Nebraska could steal a pair of Ohio State castoffs in a package deal

Despite being much improved in his first year at the helm, Matt Rhule's Nebraska Cornhuskers still came up short of making a bowl game. The Huskers defense largely held it together, but the offense lagged behind the other side of the ball's turnaround. Rhule is adept at getting the most out of his talent, but this college football team is in need of an injection offensively. Could it come in the portal?

Chris Hummer of 247Sports reported that former Ohio State starting quarterback Kyle McCord and former Buckeyes wide receiver Julian Fleming are expected to come to UNL for a visit sometime this week. McCord hitting the portal was odd to begin with, but Fleming was probably already looking for a change of scenery after getting buried on the deep Ohio State depth chart. Nebraska looms large...

To me, this would be an ideal landing spot for McCord, and possibly Fleming, in the portal. If they came to Lincoln together, that could do wonders for Marcus Satterfield's offense, as well as Nebraska's chances of getting to a holiday season bowl next year. It has been more than half a decade since the Huskers had a winning record and the opportunity to hold bowl game practices.

It may not seem like a total paradigm shift, but these two transfers could change the game for UNL.

Nebraska to host Kyle McCord and Julian Fleming sometime next week

While I like about the possibility of McCord and Fleming potentially transferring to Lincoln as a tandem is that not only would they have a working rapport from their time in Columbus, but they would be going to an ascending program in the Big Ten with realtively realistic expectations. In Columbus, it is about winning national championships. In Lincoln, it is all about going to bowl games.

If McCord and Fleming help turn around Nebraska football, that could do wonders for their college football legacies that are in need of some repair. For McCord, he was constantly under fire replacing C.J. Stroud as the starting quarterback all season long. For Fleming, he needs to show that he can be a featured receiver in a decent offense. By going to Nebraska, both of their boxes could be checked.

Overall, you need to pursue players like this if you are Nebraska. The Huskers may never get back to what they were under Tom Osborne, but in the dawn of NIL, financial incentives can help make up the difference. People in Nebraska live and die by this football team, and things have been bleak for well over a decade now. McCord and Fleming will not be panaceas, but they could make Nebraska better.

Give Rhule another season or two, and we could see Nebraska be in contention for a playoff spot.