Nebraska got a little of everything this week: recognition for one of its most important linemen, a painful camp setback, and another wave of former Huskers making news at the pro and international levels.
Start with center Justin Evans, who landed on the Rimington Trophy Watch List on Thursday. The selection matters because Evans has become one of the key voices up front for Nebraska, and he brings plenty of mileage with him. The East Orange, N.J., native has 31 career starts and 38 appearances for the Huskers, and he anchors an offensive line that returns a pair of starters in 2026.
His track record speaks for itself. Evans started all 13 games at center last season, helping Emmett Johnson to first-team All-America honors. Before that, he started all 12 games at guard in 2024 and played in all 13 games in 2023, including five starts as a redshirt freshman.
The emotional moment of the week belonged to Roger Craig. The former Nebraska running back was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame after waiting 28 years, and during his ceremony he revealed that he is dealing with vascular dementia. In a pre-taped speech, Craig also said he believes several concussions from his playing days may have contributed to the diagnosis.
Even with that news, Craig made it clear he doesn’t want the diagnosis to define him: "I want people to know this diagnosis doesn't define me. I am still Roger Craig," he said.
"I am still a father, a husband, a teammate, a friend, and someone who loves this game and the people who brought it to my life. If sharing my story helps even one family or one former player, then it's worth it."
Nebraska’s basketball pipeline also showed up on the international stage. Former Husker Rienk Mast has been named to the Netherlands roster for the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, joining a group that includes four Nebraska-connected players taking part in the 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifier. The others are Jack McVeigh for Australia, Thorir Thorbjarnarson for Iceland, and Tai Webster for New Zealand.
On the court at home, ESPN gave Nebraska a pretty optimistic read in its look at Big Ten basketball floors and ceilings. The Huskers’ ceiling was pegged at 30 wins and a Big Ten title, while the floor still pointed to a solid season: 20 wins, a top-half finish in the league, and another NCAA Tournament trip.
Fall camp, though, brought Nebraska its first real hit. Freshman wide receiver Larry Miles suffered a lower-leg injury that Matt Rhule said will sideline him for six to eight weeks. For a true freshman, that’s a tough break, especially with no more medical waivers available if the injury keeps him off the field this year.
There was also movement involving a former Husker wideout. Hardley Gilmore, who has bounced around before, is on the move again after being dismissed from Will Stein’s Kentucky program on Thursday. His next stop is unclear.
The Big Ten made a roster-related change this week as well, voting to increase football travel rosters for league games from 74 to 80. According to the reporting, the adjustment reflects the age-based eligibility rules and the fact that redshirts are no longer in place, creating more players who can take the field.
Nebraska’s NFL connections kept rolling too. The Detroit Lions signed former Husker defensive tackle Ben Stille and brought him to camp on Saturday, giving him another shot to extend his professional career.
And on the staff side, Rhule announced Saturday that Damon Benning will replace Gus Felder as Nebraska’s director of football player development. Benning, a former Husker running back, had also been part of the school’s football broadcast team last year, and he will step away from that role.
In Other News...
Roger Craigs Hall Of Fame Moment Carried A Painful Nebraska Twist
Roger Craigs long-awaited Hall of Fame weekend should have been all celebration, a fitting tribute to one of Nebraskas most dynamic running backs before he became a star with the San Francisco 49ers. Instead, the ceremony carried a sobering undertone when Craig used a pre-taped speech to reflect on the gradual changes he has experienced and to speak about the toll football can take long after the final snap.
Craig still took part in the induction events and spoke with the perspective of someone looking back on both his career and his identity beyond the game. He hoped that being open about his health would prompt others to pay closer attention to brain health, a reminder that even the sports brightest milestones can come with painful truths attached. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Receiver Depth Takes An Early Hit With Freshman In Limbo
Nebraskas receiver group took an early preseason hit when true freshman Larry Miles was sidelined by a lower-leg injury during fall camp. Miles later posted on social media that he had undergone surgery and said the procedure went well, offering at least one reassuring note in what has otherwise been a quiet stretch from the program on the matter.
The Cornhuskers still have not provided an official update on Miles recovery timeline, leaving his return in limbo as camp moves forward. What is clear is that he is expected to miss at least some practice time, and it remains possible the injury will cost him part of the season, a setback that adds another layer of uncertainty to Nebraskas depth at wide receiver. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Backfield Battle Centers On One Risky 2026 Breakout Candidate
After Nebraskas coaching staff reviewed the running back room in the wake of the 2025 season, the focus in portal recruiting shifted elsewhere, a sign the Huskers may be willing to see what they already have before making another major move. That creates an opening in the backfield conversation heading into 2026, especially with fans already trying to sort out who should carry the load next fall.
A recent fan poll put true freshman Jamal Rule at the center of that debate, with 43% picking him as Nebraskas expected leading rusher in 2026 ahead of Mekhi Nelson and Isaiah Mozee. The buzz around Rule has only grown as spring gave the Huskers another look at the room, but the question now is whether the early optimism translates into a role big enough to match the expectations building around him. [Read more 🡒]