Nebraska is done with the exhibitions and ready to find out what this team really looks like.
The Huskers open the 2026-27 season Monday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena against Le Moyne, coming off a 1-2 preseason slate. After Thursday’s media session, Fred Hoiberg made it clear the tone changes now. The tinkering phase is over, and the margin for error gets a lot thinner.
“Now, it’s for real,” said Hoiberg. “This isn’t, 'Oh, we get to learn from this.’ You just can’t have any regrets; you can’t have any situations where we come back in where we didn’t execute the game plan and get stung that way.”
“We'll have our guys prepared, and now it's all about going out and executing,” he continued. “But, yeah, there’s going to be a lot of learning lessons, especially in these earlier games.”
One of the biggest questions hanging over Nebraska is the status of Belmont transfer Sam Orme. The 6-foot-10 senior has been dealing with a hamstring/quad injury for several months, and Hoiberg said he still doesn’t know whether Orme will be ready for Monday. For now, though, the forward is back to full-speed work in the non-contact portions of practice.
“We’re taking a very precautionary approach,” Hoiberg said. “Those hamstrings, quads, those types of things, can be tricky and linger on if you try to rush back.
So, we’ll see how he’s doing Saturday, and if he’s ready to go on Monday, we’ll throw him out there. If he’s not, we’ll have another six days to get ready for the next game against Providence.”
Nebraska would certainly welcome him. Orme averaged 12.7 points last season while shooting 56% from the field, and he added 5.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. Hoiberg pointed to the shooting and versatility that made him such a useful piece at Belmont.
“He’s got great size,” Hoiberg said. “Obviously, his ability to shoot the ball, that’s his biggest strength.
A 42% three-point shooter a year ago at Belmont. But he’s more than that.
He can put the ball on the deck; they used him in a lot of ways.”
While Orme works back, Lincoln native Braden Frager is coming off the best performance of his career. The junior forward erupted for 28 points, 10 rebounds and three assists in 37 minutes against Kansas State, helping Nebraska beat the Wildcats in Grand Island.
Hoiberg liked the scoring, but the rebounding was what really caught his attention after he challenged Frager earlier in the offseason.
“Well, he had zero (rebounds) in that Saint Louis game,” Hoiberg said. “And then he followed that up with seven at BYU, all in a half.
That’s what he’s capable of doing. Then, he finishes it out with a double-double… I love the 28 points, but the 10 rebounds are what stood out to me.
We’re going to need him.”
“I showed a clip on film this morning; he had a huge offensive rebound (against Kansas State). It was 61-57 with 10:08 left, and he gets it, fires it out to Taj (DeGourville), Taj hits a three.
Now all of a sudden, it’s a seven-point game,” he continued. “Those are back-breakers for the opposing team.
He’s certainly capable, and we need that consistency; what he’s shown the last two games.”
Hoiberg also expects help on the glass from South Dakota State transfer Damon Wilkinson, Boston College transfer Boden Kapke and sophomore Leo Curtis. Curtis didn’t play against Kansas State, but Hoiberg said all three bigs will matter this season.
Kapke had some ups and downs during the exhibition stretch, while Wilkinson has perhaps surpassed expectations so far. Even so, Hoiberg doesn’t see the situation as a straight-up battle between the transfers. He wants all three near-7-footers available and ready, especially once Big Ten play arrives.
“I’m not sure it’s a competition,” Hoiberg said. “The way I look at it, it’s more about what’s going to happen in the rotation.
Both those guys are going to play a big role. We’re going to need Leo.
He didn’t play the other night, but I talked to him about staying ready.”
“All three of those guys, we’re going to need them,” he continued. “When we get into league (Big Ten play), we’re going to need those big-big lineups, and I’m confident in putting all three of those guys on the court.”
In Other News...
Nebraska Still Has One Late-Game Problem A Former Champion Didn't Ignore
Clester Johnson has seen enough Nebraska football to know when a team is leaving something on the table, and in a recent podcast interview the former wingback and national champion returned to a familiar theme: finishing. Johnson talked about the importance of closing out games and the accountability that comes with it, while also looking back on how Tom Osbornes staffs handled those moments when the pressure tightened and the details mattered most.
Johnson also framed the challenge in a more modern light, noting that todays Nebraska has to navigate a different college football reality with retention and recruiting adding another layer of difficulty. He pointed to quarterback Anthony Colandreas ability, but said the offense still needs more balance around him, a reminder that the late-game issues are rarely about one player alone and usually come back to whether the whole operation can hold up when it matters most. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Found Another Brutal Way To Waste A Winnable Game
For most of the afternoon, Nebraska and Washington played the kind of tight, low-scoring game that leaves every possession feeling heavier than the last. The Cornhuskers had chances to keep control of it, but quarterback Anthony Colandreas interceptions and a missed field goal from Kyle Cunanan kept turning manageable moments into wasted ones.
Washington finally broke it open late with a touchdown, then slammed the door with a pick-six off Colandrea to seal a 17-10 win. For Nebraska, it was another frustrating reminder that in a game there to be won, the biggest damage often came from self-inflicted mistakes. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Could Get A Huge Boost Before Its Blackout Showdown
Nebraska is getting healthier at just the right time, with defensive lineman Riley Van Poppel expected back for the Washington game after missing recent action because of injury. Running back Isaiah Mozee is also likely to be available, giving the Cornhuskers a little more depth as they prepare for a marquee blackout matchup that should draw plenty of attention.
The injury report still leaves some holes, though, with offensive lineman Gunnar Gottula and safety Jamir Conn ruled out. Washington is dealing with its own uncertainty as quarterback Demond Williams has gone from doubtful to probable, even if the Huskies have not yet announced a starter, so Nebraska may still have to wait until kickoff to see exactly what kind of challenge it is facing. [Read more 🡒]