Nebraska’s 2020 recruiting class lost a year, but Huskers may find themselves in 2021 | Huskers HQ

COVID canceled most of those plans.

“First spring, two practices in, and I had to go home,” Smothers said. “That’s not what I came here for.”

He returned in summer 2020, impressing coaches in training camp with his decision-making. But Smothers had lost valuable time to work on his inconsistent throwing motion, so, in spring 2021, he had to log all the repetitions under coach Mario Verduzco that he would have had in 2020 during a normal year. Smothers spent much of spring improving on it.

Defensive tackle Jordon Riley, meanwhile, got healthy. The transfer from Garden City (Kan.) Community College had a strong training camp in 2020 before getting hurt just before the Oct. 24 Ohio State game. He played at times last season, but clearly carried more weight than he wanted. He lost 15 pounds in the offseason.

“I was weighing 330 — close to 340 — last year, so I really made the initiative this summer to drop the weight,” Riley said. “… I feel it tremendously. I’m way lot quicker, way lot faster, my reaction’s been faster playing.”

Payne, meanwhile, reshaped his body from that of a defensive linemen to an outside linebacker. Will Nixon recovered from a torn ACL. Betts, openly admitting he lacked motivation and focus prior to this summer, used a chat with his father as fuel for his fire. Receiver Omar Manning, who has not spoken to any media since his December 2019 commit, has consistently been in practice after a 2020 when he spent more time on his health. Manning, the No. 1 junior college receiver, is one of the best cases of how a difficult 2020 needs to turn into a productive 2021.