Travis Justice and Dr. Rob Zatechka welcome back one of the most iconic names in Nebraska football history—Dave Rimington—for his first appearance on the show since 2018. And it doesn’t take long to remember why a conversation with Rimington always turns into a mix of laughs, perspective, and some real talk about the state of college athletics.

The guys kick things off on a bitter-cold January night—while the national championship game is literally starting in the background—then go straight into the origin story of Husker Doc Talk and Rimington’s role in helping get the podcast off the ground in the first place. From there, it’s classic Rimington: quick wit, candid honesty, and a few “only Dave” stories (including a deep dive into AI prompts, Facebook ads, and whether that Tai Chi chair guy is even real).

But the heart of the episode is a thoughtful, wide-ranging discussion on what college football has become in the NIL + transfer portal era. Rimington and Zatechka unpack what “commitment” even means anymore—for players and coaches—why the portal timing feels broken, and how the sport is drifting toward a professional model without the guardrails the NFL actually has. The conversation also hits on local recruiting, development vs. “buying” older talent, and why the current system feels unsustainable for programs trying to build the old-fashioned way.

There’s also plenty of Nebraska and Omaha pride: Rimington is back in town for the Rimington Trophy Presentation at the Rococo Theatre, honoring this year’s winner, Logan Jones (Iowa), and the episode highlights how the event has grown into a first-class weekend while raising millions for cystic fibrosis research over the years. Rimington shares what it’s like to still have his name attached to a major national award—and why maintaining the quality of the event still matters to him.

Add in some NFL war stories, a little Memorial Stadium beer talk, a wrestling sidebar (because of course), and a heartfelt remembrance of Jim Hartung, and you’ve got an episode that feels like catching up with an old friend—who just happens to be a legend.

Watch on YouTube, subscribe, and drop your comments—because this one will definitely get people talking.

If you like this podcast, please support our sponsors who make this all possible:

Life throws legal challenges at all of us — and when it does, you need a team that’s trusted, respected, and proven. Orr Law Group provides expert legal representation with a client-first approach, specializing in personal injury, workers’ compensation, family matters, and more. When you need clear guidance and strong advocacy, the Orr Law Group is in your corner.

Learn more at www.orrlawgrp.com.

Whether it’s game day, bowl season, or the long wait until spring practice, Husker Hounds is your go-to source for the best Nebraska gear. Jerseys, hoodies, hats, collectibles — if it’s Husker-related, they’ve got it. Family-owned, locally operated, and serving Husker Nation for decades, Husker Hounds helps you show your Nebraska pride every day of the year.

Shop online at www.huskerhounds.com.

Welcome to Husker Doc Talk Podcast — 2026, Episode 1, and the first show of the new year kicks off the only way this crew knows how: a little chaos, a lot of laughs, and a deep dive into Husker football—plus some side quests that only happen when you put Travis Justice, Dr. Rob Zatechka, and a former Blackshirt in the same room.

This episode is “about 20 years in the making,” as Travis and Rob finally welcome former Nebraska standout Zach Potter to the show.

Potter’s visit turns into a fascinating walk through his career arc—from highly recruited Creighton Prep athlete, to Nebraska defender, to a four-year NFL run with the Jacksonville Jaguars after a whirlwind, last-second position switch that had him signing a contract, hopping a flight, and suddenly playing tight end in the Florida humidity. Zach shares what it’s really like living practice-squad life, grinding all day at the facility, trying to survive roster math, and navigating the less-glamorous realities fans rarely hear about—like taxes in multiple states, paying for your own tickets, and living out of an extended-stay hotel because you’re not sure if you’ll even be employed next week.

Of course, the show also revisits one of the all-time debates: should Zach have played offensive line? Rob breaks down why he saw “natural tackle” traits in Potter years ago, while Zach explains why he chose the Blackshirt path—and why he has zero regrets. The conversation also gets real about the Callahan-to-Pelini transition, what it feels like when staffs change, why “losing a locker room” often comes down to one guy freelancing, and how quickly you have to re-prove yourself when a new coach walks in.

And because it’s Husker Doc Talk, the episode doesn’t stop there: NIL and the transfer portal, the value vs.-money debate, Nebraska’s portal approach, and even a quick tour through the “upside down world” where Nebraska is rolling in basketball while Indiana is suddenly a football power.

If you like this podcast, please support our sponsors who make this all possible:

Life throws legal challenges at all of us — and when it does, you need a team that’s trusted, respected, and proven. Orr Law Group provides expert legal representation with a client-first approach, specializing in personal injury, workers’ compensation, family matters, and more. When you need clear guidance and strong advocacy, the Orr Law Group is in your corner.

Learn more at www.orrlawgrp.com.

Whether it’s game day, bowl season, or the long wait until spring practice, Husker Hounds is your go-to source for the best Nebraska gear. Jerseys, hoodies, hats, collectibles — if it’s Husker-related, they’ve got it. Family-owned, locally operated, and serving Husker Nation for decades, Husker Hounds helps you show your Nebraska pride every day of the year.

Shop online at www.huskerhounds.com.

Utah 44 Nebraska 22, the final from the Las Vegas Bowl. In the final episode for 2025, Travis Justice and Dr. Rob Zatechka give their immediate postgame thoughts from the Las Vegas Bowl. To sum it up, a bad end to a bad season.

If you like this podcast, please support our sponsors who make this all possible:

Every runner, every athlete, every patient knows the moment when the body says “stop.” The ache takes over, and you’re done. But most pain doesn’t start where you feel it — it travels through your body like a chain reaction.

That’s why G-DEFY shoes with VersoShock® technology — a mechanical spring system invented in 2006 — are such a game changer. They don’t just cushion impact; they absorb shock and return energy to help your body move the way it was meant to.

Try G-DEFY shoes now and get $30 off plus free shipping.

Visit www.gdefy.com and get back in motion.

Life throws legal challenges at all of us — and when it does, you need a team that’s trusted, respected, and proven. Orr Law Group provides expert legal representation with a client-first approach, specializing in personal injury, workers’ compensation, family matters, and more. When you need clear guidance and strong advocacy, the Orr Law Group is in your corner.

Learn more at www.orrlawgrp.com.

Whether it’s game day, bowl season, or the long wait until spring practice, Husker Hounds is your go-to source for the best Nebraska gear. Jerseys, hoodies, hats, collectibles — if it’s Husker-related, they’ve got it. Family-owned, locally operated, and serving Husker Nation for decades, Husker Hounds helps you show your Nebraska pride every day of the year.

Shop online at www.huskerhounds.com.

The Husker Doc Talk Podcast wraps up the year with a festive, wide-ranging post-Christmas episode that blends holiday humor, sponsor shoutouts, and deep college football analysis—exactly what Husker fans have come to expect from Travis Justice and Dr. Rob Zatechka.

The episode starts off lighthearted, and then the conversation turns serious with an in-depth breakdown of one of the biggest coaching stories of the season: Kyle Whittingham’s stunning move from Utah to Michigan. Travis and Dr. Rob examine the timing of the decision, the rumored friction with Utah’s administration, and what it means for Utah’s bowl preparation. They also debate whether Whittingham’s departure removes emotional fuel—or creates new motivation—for the Utes as they prepare to face Nebraska.

The discussion naturally pivots to Nebraska football and the upcoming bowl game in Las Vegas. With key players opting out and a new coaching staff still settling in, expectations are tempered. Dr. Rob explains why this bowl game should be viewed through a developmental lens rather than a win-or-else moment, outlining Nebraska’s current roster gaps, particularly along the offensive and defensive lines. The two also explore how the transfer portal and NIL have reshaped roster construction—and why player evaluation and development matter more than ever.

Quarterback play, portal strategy, and long-term program building dominate the second half of the episode, including a thoughtful debate about Nebraska’s future at QB and whether stability might be more valuable than chasing a one-year rental. The episode closes with a broader look at college football’s shifting power structure, comparing development-first programs like Iowa with big-money NIL schools, and questioning whether the Big 12 can truly keep pace with the Big Ten and SEC.

It’s a candid, thoughtful, and entertaining year-end conversation—equal parts football breakdown, industry insight, and holiday camaraderie—making Episode 23 a perfect way to close out 2025 on the Husker Doc Talk Podcast.

If you like this podcast, please support our sponsors who make this all possible:

Every runner, every athlete, every patient knows the moment when the body says “stop.” The ache takes over, and you’re done. But most pain doesn’t start where you feel it — it travels through your body like a chain reaction.

That’s why G-DEFY shoes with VersoShock® technology — a mechanical spring system invented in 2006 — are such a game changer. They don’t just cushion impact; they absorb shock and return energy to help your body move the way it was meant to.

Try G-DEFY shoes now and get $30 off plus free shipping.

Visit www.gdefy.com and get back in motion.

Life throws legal challenges at all of us — and when it does, you need a team that’s trusted, respected, and proven. Orr Law Group provides expert legal representation with a client-first approach, specializing in personal injury, workers’ compensation, family matters, and more. When you need clear guidance and strong advocacy, the Orr Law Group is in your corner.

Learn more at www.orrlawgrp.com.

Whether it’s game day, bowl season, or the long wait until spring practice, Husker Hounds is your go-to source for the best Nebraska gear. Jerseys, hoodies, hats, collectibles — if it’s Husker-related, they’ve got it. Family-owned, locally operated, and serving Husker Nation for decades, Husker Hounds helps you show your Nebraska pride every day of the year.

Shop online at www.huskerhounds.com.

It’s a Christmas edition of the Husker Doc Talk Podcast, and Travis Justice and Dr. Rob Zatechka are in full post season form—mixing college football playoff takes, Husker reality checks, and the kind of off-the-rails holiday banter that feels like hanging out with your buddies in the basement… if your buddies also happened to break down offensive line technique and playoff selection politics.

Episode 22 opens with the guys reacting to the first round of the College Football Playoff—what they watched, what surprised them, and what didn’t. From the “coulda/shoulda” playoff arguments (and the clickbait that fuels them) to the teams that looked legit, Travis and Rob debate what the games actually told us. They talk Alabama’s situation under Kalen DeBoer, the pressure of rebuilding in the NIL/portal era, and why judging coaches the same way we used to just doesn’t work anymore.

Then the conversation shifts into one of the most hot-button topics in the sport: playoff expansion. Is 12 enough? (Rob says no.) Should it be 16? 24? Travis says bring it on—especially if it means more on-campus playoff games, which both guys agree are the best thing to happen to the sport in a long time. They dig into the ripple effects of automatic qualifiers, the shifting criteria coming next year, and what it means for group-of-five teams going forward.

From there, it’s back to Lincoln. Travis asks the question Husker fans have been asking: Does Matt Rhule look different? More stressed? More “fishbowl-aware”? Rob reads the body language, talks staff changes, and explains why this moment feels less like a rebuild and more like a reset—new voices, new systems, and possibly a new quarterback era after Dylan Raiola’s departure. The guys also get real about what Nebraska should do next: chase a portal QB… or build around TJ Lateef and invest where it matters most—up front.

Along the way, you’ll get sponsor shout-outs, a peppermint chocolate stout “breakfast beer,” stories from Rob’s debutante weekend, and a quick holiday wrap-up with what’s next for the podcast—more playoff talk, portal moves, and interviews lined up for the new year.

Merry Christmas, Husker fans. Episode 22 is equal parts football, fun, and future-looking—exactly how the holiday edition should be.

If you like this podcast, please support our sponsors who make this all possible:

Every runner, every athlete, every patient knows the moment when the body says “stop.” The ache takes over, and you’re done. But most pain doesn’t start where you feel it — it travels through your body like a chain reaction.

That’s why G-DEFY shoes with VersoShock® technology — a mechanical spring system invented in 2006 — are such a game changer. They don’t just cushion impact; they absorb shock and return energy to help your body move the way it was meant to.

Try G-DEFY shoes now and get $30 off plus free shipping.

Visit www.gdefy.com and get back in motion.

Life throws legal challenges at all of us — and when it does, you need a team that’s trusted, respected, and proven. Orr Law Group provides expert legal representation with a client-first approach, specializing in personal injury, workers’ compensation, family matters, and more. When you need clear guidance and strong advocacy, the Orr Law Group is in your corner.

Learn more at www.orrlawgrp.com.

Whether it’s game day, bowl season, or the long wait until spring practice, Husker Hounds is your go-to source for the best Nebraska gear. Jerseys, hoodies, hats, collectibles — if it’s Husker-related, they’ve got it. Family-owned, locally operated, and serving Husker Nation for decades, Husker Hounds helps you show your Nebraska pride every day of the year.

Shop online at www.huskerhounds.com.

On this episode of the Husker Doc Talk Podcast, former Nebraska assistant coach Bill Busch joins Travis Justice and Dr. Rob Zatechka in the studio for a wide-ranging and insightful conversation. A fan-favorite guest, Bill brings his trademark knowledge, perspective, and strong opinions.

The discussion opens with Nebraska volleyball and the Huskers’ surprising Elite Eight loss to Texas A&M, then quickly shifts to football. The trio dives into Nebraska’s upcoming bowl matchup with Utah, a game with personal connections for Coach Busch, who previously worked with the Utes and counts head coach Kyle Whittingham among his closest friends.

They also tackle Nebraska’s recent coaching changes and evaluate how Matt Rhule’s staff is recruiting in the state, offering candid insight into where the program stands and where it’s headed.

If you like this podcast, please support our sponsors who make this all possible:

Every runner, every athlete, every patient knows the moment when the body says “stop.” The ache takes over, and you’re done. But most pain doesn’t start where you feel it — it travels through your body like a chain reaction.

That’s why G-DEFY shoes with VersoShock® technology — a mechanical spring system invented in 2006 — are such a game changer. They don’t just cushion impact; they absorb shock and return energy to help your body move the way it was meant to.

Try G-DEFY shoes now and get $30 off plus free shipping.

Visit www.gdefy.com and get back in motion.

Life throws legal challenges at all of us — and when it does, you need a team that’s trusted, respected, and proven. Orr Law Group provides expert legal representation with a client-first approach, specializing in personal injury, workers’ compensation, family matters, and more. When you need clear guidance and strong advocacy, the Orr Law Group is in your corner.

Learn more at www.orrlawgrp.com.

Whether it’s game day, bowl season, or the long wait until spring practice, Husker Hounds is your go-to source for the best Nebraska gear. Jerseys, hoodies, hats, collectibles — if it’s Husker-related, they’ve got it. Family-owned, locally operated, and serving Husker Nation for decades, Husker Hounds helps you show your Nebraska pride every day of the year.

Shop online at www.huskerhounds.com.

Nebraska closed the regular season with a thud, getting blasted 40–16 by Iowa and stumbling into the offseason searching for answers — and maybe an identity. On this edition of the Husker Doc Talk Podcast, Travis Justice and former Husker offensive lineman Dr. Rob Zatechka break down exactly how the Huskers unraveled in their final two games, getting outscored 73–26 and dropping their third straight Black Friday matchup against Iowa. Since joining the Big Ten, Nebraska has gone 4–11 against the Hawkeyes — and the gap feels wider than ever.

So now the question becomes: What changes are coming? Will Matt Rhule overhaul his staff? Will key players stick around or move on?

We dive into the big offseason decisions, including:

• Will QB Dylan Raiola enter the transfer portal?
• Is RB Emmett Johnson NFL-bound?
• What roster and coaching moves must happen to stop this downward slide?

It was also a wild weekend across college football — coaches fired, coaches hired, chaos everywhere, and Lane Kiffin doing what Lane Kiffin does: lighting a dumpster fire and then pretending he’s the one getting smoked out. One thing is certain: big changes are coming to the sport, and the ripple effects will hit everyone, including Nebraska.

Every runner, every athlete, every patient knows the moment when the body says “stop.” The ache takes over and you’re done. But most pain doesn’t start where you feel it — it travels through your body like a chain reaction.

That’s why G-DEFY shoes with VersoShock® technology — a mechanical spring system invented in 2006 — are such a game changer. They don’t just cushion impact; they absorb shock and return energy to help your body move the way it was meant to.

Try G-DEFY shoes now and get $30 off plus free shipping.

Visit www.gdefy.com and get back in motion.

Life throws legal challenges at all of us — and when it does, you need a team that’s trusted, respected, and proven. Orr Law Group provides expert legal representation with a client-first approach, specializing in personal injury, workers’ compensation, family matters, and more. When you need clear guidance and strong advocacy, the Orr Law Group is in your corner.

Learn more at www.orrlawgrp.com.

Whether it’s game day, bowl season, or the long wait until spring practice, Husker Hounds is your go-to source for the best Nebraska gear. Jerseys, hoodies, hats, collectibles — if it’s Husker-related, they’ve got it. Family-owned, locally operated, and serving Husker Nation for decades, Husker Hounds helps you show your Nebraska pride every day of the year.

Shop online at www.huskerhounds.com.

In the Husker Doc Talk Podcast 2025, Episode 19, Travis Justice and Dr. Rob Zatechka hit the reset button for new listeners and long-time fans alike. After more than 20 years together behind microphones and 13 seasons of this podcast, they remind you what you’re signing up for: football, beer, history tangents, and brutally honest Husker talk.

The guys crack into a “three-beer podcast” (that might quietly become a four- or five-beer show) featuring local favorites from Kros Strain Brewing and a deep dive into Pliny the Elder – yes, both the beer and the Roman author. Along the way, you’ll get craft beer notes, a quick Roman history lesson, and the usual Viking jokes at Dr. Rob’s expense before they shift into full football mode.

Nebraska’s 37–10 beatdown at Penn State takes center stage. Was this the worst performance of the year, or does Minnesota still hold that crown? Travis and Dr. Rob break down why pointing fingers at the quarterback is lazy analysis. They put the spotlight where they believe it belongs: on the offensive and defensive lines, development versus recruiting, and whether Nebraska has slipped backward on defense after losing Tony White and Terrence Knighton. They also dive into T.J. Lateef’s outing, how he compares to Dylan Raiola, and why the real issue isn’t under center.

Emmett Johnson’s monster season and quiet Heisman push get a serious look. Is he the best running back in the Big Ten, and what would he look like behind an elite offensive line? The guys talk NIL math, draft grades, transfer portal temptations, and whether Emmett’s future is in Lincoln, the NFL, or somewhere chasing a national title.

Then it’s rivalry week: Iowa vs. Nebraska on Black Friday. Travis explains why Hawkeye fans are strangely comfortable living in the 7–8 win world of Kirk Ferentz, while Dr. Rob shocks everyone by actually picking Iowa to win—and to score on both defense and special teams. They break down Iowa’s run game, their shaky passing attack, and how Nebraska should defend a team that can’t throw it deep.

There’s even time for some national drama: Lane Kiffin’s flirtation with LSU and Florida, the insanity of coaching expectations in places like Baton Rouge, and why Ole Miss might actually be Kiffin’s best long-term play.

Of course, the show is brought to you by their friends at G-Defy (GDEFY.com, promo code DocTalk50), Orr Law Group, and Husker Hounds. Hit subscribe on YouTube, drop a comment, and if you found the show through HuskerMax.com, Travis and Dr. Rob say thank you and welcome aboard.