HuskerOnline's Christmas Wishlist for Nebraska Athletics

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Nebraska and Husker sports fans!

The HuskerOnline team has put together a Christmas Wishlist for Nebraska Athletics for this upcoming year. This list includes hopes for Husker football, basketball, volleyball, and recruiting. In between opening gifts and spending time with your family, dive into our wishes.

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Some wishes might require more magic than others, but Christmas time is the best day to dream.

Now, onto the wishes.

Sean Callahan’s Christmas Wishlist

A big jump in year two with QB Dylan Raiola: This one is a given. In year two, I want to see a big jump in the play of quarterback Dylan Raiola, and that should happen with Dana Holgorsen running the offense.

A starting-level tackle from the transfer portal: Nebraska will lose three starting-level players on its offensive line to graduation – Bryce Benhart, Micah Muzzccua, and Ben Scott. With that said, NU needs to find at least one starting level tackle in the transfer portal still, and probably one starting level player for the interior.

More clarity on the future of NIL and rev-share: There’s no other way to say it: college football is a mess right now. There is no clarity or direction with the future of the game. Between NIL and rev-share coming, the floodgates for tampering have opened like we’ve never seen before. It’s an unregulated free-agent market without a salary camp. We need more clarity for the future of college football.

Allow more than 105 players: This is a long shot, but I would love to see the 105-man roster rule adjusted. So many student-athletes and young people will lose opportunities because of this.

A sold-out Arrowhead Stadium to start 2025: The Huskers will open 2025 against Cincinnati in Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. I would love to see a sold-out venue for this game to kick off the 2025 season.

Steven Sipple’s Christmas Wishlist

A sound sleep chamber for Matt Rhule: The guy works his you know what off. Nebraska fans should get a measure of comfort knowing the leader of the program cuts no corners. I hope he has a quiet place to get away and catch a few zzzzz’s from time to time.

A successful leadup to NFL draft for Ty Robinson: What an absolute warrior. As this season wore on, Robinson looked more and more like a potential NFL first-round pick. If all goes well for him in the draft leadup, Nebraska just might just get its first first-rounder since Prince Amukamara in 2011. I would be surprised if Robinson fell out of the second round.

A nine-win football season for Troy Dannen: There are athletes to pay and a Memorial Stadium project to undertake. He’s asking donors for piles of money. A huge step forward — nine wins, minimum — by the football team in 2025 would be helpful. Very helpful.

A slight change to PBA music selections: Next Christmas, make “Run Rudolph Run” not only part of the mid-December music during games, make it a prominent part. It’s the best Christmas song ever.

Robin Washut’s Christmas Wishlist

An All-Big Ten season from Brice Williams: Having already claimed a Big Ten Player of the Week honor this season, Brice Williams has proven himself as an all-conference performer. For Nebraska to accomplish what it hopes this season, it needs No. 3 to be among the league’s best.

A healthy Berke Buyuktuncel: For me, there isn’t a more fascinating player on Nebraska’s roster than Berke Buyuktuncel. The 6-foot-10 forward gives NU a formidable frontcourt duo alongside Braxton Meah, but I really like the offensive punch he gives playing the five. However, he’s already suffered groin and ankle injuries this season, and it’s not even January. He’s got to stay on the court.

Start January above water: When the 2024-25 Big Ten schedules came out, Nebraska’s opening five games of January immediately stuck out. The Huskers kick off the New Year with a daunting stretch of UCLA, at Iowa and Purdue, Rutgers, and at Maryland. If NU can come out of that at 3-2 – or even 2-3 – it would be in the driver’s seat for another NCAA Tournament berth.

As always, win an NCAA Tournament game: This one will make my list every year until it finally happens. It goes without saying how much it would mean to Nebraska to finally rid itself of the burden of never winning an NCAA Tournament game. There’s no reason why this group can’t be the one to do it.

Abby Barmore’s Christmas Wishlist

Husker Volleyball gets two more consistent pin hitters: Nebraska needs two more consistent pin hitters, one on the left with Harper Murray and another on the right pin. Murray was consistent from match to match for the Huskers in 2024. However, senior Merritt Beason struggled occasionally on the right pin. Taylor Landfair, who has one season left, had a few great matches but was unreliable from match to match.

The Huskers are adding freshman outside hitter Teraya Sigler and Skyler Pierce will be available after redshirting in 2024. Landfair will still battle for the left-pin job but Nebraska needs more from her. The Huskers will either ride with freshman Ryan Hunter or go to the portal for an experienced opposite hitter.

A National Title for John Cook: Nebraska Volleyball head coach John Cook has been to 12 Final Fours and has won four national titles. The Huskers’ last national title was in 2017. The 68-year-old coach is getting into the final years of his coaching career. He has assembled many, many great teams. The 2025 team will reload. The legendary coach needs at least one more national title.

Volleyball continues to grow: Volleyball all over the United States has been booming over the last few seasons. The popularity of college volleyball inspired two new professional volleyball leagues. Volleyball is one of the most popular sports for high school girls.

The 2024 season broke dozens of attendance and TV viewership records. Teams across the country set new attendance records on their home courts. The season ended with a new Final Four attendance record of 21,860 at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.

Nebraska has been critical in the growth of the sport. May it continue to blossom.

Nebraska Women’s Basketball has a forward step up: Husker Women’s Basketball suffered the huge loss of sophomore forward Natalie Potts early in the season. Potts was the 2023 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. The Huskers have not found a great replacement for Potts. Williams has been rotating starters in the four spot. Potts is impossible to completely replace but head coach Amy Williams needs a forward to step up and take the job.

Bryan Munson’s Christmas Wishlist

Multiple starting caliber offensive linemen from the portal: Nebraska has been successful getting portal transfers in December but the most elusive position for the Huskers is offensive linemen. The Huskers have outbid other teams and still failed.

Two is the minimum and I would suggest getting three. One of the transfer offensive linemen needs to be a tackle. I would also prefer an interior offensive lineman who can play center.

A bigger role for Carter Nelson: There are several players who I feel like were misused or not used enough in 2024 but maybe not anyone as much as Carter Nelson. He should thrive in Dana Holgerson’s offense in all of the check down, screens, and short to intermediate routes with the quick passing game.

Nelson could be the key to several things offensively. He has the ability to make plays in the short passing game and just as he has rocked everyone to sleep he has the speed to run past defenders and play a big role in the vertical passing game.

Hunter Higgins commitment in January: Nebraska needs to capitalize on their recruiting efforts in the fall with the junior class and Hunter Higgins is announcing his commitment on January 15. Higgins visited Nebraska multiple times this season and said before “Nebraska checks all the boxes”.

The Huskers are in the top four and there are some things Nebraska needs to work around like the changes with the coaching staff. Higgins was very connected to several coaches who left Nebraska recently.

Defensive line commits come to Lincoln ready to play: Nebraska may have 13 early enrollees from the 2025 recruiting class, but all three recruits predicted to play defensive line for Nebraska won’t get to Lincoln until June. Nebraska might need help from several of them in the fall.

Malcolm Simpson, Kade Pietrzak, and Tyson Terry make up as strong of group in the 2025 class, but all will have to work on getting ready to Lincoln in their own time leading up to June. The versatility of Simpson and Pietrzak make them the early odds on favorites to see the field next fall because they could play multiple spots.

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