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Zavier Betts Leaves Huskers; Defense Dominates Scrimmage

Coach Matt Rhule says offense and placekickers struggled Saturday

Joe Hudson

Kenny Larabee, KLIN
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Wide receiver Zavier Betts has left the Nebraska football team for a second time. Head coach Matt Rhule disclosed the news after Saturday’s scrimmage, the Huskers’ 12th practice of preseason camp.

“He came to me and said, ‘Hey, coach, my heart’s not in it,’” Rhule said.

Betts played in 18 games in 2020 and 2021, starting six of them, but left the team in 2022 before being welcomed back by the new coaching staff. 

“What we ask people to do is hard,” Rhule said. “If their heart’s not in it, we certainly understand. ... He’s a guy that I love and I care about, and I hope he finds what he’s looking for.”

As for Saturday’s scrimmage, Rhule said the defense dominated and there were no injuries.

“I thought the defense was lights out,” Rhule said. “A lot of passion and energy, and they’re significantly further ahead of the offense based on today. A lot of work to do on offense and in the kicking game.”

The offense had “a lot of trouble getting in and out of the huddle, a lot of procedural things,” Rhule said. The kickers, he said, “missed some field goals today. A little wind out there. We didn’t knock it through the way I’d like us to.”

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Scrimmage 2 ☑️ #GBR x #WhatsNExt!

Posted by Nebraska Football on Saturday, August 12, 2023

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Joe Hudson
JOE HUDSON

Joe Hudson has operated a Husker-related website since 1995 and joined forces with David Max to form HuskerPedia (later renamed HuskerMax) in 1999. It began as a hobby during his 35 years as a newspaper editor and reporter, a career that included stints at the Lincoln Star, Omaha World-Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer and Denver Post. In Denver, Joe was chief of the copy desk during his final 16 years at the Post. He is proud to have been involved in Pulitzer Prize-winning projects in both Philadelphia and Denver. Joe has been a Nebraska football fan since the mid-1960s during his childhood in Omaha. He earned his bachelor of arts degree in journalism and economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1976. He resides a few freeway exits north of Colorado Springs and enjoys bicycling and walking his dogs in his spare time. You can reach him at joeroyhud@outlook.com.

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