Nebraska Reportedly Adding Former Penn State Running Back Tikey Hayes

Hello from Lincoln, Nebraska!

(Written by Jake Anderson from KETV NewsWatch 7)

Big news for football fans! The Nebraska football team (nicknamed the Huskers) is going to get a new player named Tikey Hayes. He used to play for Penn State (nicknamed the Nittany Lions). This is for the team list (called a roster) in the year 2026.

What Exactly Happened?

A reporter named Sean Callahan, who knows a lot about Nebraska football (he’s called a "Big Red Zone Insider"), shared this news. He reported that the Huskers are set to add Tikey Hayes to their 2026 roster.

Here are the key facts in a simple list:

• Tikey Hayes was a four-star running back prospect when he was in high school. (That means scouts thought he was really good — like 4 out of 5 stars!)
• A running back is a player whose job is to take the football and run with it to score points.
• He played a tiny bit for Penn State as a freshman: he ran the ball 3 times and moved it 18 yards forward.
• After that, he said he wanted to go to a different school by entering the transfer portal (a special online list where college players can say, "I want to move!").
• He was then put on the spring player list for Iowa Western Community College. Their coach, Scott Strohmeier, said Tikey was expected to be their main starting running back in 2026 (according to Callahan).
• But now, Nebraska is reportedly getting him instead!

How Did Tikey Get to Nebraska? (Step-by-Step)

1. Tikey was a good high school player (four-star rating).
2. He went to Penn State and played a little as a freshman.
3. He decided to leave and joined the transfer portal.
4. He was going to play at Iowa Western Community College as their star runner in 2026.
5. News broke (from Sean Callahan) that Nebraska will add him to their 2026 team.

Callout for Important Points

Important: Tikey Hayes has four years of eligibility remaining. That means he is allowed to play college football for four more years! Also, this is a report from an insider, not yet an official school announcement.

Why Is This a Big Deal?

• Nebraska gets a young player who was highly rated.
• He has many years left to play, so he could help the team for a long time.
• Even though he didn’t play much at Penn State, coaches think he has potential.

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Summary

To sum up: Nebraska’s football team is reported to welcome Tikey Hayes, a former Penn State running back, to their 2026 roster. He is a young player with four years of playing time left, and he was once a highly rated high school star. He was briefly set to play at a community college but now seems headed to the Huskers. The news comes from insider Sean Callahan and was written by Jake Anderson in Lincoln, Nebraska.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. What is a "running back"?
A running back is a football player who usually gets the ball and runs as fast as they can to help their team score. Think of them as the person who carries the ball in a race.

2. What does "four-star prospect" mean?
When kids are in high school and good at sports, grown-ups give them "stars" like in a rating. Five stars is the best, so four stars means he was considered very talented but not the absolute top.

3. What is the "transfer portal"?
It’s like a notice board where college athletes can say, "I want to go to a different school to play sports." Then other schools can ask them to join.

4. Who are the Huskers and Nittany Lions?
"Huskers" is the fun nickname for the University of Nebraska football team. "Nittany Lions" is the nickname for Penn State’s team.

5. Is this news 100% confirmed?
Not yet! It comes from a report by Sean Callahan, a trusted insider. The school hasn’t made an official announcement, but it’s looking likely.