"I’m tempted to say Alberts stole the show during Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis,"

he writes on the new Husker athletic director.

Defensive coordinator Joe Barry will have plenty of options, with second-year linebackers Krys Barnes and Kamal Martin seemingly the favorites among holdovers on the roster.

Nebraska coach Scott Frost didn't exactly try to diminish intrigue in the 6-foot-3, 190-pound transfer wide receiver from Montana. 

Former Husker QB Noah Vedral took advantage of his opportunity to play at Rutgers in 2020, and he saw success in a trying year.

The former UW football player took credit for the athletic department's financial stability through the COVID-19 pandemic in a cover letter to apply for the athletic director position.

“I’d run through a wall for him,” senior tight end Jake Ferguson said of Badgers coach Paul Chryst.

Adams, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season, has cut off extension talks with the team — and there are no plans to resume them with training camp set to kick off next week.

The group's success could hinge on Preston Smith rebounding from a subpar season in 2020.

With an improved roster and culture, the onus this season is largely on the Nebraska coaching staff, and Scott Frost in particular. 

INDIANAPOLIS — With the start of fall camp less than two weeks away, Kirk Ferentz knows one thing about his 23rd Iowa football team.

"I think Cam is one of the top corners definitely in the Big Ten, if not the top corner in the Big Ten," says defensive backs coach Travis Fisher.

Last time we heard from him, Dak Prescott insisted he had "buried" the ankle injury that cut his 2020 season so short.

Here are some notable, fun or eye-raising notes from Day 2 in Indianapolis. 

Live from the airport, Steven M. Sipple and Chris Basnett deliver their closing remarks after two days of Big Ten Media Days. 

It's safe to say the Huskers are looking forward to the return of the Big Red. Scott Frost went as far to say it was "almost a disadvantage for us."

Four-star cornerback Zeke Berry is joining the Arizona Wildcats. 

Nebraska's Cam Jurgens was one of 40 centers named to the Rimington Trophy preseason watch list Friday.

NEW ORLEANS - New Orleans Saints All-Pro receiver Michael Thomas is expected to miss the beginning of the 2021 season after he had ankle surgery in June, according to a report from the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Thomas sustained a high ankle sprain in the 2020 season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and played intermittently for the rest of the season. He finished the year with 438 yards receiving on 50 catches.His recommended time of recovery is four months, which would line up with him missing at least four games. The Athletic reported that Thomas could miss five games while he recovers.Thomas was not made available to the media during the three days of minicamp in June, but coach Sean Payton said on June 10 that he was present and participating."We're still monitoring it and paying attention to it and scanning it and all those things," Payton said in June about Thomas' ankle. "He's getting treatment and doing the things that are necessary. So far, so good."The news regarding surgery isn't new. It was reported back in January that Thomas would likely need "surgeries" to fix his torn deltoid and the injured ligaments in his ankle.The Saints have a Week 6 idle week, so the team could place him on the regular season's physically unable to perform list if they do believe he'll miss the first five games of the season. Players who begin the regular season on PUP must sit out the first six weeks of the season, and then they have a 21-day window where the player can practice before being brought back to the 53-man roster.The receiver room without Thomas features Tre'Quan Smith, Deonte Harris, Marquez Callaway, Jake Lampman, Lil'Jordan Humphrey, Jalen McCleskey, rookie seventh-round draft pick Kawaan Baker and undrafted rookie Easop Winston.When Thomas was out last season, the Saints had veteran receiver Emmanuel Sanders available to lead the way, pacing the receivers with 726 yards receiving on 61 catches. However, the Saints released Sanders in the offseason due to salary cap constraints. He's on Buffalo's roster now.The top returning receiver in terms of receiving output is fourth-year receiver Smith, who had 448 yards receiving on 50 catches in 14 games. The 2018 third-round draft pick out of UCF is in a contract year.The player who led the team in receiving yards last season was running back Alvin Kamara, who finished the year with 756 yards receiving on 83 catches. The third-most productive pass catcher in 2020 is also no longer with the team, as tight end Jared Cook hit free agency and was not re-signed. Cook, who had 504 yards receiving on 37 catches last year, plays for the Los Angeles Chargers.Before Thomas got hurt last season, the Ohio State product had sky-high expectations. He wanted to best his efforts from 2019, where he was the NFL's offensive player of the year and broke the league's single-season receptions record with 149 catches.The news regarding Thomas is just the latest in disappointing news regarding Saints starters. Last week, starting defensive tackle David Onyemata was suspended for the first six games/seven weeks of the 2021 season after he tested positive for a banned substance.Then, there's cornerback Marshon Lattimore's lingering court case in Cleveland. He was charged with a fourth-degree felony after police found a handgun in his possession during a traffic stop in March was allegedly stolen. There have been no updates in the case.Taking Thomas, Onyemata and Lattimore into consideration, the Saints could very well suit up just 11 of their starters from their 2020 season opener. Quarterback Drew Brees has retired; tight end Josh Hill was released and has since retired; guard Nick Easton was released; defensive end Trey Hendrickson signed with Cincinnati; defensive tackle Malcom Brown was traded to Jacksonville; linebacker Alex Anzalone signed with Detroit; and cornerback Janoris Jenkins was released and now plays for Tennessee.

LAS VEGAS — Preseason accolades are nice and all, but Boise State’s players would prefer to get the postseason honors.

Kenny Clark had more sacks (2.5) in two playoff games than he had in 13 regular-season games (2.0) last year.

For the first time in two years, the Cowboys conducted a practice in Oxnard, as the start to the 2021 training camp got underway.

It boils down to this: the Beatrice native is either going to corral his snapping issues or he isn't.

Thinking about the upcoming season, Wyoming junior linebacker Chad Muma said Thursday, "Talking about it puts a smile on my face."

Make no mistake, every game is important this fall. But the lid-lifter in Champaign feels "even more important than any other year."

Frost said he didn't have anything to do with the process of selecting Alberts, adding that he has already met with his new boss "four times."