Michigan’s latest mess is a reminder that winning games and running a clean operation are two very different things.
On Monday, Michigan released a summary of an exhaustive investigation into athletic director Warde Manuel and his department after former football coach Sherrone Moore’s meltdown, arrest and firing. The school said Manuel’s leadership was not the issue, but it also acknowledged the department did not respond fast enough once things started going wrong. Manuel will step down at the end of the calendar year.
Michigan said it could not release the full report because of “attorney-client privilege.” That explanation doesn’t hold much water, since the university is the client and can waive privilege. More likely, the full version would have looked worse than the summary the school chose to share.
The whole situation lands especially hard for Nebraska fans, given how the Cornhuskers have handled things over the last decade-plus. Nebraska has struggled badly, especially in football, but it has generally tried to do things the right way. Michigan, meanwhile, has collected two national titles in two different major sports in the last four years and still managed to turn its athletic department into a disaster.
There was also some Big Ten chatter with Nebraska fans in mind. Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz argued that the conference’s three straight national football titles came because the league plays a weak non-conference schedule. It’s not exactly clear how that logic explains teams like Indiana, Ohio State and Michigan rolling through the playoff, but Nebraska supporters can at least look at the Huskers’ own non-conference slate and feel pretty good about what’s ahead.
On the recruiting front, Nebraska got a boost from a pair of commits drawing national praise. Trae Taylor and Tay Ellis were recently named one of the best quarterback-wide receiver combinations in high school football across the country.
Andy Villamarzo reportedly ranked the Nebraska duo No. 6, and a recent On3 piece said they were the only committed pair headed to the same school. The buzz around them keeps building, and they’re going to be a blast to watch this fall at Millard South.
Nebraska also has a defensive line target worth watching in the 2028 class. Sam Hirschy, who recently picked up an offer from the Huskers, wants to see Memorial Stadium and the fan base in person.
“I know that they got some of the best fans in the country for college football,” he said. “I can’t wait to see the fans and the atmosphere in a game in the fall.”
And in baseball news, former Nebraska pitcher Aaron Bummer has landed a new opportunity. He signed a minor league deal with the Kansas City Royals on Monday.
Elsewhere, Kentucky coach Will Stein gave SEC Media Days a little extra spice when asked why the Wildcats will finally put things together. His answer was short and blunt: “Because of me.”
"Because of me."
Will Stein believes in his system and that he can do special things at Kentucky 🔥 @UKFootball pic.twitter.com/5TlwZKA4Vd
- SEC Network (@SECNetwork) July 20, 2026
In Other News...
Adrian Martinez Is Still Repping Nebraska In A Big Way
Adrian Martinez is spending part of his offseason back in Nebraska, and he is not doing it quietly. The former Cornhusker quarterback has been training alongside former North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton while both prepare for the 2026 NFL season, and the two have even been working out with high school players at Gretna East, turning their own prep into a teaching moment for the next wave of quarterbacks.
For Nebraska fans, it is a familiar sight with a new twist: Martinez still carrying himself like a program ambassador while chasing his next NFL opportunity, and Payton doing the same as he tries to carve out his own place at the pro level. Before the drills began, Martinez also spoke with the Gretna East players about injuries and adversity, a reminder that the path from college standout to NFL roster hopeful is rarely smooth, even for quarterbacks who already know what it means to lead. [Read more 🡒]
PFF Just Sent Nebraska Fans A Big Anthony Colandrea Message
Anthony Colandrea arrives in Lincoln with a rsum that already has Big Ten people paying attention. After a strong 2025 season at UNLV, the former Virginia quarterback is stepping in as Nebraskas starter for 2026, and Pro Football Focus slotted him as the No. 3 quarterback in the conference heading into the year. For a program looking to get more out of its offense, that kind of outside respect matters, especially with Colandreas dual-threat ability giving the Huskers a different kind of presence under center.
The challenge now is turning that promise into production against a much tougher schedule. Colandreas arm and legs both flashed last season, and Nebraska is banking on him to raise the ceiling of the offense, but the margin for error gets thinner in the Big Ten. The biggest question hanging over his season is the one that has followed him before: whether he can keep the ball out of harms way enough to let the rest of the talent around him show up. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Cannot Keep Dodging This Running Back Question Much Longer
Nebraska has spent the better part of the summer with an uncomfortable question hanging over its running back room, and Mekhi Nelsons situation has only made it harder to ignore. Nelson was arrested in Florida on battery charges, then saw prosecutors decline to file charges, but the on-field side of the equation has remained murky as he has not taken part in team activities since the arrest.
The longer the silence lasts, the more it shapes the conversation around a position group that could use clarity before the season starts to take shape. Nebraska is expected to address Nelsons status publicly soon, and with Big Ten Media Days approaching, the program will likely have to explain where things stand and what it means for a depth chart that is already not especially deep behind Emmett Johnson. [Read more 🡒]