The Husker Doc Talk Podcast with Travis Justice and Dr. Rob Zatechka welcomes a guest Husker fans are going to enjoy: former Nebraska fullback Barrett Liebentritt.

Before the interview even starts, the guys go on a classic Doc Talk tangent—this time sparked by Rob sending Travis a “strange times, strange places” text… from the campus of Grand View University in Des Moines. That turns into a fun (and surprisingly informative) conversation about NAIA athletics, wrestling weekends, and why Rob is basically fluent in Olympic and Big Ten wrestling while Travis is… not.

Then it’s time for the main event: Barrett’s journey from being a Husker fan who wanted Nebraska first, to landing at Notre Dame during the weirdest recruiting era imaginable—COVID. Barrett explains what it was like to choose a high-level football path without camps, visits, or the normal recruiting process… and how his first real look at Notre Dame’s facilities happened when he literally showed up for school.

From there, Barrett gets candid about the reality of being a walk-on at Notre Dame, the culture divide between scholarship guys and walk-ons under Brian Kelly, and the “wait… that’s it?” moment when Kelly left for LSU—an exit Barrett says felt abrupt, cold, and very “business first.” On the flip side, he shares why Marcus Freeman made such a strong impression and why players were fired up when Freeman took over.

The heart of the episode is Barrett’s decision to come back home. He breaks down what pulled him to Nebraska—Matt Rhule’s vision, the idea of using a true fullback, and the chance to wear the N. The conversation expands into the modern state of college football: NIL, the portal, roster limits, and whether development-first coaching can still win in today’s “plug-and-play” world.

And because this is Husker Doc Talk, you also get a ton of personality: ACT score trash talk, “stab lab” stories from dental school, beer-at-10-a.m. debate, and Barrett’s future plans as he pursues dentistry at UNMC—plus the sobering reality of the injury that ended his playing career early.

It’s funny, real, and packed with insight on football, life, and the changing college landscape—exactly what Doc Talk does best.

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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.

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Nebraska fans finally get the official 2026 football schedule, and on Episode 3 of the Husker Doc Talk Podcast, Travis Justice and Dr. Rob Zatechka waste no time breaking down what it really means: this thing is a gauntlet.

They debate how much the order of games matters (Rob’s “one game at a time” mindset vs. the reality of how fans live and die with back-to-back matchups), then land on a blunt early takeaway: five wins might be the expectation, and seven should be celebrated considering the slate. The guys walk through the opening stretch (including why North Dakota could be sneakier than people think), the early Big Ten swing at Michigan State, and the brutal middle chunk featuring heavyweights like Indiana, Oregon, and Washington.

From there, the conversation turns into a larger debate about modern roster building, how portal “rankings” can be fool’s gold, why production matters more than stars, and why recruiting services seem to magically boost ratings the second a player commits to a blueblood. It’s funny, cynical, and painfully familiar to anyone who’s followed college football for more than five minutes.

The back half hits two hot-button topics: Mike Eckler leaving for USC and what it means for Nebraska’s special teams momentum, and then the one that gets Rob fully fired up, Nebraska adding women’s flag football instead of women’s wrestling. Rob doesn’t hold back, and the episode ends with an all-time closing statement: “Flag football is not football.”

Watch on YouTube, drop your takes in the comments, and buckle up… because 2026 isn’t for the faint of heart.

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.

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.