Following Fan Day, fans can get preview of team

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Nebraska football holds Fan Day and its annual Big Red Preview open practice Saturday. What to know and expect from Saturday afternoon and evening at Memorial Stadium.

1. Fan Day is free, Big Red Preview costs money: Husker coaches and players will sign autographs and take photos from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. inside Hawks Championship Center.

At 6:30 p.m., the open practice will commence, but fans need to have tickets for entrance.

Tickets can be purchased at Huskers.com. With a $1 transaction fee, they cost $31 for any West Stadium club seats, $21 for adults in regular seats, and $11 for youth (high school and younger) in regular seats.

Admission fees go to 1890, the student-athlete collective putting on the event.

2. You can buy a beer: Nebraska will sell beer and alcohol for the Big Red Preview event. It's the first time beer will be sold inside Memorial Stadium for a football event.

Based on an X post by Tyler Kai, Nebraska deputy athletic director for revenue generation, NU will at least be selling Michelob Ultra, Bud Light, Busch Light, Modelo and NUTRL vodka seltzers, in cans, when the operation is fully up and running.

NU sold alcohol for the Volleyball Day in Nebraska event back in 2023 -- without incident -- and for a few concerts in other circumstances, but Saturday represents a soft launch for the Huskers' full-scale sales that start with the Sept. 6 home game against Akron.

Husker fans have already been able to enjoy a beer during basketball and baseball games at venues not controlled by NU athletics and Nebraska's Board of Regents in October 2024 approved Memorial Stadium beer sales.

3. The Huskers plan a practice in full pads: NCAA rules require an acclimation period during the opening week of camp that starts with helmets only and progresses, eventually, to full pads.

This will be NU's sixth practice of the week.

Players will be tired but ready to mix it up in front of fans.

4. Watch the lines: Coach Matt Rhule said at Big Ten media days that Nebraska's offensive line was the strength of the team in spring.

He has pumped up his defensive line, too, calling that group "hell on wheels," but it is far less experienced than it was in 2025.

Don't be surprised if the top offensive and defensive lines square off in practice.

Typically, defenses have an advantage in camp because defenders know the opposing offense. What might happen Saturday?

5. Special teams in flux: Nebraska does not know its starting kicker at this point -- a battle continues between Tristan Alvano, John Hohl and Kyle Cunanan -- while punter Archie Wilson is brand new to the sport.

Teammates seem to love him -- receiver Jacory Barney said Wilson "sleeps with the ball" -- but he still has plenty to learn and prove.

sam.mckewon@owh.com, 402-540-4222, twitter.com/ swmckewonOWH