The transfer portal opened nationally on Monday. At Nebraska, the relative quiet represented a continued shift in mindset to seek stability and growth toward the long-term build.

It’s a risk, undoubtedly, to move against the grain in the transient world of college football and bank that enough talent to win will stick around for the ride. But the Huskers, with four head coaches in the past decade and too much roster upheaval in the past six years to produce even one winning season, are left with this as the best option.

And it’s the way coach Matt Rhule wants to run his program.

“I just don’t know why we wouldn’t keep doing what we’re doing in terms of recruiting young players and developing them,” Rhule said last week after the Huskers closed his first season at the helm with four consecutive losses to finish 5-7.

One Nebraska player, tight end Jake Appleget, entered the portal Monday as chaos reigned elsewhere. Many schools saw in the range of six to 10 players head for the portal on Day 1.

The Huskers have been there and done that.

Rhule began to hold individual meetings with his team late last week. He’s not pushing anyone out the door but said he’ll let players know where they stand.

Don’t expect portal season at Nebraska to look similar to last year, when the Huskers added 12 bodies to the roster from other Power 5 schools.

The numbers won’t allow it. Three to five additions appear reasonable. Including the committed recruits for 2024 and all players with remaining eligibility whose decisions remain unannounced, the scholarship count stands at 99. It must drop to 85 by August.

So there will be changes in the 30-day portal window that opened Monday.