Husker/Bison alum: best practice of fall but...

LINCOLN, Neb. — There’s no holding back to how Nebraska linebacker Zach Schlager feels about the summer mirage that Big Ten Conference leaders announced last week.

“It is a huge disappointment. Not only had we worked our butts off all summer, but then they (Big Ten leaders) put out a new schedule for the fall,” the McCook High alum and Class B super stater said in a Wednesday phone interview. “That day, we had our best practice we’ve had since mid-March. There was finally a goal in sight.”

Sorry, perhaps someone hit the “send” button by mistake instead of delete.

Most Nebraskans know what has happened since:

1. No fall sports for any Big Ten program;

2. No forming a football games schedule outside the Big Ten and remaining a member;

3. No plan to make 2021 as “normal” as possible.

What could possibly be normal about playing two college football seasons — spring and fall — during the same year?

“Yeah, I know players definitely need some recovery time,” Schlager said. “Not sure how much time that will be. We’ll do it (a spring Big Ten season) if it’s our only option. We just want to play football.”

Spring became the only option since UNL chancellor Ronny Green and president Ted Carter offered a joint statement this morning:

“The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is a fully committed member of the Big Ten Conference. It is an unparalleled athletic and academic alliance.”

Who knows when spring football will actually be permitted.

If that time arrives, Schlager will be ready to continue his momentum for some first “Game Day” playing time.

The redshirt sophomore has been rotating at second and third-team linebacker.

“And I was looking to get on the field on special teams,” the 2018 McCook High grad said.

Getting other Huskers on the field perhaps drives Schlager’s ambition as much as anything.

He’s seen what seniors like fellow linebackers Will Honas and Jojo Domann are facing through all this COVID-19 uncertainty.

“I know some seniors have said ‘we may not play college football again.’ That affects all of us,” he said. “They’ve become great friends. Plus nobody knows how a lost year might affect eligibility.”

Despite all this chaos, Schlager remains focused and enthused about what returns Monday: another school year.

Schlager has a full mix of classroom or online work set to begin 2020-21.

“Yup, it all starts Monday,” the former Class B All-State academic athlete concluded. “I’ll be really focused on that.”

Dundy County-Stratton alum Phalen Sanford is another Cornhusker walk-on who offered some comments about the possible 2021 spring season.

“Yeah, we were all really hoping to play this fall and we’re all disappointed with the decision from the Big Ten,” Sanford remarked through a Facebook connection this morning. “I feel for all the seniors that are going to have to make really hard decisions when we all more. We’ve been preparing for games and now we just have to stay ready for whenever we play.”