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New York Times
02-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Nebraska recruiting reset: Biggest needs, class size, in-state strategy under Matt Rhule
LINCOLN, Neb. — As a debate simmers on whether Nebraska football swung and missed in the June recruiting race or if the Huskers hit a home run, coach Matt Rhule can relax and survey the solid results of a long spring and early period of summer during the next 20 days — in theory, the least hectic time on the college football calendar. Advertisement Nebraska added a commitment to its Class of 2026 on Tuesday from three-star wide receiver Larry Miles of Winter Garden, Fla., to go with pledges gathered Monday from offensive linemen Leon Noil of New Orleans and Claude Mpouma of Chicago. A physically imposing four-star prospect, Mpouma rates as an especially gratifying score for Rhule. High-ceiling tackles are hard to come by out of high school and from the portal. Nebraska missed on more than it landed in recent cycles. Mpouma visited Auburn and Florida last month and considered Ohio State and Michigan among his finalists. Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Iowa wanted him. His talent and size appear so promising that FBS offers began to arrive last year before he'd played a down of football or attended a camp. He provides a cornerstone in this class for Nebraska. His commitment also solidifies the Huskers' presence in Chicago, where they've got 2027 QB commit Trae Taylor trending fast to become the top peer recruiter ever for the program on social media. The 2026 class stands at 12 members. Compared to USC, which has 20 four- and five-star commits in its 30-player class, that's a pedestrian output. But the measure of recruiting success demands perspective. It rarely boils down to who said no. Or who said yes. Rather, how did they fit and develop? Did they stay for more than a handshake? With the transfer portal in play, team rankings in recruiting mean less than ever. The same will be true if Nebraska wins 11 games next season and carries that momentum forward to build a top-10 class in the 2027 cycle. Twelve to 15 commits in the bag when Nebraska opens camp in four weeks would put it on track. Rhule planned to favor efficiency ahead of depth in this recruiting cycle. The new roster limit, in effect this season after the adoption Tuesday of a revenue-sharing model in college athletics, likely dictates a class of fewer than 20 players. Advertisement And the best play for Rhule this year involves a gamble. He's banking that the Huskers make a jump, starting Aug. 28 at Arrowhead Stadium. He's expecting that recruits will notice and that new doors will open. And that the final batch of spots in the 2026 class go to players who perhaps aren't looking today at a program that's lost 58 percent of its games over the past 10 seasons. Rhule came off sounding defiant in a message posted less than two hours after the Mpouma decision went public. Too many people have profited financially off of negativity and despair. Their time is over — Matt Rhule (@CoachMattRhule) June 30, 2025 Is that a prediction? Or was the third-year coach philosophizing on a summer evening during a dead period that's supposed to offer him and his staff a chance to escape from the grind for a few weeks? Extended downtime, I suspect, is a fleeting dream for Rhule. He's got plenty on his plate. Front and center sits a growing group of recruits and the need to execute a balancing act to manage the roster as the program readies for the start of camp. Here are the answers to three questions about more of what's happening with the Class of 2026: What's unique about the construction of this class? Terms of the House settlement have eased the transition to a 105-player roster. A hard-count 105 is coming, though, and Nebraska must recruit with the altered math in mind. Its roster today numbers 126. By Sunday, 30 days after the settlement was approved in federal court, any team that plans to carry more than 105 into the 2025 season must designate the players who would have been cut if a hard-count 105 had been implemented. For the remainder of their careers, regardless of the programs at which they play, those players will be protected. They won't count against the 105. But when their careers at Nebraska end, the Huskers cannot exceed 105. Advertisement The roster is composed of 92 freshmen and sophomores and 34 juniors and seniors. As many as 21 could be placed on the designated list. To avoid a logjam as the list grows smaller in 2026 and 2027, Rhule and his staff simply can't sign a big class this year. At what spots are the Huskers in need of reinforcements? The 2026 class includes four offensive linemen, three wide receivers and one player each at quarterback, running back, tight end, defensive back and linebacker. That's two defensive players out of 12 commits. Here's a breakdown of the roster: QB (6), running back (8), receiver (15), tight end (7), offensive line (21), defensive line (18), linebacker (18), defensive back (26) and specialist (7). Linebacker and O-line have the highest concentration of upperclassmen on the roster. Four-star linebacker Calvin Thomas of Houston is set to announce his decision on July 12. 🫣 — Calvin ''CT3'' Thomas (@Calvin_Thomas08) June 28, 2025 Expect the Huskers to prioritize the pursuit of defensive linemen, although they've got nine freshmen at the position group on the roster. How has the recruiting strategy changed during Rhule's time in Lincoln? Aside from the need to place monetary values on each recruit and think more strategically than ever on class size, there's this nugget: Rhule signed eight Nebraskans out of high school in 2023, eight in 2024 and six in 2025. From the first two classes, five of 16 have departed via transfer; five of 16 are projected as two-deep players when camp begins this month. The takeaway: Nebraska can be more selective with local talent. In the Class of 2026, it has one commitment from a Nebraskan — linebacker Jase Reynolds of Elkhorn North. Fifteen are committed elsewhere, including nine players from reigning Class A champion Millard South. Alabama QB commit Jett Thomalla headlines the group. Advertisement Nebraska offered just one of the players who has chosen to leave the state, Millard South tight end and Missouri commit Isaac Jensen. There's one left on the table: Omaha North defensive back Darion Jones, brother of Nebraska cornerback Donovan Jones. The younger Jones is set to announce a college decision Friday, likely between Iowa and Nebraska.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Trio of talented WRs to commit July 1 at WR Retreat in Florida
John Garcia, Jr. The wide receiver position, by perception and certainly dollar amount at the highest level, has become the next premium position in football at every level. Specialization comes nearly 12 months a year and the NCAA dead period into the month of July is no different. At the H.D. Performance WR Retreat, it will not only feature several days of work with wideouts from the prep level to college and beyond, but a trio of prospects will come off the board with live verbal commitments as well. Advertisement Class of 2026 standouts Larry Miles, Brian Williams Jr. and Barrett Schulz -- each from the Orlando area -- will go public with their picks the evening of July 1 as part of the event's festivities. Miles, out of Orlando (Fla.) Jones, is a top-10 slot receiver recruit nationally who broke out in 2024 as Jones reached the state title game. This offseason, his crisp route-running and overall polish has expanded his offer list beyond 40 programs. He just wrapped up a busy official visit stretch, too, checking out Pitt, Nebraska and Kentucky in the month of June. Several other programs also remain in communication as the month winds down. Williams is another spring riser from a recruiting standpoint, collecting national offers as more programs saw the massive target in action this offseason. Now at Orlando (Fla.) The First Academy after his days at Lake Mary High School, Williams is entering decision-making mode after official visits to Alabama, Florida, Notre Dame and Penn State. Michigan also offered in recent weeks as more and more programs covet the 6-foot-4 playmaker. The biggest pass-catcher set to come off the board to kick off the month was Williams' teammate for a brief stretch at Lake Mary in Schulz. Officially a shade under 6-foot-6, he offers a massive catch radius and his recruitment also took another step this spring after some strong camp showings. Schulz will likely pledge to an FBS program after his own busy official visit stretch, spending time at FIU and elsewhere in June. A potential flex tight end in college, this recruitment and commitment may potentially open more doors going into the 2025 season. Advertisement In addition to the wide receiver recruits set to commit, other stars in the class of 2026 and beyond will get work at the WR Retreat beginning on June 30. That list currently includes five-star Jamier Brown, committed to Ohio State, four-stars Messiah Hampton (Oregon) and Zion Legree (Wisconsin), three-star Kenyon Alston (Illinois) and many others. The event runs through July 3.
USA Today
04-06-2025
- General
- USA Today
Nebraska extends scholarship offer to Florida wide receiver
AI-assisted summary Four-star wide receiver Larry Miles has received a scholarship offer from Nebraska. Miles, ranked the No. 8 WR in the 2026 class, had a productive junior season at Jones High School (FL). He recently visited Nebraska's campus and has an upcoming visit to Kentucky planned. Kentucky and Miami are currently considered the favorites to land Miles. A top ten wide receiver recruit has received a scholarship offer from the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Four-star prospect Larry Miles announced the offer on social media. Miles is ranked as the No. 8 wide receiver in the class of 2026 according to Rivals. Last season, the Orlando, Florida native caught 68 passes for 1,204 yards and ten touchdowns for Jones High School. Nebraska's class of 2026 holds four commitments. Dveyoun Bonwell-Witte is the class's only wide receiver, and corner CJ Bronaugh is the only commit from the state of Florida. Miles has a visit to Kentucky planned later this month. The Wildcats and the Miami Hurricanes are considered the front-runners at this stage in the receiver's recruitment. Miles received his scholarship offer after visiting the Lincoln campus earlier this week. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle Contact/Follow us@CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page onFacebookto follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.
CBS News
07-02-2025
- Business
- CBS News
New Jersey veteran-owned bookstore aims to help future generations learn more about Black history
From bestsellers to cultural classics, Larry Miles has stocked the shelves inside his bookstore full of history. "I feel there's a need for our people to know who they are," Miles said. In 1991, the U.S. Air Force veteran opened La Unique African American Books and Cultural Center on North 6th Street in Camden to help customers and future generations learn more about Black history. "How do you know where to go when you don't know where you came from?" Miles said. Over the years, Miles has also collected African artifacts and works of art, some of which are more than 250 years old. "This is one of my little treasures," Miles said as he walked into the museum. Behind the bookstore is an African American museum where Miles has hosted church groups and summer camps. There, he teaches visitors about African American history and showcases his collection of treasures from across the continent. "I love doing this because I love people's reflections when they see and is able to say, I never knew or I always wanted to see," Miles said. According to Miles, business has taken a major hit since the pandemic. Now, at 91 years old, he is not slowing down. Instead, he's drafting new programs and ideas to continue contributing to the community and passing on his knowledge. "I come here because someone may come in and need just a tad bit of information that I may be able to give to them to move their day," Miles said.
