Nebraska Preps for Portal Push as Rhule, Stewart Target Key Additions
LAS VEGAS - As the calendar flips to 2026, the college football offseason officially kicks into high gear - and for Nebraska, that means one thing: it’s portal time.
The transfer portal opens on Jan. 2, and for the Huskers, the mission is clear. They need to land impact players who can elevate the program while holding on to the core pieces that still have untapped potential. After a 7-6 season that ended with a lopsided 44-22 loss to Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl - and a rough stretch that saw Nebraska outscored 121-48 over its final three games - there’s no sugarcoating it: the roster needs work.
Head coach Matt Rhule didn’t shy away from the challenge ahead.
“We’ve re-signed a lot of guys to contracts and they anticipate being here,” Rhule said after the bowl game. “And there are some guys who have to make the best decisions for themselves.
We’re not super worried about it. There are a lot of guys who want to come to the University of Nebraska, and we’re in a good position.”
That confidence stems from the groundwork laid by general manager Pat Stewart and his personnel team. For months, they’ve been building a strategy to hit the ground running once the portal opens. Now, it’s go time.
“We’ve had a group of remote scouts working in the transfer portal year-round,” Stewart explained during the Huskers’ Signing Day Show on the Huskers Radio Network. “They’re trimming the fat of what’s out there so when guys do hit the portal, we’re ready to pivot as fast as we can. It’s kind of a hurry-up-and-wait type of approach, where you try to get ahead as much as possible.”
That kind of preparation is going to be crucial. The Huskers aren’t just looking to fill holes - they’re looking to level up.
And as Rhule pointed out, Nebraska isn’t alone in that pursuit. Just look across the field at Utah, who handed Nebraska that season-ending loss.
The Utes are a blueprint for what’s possible. A year ago, they were 4-8.
This season? Eleven wins, a bowl victory, and a top-15 ranking - powered in part by transfer quarterback Devon Dampier.
That kind of turnaround doesn’t happen by accident.
“They’re a great model,” Rhule said. “They beat us.
We were able to hang with them early for a while. We’re not able to do it the entire game yet, and that’s where we have to improve.
We’ll attack everything in the portal. We’ll attack everything with our roster.
We’ll try to find ways to improve.”
That improvement starts with alignment - not just in talent evaluation, but in how the coaching and personnel staffs work together. Stewart emphasized the importance of a collaborative approach, one that goes beyond just checking boxes on size, speed, or stats.
“There’s got to be a level of talent with the player,” Stewart said. “But also just how they respond in pressure situations, because a lot of our games this year were decided in the fourth quarter. So when we get into those moments, can we find the guys that can perform when it counts?”
That’s the trait Nebraska is hunting for - players who don’t just look good on film, but who shine when the game is on the line. Rhule calls it “winning the winning moments.” And in a sport where margins are razor-thin, those moments often make the difference between a bowl win and a long offseason.
Now, with the portal open and the offseason officially underway, Nebraska’s next few weeks could shape the trajectory of the 2026 season. The table is set.
The prep work is done. Now it’s time to see if the Huskers can turn potential into production - and take the next step forward.