Pair of Nebraska football players join depleted Nebraska basketball team for Big Ten Tournament

The depleted Nebraska basketball roster will get some reinforcements for the Big Ten Tournament from a pair of Nebraska football players.

It’s not out of the ordinary to see two-sport stars play college football and college basketball. But the circumstances for a pair of Nebraska athletes becoming two-sport athletes definitely falls under the extenuating category.

Due to a depleted Nebraska basketball roster that’s been hurt by injuries and suspension, a pair of Nebraska football players have joined the basketball team for the Big Ten Tournament.

Quarterback Noah Vedral, who is in an open quarterback competition with Adrian Martinez and Luke McCaffrey, and 6-foot-7, 300-pound offensive tackle Brant Banks join Fred Hoiberg‘s team, which may be for one game only, but potentially more if they win and advance.

Nebraska plays Indiana on Wednesday at 8:25 pm. ET from Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Vedral was a two-time All-State guard at Wahoo Neumann High School where he averaged 13.6 points as a senior and won three C-1 state titles. Banks averaged 11.5 points and 7.6 rebounds as a high school junior, his last year of high school hoops before enrolling early at Nebraska during the winter of his senior year of high school.

This is not an ideal scenario for Hoiberg’s team, but it’s what they have to do after the season-ending injury to Matej Kavas and suspensions to Cam Mack and Dachon Burke.

Naturally, Vedral and Banks won’t have the benefit of being well-versed in the team’s playbook, but they’re warm bodies who can provide some minutes off the bench if the team is in a pinch, and not entirely embarrass themselves.

Outside of scouting really tall students on campus, picking the best football players with a background in basketball is the best plan of attack. After all, it may just be for Wednesday’s game against Indiana.

Then, the pair of football players can return to the team who began spring practice on Monday. The 7-24 Huskers will not be going to any postseason Tournaments unless they pull off a Miracle on the Hardwood and win the Big Ten Tournament.

Do you believe in miracles?

No, that’s not going to happen, but kudos to Vedral and Banks for showing some school spirit by suiting up for the hoops team to help out the Nebrasketball team in their time of need.

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