2020 and 2021 have brought their fair share of changes to our world, but one thing that won't be different is our HuskerOnline In-State Tour where we feature the state's top up-and-coming talent.

2021 marks the 18th straight year of the HOL In-State Tour, which we held over two full days at different locations in Omaha and Lincoln.

We continue our In-state Tour today with a trip across the river, as Council Bluffs (Iowa) Lewis Central continues to pump out as much major Division I talent as any school in the area.

In-State Tour: Lincoln Southeast | Pierce | Fremont Bergan | Grand Island NW | Lincoln Southwest | Lincoln East | Seward | Aurora | Waverly | Palmyra | Plattsmouth | Norris | Lincoln North Star | Bellevue West | Lincoln Northeast | Millard South | Omaha Skutt | Lincoln High | Elkhorn South |

Head coach: Justin Kammrad

2020 record: 8-2 (Lost in Iowa 3A semifinals)

Season rewind: "We're pretty excited about the group that we had last year. They really stepped up to every single challenge, a year before, in our state semifinal team, you know, we lost 24 seniors. We had to replace a lot of different spots. A lot of young guys stepped up for us. Some of our kids that became juniors and seniors really bought into the program, really started to lead our program.

"Last year's senior class was really small. There were only 10 kids. From that aspect, to see our young kids step up and play the role that they did, and they put us in a position to reach the semifinals for the third year in a row just coming up a little bit short. We, as a coaching staff, are really pleased with that.

"I think it's been seven straight years, we've had a Power Five football player, including our current class of juniors going to be seniors, and it's just been one of those things for us as a football program. We lean on those guys.

"The program guys, you know, they bought into what we want to do, they live in the weight room and spend their offseason playing multiple sports at Lewis Central, that's one of our key things, our kids are always competing year-round and not focusing on one thing and it's been really good obviously."

Kammrad's take on DT Hunter Deyo: "He's really comparable to Logan Jones, who was at Lewis Central two years ago, almost a bigger version of what Logan is from speed, athleticism, and strength wise. Hunter will be a four-year starter for us, started as a freshman for us on our state semifinal team alongside Logan, and he really has bought into that aspect. He's developed many aspects of his game and really fits that mold of big strong defensive tackles that play in the Big Ten.

"He's pretty light on his feet when you watch him move. He does a lot of really good things. For him, to play at 290, it'll be interesting this year, I think he's 20 pounds heavier than when he was when this fall but, you know, I think he carries it very well. I think that's something that's going to obviously make him even better in the trenches."

Deyo's take: "It was a very weird year due to COVID, but we just came out and evolved. We had one team (Harlan) that we just couldn't get past, but other than that we had a very good season.

"I was very aggressive. Yes, Thomas was one of the best tight ends in the nation. He drew a lot of eyes which opened my recruitment. When you have people above you that have five stars, four stars, like Logan Jones, for instance, he helped me grow with my pass rush, my footwork, my hand placement. Once you have those guys above you, it helps you so much."

Recruiting: Deyo currently has offers from Iowa, Iowa State, Oregon, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Kansas State and Minnesota. Nebraska and Missouri are also recruiting him and he plans to camp at Oklahoma, ISU and KSU this summer.

"Honestly, I don't really care where I go, I could go anywhere," Deyo said on if he'd like to stay in the region. "I don't really care how long the distance is. Maybe some people care about that, but I don't.

"I would say the teams I talk to the most are Iowa, Iowa State, K-State and Wisconsin. Those are the teams I've talked to the most lately.

"I've talked to Nebraska a little bit. Their defense coordinator (Erik Chinander), me and him have talked a little bit. Thomas has talked to me just a little bit, not too much. He's not very pushy so that's what I like about him. He hasn't pushed on it. He has talked to me about, 'Hey, come over here,' and stuff."

Stat check: As a junior, Deloy had 38 total tackles, including 3.5 quarterback sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss. He was a first-team All-State selection in Iowa.

Kammrad's take on TE Brayden Loftin: "He's one of those guys that we got really late, but picked up our offense. He's an extremely intelligent football player, high football IQ, obviously has the intangibles from his length, his height, his speed has improved drastically from where it was. He's a kid that will probably assume the role that Thomas Fidone did last year, and he's going to start playing some receiver and moving into the slot and do some different things.

"He's a really big mismatch, you know, a problem for defenses, especially at the high school level, and his ability to play the game of football is only going to get better from his ability to stretch the field vertically and horizontally. We're really excited about him, he learned a lot from Thomas this past year on what it takes to be an elite football player and elite football catcher. He's really bought into that part of you know, learning from the guys that have come before him at Lewis Central and has really made major strides."

Loftin's take: "It's been a lot on me as a kid and as a football player (transferring), and it's been something where I've been moving around a lot. I've enjoyed it and I've played with a lot of great players and learned a lot from a lot of different people. This year, I played obviously with Thomas (Fidone), and he taught me a lot throughout the season and we talked every day and stuff like that. He gave me certain drills to do and stuff like that, which has really helped me a lot.

"I feel that my size is one of my greatest assets. I can go up and get the ball. It's really having that length and that frame is something that I am very proud of in myself.

"I haven't really played a lot of tight end, I played more wide-out this year, and I've really been talking to, all the colleges I've been talking to, they talked to me about gaining weight and moving to tighe end. This year, I'm going to transition into Thomas's position, so I'll be the more of a hybrid type. I'll be in the box, outside the box, flexed out and stuff like that.

Recruiting: Loftin currently holds early offers from both Northern Illinois and Air Force. He plans to camp at Nebraska, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Kansas State this summer.

"I've heard from Iowa State quite a bit. I talked to their tight end coach and I talked to Coach (Jon) Heacock a little bit. I know COach Kammrad has been in contact with them. I know Coach Kammrad has talked to Kansas State and Missouri. I personally talked to North Dakota State, Wyoming - those group of five schools and talked to Eastern Michigan a bit."

Stat check: Loftin's father was a walk-on for Iowa in the late 90s. As a junior, he had 26 catches for 315 yards behind Husker recruit Thomas Fidone. Loftin started his football career out at Millard North, then transferred to Omaha Burke. After OPS shut down football, he moved so he could play for Lewis Central in 2020.

Kammrad's take on RB Jonathan Humpal: "He's an extremely electric football player. Anytime he touches the ball, we have the opportunity to score a touchdown. We used him in a variety of roles this past year, whether it was slot receiver, whether it's was as a running back or jet sweep guy, and plays defensive back for us as well.

"He does a great job there and then as a return specialist, he's just one of those elite guys with some speed. He was a junior All-American and track. Once he hits tops end speed, it's tough to really catch him and so he's a really electric player for us, especially in that 2023 class."

Recruiting: Humpal picked up his first offer from Iowa State in February. Nebraska is also recruiting him at this point.

Stat check: Humpal had 23 catches for 474 yards, to go along with 41 carries for 217 yards and five touchdowns this past season. He also had eight kick returns for 262 yards.

Kammrad's take on ILB Wyatt Hatcher: "He's a kid that has really become a late bloomer. He has two FCS offers currently right now. His family is full of athletes, as his dad played Major League Baseball for the Royals and in Omaha Royals, AAA organization. His older brother plays outside linebacker with the University of Kansas right now. You know, and he's really projecting at that same type of growth that his brother did.

"His brother went to Iowa Western for one semester, and went down to Lincoln and ran a 4.4, and Les Miles said 'I want you.' Wyatt's really that same type of kid that with some time, some more film can be a really good player for us. You know, he's just one of those guys that's, has blown up and matured over time."

Recruiting: Hatcher is being recruited by South Dakota, Eastern Illinois, Iowa State, Northern Illinois, South Dakota State and Northern Iowa.

Stat check: Hatcher was named Lewis Central's team defensive MVP in 2020, finishing with 40 tackles, including 18 tackles for loss. His father played professional baseball for the Kansas Royals and his brother currently is a linebacker for Kansas.

Kammrad's take on OLB Nick Miller: "He's a tweener, and really has garnered some interest from FCS level teams and really finding his true niche, you know, he plays with his hand down for us in our four down linemen look, but he also rolled back as linebacker, and so he has that ability to play both positions. I truly feel he's a 3-4 outside linebacker for most schools, and it's just a matter of really continuing to show film and his ability to play that position."

Recruiting: Miller is being recruited by South Dakota, North Dakota State, Northern Iowa and Drake. He plans to camp at several places, including Nebraska.

Stat check: Miller was a second-team All-State selection, that finished with 41 tackles, including 7.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss in 2020. Miller's older brother plays for Northwestern Missouri State.

Kammrad's take on QB Braylon Kammrad: "He had a really good year. He was injured early in the season with a shoulder injury, but started our four playoff games for us, threw for over 800 yards and 12 touchdowns during that period of time.

"He really has developed, understands the game. He just has continued to develop, athletically, arm strength-wise, and get out in the camp circuit. For a quarterback, you got to be out there all the time doing that. He also plays safety. He was first-team, all-district safety. Being able to play multiple positions, I think, is something that's going to benefit him as well."

Stat check: Kammard is the son of head coach Justin Kammrad, who was a star running back for the University of Nebraska-Omaha in the early 2000s. He took over the starting QB job late in 2020 and finished 59-of-94 for 874 yards and 12 touchdowns over the final four games of the season.

Kammrad's take on DT Parker Matiyow: "He's one of those kids that's a project, his dad played outside linebacker at South Dakota, his uncle was a starting All-Big Ten lineman at Northwestern, originally from Lewis Central. He's one of those kids that could end up having a high growth potential that could be 6-3 to 6-4, long, fast and athletic.

"He started at tackle for us as a sophomore, and this year, hopefully, he'll play both sides of the ball for us. He's just another one of those kids that from a legacy standpoint, and tracking along what their parents did and what their siblings have done, he really has tremendous potential."

Stat check: Matiyow's father played linebacker at South Dakota and his uncle played offensive line at NOrthwestern.

Kammrad's take on kicker Boston Hensley: "I think we've had two division one kickers that are Power Five guys. One went to Iowa and one to Iowa State, and he really fits along with those guys on his ability as a sophomore, and where he projects. I think he had 49 touchbacks, maybe a little bit more than that this past year and really can kick the ball and allowed us to make teams have to travel the whole distance, and for him to become that Division I prospect, he needs to be able to punt as well and that's just an ongoing process for him."

Stat check: Hensley was 44-of-45 on PAT's and 2-of-5 on field goals in 2020. He finished with 49 touchbacks and was a first-team All-Conference selection for Lewis Central.