we appreciate Head Coach Casey Alexander and the Wildcats for making this matchup happen. We have had a lot of great matchups with K-State over the years, including last year’s Hall of Fame Classic, and it should be a tremendous environment.”
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Nebraska May Have To Sacrifice Tradition To Stay Relevant
The arms race in college footballs new revenue world keeps nudging tradition into the background, and Nebraska is no exception. After Ohio State landed a jersey patch agreement reportedly worth about $17 million a year with JPMorgan Chase, a deal that may also carry NIL opportunities for athletes, the Cornhuskers are expected to explore a similar path as they look for ways to keep pace in a sport where branding and money now travel together.
For Nebraska, the conversation quickly turns from whether to do it to who could realistically do it. Runza has been floated as the most obvious local fit, while Mutual of Omaha has also come up as a more national option, but the bigger question is whether any partner can bring the kind of financial muscle needed to matter at the top end of the sport. That is where the tension sits for Nebraska, a program with deep identity and loyal support, now weighing how much of that tradition it may have to bend to stay relevant. [Read more 🡒]
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Rhule has not done enough yet to quiet the noise, and Nebraska fans are still waiting for the kind of steady winning run that changes the tone around the program. His future will be judged by whether the Huskers can take a real step forward this fall, with the bar set at more than seven wins and the sense growing that the margin for error is getting smaller. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas New Receiver Sees Something In Lincoln Fans Will Love
Kwazi Gilmers move from UCLA to Nebraska came with the kind of pitch that tends to resonate in Lincoln: a program with a big-stage feel, strong support around the team and a receivers coach he believes can help unlock his next step. Gilmer pointed to Daikiel Shorts as a major influence in his decision, and the fit makes sense for a pass catcher looking for a clearer path to growth after changing schools.
Gilmer also arrives with a quarterback situation he feels good about, saying he has confidence in Anthony Colandrea as he settles in with the Huskers. For Nebraska, that matters because the transfer is not just talking about opportunity, but about a place where he expects to develop and contribute right away, with the kind of fan backing and facility support that can make a new start feel a little bigger. [Read more 🡒]