Nebraska’s 20-17 loss to Indiana didn’t scare off three four-star visitors in Lincoln. If anything, it gave Jackson Parker, Terence Parsee and Israel Johnigan more to like about the Huskers.
All three recruits were on campus for the game, and each left Memorial Stadium talking about the same thing first: the environment. Parker, a 6-foot-4, 185-pound safety from California, said before kickoff, “I can’t wait to see how the culture is around Nebraska, and I really like the Nebraska history,” and after the game he came away impressed by what he heard and saw.
“The atmosphere was so loud the whole game. The fans brought so much presence into the stadium,” Parker said.
He also pushed back against the idea that one defeat changed much for Nebraska’s outlook. “Nebraska football is going to be back where they have been historically.
They may have lost, but they still should be fine!” he said.
Parker added that Nebraska remains firmly in his mix. “I really like the Huskers in my recruitment, and it’s a school I'm really considering.”
Parsee, a 6-foot, 175-pound safety from California, had been on Nebraska’s radar since the Huskers offered him Aug. 21. His recruitment has accelerated quickly since then, with six September offers including Oregon, USC and Alabama, plus another from Miami the Sunday after his trip to Lincoln.
Before the game, he said he wanted to watch Nebraska’s defense closely: “I’m looking at their defense. I wanna see them fly around and also make plays around the field,” he said.
What he saw clearly stuck with him.
“The atmosphere was crazy, the loudest game I’ve been to yet,” Parsee said after the game. “The best atmosphere I’ve been in all year. It was amazing.”
He was just as taken with the defense itself. Nebraska limited Indiana’s rushing attack to 3.0 yards per carry, and the Hoosiers held a lead for only 7:13 of the game. Parsee called it out immediately.
“The defensive performance was amazing. This was the best defense I saw in person throughout all my visits,” Parsee said. He also said he loves Nebraska’s defensive backs and how they played against Indiana.
That trip moved Nebraska even higher for him. “Nebraska is very high. I rate it very high on the list,” Parsee said, adding that Nebraska “made a big leap” in his recruitment after the visit.
Johnigan, a 6-foot-5, 215-pound tight end from Missouri, came to Lincoln wanting more time with the staff. He said before the game, “I’m looking forward to spending more time with the coaches for sure. Last time I was there, it was limited, so definitely building on relationships,” he said.
Like the others, he came away talking about the setting inside Memorial Stadium. “The best atmosphere I’ve been in all year. It was amazing,” Johnigan said.
He also liked how Nebraska featured the tight ends against Indiana. Quarterback Anthony Colandrea finished 25 of 43 for 263 passing yards, added 47 rushing yards and a touchdown, and scored on a 39-yard run in the fourth quarter.
“Love how they used the tight ends as well,” Johnigan said.
And Nebraska is right in the thick of his recruitment. “The Huskers are definitely a top team in my recruitment right now,” he said.
The three prospects were part of a bigger weekend in Lincoln, where Nebraska hosted more than 20 recruits from the 2027 and 2028 classes. The biggest name among them was five-star edge David Jacobs of Georgia, the No. 1 player in the 2027 class and an Ohio State commit. Jacobs was there to support his younger brother, four-star defensive lineman Dawson Jacobs, a 2028 target Nebraska is pushing hard for.
Nebraska will get another crack at hosting recruits when Washington comes to town on October 31st. If that game turns into a night game, it could become another major recruiting showcase for the Huskers.
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