Adam Carriker says the question Nebraska fans keep circling is bigger than one season: does the Big Ten resent the Huskers, and if so, what does that really mean for the program’s future?
Carriker digs into the feeling that Nebraska has long been treated like an outsider since joining the conference. He points to the old Legends and Leaders setup, tough scheduling breaks, controversial officiating moments and even a stretch when Husker fans felt like holding calls just weren’t being made. It’s the kind of background that has fueled suspicion for years, and Carriker makes clear he understands why the frustration has lingered.
At the same time, he doesn’t buy the idea that the Big Ten wants Nebraska to sink. The Huskers still carry real weight as a brand, and when they’re relevant, the conference benefits too. Bigger games draw more attention, and in the current revenue-heavy world of college football, Nebraska being in meaningful matchups against other major programs is good business for everyone involved.
That naturally opens the door to the bigger debate: will Nebraska ever be back?
Carriker says yes, but he also makes it clear that “back” has to be defined the right way. It does not have to mean instant return to the level Nebraska reached in the ’90s. In his view, getting there means stacking wins consistently, reaching major bowls, staying near the top of the Big Ten and eventually re-entering the conversation as a true championship threat.
The timing matters, because Matt Rhule and Nebraska are once again heading into a season with expectations and questions wrapped together. Quarterback Anthony Colandrea and the Huskers are just a week from opening the 2026 football season, and Carriker raises the concern that some fans may be running low on patience with all the talk about “potential.” After too many disappointing endings, Nebraska has to give Husker Nation something tangible to hold onto.
Carriker also spends time on the players he thinks could shape the season. On offense, he names Colandrea, running back Jamal Rule, wide receiver Quinn Clark, tight end Carter Nelson and offensive lineman Gunnar Gottula.
On defense, he points to Williams Nwaneri, linebacker Vincent Shavers and cornerback Andrew Marshall as players who could make a major difference. He also notes that for some of them, the real impact might not show up right away, but later in the season.
The episode closes with comments and bold predictions from Husker fans as anticipation keeps building.
So the same questions hang over Nebraska again: can the Huskers turn potential into actual wins, can Rhule push the program back toward national relevance, and will Nebraska football ever truly be back? Carriker takes on all of it in the latest Carriker Chronicles.
In Other News...
Emmett Johnson Is Already Setting The Standard For Nebraska Backs
Even after Emmett Johnson moved on from Lincoln, his presence is still showing up in Nebraskas running backs room. Cornhuskers backs coach EJ Barthel has been using Johnsons NFL preseason snaps as teaching tape, pointing out how the former Husker has carried the habits and traits he sharpened in college into the next level. For a room trying to define its own identity, that kind of example matters because it gives the current group a clear picture of what Nebraska back play is supposed to look like.
Barthel has been upfront that Johnsons success did not come out of nowhere. The coach sees the same qualities now that he saw while Johnson was at Nebraska, and he believes that foundation is why the running back has looked ready for the NFL stage. Just as important for the Huskers, Johnsons rise has become a standard-setter inside the program, a reminder to the current backs that progress is measured not only by production, but by the way a player prepares, develops and carries those lessons forward. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Just Sent A Message In Volleyball And Recruiting
The volleyball side of Nebraskas athletic department keeps adding to the schools national profile, and the Huskers did it again at the Spikes Under the Lights exhibition tournament. Nebraska swept both of its opponents, taking down No. 17 Florida and No. 11 SMU on the way to the title while also claiming the $150,000 prize, another reminder that this program has become a standard-bearer before the regular season even gets going.
That kind of momentum tends to spill over beyond the court, too, and Nebraskas recruiting board is showing it. The Huskers are back in the mix for LSU-committed 2027 tight end Ahmad Hudson, a prospect with plenty of attention around him and growing speculation that he could change course. With the Big Ten and other conferences also putting new penalties in place for schools that sign former professional football players, the recruiting landscape keeps shifting, and Nebraska looks intent on staying active in it. [Read more 🡒]