Nebraska’s transfer portal haul is all meat and potatoes

Not everyone is destined to enjoy five-star dining. Some people don’t like fancy food. They just want meat and potatoes, which is an apt comparison for Nebraska football.

The Huskers went the five-star route. However, it didn’t satisfy their appetite, nor that of fans who saw a team that was improving but still couldn’t get over the hump.

Dylan Raiola ended up not being the answer. He’s not a bad quarterback. Raiola will surely find success at Oregon, but his flavor didn’t fit Nebraska; at least it didn’t fit what’s needed, actually, to turn this program around.

Production. Not potential.

Nebraska football takes smart approach to transfer portal

The Huskers might be stealing a page from the book of Curt Cignetti, but why not? Land proven players in college such as quarterback Anthony Colandrea, who was the Mountain West Player of the Year after accounting for over 3,800 yards and 34 touchdowns (10 rushing).

That felt like a theme for Nebraska football in the portal. And sure, there are guys they are betting on such as Tree Babalade to reach their full potential, but the guy still has 15-career starts, and has been a serviceable SEC player. He’ll compete with Gunnar Gottula and Grant Brix to be the starting right tackle.

Hell, Gottula was the starting left tackle when Raiola was a freshman, so the fact that he’s competing for a job shows Nebraska has improved its depth. It added a sure starter in Brendan Black (30 starts for Iowa State, No. 3 IOL). The same can be said about Owen Chambliss (LB), Dwayne McDougle (S), and Kwazi Gilmer (WR), who is a great replacement for Dane Key.

The Huskers finally dipped into the JUCO ranks at Iowa Western to land a 6-foot-2, 290-pound defensive tackle who just visited Clemson, and was committed to Kansas State, Andy Burburija, who had 11 sacks and 18 tackles for loss last season. He wasn’t the only recent D-line addition, either, as Jashear Whittington, a Pitt transfer, committed to Nebraska football on Monday.

Listed at 6-foot-2, 270 pounds, Whittington had 11 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and a sack as a redshirt freshman this season for the Panthers. He’s also ranked as the No. 30 defensive lineman in the portal. Add that to the fact that Keona Davis hasn’t entered his name in the portal, and the defensive line is looking better than expected.

Nebraska has added 15 players, with a long-snapper included. Two of them are quarterbacks, there has been a wide receiver, and some defensive backs, but eight of the 15 additions play offensive line, defensive line, or linebacker.

That’s some meat and potatoes for you, and even though there is technically just one four-star in the group (Black), this is exactly the transfer portal haul Nebraska football needed.

Less fine dining. More meat and potatoes.

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