Big Red Rundown: 5-star to visit Nebraska football, flip concerns, and softball advances

Welcome to the Big Red Rundown, your daily stop for the latest Nebraska football news, recruiting buzz, transfer portal updates, and Huskers headlines. Here’s a quick look at the latest storylines surrounding Nebraska athletics.

Things are heating up for Nebraska football on the recruiting trail.

In good ways and some not-so-good ways for the Huskers. To start with the good news, four-star running back Amir Brown announced that he has shut down his recruitment. Alabama was sniffing around the Nebraska football commitment, but like Tay Ellis, who did the same, Brown will sign with the Huskers in December.

Brown is ranked No. 378 overall in the 2027 class, according to the 247 Sports composite rankings.

Now, if Nebraska football can just get its top two committed recruits to do the same. Ohio State is making a push for Trae Taylor. All indications are that Taylor is still solid with Nebraska. The plan is still for him to play for Millard South.

The report from Allen Trieu of Rivals included the tidbit that Taylor told Ohio State he doesn’t plan to take any more visits. Until that stance changes, I wouldn’t be too concerned about the 4-star QB.

The Buckeyes are targeting him, and others, for a second QB commitment in the 2027 class. Ohio State already has a lower-ranked four-star (than Taylor) in the fold.

As if that wasn’t enough to worry about, Miami and LSU are now taking a run at Tory Pittman, according to Greg Smith. Miami was supposed to host Pittman for a visit last month, but the top-100 prospect never made the trip. Pittman is ranked 53rd in the 247 Sports composite rankings. Taylor, the QB of the future, is 60th.

Nebraska football to host five-star IOL for official visit

Another bit of good news for the Huskers is that five-star offensive lineman Albert Simien has scheduled an official visit with the Nebraska football program for June. This is according to Tim Verghese of Rivals. 

Simien is 6-foot-4, 280 pounds out of Lake Charles, Louisiana. He’s been to Nebraska four times for visits. This will be No. 5. Texas A&M and LSU are the top contenders for the No. 13 overall recruit in the 2027 class, according to the 247 Sports composite rankings.

The Aggies have the lead according to the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine, but it feels like a three-horse race between Nebraska, A&M, and LSU.

Nebraska softball advances at Big Ten tournament

Michigan pushed Nebraska on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament. Despite surrendering just four hits, Jordy Frahm had to work her way out of jams in the fourth and sixth innings, as the Huskers held on for a 4-2 win to advance to the Big Ten semifinals on Friday against Indiana (5 PM CST, BTN).

Emmerson Cope gave Nebraska a much-needed insurance run with a homer in the bottom of the fourth inning. Frahm allowed two runs on four hits in a complete-game victory with nine strikeouts. Samantha Bland delivered two hits and an RBI, while Ava Kuszak, Hannah Camenzind, and Jesse Farrell each had an RBI in the win, which was the 19th consecutive for second-ranked Nebraska. The Huskers have won 33 of 34.

Oklahoma lost on Thursday in the SEC tournament, which could open the door for Nebraska softball to earn the No. 1 overall seed for the NCAA Tournament if it can win the Big Ten tournament title.

More Huskers news

The men’s basketball team will play Boise State at the Sanford Pentagon on Sunday, Nov. 15. This will be the Huskers’ fifth trip to Sioux Falls since 2018. Nebraska defeated Oklahoma 105-99 last season.

Nebraska also added two transfers to the wrestling program, filling key spots in the lineup at 184 and 149. Mark Manning landed former two-time Iowa State All-American Anthony Echemendia, who will wrestle at 149. Former Penn State backup, Lucas Cochran, who has a 38-6 record, will transfer to wrestle at 184 pounds.

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