The Huskers could have swapped Robinson here for fellow D-lineman Nash Hutmacher and Scott for offensive linemen Teddy Prochazka or Bryce Benhart — and driven home the same point about the strength of their roster. They are strong and experienced up front on both sides.
Defensive line coach Terrance Knighton built a deep group in his first year at Nebraska, aided by the growth of Cameron Lenhardt and Riley Van Poppel as true freshmen, the rise of junior Jimari Butler and the unexpected emergence of James Williams.
Their group has an identity. Death Row, they call themselves. On the offensive side, the Pipeline moniker remains. Just maybe, the 2024 cast has earned the right to use it, with more than 150 career starts at the Power 5 level. In addition to Scott, Benhart and Prochazka, Justin Evans, Henry Lutovsky and Florida transfer Micah Mazzccua are battle-tested.
3. A coach in the spotlight
National attention might evade Nebraska as it swims alongside several primary CFP contenders this week. The Huskers will share the stage on Wednesday with Iowa, Penn State, Michigan State, USC and UCLA. But Rhule remains a popular figure. Media types seek his input on storylines of national interest.
There’s plenty to discuss with the coach, from the evolution of name, image and likeness to fallout from the NCAA antitrust case and a playoff structure that looks like the NFL model that returned Rhule to college less than two years ago.
Because of his experience at various levels and the care with which he answers questions, Rhule will stay busy in Indy. It comes after a summer stretch that saw him take a seat for interviews with the likes of ESPN’s Rece Davis and Joel Klatt of Fox Sports. All of the attention matters to Nebraska, which looks to continue to raise its profile in recruiting high-end talent on the coattails of landing Raiola.