Will Bolt: Building a contender in 2024 is 'significantly different'

Nebraska baseball coach Will Bolt was quite honest about building a contender in the sport and across college athletics in 2024.

He said it was a stark contrast compared to five years ago when he came aboard in Lincoln. With the transfer portal and NIL being significant factors in recruitment, teams are built nearly completely different.

Sure, there’s still high school recruitment and it’s a foundation to building college teams. But it’s a tricky balance.

“I would say significantly different,” Bolt said. “We’ve kind of talked about that here where, you know, the job I was hired to do and 2019 is quite a bit different than what’s right now. Really big high school class of kids in the ‘22 season. They weren’t ready. You’ve got to consistently be older in any college athletics. And if you’re not, you better be insanely talented.”

When Bolt mentioned how teams have to be older and more experienced, it can weed out the young players. Unless those young players are college ready and can make a positive impact right away?

“It’s harder now than ever for young pitchers and position players to make an impact at a level where you’re trying to win,” Bolt said. “It’s insanely difficult. You can’t just put the guy in and say, well, let’s just try to develop them and see what happens. We might have some … can’t do that, because everybody’s good. And you can’t just roll over people. 

“Especially when you’ve got a good season going, you’re gonna get everybody’s best shot you know, so that doesn’t lend itself to being able to do those things.”

Will Bolt prepares Nebraska for series vs. Michigan State

At 32-18 this season, Bolt and the Huskers have one series remaining. It begins Thursday on the road at Michigan State.

Nebraska infielder Cayden Brumbaugh missed about two weeks with a hand injury, returning to the lineup over the weekend in a series against Indiana.

However, the sophomore was kept out of the lineup in the final game of the series on Sunday, raising questions about his availability for a series against Michigan State this weekend.

“So he wasn’t feeling great on Sunday,” coach Will Bolt said. “We sat him Sunday. He hasn’t swung a bat this week, by design because I’m just trying to save his bullets, so to speak, for the game. He’ll hit tonight when we get (to East Lansing).”

Brumbaugh didn’t have a ton of success at the plate, going 0-for-6. He did, however, draw a walk in each contest he played in, managing to get on base. He turned one of those into a run scored, as well.

Nebraska will be significantly better if Brumbaugh can get back to full health before the postseason begins.