Husker Hurry Up: Pat Narduzzi calls out Mark Whipple, Nebraska WR picks ISU
Good morning, and welcome to the Husker Hurry Up! This is your guide to news, analysis and other tidbits as we get you caught up and prepared for everything that’s going on in Nebraska football, recruiting, volleyball, basketball and more throughout the week. So grab your coffee and sit down to read up on your favorite Huskers players and teams.
Narduzzi upset about Whipple's play calling
Remember that discussion about whether or not Mark Whipple is a top-five play caller in college football?
Well, we know at least one person who doesn't think so: Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi.
"Our old offensive coordinator had no desire to run the ball. Everybody knew it," Narduzzi said on a Wednesday episode of the Bazzy's Black & Gold Banter podcast. "He was stubborn. Wake Forest was 118th in run defense and we threw the ball every down. When we ran it, we ran it for 10 yards but that wasn't good enough."
Maybe Pitt – with a Heisman Trophy finalist and future first-round NFL Draft pick at quarterback in Kenny Pickett – did throw the ball too often. But using a game in which Pitt won 45-21 and finished with more rushing attempts (38) than pass attempts (34) is a tough way to do it.
Receiver target comes off board, another one on the way
Nebraska was one of three listed finalists in the recruitment of Lincoln High School receiver Beni Ngoyi, along with Iowa State and TCU.
However, the three-star in-state prospect committed to Iowa State on Wednesday. Ngoyi, the state's No. 8-ranked prospect, had an offer from the Huskers but will be headed out of state.
And it appears that the Huskers will not be winning the recruitment of another receiver, who is set to announce his commitment on Thursday.
Joshua Manning, a four-star wideout from Lee's Summit (Kansas City) High School, is announcing his decision at 9 o'clock tonight.
It looks like Nebraska, Kansas State and Missouri are among the final considerations for the country's 49th-ranked receiver prospect. But the Huskers are likely to see a second consecutive day in which a receiver target chooses elsewhere.
Countdown to Kickoff: 37 Days
No. 37: Running back Isaiah Harris and defensive back Phalen Sanford
Quick facts on Harris: 5-foot-8, 185 lbs., redshirt freshman out of Millard South (Omaha), has not yet played in a game with the Huskers
Quick facts on Sanford: 5-foot-11, 200 lbs., redshirt junior out of Dundy County-Stratton (Benkelman, Neb.) and Hastings College, played in every game last season as a core special teams member and was named Nebraska's Special Teams Player of the Year
Site Stuff
– Inside Nebraska staff writer Steve Marik took a long, detailed look at the top transfer for each of Nebraska's 12 upcoming opponents during the 2022 regular season, and he also broke down the inside linebackers room following Barrett Ruud's appearance on "Sports Nightly."
– Steve will also be conducting his first weekly live chat on our Insider's Board today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
– Our senior recruiting analyst, Greg Smith, went over to Lincoln Southeast on Wednesday to meet with Gunnar Gottula and his squad for a preview of the upcoming season.
– Please subscribe to our YouTube page and subscribe to the Inside Nebraska Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.