Game day finally rolled around in Nebraska, but this time it hit a little different. No whistle, no notepad, no intense John Cook pacing the sidelines. Instead, after building a full-blown dynasty over 25 wild and magical years, Coach Cook handed over the keys to his empire. Passing the torch to his former player and right-hand woman, Dani Busboom Kelly, wasn’t an easy call, but it was the right one. “Yeah, I’m going to miss it, but I’m going to be the biggest cheerleader,” Cook had promised—and man, he’s keeping that promise like a champ.

Fast-forward to the Huskers stepping into a brand-new era, and guess what? John Cook’s not riding off into the sunset just yet. Nope, the legendary coach has swapped courtside huddles for commentary! In a super sweet X post from April 26 by Hail Varsity (aka the Voice of Husker Nation), they showed off Cook’s shiny new gig. “A little different POV for John Cook tonight!” they captioned, giving us all a glimpse of Cook on Big Ten Network’s broadcast team, calling the shots as Nebraska clashed with Kansas at the Bob Devaney Center. New job, same legendary vibes. And to make his big TV debut even sweeter, Cook shared a heartwarming moment with one of Nebraska’s new volleyball stars, Andi Jackson.

In one of those moments that just melts your heart, a sweet little reunion played out on camera thanks to Kevin Sjuts’ video on X. There was John Cook, now rocking his new Big Ten Network gig, catching up with one of his Husker favorites, Andi Jackson. Sliding into full-on proud coach mode, Cook kicked it off with a grin and said, “So, Andi, this is Coach Cook.” Without missing a beat, Andi lit up and replied, “Hi, Coach.” Honestly, it was pure wholesome magic.

Keeping the old-school coach banter alive, Cook teased her a little, asking, “Do you remember me?” And with the kind of warmth that could light up a whole gym, Andi said, “I do. I miss you.” Not gonna lie, cue the tissues. Cook added, “Thank you for texting me on my birthday. That was really nice of you,” and Andi, sweet as ever, replied, “You’re welcome.” It wasn’t just an interview—it felt like watching family reconnect, and it was all kinds of heart-hugging adorable.

Once upon a not-so-long-ago December, Andi Jackson was already pretty tight with Coach John Cook — you know, Husker vibes strong as ever. Spending his 25th season riding high with Nebraska, Cook had seen it all, and he knew hidden gems when he spotted one. Andi was no exception. Right before the NCAA volleyball championship showdown, Cook didn’t hold back, telling the world, “Andi has gone to a really high level.” Little would the 15-year-old Andi, who had serious doubts about if she would be good at the sport, have imagined that one day, one of the biggest names in the sport would have such high praise for her.

He went on, laying it down smooth, “She’s on a path right now to be one of the elite middles ever to play here, just with her stats and so on. She’s doing things that not many middles can do.” Basically, it was like handing her a golden permission slip to own the court without fear. So, curious how the showdown looked when John Cook and Andi Jackson shared that sweet little moment on game day?

Huskers continue to dominate even without John Cook!

There may have been a new head coach on the Huskers’ bench calling the shots, but Saturday’s spring volleyball match win over Kansas was the same, dominant Nebraska. The Huskers won all four sets played against the Jayhawks at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, opening the Dani Busboom Kelly era with a bang.

The Huskers hit the court for their first big dance without John Cook calling the shots, but man, they didn’t miss a beat! Hunter, one of the top recruits for 2025, wasted zero time finding her rhythm. She went off with a team-high 11 kills on just 16 attacks—and that slick left-handed hit? Straight-up deadly. Opposing teams are gonna have a long fall trying to figure out how to handle that magic.

And honestly, the rest of the freshman squad wasn’t shy about making some noise either. Campbell Flynn got comfy running the show at setter, stacking up 15 assists like a boss, while Teraya Singer popped off with six solid kills of her own. Over at libero, Choboy slid into the spotlight, taking over for last year’s queen, Lexi Rodriguez. And she wasn’t just holding it down — she was owning that court with 18 digs and two sweet assists.

Olivia Mauch also stepped up in libero mode, dropping 12 digs and five assists like it was no big deal. The Huskers won set No. 1, 25-20, set No. 2, 25-18, set No. 3, 25-21, and set No. 4, 25-22. So yup, whether Cook’s standing courtside with a clipboard or vibing from the broadcast booth, Nebraska’s still out here doing what they do best — dominating and dazzling like absolute legends.