Several Nebraska football players entertained the crowd during halftime of the men’s basketball game against Minnesota Saturday.
The five Huskers competed in a dunk contest, getting a chance to put down one dunk over each of two round before crowd noise determined a pair of finalists. The contestants were defensive lineman Kai Wallin, running back Emmett Johnson, defensive back Jeremiah Charles, tight end Thomas Fidone, and quarterback Heinrich Haarberg.
Wallin and Johnson both completed a windmill in round one and missed their attempts in round two. Haarberg threw an alley-oop to himself off of the backboard before dunking the ball with two hands. He missed his two attempts in the second round.
Two players completed their dunks in both rounds: Charles with a 360 followed by one between the legs and Fidone with a Michael Jordan-esque jump from just inside of the free throw line and a 360. Charles and Fidone were the clear-cut finalists.
Before the final, Johnson attempted to jump over head coach Matt Rhule for a dunk, but he wound up misses and falling on his backside. Fortunately for everyone watching, neither the player nor the coach were injured.
In the final, Charles pulled out an impressive windmill, two-handed reverse dunk. Fidone answered by cranking the ball behind his head as he powerfully put it down with two hands but it wasn’t enough to top what Charles had done.
Jeremiah Charles, redshirt freshman from Arlington, Texas: dunk contest champion.
Nebraska football will return to action with the Red-White Spring Game April 27.